More from Matt about Ron Leonard
Another
comment from Matt DiSero, on the post
Remembering Ron Leonard:
I just found a old VHS tape of a hat and rabbit club show I was on with Ron from 1996... he was the emcee. Black Tux, Red cummerbund. White Hair. It was later in his life...but he was still great. He did the production of the oranges and lots of great emcee bits. Man he's fun to watch. I miss him. Jeff Pinsky is right...he was an amazing business man... I STILL to this day, every day, use bits of professional advice he gave me.
He had an older style of performing, but people loved him.
What stuck me most after watching this video was, that most of the acts on the show were younger " up and coming" acts... the new guys... all slick with their tricks and style of performing....but when you really watch the tape, you could see the audience still liked Ron best. Man he was funny. A zillion one liners... Just goes to show ya... no substitute for a solid, worked in act.
For me, Ron embodied something you don't see much of anymore. A guy who liked to PERFORM. Not just come up with tricks and moves to sell...but he liked his act. He impressed upon me the importance of always working on it, and always loving to perform. Its good advice. You don't hear it much anymore.... I wonder what Ron, or Herb Morrisey, or Len Cooper would think of the state of acts of late?
I too enjoyed Ron, acted as secretary to Ring 17 whilst he was President. He made things happen when others were apathetic, like getting the ring named after Sid Lorraine, new art work for the logo. When he requested I go pick up all his magic to dispose of after his death, it was a shock. After going into hospital for carpel tunnel problems, then being told that he could not have the op as he was going to die soon, he kept it together. I treasure the watercolour he gave me, which still hangs in my house.
ReplyDeleteJeffrey Snape
Thanks for commenting Jeffrey!
ReplyDeleteHis artwork is beautiful. How wonderful that he gave you one of his paintings!