The Modern Mystic League
JULY 2025
Blackburn & District Society of Magicians
On possibly the warmest day of the year, MML members bade an equally warm welcome to the President of the I.B.M. British Ring, Aidan Heritage, who had travelled all the way from Stevenage with a treasure trove of film clips to recreate some of the magical pleasures of yesteryear. As Ring 25’s webmaster, Aidan has been posting a new clip each day since before Covid, and has now notched up over 2,200 examples, with many more in the pipeline.
The compilation began with some flickery footage of Houdini, followed by an impersonation of him escaping from his milk churn as seen on the TV show Illusions; the brainchild of Fergus
Roy.
Very thoughtfully, Aidan had picked a number of Northern performers – including some (like Johnny Hart and a very young Shaun McCree), from our own club. Along with Aidan himself, as Clown Sparky, we also spotted the late Richard Houghton, one of the very few people permitted to wear the makeup of Charlie Cairoli.
There were some fascinating clips of our former Hon Vice President Paul Daniels, including a rare sequence of him performing a silent act as half of the Eldanis. There was also a wonderful parody of his chop cup routine from his TV show Secrets, performed in triplicate with Debbie and his son, Martin, and a version with Shirley Bassey showing him at his pattering best. When executing the Rising Card in Envelope, however, it was obvious he had not seen the lecture on this effect by Roy Johnson at Great Yarmouth in 1991.
(If you want to watch Paul Daniels on the Shirley Bassey Show, click the link at the top of the page)
Robert Harbin brought logic to his version of Torn and Restored Newspaper, filmed in 1939, while Geoffrey Durham discussed his timing of the same trick while explaining the genesis of his Great Soprendo character.
The compilation began with some flickery footage of Houdini, followed by an impersonation of him escaping from his milk churn as seen on the TV show Illusions; the brainchild of Fergus
Roy.
Very thoughtfully, Aidan had picked a number of Northern performers – including some (like Johnny Hart and a very young Shaun McCree), from our own club. Along with Aidan himself, as Clown Sparky, we also spotted the late Richard Houghton, one of the very few people permitted to wear the makeup of Charlie Cairoli.
There were some fascinating clips of our former Hon Vice President Paul Daniels, including a rare sequence of him performing a silent act as half of the Eldanis. There was also a wonderful parody of his chop cup routine from his TV show Secrets, performed in triplicate with Debbie and his son, Martin, and a version with Shirley Bassey showing him at his pattering best. When executing the Rising Card in Envelope, however, it was obvious he had not seen the lecture on this effect by Roy Johnson at Great Yarmouth in 1991.
(If you want to watch Paul Daniels on the Shirley Bassey Show, click the link at the top of the page)
Robert Harbin brought logic to his version of Torn and Restored Newspaper, filmed in 1939, while Geoffrey Durham discussed his timing of the same trick while explaining the genesis of his Great Soprendo character.
AIDAN HERITAGE
MAGIC ON THE SILVER SCREEN
MAGIC ON THE SILVER SCREEN
We saw Jon Gresham doing an outdoor stunt on the beach at Hastings, entombed in a metal box licked by flames, while Norman Barrett’s budgie act provided a delightful ‘allied art’ speciality act.
It was interesting to compare the act of Sandy Powell, often presented as a comic counterpoint to the suave manipulation of Mark Raffles (who was seen with the chaotic Wychwoods dog act) with Terry Herbert’s later creation of the Great Fiasco and, for that matter, Larry Parker. Slapstick was further represented by Tommy Cooper, with some expertly timed sight gags and an Egg Bag, and Gaetan Bloom.
Ali Bongo presented his Pom-Pom Sticks in a blend of three Europea languages, while Trevor Lewis continued to garner laughs even though, poignantly, Aidan was to attend his funeral the following day.
The second part of the afternoon included a short film by Harty Nicholls, made in 1981 at the 50th British Ring convention. It included, among others, glimpses of Fukai, Pat Page, David Berglas, Bob King, David Williamson, Al Goshman, Rovi, Harry Blackstone Junior, Aldo Columbini, Al Glenan and Karrell Fox.
To conclude, special requests from the floor included Fred Kaps interviewed by Michael Parkinson, Slydini with his iconic ‘paper balls over the head’, and John Wade.
It was a wonderful canter through our magical memories and, this being Wimbledon finals day, Aidan was thanked by President Paul with some suitably tennis-related puns.
Brian Lead
CLICK
It was interesting to compare the act of Sandy Powell, often presented as a comic counterpoint to the suave manipulation of Mark Raffles (who was seen with the chaotic Wychwoods dog act) with Terry Herbert’s later creation of the Great Fiasco and, for that matter, Larry Parker. Slapstick was further represented by Tommy Cooper, with some expertly timed sight gags and an Egg Bag, and Gaetan Bloom.
Ali Bongo presented his Pom-Pom Sticks in a blend of three Europea languages, while Trevor Lewis continued to garner laughs even though, poignantly, Aidan was to attend his funeral the following day.
The second part of the afternoon included a short film by Harty Nicholls, made in 1981 at the 50th British Ring convention. It included, among others, glimpses of Fukai, Pat Page, David Berglas, Bob King, David Williamson, Al Goshman, Rovi, Harry Blackstone Junior, Aldo Columbini, Al Glenan and Karrell Fox.
To conclude, special requests from the floor included Fred Kaps interviewed by Michael Parkinson, Slydini with his iconic ‘paper balls over the head’, and John Wade.
It was a wonderful canter through our magical memories and, this being Wimbledon finals day, Aidan was thanked by President Paul with some suitably tennis-related puns.
Brian Lead
Paul Daniels on the Shirley Bassey Show