Larry Smith
Smith was raised in Dayton, Ohio. At the age of five he began a lifelong fascination with puppets, learning to make them at home using items around the house as store-bought materials were expensive. He made his television debut in 1952, and he began his professional career two years later at WHIO television. After high school Smith attended Ohio State University and the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. In 1955, Smith met Burr Tillstrom, creator of the Kukla, Fran and Ollie show. In 1957, Smith auditioned for and won a part on The Uncle Al Show; officially he served on WCPO's art department, but he performed puppets. Smith was with The Uncle Al Show for six years.
Smith achieved his greatest fame by the late 1960s, when he went to then-new TV station WXIX in Cincinnati to host an afternoon puppet/cartoon show which came to be called Larry Smith's Cartoon Club, which he hosted throughout the 1970s. Smith and his puppets were the first stars of WXIX when they performed on the station's sign-on ceremony in August 1968.
Some of the puppets/characters he created include:
Hattie the Witch (also called "Battie Hattie from Cincinnati")
Snarfie the Dog (a.k.a. Snarfie R. Dog)
Big Red the Red Rock-Eater (who lived in "The Dirty Dingy Dungeon")
Teaser the Mouse
Rudy the Rooster
Smith ostensibly retired in 2000 but made occasional appearances with his puppets until his death on February 19, 2018.
Biography from the Wikipedia article Larry Smith (puppeteer). Licensed under CC-BY-SA. Full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Part of Crew
Recently Updated Shows
Beyond the Gates
Beyond the Gates is set in a leafy Maryland suburb just outside of Washington D.C., and in one the most affluent African American counties in the United States. Here you'll find a posh gated community with winding tree-lined streets and luxurious mansions to call home. At the center of this community are the Duprees, a powerful and prestigious multi-generational family that is the very definition of Black royalty. But behind these pristine walls and lush, manicured gardens are juicy secrets and scandals waiting to be uncovered. And those that live outside these gates are watching closely. These are the places where our characters live, love, work and play. Those who have "made it" and those who haven't are all trying to navigate life … and some with more grace than others.
Surviving Earth
Surviving Earth will take an incredible journey into prehistory to learn the lessons from past mass extinctions.
Adopting cutting-edge digital technology, each episode transports the viewer back to meet the bizarre and amazing creatures and breathtaking landscapes of a vibrant lost world. Audiences will witness how life finds a way to survive on a planet where meteors fall, super volcanoes erupt, seas boil and the land moves. From the creators of "Walking with Dinosaurs" and "Primeval," these are the stories of the survivors, fighters and lucky ones that shaped the world we live in.
FROM
FROM unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest – including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down. In season two, hidden truths about the nature and terrifying origins of the town begin to emerge, even as life for its residents is plunged into chaos by the arrival of mysterious newcomers.
America's Got Talent
With the talent search open to acts of all ages, America's Got Talent has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing performers from across the country. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit, featuring a colorful array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying for their chance to win America's hearts and the $1 million prize.
Brilliant Minds
Inspired by the extraordinary life and work of world-famous author and physician Oliver Sacks, Brilliant Minds follows a revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier - the human mind - while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.