Ronnie Le Drew, a British puppeteer best known for operating and helping define the character Zippy on ITV’s preschool series Rainbow, has died aged 78 following a short illness. Rainbow began in 1972, and in the following year Le Drew took over operating Zippy, working alongside the programme’s voice actor Roy Skelton. Sources describe Zippy as an expressive glove puppet whose mouth could be silenced by “zipping” it shut, making the character a standout of the show. Tributes and obituaries across outlets also highlight Le Drew’s wider role in puppetry beyond children’s television, including mentoring figures in the British puppetry community and a long-term association with the Little Angel puppet theatre in London. The Guardian reports that Le Drew was Canadian-born and served as president of the British Puppet Guild, with the guild confirming his death. Additional credits mentioned include work connected to David Bowie’s 1986 films Labyrinth and Little Shop of Horrors, involvement in Muppet productions, and performances on versions of Sooty as part of the Corbett team. Multiple outlets report his death with condolences and tributes from those in the industry.
Ronnie Le Drew, puppeteer behind Rainbow’s Zippy, dies aged 78
Ronnie Le Drew, a British puppeteer best known for operating and helping define the character Zippy on ITV’s preschool series Rainbow, has died aged 78 following a short illness. Rainbow began in 1972...
- Ronnie Le Drew dies aged 78 after a short illness, according to multiple outlets.
- He is best known for operating the glove puppet Zippy on ITV’s preschool series Rainbow, which began in 1972.
- Roy Skelton is reported as the voice actor associated with Zippy on Rainbow.
- Le Drew is described as a prominent figure in British puppetry, including work connected to the Little Angel puppet theatre and leadership in the British Puppet Guild.
- Reported career credits also include work on productions such as Labyrinth, Little Shop of Horrors and Muppet-related projects.
Puppeteer best known for manipulating Zippy on the hit ITV series Rainbow and a stalwart of the Little Angel puppet theatre in LondonThe puppeteer Ronnie Le Drew, who has died aged 78, will be remembered for his long association with the irascible glove-puppet Zippy on ITV’s hit preschool series Rainbow. But to many in the British puppetry community, he was also an inspiring teacher, mentor and a generous on-stage colleague, as well as one of the country’s foremost marionettists.Rainbow launched in 1972 as ITV’s answer to Sesame Street, and the following year Ronnie was asked to take over operating Zippy. Working with the voice actor Roy Skelton (also known as the voice of the Daleks and Cybermen in Doctor Who), Ronnie helped turn Zippy into the show’s unlikely star. Zippy was a moody, garrulous creature – his exact species was never defined, although Ronnie referred to him as “a unique” – who could only be silenced by forcibly zipping his mouth shut. Continue reading...
3 hours agoCanadian-born British operator, president of the British Puppet Guild, died after a ‘short illness’Ronnie Le Drew, best known for operating the puppet Zippy on the classic children’s television programme Rainbow has died aged 78, after a short illness. The news was confirmed by the British Puppet Guild, of which Le Drew was president.The Canadian-born British puppeteer was also known for working on 1986’s Labyrinth alongside David Bowie as well as 1986’s Little Shop of Horrors and various Muppet movies including in 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol. He worked on various iterations of Sooty, alongside Harry and Matthew Corbett, usually as Sweep, Sooty’s sidekick. Continue reading...
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2 days agoChildren's TV star Ronnie Le Drew, the puppeteer and voice behind iconic Rainbow star Zippy has died at the age of 78.
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