Wayland Flowers
Wayland Flowers (November 26, 1939–October 11, 1988) was a puppeteer best known for his puppet Madame, who was a huge hit with audiences in the 1970s and 1980s.
Madame is an "outrageous old broad" who entertains with double entendres and witty comebacks. Bedecked in fabulous eveningwear and summer diamonds ("Some are diamonds; some are not") and looking like a 1930s or 1940s movie star such as Gloria Swanson, Madame's many TV appearances have included Laugh In; a long run on the game show Hollywood Squares (replacing Paul Lynde in The Center Square); as host of Solid Gold; various TV guest spots; and as the star of her own, syndicated 1982 sit-com, Madame's Place.
Wayland's other puppets included Crazy Mary (an escapee from Bellevue mental hospital), Jiffy (a Harlem harlot with a heart of brass), Machelheny (a retired Vaudeville comedian). His puppet Smedley worked with Marlo Thomas on Free to Be . . . You and Me.
Wayland Flowers died of an AIDS-related illness. He is interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Dawson, Georgia. It has been rumored that Madame was buried with him, however this is not true. The estate of Wayland Flowers, including Madame, was left to Waylands then-Manager, Marlena Shell. After 18 years out of the spotlight, Shell has hired New York-based puppeteer, Joe Kovacs, to bring Madame back to the world.
