Ronn Lucas
Encyclopedia
Ronn Lucas is an American ventriloquist and stand-up comedian.
Lucas grew up in El Paso, Texas and was graduated from Eastwood High School in 1972. He began his career performing at Saint Timothy's Lutheran church located in El Paso, Texas. He has received many accolades for his work, including several titles as the best entertainer in Las Vegas
. He has performed in numerous live shows and television performances. He first made the national scene by winning the Showtime cable network's national "Laff-Off" competition (he was one of several regional winners) in 1982 (Eddie Murphy had won the previous year).
Lucas has headlined six separate stints in Las Vegas at five different hotels, most recently at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
(formerly known as the Aladdin), where his show was signed a five year deal in December 2006, but closed midway through 2007 for unknown reasons. His headlining stint prior to that was at the Rio Hotel
. His show there ran from some time prior to 2003 until Fall 2006. He was the first ventriloquist in the history of Vegas to have a long-running show.
Lucas has been a performer on specials at the Kennedy Center
for President
Reagan
, at Ford's Theatre
for President Clinton
, and again at Ford's Theatre
for President George W. Bush
(all three for CBS
). He also performed at the London Palladium
for Queen
Elizabeth
. He had a television
series in the United Kingdom called The Ronn Lucas Show in the early 1990s. He was also a semi-regular (with Scorch and another puppet named Chuck a somewhat punkish character) on the 1990 revival of Match Game
. Also in 1990 Ronn made an appearance on the TV series Night Court
. He has also appeared on Silk Stalkings, L.A. Law, and, most recently Nip/Tuck, along with appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, America's Funniest Home Videos, and Circus of the Stars (he rode a bicycle on a high wire with his puppet Buffalo Billy on his shoulders). Ronn was also part of the Broadway cast of The Will Rogers Follies. During the 2008-2009 pantomime
season in London he played the part of Buttons in Cinderella
at the Wimbledon Theatre
.
Some of his most frequently used puppets include a cowboy named Buffalo Billy and a dragon named Scorch; the latter was the star of a 1992 sitcom
. He also has a routine in which he uses an audience member as a dummy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyTGwflaNx0
Lucas has a video
/DVD
of his Disney Channel
special Who's In Charge Here? which is available for sale at on his websitehttp://ronnlucas.com/merchandise.htm. He recently co-authored a book entitled "Better Living Through Ventriloquism: How to Say What You Shouldn't And Get What You Want" which is scheduled for release at the end of the summer 2006.
Lucas grew up in El Paso, Texas and was graduated from Eastwood High School in 1972. He began his career performing at Saint Timothy's Lutheran church located in El Paso, Texas. He has received many accolades for his work, including several titles as the best entertainer in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. He has performed in numerous live shows and television performances. He first made the national scene by winning the Showtime cable network's national "Laff-Off" competition (he was one of several regional winners) in 1982 (Eddie Murphy had won the previous year).
Lucas has headlined six separate stints in Las Vegas at five different hotels, most recently at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, previously known as The Aladdin, is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip, in the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada, United States. Westgate Resorts operates the condo portion of the property, known as PH Towers by Westgate.Planet Hollywood is owned by Caesars...
(formerly known as the Aladdin), where his show was signed a five year deal in December 2006, but closed midway through 2007 for unknown reasons. His headlining stint prior to that was at the Rio Hotel
Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino
The Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino is located off the Las Vegas Strip in the unincorporated area of Paradise, Nevada, USA. It is better known as The Rio and is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Inc. The Rio was the first all suite resort in the Las Vegas area...
. His show there ran from some time prior to 2003 until Fall 2006. He was the first ventriloquist in the history of Vegas to have a long-running show.
Lucas has been a performer on specials at the Kennedy Center
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, at Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre is a historic theater in Washington, D.C., used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It is also the site of the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865...
for President Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, and again at Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre is a historic theater in Washington, D.C., used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It is also the site of the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865...
for President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
(all three for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
). He also performed at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
for Queen
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. He had a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series in the United Kingdom called The Ronn Lucas Show in the early 1990s. He was also a semi-regular (with Scorch and another puppet named Chuck a somewhat punkish character) on the 1990 revival of Match Game
Match Game
Match Game is an American television game show in which contestants attempted to match celebrities' answers to fill-in-the-blank questions...
. Also in 1990 Ronn made an appearance on the TV series Night Court
Night Court
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
. He has also appeared on Silk Stalkings, L.A. Law, and, most recently Nip/Tuck, along with appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, America's Funniest Home Videos, and Circus of the Stars (he rode a bicycle on a high wire with his puppet Buffalo Billy on his shoulders). Ronn was also part of the Broadway cast of The Will Rogers Follies. During the 2008-2009 pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
season in London he played the part of Buttons in Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
at the Wimbledon Theatre
New Wimbledon Theatre
The New Wimbledon Theatre is situated on The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, in the London Borough of Merton. It is a Grade II listed Edwardian theatre built by the theatre lover and entrepreneur, J B Mullholland. Built on the site of a large house with spacious grounds the theatre was designed by...
.
Some of his most frequently used puppets include a cowboy named Buffalo Billy and a dragon named Scorch; the latter was the star of a 1992 sitcom
Scorch (TV series)
Scorch is a 1992 television sitcom that aired on CBS, and was canceled after only three episodes were broadcast.The title character, a miniature dragon, is a puppet that was used by ventriloquist Ronn Lucas before the series came to be; although Lucas never actually appeared in the series, he did...
. He also has a routine in which he uses an audience member as a dummy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyTGwflaNx0
Lucas has a video
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
/DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
of his Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
special Who's In Charge Here? which is available for sale at on his websitehttp://ronnlucas.com/merchandise.htm. He recently co-authored a book entitled "Better Living Through Ventriloquism: How to Say What You Shouldn't And Get What You Want" which is scheduled for release at the end of the summer 2006.