Abbotts 15th Get Together 1948
by Demon Rembrant
A surprise climax marked the closing of the
15th annual Abbott Magic Get-Together at
Colon Sept. 11, after a gala week of magical
activity. This surprise was the unheralded
and unannounced appearance on Saturday
night's show of Edgar Bergen, famed ventriloquist
and radio and screen star, together with
Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, and
his fellow travellers, Pat Patrick and Jim
Sherman.
Surprises are not an uncommon thing at the
Abbott affairs, but this one was so sudden and
unexpected that even forewarned that afternoon,
Percy was almost pinching himself to
see if it was all real.
And the several hundred Magicians - there
were more than 700 of them at the Saturday
show - and another several hundred of the
public who crowded into the big tent were extremely
glad they were there and gave Bergen
a real ovation, a great number rising in tribute -
to this splendid artist.
All this brought to a brilliant close a full
week of Magic, fun, and general good fellowship,
and many were heard to say that this
Get-Together was the best of all of Percy's
parties.
The Magicians come to Colon for a good time
- good fellowship, good magic, and good
shows - and they have it; and they come back
each year, bringing a few newcomers. Thus
the registration figure increases each year and
this year it reached 676, but as usual many
came in the last day who did not register, maybe
a hundred of them, so it's safe to say the attendance
was more than 700.
Of course the arrival of Bergen and his associates
intrigued all and hit the high spot but
the gathering was otherwise featured with the
usual high standard shows, excellent educational
features, and good demonstrations of
magic throughout the week.
Opening on Labor Day, many of the early
visitors came in for the few days of the long
week end. Others brought their house trailers
In prepared to stay the week. Dell O'Dell,
Magic's first lady, and her husband, Charles
Carrer, top-notch juggler, who were featured
on the public shows, arrived the Saturday before
in their "super-dooper" house on wheels,
and with the trailers of the Hoeferts and the
Prestons, all located on the-Abbott corner lot,
and with the extra tents outside the plant, produced
a truly carnival atmosphere.
Well not list here the well knowns in the
field of Magic who attended, It would be a
veritable "Who's Who in Magic." Suffice it to
say that but few of the regulars were missing
and the usual quota of "names" were on hand
for the doings.
Although the regular Get-Together program
did not open until Wednesday night when the
"night before party" was staged, the "first two
days of the week were occupied by a convention
of junior Magicians, who call themselves
The Counts of Conjuring. These lads, some
thirty of them, got together Tuesday and
elected a new president, Paul Anton of Nashville,
Tenn., the retiring president, George
Thompson of Cincinnati, being elected vicepresident.
Other officers - all from Cincinnati
- are: John Herrmann, secretary; Ray
Bedwell, membership chairman; and Edwin
Ireton treasurer.
The Counts of Conjuring also staged the
show on Tuesday in the auxiliary demonstration
tent just outside the plant. George Thompson
was M. C. and opened the show with
Michael Franks, a diminutive 12-year-olderf
who showed fine skill with billiard balls; Ken
Allen with ring on silk and the Last Card;
Charles Schutz - Deuces Wild; Davy Jones,
who made an individual hit with his comedy
Magic, and whose "Oh, Percy!" whenrhis candle
tube trick failed to work, became almost a
by-word for the rest of the week; John Herrmann
- cards; George Thompson - Disecto;
Paul Anton - cards; Ray Bed well - squared
circle, silks, Kuller Deck, and Soft Soap; Antonio
- sucker passe bottles, and brassiere;
Lee Henneberry - cigarettes; Date Brandon
- cards; and Marko - silk productions,
billiard balls and a fake mental act.
For the "night before party" Wednesdav
night several hundred Magicians and invited
guests sat through two hours of clever vaudeville
skits mostly of the comedy nature with
just enough Magic for atmosphere - and all
of the Abbdtt troupe of zanies participated -
Percy himself in another of his burlesque
Magic acts, assisted by Recil Bordner; Dorny,
who also emseed the show; Monk Watson,
Howard Strickler, Carlo Summers, Karrell
Fox, Joe Karson, Gene Gordon, and Duke
Stem.
One of the treats for Magicians was the
opening number - Percy Abbott in a colorful
Magic act with his family, Jules, Sydney, Marilyn,
and Linda in bright costumes assisting.
Otherwise the Magic on the program was contributed
by Vernon Carr, who did some tricks
with ropes and his version of Zombie, Antonio
in a variety of Magic, Davy Jones, who repeated
his comedy hit of the previous night,
and Bert Allerton, who presented his Attaboy
Poker Deal (TOPS, April, 1947).
Halfway through the proceedings, Dorny
introduced the first visitor to this year's gathering,
Arthur Nimz of Los Angeles, who came
to Colon on August 12 and camped on the
shore of Palmer Lake, awaiting the opening
He was presented the usual wooden medal,
gilded a bit, and a trick from the House of
Abbott.
Demonstrations continued throughout the
daytime and after the shows at night, and from
time to time in the special demonstration tent
just outside the main building. There also
was a smaller tent, where devotees of the
hanky panky type of Magic - close-up stuff -
were continually passing the time away trying
to fool their fellow tricksters. Stars on these
impromptu programs were Bobo, Harry
Louine, Louis McBride, Frank Drobina and
Eddie Mario. Also in the demonstration tent
at intervals on the last three days were clever
exhibitions of Punch and Judy in the hands of
Augustus Rapp, veteran Magician and show
man.
Another feature of the affair was the radio
program staged in the Abbott showroom by Ed
McKean of the Kalamazoo station on Thursday
afternoon. This program was turned over to
Domy who introduced Percy Abbott, Dell
O Dell, Bobo, Bill Neff, Dr. Saa, Ed Dart and
Mel, closing with a fast trick by Duke Stern.
The first public show was given in the big
tent in Central Park, and there was an overflow
crowd long before Percy Abbott appeared
on the stage to open the proceedings with the
traditional tent show opener - the candy sale
which was fast and furious for five minutes,
and many of the Magicians received some fine
prizes. The candy sale was also repeated on
the other nights.
Percy then introduced Dorny as master of
ceremonies and he carried on from there,
bringing on the opening act, Danny 0'Day one
of the Chicago Abbott managers who performed
a variety of Magic - glass penetration,
silks, and newspaper tear - to give the show
a good start. Bobo wak next with a fast act
with ropes and silks; then Earl Davis, a talkative
juggler, who made a hit as much with his
patter as with his juggling which was very entertaining.
Merv Taylor then appeared as a
professor who dabbled in Magic and did a
razor blade trick, and some of his original
creations, including the comedy linking rings
with a lot of comedy patter; then Louis Mc-
Bride, ventriloquist had a few hilarious
moments with his pal, Silas. The -first half
was closed by Chan Lee, otherwise Joe Karson,
assisted by Ann Karson, doing their version
of Chinese Magic.
Gene Gordon opened after the intermission
with his magical quiz, then Percy Abbott appeared
and introduced Arthur Buckley, who
was a boyhood chum and magical confrere in
Australia, and Buckley showed his manipulative
skill with billiard balls and cards. Then
Monk Watson, Colon's own, who had been
busy with a raft of funny bits with Domy
throughout the show, came on to do his orchestra
director and Jolson impersonations and
"stopped the show' Professor Cheer then appeared
for an accordion solo but before it was
over, the instrument exploded and from then
on it was a comedy act with a musical saw, imitations,
and a bit in which he played "Nola"
using his head as an xylophone. The show
closed with a brilliant and colorful act bv
Nivelli, who went through a gamut of silk productions,
liquid tricks, closing with a clever
presentation of Zombie.
The Friday night show was featured by the
return appearance of Dell O'Dell, premiere
magicienne, who repeated her success of last
year, and Chas, Carrer, juggler, who did likewise.
Dorny was again M. C. and introduced
Louis McBride, who did some coin magic and
a rope escape and then an encore with a Vent
bit, a drinking scene with Silas George Coon,
the other Chicago Abbott manager, then came
on to do tricks with liquids and an egg bag
from which he produced not only eggs but a
wild rooster, and then a rope escape. The
stage cleared then for Karrell Fox who
clowned his way through an hilarious routine
and no one cared whether it was Magic or not
- it was fun. Charles Carrer closed the first
half with his magnificent juggling of glasses,
plates, and bottles; and cocktail shakers a la
Devil Sticks.
Opening the second half was Doris King of
Quiney, with two numbers on her marimba;
then Duke Stem in his pantomimic act impersonating
the young Magician with various
tricks, concluding with the disappearing birdcage;
then Arthur Buckley again for a masterly
presentation made up entirely of coin manipulation.
Then came Dell O'Dell to close the
show with her fast and unusual Magic, the hit
of which to Magicians and public alike were
her parasol trick, rabbit production, and Sands
of India, which in the hands of this performer
seemed like miracles. She also presented in
her own inimitable fashion the chopper guillotine,
rose bush, linking rings, duck pan production.
Opening the show Saturday, with Dorny
still in the M. C. role, was Kirkpatrick, former
police chief of Fort Wayne, whose father was
Frederick La Dell, well-known Magician of another
day. He produced and vanished doves
at will, and a variety of colorful Magic. Bobo
appeared next, assisted by his wife, with dyeing
silks, bewildering blocks, jap box productions
and a rabbit vanish; then Joe Karson doing
his comedy Magic act with a fapt appearing
and vanishing fish bowl which the audience
never saw and some crazy card stuff. An illusion
act, presented by Charles Worpell of Detroit
and three assistants, came next - a
cabinet vanish, Super-X levitation, cane
through body being his best. Dorny then introduced
three boys from the JLamb Knit
Goods Co. of Colon, who had been practicing
Magic. They turned out to be Bergen and his
cohorts - Pat Patrick and Jim Sherman. Patrick
appeared first and introduced Jim Sherman
as Abner Crotchworthy, and Jim did a
swell job of babbling the linking rings and was
hustled offstage. Then Patrick came on to do
his Ercil Twing bit which is one of the features
of the Bergen-McCarthy air show, and finally
Bergen was announced as a lad who imitated
Edgar Bergen. When he appeared with
Charlie McCarthy, however, there was no
doubt in the mind of anyone that he was no
imitator, and he was given a tremendous
ovation. He performed his act with Charlie
and then encored with Mortimer Snerd, That
act was enough to stop any show, and after
Percy came qn to voice his appreciation, Dorny
had to wait until the applause subsided before
he could announce the intermission.
The second half was opened by Nevin who
took the audience around the world with
brilliantly colored rag pictures. Walter Harris
and his wife then presented their puppet act in
which a trapeze artist, a jitterbug team, a
clown, and dancing skeletons vied for top
honors. The next act was Monk Watson who
repeated his show-stopping with the tight rope
walker impersonation, the Wabbit Song, and
a Jolson number for an encore. The show
was closed with a fast and brilliant Magic act
in the hands of Harrison and Lina from
Montreal. Harrison produced flowers, doves,
live gold fish, did an "any drink" trick, and a
spectacular needle trick.
Music for the three public shows was provided
by Gladys Abbott at the piand and Duke
Stern on the violin, Handling the stage was
Lyman Hug, assisted by Bill Auten.
Aside from these performances, there were
two fine educational sessions in the hands of
Arthur Buckley - on Friday he explained the
sleight workings of his act with billiard
balls and cards, and on Saturday afternoon a
similar program explaining his act with coins.
Also, Sgt. Herbert German of the Detroit
Police Department gave his "safety first'*
Magic show for Colon school pupils on Thursday.
There also was a session of the minister-
Magicians and others interested in doing
Magic in object lessons in Sunday school and
other work in the church. The members
present of this organization - the International
Religious Magicians Assn. - elected
the following officers: Preston, president; Dr*
Harlan Tarbell, Mrs. Zina Bennett, Rev. Paul
Lloyd, vice-presidents; Richard Watson, secretary-
treasurer; and Sherrill Nunnelly, publicity
director. The highlight of the meeting
was Dr. Tarbell's inspiring stories about the
prominent part religion has played in the lives
of the world's greatest Magicians, and part of
this was used by the local Methodist pastor,
Mr. W. E. Tunms, also a Magician, in his sermon
the Sunday following the affair.
Most of the crowd left Saturday night after
the buffet supper on the Abbott grounds but
there were many still in town Sunday and attended
the mass conducted by the Rev. Father
Paul Lloyd of St. Louis in the big tent.
Many also stayed 6ver for last looks and
purchases in the showroom, and to meet
Bergen, Patrick, and Sherman, who spent
several hours in the showroom and mingling
with the Magicians outside the plant, also
signing autographs and posing for numerous
snapshots.
The Bergen party, after a dinner at the
Schuler Hotel in Marshall as guests of Mr,
and Mrs. Percy Abbott, at which Marian
Nicola also was a guest, left for Chicago Sunday
night.
Did I forget to tell you to get your reservations
in early for the 1949 Get-Together?
Labor Day, you know!
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