The Great Benyon!

"Edgar Benyon is perhaps New Zealands most successful Magician. He toured a tented show through New Zealand in the 50s and 60s.
He was awarded the first major trophy of the New Zealand Variety Club in 1969. This has been named after him, the Benny, a lifetime achievement award granted to New Zealand entertainers who, through work in charity, mentoring, and dedication and proficiency in their field have consistently excelled in the industry."

The Great Benyon appeared in my small entertainment-starved hometown when i was about 9 years old - and I fell in love with him! I thought he was the most awesome man alive.

I then devoured every book i could find on conjuring and 'magic'. I could never be an entertainer - far too shy for that, but i did become something of a self-taught expert on magic.

Two years later, i was staying in another small town up North, Atiamuri actually, and the Great Benyon came to town. I was so excited, i was nearly wetting myself!

He appeared in the local hall and i made sure i had a seat in the front row. It was the biggest disappointment of my life to date - he was just a little old man and i knew how he was doing his tricks - I could see the man dressed in black standing in front of a black curtain and lifting chairs etc to make them 'levitate'. I could even see the string attached to his ear that made the magic glitter-ball fly out of its box, around the stage & back in again.

Being a delightful eleven years old and feeling very let-down, i sat there and, very loudly, told everyone how he was doing what he did. He must've wanted to shoot me, but he just carried on and finished his act.

He was a gentleman, an awesome entertainer and i'm sorry about that!

There's more about him here - http://bluesmokebook.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/a-bombardment-of-bewilderment/

(His other trademark was the quick-changes. Between tricks he would walk behind a screen and come out the other side in a different suit,saying, "Same man, different clothes!")

cheers