Hi N J,
Thanks for including me in your bio's. I grew up in a small town in ME. I grew up in foster homes. Although my mother and father were alive I never lived with them. I think ventriloquism gave me an outlet to be liked and I always liked to make people laugh.
My first dummy was a little Jerry Mahoney( I still have it) with the string on the back of the neck. My first show was at my third grade Christmas show for parents. One of the grand fathers recommended me for a company Christmas party. They called, picked me up and paid me 5 dollars. I was so small that they set a chair on top of a table so people in the restaurant could see me. I still remember the first joke I used.
Ventriloquism came easy to me . I have an overbite that helps with my lip control. After that first show the Bangor Dailey News did a feature on me with a picture and the rest is history, as they say. My next dummy was the bigger Jerry Mahoney with head on the stick controlled from the back. I still have him too.
I got a brochure from a local magic shop that sold professional dummies. Hugo came from California and was created by Ravello Petee. He could smoke, spit, move his eyes, close his eyes and wink. Edgar Bergan and Paul Winchell and later Jimmy Nelson were all big influences on me. I got Paul Statleman's book on ventriloquism and it was a big help. Hugo's Last name is Higgins named after Statleman's Wendy Higgins.
Hugo and I have have appeared on TV and stages throughout the U.S. We have done TV commercials and had our own TV show. I was the first vent on ME. TV. Hugo went to college with me and was pictured with his own write up in the college year book. The only vent figure to be so honored.
Thanks for including me in your bio's. I grew up in a small town in ME. I grew up in foster homes. Although my mother and father were alive I never lived with them. I think ventriloquism gave me an outlet to be liked and I always liked to make people laugh.
My first dummy was a little Jerry Mahoney( I still have it) with the string on the back of the neck. My first show was at my third grade Christmas show for parents. One of the grand fathers recommended me for a company Christmas party. They called, picked me up and paid me 5 dollars. I was so small that they set a chair on top of a table so people in the restaurant could see me. I still remember the first joke I used.
Ventriloquism came easy to me . I have an overbite that helps with my lip control. After that first show the Bangor Dailey News did a feature on me with a picture and the rest is history, as they say. My next dummy was the bigger Jerry Mahoney with head on the stick controlled from the back. I still have him too.
I got a brochure from a local magic shop that sold professional dummies. Hugo came from California and was created by Ravello Petee. He could smoke, spit, move his eyes, close his eyes and wink. Edgar Bergan and Paul Winchell and later Jimmy Nelson were all big influences on me. I got Paul Statleman's book on ventriloquism and it was a big help. Hugo's Last name is Higgins named after Statleman's Wendy Higgins.
Hugo and I have have appeared on TV and stages throughout the U.S. We have done TV commercials and had our own TV show. I was the first vent on ME. TV. Hugo went to college with me and was pictured with his own write up in the college year book. The only vent figure to be so honored.
We are currently scheduling our 2009," Out for Retirement Tour". Last year we did shoes in VA, Ohio, ME and of course many shows here in FL. My act is a strong 45 minutes. I do a few min of stand up and bring on Yuk, my Axtell figure and sometimes use the drawing board. When Hugo comes on we call our agent Will Cheatem with the three of us talking also do the drinking bit while Hugo sings. I end the act with him in the suitcase trying to get out and fighting with Yuk.
I will be happy to send you a picture but don't know how to do it on here so send me an address for me to sent it to you. Also a magazine article is coming out about Hugo and me that I can send you. You can also check me out on Youtube, Ed Thomas and Hugo. If you want to come to Alt Springs for lunch some time I would be happy to host you. Look forward to meeting you.
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