Known as America’s father of “modern puppetry,” Tony Sarg is the mastermind behind the concept of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. In 1928, Sarg introduced balloons for the historic parade that began in 1924. They’d used live animals in previous parades, which seemed to frighten attendees.
This Manhattan ballons that float down Manhattan every year are actually the brainchild of legendary American-German creative, Anthony Frederick Sarg, aka, Tony Sarg.
Some of his first designs for the parade included a tiger, hummingbird, elephant, and “Felix the Cat.”
Who is Tony Sarg?
Sarg was a seasonal Nantucket resident. He spent his summers on the island for over 20 years, drawing inspiration from it for his work and even had an eponymous Curiosity Shop on Federal Street.
Sarg believed that these balloons, which he referred to as “upside-down marionettes,” offered an ideal visual solution to travel down the parade route with participants controlling them through a series of strings.
Sarg, a multi-hyphenate, is most well-known for his puppetry work. However, he also proved to be an accomplished illustrator, designer, cartoonist, animator, and legendary prankster.
Meet Morton, Sarg’s giant 100-foot-long sea monster
One of Sarg’s most notorious puppets is a giant sea monster known as Morton. In an expertly crafted prank and publicity stunt, Sarg and his team reared the head of Morton in Nantucket waters. Morton left pronged footprints in the sand and even washed up on the shore. Publications across the country wrote about this mysterious Nantucket beast, gearing up excitement both about the island and Sarg’s puppets which would later be in the 1937 parade, Morton included.
Tony Sarg: Genius at Play
This summer, the Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) opens a special exhibit highlighting the life of Tony Sarg. You’ll learn about his time on island, his unique upbringing in Guatemala, and even have a chance to view a 75-foot-long recreation of Morton the Sea Monster on August 5.