About
Landon Harvey
Artist/Puppet Designer/Builder/Performer
The Original Dummy was started April 2017 by Landon Harvey. In just one short year, his exceptionally original and highly expressive puppet creations were being used throughout the world: from San Diego to Las Vegas, to Chicago to Singapore.
At age six Landon first started learning ventriloquism and quickly honed his skills. He enjoyed performing at school and for family and friends. In 2016 he applied and received the Terry Fator Scholarship which allowed him to attend his first ventriloquism convention where he competed in Vent Haven Convention’s Junior Mic contest and won first place.
Landon continued to study the craft of ventriloquism from performing to the building of characters. Seeing that many ventriloquists made their own puppets, he decided to make some puppets himself, which resulted in his venture into self taught hand sewing. His first professional puppet was sold in April 2017 – the first "original dummy." This lead to several new character creations and clients which afforded Landon the ability to move from hand sewing to purchasing his first sewing machine.
Today, Landon prefers to do custom puppet creations, where he can work individually with clients, keeping in touch every step of the way via messages, emails, and calls. In some of his characters, he adds special sight/mechanical gags to enhance the personality of the puppet. As a ventriloquist, he makes his puppets from the standpoint of a performer which allows him to build to the need and utility of the client. He is a stickler for every detail and piece of material that goes into his puppets, which have also been bought by non-performers as pieces of art.
One client calls him “The Jim Henson of the future.”
When you commission Landon to do a puppet it becomes a mutually creative experience between you and his artistry. Landon doesn’t just take orders. He creates endearing characters that audiences love as soon as they see them.