female magicians
Michelle Susan Lutz
I would like to more about female magcians that are currently performing
or some of the more noted ones in the past century. I have looked many
places and all I see is evidence of male magicians, did they ever go under
different names?
Michelle Lutz
a.k.a.
Small Wonder
nea...@aol.com
In article <Pine.OSF.3.95q.97020...@scooter.WPI.EDU>,
Michelle:
The following is a very brief list of female magicians -- past and present
-- to get this thread started. Perhaps some of my colleagues (like Charles
Greene who has been researching Ionia or Gary Brown who has posted on
Cleopatra in the past) might add some comments about these performers. I
have not included the many women mentalists, psychics, and spiritualists.
Adelaide Herrmann, Mercedes Talma, Cleopatra (Valerie Kasfikis), Okita,
Ionia, Lady Frances, Diana Zimmerman, Dell O'Dell, Tina Lennert, Lupe,
Charlotte Pendragon, Paula Paul, Celeste Evans, Galina, Karen Beriss,
Juliana Chen, Melinda.
Hope this is a start.
Michael Edwards
TommyLadd
More female magi:
Lucy Smalley - Janet Clare - Kate (don't know her last name - but
she's from Russia and specializes in close-up) - "Rebekah" Yen (this one's
a stretch) - Jania Taylor - Sue DeCourcy - Becky Blaney - Mystina -
Anonyma (known primarily as a vent and assistant in husbands act, but she
also did magic [deceased]) - Suzy Wandas Bennett (outstanding coin
manipulations[deceased]) - Shelley Carroll - Dorothy Dietrich (another
stretch) - Terri Rogers - Joyce Batsch - Joycee Beck - Lisa Menna - Aniko
- Blanka Absolon - Eloise [deceased] - Fee Eleisa - Ellen Armstrong -
Anna-Lou - Yuka Shimoda - Paula Baird - June Horowitz - Margaret Daily
(another major stretch) - Elizabeth Warlock - Janie Jarrow - Frances
Willard (if "Rebekah" Yen counts, Frances certainly counts...) - Madame
Rose and Mdlle. Beatrice [both deceased] - Connie Boyd - Myda - Tamara
Bellachini [deceased] - Caroline Bernhardt [deceased] - Huguette
Delysiolle - Katlyn Miller - Trixie Queen [probably deceased] - Grazyna
Li-U-Fa - Ann Hardy - Linda Jonason - Lynn Healy - Esme Levante - Debra
Ann "Debbie" McGee - Michelle - Amanda Oeser [deceased] - Mlle. Patrice
(Mrs. C. Lang) Neil [deceased] - Fay Presto (do transsexuals count?)
-Charlotte Pendragon (whattya think?) - Lalla Selbini [deceased] - Dolly
Spence [probably deceased] - etc., etc., etc.
There's more than you think....I've barely scratched the surface.
Anyway... that's more than fifty. Let me know if you want more...
Tom Ladshaw
Tom Ladshaw
NEAMDE
In a previous message, Michael Edwards (NEA...@aol.com) wrote
> Adelaide Herrmann, Mercedes Talma, Cleopatra (Valerie Kasfikis), Okita,
>Ionia, Lady Frances, Diana Zimmerman, Dell O'Dell, Tina Lennert, Lupe,
>Charlotte Pendragon, Paula Paul, Celeste Evans, Galina, Karen Beriss,
>Juliana Chen, Melinda.
Dad...
What about all those spouses and assistants that made so many acts magical
-- from Suee Seen to Moi-yo Miller???
You also forgot Princess Tenko!!!!
Hillary Edwards
IMA
Jack Poulter
To: ALL
Subject: Re: female magicians
Gary Brown <gbr...@tribeca.ios.com> commented:
GB>Michelle-
GB>A terrific question, and one I was hoping we would get to. While women
GB>have been significantly underrepresented in the ranks of magicians, the
GB>contributions of women to the art should not be overlooked.
GB>Adelaide Herrmann (1854-1932), wife of Alexander Herrmann -- one of the
GB>Dell O'Dell (1902-62) worked as a professional magician in nightclubs and
GB>Frances Ireland Marshall (b. 1910) married magic dealer L.L. Ireland,
There was a presentation by Sheila Lyons to the Magic Collectors
convention some years ago on Women in Magic. She was assisted in
her preparation by Dr. John Gilliland who provided extensive
references to historical data in this regard. Sheila is a
partner in the Pike Place Magic Center in Seattle, WA at last
report.
GB>Currently, there are an increasing number of top-notch female performers.
GB>These include Luna Shimada, Jennifer Adams, Margaret Steele, Kinga (who
GB>works with husband Nicholas Night) and Jade.
As for another current woman performer (an IBM contest winner)
Julianna Chen should not be overlooked (I later note that Michael
Edwards has beaten me to the punch ;-)). I was informed last
night that Julianna is currently performing in Europe and will be
a strong competitor in the next FISM convention.
Does anyone know what happened to the young IBM Close-up winner
named Leah Feldman from Toronto, Ontario?
IMA
IMA
NEAMDE
I see that Japan's Yuka has yet to be mentioned. Michael Edwards
NEAMDE
Getting back to this newsgroup's special focus -- magic history -- I
thought it might be of interest to note one female conjurer from magic's
past who has yet to be mentioned in this thread...Mademoiselle Von Etta
(later known as Vonetta). A performer of great standing during the period
of 1906 to 1914, she was known for her illusions, sleight of hand, and
quick change artistry. She was billed as "The only Lady Illusionist,
Protean and Quick-Change Artiste, introducing the most Collosal Act ever
presented to the Public. A Feminine miracle Worker, performing unaided.
A series of Mystifying Illusions. Conjuring, Electrical Dances, Sleight of
Hand Act, Dancing, Quick Changes."
Michael Edwards
TommyLadd
>>>I see that Japan's Yuka has yet to be mentioned.
>>>Michael Edwards
I mentioned Yuka Shimoda in my posting from Saturday, but I haven't
seen the posting show up yet. Does it normally take this long? I listed
more than fifty female performers.
Terry Prisendorf's posting has some major zonkers in it. To wit (just off
the top of my head...there may be more):
>>The Great Benjilini
>>Dota Claudius Brown
>>Jean G. Foley
>>Francis J. Rigney
>>Francis White
The above are all males.
>>Windy Higgins
This is Paul Stadelman's ventriloquist dummy.
>> Francis Williams
Not sure....but this is the male spelling.
>> Chip Romero and Rhonda Inzer
Rhonda Romero now.
>> Talma LeRoy
What?
This is making my chest hurt.
I'm not even gonna get into all of the names who are, in fact,
assistants rather rather than feature performers (not to mention all the
names who are simply "wives" ). I think the original poster was in search
of female "magicians", rather than just assistants.
Hope someone's out there reading....
Tom Ladshaw
IMA
> >>Francis J. Rigney
While we're on these guys... would you say this one is also Frank Rigney? Thanks to you Tom I think I have found a duplicated file. I'm glad I have someone doing my homework for me.
Did Francis J. Rigney go by the name of Frank? Would you suspect these to be one and the same from this information alone?
Thanks for your help in cleaning up my messy message.
Terry
TommyLadd
Good call!
"Vonetta" was born Etta Ion. She married T. Vincent Paul who was a
full-time stage manager, part-time prop builder, and confidant to many of
his contemporary magi. She apparently performed from around 1905 through
the mid-teen's.... then retired.
Apparently deceased as of the 40's.....
Tom
j...@vms.cis.pitt.edu
In article <19970203161...@ladder01.news.aol.com>, tomm...@aol.com (TommyLadd) writes:
>
-- snip -- snip
> Hope someone's out there reading....
>
> Tom Ladshaw
Jack Greenberg