MY ACCOUNT
12 Magicians Honored in December 2015 Broken Wand
Category: Broken Wand Posted by: C. DENNIS SCHICK
BROKEN WAND DECEMBER 2015 (FINAL)
JAMES B. ALFREDSON
The I.B.M. Headquarters recently was notified that James Bernard Alfredson, 77, of Pentwater, Michigan, died January 5, 2015. His I.B.M. member number was 15207, and he had been a member since 1970. He was a member of the Order of Merlin Shield (thirty-five years a continuous member). Born in East Lansing, he graduated from Michigan State University, and w was employed by the State of Michigan as an editor, retiring in 1992. He became interested in magic as a boy and the “collecting bug” bit him as a teenager. He collected magic books and magazines, was a published author, and with George Daily, wrote “A Bibliography of Conjuring Periodicals in English: 1791-1983,” the standard work on the subject. In 1986 he and some magic collector friends started a biennial gathering, and he was honored by the group at its fourteenth gathering. In addition to magic, he loved woodworking and making furniture. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife of thirty-eight years, Patricia; brother Kenneth; stepdaughters Linda Watson, Barbara (Mark) Snyder, Patricia Rumrill, and Elaine (Steve) Reed; step-son Jerry (Vicki) Nasser; seventeen step-grandchildren; and fourteen step-great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pentwater Library, 402 East Park Street, Pentwater, MI 49440, or the Pentwater Historical Society, 85 South Rutledge, Pentwater, MI 49449.
GEORGE A. BERNARD
George Alvord Bernard, 81, of Westbrook, Connecticut, died October 26, 2015. He was a former member of the I.B.M. He also was a member of Ring 170 (Orlando, Florida). He owned the Silver Trails Boarding Kennel in Westbrook, Connecticut, and was a director of the American Boarding Kennel Association. He once owned The Galley Restaurant in Clinton, Connecticut, and was a ten-year veteran officer of the Clinton Police Department. He was an Olympic qualifier in 1952 for the United States Swimming and Diving Team. He was a thirty-year member of the Ancient Mariners Fife and Drum Corps of Guilford. He was a member of the Underwater Demolitions Team during the Korean War. As a magician, he performed as Dr. White, Master of Black Art, and was a member of the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers and the New London Association of Magic. Survivors include his wife, Lillian; son William; and daughters Nancy and Barbara; and grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to The Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
ARMANDO HENRIQUES, JR.
Armando “Mondo” Henriques, Jr., 61, of Flagler Beach, Florida, died September 19, 2015 of cancer. Born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, he was a vegetarian since age seven, and was a self-taught guitar player. He became a well-known musician, singer and song writer by age twenty. After two years at the University of Pittsburgh, he moved to Los Angeles and released his first album, “Instant Weekend.” His band, Joey’s Brother, was popular in the area in the 1980s. He moved to Florida in 1992 to care for his ailing mother and became a well-known DJ, KJ, and performer with his company, Mondo Music. After seeing a magician perform in Daytona Beach, magic became a new passion. He attended the McBride Magic & Mystery School in 2009, and drove over an hour to Ring 130 meetings and lectures in Jacksonville. Survivors include his brother, Joseph, and nephew, Matthew, who is autistic and to whom he left everything to help in his care. A sign hangs in one of his favorite performing venues, “Mondo’s Corner.”
MAKI KITAMI
Maki Kitami, 74, of Tokyo, Japan, died September 23, 2015, of liver cancer. He was well-known as the leading expert of Wazuma, Japanese traditional magic. He was a great performer with elegant style and Japanese tradition, and an equally-great magic teacher. He mentored many young magicians over the years, and many of his former students are leading magicians today. He started his magic career in 1962 and performed all over the world, including at the Magic Castle in 1978, and at the I.B.M. Convention in San Diego that year. He received numerous awards during his career, and performed in many venues and on television. He was a prolific author, writing many articles and books on magic. He was president of the Japan Professional Magician’s Association, 2000-2006. His last performance was at the Ueno-Hirokoujitei Theatre in Toyko, June 10, 2015.
DAMON REINBOLD
Damon Reinbold, 77, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, died November 3, 2015. His I.B.M. member number was 58965, and he had been a member since 2005. He was a member of ring 90 (Albuquerque), and Ring 29 (Little Rock, Arkansas), serving both as president. He also was a past president of S.A.M. Assembly 71. He was the godfather of group hypnosis programs. He helped more people lose weight, quit smoking, gain self-confidence and stop drinking and other undesirable behavior, than any other person in the world. Born in Wisconsin, as a teenager he studied under Jesuit priests and Franciscan monks, deepening his fascination with the unexplained and the working of the brain. They taught him how to hypnotize and how to use the mind for the betterment of mankind. He also studied how magicians used misdirection to fool audiences and bought and read every magic and hypnosis book he could find. He toured as a magician for several years before gaining fame as a hypnotist. In the 1970s he and his wife, Grace, created the very first group hypnosis sessions for smoking and weight control. For years their group sessions were used as major fundraisers for the American Lung Association. Their anti-smoking efforts helped change tobacco advertising forever. He was a member of the Society for Investigative and Forensic Hypnosis, and was a founder and past president of the Michigan chapter. He appeared on such television shows as the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, the Mike Douglas Show and The Merv Griffin Show. He became a featured guest on over two hundred and fifty United States and Canadian radio and television shows. Survivors include his lifelong partner and mother of his five children, Grace; daughters Jacqueline Gaines, and Jeanette Glowacki (Brian); and sons Jay (Laura), Jon, and Jason (Wendy); seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and sister Marcianne Ellis. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, shelter@sfhumanesociety.org. Memories may be shared at: www.danielsfuneral.com.
ALESSANDRO RIARIO-SFORZA
Alessandro Riario-Sforza, 72, of Rome, Italy, died July 23, 2015. His I.B.M. membership number was 36304, and he had been a member since 2006. He also was a member of Ring 204 (Rome, Italy). According to his friend Luca d’Agostini, Alessandro was a great connoisseur of magic, participating in numerous magic conventions throughout the world. Since he spoke five languages he could converse freely with fellow magicians wherever he went. He had a large library of magic books which he donated to Ring 204.
BARRIE RICHARDSON
Dr. Barrie Richardson, 81, of Shreveport, Louisiana, died November 18, 2015. His I.B.M. member number was 24942, and he had been a member since 1972. He was a member of the Order of Merlin Shield (thirty-five years a continuous member). He also was a member of the Inner Circle of The Magic Circle in London, the Psychic Entertainer’s Society, the Sark Secret Magic Society, and the Buenos Aires Magic Society in Argentina. Born in Chicago, he earned a B.A. degree from Carleton College, and M.B.A. and doctorate degrees from Indiana University. He served in the U.S. Army before starting a distinguished forty-three year career in college teaching and administration. He taught at Bethany College, Arizona State University, Indiana University, Hope College, and Centenary College of Louisiana. He loved magic from his youth, and his first performances were in veteran’s hospitals in his native Chicago. After retiring, he intensified his magic activities, including lecturing on magic and mentalism throughout the world. He was the author of three internationally-acclaimed books on magic, now considered classics, and has been recognized with top awards for his creativity, innovations, and his approaches in his presentations. Survivors include his wife, Janie; children Craig (Cathy), Jan (Allen) Richert, Pam (Henry) Rivers, and David (Elin); step-daughter, Millie (Jeffrey) Hamilton; his first wife, Lucy; sister, Laurel (Ernest) Lockridge; and nine grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to The Community Foundation, 401 Edwards, Suite 105, Shreveport, LA 71101. An In Memoriam appears elsewhere in this issue.
JOEL UNGERLEIDER
Joel Ungerleider, 87, of Louisville, Kentucky, died October 29, 2015. He attended the University of Kentucky. He was in sales for Roche Pharmaceuticals Company. He was a member of The Temple, Mensa, Romeo’s and was a Mason. Survivors include his daughters Chertl (John Russ), Suzy Aukerman (Paul), and Robin McKelvy (James Pence); three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Raema Green; niece Cathy Plotkin (Lanny); and nephew Rick Green. Memorial contributions may be made to The Temple or the Peace Education Program, 318 West Kentucky Street, Louisville, KY 40203.
DANIEL WALDRON
Daniel Waldron, 90, of Royal Oak, Michigan, died November 11, 2015. He was a former member of the I.B.M. (1996-2002). Born in Bay City, Michigan, he was a magic historian, collector, and writer. Among his writing were the books: “American Museum of Magic: Its True Story (1990), “Blackstone: A Magician’s Life” (1999), and “Side Show” (2001, which he co-authored with Howard Bone). At the time of his death he was writing another book, “The Other Blackstone,” about Pete Bouton, Harry Blackstone’s brother.
JACK E. WARKENTIN
The I.B.M. Headquarters recently was informed that Jack Edward Warkentin, 82, of Loveland, Colorado, died August 1, 2015. His I.B.M. number was 28400, and he had been a member since 2002. He also was a member of Ring 250 (Fort Collins, Colorado). Born in Lawton, Oklahoma, he earned a degree in economics from Oklahoma University. After graduation, he worked in Midland, Texas and then returned to Lawton to work in his family’s business. He moved his family to Colorado and bought radio station KGLN, from which he retired in 1988. Then he lived in Hawaii and Washington before returning to Colorado. In addition to loving to perform magic, he loved Christmas and playing Santa each year. Survivors include his six children: Gabrielle Schilling, Laurie Schiltz, Jack Jr., Jill, Jay, and Arthur; seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and sister Judith Bryan. Memorial contributions may be made in honor of his father, Ted Warkentin (chairman 1950-1955) to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 N.E. 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104.
CARL D. WILLIAMS
Carl DeVoy Williams, 93, of Los Angeles, California, died October 18, 2015, while he was recovering from a stroke on his birthday, October 5. His I.B.M. member number was 27150, and he had been a member since 1974. He was a member of the Order of Merlin Shield (thirty-five years a continuous member). He was a master magic builder, creator, innovator, craftsman, and restorer. Every magic collector knew him and he was the “go to guy” for the restoration of antique apparatus. His company in Pasadena, California, was called Custom Magic, and he also had a full line of Okito-style magic effects, known as the “Okito-Williams” line. He was honored recently by magic collectors at the Collectors’ Symposium in Washington, D.C. and was given a Fellowship by the Academy of Magical Arts. Survivors include his wife, Jean.
ROBERT G. WOLTZ
Robert (Bob) George Woltz, 67, of Dearborn, Michigan, died October 15, 2015. He was a former member of the I.B.M. Born in Detroit, Michigan, his occupation was an automotive/metal model maker. He was the founder of the Downriver Magic Club in the 1970s. He also owned and operated a magic store in the Outer Drive/Southfield area, Downriver. Survivors include his brother, Tom (Rebecca).
EDITOR’S NOTE: The I.B.M. Headquarters has learned that the following magicians have died, but has not been able to find any obituary information about them so far. If anyone knows of any such information, please contact the Broken Wand editor, Dennis Schick at crylds@att.net: Claudine Boyer-Chandler (England), Peter D’Arcy (England), Jerry Deschamps (Concord, New Hampshire), Reginald Lawrence (Australia), Nelson Nicholson (Orange, Connecticut), James R. Partington (Williston, Florida), Peter Pinner (England), David E. Price (England), and Thomas P. Rinella (Schiller Park, Illinois).
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