Paul Kleist

Paul Kleist
Flourished	1900s-1920s

Paul Kleist (fl.1900s-1920s) was a black art performer who toured in Thurston's show performing in a pantomime clown magic act.

Biography

His nephew by marriage was Frank Van Hoven, who assisted him early in his career.

His act was describe in the October 1955 issue of MUM as :

"Kleist appeared as a clown in costume and make-up, white face—not funny face, but clown white. The stage was black and the "headlights" were adjusted that they did not blind the audience. After Kleist made his appearance things happened as outlined in various books on the subject. Chairs appeared, tables floated and vanished. Spooks came into view and the bones floated apart, dancing, and then the skeleton got himself together again and vanished. A massive bed appeared and Kleist stretched out in the bed and pulled the sheet over his head. Time and again the sheet was whisked off the bed. The bed rose, one end up high causing Kleist to tumble out.