Willie Tyler
 |
Willie Tyler | |
|---|---|
 Willie Tyler and Lester, 1969 | |
| Born | September 8, 1940 Red Level, Alabama, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1969–present |
Willie Tyler (born September 8, 1940) is an American ventriloquist, comedian and actor.[1] He has been credited as Willie Tyler and Lester or Willie Tyler & Lester. Tyler recorded the album "Hello Dummy" for Motown Records, released in 1965. He also recorded "Cannibal" for Motown in 1968, but it was not released. He has appeared in many television commercials, sitcoms and films. Tyler got his first big break in 1972 on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.[2]
Appearances
[edit]
The duo made an early appearance at the Harlem Cultural Festival in the summer of 1969, and can be briefly seen in the 2021 documentary Summer of Soul.[3]
Tyler has had guest roles in The Parent 'Hood, Pacific Blue, What's Happening Now!!, The White Shadow and The Jeffersons,[2] as well as serving as host of the Saturday morning children's anthology series ABC Weekend Specials throughout the early 1980s. He appeared in the 1978 film Coming Home. Tyler has also appeared in television commercials for McDonald's, Toyota and Maxwell House.[4]
He appeared as himself in the 2004 BET Comedy Awards, Frank McKlusky, C.I., For Da Love of Money, In the House, the 4th Annual Black Gold Awards, The 1st Annual Soul Train Music Awards, Motown Returns to the Apollo, Lou Rawls Parade of Stars, Powerhouse, The White Shadow, American Bandstand, The Electric Company, Vegetable Soup, The Flip Wilson Show, The Super Dave Osborne Show, The Statler Brothers Show, The Hollywood Palace, Match Game and Family Feud.[5]
On September 18, 2006, Tyler was the first ventriloquist to appear on the Late Show with David Letterman's Ventriloquist Week.[6] In 2009, Willie Tyler and Lester were featured in the ventriloquist comedy documentary I'm No Dummy, directed by Bryan W. Simon. On May 21, 2019, Tyler appeared as a 1972 TV version of himself on the ABC sitcom The Kids are Alright.
In August 2024, Willie Tyler and Lester appeared in the Adam Sandler: Love You special on Netflix.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ Valcourt, Keith (September 28, 2015). "Willie Tyler: 'Master of the Puppets'". The Washington Times.
- ^ a b Solomon, Matt (August 28, 2024). "Everything You Need to Know About the Ventriloquist Who Opened for Adam Sandler in His New Netflix Special". Cracked.com.
- ^ Eliot, Hannah (April 14, 2022). "Film files: 'Summer of Soul' is a testament to Black unity and pride". The Student Life.
- ^ Iori, Robin (January 18, 2005). "He's no dummy". Press & Guide.
- ^ Family Feud (1989): Funny Men vs Funny Women on YouTube
- ^ Willie Tyler & Lester (Letterman Show) on YouTube
- ^ Sederholm, Jillian (August 27, 2024). "Who is the ventriloquist in Adam Sandler's Netflix special? Here's how you know Willie Tyler and his dummy Lester". Entertainment Weekly.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Willie Tyler at IMDb
- An Interview with Willie Tyler Part One, February 2012
- An Interview with Willie Tyler Part Two, February 2012
- Willie Tyler at Richard De La Font Agency
- Willie Tyler at Funny Business Agency
- Willie Tyler on Tom Green Live