HARTFORD, Conn. — The original Howdy Doody puppet belongs with the Detroit Institute of Arts — no strings attached, a federal judge ruled.
The ruling, dated Tuesday and issued publicly Thursday, settles a dispute between the museum and the family of Rufus Rose, the creator and puppeteer of Howdy Doody, over who owns the 1950s television star.
The Detroit Institute of Arts claimed that Rose, who died in 1975, promised to give the original Howdy Doody to the museum. The Rose family argued that no such promise was ever made and that the puppet they have may not even be the original.
Several copies of Howdy Doody were made, including a stunt "Double Doody." The puppet in question, estimated to be worth $50,000, is being stored in a bank vault in Rhode Island.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Droney found that letters between Rose and NBC showed that Rose intended for the museum to have Howdy Doody for its extensive puppet collection.
"The museum is obviously delighted with the results, and felt very strongly all along that Howdy belonged in their collection," said Stuart Rosen, a lawyer for the Detroit Institute of Arts.
The Rose family is deciding whether to appeal, their lawyer said.