Ventriloquist Dr. Paul Winchell and his puppets, Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff, were popular acts from 1938 through the 1980s, appearing on stage in variety acts, in their own television show, ...

The Orville puppet was acquired from Keith Harris in the early 2000s and is described as "an original puppet owned and used" by the ventriloquist during his career.

I’m not 12 anymore.” “Ventriloquism connected with so many people and it felt like the puppets really connected with people, ...