Lon Mandrake in The Runner

From the February 12th article "Lon Mandrake brings magic to KPU TALK event" by Kyler Emerson in The Runner:

On Feb. 10 as a part of KPU’s Third Age Learning at Kwantlen (TALK) program, Lon and his wife, Linda, gave a presentation about Leon’s life, Lon’s experience growing up around magic shows, and performed one themselves.  

Whereas his father started magic performances at a young age, Lon did his first show at age 38. Some of the students Lon taught at the time asked him why he didn’t do magic like Leon, and after he dreamt about performing magic that night, he performed some the next class.

“It really blew their minds because everything had worked really well,” Lon said. “They dropped a sledgehammer on me and I was doing various kinds of mental effects where you read their minds.”

He’s been performing ever since.

In 2018, Lon and his wife Linda collaborated together to write the book The Real Mandrake the Magician, a biography that describes Leon’s career through over 100 photos and text of behind the scenes stories. 

Read more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Real Mandrake the Magician virtual talk [Oct 13]

From the September 22nd media release by the city of Surrey:

The legendary career of world-renowned Mandrake the Magician is the focus of Surrey Archives’ next free virtual talk ‘The Real Mandrake the Magician’ on October 13 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Lon Mandrake, also a magician, along with his wife, Linda, will delve into the compelling local history of their late father (and father-in-law) – a mentalist, illusionist, escapologist, ventriloquist, and stunt performer whose career spanned over 60 years.

“We invite the public to join us for this unique opportunity to explore the early life and career of Leon Mandrake, including the challenges and adventures of being a family on the road, and his lasting legacies,” said Archivist Allie Querengesser.

Leon Mandrake was born in Washington state in 1911 and raised in New Westminster, where he began performing at the Edison Theatre. His career took him, his wife and assistant Louise “Velvet” Salerno, and their four children on the road frequently. After many years travelling, the Mandrakes eventually settled in Surrey in the late 1950s on Grosvenor Road and Kindersley Drive where they lived until the 1990s. The house, which was destroyed by fire in 2016, contained secret rooms and passages.

Lon Mandrake has carried on his father’s legacy as a performer. An award-winning science educator, he has also performed internationally as a mentalist and magician. Over the course of his career, he has served as president of the Society of American Magicians Assembly #95 and as Regional Vice President of the Society of American Magicians.

During the online program for Surrey Archives, audience members will be treated to a special performance.  

Read more and register.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mandrake the Magician in the Comic Book Bin

You may remember that the Museum of Surrey hosted a "Mandrake the Magician" exhibit  last year.  You can still visit the online tour at the Museum.

 

From the January 1st article "Mandrake the Magician: The first Superhero in Comics and Life" by Hervé St-Louis  at the Comic Book Bin:

Born in 1911, Canadian Leon (Gioglio) Mandrake was a stage magician based in Vancouver, Canada who starred on stage under the label Mandrake the Magician as early as 1927. He travelled North America and performed as Mandrake the Magician across North America. Ironically, according to Don Markstein, Falk had created the comics strip Mandrake the Magician in 1924 but only submitted it for print years later. The comic strip character that looked eerily like Gioglio.

The resemblance between the fictional character, and the stage magician was acknowledged early on, and the King Features creators and Gioglio would play with meta-narrative crossovers over the years, without any conflict involving copyrights nor trademark. These were the days! Both the stage magician wore tuxedos, were skinny and had fine moustaches. Both enjoyed a living entertaining guests and audiences for years.

Read more.

Museum of Surrey hosts "Mandrake the Magician" exhibit

Click through and scroll to the end of the CBC article to listen to Lon Mandrake chat about his father to Stephen Quinn.

 

From the February 28th post "World-renowned Mandrake the Magician star of new exhibition at Surrey, B.C., museum" by CBC News:

Lon Mandrake has teamed up with Museum of Surrey staff to pay tribute to his famed father, who died in 1993, in a new exhibition that is open to the public until May 16.
 
Visitors will have the opportunity to see magical tools of the trade like Leon's decks of cards and magic wand, posters from performances, comics from that era and costumes belonging to Mandrake the Magician and his assistant, Lon's mom Velvet.

"My dad's philosophy of life was really interesting. It made for a very happy, very happy family," said Mandrake. "He always said, you know, magic could stimulate a sense of wonder about the world... that sense of excitement of the unknown leads you to find, you know, life more interesting."

Read more and listen to Stephen Quinn speak with Lon Mandrake.

Surrey fire destroys Mandrake the Magician's former house

With thanks to The Magic Demon for sending this news along.

From the CBC:

A Surrey, B.C. home that was destroyed by fire was the former home of Leon Mandrake or 'Mandrake the Magician,' a local performer known around the world for his magic, illusions and stunts.

Leon Mandrake, or "Mandrake the Magician", was a famous entertainer in the vaudeville-era and beyond. He died in Surrey, B.C. in 1993. (CBC Archives)

Mandrake owned the house on the corner of Grosvenor Road and Kindersley Drive before his death in 1993.

Surrey city council considered giving heritage status to the old home — an idea first brought before council in 2008, according to city documents.

Read more.

From the Vancouver Sun:

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The roof collapsed and the extent of the damage will probably challenge inspectors, Woznikoski said.

The one-storey house once belonged to Leon Giglio, better known as Leon Mandrake and then Mandrake the Magician for his feats of hypnotism, mind reading and escapes.

Read more.

Mandrake the Magician in The Globe and Mail

We'd previously mentioned the 100th anniversary of the birth of man who became Mandrake the Magician.

The Globe and Mail published a tribute earlier last week:

Mandrake sawed women in half, chopped off heads in a stage guillotine, caused a menagerie of rabbits and pigeons to vanish. He read minds and pickpocketed wallets. For a 1949 newsreel, he escaped after being restrained by leg irons and handcuffs, tied by ropes, and nailed inside a packing crate – while under water.

One of his most spectacular illusions involved being tied up and imprisoned inside a large bag. Moments later, he emerges – having swapped his black tie and tails for a white Palm Beach suit, insouciantly puffing on a cigarette.

Read more.

[h/t:  @AboutMagicians via @JaySankey]

100 years ago

One hundred years ago today, Leon Giglio was born.  He later changed his name to Leon Mandrake.  You may be familiar with his stage name, Mandrake the Magician.

From leaderpost.com:

But Mandrake's legacy lives on in other ways as well. Some of his magic acts can still be enjoyed today on YouTube, and Roberston Davies even modelled the character Magnus Eisengrim from his book World of Wonders on him. Mandrake the Magician has also appeared in radio shows, television series, plays, musicals and movies (including a cameo in The Beatles' Yellow Submarine). Hayden Christensen, another B.C. performer (and, given that he is most famous for playing a Jedi, someone who should know a thing or two about gesturing hypnotically), is said to currently be in talks to star in a new Mandrake movie.

But his real legacy is continuing to inspire performers. Coquitlam resident Shawn Farquhar is one of them.

Read more including a nice quote from Shawn.

Happy 100th Birthday Leon Mandrake ... still alive in my memories.... http://fb.me/I6JHC71Sless than a minute ago via Facebook Favorite Retweet ReplyShawn Farquhar
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