Thanks to the Goad family

Today's thanks goes to Blaine Goad and his family for adopting George at the 2017 Vent Haven ConVENTion.

George was made around 1930 by Frank Marshall. He has a moving upper lip and moving eyes. This beautiful dummy was used by ventriloquist Norman Norton.

In 1953, W.S. Berger contacted Norton, who had retired by then, to try to acquire his figures, George and Billy. Norton had given the figures to his son, Jack, who kept them for the next 60 years. As son Jack Norton neared the end of his life, he expressed his wish that his father's dummies and ephemera go to Vent Haven. Jack's friend created a mini "will" for him to ensure his wishes would be followed.

Jack died about a year later and the office manager at his hospice facility found the document as she was preparing to get rid of Norton’s belongings. She made sure that George and Billy found their way to Vent Haven. They arrived safely at Vent Haven on May 13, 2014. Additional ephemera included a beautiful poster.