Burr Tillstrom Papers, 1947-1997

Burr Tillstrom’s career centered on marionette theatre, and his most popular creation, Kukla, was invented when he landed his job at WPA-Chicago Parks District Theatre. In 1947, the Kukla, Fran and Ollie television show began. Tillstrom spent some time at Hope College in 1972, participating in both the Department of Theatre and the Department of Communication as guest faculty, or an artist-in-residence. He befriended faculty members such as Ted Nielsen, of Communication, with whom he stayed in touch after leaving Hope. Before Tillstrom’s death in 1985, he was working on creating a television musical from a children’s book and was petitioning for a Guggenheim Grant to create a video autobiography of his experience making Kukla, Fran and Ollie. After Tillstrom’s death, Ted Nielsen attempted to take on the task of completing his video biography.

This digital collection includes biographical information, correspondence, photographs and other publications, personal notes and transcripts.