Help us get to over 8,748 articles in 2024.

If you know of a magician not listed in MagicPedia, start a New Biography for them. Contact us at magicpediahelp@gmail.com

Difference between revisions of "Richard Valentine Pitchford"

From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians.
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 17: Line 17:
 
He was also president of the Society of American Magicians three times.
 
He was also president of the Society of American Magicians three times.
  
In 1957, he appeared on the Festival of Magic. This is believed to be the only known footage of Cardini performing.
+
In 1957, he appeared on the Festival of Magic. This is believed to be the only known footage of Cardini performing his act.
 
{{#ev:youtube|38nbBGKbyeI}}
 
{{#ev:youtube|38nbBGKbyeI}}
  

Revision as of 01:41, 20 May 2008

Wikipedia-logo.png This page incorporated content from Richard Valentine Pitchford,

a page hosted on Wikipedia. Please consult the history of the original page to see a list of its authors. Therefor, this article is also available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

Richard Valentine Pitchford (November 24, 1895 – November 13, 1973) was a master magician who performed under the name Cardini.

He was born in a coal-mining town in Mumbles, Wales.

He joined the British Army during World War I and passed time in the trenches by practicing card manipulations. After being injured in battle, he continued to hone his magic skills in the hospital.

He performed in Australia and then in Canada where he entered the United States from British Columbia. While working his way across the U.S. he met his wife and lifelong assistant Swan Walker in Chicago.

Cardini enhanced his performance by incorporating his magic tricks into a skit coordinated to music. One of the unusual features of a Cardini performance was that he did sleight of hand wearing white gloves.

He was honored in 1970 with the title "Master Magician" by the Magic Castle.

In 1999 he was named one of Magic Magazine's Top Magicians of the 20th Century.

He was also president of the Society of American Magicians three times.

In 1957, he appeared on the Festival of Magic. This is believed to be the only known footage of Cardini performing his act.

References