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John H. Percival
| John H. Percival | |
| Born | August 28, 1888 Providence, Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Died | November 13, 1974 (age 86) |
John H. Percival, as the "Mysterious John and Rene," performed an act in clubs, churches and lodges throughout New England with his wife.
His debut as a paid performer came on February 26, 1907 with the name of "Mysterious John" at the Town Hall in Plainsville, Massachusetts (at other times he adopted the name "Rene".)[1]
His interest in magic started as a child and he began buying books and equipment and attending performances of magicians touring the area.
He became a close friend of Thurston, Blackstone and Houdini (whom he at one time acted as "stooge"). A was also a mentor to H. Adrian Smith.
Percival was very active in the magic community. He was a correspondent for the Combined Magical Club Bulletin as part of the Providence Society of Magicians (which he was a president). He served as president of the Rhode Island Assembly of the National Conjurers Association. He was a member of the SAM Boston Assembly No. 9 (which he served as president)and helped organized Assembly 76 in Miami. He was a member of the I.B.M. starting in 1927, attending meetings at Ring 122 (Boston), Ring 44 (Providence), and Ring 150 (Ft. Lauderdale, FL).
He wrote articles in such magazines as M-U-M, Sphinx, the Boston Barnstormer.[2]
Percival retired from the New England Telephone Co. in 1953 after some 48 years, where he was a general personnel assistant in the Boston office. He was a president of the Bristol County Telephone Pioneers of America.[3]
During his lifetime, he had amassed a large library of magic books which he donated over 1,500 of them to the Providence Public Library.[4] He also collected palming coins and magic convention badges.
Contributions
- The Percival Shoe Lace Trick in Master Mysteries of 1933 By Adrian Smith.
- I Stooged for Houdini, MUM, Vol. 53, no. 5, October 1963, page 232.
- Concerning "Elliots Last Legacy", MUM, Vol. 59, no. 8, January 1970, page 21.
