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"King of Fireworks” *** “The Fireworks Master” *** “A Pyrotechnic Artist”
Over decades, newspaper articles gave Patsy Buttino many honorifics. The artistry of his fireworks was on display most clearly in the original and imaginative set pieces that he designed and built for his shows.
Of course, each show featured many aerial bombs of various colors and sizes, like the traditional floral shaped Peonies, Chrysanthemums, and Willows.
But what Cortlanders remembered most were the ground-based set pieces. Sadly, there are no known photographs of his set pieces in shows. But media accounts of his shows always described their imaginative designs.
Over decades, newspaper articles gave Patsy Buttino many honorifics. The artistry of his fireworks was on display most clearly in the original and imaginative set pieces that he designed and built for his shows.
Of course, each show featured many aerial bombs of various colors and sizes, like the traditional floral shaped Peonies, Chrysanthemums, and Willows.
But what Cortlanders remembered most were the ground-based set pieces. Sadly, there are no known photographs of his set pieces in shows. But media accounts of his shows always described their imaginative designs.
From the Cortland Standard, 1947
For more than 41 years, Patsy has been at work on turning out displays that make thousands of spectators gasp with astonishment as they see…water falls of the brightest colors, and a hundred and one other beautiful designs that are the secret of the skilled fireworks makers.
From the Ithaca Journal 1953
As well as the oohs and aahs for the gaudy and rich-hued aerial bombs, aerial Niagara Falls and devil chasers, there were numerous chuckles for the whistling pinweels, bicycle rider, and dog and cat fight
From the Ithaca Journal 1955
Davy Crocket turned up…in the fireworks display. Among the other “moving” set pieces were a four horse race and fishes swimming in Niagara Falls. A colorful peacock, ever changing pinwheels, devil chasers, and rocketing pinwheels were among the other set pieces.
From WHCU Radio, 1957
To be seen only by those in the stadium are the spectacular set pieces and novelties…the devil-chasers which race back and forth the length of the football field…the five whirling pinwheels which dissolve into a fountain…or the Niagara Falls set piece which flows in red, white, and blue. …the finale opens with the simultaneous lighting of 21 pieces of set fireworks which stretch from goal line to goal line across the field. The collection of flags, fountains, flowers, wheels and diamonds will be centered by a replica of the Statue of Liberty 35 feet high.
From the Ithaca Journal 1961
In Patsy’s shows there is nothing but fireworks. Devil chasers, spinning wheels, whistles all are powered by fireworks alone. A fellow fireworks expert once suggested to Patsy that his complicated merry-go-round would go easier if run by a motor. Barked Patsy, “It goes by fireworks or it doesn’t go at all.” His only concession was to let the merry-go-round music come from a regular record layer.…Not a single ball-bearing would Patsy use to aid the complicated gyrations of his pieces….the grand finale…opens with a fireworks creation 150-feet long centering on a 20-foot high panel building up from corner stars thru the eagle and shield to massed flags.
The Fireworks Artist
Patsy was an artist with the vision to imagine the set pieces. But it took long months of hard work by himself, his family members, and a small crew of workers to construct the wooden frames for the pieces. The key to their success was Patsy’s meticulous planning. That planning included drawing his detailed sketches of each piece, annotated with titles, dimensions, colors to be used, and directions for the builders.
For more than 41 years, Patsy has been at work on turning out displays that make thousands of spectators gasp with astonishment as they see…water falls of the brightest colors, and a hundred and one other beautiful designs that are the secret of the skilled fireworks makers.
From the Ithaca Journal 1953
As well as the oohs and aahs for the gaudy and rich-hued aerial bombs, aerial Niagara Falls and devil chasers, there were numerous chuckles for the whistling pinweels, bicycle rider, and dog and cat fight
From the Ithaca Journal 1955
Davy Crocket turned up…in the fireworks display. Among the other “moving” set pieces were a four horse race and fishes swimming in Niagara Falls. A colorful peacock, ever changing pinwheels, devil chasers, and rocketing pinwheels were among the other set pieces.
From WHCU Radio, 1957
To be seen only by those in the stadium are the spectacular set pieces and novelties…the devil-chasers which race back and forth the length of the football field…the five whirling pinwheels which dissolve into a fountain…or the Niagara Falls set piece which flows in red, white, and blue. …the finale opens with the simultaneous lighting of 21 pieces of set fireworks which stretch from goal line to goal line across the field. The collection of flags, fountains, flowers, wheels and diamonds will be centered by a replica of the Statue of Liberty 35 feet high.
From the Ithaca Journal 1961
In Patsy’s shows there is nothing but fireworks. Devil chasers, spinning wheels, whistles all are powered by fireworks alone. A fellow fireworks expert once suggested to Patsy that his complicated merry-go-round would go easier if run by a motor. Barked Patsy, “It goes by fireworks or it doesn’t go at all.” His only concession was to let the merry-go-round music come from a regular record layer.…Not a single ball-bearing would Patsy use to aid the complicated gyrations of his pieces….the grand finale…opens with a fireworks creation 150-feet long centering on a 20-foot high panel building up from corner stars thru the eagle and shield to massed flags.
The Fireworks Artist
Patsy was an artist with the vision to imagine the set pieces. But it took long months of hard work by himself, his family members, and a small crew of workers to construct the wooden frames for the pieces. The key to their success was Patsy’s meticulous planning. That planning included drawing his detailed sketches of each piece, annotated with titles, dimensions, colors to be used, and directions for the builders.
Drawings for Set Pieces in a July 3, 1952 show in Ithaca.
Sometimes the drawings were freehand sketches on whatever scrap of paper happened to be on hand. But he did most of his drawings on large sheets of heavy brown kraft paper.
John Buttino, Patsy’s oldest son, described the complexity of the set pieces during one show at Cornell. “One of the more intricate pieces was a giant fan which opened into a five-pointed star midway through its burn. There was also a 100-foot long Niagara Falls, and the fiery devil chasers that would zip back and forth between the 120-yard length of the football field.” But there were no motors involved. Patsy is famous for proclaiming, "It goes by fireworks or it doesn't go at all."
“Patsy’s specialty was the wheel set piece,” said Jack Buttino, Patsy’s grandson who made fireworks and worked on the shows. “Each wheel had two pushers that shot out flames on each side to drive the wheel around, and then eventually, something else would light up in the middle of the wheel. He was always devising new ways to do the wheels.”
His granddaughter Joan says her favorite set piece began with a large chicken moving across the field (carried by a man hidden behind the piece), which eventually laid eggs, each of which opened to reveal a baby chick.
John Buttino, Patsy’s oldest son, described the complexity of the set pieces during one show at Cornell. “One of the more intricate pieces was a giant fan which opened into a five-pointed star midway through its burn. There was also a 100-foot long Niagara Falls, and the fiery devil chasers that would zip back and forth between the 120-yard length of the football field.” But there were no motors involved. Patsy is famous for proclaiming, "It goes by fireworks or it doesn't go at all."
“Patsy’s specialty was the wheel set piece,” said Jack Buttino, Patsy’s grandson who made fireworks and worked on the shows. “Each wheel had two pushers that shot out flames on each side to drive the wheel around, and then eventually, something else would light up in the middle of the wheel. He was always devising new ways to do the wheels.”
His granddaughter Joan says her favorite set piece began with a large chicken moving across the field (carried by a man hidden behind the piece), which eventually laid eggs, each of which opened to reveal a baby chick.
