For sale: Rare 1919 Mack-Marshall Figure

US$3,500 shipped via Fedex with insurance...

Read the complete story at

http://wanluthemagician.blogspot.com/2008/10/i-bought-this-1920s-mack-figure-from-my.html

VentriloHosting by Wanlu with Don Dominador

Don Dom taking charge of the raffles for Philex Mining Co.

Nicolo, Don Dom and Lola Osna in Baguio

The whole gang was in Baguio but I only had the chance to take pictures of Nicolo, Don Dom and Lola Osna. We did a special show for Philex Mining Co.

Ventriloquist Wanlu with Lola Osna

My new figure from Mr Conrad Hartz, I call her Lola Osna.

Clips from the Suysing party at the Philippine Plaza and the annual party of Philex Mining Co.

Lola Osna

My new figure...a one of a kind figure made by one of the best figure makers in the world, Mr Conrad Hartz.

I call her, Lola Osna

Don Dominador is back...grumpy as ever.

Yup...he's back ;)

The original Don Dom figure from Dan Payes...

Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy

The Great Mackoy in "Get It Straight"

Wanlu and the Great Mackoy in "Get It Straight" UNTV Channel 37 with Sir Jay Sonza and Sir Willy

Mackoy is a 1919 Mack-Marshall figure used by John Schaibley a.k.a. Johnny Raymond in Vaudeville from 1919-1922. Repainted by Frank Marshall in 1928

Magfi Grand Finals 2008

I was the intermission act for the Magfi magic competition 2008 at the Festival Mall. I was with Gonzo and Santiago plus Nicolo.

Congratulations to the winners. Magfi 2008 champion Alakim with his charming butterfly act and runners up Oliver (discs manipulation act) and Ian (metamorphosis act)

Laughs and Gasps

Laughs and Gasps

Please watch the show on November 22, 2008 (SAT) 7pm at the Vibal Publishing Rooftop along Araneta Ave. It promises to be a great night of comedy, ventriloquism, music and magic...featuring Kel and Jay, Ms Giselle Sanchez and the special participation of Wanlu.

Tickets: Php250

Wanlu with Don Dominador

Coming BACK soon :) As requested by some friends and clients, my orginal Don Dom will be back soon. Hopefully by the 2nd week of December.

The Boss...Live at Zoe TV

Rannie Raymundo's Live talk show. Every Tuesday 9PM at ZOE TV Channel 33. I'm the co-anchor along with my partner Don Dominador

Vivere Hotel

We had a great time at Vivere Hotel last week...great accommodation and very warm welcome by their General Manager Ms Elvie Sanchez.

I finally had the time to read a nice book given to me by Bob Ladd. The book "Memoirs of a Ventriloquist" was written by John Schaibley, the original owner of my 1919 Mack figure. Very interesting stories linking my Mack to his early vaudeville years.

My sons Gabby and Eli as well as my wife Debbie had a great time watching TV, swimming, going shopping in the nearby Mall... :)


Check out Vivere Hotel at
http://www.viveresuites.com/

Private Training: MuayThai

Okay I confess...I usually glue myslef in front of either the computer or the DVD player. I have gym affiliations but I find it so difficult to get out of the house and go to the gym...to call me a couch potato is an understatement.

But I needed to burn some calories and the best way I know is MUAYTHAI...so I called my MuayThai instructor from the MuayThai Assn of the Philippines (MAP) and we started doing home training last Tuesday with some very light training. Today we stepped up a notch and I just love it...

So for those of you who want to have MuayThai training in the comfort and privacy of your own home...let me know so I can ask someone from the National MuayThai Training Center in ULTRA to help you.

Your place does not have to be big...check out my photos. We just moved some of the furnitures and bwalah...our own MuayThai training gym... :)

New Magical Friends

Magician friends visited me and my family in my humble home today...



VINCENT TAN from Malaysia, AMATZY KETVI from Indonesia and a Magic Cafe friend, SUCAHYO "CAHYO" also from Indonesia.

Also in the picture are my friend the Amazing Arnold, my wife Debbie and my new baby boy Eli :)

Mackoy in "Good Morning Kuya"

Mackoy was featured this morning in "Good Morning Kuya" over UNTV Channel 37. The segment was short but sweet :)

Wanlu's Adult Party Ventrillusion

60th birthday celebration of the honorable Dr Tamayo held at the Rizal ballroom of the Makati Shangri-La

My MACK-MARSHALL Figure

I bought this RARE 1919 MACK-MARSHALL figure.

It feels so cool owning a piece of vent history :)

I call him Mackoy Franks as a tribute to some great people...Theodore Mack, Charlie Mack, Frank Marshall and my dad, Col Enrique T. Lunaria who served under the Marcos regime for decades as a Colonel in the Air Force. My dad served as the Group Commander for Basa Air Base under Wing Commander, General Aquino.

This beautiful example from the shop of Theodore Mack & Son, Charlie Mack, dates to circa 1919 and was owned by noted vaudeville vent, John Schaibley a.k.a. Johnny Raymond. This was one of John's back up heads to his main Mack figure, "Woody." Charlie McCarthy came out of the Mack shop, and the beautiful example offered here has that classic "Mack look" that made the Macks the most sought after carvers of their day! Many of the great figure makers that followed, including Alex Cameron, Ken Spencer, and Frank Marshall, all learned their craft working in Charlie Mack's shop!

In addition to the standard moving mouth and turning head, this figure is also equipped with a right eye winker and a cryer.

Another feature which makes this figure particularly collectable, is that it was repainted and wigged by Frank Marshall. Frank's business card is still tacked inside the head along with handwritten notes most probably to record the repairs done on this figure:

1st time May 1919 Chi-ILL 2022 Mich Ave

2nd 2112 5th Ave Alabama 12-16-1919

3rd 11-5-20 72 W 51 St. NY City

4th 612 Oregon St. Lafayette St.-Inn Oct 14, 1922

This figure was obtained from the collection of noted vent and vent historian, Bob Isaacson. Mr Isaacson noted that Mr Schaibley had 3 figures. The first one was made by Charlie Mack and the rest, including this one were made by Frank Marshall himself. Mr Marshall was employed by the Macks and although this head was made by FFrank Marshall, it is still a Mack head because it came out of the Mack shop. Thus making it a MACK-MARSHALL.

Mr Schaibley confirms this in his book "Memoirs of a Ventriloquist."

Page 9/1918 "The figure with one winking eye cost, I believe, $27. although I had other figures made, I used that figure all the time of my professional span of fourty years. I used the spare heads only when the 1918 figure was in the shop for an overhaul. Charlie Mack figures are still considered among the finest."

Page130/1923 "I left Ruth Ann in Chicago but took Frank Marshall, the man who made the ventriloquial figures with me."

Since this was a back-up head used in vaudeville by John Schaibley in 1919-1922 when his original 1918 "Woody" is in the Mack shop for an overhaul, it did not come with an original Mack body. Nonetheless, the body it has was made by two of the greatest vent figures of all time. The body is by Foy E. Brown, and has the "rocking clavicle" feature, allowing the figure to look down at the first row of the audience. The hands are carved wood in the Mack style by Conrad Hartz.




Notice the picture of Mr Schaibley with this figure taken in May 1920 in Chicago. The date matches the repair dates in the figure's head and again the story in Mr Schaibley's book.

Memoirs of a Ventriloquist

Page 35 "Back in Chicago" ...(thus the photo was taken in Chicago)

Page 38 "New York City" ..."I found a room on 51st located where today stands the stage of Radio City Music Hall" (thus the 3rd repair date)... "The girl took my name and I gave her a set of photos and on the back was my stage name Johhny J. Raymond, vaudeville's youngest ventriloquist. My pictures were impressive."

Oh by the way...it was a whopping US$3,000. It proves that toys for the big boys are not exactly cheap!!! Not to forget the peculiar irony of "dolls" for boys...

Wanlu's Ventrilo-Hosting

Spice up your party with Wanlu's Ventrilo-Hosting. Let Wanlu and his partner handle the raffle and announcements for your next party or event.

This sample video was taken at the residence of Sir Chavit Singson for the GMA TV show Joaquin Bordado stars and staff.

The NEW Party Zoo

Hello my friends...

The Party Zoo will undergo a major change in the next few months. Party Zoo will now focus on ANIMAL THEMED birthday parties.

Check us out at...http://wanlu.net/partyzoo.html

Check out our new project which will be released soon... "PUPPETING ZOO"

Terry Fator back on America's Got Talent

Sept 10, 2008

Wanlu's Ventrillusion in "Sharon"

Kevin Johnson

We are making a Custom Exclusive Pupppet for KEVIN JOHNSON...coooool!!!

Wanlu's Adult Show Ventriloquism

Sometimes kidstuff can be irritating to an adult crowd. So I made an adult show routine...please pardon the adult language and materials. Although the last part of this clip featuring Caloy was taken from a kiddie party, Caloy's character is basically for an adult crowd.

Ventrillusion at the "Sharon" Cuneta Show

Please watch out for us at the "Sharon" Cuneta Show featuring my Ventrillusion act with my puppet Nicolo and the Compressher Illusion with my daughter Kathleen. This will be aired in August :)

My new toys...

I bought some new stuff for my act...

Jumbo Sidekick from Viking Magic http://www.vikingmagic.com/?nd=full&key=67

A Rupert figure from Tim Selberg http://www.selbergstudios.com/rupert.html

A Skunk puppet from Steve Axtell http://www.axtell.com/products.html

Baluarte

Wanlu in Vigan for the celebration of Sir Chavit Singson's birthday