“The 1940’s” is the second installment of the exciting new series, “Conversations with Bob Baker” and will be given at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater on Saturday, July 23 at 5:00pm. This event follows the success of the first program “The Beginning” given last November, which focused on Bob Baker’s formative years and the influences on him at the time by famous Hollywood personalities that shaped his future career as a world-class puppeteer. These special events are moderated by puppeteer and Hollywood historian Gregory Paul Williams, author of “The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History” USA Book News winner Best Books 2007.
 
The 1940s were a tumultuous and defining time for Baker. Due to an illness he contracted working for the Army Air Corps camouflage unit at the height of WW2, he was forced to leave the service and consequently found work at George Pal Studios, where he rose through the ranks of animators. The bitter battle between Pal and the studio unions led Bob to leave the studio and turn to self-employment.
 
Baker started manufacturing the toy marionettes that he remembered as a child, and also created window displays for the major stores in Los Angeles as well. The performance of his circus windows in the Millirons Department store downtown brought so many people, the store had to build risers to accommodate them.
 
Baker turned to the exciting new medium of television in 1947, and his studio on Santa Monica Boulevard began to attract the future stars of television animation. Bob Clampett, the creator of “Beany and Cecil” was given a desk at Bob’s studio because Clampett had no place else to work. Daws Butler, Stan Freeburg and June Foray were early visitors to the Baker workshop as well.

Tickets for “Conversations with Bob Baker” are $20, and can be purchased online or by calling the Box Office at 213-250-9995 or in person at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA on the day of the event. Reservations can be made during the week from 10 am to 4 pm.

These events are made possible by the scanning and re-organization of Bob Bakers’s photo files and memorabilia. The programs feature slide show presentations created by Greg Williams. Bob’s commentary on the slides is recorded as part of an ongoing documentation of his career, with the ultimate goal of creating a book on Baker ’s work, with his commentary during the programs recorded as part of the Bob Baker Book Project. The events will conclude with refreshments served in the party room where guests can personally greet Bob Baker

At each event, a high-quality book featuring photos from the presentation shown that day is offered for sale as print on demand. The books will offer a fascinating look at not only the art of puppetry, but of Los Angeles’ social history as well. The second book “The 1940s” will be on sale for $40. All proceeds go to support the Bob Baker Book Project.

In addition to these special events, The Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s 51st season at the theater continues with the currently playing “Magic Strings,” “Bob Baker’s Halloween Hoop-De-Do,” (October 1-November 6) and just in time for the holidays, “Bob Baker’s Holiday Spectacular,” opening November 12, 2011 and playing throughout the holiday season.