Some 30 years ago, B.Y. (Before Yoko), I went down to the Florida Keys with then girl friend, Lou Ann Shoemaker. We went to earn my open water diving certificate Once down there, we played hookie extending our stay and visit Key West. One stop was the Hemingway House. As we were being funneled into the living room, waiting for the rest of the tour to gather, I began to look around. The first thing that caught my eye were the cat tchotchkes all around. I pointed and exclaimed, "Look that has to be the biggest Lalique crystal cat I've ever seen (It was the size of a real cat) ... And look ... that one has to be a Picasso." I felt daggers hitting me from behind and I turned to face our tour guide scowling. Her voice made me wonder if she was Ben Stein's sister.
"Now that we have covered the living room ... let us move on.
So why am I sharing this old chestnut? Because I experienced something similar today.
I had a brief talk with my friend Walt, yesterday. We talk about once a week ... for hours. And hours ... and ...well you get the picture. It's usually a lively conversation about art, movies and cartoons. Walt has discovered the internet and I am always amazed with what he digs up. The funny thing is that our minds are so a tuned that we are often bringing up the same subject, just from different directions. I had mentioned having a set of Punch and Judy puppets pop up in my Facebook feed. Walt found this on a blog called "Animation Resource."
I know this is a major commitment as this documentary is an hour long. But when I saw this video, I went ... "Look that's the Bill Baird exotic dancer marionette! Look ..."
Birnkrant is know for his extensive collection of Mickey Mouse and other pre WWII comic character toys and as the creator of such toys as "Outer Space Men" and the "Baby Face Dolls." His collection started in the 1950s with a Mickey Mouse bank he found. I have to ask if he was the inspiration for the film "Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium" as he ran the Boutique Fantastique where he reproduced antique toys, music boxes and zoetropes. From 1964 to 1986 he designed Colorforms.
I hope you will take a look and for a while get in touch with your inner child.
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