AVM

American Vaudeville Museum

All material © 1998-2008 American Museum of Vaudeville, Inc.  Page 87

Harry Lester

For more information about Harry Lester,

send for Volume V, Issue #3 of

Vaudeville Times

1880 — 1956

 

The Great Lester, as he was billed, was a master ventriloquist. His specialty was technical brilliance, often performing right in front of audience members who were unable to detect any movement of lips that could give him away. He drank water and stuffed handkerchiefs into his mouth, yet he still whistled, sang and spoke. He was equally famous for imitating a variety of sounds, both human and mechanical.