Val Walker

Valentine "Val" Walker (1890 - 1969) was an English magician, escape artist and illusion designer. Born in Mosely, Birmingham, he served in the navy and was billed as the "Wizard of the Navy". [cite web
url = http://www.houdini-connections.co.uk/4-info/Topics/sj-John%20Bull.htm
title = Jim Stewart's "Houdini Connections"
accessdate = 2007-02-26] Walker is credited as the designer of the "Radium Girl" illusion. [For online evidence see cite web
url = http://www.marlowj.freeserve.co.uk/Pictures/magic15.jpg
title = part of an old magic magazine reproduced on the "Magic Cave" site
accessdate = 2007-02-26 A better source is to be found in the Tad Ware article in "Magicol" magazine (see Further reading)] He is also said to have been the designer of the "John Bull Straitjacket", which was created for a challenge to Houdini in 1926. [cite web
url = http://www.houdini-connections.co.uk/4-info/Topics/sj-John%20Bull.htm
title = Jim Stewart's "Houdini Connections"
accessdate = 2007-02-26]

References

Further reading

*Tad Ware, "The Radium Girl", in "Magicol" Magazine, pub by Magic Collectors' Association, (date unknown)
*Val Walker, written recollections published in "Abracadabra" magazine in 1968 (full details unavailable)

External links

* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-pa-HTTP%253A%252F%252FWWW.SLV.VIC.GOV.AU%252FMISCPICS%252F0%252F1%252F7%252FDOC%252FMP017808.SHTML A picture] from the State Library of Victoria, Australia, showing Val Walker in naval uniform.
* [http://geniimagazine.com/forum/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=000019 Discussions about Val Walker] on the "Genii forum" website