John Wright
(19**-) Puppeteer. * .
Contents
Biography
John Wright was born in 1906 in Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa, but became known internationally as puppeteer. In 1946 he moved to England where he founded the well known Little Angel Marionette Theatre in London.
He was married to Lyndie Wright. married to Zoë Randall.
He died in March 1991.
Training
Career
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
He performed his first full length puppet play at Stellenbosch in 1941 and toured South Africa in 1943 and 1946, and again in 1955 and 1957 for the National Theatre Organisation (NTO) with his company, John Wright's Marionettes.
His repertoire included Die Klein Meerminnetjie / The Little Mermaid, Mak die Skaapdief / Mak the Sheepstealer (the 14th century miracle play) and a variety program with mr. Bumble as the announcer.
During the 1957 tour the company included Jane Tyson from England, Margaret Marshall, Timothy Heale as stage manager, Aiden Higgins, Jill Aanders, and Johan van Vreden who did most of the Afrikaans voices
His film and TV work in England included puppet making and puppetry for The Forbidden Street (1949, uncredited), The Tales of Hoffmann (1951), Billy Bean and His Funny Machine (BBC, 1954) and Supersonic Saucer (Gaumont, 1956).
He appeared as himself in the TV Series documentary on John Wright Puppets (Associated-Rediffusion Television, 1962) for the series "Here and Now".
Awards, etc
Sources
Lantern, 7(1), 1957.
Vertolkende Kunste, HSRC, 1972.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0942511/
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