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Part Three: The Growth Of A Federation

Thus far, American involvement with FISM™ had been minimal. With so many domestic conventions held each year, there was little impetus toward making the long, expensive trek across the Atlantic. The summer of 1950 had seen a combined SAM‑IBM convention in Chicago that pulled in over a thousand registrants.

Nevertheless, interest was piqued as word of the new faces in the FISM™ contests filtered back to the U.S. In the November, 1950 Hugard's Magic Monthly, Frank Joglar (Milbourne Christopher) wrote, "High on my 'I would like to see' list would be Niberco and Mystica of Holland, and Dominique from France."

When Dr. Dhotel convened the congress in Paris on September 6, 1951, an American tour group was among the 450 registrants from 13 countries. The convention was produced by Sanas, with Marcel Laureau replacing Henk Vermeyden as FISM™ Secretary. A turnout higher than anticipated made for an operation noticeably less smooth than before. There were only four dealers (who must have been very happy).

At the business meeting another vote was taken on the matter of accepting Germany for FISM™ membership. This time the outcome was favourable.

The main facility was the Maison de la Chimie, which had function rooms and a theater, but during the five days some events took place elsewhere. Sunday night there was a marathon public gala for an audience of over 5,000 in the massive Rex Cinema, starting at 1:30 PM and ending just past dawn.

There was a special evening tour of the Louvre museum, and a nightclub excursion. Saturday afternoon there was a close-up show in the Grand Salon of the Eiffel Tower, 300 feet up. Performers included Americans Laurie Ireland, Mystic Craig and Elmer Eckham.

Eckham, a former dealer from upstate New York, was the first American to serve on the jury for the contest.

It was, again, a lengthy affair drawn out over three days. There were some adjustments in the contest structure; mentalism was designated as a separate category for the first time. The awards were:

GRAND PRIX:

Geoffrey Buckingham (England)

MANIPULATION:

1. Carlo Tornedo (Sweden)

2. (tie) Magicton (France)

2. (tie) Salengros (France)

PRESENTATION:

I. Albino & Tiny (Holland)

2. Odips (France)

3. Sala (Switzerland)

 

ORIGINALITY:

1. Monarque (Belgium)

2. Eddy Schuyer (Holland)

3. Leslie Barrié (France)

COMEDY:

1. Jay Palmer & Doreen (United States)

2. Thoki Yen (Denmark)

MICROMAGIC:

1. Sala (Switzerland)

2. Avara (France)

3. La More (France)

MENTALISM:

1. The Salvins (England)

FEMALE:

1. Huguette Delysiolle (France)

2. Alice Maclay (England

3. Elizabeth (England)

ALLIED ARTS:

(Shadowgraphy) Géo Teros (France)

(Ventriloquism) Bassoti  (Switzerland)

(Ventriloquism) Roger Perrin (France)

(Juggling) Guillaume Clément (Belgium)

In addition to winning an Originality prize, Eddy Schuyer sired a virtual troupe of circus performers; today, his multilingual daughter Sylvia is a popular emcee at international magic conventions. At the time he received his special award, juggler Clément was 82 years old.

Buckingham, who in 1950 had won first prizes in two categories, received the Grand Prix by default. The jury wanted to give the award to Jose Frakson, the masterful Spaniard now based in the U.S. However, Frakson graciously declined, and the prize (a solid gold medal depleting Robert Houdin) went to Buckingham, also a popular choice for his vigorous, skillful manipulation. In his act he produced 15 billiard balls ‑ the final one appearing in his mouth. He had earned raves for his lecture at the Chicago convention the previous year, and over the next four decades would do many more lecture tours.

In 1952 there was a return to Switzerland, this time Geneva. The resident of the convention was Dr. J. B. Quartz. At the opening ceremony on September II he greeted the Khoo delegates in five languages.

The reduced turnout was at least at partially due to the proliferation of regional and national conventions. At the business meeting it was decided that the FISM™ congress would from now on be held once every three years. The next one in 1955 was slated to be held in London, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Magic Circle. Also at that meeting, Germany was formally admitted as a FISM™ member nation.

Unlike its predecessors, this congress was not based at a single head, quarters hotel. Most events took place in the Grand Casino theater. Externally, there was a visit to an automata exhibition, a trip to Port Gitana, and a reception at City Hall.

Among the performers were two winners from the year before, Carlo Tornedo and the newly christened Fred Kaps.

The contest categories were altered yet again; one of the new classifications was for large scale illusions. The results were:

GRAND PRIX

Moroso (Italy)

MANIPULATION:

1. Bernat (Spain)

2. Tomaneck (Czechoslovakia)

3. André Bovet (Switzerland)

PRESENTATION:

1. Laquier (France)

2. Pedro (Sweden)

3. Magini (Sweden)

STAGE:

1. Edeling (Denmark)

2. Ralpho (France)

3. Mah‑Toh & Mah‑Jah (Germany)

ORIGINALITY:

1. Peterson (Switzerland)

2. Magini (Sweden)

INVENTION:

1. Frank Cleaver (England)

2. Abbé Ramuncho (France)

MICROMAGIC:

1. Bernat (Spain)

2. Dr. Weyeneth (Switzerland)

MENTALISM:

1. Magdola & Carolus (France)

VENTRILOQUISM:

1. Jean de Merry (Switzerland)

2. Dany Mouse (Switzerland)

3. Roger Perrin (France)

GRAND ILLUSION:

1. Mireldo (France)

FEMALE:

1. Ann Hardy (Belgium)

ALLIED ARTS:

(Shadowgraphy) Carolus (France)

(Rag Pictures) Arline (France)

The Mireldo illusion act was a fast‑paced routine including a Sawing and the production of a woman from a tank of water. The Cleaver effect that won for Invention was a miniature flying saucer that spun as it levitated. Tomaneck, who placed second in Manipulation, was one of the very few magicians from eastern Europe to attend a FISM™ event during the height of the Cold War. Roger Perrin, who had previously won honors for his vent act, did not enter the competition this year, but was nonetheless awarded a prize.

The Grand Prix winner, Denis Moroso, was an Italian professional. His work was described by Fabian in the September 20 Abra as "New magic in an old style." Working with simple materials, his clean sleight‑of‑hand technique won praise, particularly the closing sequence of transforming four previously produced balls, one by one, into silks. Fabian wrote, "[W] shall be hearing more of him."

The Magic Circle produced its own Golden jubilee event in 1955. The sixth FISM™ convention wound up back in familiar territory, at the Krasnapolski Hotel in Amsterdam, with Henk Vermeyden as President. The InternationaalCongres voor de Goochelkunst reached a record attendance level: 700 conjurors from 26 countries. The dealer count was up to eight.

Reigning champion Geoffrey Buckingham appeared on one of the gala bills, receiving multiple curtain calls. Several other British performers were also featured in the shows, including Ken Brooke, Elizabeth Warlock and Claude Chandler.

The convention ran for five days, the competition occupying four of them. There were 83 contestants, with what was reported as a higher overall standard than befor ‑ but with no shortage of repetition.

As we have seen, over the years there had been a certain amount of flexibility in the contest format, with almost annual readjustment of categories. Some performers who were booked on convention shows were also in the contest, often with the same act. On a few occasions noted above (and probably others; the record is not entirely clear), the judges opted to award a prize to a performer in one of the shows who hadn't entered the competition at all. The early contests had a rule stating that when a person won the Grand Prix, they were no longer eligible to enter a future FISM™ contest. By now, that rule had been rescinded, and the convention was abuzz with the news that Fred Kaps was making a run for a second Grand Prix. This was the result:

GRAND PRIX:

Fred Kaps (Holland)

MANIPULATION:

1. Marconick (Holland)

2. Jacque Courcelles (Belgium)

3‑ Jacky Fox (Belgium)

GENERAL MAGIC:

1. Ad de Lunès (Holland)

2. Ritani (Germany)

3. Stephani & Co. (Holland)

ORIGINALITY:

Mr. Jack (Holland)

COMEDY:

El Wido (Sweden)

MICROMAGIC:

1. Eddy Taytelbaum (Holland)

2. J. H. Van Rinkhuysen (Holland)

3. John Ramsey (Scotland)

CARDS:

1. Fred Kaps (Holland)

2. Jacque Courcelles (Belgium)

3. Eddy Taytelbaum (Holland)

In past years, some of the contest winners were seen on gala shows, either booked beforehand or added at the last minute. Here, it was decided, during the convention itself, to scrap the closing gala and replace it with a winners show, allowing everyone another look at that year's award‑winning acts. This policy has continued ever since.

Heinz Stolk devised his stage name via a play on words, combining his prior designation as a military radio operator (called a "Marconist" after Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of the wireless telegraph) and his middle name of Nikolas. His act involved original silk effects, many of which were subsequently published and marketed. Double prize, winner Eddy Taytelbaum's card work was notable for introducing a number of unusual handlings. In later years his reputation was further enhanced by his side‑line of manufacturing beautifully hand, rendered close‑up props.

In the five years since his last Grand Prix, Fred Kaps had been working on new material. He entered carrying a cane, which led the audience to expect a reprise of his earlier act. Suddenly, out of the top of the slender cane he yanked a full‑sized rabbit! Expert work with silks, cards and saltshakers followed, and for the finish he offered his version of the Roy Benson comedy long salt pour. In an interview with Freddie Jelsma, Kaps' widow Nelly recalled that he'd worked on the closing piece for three years. "Salt was strewn constantly throughout the living room. If I needed some for cooking and couldn't find it in the kitchen, I knew Fred had been busy again:'

On August 27, 1958, close to 600 magicians from 13 countries ,came to Vienna, Austria for the next FISM™ gathering, with Henk Vermeyden maintaining the position of President.

The five‑day event ,,Included a reception and buffet in the Vienna Town Hall, and a bountiful banquet. The final gala at the Ronacher Theater, a recap of the top prize winners, was broadcast on Austrian television.

The full list of Winners was this:

GRAND PRIX:

Tonny van Dommelen (Holland)

MANIPULATION:

1. Maurice Rooklyn (Australia)

2. Claude Rix (France)

3. Pierre Brahma (France)

GENERAL MAGIC:

1. Peter Pit (Holland)

2. Eduard Mazakian (Czechoslovakia)

3. Ronaldo (Holland)

INVENTION:

1. Rama (Holland)

COMEDY:

1. P. Lodynski (Austria)

GRAND ILLUSION:

1. John Dee (Switzerland)

2. Willi Seidl (Austria)

MICROMAGIC:

1. Phoa Yan Tiong (Holland)

2. Gogia Pasha (India)

3. Fernando Maymo (Spain)

CARDS:

1. Eddy Taytelbaum (Holland)

MATHEMATICAL MAGIC:

(Lightning Calculation) Ernest Moingeon    (France)

FEMALE:

N. Marteret (France)

Close‑Up winner Phoa Yan Tiong, also a fine stage performer, had relocated to Holland some years before. His contact with magic came late, in his mid‑20s; however, he began to study martial arts at the age of seven, which had a strong influence on his approach to timing and movement. Best known for a fiendishly clever cut‑and‑restored silk, in 1977 he published the first instalment of The Seasons, a set of conjuring texts of unusual profundity that seem to be virtually unknown in the United States.

The young winner of the General category, Peter Pit, was another Vermeyden protégé. He opened with the production and vanish of a rabbit, and closed with a Multiplying Bottle routine producing 24 bottles. It was the central part of the act, however, that became his trademark. As Arthur J. Estes described it in the October Linking Ring, "Pit truly won his audience when he produced a floating cane and, using it as an elusive partner, danced a waltz." He went on to work nightclubs and television, and moved to the U.S. in 196o. For many years was the Secretary of the Magic Castle and the booker for that club's Palace of Mystery showroom.

The Grand Prix had yet another Dutch recipient, Tonny van Dommelen, who had turned pro a few years earlier after winning awards in several national competitions and an Honourable Mention in the Manipulation category at the 1951 FISM™ in Paris. In his act, adept handling of dice, cards and gambling chips were repeatedly interrupted by surprising productions of filled glasses of beer. He would further his career in nightclubs, theaters, cruise ships and television, and winning more championships in Czechoslovakia and Japan.