Virgil

Virgil (July 17, 1900 - October 12, 1989)) was born Virgil Harris Mulkey in Eugene, Oregon.

After college in 1925, Virgil, with 850 pounds of equipment, began his career in vaudeville.

In 1927, Virgil became friends with MacDonald Birch playing the same territories year after year.

Around 1935, Virgil accidently injured an young girl named Julie Capnotti who came up to help him during a routine. Virgil felt so badly about the accident that he started visiting her and through this incident they fell in love and shortly married.

In 1952, he carried his "The Big Show" consisting of 20 illusions, 120 costumes, and 19 full sets of scenery to New Zealand as the start a world tour.

The career of Virgil & Julie spanned over sixty years, including five world tours covering more than thirty countries through the end of the 1970s. The two finally retired in Olympia, Washington. They were noted for their Spirit Cabinet presentation and in their later years started doing a Mentalism act.

Awards and honors

• In April of 1967, Ring 70 of the IBM paid tribute by adopting the name "The Great Virgil and Julie Ring."
• 1971 awarded "Master Fellowship" from the Academy of Magical Arts

Reference

• The Virgil World Tour (as related by Virgil to Irving Desfor),

Genii 1964 March, vol. 28, no. 7 to Genii 1964 November, vol. 29, no. 3.