I don't know too much about legendary ventriloquist Arthur Worsley (I'm a Paul Winchell man myself and Worsley's wikipedia entry appears to have been sabotaged by hooligans) but I really got into this 1966 spot from The Ed Sullivan Show. Worsley was unique in the ventriloquist world. Instead of the typical cornball banter that was the crux of most ventriloquist acts, Worsley's performances were completely one-sided, with Charlie the dummy dominating his master, heaping verbal abuse upon him. Not only is the sheer skill of having the dummy scream in Arthur's face impressive, but Worsley never uttering a word, resembling part Christopher Walken - part department store mannequin is as unnerving and creepy as the best scenes in Dead of Night (1945), Devil Doll (1963) or Magic (1978). A total original.
Thanks for that Kliph -- that's the best ventriloquist bit I've ever seen. Remarkable.
In this 2001 New York Times appreciation, I see that Ricky Jay is an admirer, too, which I will presume validates your taste.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/30/magazine/the-lives-they-lived-arthur-worsley-suffering-silently.html
Posted by: riffle | May 17, 2009 at 01:48 AM
A fun post. I could never understand the concept of a ventriloquist record, or a ventriloquist on the radio. Think about it - how did Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy become popular before television? If you can't see the dummy what is the draw?
Posted by: Dale | May 17, 2009 at 10:12 AM
WOW! this was incredible! what a skill...thanks for posting.
Posted by: Mike H | May 17, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Classic gaffe from the Times article: "When Worsley retired in the early 80's, he put Charlie Brown in the attic and never took him out. He died in July." Predeceased by his dummy! Interesting to note that Worsley never got laugh one from the Sullivan audience, who obediently applauded at those nearly random moments when someone decided to light up the sign.
Posted by: Don | May 17, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Very cool. Christopher Walken should play him in the biopic.
Posted by: Quig | May 17, 2009 at 05:34 PM
Gird noises? When You're Sniling? Gottle of deer? He's worse than Jack Dinsmore (it took me a while to dig up that name).
Posted by: Jim | May 17, 2009 at 06:35 PM
There's an even better Worsley appearance from a Sullivan show in the '50s on YouTube. The routine is pretty similar to this one, but Worsley is more proficient.
Posted by: Larry Howard | May 18, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Thought you might enjoy this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAggbrNZshQ
Nat
Posted by: Nat Roe | May 19, 2009 at 01:03 PM