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Difference between revisions of "Paul McWilliams"

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'''Paul McWilliams''' was a professional magician who traveled and performed extensively throughout the U.S. many times during his 40 year performing career.
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'''Paul McWilliams''' (1904-1984) was a professional magician who traveled and performed extensively throughout the U.S. many times during his 40 year performing career.
  
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== Biography ==
 
McWilliams became a professional magician in 1925.<ref>Who's Who in Magic, Sphinx, August, 1931</ref> He had played the [[lyceum]], in tent shows, expositions, school assemblies, in theaters with a full evening show, [[vaudeville]], nightclubs, and television. He  also did a clown act under the name of Spoofy and worked for Ringlings, Bertram Mills and  E. K. Fernandes.
 
McWilliams became a professional magician in 1925.<ref>Who's Who in Magic, Sphinx, August, 1931</ref> He had played the [[lyceum]], in tent shows, expositions, school assemblies, in theaters with a full evening show, [[vaudeville]], nightclubs, and television. He  also did a clown act under the name of Spoofy and worked for Ringlings, Bertram Mills and  E. K. Fernandes.
  
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He was a member of the "[[Cercle Magique]]" in Nashville and the [[IBM]] from  1943 to 1965.<ref>Obit, Linking Ring, May 1984</ref>
 
He was a member of the "[[Cercle Magique]]" in Nashville and the [[IBM]] from  1943 to 1965.<ref>Obit, Linking Ring, May 1984</ref>
== References ==
 
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Revision as of 01:21, 23 January 2014

Paul McWilliams
BornJ. Paul McWilliams
September 17, 1904
Columbus, Tennessee
DiedMarch 11, 1984 (age 79)
Irvington, New Jersey

Paul McWilliams (1904-1984) was a professional magician who traveled and performed extensively throughout the U.S. many times during his 40 year performing career.

Biography

McWilliams became a professional magician in 1925.[1] He had played the lyceum, in tent shows, expositions, school assemblies, in theaters with a full evening show, vaudeville, nightclubs, and television. He also did a clown act under the name of Spoofy and worked for Ringlings, Bertram Mills and E. K. Fernandes.

His forte was comedy and he was considered one of the funniest magicians of his time. He billed himself as ""The Merry Magician" and "America's Most Amusing Magician". His face appeared in the Ripley "Believe It or Not" cartoon (July 19, 1934). He did the act of holding four golf balls in his mouth at five World's Fairs.

McWilliams performed an amazing 173 shows at the the John Hix Exhibit of the New York World's Fair on July 23, 1939. Also at the World's Fair, he met Connie Brook, who was working as a dancer. They married on February 4, 1940 in Franklin, Kentucky. Connie immediately became a part of the McWilliams show.

During World War II, The McWilliams were among the first to join the U. S. O. Camp Shows performing all over the United States.[2]

He was a lifelong friend of David Price. Price used McWilliams career in his book "Magic A Pictorial History History of Conjurers in the Theater" (1985) as an example of all the wonderful magicians who, because of "the breaks" or other reasons, did not make it to the top rung of magical success.[3]

After retiring from show business, they ran concessions at Olympic Park in Irvington, New Jersey. He advertised, in 1980, an effect called "Is This P K?" which sold for $50 that was a levitation of a cigar tube.

He was a member of the "Cercle Magique" in Nashville and the IBM from 1943 to 1965.[4]

References

  1. Who's Who in Magic, Sphinx, August, 1931
  2. Magic A Pictorial History History of Conjurers in the Theater by David Price (1985)
  3. TWO OF MY FAVORITE CARDS by MICHAEL CLAXTON, Magicol May, 2005
  4. Obit, Linking Ring, May 1984