Kalbfleisch – The Magical Marine

During a recent visit with Ray and Ann Goulet, I had the opportunity to go through Ray’s collection of throwing cards. It’s impressive and I was able to acquire three cards with connections to the Philadelphia magic scene. One of those (below) is the subject of this post – Edward C. Kalbfleisch, “The Magical Marine.”

 

I first encountered Kalbfleisch when I wrote a brief monograph on the founding of S.A.M. Assembly #4 as he was one of the charter members. Through the resources of the Conjuring Arts Research Center and “Ask Alexander,” I can provide a bit more information on him.

Kalbfleisch was born Nov. 8, 1893, in New York. According to a bio written for the April 1920 issue of The Magic World, he became interested in magic as a young boy and frequently visited Otto Maurer Jr.’s, Martinka’s, Peck & Snyder and other local magic stores.

His first public appearance came at 14. When he became an adult he took out a magic show but disbanded the effort at the outbreak of World War I. After Kalbfleisch joined the Marines he continued to perform magic and vent for the men.

At some point he moved to Philadelphia but remained with the Marines as he was living at the Naval Shipyard on the south side of the city. He was certainly there by the late teens, as he applied for membership in the S.A.M. at the December 6, 1919, national council meeting. Also submitting their requests for membership that same day were Walter Gibson, Samuel Paul (both soon to be his partners in magic), James C. Wobensmith (National President 1931), Charles Hopkins (producer of advertising memorabilia for Dell O’Dell), Carl Brehmer (Brema – craftsman in brass), Martin Sunshine (famous magic shop owner) and others. Their memberships were confirmed in Feb. 1920. His was #550. He was also a member of the National Conjurors Association.

As mentioned above, in the early 1920s, Kalbfleisch teamed up with two other Assembly #4 charter members, Sam Paul and Walter Gibson, who toured locally billed as “Paul and Company.”

Sam Paul

They offered two-hour show with Kalbfleisch opening with Chinese Rice Bowls, torn and restored papers, handkerchief tricks, and vanish of a female assistant from a cabinet and her instantaneous reappearance at the back of the theater. Paul offered “Hindoo Mysteries” including a Question and Answer act, Talking Skull and Spirit Hand. Gibson produced bowls of water and flowers from a foulard, performed Germain’s Egyptian Water Jars, a transposition of colored balls and pigeons, and closed with Linking Rings.

Kalbfleisch also authored a short series in The Magic World titled, “Magicians Past and Present” where he provided biographic sketches on 27 leading magicians including Compars Herrmann, Robert-Houdin, Kellar, Blitz, Powell, Goldin, Chung Ling Soo, Lafayette and others. His wife was named Grace. 

In the Aug. 8, 1936 Billboard, it was reported that Kalbfleisch had just completed a two-hour show labeled Cavalcade of Mystery and featuring himself and his two vent figures Tom and Jerry, songs, chalk talks and rag pictures by Patty O'Shay, and a complete ghost show in which he introduces Edmee the Mystic, mentalist. The show opened at the Gilmore Cherry Lance Theater in Greenwich Village, New York and was set to play for five weeks.

According to his obituary in the Brooklyn Eagle, Kalbfleisch also performed under the name "Solitaire the Magician." He was active in magic until about 1937, He died of pneumonia Feb. 14, 1942 and is buried in the Long Island National Cemetery in Suffolk County. He is named in the "American Jewish Year Book."

It's clear from my research that he was a lifelong enthusiast who enjoyed the fellowship of other magicians, loved entertaining with magic and ventriloquism, and was forever curious about our conjuring art. And, he had a scaling card.

Tom