Bil Baird and his wife Cora Baird, the dynamic duo behind the Bil & Cora Baird Puppets, were true pioneers in the realm of American television entertainment, as the fledgling medium of commercial television in the United States was taking its initial steps.
Much of what early viewers could behold on that small, seven-inch screen, with its eerie, whitish glow in a darkened room where a family gathered around to watch in awe, had originated from radio. However, the Bairds' unique medium - their marionettes - was strictly visual, and the audience was captivated by their performances.
Their inaugural venture on television, a 15-minute program titled Life with Snarky Parker, which debuted in 1950, was expertly directed by none other than the renowned actor Yul Brynner. The Bairds and their puppets went on to star in numerous shows, and the couple became featured performers on CBS's The Morning Show, which initially featured their principal newsman, the illustrious Walter Cronkite.
Furthermore, the Baird Puppets provided the visual enhancement for Art Carney's narration of the 1958 ABC-TV special, "Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf," which was skillfully underscored by the captivating music of Ukrainian-born composer Sergei Prokofiev.
