Guest Essay| Kathleen Clary Miller: Bob Baker Pulled Puppet Strings in My Living Room

When I was a little girl in the early 1950’s, Bob Baker’s Marionettes would come to your home to entertain children at a birthday party.  For a few years, my mother hired them for a modest fee—a steal, really–and sent out invitations to all the little girls we knew.  The puppet party was a much-anticipated event among my friends; Every year, every RSVP was a “yes.”

No ticket was required; no seat reservation necessary, and front row for all.  Those were the days when we wore petticoats under party dresses and black patent leather Mary Jane shoes.  The party guests would sit cross-legged on our living room floor in a circle, spread their skirts and cover their knees while Bob Baker himself readied the “stage”—simply the empty space in the middle of the carpeted gaggle of giddy girls awaiting the magic.

Out of small trunks emerged lifelike dolls on strings, manipulated by Mr. Baker who lifted their upper lips with the flick of a wrist to sing songs from an accompanying tape recorder or to talk to us, one by one.  With his little finger he tickled their leg lines to dance and inevitably plop down at the feet of a surprised viewer.  A princess might sit on my lap!  A Pinocchio could perch on my shoulder!  The possibility—and reality—was endless as our otherwise sedate Pasadena living room was transformed into an enchanting wonderland.

As I look at the old photographs of us surrounding the colorful characters, I marvel at the fact that it all happened right there in front of us.  Captured on film is the innocent amazement at such imaginative creation.  

I feel fortunate to have experienced Bob Baker back when he began, in action, close-up and personal.  I have never attended the stage shows.  Although I am certain those productions are outstanding, for me, there is nothing quite equal to the memory of my very own childhood theater.  While others are gathering to celebrate puppetry in public, I toast the master of his art form as I knew him, smiling down on my circle of friends and dancing his puppets into our hearts.

Kathleen Clary Miller is a native of Pasadena.  She is the author of essays and stories that have been published for 20 years in newspapers and magazines across the country.  Although she currently lives in Fallbrook, Pasadena will always be her home.