Description

Don’t Fool Yourself – The Magical Life of Dell O’Dell
by Michael Claxton

Norm just finished reading this book, and he could not put it down. He recalls the time when he met Dell O’Dell and her husband Charlie. They were exceptional people as he recalls.

Dell O’ Dell (1897 – 1962) was one of the most successful magicians of the 20th century. From circus strongwoman to an exercise expert to a slapstick magician, Dell mastered several careers before finding her niche in comedy magic with rhyming patter. She flourished in almost every venue America had to offer: nightclubs, circus, vaudeville, burlesque, revues, television, and more. Along with her husband Charles Carrer (1898 – 1971), a spectacular juggler, she worked tirelessly to promote herself and to stay continuously booked for thirty years. As a pioneering woman in the field, she proved that a woman did not have to be the wife or daughter of a well-known magician to succeed.

After eight years of research, dozens of interviews, and the discovery of a previously unknown archive of material, Michael Claxton recounts the life story of Dell and Charlie, placing both in the context of their time and of the various show business genres in which they excelled. Theris is also the tale of circus owner Lucky Bill Newton (Dell’s father), and of a group of magicians – both male and female – who dazzled audiences in one of the most amazing centuries in human history.

(Hardbound with dust jacket- 332 pages)

(Note: Due to increased postal rates and the weight of this book, international shipping and handling will be charged according to US Post Office rates. See: www.usps.com for details on international rates.)