In August 1984 .. Bil Baird the famous puppeteer writes to me about a painting of mine he saw and bought while it was on exhibit in New York. Wow . a letter from Bil Baird!!! This was a high point in my life. I remember his marionettes on some shows I used to see on T.V. when I was a little kid. His letter is below.
The Burlesque In The Collection Of Bil Baird Estate
I was in New York a year or so later and I got to meet Bil Baird!!!... Here's some photos below that I shot of him and his puppets while I visited. He was a really an interesting guy. I kept asking him about his puppets and his life but he kept interrupting to say he wanted to go out to pick up women somewhere... he was really kidding about it I think, but I guess he was kinda lonely at this point in his life. I think his wife had died years before... Unfortunately I don't have any bawdy tales to tell about the drunken adventures Bil and I had boozing it up chasing women. He seemed kinda frail sitting on that sofa with his frog puppet so I just gently told him it probably wasn't a good thing to do at the moment and we should just sit and chat, he agreed finally. It seemed to me he was a wild guy with big sparkles in his eyes!!
It was a really sad day when he died .. Here is his Obituary clipping and some Bil Baird and Puppetry links
