Puppet People is a TV series produced from 1973 to 1975 at CFCF-TV in Montreal, Quebec, and telecast on most CTV affiliates throughout Canada. It was hosted by the ventriloquist Jerry Layne who worked with his "friends" Lester and Herbie, puppets created for the show by Don Keller, who was a CFCF staff member who designed sets but originally was a ventriloquist in Montreal area. These puppets had a movable lip as opposed to moveable chin in classical puppet design.[1]
Puppet People combined pre-taped comedy sketches with a cast of full-size figures. These sketches were played into a game show with children answering questions based on the sketches.
Before the show the studio audience was given kazoos and they played the theme song which ended with “Puppet People. Puppet People. Puppet People. Yeah!” A boy contestant was always matched with a girl contestant.
Peter megoudis was one of the contestants in 1974. He won some science books and a years supply of C plus orange juice (which only lasted 5 months, what with all his friends coming to partake). He still remembers with embarrassment how in the audition interview he did not know that Clark Kent was superman (well one was wearing glasses, the other not). He thought he blew right there his one time chance for fame. It took him 40 years before he could get back on TV, this time on BNN to talk about US taxation.
He does not remember being asked any US tax questions during the Puppet People show. He has pitched a modern day version of Puppet People with puppets asking contestants questions on US tax. It has not garnered any interest as of yet.
Peter contacted Jerry Layne recently to see if there were any surviving tapes of the show. Jerry informed him that unfortunately CFCF erased over its recordings of the show (which was common practice.). It thus only lives in the memories of the people who watched the show.
The series was the first production for the producer/director Sidney M. Cohen.
The Lester puppet once appeared on an episode of The Love Boat.