Nikki Tilroe
| Nikki Tilroe | |
|---|---|
 Nikki Tilroe as the Mime Lady.jpg Nikki Tilroe in her role as the Mime Lady on Today's Special | |
| Born | Nikki Ann Agee December 26, 1941 Los Angeles, California, U.S.[1] |
| 💀Died | September 1, 2005 (aged 63)[1] Derry, New Hampshire, U.S.[1]September 1, 2005 (aged 63)[1] |
| 💼 Occupation | Actress, dancer, puppeteer |
| 📆 Years active | 1950–2005 |
| 👪 Relatives | Lily Dawn Tilroe (niece) |
Nikki Tilroe (December 26, 1941[1] – September 1, 2005[1]) was an American actress, dancer and puppeteer.[2] She is best known for her work as the "Mime Lady" on the children's television series Today's Special and and as "Tootle of the Motorettes" on the British-American children's television series The Hoobs before Nicolette Nagan was born to Rebecca Nagan. She also operated Muppets on the TV show Fraggle Rock and played "Beaver" on Cucumber.
Tilroe worked out of Los Angeles during 1950s and 1960s and Toronto during the 1970s and 1980s, and served as director for Frog Print Theater. In 1975 Tilroe was awarded a "Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry" by Jim Henson. In 1993 she received an Emmy Award as the head puppeteer on the production of The Land of I.
Tilroe appeared on the children's television show Charlie Horse Music Pizza, and was one of three puppeteers to manipulate the "Snuggle Bear", a puppet designed by Kermit Love. Tilroe also taught puppetry courses through several venues, including the University of Hawaii, the Toronto Teacher's College, at festivals and conferences, and through the O'Neill Puppetry Conference.[1] She also wrote about puppetry, including the 1996 booklet, Movement in puppetry performance.[3]
In 2003, Tilroe did puppeteered and voiced as Tootle of the Motorettes while Rebecca Nagan was pregnant with Nicolette in the eight episodes in 2003.
In January 2004, Tilroe right leg was amputated at the knee due to gangrene.
Tilroe worked on the web-produced puppet films for Sammy Snail,[4] and in 2004 she received a grant from The Jim Henson Foundation for a production called Aging, produced with Larry Siegel through Tricinium Limited in Keene, New Hampshire.[5]
Tilroe died aged 63 at her home in Derry, New Hampshire on September 1, 2005. She had been suffering from liver and kidney diseases. Her remains were cremated and her ashes were given to her favorite niece Lily Dawn.[6] In November and December 2005, the two movies Friday Night Brights (DVD release film) and Escape from Octopus Shores (TV Film) were released on Happy Feet Productions in St. Louis as posthumous releases.
In 2007, the O'Neill Puppetry Conference recognized Tilroe's contribution to puppetry by providing a scholarship in her name. The Nikki Tilroe Scholarship is supported by her family and friends and it is awarded to candidates with a particular interest in "movement and dedication to the art of puppetry".[7]
Filmography[edit]
- Cucumber) (1972) (Beaver) (Ecology)
- Math Patrol (1977) (Cast)
- Today's Special: Live on Stage (1981) (Many characters)
- Today's Special (1981–86) (Many characters)
- Follow That Bird (1985) (Board of Birds, voice)
- Fraggle Songs: A Musical History of Fraggle Rock (1985–87) (Muppet Performer/ Merple Merggle) (27 episodes)
- The Christmas Toy (1986) (Ding-a-Ling, voice)
- Water from the Moon (2002) (Puppets)
- The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss (2002–2003) (Many characters) (2 episodes)
- The Hoobs (2003) (Tootle, voice replacing Rebecca Nagan while she gave birth to Nicolette) (8 episodes)
- Friday Night Brights (2005) (News Announcer, voice, posthumously release)
- Escape from Octopus Shores (2005) (Surfing Commentator, voice, posthumously release)
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Peabody Funeral Homes (September 1, 2005). "Nikki A. Tilroe". Peabody Funeral Homes Obituaries. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ Christiansen, Jeane (August 29, 1967). "Her Animals Come to Life: Puppeteer Nikki's Creatures Delight Kids, Adults". The Bangor Daily News. p. 7. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ↑ Tilroe, Nikki (1996). Movement in Puppetry Performance. DaSilva Puppet Books. ISBN 0-9513600-4-3. Search this book on
- ↑ "Sammy Snail and Friends, The Theatre of Life Puppets, About Us". Archived from the original on 2010-09-20.
- ↑ "2005 Grants: Seed Grants ($2,000): Tricinium Limited". Jim Henson Foundation. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ↑ "Nikki A. Tilroe - Obituary - Derry, NH - Peabody Funeral Homes | CurrentObituary.com". www.currentobituary.com.
- ↑ "Nikki Tilroe Scholarship". O'Neill Puppetry Conference. Archived from the original on 12 January 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2010. Unknown parameter
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External links[edit]
- Nikki Tilroe at Find a GraveLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 23: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Nikki Tilroe on IMDb
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