History of Punch (Punch and Judy) Display August 13, 2011

Mr. Punch, one of the world's most famous puppet characters, got his start in the rollicking Commedia Dell'Arte of Italy in the early 17th century .His original name, Pulchinella, was translated variously as Pollicinella, Punchanello, Polchinello, Polichinelli, and was finally boiled down to "Punch" by the English. Mr. Punch's clever, rebellious and physically violent humor was popular with the common man, reflecting topical issues of the day in much the same way as today's situation comedies on television. The traveling Punch man, or "Professor," toured the countryside entertaining adults and children alike. This tradition of touring spread to the United States and is the basis for most puppetry here. As technology grows, the audience for puppetry grows, moving from small live shows to established puppet companies to television and motion picture puppetry.