I was lucky enough to take the skills and fitness acquired through several years work as an acrobat, juggler and magician, and re-apply them to a new and exciting field.

Animatronics were still being done the hard way (often several puppeteers would operate a single creature). 

Technical advance means that a lot of this work can now be done by one (computer assisted) operator, or can even be done purely as cgi.

They don't need me any more - how long before the live actors get simulated, too?  After all, the stuntmen are already being done (but I still prefer Buster Keaton and Jackie Chan).

All the films I worked on were experimenting with what were state-of-the-art methods at the time.

To hear how I got into film work, go to Habidabad's Dark Crystal website and read an extended interview, mainly about The Dark Crystal, but also touching on my later film work. 

Also, here are some other online interviews focused on Jabba.                                                                                              HOME

I have no idea if this one is me...you've been one mystic, you've been them all

 

The Dark Crystal  (1982)    

 

(The Alchemist, but also a Garthim, and the right-hand for several of Jim Henson's characters - Jen, the Ritual Master, etc. Also various background characters and effects).

 

Return of the Jedi  (1983)

 

 

(Jabba the Hutt - left hand, tongue, head and body)

go here (or to the interviews) for more details of the work involved, and my current activities springing from those fifteen minutes of infamy.

 the movie finger writes, and having writ...moves on...
low budget meant we only had two attempts at this shot!

 

The Company of Wolves (1984)  

(Animatronic wolf and transformations)

 

 

Labyrinth  (1986)   

 

(Legs and body for Firey 1, one of many Helping Hands, Junk Woman's eyes - Karen Prell's assistant - and background characters)

if it matters to you, you can find an obsessively accurate cast list at this posting

 fireys surround the heroine
from the 'lost ending' - I didn't work on the 'happy ending' reshoot, thank goodness - I was in Spain when they did that

 

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

 

(leaves and tendrils for Audrey II)

 

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) 

copyright of The Walt Disney Company and Amblin Pictures

Puppet Crew

 

Ian Tregonning; TobyPhilpott; Christopher Leith     

(bottom row) Geoff Felix, David Barclay, Mike Quinn

 

 

Copyright disclaimer: 

I have not been able to attribute copyright to every photo I found on the web, but I welcome any corrections: Dark Crystal and Labyrinth were copyright Henson Associates, Inc; Roger Rabbit and all related items are copyright of The Walt Disney Company and Amblin Pictures; Return of the Jedi ©1983, 2000 Lucasfilm Ltd

 

Email me about any of my film stuff at

and I'll  get back to you as soon as I can

(Unless I'm in a REALLY bad mood...ho ho ho)