John Calvert

John Calvert with his wife and assistant "Tammy"

Madren Elbern "John" Calvert (born August 5, 1911 in New Trenton , Indiana , † September 27, 2013 in Lancaster , California ) was an American magician and actor .

Life

In 1919 his father, Elbern Frederick Calvert, took him to a performance of Howard Thurston at the Grand Opera House of Cincinnati. Since then was enthusiastic about the magic. In 1927, the 16-year-old began to be interested in flying.

After several years of study, Calvert was given the chance to put together a magic tour and left college. At that time, Calvert already owned a large Ford Model A coupe, with which he went on his first tour. But soon his show got bigger and he had to buy a new vehicle. In 1934, he managed to get his show sponsored by the Chevrolet company.

In 1936 Calvert bought his first airplane. He only took an hour of official classes. Flying became his second great passion. He flew to many of his guest performances while his employees drove by car or bus. Among other things, Calvert flew an 8-seater Fokker at the time and in 1945 even bought a large passenger aircraft, a DC-3 , in which his entire show and all participants found space.

In 1941 he worked for the first time in a Hollywood film, as a double for Clark Gable in the flick "Honky Tonk". Some time later, the then well-known columnist Elsa Maxwell saw him giving a performance at the exclusive Masquere Club. She sent her business card into his cloakroom with a handwritten note: “Would you like to come to my party and entertain my guests with your magic tricks?” John Calvert left only one short answer: “I'm not an entertainer for a house party. “Mrs. Maxwell apologized and invited Calvert anyway, without insisting on a magic performance by him. But at the party she couldn't do without telling her guests who he is and so they asked him to do something. John Calvert spoke briefly with Danny Kaye and Cary Grant and, among other things, demonstrated the "Ping-pong balls out of the mouth" with them. Since journalists from several tabloid magazines were also present at this party, the evening was discussed in many gossip columns, especially Calvert's appearance. Hollywood opened all doors to a magician for the first time.

At the end of the 1950s, Calvert had the idea of ​​going on a world tour with his own ship. He bought the Sea Fox , and with 18 crew members set sail from California to Hawaii and later on to Japan. Unfortunately, due to unfortunate circumstances, Calvert lost the ship in 1959. But in 1962 he bought a new yacht, the “Sea Nymph”. In the same year, John Calvert met the singer and actress Barbara de Mello, born on May 31, 1942, in Singapore. She became "Tammy" in 1982, John's indispensable assistant and wife.

• In 1984, now 73 years old, he signed a five-month contract at the Casino Theater in Atlantic City.
• In 1985 he showed his blind flight again in Nashville, Tennessee.
• In 1986, Calvert broke all records at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee with sold-out performances.
• Calvert was active on stage until 2012.
• Calvert was inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Society of American Magicians .

Filmography (selection)

• 1994: Honky Tonk
• 1944: Are These Our Parents?
• 1945: The Return of the Durango Kid
• 1945: Ten Cents a Dance
• 1945: Youth on Trial
• 1948: Devil's Cargo
• 1948: Appointment With Murder
• 1949: Search for Danger
• 1952: Gold Fever
• 1956: Dark Venture

Web links

• Legendary Magician John Calvert Dies at 102. In: The Hollywood Reporter . September 27, 2013.
• Official website
• John Calvert in the Internet Movie Database (English)

literature

• William V. Rauscher: John Calvert - Magic and Adventures Around the World. Claitor's Publishing Division, Baton Rouge 1987.

Individual evidence

1. ^ William V. Rauscher: John Calvert - Magic and Adventures Around the World. 1987.
2. ↑ Interview in Magical World . Issue 2, 2004.
3. ↑ Genii. The International Conjurors' Magazine, Volume 3, 1982.