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{{short description|Ability to throw one's voice}}
{{For|the album|Ventriloquism (album){{!}}''Ventriloquism'' (album)}}
{{Redirect|Ventriloquist|the character|Ventriloquist (character)|other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
[[File:The Great Gabbo (1929) cropped 2.jpg|thumb|Gabbo and his ventriloquist dummy Otto in ''[[The Great Gabbo]]'' (1929)]]
{{performing arts}}
'''Ventriloquism''' or '''ventriloquy''' is an act of [[stagecraft]] in which a person (a '''ventriloquist''') speaks in such a way that it seems like their voice is coming from a different location, usually through a [[puppet]] known as a "dummy". The act of ventriloquism is '''ventriloquizing''', and in English it is commonly called the ability to "throw" one's voice.

==History==

===Origins===
[[File:Gef Mongoose ventriloquism.jpg|thumb|upright|Newspaper article on [[Gef]], the talking mongoose, claiming it involved ventriloquism by Voirrey Irving]]

Originally, ventriloquism was a religious practice.<ref>Howard, Ryan (2013). ''Punch and Judy in 19th Century America: A History and Biographical Dictionary''. McFarland. p. 101. {{ISBN|0-7864-7270-7}}</ref> The name comes from the Latin for 'to speak from the belly': {{lang|la|Venter}} (belly) and {{lang|la|loqui}} (speak).<ref>{{cite book | title = The Concise Oxford English Dictionary| year = 1984|page = 1192|isbn = 0-19-861131-5| last1 = Allen| first1 = R. E.| last2 = Sykes| first2 = John Bradbury| last3 = Sykes| first3 = J. B.| last4 = Fowler| first4 = Henry Watson| last5 = Fowler| first5 = Francis George| publisher = Clarendon Press}}</ref> The ancient Greeks called engastrimythos ({{langx|grc|ἐγγαστρίμυθος}}) or engastrimantis ({{langx|grc|ἐγγαστρίμαντις}}) a person (mostly women) who delivered oracles by this means.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3De)ggastri%2Fmuqos | title=Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, ἐγγαστρί-μυ_θος }}</ref> The noises produced by the stomach were thought to be the voices of the unliving, who took up residence in the stomach of the ventriloquist. The ventriloquist would then interpret the sounds, as they were thought to be able to speak to the dead, as well as foretell the future. One of the earliest recorded group of [[prophet]]s to use this technique was the [[Pythia]], the priestess at the temple of [[Apollo]] in [[Delphi]], who acted as the conduit for the Delphic Oracle.{{Source?|date=July 2025}}

One of the most successful early gastromancers was Eurykles, a prophet at [[Athens]]; gastromancers came to be referred to as ''Euryklides'' in his honour.<ref name=EB11>''[[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]]'', 1911, ''Ventriloquism''.</ref> Other parts of the world also have a tradition of ventriloquism for ritual or religious purposes; historically there have been adepts of this practice among the [[Zulu people|Zulu]], [[Inuit]], and [[Māori people|Māori]] peoples.<ref name="EB11"/>

===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|url-access=subscription}}</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.{{Source?|date=July 2025}}

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]].{{Source?|date=July 2025}}

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.{{Source?|date=July 2025}}

The popularity of ventriloquism fluctuates. Comedian [[Jeff Dunham]] has been credited with reviving the artform and is said to have 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=https://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. In 2025, Alex Vadukul and Dina Litovsky of the ''New York Times'' described [[Sophie Becker (actor and ventriloquist)|Sophie Becker]] as "reviving a vaudevillian art form".<ref name="f197">{{cite web |last1=Vadukul |first1=Alex |last2=Litovsky |first2=Dina |date=2025-09-05 |title=The Downtown Ventriloquist |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/style/the-downtown-ventriloquist.html |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

==Vocal technique==
[[File:Swedish ventriloquist act Zillah & Totte.png|thumbnail|Swedish ventriloquist act [[Zillah & Totte]]]]

One difficulty ventriloquists face is that all the sounds that they make must be made with lips slightly separated. For the [[Labial consonant|labial]] sounds ''f'', ''v'', ''b'', ''p'', and ''m'', the only choice is to replace them with others. A widely parodied example of this difficulty is the "gottle o' gear", from the reputed inability of less-skilled practitioners to pronounce "bottle of beer".<ref>{{cite book
  |last =Burton|first = Maxine
|title = Improving Reading – Phonics and Fluency
|publisher = National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy, [[University of London]]
|year = 2008
|quote = Note the lip movement for 'big'. This is, of course, the origin of the ventriloquist's 'gottle o' gear'.
|url= https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:9WDRKhHTOlQJ:www.nrdc.org.uk/download2.asp%3Ff%3D4338%26e%3Dpdf+%22Gottle+O%27+Geer%22+ventriloquist&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESj7ipsg2zXjlTRNqkJnjZSbFb4AplwyqsOEVklt04m1xdg3yezFG51x0YN16cPT5QphP3o021u1V2cOkNNdW4JqF-INaHhpWfZ3mQY9YZ2pMc9GT6yXzz1DG7V__R6c6hxRNI5v&sig=AHIEtbR7r3yFGTX4_1eVbKqHl8G4S8Gt5A
|page = 10
|isbn = 978-1-906395-07-0|display-authors=etal}}</ref> If variations of the sounds ''th'', ''d'', ''t'', and ''n'' are spoken quickly, it can be difficult for listeners to notice a difference.

==Ventriloquist's dummy==
[[File:Ventriloquist by David Shankbone-Cropped.jpg|thumb|left|A ventriloquist entertaining children at the [[Pueblo, Colorado]], Buell Children's Museum]]

Modern ventriloquists use multiple types of puppets in their presentations, ranging from soft cloth or foam puppets (Verna Finly's work is a pioneering example), flexible latex puppets (such as Steve Axtell's creations) and the traditional and familiar hard-headed knee figure ([[Tim Selberg]]'s mechanized carvings). 

The classic dummies used by ventriloquists (the technical name for which is '''ventriloquial figure''') vary in size anywhere from twelve inches tall to human-size and larger, with the height usually {{cvt|34|–|42|in|cm}}. Traditionally, this type of puppet has been made from [[papier-mâché]] or wood. In modern times, other materials are often employed, including [[fiberglass]]-reinforced [[resin]]s, [[polyurethane|urethane]]s, filled (rigid) [[latex]], and [[neoprene]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=yt0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA154 "Look Inside A Dummy's Head."] ''Popular Mechanics'', December 1954, pp.&nbsp;154–157.</ref> Traditionally, the ventriloquist’s dummy is given a flippant personality who unapologetically insults their ventriloquist and often members of the audience as well.

Notable names in the history of dummy making include [[Jeff Dunham]], Frank Marshall (the Chicago creator of Bergen's [[Charlie McCarthy]],<ref name=TalkingComedy>{{cite magazine |title= Ventriloquism LEGEND Profile: Jimmy Nelson |publisher= | website= TalkingComedy.com | date= 2005 |volume= 4| number= 2 |url= http://www.talkingcomedy.com/SI-Vent-2005/legends-siVENT05/JN-LGND-siVENT05.html | url-status= unfit| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111126113434/http://www.talkingcomedy.com/SI-Vent-2005/legends-siVENT05/JN-LGND-siVENT05.html| archivedate= 2011-11-26| access-date= 2022-08-23}}</ref> Nelson's Danny O'Day,<ref name=TalkingComedy/> and Winchell's Jerry Mahoney), Theo Mack and Son (Mack carved Charlie McCarthy's head), Revello Petee, Kenneth Spencer, Cecil Gough,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.howtodoventriloquism.com/ventriloquists/jeff-dunham-21st-century-ventriloquist/ |title=Jeff Dunham - 21st Century Ventriloquist |publisher=How To Do Ventriloquism |access-date=29 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130427064550/http://howtodoventriloquism.com/ventriloquists/jeff-dunham-21st-century-ventriloquist/ |archive-date=27 April 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and Glen & George McElroy. The McElroy brothers' figures are still considered by many ventriloquists as the apex of complex movement mechanics, with as many as fifteen facial and head movements controlled by interior finger keys and switches. 

Jeff Dunham referred to his McElroy figure Skinny Dugan as "the [[Stradivarius]] of dummies."<ref>Dunham, Jeff (2010). ''Jeff Dunham: All By My Selves: Walter, Peanut, Achmed, and Me''. New American Library. p. 107. {{ISBN|978-0-451-23469-8}}</ref> The [[Juro Novelty Company]] also manufactured dummies. Geoffrey Moran of Australia has built foam puppets Koala (Kevin) and Billy Baby. He has also built a wooden Irish Dancing Donut puppet along with Plunger the pull apart puppet, Ernie (from Tasmania) and Siegfried the World's Greatest Marching Band Leader. Other puppets, such as George, Darryl the Dinosaur, Goggles the bird, Barry the Box and Bruce the Robotic Bucket have been made by other associates.

=== In popular culture ===
[[File:Antique male ventriloquial figure.jpg|thumb|upright|Ventriloquist dummy in the shape of a young boy]]
The plots of some [[Horror film|films and television program]]s are based on "[[killer toy]]" dummies that are alive and horrific. These include "[[The Dummy]]", a May 4, 1962 episode of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'';<ref name="Andrews">{{cite news| url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/archie-andrews-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-ventriloquists-dummy-516992.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220811/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/archie-andrews-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-ventriloquists-dummy-516992.html |archive-date=11 August 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | location=London | work=The Independent | title=Archie Andrews: The rise and fall of a ventriloquist's dummy | date=26 November 2005}}</ref> ''[[Devil Doll (film)|Devil Doll]]'';<ref>Young, R. G. (2000). ''The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film: Ali Baba to Zombies''. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 155. {{ISBN|1-55783-269-2}}</ref> ''[[Dead Silence]]''; ''[[Zapatlela]]'';<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/no-strings-attached/1129554/| title = Zapatlela uses possessed doll Tatya Vinchu| website= indianexpress.com| date= 20 November 2009| first= | last= | access-date= }}</ref> ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)|Buffy The Vampire Slayer]]''; ''[[Goosebumps (original series)|Goosebumps]]''; ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]''; ''[[Gotham (TV series)|Gotham]]'' (the episode "[[Nothing's Shocking (Gotham)|Nothing's Shocking]]"); ''[[Friday the 13th: The Series]]''; ''[[Toy Story 4]]''; and ''[[Doctor Who]]'' in different episodes. This genre has also been satirized on television in ''[[ALF (TV series)|ALF]]'' (the episode "I'm Your Puppet"); ''[[Seinfeld]]'' (the episode "[[The Chicken Roaster]]"); and the [[Monty (comic strip)|comic strip ''Monty'']].{{Source?|date=July 2025}}

Some [[psychological horror]] films and other works feature [[psychotic]] ventriloquists who believe their dummies are alive and use them as surrogates to commit frightening acts including murder. Examples of this include [[Magic (1978 film)|the 1978 film ''Magic'']], [[Dead of Night|the 1945 anthology film ''Dead of Night'']],<ref name="Andrews"/> and [[Ventriloquist (character)|the Ventriloquist]] from [[Batman]] comics and other Batman media.

Literary examples of frightening ventriloquist dummies include [[Gerald Kersh]]'s ''The Horrible Dummy'' and the story "The Glass Eye" by [[John Keir Cross]]. In music, [[NRBQ|NRBQ's]] video for their song "Dummy" (2004) features four ventriloquist dummies modelled after the band members who 'lip-sync' the song while wandering around a dark, abandoned house.{{Source?|date=July 2025}}

== See also ==
*[[Lip reading]]
*[[List of ventriloquists]]
*[[Multisensory integration]]
*''[[The Shari Lewis Show]]''
*[[Visual capture]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
*Vox, Valentine ''I Can See Your Lips Moving, the history and art of ventriloquism'' (1993) 224 pages. (3000 year history of the practice. Plato Publishing/Empire publications {{ISBN|0-88734-622-7}}
*Leigh Eric Schmidt (1998) "[http://www.materialreligion.org/journal/magic.html From Demon Possession to Magic Show: Ventriloquism, Religion, and the Enlightenment]". ''Church History''. 67 (2). 274–304.
*''[http://www.unc.edu/~jimlee/tp141mabe.html Ventriloquism, A Dissociated Perspective]'' by Angela Mabe
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10735a.htm ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''{{'}}s necromancy entry]

== External links ==
{{Wiktionary}}
{{Commons category}}
{{EB1911 poster|Ventriloquism}}
*[https://www.venthaven.org/ Ventriloquist Museum]: [[Vent Haven Museum]]
*[http://acousticengineering.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/how-ventriloquists-trick-the-brain/ "How Ventriloquists Trick The Brain"]
*[https://www.nplusonemag.com/issue-49/essays/planet-puppet/ Description of a ventriloquism convention] at ''[[N+1]]''

{{Comedy footer}}
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[[Category:Ventriloquism| ]]
[[Category:Vaudeville tropes]]
[[Category:Circus skills]]
[[Category:Vocal skills]]

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