345:
He finished with Farfel slowly singing the last word "chocolate," in two syllables. Nelson was so nervous that his hands sweated, and when Farfel was finished, his finger slipped off the control, causing the mouth to audibly snap shut, a mistake no ventriloquist should make. Nelson left the audition
200:
By 1947, Nelson was a professional success and Danny O'Day began to show signs of wear, so Nelson hired
Marshall to build him a second one. However, Marshall's hand-carved originals (which he tailored to the personality of the ventriloquist) were impossible to duplicate identically, and Nelson felt
166:
Nelson began taking "Dan" to school, where his fourth-grade teacher allowed him to use the dummy when speaking in front of the class. In this way, Nelson taught himself to overcome his fear of public speaking. He soon started using jokes in his presentation, discovering he could make his classmates
360:, Farfel returned to television, now a hand puppet and accompanied by his large, identical-looking family, to advertise Nestle's then-new holiday candy wrapping. Just like the original Farfel, he ended the commercial by snapping his jaw shut after singing "chocolate," now joined by his family.
215:
In the late 1950s, Jimmy Nelson released two LP records, One being "Pinocchio", which involved his four major dummies, which was released on
Cricket Records in 1959, and the other being "Jokes and Riddles", which was done before a live audience of children, released on Rocking Horse Records.
170:
He then started performing for church groups, schools and
American Legion posts. By the time he was a teenager, he started earning money competing in amateur talent contests held at the local movie theatres, where the prize was five dollars for the most popular act.
313:
featured satirical sketches with new puppets, all voiced by Nelson, who supposedly were part of the TV station of the show-within-the-show. The show generated the release of two children's LP's on
Cricket Records, "Pinocchio" and "Peter and the Wolf."
186:, would do this only after seeing the ventriloquist's work. He came to one of Nelson's theatre performances and was impressed, so sold Nelson a custom-made dummy, which he always carved to bear a resemblance to the ventriloquist.
346:
thinking he had blown it, but was surprised to learn he was hired; in fact, the executives actually liked the mouth-snapping effect and asked that he keep it. This became his trademark as the commercials ran for ten years.
425:. Nelson married wife Betty in 1956 and together they had three children: Marianne, Elizabeth and James. Nelson moved his family to Cape Coral, Florida in 1968 and he resided there until his death in 2019 at age 90.
228:, nightclub, he picked up a stuffed dog a patron had left on the piano, and improvised a low-pitched voice to make it talk. This gave him the idea for a new character which he had Marshall build. He named it
389:
201:
the second dummy didn't look sufficiently like Danny to replace him. So he decided to maintain Danny, and added heavy eyebrows, eyeglasses and a beret to the new dummy, creating a foil for Danny named
163:. He learned ventriloquism, and a year later, his father upgraded the dummy's mouth control from a simple string-and-loop to a lever-system like those used in professional ventriloquist's dummies.
898:
448:
197:
impossible for ventriloquists to say without moving the lips, unlike "McCarthy" and "Mahoney". He then hired a manager and started touring professionally.
179:
In 1945, Nelson asked famed
Chicago ventriloquist figure maker Frank Marshall to make him a professional-quality dummy. Marshall, who had made
899:"Jimmy Nelson, last of TV's golden era ventriloquists, whose characters Farfel and Danny O'Day were the face of Nestlés Quik, has died"
977:
388:, since the 1960s. He appeared with Danny and Farfel at local schools and retirement homes and was a longtime spokesperson for
417:
Nelson and first wife Margot had three children: twins Larry and Leejay, and a third son Jerry. They lived for many years in
630:
972:
947:
527:
501:
452:
845:
673:
474:
326:
chocolate milk flavoring. The Nestlé executives had him audition by spontaneously performing their newly written
553:
282:
In 1958, he added another animal dummy to his character repertoire, a cat named
Ftatateeta after a character in
872:
754:
700:
646:
409:
He died on
September 24, 2019, at the age of 90, from complications of a stroke suffered earlier in the year.
579:
917:
727:
288:
152:
982:
622:
607:
418:
948:
Talking Comedy.com: Jimmy Nelson: Warm
Memories of Danny O' Day, Farfel, & Chaaawwwwclate
322:
In 1955, the Nestlé company hired Nelson to do commercials selling their chocolate candy and
292:. The cat's voice was based on Ed Wynn's. In 1954, Nelson served as emcee on the game shows
967:
962:
209:
8:
385:
283:
253:
72:
942:
626:
422:
294:
156:
349:
When advertising Nestlé's Quik, Danny O'Day would say it "makes milk taste...like a
618:
357:
241:
755:"Ventriloquist gets sweet deal: Jimmy Nelson's Farfel to appear on candy wrappers"
403:
225:
373:
229:
132:
956:
614:
398:
Nelson collaborated in 2011 with maker of professional ventriloquist figures
180:
120:
54:
267:
uniforms. Nelson was host of several TV shows in the early 1950s, including
802:
449:"Jimmy Nelson: Warm Memories of Danny O' Day, Farfel, & Chaaawwwwclate"
257:
237:
399:
392:, where he later became an executive for marketing and public relations.
938:
820:
780:
264:
194:
124:
151:, on December 15, 1928. When he was ten years old, his aunt won a toy
368:
In 2009, Nelson was featured in the ventriloquist comedy documentary
160:
244:
where he performed. His famous line was: "No, I wouldn't say that."
128:
918:"Jimmy Nelson, Star of the Golden Age of Ventriloquism, Dies at 90"
305:
In 1960-61, he hosted a 30-minute local TV show in New York titled
148:
50:
208:
In
September 1950, Nelson made his first appearance with Danny on
395:
Nelson was dubbed "The Dean of
American Ventriloquists" in 2011.
323:
144:
46:
609:
The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows
327:
261:
233:
330:. Nelson sang the first two (musical) lines in Danny's voice:
127:
in the 1950s and 1960s. He is most famous for commercials for
674:"Satirical Programs Of TV Ventriloquist Aren't for Dummies"
701:"Ventriloquism Future Bright, Claims Practitioner Nelson"
119:(December 15, 1928 – September 24, 2019) was an American
135:. He also hosted a children's show sponsored by Nestlé.
309:
on WNTA-TV, channel 13. Ostensibly aimed at children,
794:
224:
One night that year, while working a late show in a
606:
558:Daily Independent Journal (San Rafael, California)
353:" (dollars), again slowly and pausing for effect.
193:, which he chose because it contained none of the
189:Nelson gave Dummy Dan's replacement the full name
954:
773:
528:"Ventriloquist's Assistant Is More Than a Dummy"
502:"Visit sparks memories of 'Farfel' and friends"
442:
440:
438:
402:to produce a character that pays homage to his
252:In 1950, Nelson was hired as a regular on the
475:"He still has a dog and a dummy on his hands"
446:
435:
390:First Federal Savings and Loan of Fort Myers
384:Nelson and his wife Betty were residents of
873:"Jimmy Nelson still is Farfel, Danny O'Day"
604:
671:
598:
759:Weekend Sun-Press of Cape Coral (Florida)
260:. Nelson and Danny O'Day would appear in
915:
532:The Racine Journal-Times Sunday Bulletin
499:
916:Sandomir, Richard (27 September 2019).
870:
472:
955:
821:"Jimmy Nelson is moving to Cape Coral"
752:
174:
843:
800:
725:
698:
605:Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (1995).
554:"Jimmy Nelson Show Premiere Sept. 20"
317:
672:Chaimowitz, Lee (October 26, 1960).
653:. September 18, 1960. pp. 18–19
451:. Talking Comedy.com. Archived from
247:
846:"Jimmy Nelson Appears for Retirees"
500:Davidson, Jan (December 16, 2007).
159:game and gave it to her nephew for
13:
844:Luhrs, Dolly (December 12, 1972).
728:"The man behind the 'Chhaawwklitt"
534:. AP. November 1, 1957. p. 39
16:American ventriloquist (1928–2019)
14:
994:
932:
479:The Journal Herald (Dayton, Ohio)
219:
803:"Hollywood's Corporate Delusion"
753:Jordan, Cynthia (May 22, 1992).
726:Jicha, Tom (December 21, 1992).
699:Stern, Harold (March 13, 1965).
560:. September 11, 1954. p. T2
978:American male television actors
909:
891:
864:
837:
813:
746:
719:
692:
473:Stewart, D.L. (July 26, 1979).
340:Nestlé's makes the very best...
236:he had seen on the menu of the
871:Sheehan, Amy (July 16, 1989).
665:
639:
572:
546:
520:
493:
466:
379:
363:
1:
506:The Jupiter (Florida) Courier
428:
138:
586:. March 30, 1958. p. 17
100:Margot Humphries (1947–1951)
7:
887:– via Newspapers.com.
860:– via Newspapers.com.
769:– via Newspapers.com.
742:– via Newspapers.com.
715:– via Newspapers.com.
688:– via Newspapers.com.
661:– via Newspapers.com.
594:– via Newspapers.com.
568:– via Newspapers.com.
542:– via Newspapers.com.
516:– via Newspapers.com.
489:– via Newspapers.com.
10:
999:
801:Dager, Nick (2009-06-09).
732:South Florida Sun-Sentinel
705:Star-Gazette (Elmira, NY)
412:
106:
96:
88:
80:
61:
28:
21:
973:Male actors from Chicago
102:Betty Norman (1956-2019)
807:digitalcinemareport.com
707:. p. 13-Star Gazer
155:named "Dummy Dan" in a
580:"TV and Radio Chatter"
419:Forest Hills, New York
877:Fort Myers News-Press
852:. p. 6-Heartland
781:"I'm No Dummy (2009)"
447:J.C. Johnson (2005).
284:George Bernard Shaw's
153:ventriloquist's dummy
647:"Week's TV Programs"
289:Caesar and Cleopatra
210:The Ed Sullivan Show
131:chocolate featuring
651:New York Daily News
386:Cape Coral, Florida
275:(originally titled
254:Texaco Star Theatre
175:Professional career
143:Nelson was born in
117:James Edward Nelson
73:Cape Coral, Florida
33:James Edward Nelson
922:The New York Times
318:Nestlé commercials
256:TV show hosted by
65:September 24, 2019
850:The Tampa Tribune
423:Jamaica, New York
295:Bank on the Stars
269:Bank on the Stars
248:Television career
234:Jewish pasta dish
114:
113:
89:Years active
43:December 15, 1928
990:
926:
925:
913:
907:
906:
895:
889:
888:
886:
884:
868:
862:
861:
859:
857:
841:
835:
834:
832:
831:
817:
811:
810:
798:
792:
791:
789:
788:
777:
771:
770:
768:
766:
750:
744:
743:
741:
739:
723:
717:
716:
714:
712:
696:
690:
689:
687:
685:
669:
663:
662:
660:
658:
643:
637:
636:
619:Ballantine Books
613:(6th ed.).
612:
602:
596:
595:
593:
591:
584:Minneapolis Star
576:
570:
569:
567:
565:
550:
544:
543:
541:
539:
524:
518:
517:
515:
513:
508:. pp. A1–A2
497:
491:
490:
488:
486:
470:
464:
463:
461:
460:
444:
358:Christmas season
356:During the 1992
242:upstate New York
203:Humphrey Higsbye
123:who appeared on
68:
42:
40:
19:
18:
998:
997:
993:
992:
991:
989:
988:
987:
953:
952:
935:
930:
929:
914:
910:
897:
896:
892:
882:
880:
869:
865:
855:
853:
842:
838:
829:
827:
819:
818:
814:
799:
795:
786:
784:
779:
778:
774:
764:
762:
751:
747:
737:
735:
724:
720:
710:
708:
697:
693:
683:
681:
670:
666:
656:
654:
645:
644:
640:
633:
603:
599:
589:
587:
578:
577:
573:
563:
561:
552:
551:
547:
537:
535:
526:
525:
521:
511:
509:
498:
494:
484:
482:
471:
467:
458:
456:
445:
436:
431:
421:, and later in
415:
382:
366:
320:
250:
226:Wichita, Kansas
222:
181:Paul Winchell's
177:
141:
101:
76:
70:
66:
57:
44:
38:
36:
35:
34:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
996:
986:
985:
983:Ventriloquists
980:
975:
970:
965:
951:
950:
945:
934:
933:External links
931:
928:
927:
908:
890:
863:
836:
812:
793:
772:
745:
718:
691:
664:
638:
632:978-0345397362
631:
597:
571:
545:
519:
492:
465:
433:
432:
430:
427:
414:
411:
381:
378:
374:Bryan W. Simon
372:, directed by
365:
362:
343:
342:
337:
335:N-E-S-T-L-E-S,
319:
316:
249:
246:
221:
220:Farfel the dog
218:
176:
173:
140:
137:
133:Farfel the Dog
112:
111:
108:
104:
103:
98:
94:
93:
90:
86:
85:
82:
78:
77:
71:
69:(aged 90)
63:
59:
58:
45:
32:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
995:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
960:
958:
949:
946:
944:
940:
937:
936:
923:
919:
912:
905:. 2019-09-25.
904:
900:
894:
878:
874:
867:
851:
847:
840:
826:
822:
816:
808:
804:
797:
782:
776:
760:
756:
749:
733:
729:
722:
706:
702:
695:
679:
675:
668:
652:
648:
642:
634:
628:
624:
620:
616:
611:
610:
601:
585:
581:
575:
559:
555:
549:
533:
529:
523:
507:
503:
496:
480:
476:
469:
455:on 2010-05-07
454:
450:
443:
441:
439:
434:
426:
424:
420:
410:
407:
405:
401:
396:
393:
391:
387:
377:
375:
371:
361:
359:
354:
352:
347:
341:
338:
336:
333:
332:
331:
329:
325:
324:Nestlé's Quik
315:
312:
311:Studio 99-1/2
308:
307:Studio 99-1/2
303:
301:
297:
296:
291:
290:
285:
280:
278:
274:
270:
266:
263:
259:
255:
245:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
217:
213:
211:
206:
204:
198:
196:
192:
187:
185:
184:Jerry Mahoney
182:
172:
168:
164:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
136:
134:
130:
126:
122:
121:ventriloquist
118:
109:
105:
99:
95:
91:
87:
84:Ventriloquist
83:
79:
74:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
31:
27:
20:
939:Jimmy Nelson
921:
911:
903:masslive.com
902:
893:
881:. Retrieved
879:. p. 4C
876:
866:
854:. Retrieved
849:
839:
828:. Retrieved
825:ufdc.ufl.edu
824:
815:
806:
796:
785:. Retrieved
775:
763:. Retrieved
761:. p. 1A
758:
748:
736:. Retrieved
734:. p. 3D
731:
721:
709:. Retrieved
704:
694:
682:. Retrieved
680:. p. 5C
677:
667:
655:. Retrieved
650:
641:
608:
600:
588:. Retrieved
583:
574:
562:. Retrieved
557:
548:
536:. Retrieved
531:
522:
510:. Retrieved
505:
495:
483:. Retrieved
481:. p. 21
478:
468:
457:. Retrieved
453:the original
416:
408:
397:
394:
383:
370:I'm No Dummy
369:
367:
355:
350:
348:
344:
339:
334:
321:
310:
306:
304:
299:
293:
287:
281:
277:Take My Word
276:
272:
268:
258:Milton Berle
251:
238:Borscht Belt
232:, after the
223:
214:
207:
202:
199:
190:
188:
183:
178:
169:
165:
142:
116:
115:
67:(2019-09-24)
23:Jimmy Nelson
968:2019 deaths
963:1928 births
621:. pp.
404:Danny O’Day
400:Tim Selberg
380:Later years
364:Film career
300:Come Closer
273:Come Closer
271:on NBC and
240:resorts in
191:Danny O'Day
957:Categories
830:2019-09-27
787:2019-09-27
459:2010-11-16
429:References
279:) on ABC.
265:gas jockey
195:consonants
139:Early life
125:television
81:Occupation
39:1928-12-15
883:April 29,
856:April 29,
765:April 29,
738:April 29,
711:April 29,
684:March 14,
657:March 14,
590:March 14,
564:April 30,
538:April 29,
512:April 29,
485:April 30,
161:Christmas
97:Spouse(s)
92:1945–2019
623:101, 274
615:New York
149:Illinois
107:Children
51:Illinois
678:Newsday
351:million
167:laugh.
145:Chicago
47:Chicago
783:. IMDb
629:
413:Family
328:jingle
262:Texaco
230:Farfel
129:Nestlé
75:, U.S.
286:play
157:Bingo
943:IMDb
885:2022
858:2022
767:2022
740:2022
713:2022
686:2022
659:2022
627:ISBN
592:2022
566:2022
540:2022
514:2022
487:2022
298:and
62:Died
29:Born
941:at
959::
920:.
901:.
875:.
848:.
823:.
805:.
757:.
730:.
703:.
676:.
649:.
625:.
617::
582:.
556:.
530:.
504:.
477:.
437:^
406:.
376:.
302:.
212:.
205:.
147:,
55:US
53:,
49:,
924:.
833:.
809:.
790:.
635:.
462:.
110:6
41:)
37:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.