Joseph J. Kolar (1884
-1949) born in Chicago, Illinois. His father performed throughout Europe before
young Kolar was born. In 1908, he was billed as Kolar, King of Locks and
Chains. Kolar claimed to have the only iron bound bag escape of its
kind in the world. He was a close friend of Harry Houdini. They both appeared
at the Clark Street Museum. His wife joined her husband on the Western
Vaudeville circuit and others. Hazel was billed as the world's greatest mind
reader during her contract at the Oriental Theater in Chicago in 1914.
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| Can you remove this card from the string as easy as Kolar? |
His act and show
includes magic and escape work, as well as juggling and slack
wire walking. In 1921, Kolar was strapped in, and escaped from an insane jacket by
an attendant from the Dunning Insane Asylum. He was good friends with A.M. Wilson. Kolar
had a monthly column for The Sphinx called "Chats
by Kolar."
Among his magic effects he developed and marketed were the "Original Kolar Tag Trick"(advertised in National Magic Company's catalog as M182), and "Straw and String Trick," and "Kolar's Card Effect."
And his daughter Betty Jane was a magician too.
ReplyDeleteHe also originated the "Card Gallows." A card was selected and returned to the deck. A noose was put around the deck and set on a gallows. When the trapdoor was pulled the cards all dropped down but the chosen one.
ReplyDeleteThe fine folks at magictricks.com offer the following:
ReplyDeleteKolar, Joseph
(1883-1949) Born December 16. American magician and escape artist who billed himself as "The Great Kolar" during his performing career. His catch phrase was, "Give my regards to the Chief of Police". His was a magical family: his father was a vaudeville magician who toured Europe, and his daughter was the magical child prodigy, Betty Jane Kolar. By 1927, he had retired from show business, and began to write the popular "Chats With Kolar" column in Sphinx magazine. He is credited with inventing several effects taht are still performed today including Clippo (his version was called "Kolar's Magic Shears") and the padlock mentalism effect later adapted by Ted Annemann as Seven Keys To Baldpate.
Does anyone happen to know anything about what happened to Betty Jane Kolar? I'm trying to find out more about her life as an adult for a documentary I'm making. Please contact me at: doug@d-word.com. Thanks!
ReplyDelete