John Calvert Lecture - Part 1

I have to admit that I didn't remember who John Calvert was when I saw his picture on the cover of the August 2008 issue of The Linking Ring magazine. I was fascinated by the cover story about this world famous magician. A quick review of my Illustrated History of Magic featured Mr. Calvert prominently in the later chapters. At 97 years young, John Calvert is a living legend in magic. When our IBM Ring heard that John and his lovely wife/assistant were passing through the Midwest on his way to an engagement at the Magic Castle, we were able to get him to swing into town to do a little magic and lecture.

Where does one even start to describe John Calvert? Gracious, funny, skilled, inspiring just to name a few adjectives. Calvert is a man who has been a world-famous magician who has performed in every corner of the globe. He began a career in movies decades before I born where he had been a movie star, a screenplay writer, a screen double, and director. John is a life long pilot, a stunt pilot and still flies acrobatically on occassion. He's been the owner operator of yachts and planes. He even displayed some skills in the chiropratic arts!

Out of the magic and wisdom John shared throughout the evening, his tales of his encounters with historical figures were the most fascinating to hear. Calvert is a man who has met and been friends with a huge list of famous actors, actresses and magicians. John described performing at a Hollywood party for stars like Danny Kaye and even using Gary Grant and Clark Gable as stooges during an impromptu magic show. His list of magician friends and acquitances included Blackstone, Cardini, Malini, Page, Kapps, Vernon and even saw Harlan Tarbell as a boy and became friends with Bess Houdini after Harry's death. Calvert has fratrenized with dozens of A-list performers from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s through today.

At 97, one might think that Mr. Calvert would feebly meander through simple tricks from his glory days. Hardly. This is a man who might been a step slower than in his youth but more than capable of dazzling a crowd. In fact, he challenged me and another strapping lad from the audience to a feat of strength (kind of like the traditional Festivus celebration for you Seinfeld fans). Try as we may, John was able to knock both of us off balance. At 97, this dude is strong!

Calvert started the evening by telling us that this is going to be the BEST show he has ever done. That is a winning attitude! John quipped that you never know, there might be a Hollywood agent in the crowd so always give your best performance. Later in the evening, John brought these comments full circle.

When Calvert happened to arrive in southern California to start his film career he happened to be at a magician friend's home (Jack Gwynne I believe) when a casting call came in for his friend. His friend was out of town doing series of magic shows on a west coast circuit so Calvert offered up his own name.

When he arrived at the audition, he found out that every other magician in the area had also been called. Yet the studio executive, without auditioning any of the magicians, told John he had the job. John naturally asked why he was being picked when no one had yet auditioned. The studio exec exclaimed that he had seen John already perform, in Kansas City several months earlier. It pays to perform your BEST show every night because you just never know who is in the audience!

Click to read John Calvert Part 2