Ronnie Drew: Rainbow Zippy puppeteer dies at age 78
Ronnie Drew—full name Ronnie Le Drew—the legendary children's TV puppeteer and voice of Rainbow's Zippy, has died aged 78 following a short illness, the British Puppet Guild announced Monday, paying tribute to its president and a performer whose work shaped generations of British childhoods.
The Canadian-born British puppeteer was best known for operating and voicing Zippy on ITV's Rainbow. For more celebrity breaking news, see our Celebrity Breaking News hub. According to the Oxford Mail, the Guild confirmed his death on Monday, 27 July.
Key Takeaways
- Ronnie Le Drew, the puppeteer and voice behind Rainbow's Zippy, has died aged 78 after a short illness.
- The British Puppet Guild announced the death of its president of 10 years on Monday.
- He joined Rainbow in 1973 and stayed around 20 years, later publishing the memoir Zippy and Me.
- Tributes also came from Trooper Events UK and fans who remembered his kindness and storytelling.
Who was Ronnie Drew and what happened?
Ronnie Le Drew was born in Toronto on 23 October 1947 and moved to Britain as a teenager. He trained at London's Little Angel Theatre as John Wright's second apprentice, learning every aspect of puppetry.
His link with the Little Angel spanned more than 30 years as a performer and later a director. He co-founded the London School of Puppetry with his partner, Caroline Astell-Burt.
The British Puppet Guild said it was "saddened to announce the death of our President and friend Ronnie Le Drew, following a short illness." He had been president for 10 years and was described as possibly its most active and supportive leader.
Why does Zippy's puppeteer matter to so many fans?
Le Drew began working on Rainbow in 1973, first operating Zippy and later providing the character's unmistakable voice. He remained with the show for around two decades, including spin-offs such as Rainbow Days.
Away from Rainbow, his credits included Playdays, Michael Bentine's Potty Time, The Tommy Cooper Show, Mortimer and Arabel, Utterly Brilliant with Timmy Mallett, and multiple versions of The Sooty Show, often performing Sweep and other characters.
His film and fantasy puppetry work spanned Labyrinth, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, Beauty and the Beast, and Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. In 2019 he published Zippy and Me: My Life Inside Britain's Most Infamous Puppet.
What tributes have been paid after his death?
The Guild said Ronnie was known for Zippy, but that his legacy in puppetry stretched far further, with "countless puppeteers mourning the loss of our dear friend."
Trooper Events UK, organisers of Abbey Con in Abingdon, said he was "one of the friendliest and kindest people" they knew. He had attended the comic convention and was due to return this autumn before his health "suddenly took a turn for the worse."
On X, Paul Robertson wrote that he was grateful for chats about Rainbow, Sooty and puppets, and offered condolences to Le Drew's friends and family.