Marionette - Definition and Overview

Marionette in Prague

A marionette is a type of puppet moved by strings, as in a puppet show. They originated from the medieval times in France and can be found in every country in the world; They can be found in box theatres, curtain theatres and black light theatres. Marionettes are considered by many to be very entertaining for both adults and children.

Pinocchio is a particularly famous marionette.

In the 1960s TV producer Gerry Anderson and his colleagues pioneered a technique combining marionettes with electronic components, typically to control facial features, which they dubbed "supermarionation".

Marionette sightings in culture

• Thunderbirds: a television series in which all characters were marionettes.
• Being John Malkovich: a 1999 movie starring John Cusack as a street puppeteer whose performances include marionette adaptations of the story of Abélard and Heloise.
• Team America: World Police: a 2004 movie using Thunderbirds-style marionettes.