Scollon Mascots and Costume Characters grew from the dreams of a little girl. Founder Allie Scollon began in puppetry by tying strings to her dolls and performing for her family and friends. That fascination grew into a successful party entertainment business. In the late 1960’s, Allie and her husband Bill recognized the opportunity to dramatically grow the business by providing marionette shows that would draw crowds into the enclosed malls that were popping up across the country. In 1968, Scollon's Marionettes came into being.
     
The successful marionette touring business quickly expanded to include costume character shows featuring characters like Yogi Bear and Fred Flintstone. To reflect the broader scope, the company name was updated to Scollon Productions, Inc. The touring business continued into the 1980’s, performing thousands of shows for tens of thousands of people. Before long, clients approached the company about building costumes specifically for them. It was a natural extension of the business. The vast experience gained from building and performing in costume, led to the development of construction techniques and innovations that set industry standards. In just a few years, the costume-building business became the company’s primary focus.

Today, Scollon Productions, located in Columbia, South Carolina, has expanded to include a comprehensive costume management program, a nationwide Talent Management service and On-Site character management of Hi-Profile character events. The management team is headed up by Rick Scollon, Sr., CEO, who took over that role when Bill retired and Kim Scollon, President, a 40 year veteran who has worked in virtually every aspect of the business. The company is proud to have several ‘Gen 3’ Scollon's on the staff as well!

To get back to her roots, Allie started a non-profit marionette theatre with her son John. The Columbia Marionette Theatre has entertained thousands of families since opening its doors in 1995.  We hope you’ll be part of our story, too!