Featured Figures
Art Anteak
Billy
Cecil
Champagne Charlie
Charlie McCarthy
Cleo
Clyde
Coach
Coram Head
Elmer
Farfel
Farmer's Wife
George
George
Granny
Gutters
Hanley Head
Jacko
Jane Jones
Jerry
Jerry J. Jerrie
Jerry O'Brien
Jerry O'Leary
Joe Flip
Joe Nemo
Johnny
Johnny Jordan
Junior
Junior
Kenny Talk
Knucklhead Smiff
Lester Boy
Little
Joe
Maisie
Max
Oscar
Quitz
Reagan
Red Flannels
Rosita
Sammy
Selberg Boy
Shorty Jones
Skinny Hamilton
Terry
Tommy Baloney
Windsor Boy
Woody DeForest
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Featured Figure:
Max
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Created by: Ramme
Used by: Charlotte
Bern-Keller
Trivia:
1. Max is a 36 inch tall standing figure, originally owned
and used by a professional, female ventriloquist from Germany named
Charlotte Bern-Keller.
2. Max has a number of controls: His eyebrows lift, he hold and
smokes a cigarette, he cries, smiles, nods, winks, rolls his eyes,
and he can move his right arm and leg.
3. Max joined Vent Haven in January of 1954, when
Vent Haven founder W.S. Berger
purchased the figure from Bern-Keller.
4. In correspondence between Berger and Bern-Keller, the latter
shared this unusual tidbit: "Before appearing on the stage with
Charlotte Bern 'Max' usually received a regular 'make up' like a
human being, I liked this better than the usual painted and
lacquered face. I used stage face powder and coloring and ordinary
rouge."
5. A letter from the United States Bureau of Customs dated January
11, 1954 is included in Max's file. The letter states that shipment
of the figure to 33 West Maple Street (Vent Haven's address) was
being delayed due to problems with the package. Specifically, there
were two problems: 1) The package had been damaged in transit from
Germany, and 2) "This office differs with your classification of the
dummy in question as 'paper mache.' The letter goes on to state that
the description is inadequate as the figure also includes glass and
wooden parts.
6. In a letter dated January 29 of 1954, Berger wrote to
Bern-Keller: "Finally Max arrived. He was tossed around a great deal
in his journey...There was a lot of red tape." He also told this
story about convincing the U.S. Customs Office to release Max to
him: "I had to have a nice audience and had to give them my first
demonstration with Max. He did speak a few words in German to a man
in the crowd that understood the German language, and then Max spoke
in English, he is a pretty good smart boy." Berger went on to say
that Max was (in 1954) on display in the dining room of Berger's
house.
7. Today Max is on display in Building Two of the Museum but is not
visible in any of the Quicktime Virtual pans.
Do you have additional information about this
figure? Do you have a suggestion for a future Figure of the Month? Is there a figure
maker whose work you would like to see featured? Let us know by emailing
the Vent Haven staff. |
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