Koran the Mystic, Herbert Hoover and the Magic of Chutzpah!

 

It all started with the acquisition of this unusual souvenir card, and quickly became one of my favorite tales of magic history. Posing next to President Herbert Hoover (right) is Koran the Mystic  (b. William Perry Taylor), a vaudeville-era mindreader. (In case you have any doubt, Koran is the one in the superimposed fake turban.)

Koran claimed to be the first (and only) man of mystery to be photographed at the White House during the Hoover administration. (This is unsurprising; a disaffected populace blamed the besieged President for mishandling the Great Depression, memorializing him by dubbing the resulting shantytowns as "Hoovervilles." The Hoover Administration likely had little appetite for fun.)

According to Koran's account, this picture represents the first time that a magician was photographed at the White House. While I have been unable to disprove this claim, for the reasons that follow, Koran's assertions should be viewed with some skepticism. 

 The mentalist's Presidential photo op resulted from a bold ruse by Koran, consistent with his reputation for audacious methodology. The card involves levels of deception, examined below. 

Koran, clad in a robe and turban, presented a crystal ball act much like that of Alexander, the Man Who Knows.  He first worked under the name "Prince Rajbar Mahendra," working principally in the Midwest using several assistants and elaborate stage settings.  Eventually, he became quite successful, working RKO theaters with a ghost show, authoring newspaper columns for the public, several books for stage performers and becoming a radio psychic.

Yet of all the miracles worked by Koran, the biggest may be that captured on this publicity card. In the February 1932 column entitled "With the Mentalists," Robert Nelson explained:

"Koran, who presents the finest and most unique mental act I have ever witnessed, recently crashed the newspapers of this country as a result of a tie-up with President Hoover.  First time on record a President ever posed with a performer for publicity purposes. Koran's predictions on Hoover as the next President will no doubt gain many votes. Even tho some have attacked the scheme as lacking dignity on the part of the President, we at least must present the sugar-coated crystal to Koran and his agent, Dolores Mullens. As clever a smash as any!"

Indeed, a search of popular newspapers helps explain: Koran secured his spot in Presidential history by sending a telegram predicting the President's victory against FDR in the upcoming 1932 election.  Upon its receipt, Hoover's handlers invited Koran to the White House for a photo op, and the rest, as it is said, is history!

From The Washington Evening Star, January 18, 1932

Why would Hoover's people staff react so enthusiastically to Koran's prediction? Turn out that their files confirmed Koran's claim: four years earlier, in 1928, Koran had sent a similar telegram predicting Hoover's victory over Al Smith before it happened.  So they scheduled a photo, turning the prediction into a national news story.

Not leaving well enough alone, Koran took the news photo, had a turban airbrushed onto his head, and printed up the souvenir card above. In the January 1941 issue of The Sphinx, Al Monroe noted having one of these cards in his scrapbooks, and recorded having received it from Koran at the 1932 SAM Convention in Detroit.

More than 35 years later, in the October 1968 Linking Ring, Bob Nelson revisited the story in his "Mentalists and Mentalism" column.  This time, Nelson tipped the workings of Koran's clever scheme:

"Speaking of Presidential Prediction attempts, I am reminded of the following true story. In an obvious attempt to gain some nationwide publicity, Mr. Mentalist sent a telegram to both of the Presidential nominees, congratulating EACH and predicting each a winner. Of course, the loser was to be forgotten and not mentioned. Mr. Mentalist then contacted the newly elected president, recalling that he had predicted his winning of the election. The prediction telegram was acknowledged and Mr. Mentalist met the President on the White House Lawn and was photographed shaking hands with the President. The picture was blown up and used extensively for promotion. The mentalist was none other than the deceased KORAN (Perry Taylor). The President was Herbert Hoover!"

Just to complete the record, Koran's Presidential prediction for 1932 missed the mark.  FDR defeated Hoover in an unmitigated landslide, earning 472 electoral votes to Hoover's anemic showing of 59 votes.  In a sense, Koran couldn't have been more wrong.  But that really wasn't the point: for the fledgling performer, the prediction represented a huge victory.

In a previous iteration of this post, I had conflated the biographical details of Perry "Koran" Taylor  with the British mentalist known as Al Koran.  Many thanks to my friend Diego Domingo for setting the record straight.  Diego does many things, including operating the Robert Nelson Enterprises Facebook page, which you should visit for more details. In fact, Diego has unearthed another way that Koran attempted to monetize his visit with Hoover - on the Facebook page, he's posted an ad in which Koran claims to have provided Hoover with a lucky Buddha statute that can protect one from evil; and one could be yours by rushing one dollar to the Koran radio club.

Marshall Brodien and the Miracle of Television

"Magic is easy once you know the secret!” conjuring pitchman Marshall Brodien touted in television spots for “TV Magic Cards,” hawked as “the mechanical deck that

works all by itself.” These compelling ad, produced on a shoestring budget, aired almost continually during the 1970s, filling the spaces between segments of reruns of sitcoms and animated series.  In it, Brodien performs the then century-old ambitious card routine using a Svengali deck, which had been hawked for decades.  Yet, under the mantra of "TV Magic Cards," Brodien fused these worn chestnuts with the excitement of television, which had just become a fixture in US households.   Here is a recreation of that revered spot by magic historian Charles Greene:

Brodien's campaign proved unthinkably successful.  In a wonderful biography, The Magical Life of Marshall Brodien, writer John Moehring reports that this media

blitz helped sell tens of millions of rebranded Svengali decks and built a marketing empire.  In economic terms, then, the results were staggering.  

Meanwhile, Brodien produced an incalculable cultural impact.  Through his 30-second performances, Brodien helped instill a fascination with magic in millions of young viewers, including this writer.   Charles Greene's remake of Brodien's commercial (the original can be found on YouTube)  demonstrates the point: in the notes to the presentation, Charles explains that the video "is a 'Thank you' to Marshall Brodien for inspiring him and a whole generation of magicians."  Watch Charles's video to the end, and you'll see that he not only acknowledges Brodien, but scores of other conjurers whose work  influenced his magical journey. 

Ironically, even though Brodien purveyed in excess of a billion playing cards, finding a card featuring the performer was a bit challenging.  The ad card above was distributed as part of the glossy black plastic "TV Magic Card Box and Deck,"which included a deck of standard printed gaffs, like the infamous "Tree of Hearts" gag. These cards bore the back seen here, which is found on many decks of "TV Magic Cards." 

In another 1975 pitch, Marshall Brodien hawked his TV Magic Set, firing 61 words in 17 seconds:

"Yes, now you can put on your own TV Magic show, and have hours of fun entertaining your friends. The TV Magic set comes with all the instructions and equipment for 15 tricks, plus a complete deck of cards and instructions for 25 card tricks and a book of 102 other magic tricks you can learn to do . . ."

The proposition: for only $4.99, you’d learn the 142 secrets comprising the TV Magic Act: vanish a plastic glass of water and a handkerchief, make tiny billiard balls and foam rubber bunnies multiply and handle those self-working cards just like Brodien did. After all, he was a professional magician!  

As the back of the card shows, Brodien sold these secrets -- tricks using cards, water, balls, or bunnies -- urging his customers to never reveal them.  Yet his real secret was stoking a passion in magic in millions of young fans in thirty seconds.   

The Amazing Johnathan's Weird Stuff

Here we feature an unusual artifact from one of magic's most unusual exponents.  The picture is far from ideal, as this glossy, textured, striking high-contrast design proves hard to capture using photographic equipment.  And, in that way, it proves a fitting tribute to its subject, "The Amazing Jonathan."  

If you own one of these cards (a standard sized poker card with regular faces), it may be because you're the lucky owner of "The Amazing Johnathan's Weird Stuff" Magic Kit, itself a rare and wondrous collectible that contained a full pack of these iconic cards.  

Or, if you're like me, you might have bought a pack from the Amazing Johnathan, who found a handful of these decks in his garage, which he sold and gave away at a magic convention in 2018.  And if that's the route you took to get one, there's probably a great story that goes along with it.  Mine comes with such a story.

John Edward Szeles (September 9, 1958 – February 22, 2022), was born in Detroit, Michigan.  He became universally known by his stage name "The Amazing Johnathan," was a famed stand-up comedian, accomplished magician and all-around prankster. 

He became a regular in nightclubs, on Comedy Central, had his own game show and performed for President Reagan.

We need not spend too much time on biographical information,  though, as Jonathan's life was the subject of not one, but two documentary films which, like everything else about him, are extraordinary and unusual.  And while other magicians (such as Houdini) have been the subject of more than one attempt to convey their lives in biographical format, the difference with Johnathan is that he was actively involved in two competing attempts to record his achievements and antics.  

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary (2019) was a production from Hulu which eventually would be billed by its producers as "an unexpected and increasingly bizarre journey as [the] filmmaker struggles to separate truth from illusion."  That little snippet of marketing text offers the tiniest insight into the truly bizarre nature of this film, which must be seen to be fully appreciated.

Amazing: the Life Death and Return of the Amazing Jonathan was a somewhat more conventional biography released in Canada in 2018, the filming of which became an important narrative element in The Amazing Johnathan Documentary.

As a result, to say anything new about the Amazing Johnathan proves difficult.

Thus, I'm going to make this a largely personal narrative, as I had an ever-so-brief yet equally memorable set of experiences with him in 2018.  That happened at the International Brotherhood of Magicians National Convention in Michigan, one of the rare magic convention appearances by the Amazing Johnathan.   In a fascinating lecture, he showed some of his subtle, unique insights into magic, demonstrating and teaching effects that were uniquely his.  He also proved to be a fun and approachable participant, much appreciated by attendees.  

As a lecturer at that gathering, I found myself on a souvenir poster with the Amazing Johnthan and some other fine performers (like Jeff McBride, Larry Wilson, Steve Valentine, Pop Haden, Larry Hass and Lance Burton).   At one point, I found myself seated next to him on a signature line: attendees could bring their posters to the tables to have them autographed by all of the performers.  Having arrived late, I was seated on the end next to Johnathan, whom I had not had the pleasure of meeting.  He treated me and the participants to a barrage of pranks and stunts, beginning with annotating information on the hotel tablecloth with a sharpie (which turned out NOT to be a trick), having water pour from his nose, piercing his ears with his thumbs and the like.  He was a whirlwind of energy.  

We also had an encounter with an international delegation visiting the event, an experience that I will not soon forget.  The details contain too many subtleties to relate here. However, should we meet, please ask me, and over a cup of tea I will share the story with you.  It was one of the funniest things that I've ever experienced.

September 8 was his birthday.

.  

Speaking of Inventors: The Inventive Magician's Handbook...With Props is Here!

Earlier this year, we featured our Cavalcade of Inventors, spotlighting the many magic inventors who have been showcased on this site.  As a follow-up to that, I'm delighted to announce that The Inventive Magician's Handbook . . . with Props will soon be released by Theory & Art of Magic Press! This project is the culmination of years of collaborative work with the amazing Larry Hass and a team of talented artists to bring a vision to life. That vision, broadly speaking, is this: a how-to guide to magic innovation for magicians who wish to bring their own creative approach to devising new effects and presentations. The Inventive Magician's Handbook offers theories embodied in 14 original magic effects, most with complete scripts. The book includes a curated kit containing never-before-available props for many of these effects, as well as access to downloadable props and videos. I spent a weekend examining the final version of the book and materials, and, well, I was overwhelmed with the fine product that Larry and his team have produced.

The Inventive Magician's Handbook offers theories embodied in 14 original magic effects, most with complete scripts. For those of you interested in magic history and collecting, please note: the book extensively examines magic inventing in a historical context and includes a curated kit containing never-before-available props for many of these effects, as well as access to downloadable props and videos. I spent the weekend examining the final version of the book and materials, and, well, I was overwhelmed with the fine product that Larry and his team have produced.


The book is available only from Theory and Art of Magic as of October 1, 2024, which you can visit here (and check out my other book from TAOM, Wandcraft:

Visit Theory and Art of Magic

Oh, and are there cards?  Not at the moment . . . but stand by!

Harrison's Back!!!

 

It's hard to believe that it's been seven years since my first post about Harrison Greenbaum on these pages - "Harrison Greenbaum's Stuck on You", but it's time for another ode to one of magic's most energetic performers.  One reason is this souvenir from his new, one-man extravaganza "What Just Happened?" In it, Harrison's back in extraordinary form with a full 90-minute show loaded with magic and no-holds-barred comedy. The title of this post - Harrison's Back!!! - has a kind of double meaning. First, of course, he's returned to his native New York with this show (after a run in Las Vegas as the first comedian or comedy magician to ever headline a Cirque Du Soleil). In the interim, he's also back in the magic world with a new book, You Are All Terrible - a must have for any magician, aspiring comedian or collector.

As to the giveaway, it's pictured above and is part of a gift to every attendee at "What Just Happened?"  To say any more (or fill you in about what else may or may not be involved with it) would ruin some of the surprises Harrison's show has in store for you, so you'll have to buy a ticket and check it out yourself.  (You can get more information about his show here: https://WhatJustHappenedShow.com.)  Note however that the card packs in the social media references, which you can check out for yourself.

Lastly, for the collectors out there, Harrison has something special for you. At his show (and perhaps elsewhere) he has made available an absolutely wonderful, full-color, 18x24" magic poster of the following image:

Mine will be framed and hanging soon.  Try to get one of these while you can!  

Carl Bremer's 1930 Card Box Patent 

At Propelled Pasteboards, we take pride in recognizing a broad array of magical figures, from fifty-milers to the biggest superstars.  Recently, however, in connection with some other research I've been conducting, I had occasion to note just how many posts have been devoted to magical inventors: the unsung heroes who often labor in obscurity to keep the art fresh and innovative.  So, I thought it fitting that we present Propelled Pasteboard's. . . 

Cavalcade of Magic Inventors  

Our inaugural post focused on magic inventor E.J. Moore, seen here touting his "Water-Go."  Moore created several rope tricks that sold more than 25,000 units.
	The king of creating gaffed decks, R.W. Hull's inventions included his incomparable "Tuned Deck," featured across fourteen pages of Greater Magic.
Read about Billy Russell's long career of creating original magic.  You'll learn about his vanishing manuscript, a masterwork years in the making for a planned book that never saw print -- and where you can find it.
	Joseph Ovette, famed for invention and re-invention of magic effects produced many low-quality  booklets which nevertheless held innovative gold.
Any compendium of magic inventors is incomplete without the scrappy Horace Goldin, who, most notably, inventing several versions of the classic sawing illusion.
	John H. Isley could have invented the one of the most popular pocket tricks of all time - Anti-Gravico.  Unless, of course, he didn't . . .

The Roucleres invented and performed a number of major stage illusions.
	Earl Lockman developed and marketed several major stage illusions, as well as smaller items for performers.
While you may never have heard of Bill Wagner (I certainly hadn't), you'll be amazed to learn that he invented several award-winning effects, including a spirit painting illusion and a mind-blowing prediction produced by Thayer Magic.
	Got an Okito Box knocking around your magic drawer?  Time to meet Theo Bamberg, the man who devised that gizmo from an ordinary pillbox.
The back-hand palm has been deployed with great effect in some of the best magic acts in history, including those of T. Nelson Down and Jeff McBride (both featured on the site).  Who invented that move?  Well, it just may have been Otto Maurer, Jr., who picked it up from a Mexican gambler.
	That Ralph E. Powell invented the "Stung, Stung Again" card trick may well be the least interesting thing about him.  This post, a personal favorite, offers a jaw-dropping story that you simply won't believe.

 

Eugen El Cester

These two identically-faced mini playing cards, with back designs rendered in red and blue, are artifacts of the career of Swedish illusionist Eugen El Cester, (b. Gerhard Lindgren 1913-1980).   Unsurprisingly, these cards were part of the collection provided by the Swedish Magic Archives which also maintains the handsomeposter of El Cester seen here. 

El Cester picked up the wand at age 11, growing most popular in the post-war years.  He performed in variety theater, competed in many competitions and offered an array of magic miracles, most notably swallowing razor blades.  He lived in Katrineholm, Sweden.   

In 1947, L'Escamoteur, a French-language magic periodical, commented on his performance at the Congrès Magique Internationale (the precursor to FISM) in Barcelona.  Other magic periodicals of that era are replete with reports of his participation in international magic events, often winning prizes for his performances.  

El Cester competed in many magic competitions including the FISM competitions in Paris in 1947 and Barcelona in 1950.  He was a member of The Swedish Magic Circle.

SIX YEARS OF FLYING CARDS!

  

Analyzing 150,000+ Hits on Propelled Pasteboards' 6th Anniversary

Our own promotional throwout card  
out of print and now a collectible!

This month, Propelled Pasteboards marked its six year anniversary, having racked up more than 150,000 visits in that time.  So, it's time for our version of the "People's Choice Awards," finding out which posts attracted the most interest.  Some magicians who made our "Top Ten" list prove quite predictable, while others might just surprise you.  And you'll never guess who ranked #1.

The four writers who regularly contribute to Propelled Pasteboards - Tom Ewing, Gary Frank, Jay Hunter and me - have offered an astonishingly broad array of posts - 250 listings which encompass some of history's best known magicians to performers so obscure that they nearly defy our investigative research efforts.  And these listing have drawn well over 150,000 hits (some of our early data was lost to a conversion from http:// to https://).  In this post, I'll be examining those posts that have attracted the most hits.

Perhaps most predictably, Gary Frank's feature on Harry Houdini made the top ten list, with well over 1,000 visits.  Shockingly, however, Houdini did not place first!  More on that in a moment.  Other superstars closely connected with card throwing - like Jeff McBride & Juliana Chen - predictably placed on our top ten list.  (Ricky Jay did not make the cut, though several posts dedicated to him made the top 20 list.)  David Kwong, also placed high on the list, perhaps we used the opportunity to highlight his then-popular show, The Enigmatist.  Our salute to women in magic also proved quite popular, with both the "Women in Magic Month" post and articles on Melinda and Ms. Chen taking three of the spots.  Visitors also showed interest in the production of throwout cards, with posts spotlighting Fox Lake Playing Cards also making the cut, while a post about DeLand made the top twenty.  (Relatedly, we have two static pages on throwing cards and throwing card backs that racked up similar numbers, but don't get ranked on the top ten list as they're not "posts.")

Other posts that proved popular are more puzzling, as they feature lesser known magicians.  Jay Hunter's feature on Ben Franklin IV ranked third (with more visitors than Houdini), while Tom Ewing's terrific feature on Colta & Colta came in seventh.   But perhaps the biggest surprise is our top contender.  The number one, most visited Propelled Pasteboards blog post, indeed, the only post with more than 2,000 visits is . . .  [drum roll] . . . Leslie Guest!  This unanticipated placement remains unchanged from our analysis of hits when the site marked 100,000 hits.  Please don't misunderstand, at Propelled Pasteboards we pride ourselves on featuring magicians of all kinds, often celebrating obscure, mysterious and even unsuccessful performers that you won't find anywhere else.  Furthermore, Gary Frank's feature on Mr. Guest is thorough and interesting.   But that Guest would best Houdini, Thurston, Kellar and some of the other historic greats we've featured is something no mentalist could have predicted!  

But for the record, at this writing, this is . . .

Propelled Pasteboard's Most Popular Posts

The Top Ten List with Official Hit Counts

 

When you have time, check out these posts and some of our less popular pieces.  You won't be disappointed.

The Tall Tales of Eddie "Tex" McGuire

When researching magicians, it's always hard to know what to believe, But the subject of this post - Eddie "Tex" McGuire -- is in a league of his own when it comes to tall tales.


Here's what I can assemble from a number of magic publications:
He was born in or around 1891, and by 1910, persuaded his father to use money that had been saved for college to study magic, eventually performing under the names The Great Gilland, Don Cortex and Tex McGuire. His favorite trick consisted of driving a Cadillac, with seven passengers, on stage and making the car and its occupants disappear. By age 19, he began traveling with a show headed by Mrs. Tom Thumb. He served in WWI, wounded and subject to gas attacks. In the 1920s, he returned to Europe. And here's where the legends begin.

According to various sources -- principally McGuire -- he created a "mathematical system" whichpermitted him to "break the bank" at Monte Carlo on three occasions. While that's an exciting thing to say, it's more interesting once one knows what it means. According to Wikipedia:

The expression "breaking the bank" is used when a gambler wins more money than the reserve held at that particular table in the casino. At the start of each day, every table was funded with a cash reserve of 100,000 francs – known as "the bank". If this reserve was insufficient to pay the winnings, play at that table was suspended while extra funds were brought out from the casino's vaults.



The list of bank breakers -- though admittedly incomplete, does not include McGuire's name. Another myth swirling around McGuire was whether he (like so many others) was the author of The Phantom of the Card Table. That McGuire might be Erdnase is further undermined by a second rumor associating him with Walter Scott, an individual who is claimed by some to be that elusive writer.

Fuel was poured on the tall tale fire by the release of a five dollar book about McGuire authored by Edward S. Cannon and produced by Lee Jacobs in 1953. The ad copy consisted of a series of provocative questions about McGuire, including whether he broke the bank, was actually Erdnase, was the subject of superlative quotes by Houdini and Thurston, and was a star of the Roy Rogers Rodeo. The ad copy concludes that "Tex McGuire was all of these and much, much more." So maybe it wasn't the most accurate historical portrait....

One of McGuire's most important contributions to magic occurred, in a sense, posthumously. Beginning in 1922, he entered into a long, detailed correspondence with the famed T. Nelson Downs. The two men wrote a series of letter that were meticulously cataloged over several years, exchanging trick ideas, moves, handlings and stories. In 1971, John Braun compiled these ideas into a special Linking Ring parade which is quite interesting.


I originally picked up this oversized, two-color, single-sided business card because I knew of McGuire as Max Malini's manager (and I have a copy of what seemed to be McGuire's manager card). After researching this subject, though, I no longer know what to believe.

Whitey Roberts – The Man with the Cheshire Cat Smile

           Alston Whitey Peterson was born on November 17, 1902, in Butte, Montana. Whitey’s family moved near San Francisco, California, just before the 1906 Earthquake. After the dust had settled and the city started to rebuild, entertainment became a way for the residents to bring their lives back to normal. Whitey tried out at a few talent contests and got noticed. He learned a little tap dancing and that was enough to get him a small part in a show. He watched and learned and developed his own act that included more than just a few dance steps. He was quickly a top performer. One of the earliest publicized advertisements for Whitey was in 1926, while he was performing at the Bakersfield Nile Theater in a vaudeville troupe as one of the five acts billed.

 

            Whitey was billed as Whitey Roberts – “Personality Boy”. He sang a few songs, told funny stories, and filled in with a little juggling. At the Defiance Theatre, in Defiance, Ohio, in 1928, Whitey was performing his same act, but added in songs that were popular for the day. He was between two acts, Georgia Peaches and her “Banjo Oddity” and Bud Boomer’s Orchestra. The audience liked to watch Whitey, who was tall, blonde, and always smiling. His personality and performance stowed the audience’s cares away while he was on stage. In 1928, Whitey stepped into the role of master of ceremonies when necessary and in the latter part of the same year, Whitey was billed as the “America’s Foremost Rope-Skipping Dancer” at the Marlow Theatre in Helena, Montana. From Montana to Missouri and then onto Indiana.
            In the 1930’s, Whitey was still on the road traveling from Indiana to Wisconsin, Montana, and even made his way to Washington D.C. with his act. The juggling portion seemed to be what the audience enjoyed the best. In 1933, Whitey was booked again in Bakersfield, California, at the Fox Theatre. The variety act would keep the audience’s attention as they waited for the evening movie, which was Midnight Club starring Clive Brook and rough guy George Raft. Whitey completed his contacts in Bakersfield and appeared at the Orpheum in Salt Lake City, Utah, with NBC Radio singing star, Grace Hicks, the balancing act, The Three Zechos, and the dancing artistry of the Sunshine Beauties. Whitey packed his bags and was on his way to the next engagement, from Chicago, Illinois to Oakland, California, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and many other locations booked throughout the 1930’s. In 1936, Whitey was publicized as “The Laugh Insurance Man,” with his plate juggling, rope skipping dancing, and singing. In 1939, Whitey was on the playbill with magician Jack Gwynne and four other acts to give the theater audience a well-rounded vaudeville show before the movie 20,000 Men a Year at the Paramount Theater in North Adams, Massachusetts.

Leave it to Whitey to get a 'friend' from the audience to play catch!

             As Whitey eased into the 1940’s, he was back in California. One of his jobs was to help work out the dance steps for Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in the movie The Road to Zanzibar. Although California had its attractions, Whitey still continued to perform in Utah, Idaho, and Indiana to keep his booking attraction alive. In 1942, Whitey was on the playbill with Jack Gwynne and Company at the Paramount in Waterloo, Iowa, as well as Southington, Connecticut. This time, Whitey was a headliner and billed as “Insurance Wonder.” (Whitey said he got the name because the theater managers said he was a guaranteed success whenever he performed his act.) In 1949, Whitey finally made it to Broadway. He was one of the featured acts who headlined with Buddy Ebsen, the Reis Brothers, and a number of other performers. It’s important to know at that time of Vaudeville, other performers who were featured in movies were also performing these one-night stands. Charles Laughton, Nelson Eddy, and others were ‘in between’ performances. At this time of theater’s transition, it was important for actors to be in the public’s eye and be employed. In August of 1950, Whitey was part of the Cumberland Fair in Cumberland, Maryland where he was the Master of Ceremonies. The variety show included The Flying Hartzells, a trapeze act, The Two Adams, a bicycle act, while the feature act of the performance was “The Banana Man.” This act is available online; watch it and be prepared to laugh. The performer was Adolf Proper (November 27, 1886 – December 17, 1950) and he presented an act that never was copied (borrowed from a few times) because it was just too much work. He would appear on stage and begin producing everything from a large magnet, to a clarinet, or a violin. He didn’t stop at just producing musical instruments, though. He would then produce watermelons and then there was that first banana. Then, there was another and another. Each time he produced a banana, he would say in a falsetto voice, “Wow!” The audience was roaring in laughter almost from the beginning of the act to the closing.
            Also in 1950, Whitey was cast in a long-lost movie titled “Chained for Life”, in which he performs a short juggling act. As the 1950’s continued, Whitey kept his bags packed, always prepared to travel to his next performance, whether bound for Indiana, Illinois, or Montana. In the 1950’s, Auto Shows were becoming popular, hosted by the leading auto manufacturing companies. Whitey was the perfect person for those types of shows. He was a story telling, and entertainer, and after all of his time on the road, it gave him a chance to stay in a town for up to two or three days.

From a Emcee to a guest performer, Whitey was there.

 
            The bookings kept coming in and Whitey filled the billing as either a variety act or the master of ceremonies (or both, on several occasions). Whitey accepted bookings for fair dates, specialty clubs, private engagements, or corporation gatherings and he even added a bell-ringing portion to round out his act. Any engagement that kept him busy was the perfect for this special performer. As the 1970’s ended, Whitey was booked on a daytime variety show called The Mike Douglas Show. Douglas’s show would feature celebrities and occasionally a specialty act or two. That was the case for the July 1979 show that aired on a Thursday afternoon. The show included singer Lou Rawls, the Saunders Troupe performing teeterboard acrobatic routines and other feats, and Whitey. Douglas had Whitey return a few more times before the year ended. The audience thoroughly enjoyed watching Whitey skip rope and combine his ending with juggling and plate spinning. One of the highlights of Whitey’s life in the 1970’s was his performance on NBC’s new program called The Gong Show. He was on the pilot and he won first place performing a little rope work and a bit of dancing.

What a smile!

            In his lifetime, Whitey was a member of the Masons, The S.A.M., I.B.M., The Masquers Club and The Academy of Magical Arts. He continued to help younger performers in entertainment whenever he had the opportunity. He worked all the showrooms at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. He would sit all the way in the back of the showroom and enjoy the show any chance he could. He would go up to the performer after the act and give out words of encouragement and, before the conversation was over, he would ask if the performer wanted to work “next week.” He knew all of the local agents and if Whitey helped someone get a booking, he was in seventh heaven.

Whitey was "one of America's Foremost Entertainers a good friend.

            After all that Whitey accomplished on stage and off, time and age caught up to him. He died on September 21, 1999, in Los Angeles, California. He left behind a record of performances that few performers could even come close to today. The dedication to his love for his art shown through with every performance and with anyone who crossed paths with him. He was so enthralled with life that if someone met him on the street and looked into his eyes, Whitey’s smile, personality, and lust for life would have rubbed off on them.