John Sardo and The Celebrity Trick

This post involves John Sardo of Elmira, NY, who was born in 1896. He was a longtime supporter of magic clubs, published a number of effects in The Sphinx, and was instrumental in initiating one of the great minds of conjuring into the magic business. He also created “The Celebrity Trick” and had a nice scaling card.

Sardo was one of the early members of the I.B.M. and in 1930, toured Vaudeville circuits with his magic act. During the 1920s he was active in producing minstrel shows for charitable organizations in his home town of Elmira. Apparently he also operated a magic store in the city and did most of the magical technical work for Blackstone Sr. It was also to this store that a young man traveled from nearby Waverly, NY to learn magic and mind reading under Sardo’s tutelage. 

The first reference of him in Ask Alexander is the Dec. 1920 Sphinx where he contributes a trick called “The Mystic Box.” It is a collapsible box that can be shown empty and then from it are produced multiple loads of spring flowers. Then in the March issue, Sardo reports on a magician performing the Sawing illusion at the Elmira’s Majestic Theater, and having a hearse standing out front with a sign on it reading, “If the saw slips, Fred Lietz, the undertaker, will bury her.” In August 1924, Sardo contributed another effect to The Sphinx, this time a stacked deck arrangement using giant cards.

By 1925, Sardo had his own column in The Sphinx called “News from Elmira, NY.” His December column reported on The Great Leon appearing in town, as well as Fred DeMuth, and Blackstone. Blackstone was at the Lyceum Nov. 2-4 and Sardo and some other magicians had a party for him and his cast.

Sardo intended to attend the 1928 I.B.M. convention but could not because he and his wife Angeline had a new baby boy. This happy event was followed by an unfortunate accident. During Fourth of July celebrations, a toy cannon exploded in Sardo’s hand which blew away his ring finger at the first joint and lacerated the palm of his hand.

An interesting mention of him appears in the Sept. 1928 Linking Ring in connection with a stunt Blackstone Sr. pulled during that I.B.M. convention in Lima, Ohio. Coming out on stage, Blackstone took a large piece of white paper, folded it up and began cutting out a piece here and there and then unfolding it, and putting it up against a black background, revealed the image of I.B.M. President W.W. Durbin. It was an effect created by Sardo which was also advertised for sale elsewhere in that issue. 

Normally with this trick, a number of slips of paper were handed out and audience members wrote the name of any celebrity, the slips were collected and one chosen. The performer then took a sheet of white paper and making several cuts, unfolded it to reveal one of our nation’s presidents, the exact subject an audience member selected. For $7.50 the purchaser got a supply of special paper, a frame, and patterns for five different celebrities of the period.

In 1931, he published an original Rising Card effect in Seven Circles magazine, the official periodical of the International Magic Circle published from April 1931 until June 1934. It seems like a workable effect. 

Sardo and friends must have been members of the International Magic Circle, because a 1931 issue brings news from “Inner Circle No. 1” of Elmira. The Linking Ring for March 1932, announced that Sardo and his wife were blessed with twins – a boy and a girl.

In the 1940s, Sardo continued with magic, but his full-time job was operating the movie theater at Eldridge Park, a local amusement venue in Elmira. 

The carousel at Eldridge Park 

The theater at Eldridge Park, Elmira

By the 1970s, and perhaps before, the late John Sardo’s son Dick was involved in magic and served as the treasurer of the Al Baker Assembly of the S.A.M. in Poughkeepsie, NY. The Jan. 1975 issue of M-U-M reports on Dick, but also mentions his dad’s impact on one young magician. 

It notes that each day, a young man traveled to Elmira from nearby Waverly, NY to assist John Sardo in the operation of his magic shop and to learn the magic ropes. The young man was not only a talented magician but also had an unusual affinity and ability for mind reading and mentalism. He developed into the top flight performer the world knows as Ted Annemann. 

And, we have John Sardo to thank for schooling him in the magical arts. Sardo died April 28, 1960, at 64 years of age. He was survived by his widow Angeline and other relatives.

Tom