puppet playern.

1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Puppet plaier, Circulator, Gesticulator.

a1656 J. Hales Golden Remains (1659) 172 Seneca reports, that a Pantomimus, a puppet player [1673 ed. Poppet-player], and dancer in Rome..was wont to go up every day into the Capitol, and practised his Art.

1601 B. Jonson Fountaine of Selfe-love ii. v. sig. E3^v Gatherer's vp of Marow-bones Pedlers, and Puppit-players. Sow-gelders, and Sooth-saiers.

1606 Returne from Pernassus iv. ii sig. G2 That Puppet-player Fortune.

c1660 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1644 (1955) II. 99 The Front lookes on the greate Bridge possessd by Montebankes, Operators and Puppet Players.

1774 Chains Slavery vi. 16 Talents which serve to amuse the people are encouraged; actors, musicians, tumblers, puppet-players, mountebacks of every kind are patronized.

1857 Chambers's Jrnl. 7 124 Italy, the native land..of modern puppetry, must..at a very early period have sent her puppet-players abroad.

1873 Appletons' Jrnl. 9 Aug. 171/2 Crowds of puppet-players, rope-dancers, and conjurers, with their corresponding circles of wonder-struck admirers.

1910 ‘S. Yoe’ Burman (1963) 288 When the famous puppet player, Maung Tha Byaw, is performing, there is not a sound, the whole great crowd..is hushed to its farthest limits.

2003 W. Register Kid Coney Island vi. 294 After his first professional performance in 1917 in New York, Sarg achieved a level of praise and attention unprecedented for puppet players in the United States.