Puppets Galore at the Museum of the City of New York

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Charlene Giannetti in Playing Around

Puppets were so much a part of my childhood. On TV, we watched Buffalo Bob Smith and his sidekick, Howdy Doody. (And, yes, I had several Howdy Doody puppets.) The talented ventriloquist Shari Lewis gave voice to her adorable sock puppet, Lamb Chop. When my children were small, Sesame Street, with the many Jim Henson creations, was a favorite to watch together. Then came the incredible puppets from the Broadway production of the Lion King. No surprise, then, that I had to rush to see the new exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York that brings together a diverse collection of puppets – some cuddly, some not-so-much – that entertained and continue to entertain generations of children along with their parents.

Here, some of the highlights from the exhibition.

Howdy Doody

Shari Lewis with Puppets on Her TV Show

Shari Lewis’ Lamb Chop (left) and Other Puppets

Oscar the Grouch

The Lion King

Robert Moses from The Radiant City by Theodora Skipitares

Queen Peuta, from “The Land of Gorch,” designed by Michael K. Frith and Built by Mari Kaestle

Herbert and Lulu the Hobo Bigs on the Nickelodeon series “Pinwheel,” designed, built and performed by Craig Martin and Olga Felgemacher (The Flexitoon Puppets)

Opening Panels to the Exhibition

Many events, including puppet shows for children, will be planned during the exhibition. Check the website for details.
Puppets of New York
Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street

About Charlene Giannetti (690 Articles)

Charlene Giannetti, editor of Woman Around Town, is the recipient of seven awards from the New York Press Club for articles that have appeared on the website. A graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Charlene began her career working for a newspaper in Pennsylvania, then wrote for several publications in Washington covering environment and energy policy. In New York, she was an editor at Business Week magazine and her articles have appeared in many newspapers and magazines. She is the author of 13 non-fiction books, eight for parents of young adolescents written with Margaret Sagarese, including "The Roller-Coaster Years," "Cliques," and "Boy Crazy." She and Margaret have been keynote speakers at many events and have appeared on the Today Show, CBS Morning, FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and many others. Her last book, "The Plantations of Virginia," written with Jai Williams, was published by Globe Pequot Press in February, 2017. Her podcast, WAT-CAST, interviewing men and women making news, is available on Soundcloud and on iTunes. She is one of the producers for the film "Life After You," focusing on the opioid/heroin crisis that had its premiere at WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, where it won two awards. The film is now available to view on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and other services. Charlene and her husband live in Manhattan.

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