Dorothey Neumann Movies

In this labor of love, the filmmaker tells the unusual and fascinating story of some older relatives of his who toured the U.S. for nearly seven decades as the Yale Puppeteers, putting on satirical performances which lampooned the public figures of their day. Their claim to theatrical fame comes from their seventeen year tenure at the Turnabout Theater in Hollywood from 1941 to 1956. This is where the folksinger Odetta got her start, and where Elsa Lanchester did much of her live stage work. In addition, two of the ninety-year old men interviewed were gay. However, since they had only recently publicly acknowledged their homosexuality, they were not yet up to speaking freely about their experiences and hardships. The documentary offers a unique window into social and show-business history. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide