Paul Vandy

Paul Vandy
Born	Charles Edward Maynard Bet. 1873-1875 Nottingham (allegedly)
Died	19th October 1950 Wentworth House, The Green, Richmond, Surrey
Nationality	English
Flourished	1894 - 1929

Paul Vandy, the juggling magician, was a prolific performer from around 1894 to 1930.

Often billed as "The World Famous Magical Juggler", "The Jocular Juggler", "The Juggler King", "The Great Vandy", "the Best Plate Juggler on Earth", the Greatest Juggling Novelty in the World", "the Peerless Vandy" and "England's Extraordinary Entertainer". He was primarily a juggler and eqilibrilist but gained notoriety as a magician as his career progressed. He was the highest paid specialist act on record when he agreed to tour South Africa with Fillis' Grand Circus at the turn of the century.

When he started out he was represented by Tom Coleno of Nottingham. His act was so successful that at the age of 18 in 1892 a challenge was issued in The Era which read: “PAUL VANDY - the Novel, Fantastic Young Juggler and Equlilibrist, Challenges anyone of his Age (Eighteen) to do his tricks with Lamps, Blocks, Plates etc, for One Hundred Pounds. Paul Vandy was simply astounding, some of his feats surpassing far in neatness, dexterity, and boldness even those of much older hands in the renowned Tannaker troupe of Japanese - Todmorden Advertiser. At Liberty for Oct. 31st Wire: TOM COLENO, Nottingham.”

His performances branched from the music hall circuits of the UK to Europe, America and South Africa.

Vandy was one of the owners of the Accrington Hippodrome (prior to it burning down circa 1908) along with Fred Willmot, Frederick Edward Weisker, John Leopold Weisker, William Johnson, and Albert Lindsay Parkinson. He was the partner of Ernest Valentine D'Iffanger (professionally known as Ernest Valentine) in a Theatrical, Musical and Variety Agency, located at 11 Nassau Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, under the style of Valentine's Agency; a business that Vandy took sole ownership of in late 1902. Vandy was also the propreitor of the Magical Pastimes Co and Vandy's Magic Saloon (West Pier, Brighton).

Reading the "English Notes" column within The Sphinx, you can track his progress as a performer. In August 1904, we see that he was appearing at "the Grand" as "a very smart Juggler" and had started "introducing a little conjuring in his act." In April 1909, we find Vandy starring on the same bill as Annie Abbott at the Hippodrome Accrington and by May 1909, Vandy's act was declared "a clever sleight-of-hand and juggling show, fully merits the hearty applause bestowed upon him by the patrons of the Hippodrome, Huddersfield.".

Vandy's novelty act at the The Tivoli, Manchester on July 7, 1913 was fully described in Magical World, New Series (July 1913) and ended with "An excellent act and brilliant showmanship".

Paul Vandy regularly appeared at Maskelyne's Theatre of Mystery heralded in the Observer on 5th October 1922 as follows "“The programme at Maskelyne’s Theatre will be strengthened to-morrow by the addition of Paul Vandy, a clever juggler, who turns himself into a “human billiard table.” Paul Vandy had a good relationship with the proprietor of the theatre and performed there repeatedly between 1922-1929.

Paul Vandy owned a magical depot at 156 Western road, Brighton. His dealer's house organ of general interest was Conjuring was published in in 1914 for at least one issue.