By Tim Lambert
There have been puppets since Ancient Times. As early as 2,000 BC there were puppets in Ancient Egypt. Puppets were also popular in Ancient Greece. Chinese shadow puppetry dates from the Han Dynasty, 2000 years ago. In Indonesia, Wayang Kulit is a traditional form of puppetry in which leather puppets perform behind a back-lit cotton screen.
Puppets were first mentioned in England in the 14th century. They were used to teach religion. Often, they taught Bible stories. However, by the late 16th century, they were used for entertainment. Punch and Judy were first mentioned in England in 1662. In the 18th century, puppets were often used for satire. However, in the early 19th century, puppets became less common.
Puppet shows underwent a revival in the 20th century. Punch and Judy shows became popular at the seaside. A famous puppeteer, Walter Wilkinson (1888-1970), travelled around England putting on puppet shows.
In the 20th century, puppet shows became popular on television. In the USA, Howdy Doody, a children’s TV show including puppets, was first broadcast in 1947.
In Britain, Muffin the Mule was first shown in 1946. Sooty, the famous glove puppet, first appeared on TV on 28 October 1948. Sweep, the puppet dog, was added in 1957. Soo, the panda first appeared in 1964.
Andy Pandy first appeared on TV along with his friends Looby Loo and Teddy on 11 June 1950. Bill and Ben, the flowerpot men, and their friend Weed first appeared in 1952. Hector’s House, a French puppet TV show, was first shown in 1966. In the USA, Shari Lewis and her sheep glove puppet, Lamb Chop, first appeared in 1956. In Britain, two pig puppets, Pinky and Perky, first appeared in 1957. In the 1960s, another famous puppet was Topo Gigio, an Italian mouse puppet and
Gerry and Sylvia Anderson created several famous puppet shows. Stingray, a series about a future submarine, was first shown in 1964. Thunderbirds was first broadcast in 1965. Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons was first shown in 1967.
In Britain, the Basil Brush Show, featuring a fox glove puppet, was first shown in 1968. In the USA, the children’s educational puppet show first aired in 1969. Among the most famous puppets were the Muppets. Puppeteer Jim Henson created them. The Muppet Show was first shown in 1976. Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy became cultural icons. One of the most famous puppets is Yoda, who appeared in the Star Wars films.
In Britain, Roland Rat was first shown on TV in 1983. Spitting Image, a satirical puppet show, was first shown in 1984.
Photo by Natalie Kinnear on Unsplash
Last revised 2026