My Magic Father

[Lear]

Cross-posted (edited) to Style Forum.

A photograph of my father (still alive and well)

On the reverse of the photograph it says:


Photographed by Rytter
90 Jermyn Street
London
SW1
Phone: TRA 7342

 

[dhermann1]

Funny how this attire has become so associated with magicians, just as fedoras have become associated with gangsters.
Very nifty. If he was a professional, which he certainly looks to be, then there must be other cool shots of him.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[just_me]

Great, great photo. :eusa_clap

 

[Lear]

Funny how this attire has become so associated with magicians, just as fedoras have become associated with gangsters.
Very nifty. If he was a professional, which he certainly looks to be, then there must be other cool shots of him.
Thanks for sharing!

Yep, he spent most of his life flying around the globe. Lots of shows at the Parisian nightclubs: Le Lido de Paris, Bobino, Le Moulin Rouge etc.

He had a solid white top-hat and tails made for one of the shows. I'll try to dig out the photograph.

 

[Lear]

Great, great photo. :eusa_clap

Thanks That's made my day.

 

[Marzipan]

That's great! So dapper.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Great photo of your pop...

... but I find your avatar photo to be -- how to put this nicely and with great tact? -- unequivocally hideous.

What ARE you thinking? [huh]

 

[Luke 42]

I second that..your avatar really creeps me out.

But to the topic: That is truly a great shot of a super dapper men

Cheers

 

[Lear]

That's great! So dapper.

Yes, he's STILL got it in spades; great voice, charm, superb orator, the list goes on...

 

[Lear]

... but I find your avatar photo to be -- how to put this nicely and with great tact? -- unequivocally hideous.

What ARE you thinking? [huh]

I second that..your avatar really creeps me out.

But to the topic: That is truly a great shot of a super dapper men

Cheers

Do you mean hideous or TRULY HIDEOUS?

If it's the later, then I could be persuaded to swap it for another pic. I also take a much better profile shot. You have to realize, that on that particular day, I'd just rolled out of bed and hadn't shaved for a while.

 

[3PieceSuitGuy]

Style tips

your Dad looks incredible. Maybe he needs to join the lounge and give us some tips on getting white tie correct and the various touches that complete the period look. Things like getting your hair to look right and the products he used ettc! Pomade or brilliantine?

When was the photo taken?

 

[3PieceSuitGuy]

your Dad should. Join the lounge.....

and give us his tips to get White tie just right! Also advice on how he did his hair and the best proucts to achieve the 40's look etc. When was the photo taken? What year?

BTW he looks phenomenal!

 

[Lear]

your Dad looks incredible. Maybe he needs to join the lounge and give us some tips on getting white tie correct and the various touches that complete the period look. Things like getting your hair to look right and the products he used ettc! Pomade or brilliantine?

When was the photo taken?

and give us his tips to get White tie just right! Also advice on how he did his hair and the best proucts to achieve the 40's look etc. When was the photo taken? What year?

BTW he looks phenomenal!

Thanks for the kind words 3PieceSuitGuy. It means a lot to me. But I didn't realize how much it meant to me until now :cry:

I'll try to get him on Skype and get more details. This could take some time though.

The photograph could have been taken anywhere between 1958 - 1965. Once again, I'll have to get back to you on that.

The problem was that his charm, presence and personality made it VERY difficult for his marriage to stay together. My mother (who planned on going to RADA) gave up her love of Shakespeare to become his stage assistant. She had to stay in England when the children came along.

The act was of a completely silent nature and designed around slight of hand. My father had always had a keen interest in electronics; so as well as doves (which were secreted about his custom made coats) his act relied heavily on remote control and electrical tricks. This was when people had no concept of such trickery and cabaret was BIG BUSINESS. My abiding memory, is of him working at the dinning table with a soldering iron for days on end. He was fanatical about magic! But it was a skill based act, requiring thousands of hours of lonesome practice.

His ultimate vanishing act took place when I was about 5 - 6 yeas old. I waved goodbye to him on a train leaving Geneva, Switzerland and didn't see him again until I was 27, in Jamaica. Neither knew if the other was even alive until then!

I now have intermittent contact with him via Skype. Oops! I'm straying off topic here.

My mother tells how when she met him, he was so absorbed with magic that other than his hands, he gave little thought to his appearance.. She was the business minded/ ballsy one. She marched him into a top class theatrical agent and lied through her back teethe about how they were performing at the Churchill nightclub that night. The agent agreed to come and see them perform that same evening. It was then a case of persuading the Churchill to give them a gig for the night. It all took off from there...

The agent (I think he was called Gandrew or Gandew), immediately saw the potential, but insisted he smarten himself up. He was sent to the best photographer in town, and paid a fortune to have done the photograph you see above.

I'll have to check with my mother regarding other clothing. I do know that a lot of the big places like the Lido and Las Vegas, would spend vast amounts having costumes made especially for the artiste. Many fittings were involved. The artiste might be there for anything up to a year!

I do remember going into central London with him for a haircut at his barber. We'd then go to the Lions Corner House for milk shake.

Towards the end, I think the flocking females were his downfall. He was turning into a Dapper Dan, on AND off stage, but with the best kept hands and fingernails in town.

Apologies if I've strayed off topic. I never realized that this would be so cathartic.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Actually, I first posted...

Do you mean hideous or TRULY HIDEOUS? If it's the later, then I could be persuaded to swap it for another pic.

Truly hideous. BUT edited it to "unequivocally hideous" just so as to NOT be misunderstood.

 

[dhermann1]

Avatar

You could also throw in SCAREY! Nightmare inducing!
Anyway, that story is like something out of a movie. He obviously was (is) a true genius, with all the abstraction of genius that goes along with it. Totally possessed by his art. That's how we like to think of people like that. Must have been hard on a small child to be abandoned, but at least you have the realization of what a remarkable man he is as compensation.
More pics! Is he still performing? Any videos of his work?

 

[Lear]

and give us his tips to get White tie just right! Also advice on how he did his hair and the best proucts to achieve the 40's look etc. When was the photo taken? What year?

BTW he looks phenomenal!

Better late than never... I just spoke with my father.

The suit in the photograph was definitely from Saville Row. He cannot remember which company made it. Anyway, it's just a dark outline in the picture, so nothing missed there. All he would say was that that it was bloody expensive! He was of the opinion that secret pockets should be integrated into the waistcoat and not the outer jacket, in order to preserve the lines and cut. This apparently goes against what many others were doing at the time.

The shirt and gloves in the photograph were bought from Austin Reed, Piccadilly, London.

The top-hat was found, after a lot of searching, in a second-hand shop.

The bow-tie was a ready tied type, but fastened around the back, as opposed to a front facing hook or clip.

Hair was held in place with Brylcreem. I do remember him spending a lot of time at the barber

That's it...

Edit: I first posted this, unaware of the 'Community' section. Any mods, please feel free to move. It won't happen again.

 

[RP McMurphy]

Lear

Thank you for sharing such a moving story with us. Your father looks to be a truly Dapper man... something rare in any era I must say.

Though I do find your avatar a bit shocking... I can't help but get a chuckle. Thanks for posting!

 

[Chad Sanborn]

Was/is he a magician? I am a magician as well. What is his name?
I would love to be able to find out more info about his career.

Chad

 

[Lear]

Lear

Thank you for sharing such a moving story with us. Your father looks to be a truly Dapper man... something rare in any era I must say.

Though I do find your avatar a bit shocking... I can't help but get a chuckle. Thanks for posting!

Thanks RP McMurphy

Though not well liked, my avatar accurately reflects my true hideousness

fftopic: When I was about 12 years of age, I came across a magnificent set of chrome plated, metal: toothbrush holder, shave brush holder, bakelite headed brush that screwed into it, soap container and an all metal DE razor. The set had been made especially for my father, complete with initials.

It shames me to say that within a few months, the entire set was smashed beyond recognition. The only remaining item was the toothbrush holder, last seen buried in a sand pit, having been used as a death ray weapon. What did I do?

Was/is he a magician? I am a magician as well. What is his name?
I would love to be able to find out more info about his career.

Chad

Chad

See your PM

 

[RP McMurphy]

Lear

Awww... Kids do alot of things without thinking much about the consequences. Very few people are really capable of appreciating things from the past, particularly when they aren't something one would see every day. I can't tell you how many treasures have been lost in my family simply because nobody looked after them. I wouldn't beat yourself up about it!

RP