Who Knows Where the Mime Goes?

Roller-skating dancers, pet monkeys trained to snatch only quarters from your palm, psychic cats--what happened to standards in street performance art? We miss the much-maligned mime. The act that Charlie Chaplin propelled into popular culture was the true grass-roots version of public entertainment, hitting its apex with the famous mime duo “Shields and Yarnell’s” venture into prime-time TV in the late ‘70s.

“There were so many bad mimes out there that people started bashing them,” says Robert Shields, 47, from his Sedona, Ariz., home, where he oversees a jewelry design business. He’s director of clowns for the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, and about nine times a year he and his former partner, Lorene Yarnell, a dance teacher who lives in Norway, perform (as they did last Friday at Orange Coast College). Mimes have virtually disappeared, Shields says, from lack of talent. “Someone’s going to discover that you can do a lot with it,” Shields says of the silent performer’s future. His pet peeve? Mimes who imitate robots. “I think they’re bad. They have no magic around them.”

To solve the mystery, we ask street performers on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade: What happened to the mime?

“I think it boils down to capitalism. Everyone’s impressed with quick glitter.”--Alonzo, a pianist who guesses passersby ethnicities as he plays.

“They have a very limited venue for their style of entertainment. It’s the same thing as the radio falling out of style with the advent of television and computers.”--Dwayne Garman, who twists balloons into cartoon characters.

“There were so many of them that people got bored.”--Jamie Starr, a Michael Jackson impersonator.

“Doesn’t everybody hate mimes? They’re annoying.”--Mark Vahamaki, a henna painter.

“People need more excitement.”--Kermit, speaking through puppeteer Leah Ross.

“I think he got locked inside an invisible box.”--Michael Majestic, an escape artist who wriggles out of a straitjacket and chains in three minutes.

“People don’t take it seriously, they think it’s a joke. But it’s an art form.”--Leroy Midyette, a robot.

(Shakes his head, shrugs, counts on his fingers, mouths words.)--Sunny Soohoo, a mime(!) who performs with Leroy Midyette.

“I guess since he never talked, he fell into the wind and floated away.”--Seymour Green of the “Two’s a Crowd” comedy team.

“You could never hear them.”--Peter, whose act is blowing smoke bubbles.

“I’m working on the case.”--Unidentified Columbo impersonator, who, for a donation, will pose for a Polaroid.