The Great Lester

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The Great Lester with Frank Byron, Jr. on his knee, c. 1904
The Great Lester with Frank Byron, Jr. on his knee, c. 1904

Harry Lester (1878 – 1956), born Maryan Czajkowski in Poland, best known by his stage name The Great Lester, was a seminal vaudeville ventriloquist.

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[edit] Ventriloquist act

Lester claimed to have carved his dummy, Frank Byron, Jr. himself when he was young. Coronet cited Frank Marshall of Chicago as his carver.[1]

Called the "Grandfather of Modern-Day Ventriloquism", Lester claimed to be the first to drink while his dummy spoke; however, Joe Laurie notes that this trick was first performed in 1821.

One of Lester's most noted acts was a bit where he called up Heaven and Hell in search of his sister. He was also the first ventriloquist to walk among the audience while his dummy whistled.

[edit] Legacy

The Frank Byron, Jr. figure now resides at Vent Haven Museum in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Drury, Don (March 1945), “Stepfather to Charlie McCarthy”, Coronet: p. 117, <http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com/tribute/makers/coronet.pdf> 

[edit] References

  • Laurie, Joe, Jr. Vaudeville: From the Honky-tonks to the Palace. New York: Henry Holt, 1953. p. 80, 254.

[edit] External links

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