Help us get to over 8,756 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
Joe Cook
Joe E. Cook ( March 29, 1890 - May 15, 1959), born Joseph Lopez, played in traveling medicine shows before making his stage debut in vaudeville in 1907 as part of a juggling act that included his brothers.
Along with being a great comedian, tight rope walker, musician, sharpshooter, acrobat, juggler, actor and mechanic, Cook was also a magician.
Billed as "The One-Man Vaudeville" (despite the presence of stooges), Cook recreated his 1928 Broadway hit "Rain or Shine" for the Columbia Pictures in 1930. Cook played the dedicated promoter who, when the circus performers fail to live up to expectations, takes over the show himself. Cook did not return to the screen until 1935, in "Arizona Mahoney". He once again played a traveling circus entrepreneur, this time attempting to turn cowpoke.
Stricken by Parkinson's disease, he retired from show business in 1942. He died at his Poughkeepsie (New York) home at the age of 69.
References
- Abra JUNE 6th, 1959
- http://www.fandango.com/joecook/biographies/p14701