Jules Vernon

Who was Jules Vernon?

Jules Vernon was born Walter Lester Pope Knyvette, in East India, as the son of an English officer in the army. Though educated at the University of Oxford, he achieved fame through becoming a famed vaudeville performer, specializing in ventriloquism.

Vernon’s act consisted of seven puppet characters who would engage in humorous dialogue with each other as well as Vernon. Although the dialogue undoubtedly provided a major element of the entertainment value in Vernon’s act, further entertainment was derived from his sheer ability to jump from character to character without a hitch. His characters included the Old Maid, who sang; George, who was afflicted with a terrible stutter; Nettie, George’s sister with a cleft lip; the Sailor; Joe, usually the main figure in the act; and Happy, a character who never spoke, but only laughed at the other characters’ jokes. All six of these figures are on display at the Vent Haven Museum in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.