Ralph Lee

Photo by Erin Kestenbaum exclusively for 6sqft. See more here.

May 17, 2023

Ralph Lee, famous puppet maker and Village Halloween Parade founder, dies at 87

Ralph Lee, a legendary New York City puppet maker who helped create the Village Halloween Parade, passed away last Friday in his Manhattan home at the age of 87. As reported by the New York Times, Lee's death was confirmed by his wife Casey Compton, who stated that her husband's health had declined over the past several months. While he was also an actor, writer, producer, and director, Lee was best known for his innovative puppet and mask designs, many of which were seen in shows by the Metropolitan Opera, the NYC Opera, and a wide variety of dance troupes and theater productions, including his own Mettawee River Theatre.
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A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

Photo via John St John / Flickr

October 12, 2022

A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

By Dana Schulz

The Village Halloween Parade may not be as completely outrageous as it once was, but this annual holiday extravaganza is quintessential Greenwich Village. Though many parade attendees are there to show off their costumes and check out those of others, there's a large number of guests who revel in the nostalgia of a New York tradition that's marched downtown since 1973. But there's a lot more history to the parade than most people may know. For instance, it didn't always go up 6th Avenue, and there's an entire art form behind those supersized puppets.
All the history right here

My 1,400sqft: Inside Puppet Maker Ralph Lee’s Live/Work Space in Westbeth Artists Housing

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Westbeth Artists Housing in the West Village. Want your home to be featured here? Get in touch!

October 19, 2016

My 1,400sqft: Inside Puppet Maker Ralph Lee’s Live/Work Space in Westbeth Artists Housing

By Dana Schulz

When the old Bell Telephone Laboratories building was transformed to the Westbeth affordable artists' housing in 1970, one of the original creatives to move in was Ralph Lee, a theater jack-of-all trades who is best known for his larger-than-life puppets and masks. His whimsical creations served as the props for the very first Village Halloween Parade, an event that has since grown into an annual, nationally-known event. Today, his characters from the early days of the parade adorn his eclectic live/work studio in Westbeth, where he still lives and continues to make puppets and masks for his company the Mettawee River Theatre. Ralph recently invited 6sqft into his space, where we got up close and personal with the puppets and were able to see how the magic happens.
Learn about Ralph's storied career and get a special look at his home and studio

Ralph Lee

Ralph Lee, famous puppet maker and Village Halloween Parade founder, dies at 87

A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

My 1,400sqft: Inside Puppet Maker Ralph Lee’s Live/Work Space in Westbeth Artists Housing

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