I'm sure lots of you are familiar with this, but here is a cool clip of Paul Winchell in his later days, singing "ice cream" with a version of an "older" Jerry Mahoney.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwN-vtWUjlA

The manipulation, and ability to make Jerry seem alive, is probably about as good as it gets in vent!

I love the bit at the end where they each turn their heads in unison then Paul turns towards Jerry in shock - I have an idea this is probably a bit that Paul used for years in his shows. Years and years of fine tuning the manipulation. What a talent.

I always wondered over the years why Paul Winchell never hit the "super mega" big time with the general population, as Edgar Bergen did, but as the sayin' goes, "that's showbiz!"

From my recent read of "winch", I guess it also had a bit to do with personal issues, along with the changing tide of what was considered "cool & hip" during the 60's and 70's in America.

But he will always be one of the best to me! What a vent!

AC

That was great! I had only seen a clip of it on his vent video.

Hi Neale,

I had heard about an older version of Mahoney video out there, but never seen it.

I have been watching and re-watching this clip trying to figure out at what point a recorded Jerry kicks in with Paul....the manipulation when they each start singing opposite harmony parts is fricking amazing.

Anyone know the date of this performence?

AC

Actually, when I was a kid, Winch was bigger than Bergen. He had his own TV show and guested on lots of other shows. Jerry Mahoney dummies were available at all the toy stores (and through the Spiegel catalogue, which is where mine came from!) and there was even a Jerry Mahoney hand puppet, as I recall...not to mention promotional packages and displays with Hartz Mountain pet food in the grocery stores and pet shops.

Bergen, as far as I remember, turned up on a quiz show called "Do You Trust Your Wife?" which later became "Who Do You Trust?" with a new host--young kid named Johnny Carson.

I remember that Bergen's lips moved a LOT on TV...and not so much on the reruns of his movies that turned up in those days (I also remember Charlie and Mortimer running and jumping, thanks to little people playing the parts for specific shots--and Bergen guesting on the Benny show with little people in costumes as well).

Winch was big for quite awhile. But when vent went into eclipse for awhile, it seems like he started doing more cartoon voices...not to mention quite a bit of inventing.
By this time, Bergen had passed away.

But Winchell was a star and, more than Bergen, a big influence for some of us of a certain age, along with Jimmy Nelson (N-E-S-T-L-E-S...) and even Senor Wences, who was on Sullivan quite a bit...plus an acquaintance of mine named Lucille Elmore, who was a retired vaudeville vent (with some gorgeous figures. Wonder what happened to them).

I hate to say this because for me also Paul Winchell was the best. I too grew up watching him on the TV but for this particular piece Paul was lip sincing to both parts. He even did this at the convention in Las Vegas.
Dan
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

If it hadn't been for Winchell, I wouldn't have been a working ventriloquist at a very early age. If it hadn't been for being a ventriloquist, I wouldn't have become interested in magic shortly thereafter. If it hadn't been for the vent and the magic I might not have gone into acting, directing and writing. I still make a living with the writing.
Winchell started it all for me.
I was so sorry to hear that his life had not been a happy one.

He was a helluva good vent.

Winch was such a talent and inspiration to so many budding vents. I to recall as a young kid (circa 1967-68), watching his regualr show. How great it was!

Wasn't the intro to his show something like...."Hooray, Hurrah, It's Winchell Mahoney time, it's Wichell Mahoney time, a time for fun, a time for ____ ?"

I seem to remeber that his show played at the same time as the Howdy Doody show, Shari Lewis Show and Kuka, Fran and Ollie (or something to that effect).

What a line-up!! Then there were the Nestle commercials in between. Soupy Sales and Chuck McCan were also big back then ... that was "before" soupy had us send in our parents money from the tomp of thier dresser! lol

Jonathan

Great manipulation from the Master Vent...wow!!!

FYI, I have never seen or known Mr Winchell and Mr Bergen before I started venturing into ventriloquism two years ago. Their shows if I'm not mistaken were never shown in our local tv channels. What a big loss for me...

Wanlu

Hey Dan,

You mean Paul Winchell invented Lip Syncing before Britney Spears did?

Next you will tell me he also shaved his head, and went out on the town without any skivvies. ; )

Live or not, does nothing to tarnish his image in my mind - one of the Greats! If I could ever achieve just a small percentage of what he did in vent, I would die a happy man.

I would love to find some tapes/DVDs of more late in life Winchell performances.

AC

I've seen some stuff available on ebay from time to time. As you know, much of his television work was destroyed.

Hi,

Yes, I know the unfortunate erasing of his TV stuff, what a loss but I'm more looking though for some videos of him when he was older...like maybe a copy of one of his convention appearances in the 90's...

AC

Just by way of slight correction...
On a post above I mentioned Lucille Elmore. Guess I left some words out. She was a big personal influence on ME, if not on the world at large, because she was one of only two professional vents I knew personally.
And, by the time I knew her, she was retired.

AC my stating that Winch was lip sincing was in no way to take him off of his pedestal. I too think he was the best ventriloquist ever. It was just that that particular skit was done by him by first recording both parts and then lip sincing to have the both of them singing together. As far as I am concerned it was genius!!
Dan
http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com

...And Winch himself told the live audience BEFORE he started this performance that they'll do a recorded act. But he was still surprised with the great reaction of the audience when they did the part where Mahoney's voice and his sang at the same time!

He revealed this info in his awesome vent instructional video.

I had put off reading "Winch" since it came out, as I had heard sooooo many things about it...I really didn't want to tarnish my image of Paul. Hey we all have our personal demons...

I just finished it, and everything was goin' ok till the last 1/4...oops....as the saying goes, HELP ME MR. WIZARD!!!!!

To phrase SNL..."WHAT WAS HE THINKING"!!!!!??

If I ever decide to put in print some of my past personal life, it might be just as juicy, but let's hope I never decide to do that. ; )

Still, I sure would love to meet a single " 2009 Rosetta" that has the hot for male vents. ; )

woo hoo

AC