Richard Coombs is a British

puppeteer A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object called a puppet to create the illusion that the puppet is alive. The puppet is often shaped like a human, animal, or legendary creature. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the ...

who has worked extensively on television shows, feature films, commercials, and music videos. From 1987 to 1988, he worked on the

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: Television TV stations/networks/channels ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network and company, including: **ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network in the United Kingd ...

Saturday morning children's show, '' Get Fresh'', where he operated the puppet Gilbert the Alien, alongside fellow puppeteer

John Eccleston John Eccleston is an English puppeteer, writer and presenter known for his work as lead puppeteer of Rygel on ''Farscape'', Groove on ''The Hoobs'', and his many roles on British children's television alongside Don Austen. He was also behind ...

, with the character's voice performed by

Phil Cornwell Philip Cornwell is an English actor, comedian, impressionist and writer. He is part of the '' Dead Ringers'' television and radio series, and is the voice of Murdoc Niccals in the virtual band Gorillaz. Cornwell has co-written and performed pri ...

. Coombs was one of the three puppeteers (again alongside Eccleston as well as Michael J. Bassett), who each alternately controlled and voiced the puppet character, Scally the Dog, who co-presented

Children's ITV CITV is a British children's morning programming block on ITV2 and formerly a free-to-air channel owned by ITV plc. CITV, then Children's ITV, launched on 3 January 1983 as a late afternoon programming block on the ITV network for children aged ...

, from 1989–1991. From 1990-1992 he performed the character of Ringo the Rabbit on A Kind of Magic, an ITV programme starring British magician

Wayne Dobson Wayne Dobson (born 5 July 1957, Leicester, England) is an English magician, who became well known through various television appearances in the late 1980s and 1990s. At the height of his fame he had his own television series ''Wayne Dobson - A Kin ...

. In January 2003, he returned as Scally on the ''CITV's 20th Birthday Bash'' programme, alongside fellow presenter, Jeanne Downs. He is a ''

Punch and Judy Punch and Judy is a traditional puppet show featuring Mr Punch and his wife Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically the anarchic Mr Punch and one other ...

'' performer and has worked on several

Jim Henson James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, actor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well known for creating ''Fraggle Rock'' ( ...

Muppet projects. He was one of the puppeteers on the ITV satirical show, ''

Spitting Image ''Spitting Image'' is a British satirical television puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. First broadcast in 1984, the series was produced by 'Spitting Image Productions' for Central Independent Television ...

'', and worked on the 2005 film version of ''

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' is a Science fiction comedy, comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series), radio sitcom broadcast over two series on BBC ...

''.

Filmography

*''

Labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth () is an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the h ...

'':

goblins A goblin is a small, grotesque, monstrous humanoid creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearances dep ...

(uncredited) *''

The Tale of the Bunny Picnic ''The Tale of the Bunny Picnic'' is a 1986 Easter television special directed by Jim Henson and David G. Hillier. In the United States it was shown annually on HBO in the spring, usually during Easter time. It was later released on VHS in 1993. ...

'' (uncredited) *''

The Ghost of Faffner Hall ''The Ghost of Faffner Hall'' is a musical children's television series from Jim Henson Productions and the British ITV company Tyne Tees Television which aired from August 16, 1989 to November 11, 1989 in the UK, and slightly later in the US. T ...

'': The Zookeeper, Madame Mumu, Mr. Director, Piganini, other guest characters *'' The Storyteller'': devils in "The Soldier and Death" *'' The NeverEnding Story III'' *'' Flat Eric'' *'' The Honey Monster'' (facial controls) *''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

'':

White Rabbit The White Rabbit is a fictional and anthropomorphic character in Lewis Carroll's 1865 book ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''. He appears at the very beginning of the book, in chapter one, wearing a waistcoat, and muttering "Oh dear! Oh dea ...

(face/voice) *'' Snow Queen'':

polar bear The polar bear (''Ursus maritimus'') is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can Hybrid (biology), interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear ...

(puppeteer) *"

Playtime ''Playtime'' (stylized as ''PlayTime'' and also written as ''Play Time'') is a 1967 Satire (film and television), satirical comedy film directed and co-written by Jacques Tati. Tati also stars in the film, reprising the role of Monsieur Hulot ...

(puppeteer) *"

The Roly Mo Show ''The Roly Mo Show'' is a British children's television series produced by Novel Entertainment and aired on CBeebies. The series is set in the home of Roly Mo, where his niece and his friends come over each day to visit him. It is an educationa ...

(Puppeteer and Voice of Rocket) *'' Play With Me Sesame UK'': Domby *''

:''

Kwaltz ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a 1978 radio comedy, it was later adapted to other formats, including novels, stage shows, comic books, a 1981 TV series, a 19 ...

(face) *

ABBA ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...

's ''The Last Video'' *''

'' *''

Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...

'' *'' Babe: Pig in the City'' * ''

Mongrels A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed, including those that result from intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongrels have no know ...

'' (puppeteer) *''

Sooty (2001 TV series) ''Sooty'' is a British children's television series, created and presented by Richard Cadell, and premiered on CITV on 5 November 2001, running for three series. The programme is the fourth programme in the franchise of the same name, and re ...

'' (puppeteer)

References

External links

Official site
* British puppeteers Living people Year of birth missing (living people) {{UK-tv-bio-stub