Some Interesting Ventriloquists

Colonel Bill Boley

January, 2001

Colonel Bill Boley with the "Freddy" that he created.

Billey Joe Boley was born September 9, 1935 about 3 miles outside of a small community called Sharon Grove, Kentucky in a house that was over 125 years old. It had originally been a log cabin (Bill used to say it made him feel as though Abe Lincoln and he had something in common - both born in a log cabin in Kentucky) and had since been covered with boards and a back room added which became the kitchen. It still had a tin roof and Bill would enjoy playing upstairs and listening to the rain. The house was situated on a 99 acre farm and his father, Alvie Civil Boley, would work the land and hire himself out as a carpenter for extra income to support the family. The house itself had no electricity and no plumbing (either indoor or outdoor) and several generations of Boley's had been raised in that house. They did have a battery powered radio, however, and it was there that Bill first heard Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.

The school Bill attended was a one room schoolhouse and during lunch there was always time to play. A boy a few years ahead of Bill named Hugh Brandon Davis one day did a trick which made him the center of attention, especially with the girls, and Bill decided he wanted that attention too. He went home that night and having no idea how Hugh Davis did the trick figured out a way to do it. The method was nothing like the way Davis did the trick, but it still got Bill the attention he desired and he and Hugh Davis became good friends. Hugh Davis gave Bill the address to the Johnson Smith and Company and Bill sent off for a catalog so he could learn more tricks. Bill received 15 cents a day for lunch and pretty soon he was skipping lunch to buy more magic tricks. He would walk to the mailbox and sit in the grass and wait for the mailman to arrive.

One day Bill was watching a street performer on the courthouse square and there was a man performing with a monkey hand puppet. He was getting a lot of laughs from the antics of the monkey so Bill wanted one too. He found one in the Johnson Smith catalog and purchased it. Whenever family or friends came over, Bill would put on a show with his monkey pupppet and when he took it to school he became more popular than Hugh Davis had ever been. As Bill said in his book, "Everyone, especially the girls, wanted to hold the monkey. I was on top of the world."

Bill eventually learned that there was a magician in town named Billy Harris. One Sunday afternoon, Bill walked over to Sharon Grove and knocked on the door and introduced himself. Bill was only about 12 years old and Harris took him in and showed him several tricks. They became friends and eventually Harris gave Bill a catalog from Abbott's Magic Company in Colon, Michigan and some magic magazines. This peaked his interest further and from reading the magic magazines discovered a column written by Georg McAthy on ventriloquism. Bill, of course, had grown up listening to Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy on the radio and loved watching Max Terhune with Elmer in the movies. Bill told his Dad that he wanted to learn to be a ventriloquist, but his father told him you had to be born a ventriloquist. Bill sent off to the Johnson Smith company and ordered 'The Ventrilo' which was supposed to teach you to throw you voice. It was a half moon shaped piece of leather with a piece of plastic on it. It did allow Bill to work on learning bird calls which he incorporated in his act.

While reading the magic magazines, Bill came across the address for W.S. Berger in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky so Bill began writing to him which was the beginning of a long friendship. Bill joined the International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists and began receiving the Oracle which was sent to the members. Through the magazine Bill met or corresponded with other ventriloquists his own age. To name a few; Jimmy Jordan (now known as Alan Farber), Dick Weston, Stu Scott, Clint Hammond, Danny Asbuy, John Osborne, and Garland Boyd.

Eventually, Bill grew up and started driving and dating. One Saturday night when he was 17, while taking his girl out for a drive, Bill was involved in a head on collision totalling both cars. No one was hurt, but since this was the days before insurance, there was no money to have the car fixed. Bill and his Dad hitchhiked to Hopkinsville to look for work and both ended up getting jobs at the Western State Hospital which also provided rooms and meals. His first paycheck was the most money he'd ever seen in his life. One of his second cousins sold him a car and he drove home on his first days off to get his magic.

Bill married his highschool sweetheart Elvirain 1953 and they both lived in the room provided by the hospital. Elvira also got a job in the hospital and Bill was doinf a few shows in schools, churches, banquets, and parties with his magic act. Eventually he got a TV and started watching Paul Winchell every week. The first Christmas Bill and Elvira were married, Elvira bought Bill a Jerry Mahoney ventriloquist figure. Bill went out and bought Paul Winchell's book "Ventriloquism for Fun and Profit" and began to practice every day in front of a mirror.

While Elvira was carrying their first child, they moved to Chicago and Bill began working for a nursery. They at first lived with Elvira's sister and brother-in-law. Bill also discovered the various magic shops in Chicago and began spending part of his paycheck each week on magic and joined the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Four months later, the baby was born and named Rebecca Joann Boley. They took lots of pictures, but six weeks later while driving back to Hopkinsville with Elvira's brother at the wheel, there was a collision which hospitalized all the adults and left little Becky dead. Bill and Elvira moved back to Hopkinsville after they recovered and Bill got his old job back at the hospital.

Bill once again started doing shows during the days and working at night and it is at this time he began getting bookings to perform with various bands in and around the area. He also entered alot of talent contests which he usually won or came in second with his ventriloquist act. One prize for a talent contest was a TV appearance and after the guest spot Bill was asked to become a regular. While performing at a fair, one of the Grand Old Opry stars asked Bill why he didn't get a larger figure because the Jerry Mahoney figure was so small next to Bill. Bill decided he was right and purchased an English figure through Maher Ventriloquist Studios in Michigan. The new figure had eight different movements and was the first "Freddy" Bill used. Bill started doing school shows around this time and started getting Freddy's picture in the paper regularly. One time Freddy ran for Sheriff of Christian County, another time joined the Lion's Club, and after Bill's son Joe was born in 1957, there was a photo of Freddy holding the baby.

One of the biggest publicity opportunities came when Freddy was kidnapped. Someone took the figure in it's case out of the back of Bill's car and left a ransome note. The local papers ran the story and put a photo of Freddy in it and the wire services picked up on it. It was in papers as far away as Chicago and New York. A week later the kidnappers threw the case out with Freddy inside in front of a local radio station with a note saying they'd had a change of heart.

Bill continued to perform and eventually added a bull whip act, juggling, and for awhile fire eating, to his shows.

Bill and Elvira divorced in 1963 and Bill married Patricia in 1964. They bought the house where Bill lived until his passing in 2000. A new theme park opened up called Kaintuck Territory and Bill worked there during the summer and did school shows during the school season. On weekends Bill would open for some big-name country stars.

I first met Bill at the 1970 Vent-O-Rama in Colon, Michigan. I was 13 and wanted to enter the junior ventriloquist contest and was referred to Bill Boley. Being young and not knowing anyone I felt out of place, but that didn't last long after I met Bill Boley! Bill introduced me to everyone and it was a great time. Back then Thursday was devoted to the junior and senior vent contests, Friday was the originality contest (open to all ages), And Saturday was an open mic time. During the Friday session, Paul Stadleman announced that he also had been a professional wrestler. Then he and Bill glared at each other as we all laughed. Then they laughed and shook hands... and Paul flipped Bill over onto his back! Actually, Bill did the flip, but it was startling, climactic, and GREAT! Don't think I'll ever forget the shock I felt until I realized what had happened. Not long after, Bill developed back problems and had to quit doing the flip.

After the initial meeting, Bill and I started corresponding by mail and he was great to tell anyone what they needed to know. Bill would tell me about how he made ventriloquist figures or how long and what type of show he did or what he charged for a particular type of show. Things that no one except a smart alec teenager would have nerve enough to ask were answered in a straight forward manor. You left with an idea of what you needed to do. If you asked most ventriloquists how much they charged you got into a discussion on how prices varied depending on where you lived (which is a true enough statement), but if you asked Bill he would tell you what he charged for where he lived, give you an idea of how to find out what to charge where you live, and give you tips on promoting the act in your area. I remember seeing Bill do a show at a convention on their big evening show and another teenage vent asked Bill if he got paid for the show and when Bill answered "Yes" we asked if they paid pretty decently. Bill said that he felt like it was a decent amount... and then proceeded to take out the check and show us how much. Nervy on the part of the teen vents, but an honest and helpful answer from a seasoned pro.

In 1975, the Vent Haven Museum sponsored it's first conVENTion at the Drawbridge hotel. I checked in early and asked if Bill had arrived yet. They told me yes and gave me the room number. I went to the room and was greeted by Patty. Bill however wasn't there. Edgar Bergen had been scheduled to give an interview at a local television station and then had failed to come to the convention. On the television was Bill filling in for Edgar doing the inteview with Freddy. It really was the first time I realized how important Bill was to the vent world. To me he was always an open friend and now here he was filling in for the Great Edgar Bergen and appearing on the closing show of the convention with Jimmy Nelson, Dick Bruno, and Johnny Main.

In 1978 at the 4th annual ventriloquist convention in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, Bill was voted Ventriloquist of the Year. A lot of newspapers carried the story and Bill was contacted by Carnival Cruise Lines to work for 2 weeks. Bill was still working at the hospital and doing the shows at Kaintucky Territory during the day, but took a vacation and went on the ship. After the 2 weeks he flew back home and was happy he'd had the chance to work on a cruise ship and went back to work. After being home for a couple weeks, Bill received another call to come back to Carnival and work for a month with better pay. Bill went back, worked his month, and came back to Hopkinsville. A couple weeks later, Bill was asked to come back and work for 3 months! Bill eventually spent 12 yfears performing the winter months on cruise ships and in the warmer months worked schools and theme parks.

During the years when Bill was seldom home, Patsy decided she wanted a divorce. She offered to sell Bill her part of the house and Bill took her up on it. Not long after the divorce, during Bill's act on a cruise ship, Bill met a lady named Charlene. After Charlene went home from the cruise she sent flowers and several large boxes of gifts to Bill and he took alot of kidding from the other entertainers as they were delivered to Bill in the Entertainer's dining room. Bill figured he'd never see her again as she lived too far away, in Iowa, which was too far to drive and Bill didn't have money for the plane fare. Then Bill got a call from a talent agency who wanted to book him for a state fair - in Des Moines, Iowa. He called Charlene and they spent a good bit of time together. Charlene managed to get Bill many bookings in Iowa on her own; that is without the aide of an agent. They were married in Daysville, Kentucky in September of 1990.

Colonel Bill & Charlene Boley Photo by Bob Shimer

After marrying Charlene, Bill left performing on the cruise ships and went back to the school shows and birthday parties. He also built up his mail order business with his yearbook series of dialogues, etc and began making figures again. He still took the occasional out of town gig requiring him to be gone overnight, but only for a day or two instead of the 3 to 6 months.

Bill was diagnosed with diabetes back in the early to mid-1980's and by 1996 had lost the feeling in both of his feet and legs up above the ankles. He had to be very careful with his feet and make sure he didn't step on anything and Charlene would check his feet each night before going to bed. Bill was going to be doing some shows where he would have to be away for a few nights and went to the foot doctor to have his feet checked. The doctor trimmed a small callous on the bottom of his right foot and Bill left on his shows spending his nights in motels. When he got home, Charlene checked his feet and took him to the emergency room. Gangrene had set in and they wanted to amputate Bill's legg of above the knee. Charlene begged them not to do that and the surgeon only took off about a third of Bill's right foot.

The next 18 months or so, Bill spent mostly in bed. During that time he was in alot of pain and took alot of medication. In the spring of 1997 he began having serious heart problems. He was very weak and had 4 serious blockages. I went to see Bill the day before the surgery and trying to give him something to look forward to mentioned that I thought he should write a biography of his life. He could just talk into a tape recorder and then someone could type it. My wife in fact had already volunteered, if he wanted to do that. By September of that year he and Charlene had put together the book and Bill sent me an autographed copy. And in October, Bill held his first annual Bill Boley Magic & Vent Event. I have a letter from Bill from 1971 where he was talking about having a get-together at his place. I'm so glad he finally did it. The first event was very tiring on him. The night before, Charlene said they'd never have another one because of how tiring it was for Bill, but by the end of the day she said they'd have another one next year. Bill did a community show to pay for the use of the recreation center which was his first show in a year and a half. Once again, Bill started performing and for the next 2 years despite a few set backs it looked like Bill was going to have some good years ahead of him.

In 2000 Bill's condition worstened. He again began having some heart problems and his strength just wasn't there. He still did a bit in his shop, but not like the previous years and Charlene said that he never talked about performing anymore. For Bill's 65th birthday, Charlene asked all of us to send cards and we did. Bill said it was the best birthday he'd ever had.

In October, Bill hosted his 4th Annual Bill Boley Magic & Vent Event. He was weak, but rested up the day before so he could attend the night before dinner with everyone at the local Shoney's and be ready for Saturday. Bill had a great time and pruchased still more stuff for his collection. Sunday morning everyone was invited to come to his home to visit the shop and see the Dummyden. It was a great time with lots of laughing and Bill showing some ideas he was working on for new body styles, etc. We all knew Bill was scheduled to go to the hospital the next day to have his heart shocked and by the end of the year would be on kidney dialysis, but Bill really seemed in good shape. Little did any of us know that this would be Bill's last day of this kind of energy and excitement.

The next day Bill was rushed to the hospital with extremely low blood pressure. He was started on dialysis and transfusions. He never did receive the shock to his heart, but made it home for Thanksgiving after checking himself out. He told me, "I had to check out to get my strength back. They were killing me there!" Bill was back in the hospital for the last time on December 11, 2000 and passed away on December 17, 2000 at 8:30 in the morning. Charlene slept in a chair in his room throughout most of his hospital visits over the past 4 years. As Bill would be the first to tell you, he wouldn't have made it without Charlene. She checked his body, gave him a good diet, and took better care of him than any nurse could have done. During his last trip to the hospital the doctors told Charlene that if he came out, he'd have to be put in a nursing home. Charlene refused to even think about that possibility... if Bill was leaving the hospital he would be going home. As much as I miss Bill, I'm glad it didn't come to that. The past few years Charlene, his performances, and his workshop was what kept him interested and alive. With nothing to look forward to except laying around and not performing or taking time in his shop he would have been miserable. The money he made from his books and figures still made him feel as though he was contributing to the household income. Without that feeling of purpose, Bill was lost. He lived to give to everyone he met and we're all richer for him having been here.

Bill Boley was laid to rest on December 20, 2000 at the Green Hill Memorial Gardens in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on December 20, 2000. He is survived by his wife Charlene P. Boley, his mother Lillian Boley Powell, his son Joe A. Boley, his step son Kurt Harter, and his brother Bobby Boley. Preceding him in death were his father Alvie Boley and his daughter Rebecca Joann Boley.

Rest in Peace, Bill!

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