Ronnie Le Drew: The Man Behind Zippy, Sweep and the Goblins

Welcome back to My 70s TV Childhood! This week, I'm delighted to welcome a very special guest, a man I can only describe as a legend of children's television. He's the puppeteer behind Zippy on Rainbow, he was Sweep alongside Harry Corbett, he worked with Jim Henson on Labyrinth, he performed on the Muppet films, and he even became a rave star in the 1990s touring university discos with Zippy and George. Welcome to the podcast, Ronnie Le Drew.But first, our My 70s TV Childhood theme tune quiz game is about to go into manufacturing. If you'd like to register your interest, head to www.my70stvchildhood.com and join the waitlist. There's no commitment at this point, but it helps us get our production numbers right.💬 What to Expect:From Pelham Puppets to the Puppet Guild: Ronnie tells us how it all began with three Pelham puppets, a wind-up gramophone, and kids sitting on a freezing concrete staircase in a South London block of flats.The Little Angel Theatre: How a 15-year-old Ronnie wrote to the legendary John Wright asking for an apprenticeship, and the extraordinary conversation his parents had in the kitchen that changed his life.Muffin the Mule and the Park Shows: Working with Jan Bussell and Anne Hogarth, performing three shows a day from a caravan in London's parks.Rainbow and Zippy: How Ronnie joined Rainbow for a six-week contract on a massive £125 a week and stayed for 20 years, lip-syncing to Roy Skelton's voice as the most lovably naughty character on children's television.Sweep and the Corbetts: Ronnie's time working with Harry and Matthew Corbett, and the little reed in the mouth that gave Sweep his voice.Labyrinth and David Bowie: Auditioning for Jim Henson with a fake American accent, working as a goblin puppeteer at Elstree Studios, and the moment David Bowie walked onto set in a dressing gown and said hello.The Rainbow Rave Years: When Thames Television lost its franchise in 1992, Ronnie took Zippy and George on a three-year tour of university discos. A generation that had grown up watching Rainbow was now old enough to buy them drinks.What are your memories of Rainbow, Zippy, Sweep, and the characters that Ronnie brought to life? Get in touch and let me know!Take care,Oliver📲 Connect & Follow👍 Facebook: www.facebook.com/my70stvchildhood📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/my70stvchildhood🐦 X/Twitter: twitter.com/home▶️ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@my70stvchildhoodGet in touch!Support the show