Chan Canasta: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Polish magician}} |
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{{unreferenced|date=December 2006}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
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'''Chan Canasta''' (born '''Chananel Mifelew''', 9 January 1920 – 22 April 1999) was a pioneer of [[mentalism|mental magic]] in the 1950s and '60s. Born in [[Kraków]], [[Poland]], he was the son of a [[Polish people|Polish]]-[[Jewish]] educator. Most of his family perished in the [[The Holocaust|Holocaust]]. |
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'''Chan Canasta''' (born '''Chananel Mifelew''', 9 January 1920 – 22 April 1999) was a pioneer of [[mentalism|mental magic]] in the 1950s and 1960s, becoming the first TV celebrity magician in the 1950s, and then in later life he turned to painting.<ref name = "GuardianObit">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/jun/12/guardianobituaries1|title=Television's first magical mystery man|last=Purser|first=Philip|date=1999-06-12|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-11-13|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Born in [[Kraków]], [[Poland]], he was the son of a [[Polish people|Polish]]-[[Jewish]] educator. |
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==Personal life== |
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Chan Canasta was born Chananel Mifelw in Poland in 1920s.<ref name="swiss">{{Cite web |title=Take Two #50: Chan Canasta |url=https://www.magicana.com/news/blog/take-two-50-chan-canasta |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=www.magicana.com|author-link=Jamy Ian Swiss|last=Swiss|first=Jamy Ian}}</ref> Mifelew's father was an emigre from Russia.<ref name="IndieObit">{{cite web|last1=Gifford|first1=Dennis|title=Obituary: Chan Canasta|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-chan-canasta-1097073.html|website=The Independent|accessdate=13 November 2017|date=30 May 1999}}</ref> Mifelew attended Krakow University where he studied philosophy and natural sciences for his first year. However, he then left Poland and went to Jerusalem to study psychology. His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], and he volunteered to join the [[Royal Air Force]]. He fought in the Western Desert, North Africa, Greece and Italy, and eventually took up British citizenship.<ref name="IndieObit"/> |
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Canasta moved to [[UK|Great Britain]] in 1947, following a stint in the [[Royal Air Force]] during [[World War II]]. |
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He was twice married and died in [[London]] at the age of 79.<ref name="IndieObit"/> |
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==Magic career== |
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In 1951 Canasta recorded his first [[television]] show for the [[BBC]] - a sparse affair with only a few props that concentrated on mental effects. |
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| ⚫ | Canasta moved to [[UK|Great Britain]] in 1947, following a stint in the [[Royal Air Force]]. Starting as a [[card magic]]ian who took his surname from the popular card game of [[canasta]],<ref name = "GuardianObit"/> he became a well-known stage magician performing [[mnemonics|feats of memory]] and book tests during the late 1940s. Over the course of his career, Canasta performed at the [[London Palladium]], the [[Desert Inn]] in Las Vegas, and at the [[Playboy Club]] circuit.<ref name="swiss" /> |
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Canasta didn't refer to himself as a magician or a mentalist; he often used his own term "psycho-magician" but was most commonly billed as "A Remarkable Man".<ref name="swiss" /> |
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Throughout his career Canasta made over 350 television appearances, including on the [[United States|American]] [[Ed Sullivan]], [[Arlene Francis]] and [[Jack Paar]] shows. |
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===Television=== |
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His final TV appearance was in 1971, on the BBC's [[Michael Parkinson|Parkinson]] show, and was billed as "The Return of Chan Canasta," for he had left television performing behind several years earlier. {{citation needed|date=April 2013}}. In 1983 he appeared on Israeli Channel 1 {{1}}. |
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In 1951 Canasta recorded his first [[television]] show for the [[BBC]] - a sparse affair with only a few props that concentrated on mental effects. He became TV's first celebrity magician in the 1950s and broadcast his last show in March 1960.<ref name = "GuardianObit"/> Throughout his career, he made more than 350 television appearances, including on the [[The Ed Sullivan Show|Ed Sullivan]], [[Arlene Francis]] and [[Tonight Starring Jack Paar|Jack Paar]] shows.<ref name=Lentz>{{cite book|last1=Lentz III|first1=Harris M.|title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 1999: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre .|date=2000|publisher=McFarland & Co. Inc.|location=Jefferson, N Carolina and London|isbn=0-7864-0748-4|pages=40–41|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hnjGCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA41|accessdate=13 November 2017|ref=Lentz}}</ref> |
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His final BBC TV appearance was in 1971, on ''[[Parkinson (TV series)|Parkinson]]'', for he had left television performing behind several years earlier,<ref>{{cite web|title=Chan Canasta - Mike Parkinson Part 1|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aoq9sE7zic0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/Aoq9sE7zic0 |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|website=YouTube|publisher=BBC TV|accessdate=13 November 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> although he did reappear on Israeli TV on 11 November 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23H2qotCoRg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/23H2qotCoRg |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|title=Chan Canasta doing a Card Trick (Israeli TV)|last=Ron Nostalgy|date=17 February 2014|website=Youtube.com|accessdate=11 November 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Canasta retired from the stage at the height of his fame to pursue |
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===Technique=== |
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Canasta called his effects "experiments" rather than tricks.<ref name="swiss" /> He performed experiments in thought using two packs of playing cards. He would ask a spectator to think of a card then another to pick the unstated thought-of-card from a different pack; or he would place cards onto a table and ask a spectator to pick up one card that another spectator was only thinking of. The effects were risky, and he would often fail on live television.<ref name = "GuardianObit"/> Contemporary magicians decried Canasta's approach but this element of "risk-taking" has been a major influence on the current generation of magicians.<ref name="swiss" /> |
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Among magicians, Canasta is revered for the invention of a principle that eschewed perfection, believing that making an occasional error made his other effects stronger and more entertaining. British [[mentalist]] [[Derren Brown]] cites Canasta as a prime influence. |
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Canasta's signature routine was his "Experiment With Books". He would invite a volunteer from the audience to choose a random page, then would predict precisely the number of words comprising three [[syllable]]s it contained. He was not concerned if he made the odd mistake when performing this trick, believing a few errors along the way simply highlighted the validity of his normally correct answers.<ref name = "GuardianObit"/> |
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===Legacy=== |
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Among magicians, Canasta is recognised for inventing the principle that eschewed perfection, believing that making an occasional error made his other effects stronger and more entertaining,<ref name = "GuardianObit"/> an approach later followed by comedy magician, [[Tommy Cooper]]. British [[mentalist]] [[Derren Brown]] has cited Canasta as a prime influence, stating, "he was a real inspiration".<ref>{{cite web|title=Derren Brown Interview – Radio Times|url=http://derrenbrown.co.uk/derren-brown-interview-radio-times/|website=Derren Brown|accessdate=13 November 2017|date=19 April 2011}}</ref> |
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==Art career== |
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| ⚫ | Canasta retired from the stage at the height of his fame to pursue a dream to become a [[painting|painter]].<ref name=Lentz/> In his later years he established a second career as an artist, signing his work not as Canasta, but as Mifelew,<ref name = "GuardianObit"/> and had successful gallery shows in [[London]] and [[New York City|New York]].<ref name="IndieObit"/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23H2qotCoRg |
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==Further reading== |
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*David Britland (2001) Chan Canasta: A Remarkable Man Volume 2 |
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*Chan Canasta (1966) Chan Canasta's Book of Oopses : Being a Collection of Thrilling Experiments in Which the Book Itself Plays the Part of the Mind-Reader; George G. Harrap & Co., Ltd. |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*{{cite web|url=http://www.magicweek.co.uk/magic_reviews/review_book_chan_canasta.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030427141617/http://www.magicweek.co.uk/magic_reviews/review_book_chan_canasta.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 April 2003|title=A review of ''Chan Canasta - A Remarkable Man'' at ''Magic Week''|accessdate=5 March 2007}} |
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*{{cite web |
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* {{IMDb name|id=1527375|name=Chan Canasta}} |
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|url = http://www.magicweek.co.uk/magic_reviews/review_book_chan_canasta.htm |
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|accessdate = 2007-03-05 |
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}} |
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*{{cite news|last=Gifford|first=Denis|title=Obituary: Chan Canasta|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-chan-canasta-1097073.html|publisher=The Independent|location=London|date=31 May 1999}} |
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{{ |
{{Authority control}} |
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{{Authority control|VIAF=2116617|LCCN=no/2001/049546|ULAN=500024173}} |
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{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> |
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| NAME = Canasta, Chan |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Mifelew, Chananel |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = magician, painter |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = 9 January 1920 |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Kraków]], [[Poland]], |
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| DATE OF DEATH = 22 April 1999 |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = London |
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}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Canasta, Chan}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canasta, Chan}} |
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[[Category:1920 births]] |
[[Category:1920 births]] |
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[[Category:1999 deaths]] |
[[Category:1999 deaths]] |
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[[Category:People from Kraków]] |
[[Category:People from Kraków]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:British magicians]] |
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[[Category:Mentalists]] |
[[Category:Mentalists]] |
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[[Category:Polish emigrants to the United Kingdom]] |
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[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]] |
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[[Category:People with acquired British citizenship]] |
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{{Poland-bio-stub}} |
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{{magic-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 16:20, 8 November 2023
Chan Canasta (born Chananel Mifelew, 9 January 1920 – 22 April 1999) was a pioneer of mental magic in the 1950s and 1960s, becoming the first TV celebrity magician in the 1950s, and then in later life he turned to painting.[1] Born in Kraków, Poland, he was the son of a Polish-Jewish educator.
Personal life[edit]
Chan Canasta was born Chananel Mifelw in Poland in 1920s.[2] Mifelew's father was an emigre from Russia.[3] Mifelew attended Krakow University where he studied philosophy and natural sciences for his first year. However, he then left Poland and went to Jerusalem to study psychology. His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, and he volunteered to join the Royal Air Force. He fought in the Western Desert, North Africa, Greece and Italy, and eventually took up British citizenship.[3]
He was twice married and died in London at the age of 79.[3]
Magic career[edit]
Stage career[edit]
Canasta moved to Great Britain in 1947, following a stint in the Royal Air Force. Starting as a card magician who took his surname from the popular card game of canasta,[1] he became a well-known stage magician performing feats of memory and book tests during the late 1940s. Over the course of his career, Canasta performed at the London Palladium, the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, and at the Playboy Club circuit.[2]
Canasta didn't refer to himself as a magician or a mentalist; he often used his own term "psycho-magician" but was most commonly billed as "A Remarkable Man".[2]
Television[edit]
In 1951 Canasta recorded his first television show for the BBC - a sparse affair with only a few props that concentrated on mental effects. He became TV's first celebrity magician in the 1950s and broadcast his last show in March 1960.[1] Throughout his career, he made more than 350 television appearances, including on the Ed Sullivan, Arlene Francis and Jack Paar shows.[4]
His final BBC TV appearance was in 1971, on Parkinson, for he had left television performing behind several years earlier,[5] although he did reappear on Israeli TV on 11 November 1983.[6]
Technique[edit]
Canasta called his effects "experiments" rather than tricks.[2] He performed experiments in thought using two packs of playing cards. He would ask a spectator to think of a card then another to pick the unstated thought-of-card from a different pack; or he would place cards onto a table and ask a spectator to pick up one card that another spectator was only thinking of. The effects were risky, and he would often fail on live television.[1] Contemporary magicians decried Canasta's approach but this element of "risk-taking" has been a major influence on the current generation of magicians.[2]
Canasta's signature routine was his "Experiment With Books". He would invite a volunteer from the audience to choose a random page, then would predict precisely the number of words comprising three syllables it contained. He was not concerned if he made the odd mistake when performing this trick, believing a few errors along the way simply highlighted the validity of his normally correct answers.[1]
Legacy[edit]
Among magicians, Canasta is recognised for inventing the principle that eschewed perfection, believing that making an occasional error made his other effects stronger and more entertaining,[1] an approach later followed by comedy magician, Tommy Cooper. British mentalist Derren Brown has cited Canasta as a prime influence, stating, "he was a real inspiration".[7]
Art career[edit]
Canasta retired from the stage at the height of his fame to pursue a dream to become a painter.[4] In his later years he established a second career as an artist, signing his work not as Canasta, but as Mifelew,[1] and had successful gallery shows in London and New York.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g Purser, Philip (12 June 1999). "Television's first magical mystery man". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Swiss, Jamy Ian. "Take Two #50: Chan Canasta". www.magicana.com. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d Gifford, Dennis (30 May 1999). "Obituary: Chan Canasta". The Independent. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- ^ a b Lentz III, Harris M. (2000). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 1999: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre . Jefferson, N Carolina and London: McFarland & Co. Inc. pp. 40–41. ISBN 0-7864-0748-4. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- ^ "Chan Canasta - Mike Parkinson Part 1". YouTube. BBC TV. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
- ^ Ron Nostalgy (17 February 2014). "Chan Canasta doing a Card Trick (Israeli TV)". Youtube.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ "Derren Brown Interview – Radio Times". Derren Brown. 19 April 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
Further reading[edit]
- David Britland (2000) Chan Canasta: A Remarkable Man Volume 1
- David Britland (2001) Chan Canasta: A Remarkable Man Volume 2
- Chan Canasta (1966) Chan Canasta's Book of Oopses : Being a Collection of Thrilling Experiments in Which the Book Itself Plays the Part of the Mind-Reader; George G. Harrap & Co., Ltd.
External links[edit]
- "A review of Chan Canasta - A Remarkable Man at Magic Week". Archived from the original on 27 April 2003. Retrieved 5 March 2007.
- Chan Canasta at IMDb
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