Mary Milam Chaudet Brigance – A Life of Music, Song, and Magic

From the Gary Brown Collection

      Mary Ruth Milam was born on October 7, 1920 in Hartford, Arkansas and from an early age she had the gift of song. Her parents, Walter and Margarette hired a coach throughout her early school years that paid off when she won the Arkansas statewide vocal competition. When Mary was just entering high school, her family moved to Chicago, Illinois just a few years before the Great Depression in 1929. Finding jobs was tight and the whole Milam family pitched in to put money home. Mary and her brother Bob, and sister Patti did what they could to help out by selling wooden produce crates. In 1935, Mary and Bob put together a song and dance act and tried out at one of the local talent shows in town. They won the top prize and that opened the door more bookings at the local theaters and small time vaudeville shows. Mary and her brother were booked for a three-month tour with Sid Page’s “Stars of Tomorrow” revue. Included in the troupe was a young magician billed as “Tung Pin Soo”. His offstage name was Al Wheatley (1901 – 1964). 

      Mary and Bob completed their tour and Bob went back home. Mary continued to sing with popular group singers of the day and then had a big break when the trio she was working with performed on NBC network’s featured radio program. Mary’s singing career continued to flourish in the 1940’s and then she decided it was time to hone her talents as a single act. About the same time Mary’s family moved to Hollywood, California. Not long after, Mary’s brother Bob enlisted in the Army. Mary was still finding venues to sing and when she wasn’t performing, she would participate at the U.S.O.’s Hollywood Canteen. More opportunities continued for Mary as she found herself singing with Benny Goodman’s band in 1943. After leaving the Goodman booking, Mary eventually went back to working with the U.S.O. full time. If you were in almost anyone of Mary’s audiences at the time, you would have seen her ‘multitasking’. One performance she was a singer, dancer, or an emcee and then another show would have being a straight man for a comedy team. While Mary was in New York with the U.S.O. tour, she auditioned and was hired to perform with Broadway’s comedy team’s John Olsen and Harold Johnson’s musical revue “Sons o’ Fun”. The show had a good run on “The Great White Way”, but war effort needed them to support the troops in Europe. An added part to Mary’s employment was that she was going to Europe to sing and be bestowed the uniform and rank of captain in the Woman’s Army Corps (WAC). The show’s cast left New York and toured France, Belgium, and safe areas of Germany. The tour ended in Southern France where the military troops were being transported to be cared for and to be shipped out back to America. The show continued to perform for the troops, but this time they were working in one of the remaining viable theaters instead of under gunfire and one night stands. 

      As luck would have it, Mary was offered to go back to New York to work in a new Broadway musical. Just a few months before, Mary’s interest in her career took a detour in Milan, Italy with a young man who was working in Special Services as a magician and producer of the shows. His name was Louis William Chaudet II or “Bill”. As odds would have, both Mary and Bill were almost neighbors from Hollywood, California. Mary and Bill returned home to California. Mary was a featured performer on the "Hedda Hopper Show Case" in Hollywood over CBS. And when the time was right, Mary and Bill were married on June 29, 1946. Bill’s best man was none other than magician Harry Blackstone. Bill was Blackstone’s protégé and they were good friends. Before the year was up Bill and Mary became a part of Blackstone’s traveling show.

     As one of the Blackstone Show’s assistants, Mary was taught a number of illusions and tricks that involved working with everything from canaries to swords. During a hiatus of Blackstone’s full evening show, Bill and Mary took out their own two-person show. 

 

      “The Chaudets” presented a variety show of magic and song. Bill’s knowledge of magic worked well along the singing talents of Mary. Together, they were able to work in local nightclubs throughout the Los Angeles area presenting illusions, magic, and feature Mary’s beautiful singing. They continued to perform together and developed a persona that agents were scrambling to book for their clients. Upon their return to the Blackstone Show, the thrills never ended. One particular performance nearly ended in disaster. While Mary was “floating” it broke! Thank goodness for fast thinking of Blackstone. He caught Mary before she dropped to the stage floor. What kind of man was Harry Blackstone? While he was performing the levitation with his assistant Mary, he would tell her a funny joke knowing she couldn’t laugh, because she was in a trance. Being a part of The Great Blackstone show had its thrills and opportunities too (just ask Adele Friel Rhindress!). 

      Being able to work for someone who dedicated his life for the love of magic was the greatest privilege. The Chaudets continued to perform at magic conventions, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Hawaii, and finished off their touring by continuing to perform at upscale nightclubs and dinner clubs. The act wasn’t limited to small venues. They did perform at fairs and some trade shows too. Mary performed small magic effects like the Linking Rings, silk effects, along with being Bill’s assistant. In 1964, while performing at the S.A.M. National Convention in New York, The Chaudets closed the show with a version of the broom levitation that brought the audience to their feet. Bill enhanced the original idea of two brooms and made them microphones. As Mary was singing the Wright and Forrest song, “Stranger in Paradise”, Bill lifted Mary to the effect’s apex as she sang the words, “…I hang suspended…” 

      They appeared at the opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California in 1955 and just a few months later, they could be seen on television show the Mickey Mouse Club. They would return for the next three years to entertain the Mouseketeers and the television audience with their wonderful presentation of magic and illusion. 

      Bill and Mary also appeared on the Art Linkletter show and Lawrence Welk television shows. In 1965, co-wrote a song entitled, “Big Nobody” that was sung by Pearl Bailey. The song was included in Ms. Bailey’s record album, “For Women Only”. In August of 1967, Bill and Mary divorced. Mary concentrated on her singing career and continued with her interest in magic. She was bestowed a lifetime membership in the magic club in Honolulu, a member of the famed Magic Castle in Hollywood, California, and Mary was a past president of the Hollywood Assembly of the Magigals. Along with pianist friend, Joyce Wellington Bramberg (1924 - 2014), Mary composed, published, and wrote songs for commercials and professional acts. In 1975, Leon Leon, the son of The Great Leon presented an illusion at the P.C.A.M. convention in Santa Rosa, California that stopped the show. The show was set outdoors. Leon had two members from the audience assist him. Mary was one of the two who volunteered. Leon told the audience he was going hypnotize them at one time. The two onstage volunteers were there to act as witness to Leon’s claim. Leon instructed Mary to lie down on a secured long board on the stage and hold onto it. Leon stepped off the stage and walked where the audience seated. He told the audience that since they were hypnotized, they would think they see Mary levitating. With a wave of Leon’s hands, the magic began. Instead of Mary floating, the entire stage began to rise. After it rose to a few feet in the air, it finally slowly dropped back to the ground. The audience loved the entertainment, Mary and her fellow volunteer had a good time, and the fellow behind the scenes with “secret method” went on to make other deliveries. 

 

S.A.M. National President 1954 - 1955

      Mary served as Vice President of Assembly 22 and became the first lady to be on the S.A.M. National Council. She won a number of performance trophies from her local S.A.M. Assembly 22, including the 1979 Best Comedy award. Mary became the first lady to be on the S.A.M. National Council. She married real estate broker Clyde Richard Brigance Jr. (1921 – 2011) in May 28,1970. Mary was the first to volunteer for the S.A.M. Hall of Fame Board. Mary passed away August 27, 1980. She was elected posthumously into the S.A.M. Hall of Fame in 1996. The little girl named Mary from Hartford, Arkansas made her mark collectively with her fellow performers as well as singularly. Mary’s bright personality, willingness to accept all sorts of challenges, and her devotion to her multiple professions was proof she was a remarkable person.

Cards by Martin

Meandering through the “M’s” in my scaling card collection, I came upon two colorful examples produced by a master magic card maker identified as Neil Lester. I knew I had to find out more about this gentleman and so, I did. 

The front of one features “Martin the Magician” while the other promotes his “Cards By Martin” business. The reverse of these cards incorporate four different back designs – two U.S. Playing Card and two Tallyho. The upper left corner shows the Red Rider back while the upper right shows the New Fan. The lower left features the Tallyho Fan back while next to it is the Tallyho Circle back. 

Checking on the Internet revealed that Lester had died at the age of 79 on September 16, 2009 at his home in Lancaster, California. He was a retired U.S. Army/Air Force Korean War veteran who had been fascinated by magic since the age of nine or ten. He even performed magic and hypnotism in the service and he told one friend this interesting story. In the early 1960’s he was stationed in the Korean Demilitarized Zone and was performing magic inside the canteen. During the performance his C.O. busted into the place and ordered everyone to report immediately to the 38th Parallel. Everyone rushed out and later, he and two friends turned up at the checkpoint but were held there because they had arrived fully armed but still wearing their dress tuxedos. Eventually they were cleared to proceed and, we must assume, allowed to get back into uniform.

Neil Lester splitting cards

After he retired from the service he opened the Cactus Rabbit Magic shop at 509 West Avenue in Lancaster, which he ran until 1981. He opened another shop at 24261 San Fernando Rd. in Newhall, California where Jack Hurlbut (1928-1982) served as manager. Hurlbut billed himself as the “World’s Greatest Magic Fan.” He was totally devoted to magic and eventually served as the host, manager and performer at the Magic Castle. 

Lester’s forte was creating customized gaffed playing cards for professional magicians. According to his son Curtis Martin, his dad always said, “There are three parts of a playing card – the front, the back and the core and I can use each of them.” Lester took standard cards, split them apart, inserted shims and gimmicks, trimmed them, cut them and even printed up special orders.

One trick that he designed was called “Slippery Spots.” In this effect the magician forces the five of clubs on the spectator. Losing it in the deck and shuffling the cards, the magician slams the end of the deck on the table. Looking through the deck the five of clubs is found but all the pips have slipped to the bottom of the card. Shuffling the cards again, the magician now slams the side of the deck on the table. Looking through the pack the pips on the five of clubs are found to have all congregated on one side of the card. 

Lester was good friends with all the top card men including Dai Vernon. Lester frequented The Magic Castle and while there, hung out with Vernon and also sold gaffed cards and decks from his briefcase.

When Lester was first starting his custom crafted cards he was searching around for a name and Vernon suggested “Cards by Martin.” Lester liked it and that’s what the business was named.

In March 1978, Vernon wrote of Martin in his “The Vernon Touch” column in Genii:

Some of the cleverest tricks in card magic, as far as effect is concerned, are being brought to life by one of the Castle member s under the name of "Cards by MARTIN." He manufacturers absolutely beautiful trick cards including a Marlo effect (I think it's Marlo's) wherein a poker hand (say four aces and an odd card) visibly changes into a Royal Flush. I only wish my friend Arthur Finley were alive to see the beautiful cards that "Martin" manufacturers. He makes all the trick cards used in Bro. Hamman effects, or the Deland tricks, etc., out of ordinary cards. I understand that these are made to order and that you have to prove you bought the trick originally. "Martin" is an expert at ''splitting a card". It is quite remarkable to see him do this, especially if you have ever struggled over the task of splitting a card for a certain trick. 

Lester used to work at Phil Thomas’ Yogi Magic Mart in Baltimore many years ago. According to Lester’s son, Curtis Martin, his father was working on a book about his cards and card magic with a close friend. Apparently the book was done except for taking photographs. Lester never seemed to get around to doing it but perhaps it will happen in the future. Among the tributes on The Magic Café were these messages:

“Neil Lester was a class act and so very helpful to anyone who asked. In addition, a great loss to the magic community.”

“The magic world has lost an important and wonderful person.”

“…a wonderful person to deal with…thank you Neil…you will be missed.”

“He always got me what I needed and always so helpful. Another great one gone…he will be sorely missed.”

“We’ve lost an irreplaceable friend to magic.”

Lester was a member of the Magic Castle from its earliest days and recognized as a master craftsman by all of the insiders of magic as well as enthusiasts worldwide. I am pleased to have examples of his cards in my collection and pleased, as well, to share it with other enthusiasts.

Tom Ewing