Meredith Bixby
Meredith Bixby | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 31, 1909 Detroit, MI, U.S. |
| Died | September 11, 2002 (aged 93) Saline, MI., U.S. |
| Education | Wayne State University, Art Students League |
| Occupation | Puppeteer |
| Spouse | Thyra Bixby |
Meredith Bixby (May 31, 1909 – Sept. 11, 2002) was an American puppeteer.
Early life and education
[edit]Meredith Bixby studied engineering at Wayne State University, but discovered a passion for drawing.[1] He then moved to New York City and attend the Art Students League and studied painting under Thomas Hart Benton. Jackson Pollock was one of his classmates. [2] To support himself he worked at the New York Public Library Main Branch.[3] There he found the book A Repertory of Marionette Plays by Paul McPharlin[4] and attempted to make his own production of Dr. Faustus during a month’s vacation.[1] After producing a couple of shows he thought marionette productions would promise a better means of support than painting.
Early productions toured from Boston to New Orleans.[5] He also produced plays for commercial clients.[2] His career paused during World War II, where he served as superintendent of a tool and die shop in Miami.[6]
Career
[edit]After World War II, Bixby moved to Saline, Michigan where his father had a dentistry practice.[1] From there the Meredith Marionettes Touring Company toured predominantly to schools in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.[5] His repertoire included Pinocchio, The Caliph Stork, The Magic Stalk (Jack and the Beanstalk), The Enchanted Birds, The Little Humpbacked Horse, The Wizard of Oz, and The Golden Fish.[5] BIxby created the scenes and backdrops, wrote the scripts (some based on Russian folk tales) and carved the 3-foot tall marionettes. His wife Thyra made the costumes,[5] and served as promotions and publicity director.[7] Each year he would preview his productions in the old Saline Opera House[1] on S. Ann Arbor Street, which was also his studio.[8]
Bixby trained recent college graduates to take the show on the road and pull the strings.[8] The troupe performed two to three shows a day,[1] and was on the road 180 days a year, performing for 250,000 children annually.[5] To keep the vocal performances consistent, Bixby taped the dialog, with additional voices performed by his wife, his daughter Norah, local radio personality Ted Heusel, and other Ann Arbor-based actors as needed.[5]
While a season’s production toured, Bixby created the next season’s show: writing the script, carving puppets, and designing posters and scenery.[1] Some of his marionettes had unique features, like a house on chicken’s feet that lit up from the inside, and other marionettes that would smoke pipes and blow smoke.[9]
Other activities
[edit]In 1937, Bixby was among the founders of Puppeteers of America.[10]
In 1956, Bixby was a founding officer of the Saline Broadcasting Co., and acquired the radio broadcast license for WOIA studios.[11]
In 1969, Bixby began making films of his marionette plays,[5] eventually renting space from the Saline Station in 1982 to continue filming and editing.
Legacy
[edit]In 1997, Bixby donated his entire collection of marionettes and props to the city of Saline, and his works were displayed at the Chamber of Commerce until 2008.[9]
In 1998, Bixby was recognized for his life’s work in the U.S. House of Representatives. [12]
In 2024, James K. and Marcia J. Cameron published Tales Come Alive! The Meredith Marionettes: An Oral History. [8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "The puppeteers looked like giants". Ann Arbor District Library. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ a b "creative:impact". WEMU. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ Appea, Pamela J. (1999-12-02). "Bixby puppet show commemorated". The Ann Arbor News. p. 17. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
- ^ "A Brief Look Back On The Meredith Bixby Marionette Story, Part I: History Can't Be Packed Away In A Single Box". Saline Journal. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Wood, Marcia (1969-02-23). "The Meredith Bixbys: At home in fantasyland". The Ann Arbor News. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
- ^ "Saline Reporter, 23 Dec. 1998". CMU Libraries. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Preserving A Legacy: Saline Puppeteers Work Lives On Through Digital Archive". mLive. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ a b c "New Book Brings Historic Marionettes Tales To Life". The Saline Post. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ a b "U-M Alumna Brings New Life to Meredith Bixby's Famous Marionettes". School of Information, University of Michigan. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "History of American Puppetry". Puppeteers of America. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Saline Radio Station". Ann Arbor District Library. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ "Oct. 14, 1998 Congressional Record" (PDF). Congress-dot-gov. Retrieved 20 April 2025.