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
Leanne
Leanne's life takes an unexpected turn when her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman. Starting over when you're a grandmother and in menopause isn't exactly what she had in mind, but with the help of her family she will navigate this new chapter with grace, dignity and jello salad.
Darby and Joan
Retired Australian detective Jack Darby is fleeing his past mistakes, while English widow Joan Kirkhope is attempting to outrun her grief. Their worlds collide on a remote backroad. They couldn't be more different: the directionless, blunt Aussie and the sharp-tongued Englishwoman. But thrown together and drawn into the intriguing mysteries lurking in the isolated, tropical corners of a vast continent, it quickly becomes clear the most fascinating mystery they face is each other. Thus begins an epic love story; a non-stop road movie; a mystery series; an Outback odyssey. Darby and Joan asks: can you find yourself in the middle of nowhere?
Palm Royale
In 1969, a woman attempts to cross that impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots and secure her seat at America's most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society.
American Masters
Now in its 30th year, American Masters has produced an exceptional library of more than 160 television programs, bringing unique originality and perspective to exploring the lives and illuminating the creative journeys of our most enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists and filmmakers – those who have "left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape". Balancing a broad cast of characters and artistic approaches, while preserving historical authenticity and intellectual integrity, these portraits resonate the attention, style and substance each subject deserves. American Masters sustains high audience awareness and loyalty, averaging 2-to-5 million viewers per program.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter
The Librarians: The Next Chapter centers on Vikram Chamberlain, a "Librarian" from the past who time traveled from 1847 and now finds himself stuck in the present. When Vikram returns to his castle in Belgrade, Serbia and discovers that it is now a museum, he inadvertently releases magic across the continent. With the help of a new team of eclectic heroes, including a savant in world history, a scientific genius, and a highly skilled Guardian, Vikram has only six months to clean up the mess he made.