Bil Baird Biography (1904-1987)

Full name, William Britton Baird; born August 15, 1904, in Grand Island, NE;died of pneumonia while suffering from bone cancer, March 18, 1987, in New York City; son of William Hull (a chemical engineer and playwright) and Louise(Hetzel) Baird; married Evelyn Schwartz, 1932 (divorced, 1934); married CoraBurlar, January 13, 1937 (died, December, 1967); married Patricia Courtleigh,June, 1969 (divorced, 1972); married Susanna Lloyd, December, 1974 (divorced, 1984); children: (second marriage) Peter Britton, Laura Jenne; (fourth marriage) Madeleine.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Birth Details
August 15, 1904
Grand Island, Nebraska, United States
Death Details
March 18, 1987
New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

  • Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE APPEARANCES
  • Clyde, Flahooley, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1951.
  • Also appeared in productions at the State University of Iowa, 1924- 26.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE WORK; ALL AS PUPPETEER
  • (Also director) The A&P Show, Chicago World's Fair, Chicago, IL, 1933.
  • (also producer) Bil Baird's Marionettes, Chicago World's Fair, 1934.
  • Horse Eats Hat, Maxine Elliott's Theatre, New York City, 1936.
  • Dr. Faustus, Maxine Elliott's Theatre, 1937.
  • The Ziegfeld Follies, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1943.
  • Nellie Bly, Adelphi Theatre, New York City, 1946.
  • Flahooley, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1951.
  • (also producer) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Phoenix Theatre, New YorkCity, 1955.
  • (also producer) Davy Jones' Locker, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1959.
  • (also producer) Man in the Moon, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1961.
  • Chrysler Show Go Round, New York World's Fair, Queens, NY, 1964.
  • Baker Street, Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1965.
  • (with the New York Philharmonic) L'Histoire du Soldat, Philharmonic Hall,New York City, 1969.
  • Once Upon a Dragon, Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA, 1977.
  • Also Pageant of Puppet Variety, 1957; Carnival of Animals, Suprise Box, both with Tim Scherman's Little Orchestra.
  • PRODUCER AND PUPPETEER, ALL AT THE BIL BAIRD THEATRE,NEW YORK CITY Davy Jones' Locker, 1966.
  • People Is the Thing That the World Is Fullest Of, Winnie the Pooh, both 1967.
  • The Wizard of Oz, 1968.
  • The Whistling Wizard and the Sultan of Tuffet, 1969.
  • (also designer) Holiday on Strings, 1970.
  • Peter and the Wolf, 1971.
  • The Magic Onion, 1972.
  • Band Wagon, Pinocchio, both 1973.
  • (with Susanna Baird) Alice in Wonderland, 1975.
  • Credits; MAJOR TOURS
  • Puppeteer, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Tony Sarg Marionettes, U.S. cities, 1927-28.
  • choreographer, Rip Van Winkle, Alice in Wonderland, Tony Sarg Marionettes, U.S. cities, 1931-32.
  • producer, puppeteer, Davy Jones' Locker, Bil and Cora Baird Marionettes,India, Nepal, and Afghanistan, 1962, then Soviet cities, 1963.
  • Also toured Inida and Turkey, 1970.
  • Credits; MAJOR CABARET WORK
  • With the Baird Marionettes: Le Reuban Bleu, New York City; Persian Room,New York City; French Casino Lounge.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION WORK; ALL WITH THE BAIRD MARIONETTES SERIES
  • Producer, puppeteer, Life with Snarky Parker, CBS, 1949-50.
  • producer, puppeteer, The Whistling Wizard, CBS, 1952-53.
  • puppeteer, The Morning Show, CBS, 1954-55.
  • puppeteer, Babes in Toyland, NBC, 1954-55.
  • Credits; SPECIALS
  • Heidi, NBC, 1955.
  • Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf, ABC, 1958.
  • The Sorcerer's Apprentice, ABC, 1959.
  • Winnie the Pooh, 1960.
  • O'Halloran's Luck, Baird's Eye View, both 1961.
  • Puppet Revue, HBO (cable), 1979. Guest: Galen Drake Show, ABC, 1957.
  • Discovery '65, ABC, 1965.
  • The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS.
  • The Jack Paar Show, NBC.
  • The Mike Douglas Show, sydicated.
  • Wonderama, WNEW, New York City.
  • Book Talk, WNET, New York City.
  • New York Illustrated, WNBC, New York City.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM WORK
  • Puppeteer, The Sound of Music, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1965.
  • Also puppeteer for U.S. government films.
  • Writings
  • See production details above.
  • Writings;PUPPET SHOWS
  • Co-writer, The A&P Show.
  • (story) Davy Jones' Locker.
  • The Magic Onion.
  • Writings;MUSIC
  • The Whistling Wizard and the Sultan of Tuffet.
  • Also songs for Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1955 production).
  • Writings;NONFICTION
  • The Art of the Puppet, Macmillan, 1966.
  • Schnitzel, the Yodeling Goat, Nelson, 1965.
  • Puppets and Population, World Education, 1971.

Further Reference

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

  • New York Times, March 20, 1987.