- Tony Slydini
Slydini (born 1901,
Foggia ,Italy , died 1991) was a world renowned magician.Tony Slydini was born as Quintino Marucci in Foggia, Italy. Best known as a master of
close-up artistry , he served as inspiration to a generation of magicians, includingDoug Henning .Slydini was the son of an amateur magician who encouraged him to pursue sleight of hand at an early age. Slydini was attracted to the
psychological aspects of the art, which would later show itself in his magic in the form of precise and expert use ofmisdirection . He was also inspired by the relationship between the magician and his audience, which fueled his desire to be aclose-up artist. While still young, Slydini and his family left Italy to live inArgentina . It was there that Slydini began to experiment more seriously with magic. He worked inSouth America 's version ofvaudeville for a time, but soon theGreat Depression hit and work became scarce. In 1930, he moved toNew York City , landing a job in amuseum onForty-second Street . From there, Slydini found work incarnivals andsideshow s. On a visit with his sister inBoston , Slydini attracted the attention of an agent there, landing a job for $15 a day for a three-day show. His skill was apparent to those who saw him on those three days, including another agent who offered him another contract. This streak continued for some time: Slydini ended up performing in Boston for seven years.In 1945 in
New Orleans Slydini showed his own special brand of magic. His style of close-up was something that had never been seen before: he was one of the first to show close-up magic as an art in itself rather than as a lead-in to bigger and grander illusions. Slydini's magic was impromptu: rather than follow a set sequence of tricks, he allowed his audience and the situation to dictate his show. Reportedly,Dick Cavett once askedDai Vernon who could still fool him. His answer: Nobody but Slydini.Slydini died in 1991.
External links
* [http://www.hellblazer.com/archives/2005/03/the_art_of_misd.html Thoughts about Slydini]
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