Author Archives: Tim Lagasse

Tim Lagasse

Tim Lagasse has been playing with puppets professionally for the past 20 years. He is a puppet master, a filmmaker, an editor, and a television director. He has designed and built puppets for PBS, Nickelodeon, Disney, and Comedy Central among others. He performs puppet characters on such shows as “Sesame Street,” “Chapelle’s Show,” “Between the Lions,” as well as being the title character on “Oobi.”
While earning his BFA in Puppet Arts from the University of Connecticut, he became the youngest recipient of the Union International de la Marionette Citation for Excellence in the Art of Puppetry. Upon graduating, he was the first student to receive the Jim Henson Memorial Prize in Puppetry from the Henson family. He has since received 3 Emmy nominations for his single camera editing and puppet designs, and a Broadcast Design Silver Award.

Maggie the GPS

Written by . Posted on December 12, 2011. Filed under Puppet Film, Tim. Tagged , , , , . Comments Off.

Supper funny and brilliant shadow puppet film from SuperEgo!

Frank the Horse’s Christmas Program

Written by . Posted on December 7, 2011. Filed under Puppet Film, Tim. Tagged , , , , , , , . 2 Comments.

Thank you Mark Gale for starting off the season right!

I hope this brings you as much joy as it brought me!

“Junk Palace” at BAM

Written by . Posted on November 13, 2011. Filed under Puppet Film, Tim. Tagged , , , , , , . Comments Off.


So after you see "Kooky" this coming Sunday, Nov. 20. at 2pm, stay for "Live Action Puppets Shorts Program B". There are some great films in this group, but Lyon Hill's "Junk Palace" is as close to puppet film perfection as I have ever encountered. It's beautiful, creepy, a great, true New York story told well, and the first film I have seen in a long time with a quality I can aspire to.

I don't usually recommend puppet films to people. Finding good new puppet films for this blog has been difficult. I wish all puppet films, short and long, were this good. Go see it!

Here's the trailer. Enjoy!

Puppets on Film at BAM

Written by . Posted on November 3, 2011. Filed under Featured, Puppet Film, Tim. Tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Comments Off.

So those of you who know me, or read this blog on a regular basis, know my love and my expertise is puppets in the recorded media. Don't get me wrong! I love a good live puppet show or a bit of stop motion genius. But puppets on film is my vocation.

Lucky for me and you BAMcinématek has partnered with Cheryl Henson and Lindsey Z. Briggs from the Henson Foundation to curate BAM's Puppets on Film festival! 9 days of puppet film happiness! From November 12th thru the 20th BAM has one of the most diverse groupings of puppet films that I have ever seen, including 5 brand new documentaries!

You an see the schedule here!

I am most excited for the American premieres of "Kooky", which I blogged about before, and "The Legend of the Sacred Stone", the best Taiwanese Kung-fu puppet film you will ever see. I make all my puppet film students watch it as an excellent example of puppeteering with the edit.

Also, my short film "Harry the Hobo's Stinky Puppet Theater", (starring Jim "Nappy" Napolitano) will be screening in front of "Team America: World Police" on Nov. 19th. I couldn't be prouder!

Here's an interview with Cheryl Henson about the festival she did on WNYC.

Shadow Puppet Version Of Batman Comic

Written by . Posted on October 23, 2011. Filed under Puppet TV, Tim. Tagged , , , , , . Comments Off.


The Killing Joke done by some Spanish students. I love the use of video projection! Well done!

Enjoy!

Thanks to The Escapist!

The Old Muppets Guard Worried About New Movie

Written by . Posted on October 21, 2011. Filed under Puppet Film, Tim. Tagged , , , , , , . Comments Off.

Hmmm. Interesting.
From the Hollywood Reporter:

Some of the old guard wonder whether screenwriter and star Jason Segel has a true grasp of the characters they helped create.

More here.

Thanks Buzzfeed!

Taxonomy of Big Bird

Written by . Posted on September 29, 2011. Filed under Puppet TV, Tim, Uncategorized. Tagged , , , . Comments Off.

Big Bird is a Whooping Crane?

Thanks BoingBoing!

UCA Puppet Films

Written by . Posted on September 27, 2011. Filed under Puppet Design, Puppet TV, Tim. Tagged , , , , , , , , , . Comments Off.

A few week ago the University of Central Arkansas had a Handmade Puppet Dreams Marathon. Heather Henson, Sam Hale, Lyon Hill and I each hosted an evening. While I was there I "guest taught" Prof. Holly Laws design classes. I did a very simplified version of the class I teach at the O'Neill Puppetry Conference, and I decided that The Rag (show) style would be best for first time puppet artists. There were two different classes with two 2 1/2 hour class times each. The films were written, designed, and performed in groups. For all the limitations (and if you know me, you know I love limitations) I love how they came out! Please enjoy!

Is it alive?

Written by . Posted on September 15, 2011. Filed under Puppet TV, Tim. Tagged , , , . Comments Off.