Paul Winchell, renowned ventriloquist and television host, passed away on June 24th, 2005 at the age of 82. Born in New York in 1922, Winchell began his career at the age of 12 by performing magic and ventriloquism. By the 1950s, he had become a television celebrity, hosting shows such as "The Paul Winchell Show", "Winchell Mahoney Time", and "The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper." He also provided the voice of Tigger in the Winnie-the-Pooh cartoons. Winchell was active in the entertainment industry for more than six decades, appearing on television, recording comedy records, writing books, and voicing popular characters. He was the winner of three Emmy Awards and two Grammy awards. In addition to his entertainment career, Winchell was also an inventor. He held more than 30 patents, including one he created with engineer Fred Hutchinson for an artificial replacement heart. Winchell is survived by his wife, Jesslyn, of 56 years, his two children, April and Milton, and his two grandchildren.