I am speechless. For the three Getting boys, this was a very important part of their life that I have wanted to learn more about and I just now stumbled upon your web pages. Where did you find these? I cannot thank you enough for sharing this.

[The photo is part of the National Photo Company Collection, donated to the Library of Congress in 1947. There is a slightly different version here (larger version here). There's more about the brothers in the Washington Post archives, which you can view online if you have a ProQuest login. Which you probably have access to if you have a library card. Check your public library's website under "research" or "online resources." - Dave]

Thank you for posting this piece of our family history. The eldest son, Milan, is my late grandfather. Our elders commented often about the puppets, but this article provides detail I had not known. I had never seen this photograph and had even tried (without success) to figure out where the family lived in D.C. (And yes, the correct spelling is GETTING)

Again, THANK YOU!

Pamela Getting Stauffer

[You're very welcome. The credit goes to tireless and resourceful researcher Stanton Square. Below, a photo of your granddad. Click to enlarge. - Dave]

Washington Post Feb 10, 1924

3 Sons of Attache Win Applause
Here with Marionettes

Boys of Milan Getting, of Czechoslovakian Legation,
Built Little Theater

Take notice all ye theater guilds, little theaters and amateur theatrical organizations, Czechoslovakian talent has come to town and marionettes are bidding for headline honors.

The boys, ages 14, 12 and 10, sons of Milan Getting, attache of the Czechoslovakian legation in Washington, have built a marionette theater, and during the past week presented a play at the Ambassador under the public service department of the Crandall theaters.

Months of hard labor after school hours constituted the preliminary of this entertainment, because Milan, Vlado and Ivan Getting first had to earn the money for materials before they could begin the actual work of construction.

They sold daily papers and periodicals until something like $45 had been accumulated. This sum was sent to their home city, Prague, for lithographs to be used as scenes and for a king, queen and a princess marionette. The boys did not feel quite equal to royalty in their first venture in carving the little wooden dramatis personae.

The play itself was ready, "The Enchanted Forest," which had won the first prize for marionette shows in Prague several years ago, had been translated into English by Milan.

So when the material from Bohemia arrived, the boys' workshop at their home, 1727 S street, became the place for the completion of their venture.
...

Fine-looking boys. They needed a comment.

[They and I thank you. Love the cartoons btw. - Dave]