Did you hear whispers of the haunted Bob Baker Marionette Theater? Hollyweird ignored Baker’s cries for financial assistance with the historical landmark he started in 1962. Persistent money difficulties, and fancy property development documents, urged Baker to wither, and die in hospice.
Danny Gonzales, the theater’s manager, worked tirelessly through December to present “The Nutcracker”. He saved six marionette artists from a dismal Christmas by allowing them to perform the holiday classic. Joe Sachs, and head puppeteer, Alex Evans, concocted a scheme to raise money to support the theater. They filmed 4 episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles in the raggedy building planted on the corner of Glendale Blvd, and 1st St. The puppeteers were hired as part of the NCIS crew.
The oldest theater in the USA, Bob Baker Marionette Theater is haunted by the man himself. Of all the actors, entertainers, and musicians he rubbed shoulders with- nobody stepped up to help save the puppet show from foreclosure. The Los Angeles City Council designated it a historical cultural landmark, but not until after Baker died. Investors saw the murky building as a gold mine, and sold it right from under his nose to the highest bidder. The Bob Baker Family Trust is flat broke.
Bob’s ghost wonders the downtown property on a mission to spook new developers. Weirdos have admitted feeling his presence around the creepy theater. Eli Elimelech is so afraid, he’s considered relinquishing the property to it’s rightful owner.
LA Times- Over the years Baker enjoyed recounting how he had worked as an animation advisor with Disney Studios and walked through Disneyland with Walt Disney at his side the day before the park opened for business in 1955. He also reminisced about birthday parties where he performed his puppetry magic for the children of such Hollywood celebrities as Eleanor Powell, Jack Benny and Danny Kaye. He was proud that his puppets had roles in “A Star Is Born,” “Star Trek,” Elvis Presley’s “G.I. Blues,” Disney’s “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
