Carl Rosini

Carl Rosini
Born	Jakob Rosenzweig April 14, 1885 Lodz, Poland
Died	February 23, 1969 (age 83) Clearwater Beach, Florida

Carl Rosini (b.1885-d.1969) born Jakob Rosenzweig in Poland was of Jewish origin. He changed his name to John Rose and performed as Carl Rosine, then later as Carl Rosini, in 1918 he became an American citizen. Carl Rosini performed for crowned heads of Europe, Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt.

Biography

Rosini started his magic career as an assistant to The Great Anthony, who billed himself as "The Swankiest Swank of All the Swanks". Anthony did a hypnotism act and would apparently hypnotized Rosini. Rosini would then perform his magic act.

After leaving Anthony, Rosini met Harry Houdini's agent, Harry Day. Day was so impressed he got Rosini booked for two years at Ramsgate and Eastbourne. Rosini then moved to London where he met Sims, a magician known for his coins and cards. Sims was appearing at the Alhambra, which he had a long and attractive contract, but other commitments required him to leave. He recommended Carl as a successor. While working on the Alhambra, Rosini met Ten Ichi and his daughter Tenka. Ten Ichi was featuring the Thumb Tie. Ichi asked Carl to teach Tenka a billiard ball manipulation and in return he would teach Carl the thumb tie. Carl would later go on to feature the thumb tie very successfully in his act.

In 1906, Rosini was one of the featured acts along with a ballet number. He met and soon married one of the ballerinas, Peggy Barclay. She became his assistant in the act. For many months the Rosinis toured Germany around 1909. In 1910, they toured South America. After another stint in England around 1911, they emigrated to the United States and toured the Vaudeville circuit.

From 1913 to 1914 the Rosinis toured with Harry Lauder throughout the United States. Carl was a mentor to a young Paul Vucci, who would ended up taking on his mentor's name and performing as Paul Rosini.

Carl and his wife entertained the troops in 1943 as part of the USO tour during World War II.

After 45 years in show business, in 1948, the Rosinis retired from active show business to Flushing. New York where Carl became an active member of both the International Brotherhood of Magicians and Society of American Magicians. They eventually moved to Clearwater Florida where they stayed until his death.

Rosini is credited with originating the Vanishing Cane (very similar to that marketed by Russ Walsh) in 1906, as well as other items in the catalogs of Holden's and Tannen's.

Honors

• SAM Assembly in Clearwater, Florida was named the Carl Rosini Assembly in his honor.

Books

• Carl Rosini - His Life and His Magic By Robert E. Olson (1966)

References

• The Sphinx, Vol. 14, No. 10, December 1915, The Rhode Island Society of Magicians, C. Foster Fenner, Secretary, page 185
• Cover, The Sphinx, Vol. 44, No. 6, August 1945, The Cover, page 156
• The Conjurors' Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 6, August 1946, Soldiers in Grease Paint USO – Camp Shows Magicians, by Julien J. Proskauer and Alex S. Nyary – The Rosinis, ppage 22
• Cover, The Gen, Vol. 7, No. 3, July 1951, Front Page Personalities, Carl Rosini, page 67
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 41, No. 2, April 1961, The Carl Rosinis, by Ed W. Dart, page 37
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 46, No. 6, June 1966, Happy Birthday, Carl, by Ed W. Dart, page 98
• Cover, The New Tops, Vol. 3, No. 5, May 1963, Cover Portrait … Carl Rosini, by Robert E. Olson , page 2
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 49, No. 4, April 1969, Broken Wand, Carl Rosini, by Ed. W. Dart, page 111
• The New Tops, Vol. 9, No. 4, April 1969, Final Curtain, Carl Rosini, by Ed W. Dart, page 32
• M-U-M, Vol. 58, No. 12, May 1969, Broken Wands, Carl Rosini, by Ed W. Dart, page 21
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=93559378 Carl Rosini