- Fred Culpitt
Fred Culpitt was the stage name of British stage magician and magic inventor Frederick Willis Culpitt (9 May 1877 - 1944). He achieved stage success in the early part of the 20th century with a comedy magic act and is also notable as the first magician to appear on a regularly scheduled television show.
Culpitt got his first big break when the American "chinese-style" magician
Chung Ling Soo booked him for a tour of Australia in 1909. Between 1914 and 1918 Culpitt replacedDavid Devant at St. George's Hall, London, performing as a "magical comedian". [cite web
url = http://www.magictricks.com/bios/whoswho-c.htm#Culpitt
title = Magicians' Biographies: C
publisher = magictricks.com
accessdate = 2008-06-01]Culpitt is credited with inventing the "
Doll's House Illusion ", the "Costume Trunk Illusion " and the "Silk To Egg Trick ", which continue to be used by magicians. He is also credited with devising methods for the "Torn and restored newspaper " trick and various other effects that have become a part of the stage magic repertoire.cite book
url = http://www.mickyhades.com/culpitt.htm
last = Andrews
first = Val
title = Fred Culpitt: A brief biography
publisher = Abraxas Publications
date = 2001
ISBN = 0968823106]In 1936 the
BBC began test broadcasts fromAlexandra Palace , London, for the world's first regular television service. In an effort to find material that would work well on the new medium the corporation sought entertainment acts that had a strong visual element. Culpitt was recruited to present magic, thus helping to establish a lasting place for magic in television variety programming. [cite web
url = http://www.apts.org.uk/oct-36.htm
title = BBC Television Programme Schedules - October 1936
publisher = Alexandra Palace Television Society
accessdate = 2008-08-07]Also in 1936, Culpitt appeared in the film "Keep Your Seats, Please", which starred
George Formby . According to the "British Film Catalogue", Culpitt, in a small suppoting role, played a magician. [cite web
url = http://www.britishpictures.com/arch_k.html
title = Archive K
publisher = David Absalom] [cite book
title = The British Film Catalogue: Fiction Film 1895-1994 Vol 1
first = Denis
last = Gifford
publisher = Fitzroy Dearborn
date = 2003
ISBN = 1579581994]References
External links
[http://www.magicnook.com/forum/bioCDE.htm#Culpitt,%20Fred Brief biography with a photo]
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