This 2017 short documentary by Jake McNeil explores the life and career of Ronnie LeDrew, one of the UK’s most respected puppeteers.
Ronnie (see previous posts) was actually born in Toronto, Canada but resettled in England with his family as a young child at a time when most immigrants in the Commonwealth were going in the opposite direction. He left school to apprentice with John and Lyndie Wright at London’s famous Little Angel Theatre, and eventually went on to find puppetry fame after taking over Zippy, the puppet star of the beloved British TV series Rainbow. Ronnie has since amassed an impressive list of credits that includes performing in films like Little Shop of Horrors and Labyrinth, working with the Muppets, and keeping alive classic British TV characters like Sooty and Muffin the Mule.
If you’d like to learn more about Ronnie’s life and career I highly recommend his autobiography Zippy and Me, which was recently reviewed over at Wump Mucket Puppets and available to order online.
