Jerry Blount

Jerry Blount
Born	Gerald R. Blount circa 1927
Died	July 21, 2015 (age 87) New Jersey

Jerry Blount (b.1927-d.2015), a teacher by profession, was the publisher of Talisman (1970-1971).

Biography

Blount had a long and distinguished career in the world of magic as well as in the college classroom in the field of finance.

His interest in magic began in Philadelphia when he was around 6 and continued in New Jersey where he began visiting magic shops. While he was in high school, his ideas on magic appeared in the book Tips on Soft Soap and in the Phoenix magazine.

He graduated from Duke University and later received a master's degree from the University of Michigan in 1951.

Blount joined the IBM in Atlanta in 1946, later moved to Raleigh and then to Arlington, Virginia. He worked Saturdays, summers, and during Christmas holidays at Harry Baker's Fun House. He married his wife Avie in the 1950s and they moved to California. He would retired as teacher of finance at California State University.

In 1964, he moved to Baltimore where he wrote for Yogi-Gram and helped on Saturdays in Phil Thomas' magic shop. A year later, Jerry was back in California. He joined The Magic Castle in 1967 and began writing items for Genii magazine. He began Talisman magazine in 1970, first with Jules Lenier, and later alone.

Around 1971, he began running "Kid's Day" (a special program for the children of Magic Castle members), helping with the Castle membership committee, and in the early days of the awards banquets, on the nomination committee. He was also part of the original sponsor group for The Castle Junior Society.

He booked outside shows for The Magic Castle in the early 1970s and again in the late 1970s booking the close-up and parlor performers. He ran lectures at The Castle from the time lectures moved "in house" until he moved back east again.

In 1987, he and Avie moved to Baltimore, Maryland for a year. During that time he took over running Phil Thomas' Old Magic Shop and relocated it to Ellicot City, Maryland where it was renamed Main Street Magic. At this time he also joined the SAM assembly in Columbia, Maryland and IBM 50 in Washington D.C.

They then moved to Chicago and to other locales over the next few years.

Finally, in December 1992, he and Avie settled down in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he joined SAM Assembly 226. He worked on the Norfolk's local I.B.M. newsletter for a few months. In 1996, he had an article in the Parade associated with the I.B.M. convention in Norfolk.

He also contributed articles to Ed Fowler's column, "Elders for the East and West" newsletter.

Awards and Honors

• Special Award of Merit at the Magic Castle awards banquet. (1977)
• Honorary life membership to The Magic Castle (1987)

Publications

• Items in Tips on Soft Soap (contributor)
• Item for I.B.M. Ring 50's book, Nifty Fifties (contributor)
• Phoenix (contributor)
• Hugard's Magic Monthly (contributor)
• Tops (contributor)
• Genii (contributor)
• Yogi-Gram (contributor)
• Talisman magazine (publisher and editor)