Stanley Hunt – Continental Conjuror

This post features a popular magician whose presence on the magic scene spanned three continents. Sometimes when I’m researching these magicians, I check Ask Alexander and get, perhaps, two or three hits. When I scanned for Stanley Hunt, “Bob’s Your Uncle” as the Brits say. There were literally dozens and dozens of references to him and all very complimentary.

An active and popular performer, he began life in England, moved to the United States, and then emigrated to Australia. On all three continents he was admired and beloved. His card represents an ace of spades with a caricature of him inside the large ace, shooting cards from hand to hand. The back is designed by Dougherty Playing Card Company and is identified as a narrow size red angel No. 68 Squeezer. 

His full name was Arthur Stanley Hunt and he was a member of the Magic Circle M.I.M.C. He moved to New York around 1928-29 and quickly made a name for himself on the magic scene. He was a member of the S.A.M., #1714, and later of the I.B.M. 

On April 22m 1930, Hunt appeared on a Ladies’ Night show of the Parent Assembly. Also on the bill that night were William Meyerberg, Past National President B.M.L. Ernst, William Wisnew, Willard “The Man Who Grows,” and others. Hunt presented a vanishing glass of milk, color changing deck of cards and a cut out of a dog who identified selected cards by wagging his tail. He also performed the Magic Stamp Album.

The trick involving the dog deserves additional background. It was created by British magician J.F. Orrin but popularized by Hunt. It soon was offered by Max Holden and called “Reckless Rupert.” The dog sniffs the deck and by wagging his tail, identifies which card or cards were selected. Apparently it was a laugh riot.

 

When not performing magic Hunt was head of the shoe department of Abraham & Strauss, a large department store in Brooklyn. He must have been good because in 1935 he was engaged by Myer Emporium Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia as merchandise manager for all of its shoe departments. Hunt sailed for Australia in June of that year. 

On his way out of town he was hosted by Los Magicos, the Los Angeles magic club in the home of magician and book collector Earl Rybolt. He stayed with the Myer company for 32 years rising up through the ranks to become Chairman of Directors in 1964.

Hunt was a co-founder of I.B.M. Ring 84 in Melbourne and held many positions. He never sought the presidency because of the press of business. Even in retirement he avoided office because half of the year he spent in Melbourne and the other in Queensland where he had a second home in what was called “Surfer’s Paradise” a kind of Miami of Australia.

Ian Baxter, writing in his obituary in The Linking Ring said of him, “Stanley Hunt was skilful and humorous; he realised the power of magic to entertain, and he knew the value of simplicity in effects and methods. Who wouldn’t laugh at his slick rendition of Edward Victor’s “Eleven Card Trick?” And Stanley had a few specialties of his own: The Color Changing Waistcoat; the famous Stamp Album; the Hunt Spoon vanish; his witty dice stacking routine. The list goes on and on.” He was an Order of Merlin member of the I.B.M. with number 11447.

Hunt died October 18, 1977 at the age of 75. Obituaries appeared in all the major magic magazines and the conjuring profession lost another bright light.

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.