Quiddlers

The Quiddlers are a vaudevillian-styled pantomime group formed in Southeastern Michigan. They are known to audiences worldwide as "The International Ambassadors of Physical Comedy."

History

The Quiddlers began in the spring of 1986 as a group of five college students and friends in their early 20s under the name The Marauding Miners. The group first appeared on a public access program called Waterford Tonight, on Comcast Cablevision Channel 45 in Waterford, Michigan. Later that spring the Miners performed at Eastland Mall near Detroit for the production staff of the syndicated game show "Puttin' On the Hits." After winning first place in the day's live competition, the group was invited to appear on the program from the soundstages at Universal Studios in Universal City (Los Angeles), California. The Marauding Miners won $10,000 on Puttin' On the Hits and were asked by producer Richard "RAC" Clark (son of Dick Clark) to appear on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy from Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Following the telethon appearance, the Marauding Miners took calls from many producers and talent agents who specialized in acts of the "New Vaudeville" genre. These acts included gonzo magicians, breakdancers, acrobats and other performers that would be as comfortable in a carnival sideshow as they would on a theatrical stage.

In 1986, two of the original members left The Marauding Miners to continue college and career. The remaining trio, founder Paul Ebejer, Richard Altman, and Gary Lewis (no relation to Jerry Lewis or his musician son Gary Lewis) decided to rename the group. "The Quiddlers" was chosen randomly by pointing at a word in a pedestal-mounted dictionary in the library of Oakland University, where all three attended. It is defined, essentially, as persons who have no real job (in the traditional sense) or means of living. The three agreed that being building a reputation as freelance performers of the new Vaudeville scene, the definition fit perfectly.

From 1986 to 1993, the trio toured extensively and performed on television variety shows, at sporting events and corporate galas, and in live theatre venues on five of the six inhabited continents. Notable television appearances included two consecutive shots on NTV's "World's Comical Performers" in Tokyo, Japan, and Random Acts of Variety on Ha! -- Ha! would later merge with the Comedy Channel and become known as Comedy Central. The men also performed with famous French comedian and musician Patrick Sébastien on his hit program "C'est Fou," and appeared in repeats of his "Best of C'est Fou" broadcasts.

In the summer of 1991, the legendary booking agent Monique Nakachian put The Quiddlers into Monaco's elite "Sporting Club" (run by the Société des Bains de Mer, or SBM) as one of three variety acts within a one hour program of singing and dancing. The Quiddlers were booked for the entire season along with rotating acts like extreme magician Rudy Coby from LA, seventh generation circus acrobats, The Nicolodis from Paris, and visual comedian and Montréal native Michel Lauzière. The following summer, they performed in Stuttgart, Germany's "Theatre Varieté" alongside acts including Kai Eickermann, an award winning European breakdancer, Team Rosa, internationally-renowned athlete/acrobats, and the KGB Klowns, a Ukrainian duo who were classically trained as professional clowns in the former Soviet Union.

In 1993, Altman and Lewis left the group to pursue other creative careers; writing and graphic design, respectively. Ebejer continued the theatrical pursuit and called upon a number of talented individuals to fill new roles as they were created.

Currently

The latest incarnation of The Quiddlers, under Ebejer's creative direction, are performing in Las Vegas as part of a long-running cabaret show in a major casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip. The troupe also continues to travel the world featuring a stable of talented comic performers who carry on the original comedic tradition of The Marauding Miners.

elect Appearances

This is a short list of appearances made by The Quiddlers (and Marauding Miners) between 1986 and 1993. It is by no means comprehensive.

Television

*Waterford Tonight | US | Public Access | 1986
*Puttin' On the Hits | US | Syndicated | 1986
*Jerry Lewis Telethon | US | Love Network | 1987
*Puttin' On the Hits | US | Syndicated | 1987 (Different Costumes)
*Funny People | US | NBC | 1988
*Kelly & Co | US | ABC | 1988
*Patrick Sébastien's "C'est Fou" | France | France2 | 1989
*Reserc Al Del Arca | Italy | RAI | 1989
*World's Comical Performers | Japan | NTV | 1989
*Rafaella | Italy | RAI | 1990
*Tutti Frutti | Spain | Telecinco | 1990
*World's Comical Performers | Japan | NTV | 1990
*Montreal Comedy Festival (Justé Pour Rire) | Canada | CBC | 1990
*The Midnight Hour | US | CBS | 1990
*Chicago Auto Show | US | WGN | 1990
*Random Acts of Variety | US | Ha / Comedy Central | 1990
*America's Funniest People | US | ABC | 1991
*Howie (Howie Mandel) | US | CBS | 1992
*Silvester Gala | Germany | 1997

porting Events

NBA Halftimes

*Charlotte Hornets (Multiple Appearances)
*Chicago Bulls
*Cleveland Cavaliers (Multiple Appearances)
*Detroit Pistons (Multiple Appearances)
*Houston Rockets
*Indiana Pacers (Multiple Appearances)
*Miami Heat
*Orlando Magic (Multiple Appearances)
*Seattle Supersonics
*Washington Bullets

CBA Halftimes

*Columbus Horizon (Multiple Appearances)
*Fort Wayne Fury
*Grand Rapids Hoops (Multiple Appearances)
*Idaho Stampede
*LaCrosse Catbirds (Multiple Appearances)
*Quad City Thunder (Multiple Appearances)
*Rockford Lightning (Multiple Appearances)
*Sioux Falls Skyforce
*Wichita Falls Texans

GBA Halftimes

*1992 All-Star Game
*Fayetteville Flyers
*Louisville Shooters
*Michigan Great Lakers

Hockey Games
*Grand Rapids Griffins

Live Appearances

*North American International Auto Show (Detroit) | 1989
*Chicago Auto Show | 1989
*Cleveland International Auto Show | 1989
*New York Auto Show | 1989
*Baltimore Auto Show | 1990
*Dallas Auto Show | 1990
*Multiple Appearances at the Annual "Justé Pour Rire" Montreal Comedy Festival
*Private Function Events for Corporate Groups like General Dynamics, ReMax and Allianze
*Conventions and Exhibitions

Appearances by Country

*Argentina
*Australia
*Brazil
*Canada
*France
*Germany
*Italy
*Japan
*Malaysia
*Monaco
*Norway
*Portugal
*Spain
*Switzerland
*United Kingdom
*United States