>> WELCOME TO I'M DAVE SCHUFFETT.

THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT IN MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME STATE PARK AND WE HOPE IT SHINES BRIGHT IN YOUR LIFE.

WE ARE HEADED TO SOUTHERN KENTUCKY TO VISIT A SUMMER CAMP WITH A NOBLE MISSION.

UP FIRST, UP TO NORTHERN KENTUCKY TO FORT MITCHELL TO VISIT THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF VENTRILOQUIST MEMORABILIA AND PUPPETS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, ALL THANKS TO ONE MAN WHO BEGAN COLLECTING IN 1910.

IT IS CONSIDERED THE MECCA FOR VENTRILOQUIST THE WORLDWIDE.

ALSO A STOP BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TO SEE HOW DEALERS AND PERFORMERS LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR CRAFT.

>> THE ATTRACTION IS WHERE ALL THE DUMMIES GO WHEN THE VENTRILOQUISTS ARE GONE.

>> WHEN THEY ARE NO LONGER HERE?

>> YES, THEN THE DUMMY GOES TO VAN HAVEN.

>> AM I THERE NOW?

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT.

THEY EVENTUALLY GO WHEN THEY ARE NO LONGER HERE.

>> VAN HAVEN WAS ORIGINALLY A PRIVATE COLLECTION ASSEMBLED WHICH WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE BURGER WHO LIVED FROM 1878 TO 1972.

HE WASN'T A CONVENTIONAL VENTRILOQUIST, A WORKED AT A BEFORING COMPANY AND STARTED IN THE MAILROOM AT 16 AND RETIRED AS PRESIDENT IN 1947.

HE WAS ON A TRIP TO NEW YORK FOR BUSINESS IN 1910 WHEN HE BOUGHT A VENTRILOQUIST, TOMMY BALONEY, GETTING THE COLLECTION STARTED.

IN 1947 HE HAD SEVERAL DOZEN FIGURES TAKING UP TWO ROOMS.

HIS WIFE KICKED THEM OUT AND HE RENOVATED THE HE ESTABLISHED CORRESPONDENCE AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH VENTRILOQUISTS AROUND THE WORLD, AND AFTER HE NAMED IT "VAN HAVEN" IT BECAME TO BE KNOWN AS THE MECCA OF VENTRILOQUISM.

WHEN HE DIED THERE WERE 500, AND TODAY WE HAVE ABOUT 700.

THIS IS THE ONLY MUSEUM OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD AND MR.

BURGER REALLY GOT THE LION'S SHARE OF SOME FAMOUS FIGURES BECAUSE HE WAS COLLECTING AT A TIME WHEN OTHERS WEREN'T IN 1910, COLLECTING THROUGH THE WORLD WARS AND THE DEPRESSION WHEN PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE MONEY FOR COLLECTING, HE WAS REALLY ABLE TO ESTABLISH A NAME FOR HIMSELF AND A SIZABLE COLLECTION BEFORE ANYONE ELSE WAS THINKING OF DOING THAT.

>> HE CAN MOVE HIS EYES ANYWAY I WANT, AND HIS EARS, AND HIS NOSE.

AND WINGS AND THEN HE CAN GO "AH" WHEN I GIVE TOURS THERE ARE ALWAYS ONE OR TWO TO HELP THEM CONNECT WITH VENTRILOQUISM.

FOR THE YOUNG, I TALK ABOUT SHERRY LEWIS AND LAMBCHOP.

THE REAL LAMBCHOP IS WITH HER DAUGHTER, PERFORMING WITH HER.

SENIORS ARE MY FAVORITE PEOPLE TO TAKE THROUGH BECAUSE THEY KNOW ALL THE WAY BACK.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE AGE OF THE TOURIST ABOUT WHAT THEY REMEMBER AND TAKE AWAY FROM HERE.

THE MISSION HERE IS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY AND PROMOTE THE ART AS MUCH AS WE CAN, PRIMARILY WE JUST ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WISHES OF MR.

BURGER.

HE WANTED TO HAVE IN AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE COULD TO SEE THE COLLECTION, THAT THE STORIES WOULD BE RECORDED AND TOLD OF THE FIGURES HERE, AND THAT THE COLLECTION WOULD CONTINUE TO GROW.

WE STILL GET FIVE TO TEN FIGURES PER YEAR, ALWAYS PUT OUT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR.

AS I AM LED BY TOURISTS I TRY TO TELL THE DIFFERENT STORIES OF THE DIFFERENT FIGURES.

IF YOU CAME MORE THAN ONE TIME, YOU WOULD GET TO HEAR A NEW STORY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIGURES, THERE ARE THINGS NOT SEEN.

YOU DON'T SEE ALL OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT CAME IN WITH THEM, OR THE LETTERS MR.

BURGER WROTE WHILE ACQUIRING THE LETTERS.

HE DID EVERYTHING ON A TYPEWRITER, KEEPING CARBON COPIES ON ONION SKIN.

THERE MIGHT BE A 50-LETTER SEQUENCE OF HIM ESTABLISHING CORRESPONDENCE, FINDING OUT WHAT A PERSON WANTS TO BUY OR SELL OR TRADE TO GET THE FIGURES.

PART OF MY JOB IS READING THE STORIES BEHIND THE ACQUISITION SO THAT I HAVE AN INTERESTING PIECE OF TRIVIA ABOUT EACH FIGURE.

WE ARE OPEN MAY 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 30 BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, I AM THE ONLY STAFF.

USUALLY A SMALL GROUP CAN GET IN WITHIN ABOUT 48 HOURS, A COUPLE DAY'S NOTICE.

I BLATANTLY POINT OUT MY FAVORITES IN THE OTHER BUILDING, BUT I LIKE HIS FACE.

AND I LIKE THIS ONE ALLOT BECAUSE JIMMY NELSON IS SUCH A KIND MAN, A PATRIARCH EVERYONE LOOKS TO FOR LEADERSHIP.

IN THE NESTLES COMMERCIAL HE'S WOULD BE IN SOME GOT THE CLARK OF NESTLES QUICK, HE HAD TO USE TWO OF THEM.

MR.

NELSON STILL HAS THE ONE IN PRISTINE CONDITION FOR THE CLOSE-UPS.

WE HAVE THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH THE RINGER.

>> IT IS A CULMINATION OF THE HISTORY OF VEN KRIL QISM.

MR.

BURGER'S COLLECTION OF NOT ONLY HIS FIGURES, BUT AS FIGURES RETIRE THEIR FIGURES OR PUPPETS, THEY ARE DONATED AND RETIRED TO THE MUSEUM WHERE THEY WILL BE CARED FOR FOR YEARS TO COME.

IN A MUSEUM, IT IS INTERESTING TO COME VISIT BECAUSE YOU GET TO SEE THE DIFFERENT PIECES THAT ARE THERE.

EVERY VENTRILOQUIST FIGURE IS DIFFERENT IN CHARACTER, THE WAY IT LOOKS, ITS CRAFTING, WHAT IT IS MADE OF, WOOD OR ENAMEL OR LATEX.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY ARE PAINTED, THE EYES COME TO LIFE IN A CULMINATION OF ART.

TO KNOW THESE PIECES WERE ACTUALLY BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS, SOMEBODY'S SIDEKICK.

AND NOW THEY ARE IN A PLACE WHERE OTHER PEOPLE:-3sñ CAN COMD ENJOY THE HI8Iwç ABOUT WHO USED THE FIGURES, WHAT DID THEY DO.

MANY OF THEM HAVE ANIMATION WITH THEIR EYE BROWS MOVING UP OR DOWN.

SOMETIMES THEIR NOSES LIGHT UP.

>> IT IS THE 29TH ANNUAL VENTRILOQUIST CONVENTION STARTED IN THE EARLY '70S BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY NEEDED A CONVENTION OF THEIR OWN.

THIS IS THE LARGEST GATHERING OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD WITH OVER 430 VENTRILOQUISTS ATTENDING.

>> IN A WAY, MR.

BURGER STARTED THE CONVENTION, THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF VEN TRIAL QISS, HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THAT ASSOCIATION.

WHEN HE DIED THERE WAS A ONE-YEAR GAP WHILE THEY ESTABLISHED THE BOARD OF ADVISORS.

THEN THE BOARD BEGAN TO MEET, TURNING INTO THE CONVENTION.

>> THE PURPOSE OF THE CONVENTION IS TO PROMOTE THE ART OF VENTRILOQUISM.

MANY PEOPLE COME HERE TO LEARN THE CRAFT, TO LEARN HOW TO THROW THEIR VOIZ, DO CHARACTER VOIZS, MANIPULATE AND ANIMATE THE CHARACTERS, THEY COME HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF VENTRILOQUISM AT THE MUSEUM.

I WAS BROUGHT IN TO LECTURE ABOUT HOW TO DO VOICES AND NOISES, SOUND EFFECTS WITHOUT MOVING YOUR MOUTH.

SOME EXAMPLES OF THINGS I TEACH IN THE WORKSHOPS, IF A GUY WANTS TO DO A LADIES VOICE OR A HIGH VOICE, I HAVE A BARITONE VOICE, AND I TEACH THEM HOW TO USE A FALSETTO VOICE, FOR A BOY OR GIRL.

OR MAYBE THEY WANT A CHARACTER VOICE OR A GRUFF VOICE.

IT REALLY SHOWS THEM HOW TO HAVE FUN WITH THEIR VOICE.

>> I AM STEVE FROM SANTA MONICA, THIS IS FRED, MY PARTNER.

>> HI, NICE TO SEE YOU.

>> YOU CAN TELL THEM WHERE WE ARE.

>> AT THE VENTRILOQUIST CONVENTION, WHICH MEANS YOU SHOULD TRY NOT TO MOVE YOUR LIPS.

>> I WILL DO MY BEST.

>> MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT MANY OF THE FIGURES, THE WIGS ARE REAL HAIR.

A LOT OF TIME AND FORETHOUGHT GOES INTO CREATING A WOODEN FIGURE.

MANY OF THE FIGURES WERE MADE BY WOODCARVERS WHO MADE A CAREER OUT OF MAKING VENTRILOQUIST FIGURES.

>> IT IS FOAM RUBBER AND CLOTH AND PLASTIC, PUPPETS, OR HARD MATERIAL OR FIBERGLASS.

>> WE HAVE 20 DEALERS, A WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF HARD-FIGURE MAKERS TO THE OTHER SPECTRUM.

>> I MADE THIS CHARACTER WHICH STARTED AS A GANGSTER CHARACTER.

I HAVE DONE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF HIM.

JEFF CAN DO VARIOUS THINGS LIKE RAISING HIS UPPER LIP.

I MAKE FIGURES FOR PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD, ALL AROUND AMERICA.

I HAVE BUILT THOUSANDS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE LATEST OF WHAT WE CALL "EXTREME PUPPETS" I HAD TO KEEP THIS GANGSTER AROUND FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE I COULD THINK OF SELLING HIM.

>> I STARTED MAKING PUPPETS, VENTRILOQUIST FIGURES, WE DON'T LIKE TO CALL THEM DUMMIES BECAUSE IT OFFENDS THEM.

I STARTED MAKING IT FOR OUR ACT, AND OVER THE YEARS THEY HAVE EVOLVED.

MY EARLY FIGURES WERE NOTHING LIKE THESE.

THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL FIGURES WITH SEVERAL ANIMATIONS.

THIS ONE HAS CLOSING EYES, RAISING EYEBOWS, FULL SIDE-TO-SIDE EYE MOVEMENT AND OF COURSE THE MOVING MOUTH, WOULDN'T BE VERY FUN TO WATCH IF THE MOUTH DIDN'Tbzl MOVE.

THAT MAKES HIM A PROFESSIONAL FIGURE.

>> VENTRILOQUISM IS BASICALLY THE CREATION OF ANOTHER CHARACTER IN ADDITION TO ONE'S SELF.

YOU TALK WITH THE CHARACTER IN SUCH A WAY TO CREATE THE ILLUSION OF AN INDEPENDENT PERSON.

>> I AIN'T GOT NOBODY.

>> DEAN MARTIN AND JERRY LEWIS WERE THE ORIGINALS, AND SHERRY LEWIS AND LAMBCHOP.

WE REALLY ENJOY IT.

IN FACT, WE ARE IN CONTROL.

>> WE BEAT TO A DIFFERENT DRUMER.

>> WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE HAPPY?

ARE YOU HAPPY?

>> YES.

WHO IS THAT?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I GUESS THE MEDIA.

THEY SEEM LIKE NICE PEOPLE.

>> YEAH, YEAH >> ARE YOU MY MOMMY.

>> I'M NOT.

>> I WANT MY MOMMY.

>> DA-DA.

>> ADULT PERFORMERS TRYING TO PROMOTE THE ART OF VENTRILOQUISM TO YOUNG PEOPLE TO KEEP THE ART GOING AND PASS IT ON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION, ANOTHER REASON FOR THE CONVENTION, EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE.

PARENTS ARE VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH THEIR KIDS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN VENTRILOQUISM.

IT IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN AND PICK UP THE ART.

AND IT'S FUN.

>> IT'S AMAZING THE THINGS YOU CAN FIND IN KENTUCKY THAT YOU CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

THE NEXT STORY TAKES US TO CUMBERLAND AND CLINTON COUNTIES TO TROOPER ISLAND CAMP.

THE STATE POLICE STARTED THE CAMP OVER 40 YEARS AGO AS A PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAM FOR KENTUCKY'S YOUTH.

BOYS AND GIRLS FROM 10 TO 12 ARE SELECTED BY THE 16 STATE POLICE POSTS AROUND THE STATE.

IT IS DESIGNED MAINLY FOR DISADVANTAGED YOUTH, BUT ONE EXTRA BENEFIT IS THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE CAMPERS AND THE TROOPERS THEMSELVES.

>> THE FIRST THING EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW, ARE WE AN ISLAND?

WE ARE, LOCATED ON DALE HOLLOW LAKE.

THE ISLAND IS ABOUT 35 ACRES.

IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE.

TROOPER ISLAND IS GEARED TO KIDS AGES 10 TO 12, BASICALLY UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN WHO WOULDN'T GET TO GO TO CAMP SOMEWHERE ELSE.

WE WANT THE TROOPER DOWN HERE TO SEE WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.

>> ARE YOU ENJOYING$G#?HRU >> YES.

>> WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE BEST?

>> SWIMMING.

>> THE GIRLS.

>> THE GIRLS.

>> YOU ARE ALL DOING GREAT.

>> AFTER A VERY EARLY WAKE-UP CALL BY THE TROOPERS, COMPLETE WITH SIRENS AND LIGHTS, THE CAMPERS BEGIN THE DAY WITH A FLAG CEREMONY FOLLOWED BY A HOT MEAL.

THEN THEIR ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ALL THE THINGS YOU WOULD EXPECT TO DO AT CAMP LIKE SWIMMING, FISHING, ARCHERY, OR CANOING.

BESIDES ALL THE NORMAL ACTIVITIES THERE ARE ARTS AND CRAFTS AND NATURE WALKS, INFORMATIONAL TALKS AND A LOT OF TIME FOR MORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

AFTER A VERY ACTIVE DAY AND ANOTHER HOT MEAL, THE CAMP IS TURNED OVER TO THE TROOPERS FOR THEIR NIGHTLY ACTIVITY.

>> WE HAVE A NONDENOMINATIONAL CHAPEL SERVICE HELD HERE.

ALAN SMITH'S WHOSE FAMILY BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE SERVICE FOR ABOUT THE LAST 35 YEARS, HE COMES DOWN AND THEY BRING IN GUEST SPEAKERS THAT TALK WITH THE KIDS.

WE HAVE A SING-IN AND ALL ALONG WITH IT.

(SINGING) >> THURSDAY NIGHT AROUND 4:00 O'CLOCK WE HAVE A CANOE RACE BETWEEN EACH CABIN.

AFTER THAT WE HAVE A PICNIC RIGHT WHERE WE ARE STANDING NOW.

WE DO OUR BEST TO KEEP THEM BUSY.

THE COUNSELORS THAT ARE HERE WORK FROM A HARD DURING THE DAY.

THE TROOPERS ATTEND CHANCES WITH THE KIDS IN THE DAYTIME.

EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DOWN HERE, THE MAIN TIME THEY HAVE THE KIDS DOING THE AK TESTIFY THESE IS IN THE EVENINGS, I WOULD SAY A MAJORITY OF THEM ARE ACTIVE WITH THEM DURING THE DAY AS WELL.

ONE THING A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, WHEN THEY SEE US BASICALLY IN THIS UNIFORM, THEY LOOK AT US IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT ASPECT, PARTS AS WELL AS KIDS.

WHEN WE BRING THEM DOWN HERE, THEY WILL BASICALLY PROBABLY ONLY SEE US IN UNIFORM ONCE OR TWICE WHEN WE GREET THEM, AND THEN A BLUE-LIGHT SERVICE ON THURSDAY NIGHT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE 23 TROOPERS IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY THAT HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES, GIVEN THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.

WHEN THEY COME UP THE HILL, THE FIRST THING THEY SEE IS AÖ LIGHT.

I TRY TO TELL THEM THAT THIS BLUE LIGHT REPRESENTS 23 OFFICERS.

AND WE WANT THEM TO REALIZE THOSE OFFICERS GAVE THEIR LIVES, THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THEM AND FOR THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

WE WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT IN THIS UNIFORM, AND EVEN WHEN WE'RE IN UNIFORM, THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT IT THAT WE ARE STILL PEOPLE, WE HAVE A JOB TO DO.

MOST OF THE KIDS WHEN THEY SEE US, AND ADULTS TOO, MOST OF THE TIME THEY DEAL WITH US IS IN A NEGATIVE CONTENT.

WE WANT TO EXPRESS AND SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.

HERE THEY GET TO SEE US IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LIGHT.

A LOT OF KIDS TOUCH US.

I HAVE HAD KIDS TELL YOU WHAT IT IS LIKE AT HOME.

SOME KIDS JUST DON'T GET TO DO A LOT OF THE THINGS THEY DO HERE.

A KID A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WAS TALKING ABOUT SWIMMING.

THE FIRST THING HE SAID WAS THAT HE ONLY GETS TO GO SWIMMING ONCE A YEAR.

DOWN HERE HE GETS TO GO AS MANY TIMES AS WE CAN.

THEY'RE GOING TO EAT WELL HERE, AND SOME KIDS PROBABLY EAT BETTER HERE THAN AT HOME.

THE GOAL DOWN HERE WOULD BE FOR THESE KIDS MAKING NEW FRIENDS WITH KIDS OF ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, HAVING FRIENDSHIPS WITH THE TROOPERS.

THE GOM FOR US IS TO MAKE SURE THEY ENJOY THEMSELVES.

WE WANT THE FRIENDSHIP WITH THE TROOPER, FOR THEM TO SEE WHAT WE ARE ABOUT.

IT FEELS GOOD WHEN A KID WALKS UP TO YOU AND SAYS "THANK YOU" AFTER COMING HERE.

SOMETIMES WHEN THEY COME DOWN HERE ON MONDAY, THEY ARE BEGGING TO GO HOME.

BUT ON FRIDAY, THEY ARE WANTING TO STAY.

ONE THING I ALWAYS LOOKED AT, WHAT IS THIS ISLAND'S MEANING?

TO ME, IT MEANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE KIDS WE CARE ABOUT THEM, ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM AND THAT WE WANT THEM TO BE HERE.

AND WHEN THEY GO BACK HOME, THE ONES THAT WERE AT TROOPER ISLAND ALWAYS REMEMBER THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE KIDS SAY THEY HAD ONE OF THE BEST CAMPING EXPERIENCES OF THEIR LIFE.

>> BY THE WAY, FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE STORIES YOU HAVE SEEN ON THIS EDITION OF "KENTUCKY LIFE" OR OTHER EPISODES, VISIT OUR WEB SITE.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.