Richards the Wizard – He Truly Deceived

The art of magic is all about mystery and deception. The life of Ralph Richards is somewhat of a mystery, and he took the deception part a little too far. He did have a great looking throw-out card however, as can be seen in the two variant examples below. The cards were glued into a scrapbook and as such, I do not know if they are identical on the back of each card, or if one might have been blank. I am going to assume they were the same.

Richard’s life and career has fascinated more than a couple of magic historians, probably due to the fact that so little can be found on him. His real name was either Ralph Alanson Ennes/Ennis or Ralph Bruce Ennes/Ennis. I have found references to both names. I don’t know when he was born, but it looks like maybe he was from Detroit, Michigan from the following clippings from M-U-M for membership in the S.A.M.

From M-U-M magazine for June 1919



From M-U-M for May 1921

In The Sphinx for October, 1914, T. J. Crawford states: “Recently I had the pleasure of meeting and witnessing the performance of “Richards the Wizard”. He has the largest exclusive magic show that has been through the South since Thurston’s tour two years ago.” J. P. Ornson of Buffalo N. Y.  writing in The Sphinx for June, 1922 had this to say: “Richards the Wizard was here and is gone, but he left a wonderful impression. His advance agents plastered the entire East side with devils, ghosts, question marks, and flashy paper announcing the coming of Richards”. “When he made his first bow to a Buffalo audience at 8:15 that evening every seat and available standing room was occupied.” Ornson also stated: “His Crystal Gazing completely mystified his audience”.

Window Cards and a "Pitch" Book for Richards

Richards enjoyed a period of success with his two hour show composed of Magic and Crystal Gazing. The late Tommy Windsor from Marietta, Ohio wrote an article on Richards in the Linking Ring for March of 1969. Tommy stated: “I thought then (and still do) that he was one of the great magicians of the world”. According to Tommy, when Richards appeared in Marietta in 1929, Richards was having health issues, and his show was attached for back salaries for his assistants. “Richards bid them a fond adieu and walked out leaving his show on stage”.

From the Linking Ring for March 1969

Richards evidently retired from touring his show, but he was not done. This is where he decided to take the art of deception to a new level. Marquis the Magician writing in the Linking Ring in December of 1934 mentions that “Richards retired from the road to broadcast his mental act over the Mexican Station XER”. The book Border Radio written by Gene Fowler and Bill Crawford states that it was actually XEPN out of Piedras Negras, Mexico. Richards did what a lot of other fortune tellers did in those days. By broadcasting from Mexico, out of reach from U.S. law, he could have a mail-order business and listeners would send in money to have him answer their questions. He added a Dr. to the front of his name, and Ms.D., Ps.D. after it, and persuaded people to invest in numerous money-making schemes.  George Marquis added another story in the Linking Ring for August of 1936.

By now Ralph Richards was doing nothing more than running various confidence games, the promoting of the oil land above being one of them.  He tried to stay one step ahead of the law in the U.S., but of course in this case justice won out in the end. After the feds caught up with him, he did two stretches in federal prison. After Richards was released, he did one last trick worthy of his status as a great magician. He just vanished. No one seems to know what happened to him, where he ended up, or when he died.

I am going to leave you with these final words written by Tommy Windsor in that article from the Linking Ring way back in March of 1969: “Of course, Richards flourished before magic clubs really got started, but still, it seems to me that there should be more literature… or more information available on this man who had such a big show.”

Loring Campbell

Alexander Loring Campbell was born on March 19, 1905 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma where in just a few short years, the senior A.L. Campbell and his wife Byrd closed the drug store, packed up their belongings, and had their son comfortably set up in the back seat of the family car for the long trip to Southern California. Loring’s first exposure to magic was watching a group of Japanese performers known as the Ten’ichi Troupe of magicians. It wasn’t long after that Loring tapped by the “Goddess of Magic” and she didn’t let go.

    

  Whether it was entertaining classmates, or working a summer performance in full make-up in a polka dotted suit being billed as “Cambello the Clown”; Loring was fulfilling his destiny to become a full-fledged, professional magician.

After his schooling, Loring captured the attention of the managers of the Redpath-Horner Chautauqua circuit. He was contracted to work a twenty-five week tour. The only condition he had to agree to was being billed as magician Jack Gwynne. Gwynne wasn’t able to complete his contract and it was too late for the management company to alter the advertisements that were in the hands of every place Loring was to perform. So, taking everything in the old adage “the show must go on”, Loring Campbell was “Jack Gwynne”.

 

 A little known fact in magic history was when in 1929, Howard Thurston was searching for “one more traveling company” to take another one of his sponsored shows out along with his own show, and the Dante and Tampa show; Loring was also in the running. He readily declined, just as McDonald Birch, Werner "Dorny" F. Dornfeld, George Marquis and  Jack Gwynne. This time, Thurston has decided the name for the magician under the Thurston banner would be "Faust the Magician". All declined for the similar reasons; they wanted to keep their name and they their own performance style. When the International Brotherhood of Magicians was founded, Loring joined and was member number twenty-two. He did all that he could to find more members to join this newly established society of magicians wherever he traveled. Loring wasn’t alone in this life adventure, his wife Kathryn was at his side working in the show, on the show, and keeping the show going for many years. Kathryn kept the bookkeeping details kept the rabbits fed, and made sure Loring was on top of his game wherever they performed.

    

They toured throughout the United States dozens of times. Audiences and managers alike praised their magic shows. Loring included numerous effects from sleight of hand, to a presentation of the guillotine, and he would also include escapes. Their two-hour show would change every year and Loring would keep in touch with magic dealers and include whatever the latest effects were popular. He would also update his brochures and posters making sure he would keep the attention on the idea of fun for the entire family. 

          

How could you pass up

seeing this show?

 

      

       

       Whether Loring was performing his noted ventriloquist act with his sidekick, Johnny Applewood, or he stepped up to the artist’s easel and created wonderful rag pictures for all to enjoy; Loring had found his life’s dream and it did come true. He was a member of Los Magicos of Hollywood, Society of American Magicians, and he was a member of the Hollywood Comedy Club. 

           Loring wrote a column for the Tops Magazine titled “The Campbell Caravan” that was enjoyed by all its subscribers. He was elected into the Society of American Magicians Hall of Fame. Loring wrote two books This is Magic in 1945 and Magic That Is Magic in 1946. He retired from the stage in 1955. Kathryn passed away in 1958. Loring continued his interest in magic always there helping other performers and keeping in touch with magic friends he had met for the many years he was on the road. Loring passed away on January 11, 1979.