Welcome to the Calvacade of Magic Presented By Kirk Kirkham

My Father was the Magician known professionally as Kirk Kirkham, his real name was Charles and many folks called him Chuck. He lived from 1926 to 2001. He was an active professional performer from the time he was sixteen years old. Magic was the only living he ever had. He toured with the USO after World War II, did the spook show circuit and television extensively in the 1950's, did thousands of club dates, school shows, and more television in the 60's, continued performing in the 70's but also became a well regarded prop maker who produced equipment for other magicians and attractions around the country.

Currently, David Copperfield has the largest private collection of illusions in the world, but prior to his success and collection, my father may very well have been the previous holder of that title. He owned parts of Thurston's Wonder Show of the Universe and Mysteries of India. He acquired much of the core of his collection from Will Rock back in the early 50's but continued to add to it the rest of his life. He knew and worked with Harry Blackstone Sr., Percy Abbot was a mentor to him. Dante was a personal friend, and he owned famous illusions that belonged to all of them.

My goal is to keep his legacy alive here in cyber space, and provide some historical context to the Southern California Magic scene in the 60's and 70's. I have had virtually no contact with the Magic world since my Mother passed away in 1994. My Dad suffered from Alzheimer's in his last years and he could not write the book that he always said he would get to someday. I don't know enough about magic to write competently concerning history, practice and technique. I can however provide an historical context for my Father, a man who knew almost everything about magic during the 20th Century. He had a huge library, subscribed to dozens of magazines, and had met every important magician of the second half of the century. He was consulted by many of the experts that now make up the intelligentsia of the magic community. He was also a mentor to many fine magicians and scholars of magic. I hope to hear from some of those people as a result of this blog.

Welcome to the Magical World of Kirk Kirkham.

Friday, January 7, 2022

Pick Pocket Routine

 


This is a link to the Magicana site that hosts a number of videos and other materials. This looks like it was from the mid 80s, I think it was a Canadian Television Program. 

I believe this is a short version of Dad's Pickpocket routine. I have a vague recollection that it ran closer to 15-20 minutes, but I could be wrong. I do remember that he did the Pickpocket act at one of my Boy Scout Dinners. That was extra special because the father of two of my Troop members was an FBI agent and Pop used him in the act, and did dome extra business about his credentials. 

Somewhere I have a flyer advertising the "Komedy King of Pickpockets" , when I find it, I will scan the image and add it to this post. 

Friday, February 21, 2020

Bob Lund and the American Museum of Magic

As usual, I return to this blog when I find something inadvertently. Stuck in with some family photos was a card from my Aunt to us in 1995. She had sent these clippings for us and they both are about the Museum in Marshall Michigan. 

The article talks about Bob Lund's visit with my father and the elaborate collection of stage illusions that he had. The photo is a good add to this story because my Father was ultimately surpassed by Copperfield as the largest collector of Stage Illusions in the world. I know that several of the pieces my Father owned moved on to David Copperfield's private collection in Las Vegas.   




In 2014, my wife and I took a road trip back to Battle Creek and got a chance to see my Aunt Reba just a few short months before she passed away. While we were there, we did a jaunt to the near by Museum to check it out.

There were a couple of posters there from my Dad's shows. The one on the right is from the early fifties, the one in the center was for the summer dates in 1971 in Lake Gregory California.



Also in the museum collection were a couple of pieces from Dante' a magician my Father knew well in the 1950s here in Southern California. The sword, gloves and program were donated by my Father to the Museums collection. The donor card unfortunately is a little hard to see in my phone photo.

This is my impression of my dad, doing a da da type moment in front of that museum in 2014. Hope to return to the blog more frequently, but those of you who continue to visit...Thanks.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Iron Maiden (Not the Band) You Asked for It

Art Baker was a producer for Truth or Consequences and an actor who hosted the show "You Asked For It". I assume he was a friend of my father's because he used my parents in several episodes of the Television show.

We had this prop stored in one of our garages for many years. I believe that it was in the material that went to the Paris Magic Museum that later folded. I was told that it was at one time on display at a Magic Museum on the Las Vegas Strip in one of the old Casinos that is probably long gone. I was also told that this clip was used at the museum as a information display.

I can't say where the prop is now, but I suspect that like many historical illusions, it ended up in the private collection of a famous Magician.  If You know, be sure to tell me.

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Friday, July 20, 2018

Ozzy Throne Chair



Over the years my Pop found his way into the Rock and Roll world occasionally. He was hired to do a close up gig at Berry Gordy's house for a party that Diana Ross was hosting. It turned out that it was a kids party and the little ones were very young. He had planned an evening doing the pick pocket act for music and film people and was instead entertaining five year olds. He improvised and did what Ms. Ross said was a great show. Dad said she was very sweet sitting with the kids and watching.

I mentioned that the giant Will Rock Guillotine was used by Alice Cooper. Dad did not supply it directly, but James Randi who apparently did, asked Pop to come and make some adjustments when Alice was in L.A. in 1973 I think.

We had an unfortunate experience with Grace Slick. She was doing an album cover using a levitation, but they wanted a large hoop to use rather than the slim version that most magicians carry. Pop improvised a mylar covered hoop that was not practical for stage use but might work for a photo shoot. The photographer did not like it so they used an artist rendering instead. I think Pop got stiffed on that job.

The one easily remembered and documented piece of equipment that he provided for a Rock Show was a Throne Chair for Ozzy Osbourne. 

The chair was originally made for the Ice Capades segment he manufactured in 1976. Some of the props reverted back to him after the run of the show, including the Throne Chair Production. We refurbished it for Ozzy's Speak of the Devil Tour. I  personally tested the chair out to see that it would work for an adult male. We saw Ozzy using it in a clip on "Entertainment Tonight" and I think Dad contacted them to make some suggestions because as he was performing it, it simply looks like he runs through the chair rather than appearing in it.

Ozzy Fans will know the chair from the album cover of that record. It is only partially seen but it is clearly the Chair we built.

My brother owned a poster with a much better image of the chair and Ozzy at the same time. I wish I still had it but I did find an image on line that you will be able to see.


Here is a second image that has another figure in the foreground. 
Finally, I found a few clips that show the prop being used on stage.

The first one is the "Entertainment Tonight" Segment.

The second is the opening of the show in San Antonio. This may have been when he got in trouble urinating on the Alamo.

The Third clip is not very well shot but the impact of the illusion is easier to appreciate. The last clip is the shortest but the lighting and laser show make it hard to see. 



Friday, July 13, 2018

Broken Wand Obituary

I did not see this particular remembrance when it came out shortly after his death. This was written by Bev Bergeron, a friend of my fathers's and a well know author and figure in the magic world. I believe he is still active, and I have enjoyed receiving a Christmas Time Newsletter from his family for many years. The copy of the Linking Ring was sent to me by Pat Slusher, a name I don't automatically recognize but he appears to know who my Pop was and he was kind enough to ship it to me. Thanks so much for that treasure.

This is a largely accurate memory of my father. The controversies that swirled around him are long forgotten or completely unknown. There are a couple of stories concerning the Magic Castle brouhaha that would be interesting to hear. I know that he took no small amount of pleasure spending as much time as he liked there, without ever paying dues. He had dozens of friends who were regular performers at the Castle and I think he also knew every entrance to the place better than the staff did. Old grudges are the silliest kinds.  


Saturday, June 17, 2017

Kirk Kirkham | Magicana

Kirk Kirkham | Magicana


Another video clip of My Dad in the Early 1980s on a site with archives from a Canadian Television Show. Thanks to Pat Slusher for sending me here.