Editing Ventriloquism (section)

===Emergence as entertainment===
[[File:Sadlers Wells Theatre edited.jpg|thumb|left|[[Sadler's Wells Theatre]] in the early 19th century, at a time when ventriloquist acts were becoming increasingly popular]]

The shift from ventriloquism as manifestation of spiritual forces toward ventriloquism as entertainment happened in the eighteenth century at [[travelling funfair]]s and market towns. An early depiction of a ventriloquist dates to 1754 in England, where [[Sir John Parnell, 1st Baronet|Sir John Parnell]] is depicted in the painting ''[[Humours of an Election|An Election Entertainment]]'' by [[William Hogarth]] as speaking via his hand.<ref>Baldini, Gabriele, and Gabriele Mandel (1967). ''L'opera completa di Hogarth pittore''. Milano: Rizzoli. p. 112. {{OCLC|958953004}}.</ref> In 1757, the Austrian Baron de Mengen performed with a small doll.<ref name=Baron>{{cite book |title=The Art of Improving the Voice and Ear |last1 = Rennie |first1 = James| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZT1aL2-XQBgC| page= [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZT1aL2-XQBgC&pg=PA40 40] |publisher= Septimus Prowett |year = 1825| place= London |access-date=24 October 2011| via= Google Books}}</ref>

By the late 18th century, ventriloquist performances were an established form of entertainment in England, although most performers "threw their voice" to make it appear that it emanated from far away (known as ''distant ventriloquism''), rather than the modern method of using a puppet (''near ventriloquism'').{{efn|[[Edgar Bergen]] explains in his book on ventriloquism that the voice is not actually "thrown"; rather, the illusion of distance is created by exerting pressure on the vocal chords.{{citation needed|date= August 2022}} }} A well-known ventriloquist of the period, Joseph Askins, who performed at the [[Sadler's Wells Theatre]] in [[London]] in the 1790s advertised his act as "curious ad libitum Dialogues between himself and his invisible familiar, Little Tommy".<ref>{{Cite journal |url= http://www.erudit.org/revue/ron/1999/v/n16/005878ar.html|title=An Other Voice: Ventriloquism in the Romantic Period| first= John A. |last= Hodgson| journal=Romanticism on the Net|year=1999|issue=16|publisher=Erudit|doi=10.7202/005878ar}}</ref> However, other performers were beginning to incorporate dolls or puppets into their performance, notably the Irishman James Burne who "carries in his pocket, an ill-shaped doll, with a broad face, which he exhibits&nbsp;... as giving utterance to his own childish jargon," and Thomas Garbutt.

The entertainment came of age during the era of the [[music hall]] in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[vaudeville]] in the [[United States]]. George Sutton began to incorporate a puppet act into his routine at [[Nottingham]] in the 1830s, followed by [[Fred Neiman]] later in the century,<ref name=busby>{{cite book |last=Busby |first=Roy |year=1976 |title=British Music Hall: An Illustrated Who's Who from 1850 to the Present Day |location=London |publisher=Paul Elek |pages= 131–132|isbn=0-236-40053-3}}</ref> but it is [[Fred Russell (ventriloquist)|Fred Russell]] who is regarded as the father of modern ventriloquism. In 1886, he was offered a professional engagement at the [[Palace Theatre, London|Palace Theatre]] in [[London]] and took up his stage career permanently. His act, based on the cheeky-boy dummy "Coster Joe" that would sit in his lap and 'engage in a dialogue' with him was highly influential for the entertainment format and was adopted by the next generation of performers. A blue plaque has been embedded in a former residence of Russell by the British Heritage Society which reads 'Fred Russell the father of ventriloquism lived here'.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rk0sX1reV30C&q=father+of+modern+ventriloquism|title=Gender and Ventriloquism in Victorian and Neo-Victorian Fiction: Passionate Puppets|author=Davies, Helen|year=2012|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=9781137271167|access-date=7 February 2013}}</ref>
[[File:The GreatLester 1904 - Wielki Lester 1904.png|thumb|Ventriloquist [[The Great Lester]] with Frank Byron, Jr. on his knee, <abbr>c.</abbr> 1904]]
[[File:EdgarBergenandCharlieMcCarthyStageDoorCanteen1.jpg|thumb|Ventriloquist [[Edgar Bergen]] and his best-known sidekick, [[Charlie McCarthy]], in the film ''[[Stage Door Canteen (film)|Stage Door Canteen]]'' (1943)]]
Fred Russell's successful comedy team format was applied by the next generation of ventriloquists. It was taken forward by the British [[Arthur Prince (ventriloquist)|Arthur Prince]] with his dummy Sailor Jim, who became one of the highest paid entertainers on the music hall circuit, and by the Americans [[The Great Lester]] and [[Edgar Bergen]]. Bergen, together with his favorite figure [[Charlie McCarthy]], hosted a radio program that was broadcast from 1937 to 1956 and which was #1 on the nights it aired, popularizing the idea of the comedic ventriloquist. Bergen continued performing until his death in 1978, and his popularity inspired many other famous ventriloquists who followed him, including [[Paul Winchell]], [[Jimmy Nelson (ventriloquist)|Jimmy Nelson]], [[David Strassman]], [[Jeff Dunham]], [[Terry Fator]], [[Ronn Lucas]], [[Wayland Flowers]], [[Shari Lewis]], [[Willie Tyler]], [[Jay Johnson (ventriloquist)|Jay Johnson]], [[Nina Conti]], [[Paul Zerdin]], and [[Darci Lynne]]. Another ventriloquist act popular in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s was [[Señor Wences]].

In south India, the art of ventriloquism was popularized by [[Y. K. Padhye]] and M. M. Roy, who are believed to be the pioneers of this field in India. Y. K. Padhye's son [[Ramdas Padhye]] borrowed from him and made the art popular amongst the masses through his performance on television. Ramdas Padhye's name is synonymous with puppet characters like [[Ardhavatrao]]<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/news/Ardhavatrao-The-100-year-old-puppet/videoshow/54441643.cms|title = Ardhavatrao turns 100 Years Old| website = [[The Times of India]] | date= September 21, 2016|access-date= August 24, 2022}}</ref> (also known as Mr. Crazy),<ref>{{Cite news |url= https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/Celebrating-the-centenary-of-a-puppet/article14990812.ece| title = Celebrating the centenary of a puppet |newspaper = The Hindu |date = 21 September 2016| edition= November 1, 2016| quote= ...Ardhavatrao, also known as Mr. Crazy, made famous all over the world by Mumbai-based ventriloquist Ramdas Padhye and his family - scored a century this year.| access-date= August 24, 2022}}</ref> [[Tatya Vinchu]]<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/no-strings-attached/1129554/|title = No Strings Attached| first= Rohan |last= Swamy |date= June 16, 2013 | website= indianexpress.com| publisher= | access-date= August 24, 2022}}</ref> and Bunny the Funny which features in a television advertisement for Lijjat Papad, an Indian snack.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/indian-ad-age-lijjat-papad-ad-6112576/|title = Indian Ad-Age: How Lijjat Ad-ed value to the perfect Indian snack| first1= Nimish |last1= Dubey | first2= Akriti |last2= Rana| place= New Delhi | date = November 10, 2019| website= indianexpress.com| access-date= August 24, 2022}}</ref> Ramdas Padhye's son Satyajit Padhye is also a ventriloquist.

The popularity of ventriloquism fluctuates. Comedian [[Jeff Dunham]] has been credited with reviving the artform and is said to done more promoting it than anyone since Edgar Bergen.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-04-et-dunham4-story.html | title=Jeff Dunham throws his voice into stardom | website=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=4 November 2009 }}</ref> In the UK in 2010, there were only 15 full-time professional ventriloquists, down from around 400 in the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8702845.stm|title=Return of the dummy run |date=25 May 2010|work=bbc.co.uk | publisher= BBC News| access-date= }}</ref> A number of modern ventriloquists have developed a following as the public taste for live comedy grows. In 2007, [[Zillah & Totte]] won the first season of ''[[Talang (Swedish TV series)|Sweden's Got Talent]]'' and became one of [[Sweden]]'s most popular family/children entertainers. A feature-length documentary about ventriloquism, ''[[I'm No Dummy]]'', was released in 2010.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://digitalcinemareport.com/article/hollywood%E2%80%99s-corporate-delusion| title=Hollywood's Corporate Delusion| date=9 June 2009 |website= DigitalCinemaReport.com | access-date= }}</ref> Three ventriloquists have won ''[[America's Got Talent]]'': [[Terry Fator]] in 2007, [[Paul Zerdin]] in 2015 and [[Darci Lynne]] in 2017. Two ventriloquists, Damien James<ref>{{Cite web |title=Damien James {{!}} Comedian Ventriloquist |url=https://www.mcptalent.com/talent/damien-james/ |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=MCP Talent |language=en-US}}</ref> and [[Christine Barger]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-22 |title=Indiana ventriloquist to appear on Penn and Teller: Fool Us |url=https://fox59.com/morning-news/indiana-ventriloquist-to-appear-on-penn-and-teller-fool-us/ |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=Fox 59 |language=en-US}}</ref> have appeared on ''[[Penn & Teller: Fool Us]]''. Several ventriloquists have grown large followings on popular social media apps, as well.