For years we did a skit called "the Russian Midget." It's a probably standard skit-like trick performed at many camps: you build a simple screen (usually a sewn sheet) into which is inserted a specially cut-up sweatshirt. Someone's hands and head go into the sweatshirt (the feet go into some old shoes and thus become the feet) and the rest of his or her body is obscured by the sheet and a table. Someone else's arms go through the sweatshirt sleeves. Now you have two people configured to seem like one little person.Once the skit starts, the object is to feature the funny legs-arms combination. The audience knows that the guy with the face is also the guy with the feet - and thus can't control his own arms. The guy controlling the arms is out to make the arms and hands work just well enough to keep a bit of the illusion that this is one person, and just clumsily enough so that funny things happen, such as: The Russian Midget, during his typical day at camp, eats a big bowl of cereal. "In Russia we really love breakfast. We eat lots of cereal." (Now the arms are pouring some cereal into a large bowl and a little bit of milk.) "We eat LOTS of cereal." (As if that's a cue to the arms to pour more. Whereupon arms pour SO MUCH more that it overflows the bowl; camper audience laughs.) "And we love to drink LOTS of milk." (Now a small pint carton of milk is replaced by a gallon of milk and it is poured in the bowl and all over the midget's face, after which he tries to wipe his face with his feet!) And so on....
I'm sure there's some kind of Cold War-related origin of the title we gave this skit (and its little guy): "The Russian Midget." Almost surely it came from Camp Fitch in the mid-60s along with lots else. (That's where Halbe Brown came from, and he brought with him skits like this along with a bunch of staff, such as the Hettlers.) I believe the first Russian Midget I saw was done by Halbe Brown himself along with Bobby Hettler. Later Halbe and Tom Holland, and also Bob and Bill Hettler (the brothers, one the Boys' Camp Director and other the camp doctor [and Father of Wellness]).
By the mid-70s, I had learned to do it - and remember one especially good performance Rick Cobb and I did at the July 4th stage show down at the beach (while everyone waited impatiently for it to get dark enough to shoot off the fireworks from the other side of the lake).
By the mid-80s, which this photo was snapped by a camper sitting at the nearest dining hall table one day after lunch, the Russian Midget had been passed on...to the likes of Ken and Bill Abbott. (What is this about this skit and brothers? I suppose partly it's about finding a partner who knows your moves instinctively.)
Shown here above, from our left to right: Adam Diamond (camper), Michael Moore (camper), Bill Abbott playing guitar as the midget, the late Dave Nalven, Michael Schneide (camper).
