Burr Tillstrom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Burr Tillstrom
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Tillstrom with Kukla, Ollie and Fran Allison, 1954
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Franklin Burr Tillstrom
October 13, 1917 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | December 6, 1985 (aged 68) Palm Springs, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Puppeteer |
Burr Tillstrom (born October 13, 1917, died December 6, 1985) was a very talented American puppeteer. He is best known for creating the popular television show Kukla, Fran and Ollie. This show featured his amazing puppet characters.
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Burr Tillstrom's Early Life
Burr Tillstrom was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Bert and Alice Burr Tillstrom. He went to Senn High School in Chicago. Later, he attended the University of Chicago. While still in his first year of college, he got a job offer. He was asked to set up a puppet theater for the WPA-Chicago Parks District Theatre.
Burr Tillstrom's Puppetry Career
Tillstrom became very interested in puppetry in the early 1930s. He created his famous puppet, Kukla, in 1936. Kukla didn't have a name at first. A Russian ballerina named Tamara Toumanova called him kukla, which means "doll" in Russian.
Famous Puppet Characters
Besides Kukla, Tillstrom created many other popular puppets. These included Ollie (whose full name was Oliver J. Dragon), Beulah Witch, Goultar, Cecil Bill, and Fletcher Rabbit. In 1939, Tillstrom and his "Kuklapolitan Players" were invited to perform. They put on a show at the 1939 New York World's Fair. The next year, RCA sent him to Bermuda. There, he performed on the very first ship-to-shore broadcast.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie TV Show
From 1947 to 1957, Tillstrom worked on the Kukla, Fran and Ollie television show. The show starred his puppets and a performer named Fran Allison. Many people believe it was the first children's show that both kids and adults loved. Famous fans included Orson Welles, John Steinbeck, and James Thurber. Almost all of the shows were made up on the spot, without a script.
After the original show ended in 1957, Tillstrom kept working with his Kuklapolitan puppets. In early 1958, he appeared with the puppets on The Polly Bergen Show. This was a short-lived NBC variety show.
Later Performances
Tillstrom, Kukla, and Ollie joined Fran Allison again to host the CBS Children's Film Festival. This ran from 1967 to 1977. In 1970, Kukla, Fran and Ollie appeared on National Educational Television. These shows were filmed at WTTW in Chicago for two seasons. In 1975, Kukla, Fran and Ollie started another run on TV with 13 new episodes.
In 1977, the Kukla and Ollie Retrospective Stage Show tours began. This was part of an Artist-in-Residence program at Hope College. In 1978, Kukla, Burr, and Ollie joined a Broadway show. It was called Side by Side by Sondheim, which featured songs by Stephen Sondheim.
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Tillstrom continued to perform with his puppets until he passed away. He died at age 68 in Palm Springs, California, on December 6, 1985. He was found sitting near his swimming pool. It seemed he died from natural causes. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago.
Honors and Legacy
On March 23, 1986, Burr Tillstrom was honored. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. This was for his amazing creativity and new ideas in television. The Saugatuck Douglas Art Club in Saugatuck, Michigan created a memorial for Tillstrom in 1988. This was because Saugatuck was where Tillstrom had his summer home for many years.
The Burr Tillstrom Collection and Archives are kept at the Chicago History Museum. This collection helps people learn about his life and work. In 2013, Tillstrom was also inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Burr Tillstrom para niños
