Ronnie Le Drew, the celebrated puppeteer and voice artist best known as the iconic voice of Zippy from the beloved children’s television show Rainbow, has passed away at the age of 78. The British Puppet Guild confirmed his death on July 18, following a brief illness.

A Pillar of the Puppetry Community

The British Puppet Guild, of which Le Drew served as president for a decade, released a heartfelt statement mourning his loss. “We are saddened to announce the death of our President and friend Ronnie Le Drew, following a short illness,” the guild stated. “Ronnie has been our president for 10 years, possibly the most active and supportive president we have ever had or will have.”

The guild highlighted