IN APPRECIATION FOR THEIR LIFE IN MAGIC
by Dennis Schick • Editor, The I.B.M. Broken Wand
The Broken Wand for December 2008.
DR. WALTER DOYLE
Dr. Walter Doyle, 82, of East Elmhurst, New York, died October 4, 2008. He held I.B.M. number 12265, had been an I.B.M. member since 1998, and was a member of the Order of Merlin (twenty-five years of continuous membership).
A native of New Jersey, he entered the order of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in 1939, and took his final vows in 1950. Bro. Doyle received a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s in science from Fordham University. He also held a Ph.D. from St. John's University. During his career he taught at many high schools, retiring in 2001 from his last one, Msgr. McClancy in East Elmhurst. Besides his teaching duties, he coached track, basketball, football, and the debate teams.
As a teacher, he found that magic was a good tool that would hold students' attention, and joined the I.B.M. to develop his magic knowledge and performing skills.
Survivors include a sister, a brother, and many nieces and nephews.
RUSSELL J. GLOVER
Russell J. Glover, 90, of Prospect Heights, Illinois, died October 20, 2008. He held I.B.M. number 9568, was a member of The Nation's Capitol Ring 50, and was a member of the Order of Merlin Excelsior (sixty years of continuous membership).
He was on the Washington, D.C. police force for more than thirty years, and was a detective-sergeant when he retired in 1973. But he was best known in the Washington area for the "Dr. Chang" act he developed. In his prime he was one of the busiest performers in the nation's capital. He also performed various comedy sketches with the late Larry West.
It was fellow police detective George Woo who got Mr. Glover interested in magic. Woo took him to Barry's Magic Shop, which began his long love of magic. Glover was hired by most of the Chinese restaurants in Washington, especially during New Year celebrations, to do his Dr. Chang routine.
Mr. Glover was preceded in death by his wife, Jackie. A Broken Wand ceremony was performed for him by members of Ring 50.
CLIFTON L. HAGENBUCH, JR.
Clifton L. Hagenbuch, Jr., 84, of San Clemente, California, died March 12, 2008. He held I.B.M. number 42949, had been a continuous member since 1988, and was a member of the Magic Guild of Southern California, Ring 292.
His profession was law, but his primary interest was magic. Mr. Hagenbuch's interest in magic began when his grandmother took him to see Howard Thurston's show in Philadelphia when he was about six years old. She bought him a magic set and his life-long fascination for magic began. He entertained friends and family, and added stage effects under the tutelage of local magician Jim Swoger.
Survivors include his wife, Louise, who said that Clifton was buried with a pipe in one hand and a magic trick in his pocket.
DIANE V. LANE
Diane V. Lane, 51, of San Diego, California, died October 22, 2008 at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, California. She held I.B.M. number 52631 and had been an I.B.M. member since 1995. She was a member of the Honest Sid Gerhart Ring #76 and Past President and Board Member of the Ring.
Diane had been in failing health for several months. She and her doctors were searching for a donor kidney for a much needed transplant. Her family was with her at the hospital. Diane's son Kenny said that his mother did not want a formal funeral service but a celebration of her life, which was held November 8.
She never let her personal health problems interfere with helping and entertaining others. She worked her magic in support of a large number of charity groups and non-profit organizations over the years. She took her duties as a board member and President of Ring 76 in a very serious manner. She once told Jack White that if there was one thing she wanted to be remembered for in her work with the I.B.M. It would be her efforts to help her fellow magicians become better performers. It had been her goal to have more teach-in sessions for Ring 76 members.
Diane Lane was the only woman magician in San Diego to have her own weekly television magic show, which appeared on Time-Warner Cable stations in Southern California for many years. In addition to doing magic on the program and acting as host, she also featured other professional and amateur performers each week on the program. Diane wrote and produced the program as well as being the lead talent on the weekly show. It was a labor-intensive program to produce each week but Diane never complained and some how worked it into her busy schedule.
The Linking Ring recognized Diane's efforts in overcoming adversity and continuing to help others by entertaining with magic. The magazine featured her on the cover of the January 2004 issue.
Phil Willmarth, the Executive Editor of The Linking Ring, flew to Las Vegas to personally present Diane with the first copy of the magazine off the press that bore her photograph. The presentation of the magazine was made as Diane was checking into the hotel for the start of the Desert Magic Seminar. The honor of appearing on the cover of the magazine came as a surprise to Diane, and she later said, "Being on the cover of the most widely read magic magazine in the world was a true high point in my magic career."
Ring 76 President Terry Lunceford noted: "Her loss will leave a void in the Southern California magic scene because she was known and admired by so many people."
TED LESLEY
Ted Lesley, 71, of Berlin, Germany, died October 24, 2008. He held I.B.M. number 34695, had been an I.B.M. member since 1979, and was a member of the Order of Merlin (twenty-five years of continuous membership).
Lesley was born in the Rhineland part of Germany, not far from Cologne. When one of his friends got a magic set, Ted became so fascinated with it that he had to have one, too. He wanted to be a magician. Naturally, his father knew better and made certain that Ted learned a legitimate trade. He became a tax counselor and accountant. He was especially suited for this because he had an incredible mind for numbers, which was to stand him in good stead in the future. One of his earliest and last clients as a tax consultant was the German director Ottokar Runze, who gave him a part in a film The Lord of Barmbeck. Ted enjoyed this so much that he felt compelled to become an entertainer on a permanent basis.
He had been inspired by the television performances of Punx, whom he saw when he was a child. His accounting practice was in Berlin, where there were several excellent night clubs. He haunted the Red Rose -- one of the clubs that hired magicians -- and watched the best of the best entertain with their magic. He became acquainted with Marvyn and Carol Roy, Dany Ray, Milo and Roger, Ralf Bialla, and others who performed there.
He got a huge break in 1974 when he performed at the Hanover Messe, one of the largest trade shows in Europe, where he debuted his Appearing Automobile illusion. From there, he got many bookings at better night clubs. He became a regular columnist for the German magic magazine Magische Welt. In all of his writings and in using performance material, he was meticulous about getting permission from the people who owned the rights to the material before he published it or performed it.
He made several lecture tours of the United States and Europe. He played the best nightclubs, including many appearances at the Magic Castle, and won many awards. Among his awards were the Dunninger Award (he was the first European mentalist to receive this award); Writer of the Year for his book Mental Mind-Ups, which was translated into English by Bill Palmer and Dr. Oliver Erens as Paramiracles; and the Magic Circle of London elevated him to the rank of Member of the Inner Magic Circle (M.I.M.C.) with Gold Star.
His magic creations were numerous, including the Working Performer's Marked Deck (1981), Credit-Card Card Trick (1985), Vanishing TV (1985), Working Performer's Hydrostatic Glass (1987), Delsey Miracle (1988), and the Automatic Pegasus-Page (1988), among others. Bill Palmer
CHARLES E. MORROW
Charles E. Morrow, 85, of Rockaway Township, New Jersey, died October 18, 2008. He held I.B.M. number 17270 and had been a member since 1959. Born in Baltimore, he lived in Rockaway Township for the past sixty years.
He served in the Army Air Corps during World War Two, where he saw action in Northern Africa, Italy, and France. He worked at Warner Lambert as an associate scientist for thirty-three years before retiring in 1986.
He was predeceased by his wife, Betty, in 2001. He is survived by daughter Leona (Wayne) Lewis; son Charles (Nancy); and a sister.
SAMUEL SCHWARTZ
Samuel Schwartz, 97, of Scarsdale, New York, died November 17, 2008. He held I.B.M. number 15213, and had been a member since 1955. He was a member of the Dr. Mark Horowitz Ring 150 and The Universe Ring 2100. He was a member of the Order of Merlin Excalibur (fifty years of continuous membership).
Mr. Schwartz had been the attorney for Lou Tannen, owner of the famous New York magic shop.
Brilliant in his magic, his love for the art spanned six decades and covered countless effects and inventions in his life. His book, simply titled Sam's, was released a few years ago in hardback, and it was an instant best seller in the magic world.
Sam and Selma Schwartz moved from Boynton Beach, Florida, to New York to be closer to their only daughter and granddaughter. He is survived by his wife, daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law. Maria Ibâñez
HAROLD SPARKS
Harold Sparks, 94, of Richmond, Virginia, died August 31, 2008. He held I.B.M. number 4473, had been an I.B.M. Member since 1951, and was a member of the Order of Merlin Excalibur (fifty years of continuous membership).
A native of Philadelphia, he was married to his wife Elizabeth (Betty) for sixty-seven years.
Magic was a vehicle for Mr. Sparks -- who worked as "Sparky" -- to provide entertainment everywhere he performed, including a school for disabled children and many birthday parties and school class functions over the years for his daughter Linda. He was particularly pleased to have performed for his granddaughter's class in Scottsboro, Arizona, adding another generation.
Mr. Sparks is survived by his daughter, Linda Canada, two granddaughters, and four great-grandchildren.
NICHOLAS K. TROST
Nicholas "Nick" K. Trost, 73, of Columbus, Ohio, died October 23, 2008 of a brain tumor. He held I.B.M. number 15316. He was an alumnus of Ohio State University and served in the U.S. Army. He became enthusiastic about magic at the age of seven or eight, after seeing a magic show staged by members of I.B.M. Ring 3 in Troy, Ohio. He then met Bob Lewis of Dayton, who sparked his keen interest in card magic.
He wrote a card column in The New Tops from 1961 through 1994, and a Hocus Pocus Parade in the February 1955 issue of The Linking Ring. He received an award for originality of a card effect at the I.B.M. Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, also in 1955. He is the author of the classic book on card magic, The Card Magic of Nick Trost (1997). Nick Trost's Subtle Card Creations, Volume 1, illustrated by Tony Dunn, appeared earlier this year 2008, published by H&R Magic Books. In addition, he created numerous packet tricks and wrote many other publications, mostly dealing with cards.
Word of Mr. Trost's death spread quickly throughout the magic world, prompting dozens of expressions of sadness, but also praise for his brilliant contributions to card magic. He is survived by his wife of forty-seven years, Dolores; children Beth (Keith) Benner; Jennifer (Bill) Grawe; Kirk (Susan) Trost; and Erika (Steve) Blausey; eight grandchildren; and a sister.
STANLEY J. WHITE
Stanley J. White, 89, of Dunedin, Florida, died October 20, 2008. He held I.B.M. number 7852, had been a member since 1991, and was a member of the Order of Merlin (twenty-five years of continuous membership).
A native of Harbor Beach, Michigan, he attended Michigan State University, and worked at the Oldsmobile factory in Lansing. He was drafted in 1942 and served in England. He received three battle stars, one Purple Heart, and a Bronze Star. He performed magic for GIs during the World War II.
Following the war, Mr. White earned a bachelor of arts in English and a master’s degree in education from Michigan State. He spent thirty years teaching in the Flint Michigan Public Schools and Mott Community College. He coached debate and drama clubs and assisted as golf coach.
He and his wife retired to Florida in 1978. He played "The Inspector" at the Showboat Dinner Theater in the play Hostile Witness, starring television star Craig Stevens.
Survivors include daughter Julie Martin, and son, Roger.
