Len Vintus

Len Vintus
Born	Melvin Justus Given McMullen June 19, 1903 Canada
Died	June 17, 1999 (age 95) Winnipeg, Canada
Nationality	Canadian

Len Vintus (b.1903-d.1999), born Melvin Justus Given McMullen in Canada, was co-founder of the IBM (he was member #1) and served as its first president from 1922-1926. Vintus also edited the original Linking Ring magazine.

Biography

Vintus had a successful career as a semi professional entertainer doing Ventriloquism as Len Vintus & Jerry "The Talking Doll". Thinking that his real name was too cumbersome for show business, he lifted the last syllable from his surname and combined two syllables from his other names to come up with Len Vintus.

His day jobs were as a as General Manager with North American Lumber, building consultant, chairman of a school board, and a prominent person in Manitoba's board of trade work. As Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce he was to become known as Mr. Manitoba in Canada.

Publications

• Magicians of The World (1976)
• A Memorable Magic Tour (1979)

Awards and honors

• Associate Member of The Inner Magic Circle (Silver Star).
• Linking Ring Cover May, 1925
• Special fellowship for his research work from the Academy of Magical Arts (1980)
• Honored guests at I.B.M. International Convention in Minneapolis July, 1997

References

• Cover, The Linking Ring, Vol. III, No. 1, May 1925, LEN VINTUS, page 6
• Genii, Vol. 16, No. 5, January 1952, L. VINTUS, THE MAN WHO FOUNDED THE I.B.M. BY CHARLES A. ROSSKAM, page 199
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 33, No. 1, March 1953, Melvin Justus Given McMullen, page 48
• The Magic Circular, Vol. 75, No. 813, February 1981, THIS IS YOUR LIFE, by PETER D. BLANCHARD, page 48
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 79, No. 8, August 1999, Len Vintus, I.B.M. # 1 and First President June 19, 1903 - June 17, 1999 by Dean Gunnarson, page 50, BROKEN WAND LEN VINTUS, page 117