{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1507284"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1507284/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MD0804/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MD0804/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MD0804","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1507284","accessionNumber":"S.50-2019","objectType":"Poster","titles":[{"title":"Poster advertising Frank Mumford's <i>Stars on Strings,</i> to be used at various venues for Forces' entertainment, ca.1943","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This poster advertises <i>Stars on Strings</i>, the marionette show performed by the young soldier Frank Mumford (1918-2014) while serving in the army's <i>Stars in </i><i>Battledress</i> division.\n\nIn order to maintain morale during World War II, entertainment was provided for the British armed forces. ENSA (the Entertainments National Service Association) organised tours, usually of variety shows. Most of ENSA's performers were civilians so could not be sent to areas were fighting was taking place. To entertain the troops in those areas, the War Office Central Pool of Artistes was established by Colonel Basil Brown, Major Bill Alexander and Captain George Black, son of the theatrical impresario George Black. Its performers were all serving in the armed forces and appeared under the title <i>Stars in Battledress.\n</i>\r\nThis poster was part of a collection of memorabilia kept by Frank Mumford, who performed with his puppets for over 70 years, starting at London's Wood Green Empire when he was 14. His most famous creation, introduced to the act in 1947, was Mademoiselle Zizi, the glamorous pint-sized chanteuse based on actress Lana Turner, who performed with her short-tempered piano accompanist Professor Fyodor Lethetinsky. Both these marionettes are held by the V&amp;A.\n ","physicalDescription":"Typographic poster in red and blue letterpress on white paper advertising <i>Stars on Strings</i>, described on the poster as 'A Revue Fantasy for Marionettes produced by Private F. Mumford'.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Central Pool of Artistes, The","id":"AUTH353583"},"association":{"text":"printed for","id":"x44047"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[{"text":"letterpress printing","id":"AAT178926"},{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Letterpress on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Puppetry","id":"THES266219"},{"text":"War","id":"THES257202"},{"text":"Advertising","id":"THES49001"},{"text":"Posters","id":"THES252963"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2019MD0804"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"104","id":"THES49929"},"free":"","case":"CA011B","shelf":"WALL","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"posters","id":"AAT27221"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1943","earliest":"1938-01-01","latest":"1947-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.52-2019","id":"O1576755"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.75-2019","id":"O1594204"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.51-2019","id":"O1571092"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.200-2021","id":"O1597144"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by Jennifer Allen","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"62.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"50.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The poster was kept by Frank Mumford as a souvenir of <i>Stars on Strings</i>, the marionette shows he performed to troops serving in the Armed Forces of Great Britain in areas of conflict  during the latter stages of World War II","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Poster advertising the revue <i>Stars on Strings</i>, 'A Revue Fantasy for Marionettes' produced by Private Frank Mumford for the Central Pool of Artistes. Letterpress, ca.1943","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Mumford, Frank","id":"AUTH340388"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"World War II","id":"V16"}],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"This poster show was organised for the army by the puppeter Frank Mumford. After the war Mumford and his wife Maisie created a speciality act featurimg two-foot-tall puppets, performing with them for the rest of the century in theatre, cabaret and on television, throughout the UK and Europe. ","date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["S.50-2019"],"accessionNumberNum":"50","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2019,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-18","recordCreationDate":"2019-08-09","availableToBook":false}}