Kukla, Fran and Ollie
Unscripted puppet show that charmed adults and children alike.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie was an early American television puppet show that premiered in Chicago in 1947. Created by puppeteer Burr Tillstrom, it featured comedienne Fran Allison interacting with a cast of puppets, including the title characters Kukla and Ollie. Though designed for children, the program attracted a larger adult audience and was entirely unscripted, relying on ad-libbed dialogue.
Quick Facts
- Creator
- Burr Tillstrom
- Director
- Lewis Gomavitz
- Starring
- Burr Tillstrom; Fran Allison
- Theme music
- Jack Fascinato; Burr Tillstrom
- Opening theme
- "Here We Are"
- Composer
- Jack Fascinato
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Original series
Burr Tillstrom created the show and served as its only puppeteer. It first aired as the hour-long Junior Jamboree on WBKB in Chicago on October 13, 1947. It aired Monday through Friday from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Central Time from Chicago. Fran Allison, a radio comedian and singer, was typically the only human on screen, acting as a big sister and voice of reason. The puppets were designed in the style of Neapolitan puppet shows, but with less caricatured personalities. The cast included Kukla, the earnest leader; Ollie, a one-toothed dragon who slammed his chin or rolled on his back; Madame Ooglepuss, a retired opera diva; Buelah Witch; Fletcher Rabbit, the mailman and fussbudget; Cecil Bill, a stagehand speaking unintelligible "tooie talk"; Colonel Crackie; Doloras Dragon; Mercedes; and Olivia, Ollie's mother. The humor was tame and relied on building familiarity with the audience.
The Ford 50th Anniversary Show
After a medley by Ethel Merman and Mary Martin, Ollie remarked, "There's no business like television, either," and Kukla replied, "Well, it's so young." Ollie said, "Yes. Whenever will it grow up? Maybe tonight. Maybe tonight." The program drew 60 million viewers. Television critic Tom Shales later called it both a landmark in television and a milestone in the cultural life of the 1950s.
Later series
In the early 1960s, Tillstrom and his puppets returned to NBC without Allison for Burr Tillstrom's Kukla and Ollie. Tillstrom also performed live at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in the early 1980s.
Digital media and stamp
That same day, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp, and a Hollywood gala celebrated both the stamp and the show's 60th anniversary. DVD sales ended on January 31, 2020. On February 24, 2020, a YouTube channel began posting digital transfers of kinescopes regularly, aiming to make all surviving original episodes freely available online.
More in 1950s American Children's Television Series
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced