Howard Mitchell

Howard Mitchell
Born	Howard E. Mitchell 1918 Whittier, California
Died	2012

Howard Mitchell and his Mitchell Marionettes have performed at county, state and regional fairs around the United States for over four decades, since the 1960s.

Biography

Mitchell's introduction to magic came at an early age, when he was taken to the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles to see the full length Thurston show. When he was in High School he met the magician Leo Irby, who coached him. He joined the army and served his country in the European theater, where he was twice wounded during the invasion of Germany

After the war, at their minister's request, Mitchell made a ventriloquist dummy for a local boy, then decided to make one for himself and to learn the technique. Soon he was manufacturing his own line (flex-o-flesh) of vent figures.

He became involved with the Whittier Community Players where he did lighting design and other production tasks for plays in which his cousin, future-President Richard Nixon, was the male lead.

Mitchell was drafted into the Army in 1944 and sent to Germany, where Mitchell kept a deck of cards and various magic paraphernalia secured in the webbing of his helmet.

The Mitchells attended Nixon’s first inauguration and Howard performed a magic show for Nixon and fellow Duke University alumni.

Mitchell has long served the S.A.M. Assembly Number 22 and with his wife Marjorie they worked for the S.A.M. Magic Hall of Fame, of which he is now a member.

He served a term as president of the Los Angeles County Chapter of the Puppeteers of America.

Awards and honors

• Thayer Plaque for Beautiful Apparatus
• Chaudet Showmanship award
• "Member of the Year," receiving the Neil Doren Memorial, Leadership Plaque (SAM Assembly 22 in 1963)