The History of Ventriloquism Trivia Quiz

Answer: Necromancy

When it was first practiced around the 6th Century B.C., many historians have concluded that the act of ventriloquism originated as a means to communicate with the dead. By communicating with the stomach (rather than by mouth), it was believed that information could be passed from human to the dead from beyond the grave.

Historically, necromancy was illegal in many places around the world any anyone found practicing ventriloquism could be sentenced to death. According to Angela Mabe in her report "Ventriloquism: A Dissociative Perspective", ventriloquism made a comeback during the 16th Century as a form of amusement in England, and by the 18th Century, it was a form of entertainment in both Europe and in North America.

Although popular, many people have believed that ventriloquism was a supernatural gift, rather than a talent. Today, many people practice ventriloquism, many movies including "The Great Gabbo", "Dummy", and "Triloquist", have been made displaying acts of ventriloquism, and thousands of people are entertained yearly by ventriloquists around the world.

Answer: Louis Brabant

Ventriloquism is an ancient art. It can be dated all the way back to Egyptian and Hebrew archaelogy, however, the first ventriloquist known by name was Louis Brabant. Like other ventriloquists, Brabant was seen as a prophet of sorts (because he could speak using his belly). Brabant was a valet to King Frances I of France during the 16th Century.

Answer: 7

Vernon often used seven puppet characters that he would use on stage and have full conversations between himself as well as the seven puppets. Six of these characters were used regularly and included the Old Maid (who sang), George (who stuttered), Nettie (who had a cleft lip), Joe (the main act), the Sailor, and Happy (who never spoke, but laughed). Tragically, Vernon was killed in San Francisco in 1937 by a taxi cab at the age of 70.

Answer: He was the first ventriloquist to walk around the audience while his dummy whistled.

According to Joanne Johnson of "Talking Comedy", The Great Lester, a Polish born ventriloquist, has been credited with being the first ventriloquist to walk into the audience while his dummy whistled. Lester often claimed that he carved his own dummies and that he was the first ventriloquist to drink while performing (although other accounts claim that this is not true). His most noted act is one in which he calls up Heaven and Hell in search of his sister. His dummy was known as Frank Byron, Jr., and can be seen on display at the Vent Hill Museum in Kentucky.

Fred Russell was a popular ventriloquist that used a single dummy known as "Coaster Joe" for all of his performances. He has been credited as the oldest person to ever perform a ventriloquist act during the 20th Century at the age of 91. He changed his name from Thomas Frederick Parnell to Fred Russell due to the politics of Irish leader Charles Stewart Parnell. He was a popular journalist prior to his career as a ventriloquist and was a noted editor of the Hackney and Kingsland Gazette.

Answer: Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd, and Effie Klinker

Edgar Bergen was a very famous ventriloquist during the 1930s and 1940s. Although he did appear in vaudeville and on short film, his success came mainly because he performed his acts live on radio. His most famous dummy, Charlie McCarthy, often criticized Bergen for using his lips when he did his acts. Bergen was not the most skilled craftsman in this profession, however, he used his flaws to make his performances stronger. Bergen passed away in 1978 of kidney disease and was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.

He is the father of popular actress Candice Bergen.

Answer: Terry Hall

Terry Hall was a British ventriloquist most popular for his ventriloquist acts using the dummy "Lenny the Lion". He is considered one of the first ventriloquist to use a "non-human" dummy character. During his career, he appeared in many shows including "Lennie the Lion Show", "Lenny's Den", and "Pops and Lennie". Towards the end of his career in the late 1970s, Hall appeared in many children's television shows, most notably "Reading With Lennie".

He would suffer from Alzheimer's Disease towards the end of his life and would eventually pass away in April 2007 from this tragic disease.

Answer: Scooby Doo

Along with playing the voices of Dastardly from "Dastardly and Muttley", Fleegle from the "Banana Splits Adventure", and Gargamel from the "Smurfs", he was best known for playing the voice of "Tigger" on the popular children's television show "Winnie The Pooh". Winchell also played roles in popular children's movies such as "The Aristocats" and "The Fox and The Hound".

Answer: Lamb Chops Play Along

Shari Lewis was a talented entertainer whose skills included ventriloquism, piano, violin, and acting. Her dummy "Lamb Chop" became a popular figure on many children's programs including "Captain Kangaroo" (1960s), "The Shari Lewis Show" (1960s), and most recently "Lamb Chop's Play Along" during the 1990s. Lewis tragically passed away of pneumonia induced by ovarian cancer in 1998.

Her daughter Mallory Lewis took over the character of Lamb Chop two years after her death.

Answer: India

Ramdas Padhye is a popular ventriloquist from India that has performed for over 40 years. His son Satyajit is also a famous ventriloquist. They are most noted for their role in the "Lijjat Papad" commercial in which Ramdas' puppet "Bunny" plays a key role in the commercial.

Answer: A famous ventriloquist goes insane because he relies on his dummy as a means to express himself.

"The Great Gabbo" is a 1929 film about a popular ventriloquist named Gabbo and his dummy Otto. In the film, Gabbo relies too much on his dummy to communicate with others, thus leading him into a downward spiral towards insanity. The film starred Erich von Stroheim as Gabbo.