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[[File: CharlesBertram1.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ Charles Bertram]]]]
[[File: Tampa1.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ Tampa]]]]


'''Charles Bertram''' (b.1853-d.1907) was a British magician who performed for royalty and appeared several times at the [[Egyptian Hall]]. He was a favorite performer of King Edward VII.
'''Tampa''' (b.1887-d.1939) was born Raymond Stanley Sugden in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania.


== Biography ==
== Biography ==


The year of birth of Charles Bertram is not clear. Most articles in magic magazines claim born 1853, Edwin A. Dawes claims 1863. Some pages in Internet claim born 1855.  His tombstone doesn’t show the year, the author of the Bertram’s-Grave-Page claims 1855.  
He became a professional magician at the age of 30, performing a Chinese act with magician Ray Hartman in the "Chau Tung Mysteries". When Hartman was drafted, Sugden started performing with his wife and two sons under the name "Sugden the Magician". In 1925, Sugden changed his billing to "Sugden England's Court Magician". He was friends with [[Harry Kellar]], [[Houdini]], and [[Howard Thurston]]. He assisted Thurston in the planning of illusions such as his "Ghost in the Blue Room", "Beauty", and "East Indian Rope Trick". He also built effects for Thurston including a version of the "Spirit Painting" effect.


It is suspected that he adopted his stage name in 1881 of Charles Julius Bertram (1723-1765).
Howard Thurston signed Sugden to a ten year contract on November 2, 1925. In 1926, he traveled with a full evening show under Howard Thurston as "Tampa England's Court Magician". In 1929, the stock market crashed and everything came to a halt for the world of entertainment. Thurston was barely keeping his company paid. He couldn't keep the Tampa show booked, so Ray started to find bookings on his own. Thurston only saw that Sugden was taking business away, not helping to keep the "Thurston" name in the public's mind. Sugden suggested that they part company and end the contract. Thurston kept delaying inevitable.  
Originally a victualler (traditionally a person who supplies for the crew of a ship food, beverages and other provisions on a vessel at sea) and landlord of Bassett's Hotel (formerly known as Petter's Hotel), a tavern at the corner of Garrick-street and New-street (now New Place) which still exists today as The Round House. Bertram became bankrupt 1882 and turned to conjuring as a full-time profession.  


[[Charles Bertram|Read more about Charles Bertram…]]
[[Tampa|Read more about Tampa…]]

Latest revision as of 18:11, 25 August 2024

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Tampa (b.1887-d.1939) was born Raymond Stanley Sugden in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania.

Biography

He became a professional magician at the age of 30, performing a Chinese act with magician Ray Hartman in the "Chau Tung Mysteries". When Hartman was drafted, Sugden started performing with his wife and two sons under the name "Sugden the Magician". In 1925, Sugden changed his billing to "Sugden England's Court Magician". He was friends with Harry Kellar, Houdini, and Howard Thurston. He assisted Thurston in the planning of illusions such as his "Ghost in the Blue Room", "Beauty", and "East Indian Rope Trick". He also built effects for Thurston including a version of the "Spirit Painting" effect.

Howard Thurston signed Sugden to a ten year contract on November 2, 1925. In 1926, he traveled with a full evening show under Howard Thurston as "Tampa England's Court Magician". In 1929, the stock market crashed and everything came to a halt for the world of entertainment. Thurston was barely keeping his company paid. He couldn't keep the Tampa show booked, so Ray started to find bookings on his own. Thurston only saw that Sugden was taking business away, not helping to keep the "Thurston" name in the public's mind. Sugden suggested that they part company and end the contract. Thurston kept delaying inevitable.

Read more about Tampa…