Paul Rosini
This article unravels the mystery of who this uniquely endowed, but also who this doomed performer was.
Contents
The Magician Chooses His Stage Name
Who Was The Conjurer Paul Rosini?
He was born in Trieste, a city whose national identification has changed like the tides of war that flowed around it, creating human confusions. His family migrated to the USA. Here he eventually stood on two pillars, one as a secondary partner in mind reading and Magic acts, and the other as a lone performer of advanced Magic with playing cards, cups and balls, coins, and the thumb tie. Which would, or should, he choose as a lifetime career? Almost in his thirties before he sorted it out for himself, he gave up being second banana to psychics and magicians and achieved his singular form of stardom.
One of the best American magicians of the century, I'm not aware that Paul Rosini ever appeared outside the United States. Would traveling abroad jeopardize his ability to return here because of his Trieste beginnings or some manner of initially entering North America? We may never know. He adopted his professional name from a former magician-employer Carl Rosini.
His psychic act's title Two Minds with but a Single Thought from another employer Professor (Julius Zanzig), and some of his most excellent tricks and cute expressions from other prominent professionals (the renowned sleight of hand magician Charles Bertram, and the world-famous magician Max Malini), to create a brand new persona in the arte magique. He did not write for public or professional publications, beyond explaining and sharing some of his creations with others. Hence the cloudiness of his past life, his points of view, or a look into the inner man.
The magician’s somewhat brief 18 plus years of genuine success arrived when he became one of the most held- over magicians during his period of personal triumphs in some of the nation's most popular night clubs and hotels.
He performed in Detroit's newly-opened Club Royale, he was the magician in St Louis at the the Chase Hotel in St Louis MO, the Bismarck Hotel in Chicago IL, Philadelphia's Arcadia International restaurant, and other spots in the 1930s. He died only four weeks after closing in Milwaukee's Schroeder Hotel, August 1948.
Rosini was sui generis, a one-of-a-kind magician. The magic was definitely in him, his personality, his combinations of amusing mannerisms generating an audience intimacy feeling with, and for him, and a masterly presentation of each magic trick. In Philadelphia at Canter's magic shop, he resembled a young Alexander Herman: rather brisk, very well-dressed, and impressive. His decline, years afterward, was slow, but then he began consuming brandy heavily: in dress, personal hygiene, and motivation, a deterioration was noticeable to those who knew him well.
As you read this long-needed article, you'll be transported back to those days full of eager anticipation despite the Great Depression during which we all were working, not aware of the tragedy unfolding among some of our close colleagues. The author follows well Paul's engagements—their dates and places—providing a feeling of proximity with those times. This article contributes honestly and forthrightly to our understanding of what it was like for one towering participant — Paul Rosini — to carve out his illustrious career and have it end so abruptly partly through one unfortunate addiction.
Publicity photos of Paul reveal a forceful and charismatic personality. Only a few show him posing with exotic props or other magic paraphernalia. He was extraordinarily well-groomed and movie-star handsome, and the best and most appealing photos focused simply on the drama and excitement of the man himself.
Putting together the pieces of a complex personality like Rosini was not an easy task: however, with the help of others, I have made every attempt to provide historically accurate information regarding Paul and his career.
Paul Rosini's accomplishment was to take the classical repertoire of parlor Magic into the Cabaret. In the process, he helped bring Magic from the 19th and into the 20th century. He monitored modernized Magic by performing with flair and sophistication. If any magician wants to learn magic tricks and perform illusions, he should hope to present illusions with as much artistry as Paul Rosini did.
Paul Rosini was a magic superstar whose light burns brightly but all too briefly.
Birth of A Magician
Seven decades have passed since one of the greatest magicians of the 20th century departed this life, Paul Rosini. Many people—even magicians—are not familiar with Rosini and his contributions to and influence on the art of Magic if you mention his name today.
Notwithstanding, in the field of Magic, the magician Paul Rosini was a prominent figure. From his meek start in Europe to his celebrated, though short-lived, position in USA night clubs, Paul Rosini had become one of conjuring's most well-paid magicians...and one of Magic's most cherished entertainers. A superb showman, he could take an old and simple magic trick and transmute it into a masterpiece of magic.
Rosini was dashing, handsome, and had a continental flair in addition to his magical talents. Paul's witty bits of business, lines of patter, and mannerisms charmed anyone in his vicinity. Concurrently, he could amaze and amuse. Rosini approached every magic trick as if it were a work of art.
In this master magician's hands, every Magic had become unique. Though the magic tricks he performed were excellent, Paul's hunger to entertain and satisfy his audience was his prime motive. Rosini immensely enjoyed the performance of Magic and his profound, and for that reason, he had a lasting effect on both his peers and his audiences. Since his death in 1948, an entertainer with such stellar talent and character has seldom been seen.
In the old seaport city of Trieste, Italy, born to Mary (Baldoun, 1875-1936) and Christ Vucic (1874-1961) on September 29, 1902, Paul Rosini emerged into this world by birth. Paul's mother was in charge of a small coffee shop in Trieste, while his father was a chef on an ocean liner. Of the Christ couple, Paul was the firstborn and had two younger brothers, Anthony Rosini (1915-) and Michael Rosini (1908-1995).
Despite past speculation on Rosini's ethnicity, his father and mother were both of Austrian descent.
Many magic magazines and books wrongly state Paul's last name as "Vucci." This inaccuracy is probably because some magic reporter mixed up the last two letters of the magician’s surname, the I and the C.
As a result, unknowingly, many of the most reputable magical historians have echoed this mistake, spelling Paul’s last name, "Vucci."
To establish Paul Rosini's lineage, it's necessary to consider the checkered history of his natal city. An Istrian Peninsula seaport at the Northern edge of the Adriatic Sea, Trieste was ruled by Austria at the time of Paul Rosini's birth. So even though Trieste is now part of Italy, Paul Rosini was Austrian.
Paul's father was something of an amateur magician—by all accounts, he was pretty good, too—and when he wasn't at sea, Christ performed magic tricks for his son Paul. Like all the great magicians, he knew only a few tricks but performed them capably.
When he was still a child, Paul observed a show by Antonio Malini (1856-1912), an Austrian magician who resided in Trieste.
Billed as Oinotna Inilom (a pseudonym created by the inverse of the letters of his real name), the magician Malini (not to be confused with the magician Max Malini) performed a Japanese-type silent magic act.
The decision to perform a silent act wasn't a decision at all. After some chemicals exploded (Malini was a chemist by trade), Malini had lost his ability to speak, which precluded him from speaking while performing his magic act.
In addition to being an amateur magician and a chemist, Malini was a man of many talents; not only was he a magician, he was also a juggler, a proficient musician, and an adept painter. Notwithstanding, Malini's true love was the art of Magic.
Under the famous Italian shadowist and magician Frizzo Enrico Langone (1852-1894), Malini studied assiduously to advance his knowledge of and skill in Magic.
Though several magical effects have been credited to Malini, the Magic Organ Pipes will forever be Malini's legacy to magic. On this simple yet brilliant trick, Malini built his reputation. Perhaps his excellent reputation was a result of his brilliant but straightforward magical creation. Throughout the decades, magicians have used its principle with many variations.
In his monumental tome, Later Magic, Professor Hoffman described and explained this magical masterpiece of magician Malini.
The first apparatus magic trick Paul Rosini witnessed was probably the Magic Organ Pipes. In Paul's early, developing years, he was fond of large, cumbersome magic tricks like the Organ Pipes; but eventually, he longed to perform Magic up close with ordinary, familiar objects. In the magician’s prime, Rosini would become known for favoring magic props that could be touched and examined, rather than gimmicked and gaffed Magic apparatus like Malini's Organ Pipes.
Young Paul Rosini aspired to become a magician, inspired by the magic tricks his father had performed for him and by the magician Malini. Besides venturing into his embryonic magic career, at ten years old, Vucic would embark on a pilgrimage to America—the land of opportunity.
Likely motivated by his career, with his wife and his two boys Michael and Paul, in 1912, Christ Vucic immigrated to the United States. Similar to thousands of other immigrants at the time, the Vucics would soon begin a new life in America.
The magician Paul Rosini had heard whispers of this American dream, and he was all too keen on embracing it. Little did he know, he'd begin an exploration of thrilling new roads in America. By and by, Paul's magical, fantastic dream would become a reality.
Meeting of Magical Minds
Upon arriving in America, the Vucics settled in Chicago, Illinois. While there was much for Paul to see and learn in his new homeland, the image of Malini and the mysteries he witnessed in Trieste were still vivid in his memory. It was hard for Paul to focus on anything else besides conjuring, and he yearned to learn more about the ancient art.
Now one day, Paul came across the magic shop of August Roterberg (1867-1928) in the lobby of the old Palmer House Hotel in Downtown Chicago. Paul met the magician in Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel. This hotel was the third of the four Palmer houses that were built in Chicago over the years.
Completed in 1873, this Palmer House, along with the Grand Pacific and the Sherman House, was one of the fanciest hotels in post-fire Chicago. Its amenities included oversized rooms, luxurious decor, and sumptuous meals served in grand style. Everything about the hotel was opulent. Even the floor of the hotel's barbershop was tiled with silver dollars!
Paul spent many hours in Roterberg's shop and squandered what little money he had on new magic tricks and magic books. He enjoyed reading about the grand magicians of the past, and he wished to learn as much as he could about them.
Studying the lives of his predecessors was a practice he would continue throughout his life, as he felt that to understand a magician's success, he had to know about the man and his ways. In later years, Rosini admitted he learned more about accomplishing a magic effect from reading the life stories of magicians than he ever did from books and magazines explaining how to do tricks.
Two of the wizards Paul enthusiastically read about where Charles Bertram (James Bassett, 1853-1907), the illustrious British drawing-room entertainer, and Max Malini, (Max Katz, 1873-1942), the incomparable, world-renowned sleight-of-hand artist. Rosini considered these two men ideal magicians, and later on, he would emulate the style of his beloved magical idols and perform any other tricks.
Paul possibly became acquainted with Bertram through Bertram's memoirs, Isn't It Wonderful? (1896). Within the book's pages, Bertram gave insight to several of his own effects. One of the tricks he described was the blindfold card stab. Later on in his career, Paul would add this very same effect to his repertoire. Other Bertrand magic tricks such as La Cage Volante (The Vanishing Bird and Cage) and Multum in Parvo also became features of Rosini's act in later years.
In addition to being an incredible performer, Bertram was instrumental in creating an interest in Magic among High Society. He showed that magic could entertain, and even Fascinate, audiences other than children.
Bertram was a distinguished gentleman whose words and wizardry amused and amazed the most refined and well-to-do socialites.
Hosts and hostesses employing Bertram never fear that his drawing-room entertainment would disgrace them or embarrass their guests.
Bertram was at ease at any high society function, and he easily could have been mistaken for a guest. He was a dapper, refined gentleman with a sharp wit. However, his similarities to any guests disappeared the minute he began weaving his web of magic. From that point on, the magician commanded everyone's attention.
In addition to Bertram, the polish-born magician Max Malini had a significant influence upon Paul. Malini's similarity to Bertram ends with the fact they were both outstanding close-up entertainers who performed Miracles at private, high society functions for the rich and powerful.
Unlike Bertram, Malini was a short, rough-and-tumble fellow who could be crude and offensive. Still, Malini provided his audiences with magical experiences that they would remember for the rest of their lives.
Malini's performances were often impromptu. From biting off lapel buttons and restoring them to their original resting place, or producing a block of ice from under a borrowed derby hat, Malini was a master of misdirection and timing. Despite his small stature, Malini became a giant in the world of entertainment, and he earned himself a reputation as a master of intimate magic.
Even though Paul never met either of his magical Idols, the legacies of Bertram and Malini had a profound effect on him that lasted throughout his life and shaped the way he approached and performed his magic. There are interesting parallels between Bertram, Malini, and Rosini.
All three men took tricks that, in other performers, hands were just simple amusements and transformed them into highly entertaining and baffling effects. They were all proficient with playing cards and preferred doing tricks with familiar, ordinary objects.
Each member of this magical trinity possessed great technical skill, and they coupled it with their Mastery of timing and misdirection. This combination created magical effects that had a profound and lasting impact on those who witnessed their legerdemain.
All of these conjurers used a particular catchphrase that came to be associated with them. Bertram's quizzical "Isn't it wonderful!" became his trademark, and he often would exclaim this after one of his startling tricks. Likewise, Paul had his expression, "A tiny waltz, please," and this line would become his stamp. Incidentally, this expression was not Paul's brainchild. It was a parlance used by Malini. Malini would ask band leaders in broken English to play "a teeny valtz" to accompany his magic.
By the time Paul was 13, he had realized he wanted nothing more than to become a magician. However, unbeknownst to him, he would soon be learning another type of Magic—The Magic of the Mind.
In the summer of 1916, Christ Vucic's work beckoned him to another port; but this time, he and his family packed their bags and left the Midwest for New York City. Soon after his arrival in this bustling Metropolis, Paul met Julius Zancig (Julius Jorgensen 1857-1929), the great telepathist and mind reader.
Two Minds with But A Single Thought was the ballyhoo of Julius and his wife, Agnes, for over two decades. Their astounding feats of thought-transference and second sight baffled audiences around the world. The couple's showmanship and bravado transformed the straightforward mental tricks they performed into impossible acts that puzzled many educated audiences and even scholars.
The Zancigs were always "on stage" and never missed an opportunity to dazzle those around them with their extraordinary powers. Of course, these off-the-cuff displays added another dimension to the legend of the master mentalists.
For instance, William J. Hilliar recalled a time when he visited the duo in the offices of the Chicago publisher Frederick J. Drake. Zancig excused himself from the conversation at hand by saying he had to visit a department store several blocks away. After a few minutes, his wife Agnes remarked that Julius couldn't find what he wanted and was going to cross the street to go to another store. Suddenly, Mrs. Zancig swooned and exclaimed that Julius had slipped and fallen right in front of a cab. She soon recovered from her alarm and pronounced that her husband was fine and only bruised a little. Several minutes later, Julius came limping into the office with his clothes mussed and mud-stained. He explained why he was in such a state and, of course, it corresponded with Agnes's vision.
Natives of Copenhagen, Denmark, Julius and Agnes Zancig came to the United States around 1899. That same year, they found themselves in Chicago, Illinois, and it was there they made their theatrical debut. They performed at the San Souci park with a variety of other psychic entertainers.
After one season at San Souci, the Zancigs started to perform at private engagements around the city. Julius soon realized these intimate performances could be quite lucrative.
In 1902, the great New York impresario Oscar Hammerstein saw the Zancigs perform at a private party. He was quite impressed with their skills and engaged them to appear in his show at the Paradise Roof Gardens in New York City. The Zancigs Act was successful, and their run at the Roof Gardens lasted eleven weeks.
As a result of their newly acquired fame, the Zancigs were engaged by members of high society to perform at private functions and parties. Their popularity snowballed, and they moved to New York City around 1903.
Within a few years, the Zancigs were traveling all over the world with their telepathy act and making large sums of money. By 1907, the duo was booked solid and was making $1,500 a week.
From South Africa to the Orient to Europe, the Zancigs dazzled audiences with their mental feats. Despite their mental prowess, the couple did not see a vision of the tragedy that lay ahead. Agnes became ill in the Autumn of 1915, and on April 8th, 1916, Julius' lifelong love and partner died.
Julius expressed his love for Agnes in Adventures in Many Lands, a small booklet that he authored shortly after Agnes' death. Julius wrote, "After 30 years of completely happy married life, my wife died. I thought that the end of everything had come to me. It seemed that there was nothing in life worth living for, without her..."
Julius had always hoped to find another female partner like Agnes, teach her the code, and return to Vaudeville. He felt a woman needed to work with him as his partner as opposed to a man. Zancig felt a masculine partner was not as convincing as a female in a mind-reading act.
A little over a year after Agnes' death though, Zancig began performing with his son Henry--actually, Paul Vucic. Paul joined forces with Zancig, and together they performed the telepathy act.
Exactly where and when Paul met Julius Zancig cannot be positively determined. Most likely, Paul met Zancig through the extraordinary magician Theo Bamberg, a.k.a. Okito (1875-1963).
Bamberg had opened the Bamberg Magic & Novelty Company on 1193 Broadway in New York City in 1909, after traveling with his beautiful oriental-themed magic act for several years. About a year after he opened his shop on Broadway, he abandoned the venture and returned to the stage with the premiere stage illusionist of the time, Howard Thurston.
Theo presented a novelty shadowgraph act in Thurston's Wonder Show of the Universe and also acted as the magic consultant and master mechanic for the company. He toured with Thurston off and on for four years.
After working with Thurston, Bamberg worked in Vaudeville, and eventually opened a private magical trade. From his workshop on 245 East 25th Street in Flatbush, Theo crafted handsome magician apparatus for, as he stated, "the most select amateur magicians of America."
One can bet that Paul found his way to Bamberg's shop soon after arriving in New York. Furthermore, Bamberg was accepting pupils and giving magic lessons, and perhaps Paul was a student of Bamberg for a time. Bamberg wrote that he was the first to teach young Vucic the Cups and Balls trick.
In the short time Paul worked for Zancig, he learned a great deal. Not only did he master Julius' techniques, but most importantly, he learned about showmanship.
Acting as though he had real mental powers was Zancig's strong suit and the foundation of the duo's act, which comprised primarily feats of divination, math problems, and a book test. Zancig made these exercises appear as if they were genuine miracles of the mind. His outstanding presentation convinced his audiences that they were witnessing real telepathy.
In 1917, Paul ceased acting as Zancig's assistant. Several magic historians have written that Paul was drafted into military service, and this is why he had to end his employment with Zancig; but this is not true.
The United States entered World War I April 17th, 1917. Soon afterward, the draft was established. All men, including immigrants, between the ages of 21 and 30, had to register for the draft.
There were three draft registrations: June 5th, 1917; June 5th, 1918; and September 12th, 1918. In 1917 and 1918, approximately 24 million men (98% of the men in America), born between 1873 and 1900, completed draft registration cards. Paul did not even have to sign up for the draft at the last draft; for, he was only 16 years old.
A search through the World War Service Records of the New York State Archives shows no one by the name of Paul Vucic, Vucci, or Rosini ever served in any branch of the military between 1917 and 1919 (the year the war ended). Additionally, Paul's death certificate pronounced he was not a veteran.
What is known is Theo Bamberg's son, David (1904 to 1974), took Paul's position in Zancig's act. In exchange for permitting David to join his act, Zancig offered the Bamberg family the upper two stories of The Brownstone building he rented for free.
Theo found it hard to refuse Zancig's enticing proposition and moved his family from Brooklyn into the building Zancig rented on 109 West 87th Street.
Later on, Theo joined Zancig and David as part of the act and performed magic, and the triplet billed themselves as "The Zancigs—A Marvelously Perplexing, Mystifying Trio."
The fact that David Bamberg filled Paul Vucic's position in Zancig's act is indisputable. Yet, once again, chroniclers of magic have accurately recorded who worked for Zancig first--Paul or David.
In 1937, Theo Annemann reported in his paper, The Jinx (February, Issue No. 29), that he had had a conversation with David Bamberg, and that David stated he worked for Zancig first and Paul followed him.
Perhaps Annemann misquoted him, or David couldn't recall the facts. Nevertheless, David contradicts that account in the article, "For The Angels," which he wrote for the 50th Anniversary issue of The Sphinx (March 1951).
In this particular article, David Bamberg wrote that Paul preceded him as Zancig's assistant. He also gives us further insight into what it was like working for Zancig. Bamberg wrote, "We now dissolve to Coney Island and the bright lights of Manhattan. Thurston had a mechanical nightmare called the Kiss Waltz in Luna Park, so I had to go down for an inspection. It was there that I met Julius Zancig, who was doing his famous mind-reading act with Paul Rosini.
"They did about 500 shows a day, and when they finished each night, they looked as if they had been pulled through a taffy machine...
"Paul had ideas, and he quit the act there, so I fell heir to the code. I became the child wonder for a time, and had a spell of the high life in New York society and the high spots."
In 1917, Zancig remarried. He began to groom his new wife, Ada (whom Julius called Agnes), to perform the same act he had done with his first wife. Zanzig was still performing in Luna Park, Coney Island, and it was there he publicly introduced his second wife.
After Ada was proficient with the act, Zancig didn't require David's and Theo's services. That was fine with the Bambergs as they were beginning to grow tired of Zancig. The police had visited Zancig Studio on several occasions because of complaints regarding his fortune-telling practices.
David's mother, Lily, had had enough, and she wanted a better way of life for her son. The Bambergs sent David to study overseas, and later, he became one of magic's most illustrious performers, Fu Manchu.
In the summer of 1919, Theo Bamberg left for South America with the illusionist Carl Rosini. Theo confirms this in a letter he wrote from Vienna in 1925. "In 1919, I was once again inspired to do a Chinese act. I left New York in June 1919, sailing for South America, where my success was instantaneous."
Without the Bambergs, the Zancigs--A Marvelously Perplexing, Mystifying Trio was no more. Julius continued performing with his new wife, Ada, and soon the duo was achieving success again.
After leaving Zancig's employment, Paul Vucic became an assistant to Carl Rosini. Paul had always wanted to be a magician rather than a mind-reader, so apprenticing to a real magician was an appropriate next step.
While working for Julius Zancig, Paul Vucic had a real taste of what it was like to perform for the public. Furthermore, he realized the art of deception could be profitable. Paul liked the trappings of show business and was eager to make his mark as a magician.
Choosing His Stage Name
Why, and exactly when Paul Lucic adopted the nom de theatre of Paul Rosini, is still somewhat of a mystery. The talented and established magician Carl Rosini was performing under that name when Paul was just an infant.
After assisting in Carl's act for a while, Paul adopted the name Rosini himself. Perhaps it was merely a matter of the student honoring the master. None the less, Carl was neither flattered nor forgiving of his Apprentice taking his surname. The question of who was most deserving of the name Rosini caused a rift between the two that lasted the rest of their lives.
Carl Rosini was born Johan Rosen on January 14th, 1885, in Lodz, Poland. When he was about 15 years old, Johan legally changed his name to John Rose. Soon afterward, he adopted the stage name of Carl Rosine, which he further modified into Carl Rosini.
Carl performed magic that relied primarily on apparatus rather than sleight of hand. His repertoire included such effects as producing bouquets of flowers in his hands, Vanishing his walking cane, and reproducing it from his trousers, Vanishing doves in a breakaway box, and then catching them in the net, and manipulation of cards and Billiard balls.
Carl also presented several standard magic tricks in his unique style. Magic tricks such as the Cut and Restored Turban, the Egg Bag magic trick, the Dove Pan (Carl was the first magician to present this magic trick in the United States), Where Do The Ducks Go?, the Chinese Linking Rings, and the now well-known Thumb Tie magic trick. These magic tricks rounded out Carl's stage act.
Though he presented some smaller magic tricks, Carl was fundamentally an illusionist. He performed several large stage illusions such as the Sword Box, the Costume Trunk, Asrah & The Headless Woman.
One of Carl Rosini's most popular stage effects was called Changing a Swede into a Dane. Carl would instruct a female assistant to crawl into a small, oblong cage placed on a thin platform. The curtains on the front of the crate closed, a shot from a pistol fired; the curtains opened, and the Swedish girl had changed into the Rosini's dog, a Great Dane named King.
Dr. A.M. Wilson critiqued Carl in the January 1917 issue of the Sphinx. Wilson wrote, "Too much cannot be said of his skill and cleverness. His action is rapid yet deliberate, his patter Snappy and pertinent and his tricks quite different from the common run."
Johan Rosen began his life of magic at the age of thirteen when he attended a performance of a magician named Professor Baker at the Taila Theater in Lodz.
Two years after seeing Professor Baker, Johan witnessed the magic of Nathan Schwartz, a German circus magician. As luck would have it, Schwartz was looking for an assistant. Much to the displeasure of his parents, Johan sought the position and got hired.
After traveling with Schwartz for about a year, Johan made his way to London, England. He had learned several tricks from Schwartz and was continually practicing his craft in the hope of becoming a professional magician.
In London, however, Johannes hopes of becoming a famous magician were quickly dashed. Not only could he not speak English, but theatrical agents had seen all the tricks Schwartz had taught him, and Johan's Act was considered old hat.
Unable to find work as a magician, Johan took a job as an apprentice leather boy in a nearby barbershop, and soon found himself practicing slights in front of the large mirrors in the shop. While at the shop, Johan met magicians Horace golden and Lewis Davenport, who became lifelong friends.
Sometime in 1902, Rosen was finally given a chance by a Mr. Davis, an impresario, to appear in several third-rate theaters. Johan also legally changed his name to John Rose, the name he would keep for the rest of his life. Later on, John would take the stage name of Carl Rosine and bill himself as the World's Greatest Magician. Carl modified his name once again and changed Rosine into Rosini.
Rosini doggedly continued to seek bookings, and after a few months of competing for a spot on a leading theater's bill, his luck changed. A British magician named Sims, whom Carl had befriended, was on the bill of the prestigious Alhambra theater in London. Sims had a series of other engagements scheduled, and the Alhambra needed a magician to fill in for him. Sims recommended Carl to the theater's management. Rosini auditioned, and as fate would have it, was hired on the spot.
It was during his engagement at the Alhambra in 1905 that Rosini met the famous Japanese magician Ten Ichi Shokyokusai (Shokyoku Hattori, 1852 to 1912). Ten Ichi, the father of modern magic in Japan, toward America from 1901 to 1905 and was on the Alhambra bill with Rosini.
Ten Ichi and his troupe performed the renowned "Mizugei" or water fountains trick. At Ten Ichi's command, a stream of water spouted forth from his fingertips, top and assistance head, or on the tip of a samurai sword. It was a spectacular display. American and European audiences had never seen anything like it before.
Ten Ichi also performed a trick known as the Japanese Thumb Tie. He would have his thumbs bound together with pieces of Twisted rice paper. A volunteer threw solid bamboo hoops at his hands, and the hoops would penetrate his tied hands and catch on his arms. A pole firmly held by spectators was also no match for Ten Ichi's powers, as it melted through his hands just as the Hoops did.
Ten Ichi saw one of Carl's performances and particularly admired his skill with billiard balls. He thought it would be an ideal trick for his daughter, Tenka, to perform in their show. He approached Carl and asked if he would trade his billiard ball routine for the secret of the Thumb Tie. Carl immediately accepted Ten Ichi's proposition: the billiard balls routine was an old act, and Carl knew he was getting the secret to something new to magicians of the West.
Though Ten Ichi was pleased with the trade, he intended to obtain as many of the secrets of his Occidental counterparts as he could during his tour abroad, and he soon realized the secret of the thumb tie was an ideal bartering tool. In addition to Rosini, ten Ichi also taught the mystery of the thumb tie to Nate Leipzig (1873-1939), one of magic's finest sleight-of-hand artists.
About the same time Carl met Ten Ichi at the Alhambra, he meant to dancers, Margaret ( Peggy) and Dolly Barclay. The two girls were sisters. A relationship blossomed between Peggy and Carl, and after a short courtship, the two were married. Soon afterward, the duo became known as Rosini & Company.
After their unbeaten run at the Alhambra, the Rosini's continue to tour throughout Great Britain. The reputation flourished, and they acquired several contracts for engagements in Germany, Paris, Belgium, and Holland.
In 1910, Karl traveled to South America to embark on his first tour of that continent. After a successful year in South America, Rosini returned to England, but they didn't stay there for long. The next logical career move for Rosini was to seek bookings in America. So, in 1913, the Rosini family set sail for New York City.
Arriving in New York, the Rosini's fulfill the contract they had signed with Sir Harry Lauder (1870-1950), the famous Scottish comedy singer. Several acts toured with Lauder's show, and Rosini was fortunate enough to have his act proceeded louder spot on the bill. Rosini became noticed, and his tricks and unique style of presentation for critically acclaimed.
After his stint with the louder show, Carl and his family decided to stay in the United States and play Vaudeville. Bookings quickly became plentiful, and the Vaudeville circuit featured Carl at most of its top theaters.
In 1914, after three years in Vaudeville, Carl left for South America once again. He was accompanied by the magician and quick-change artist George P Rauschling (1886-1960), aka LaFollette, and later known as Rush Ling Toy.
Upon arriving in Cuba, Carl and George proceeded to play theaters there until World War I broke out. Low the United States had not entered the war yet, German ships were lurking in the Atlantic and sinking British ships, and sea travel had become dangerous. LaFollette remained in South America, but Carl decided to return to the United States.
At home, Rosini began preparing for another full-fledged tour of South America about this time; Carl made numerous visits to Theo Bamberg Workshop, located on the second floor of Julius Zancig's brownstone. Rosini was performing a show filled with larger magic tricks in Vaudeville, and he had Bamberg build him several pieces of apparatus. Before long, the two became close friends.
In all probability, it was Theo who introduced Paul Vucic to Carl Rosini. Carl believed competent and loyal assistants were essential to a good magic Act. With Bamberg's reference, Paul joined Rosini's company sometime between 1917 after he left Zancig's act and 1918.
We can attribute the presumed date of Paul's employment with Rosini to the fact that Carl returned to South America in June of 1919 with Theo Bamberg. Furthermore, by 1920, a magician named Bill Frazee William Meyenburg became Carl Rosini's number one assistant for four years. Paul was not with Carl during Frazee's employment, so one can conclude he worked for Carl for only a short time before he went with his family back to the Midwest.
Carl Rosini returned to the United States in 1920 and played Vaudeville. In 1929, Carl again left for South America. Many magicians felt he wasn't going to return to the states after his toy and would rest on his laurels in South America. Others thought he abandoned magic, because he was on tour presenting Eddie darling's Motion Picture, Blaze of Glory, instead of magic.
Perhaps Paul Vucic entertained the very same speculations about Carl as others did. Paul wanted to pursue a career in magic, and he needed a fashionable stage name. Show around 1923, Paul christened himself Paul Rosini, abandoning music the name unsuitable for a great magician.
Possibly Paul believed Carl wasn't going to return to the United States, and there wouldn't be any confusion as to who was whom because there would only be one Rosini. Perhaps Paul hoped to cash in on Carl Rosini's established a reputation and fill the void Carl left in Vaudeville. Conceivably Paul felt he would get more bookings by using such a well-known name. The truth may never be known.
Paul's adoption of another magician's name is not without preceident. Throughout magic's history, many magicians have altered the name of another and took it on as their own. Some of magic's finest performers have done so. For instance, Erich Weiss aspired to be like Robert-Houdin, so he added an "i" to Houdin and became Harry Houdini. Louis Jerome McCord transposed the "o" and the "a" in the surname of the great Lyceum magician, Edward Maro, and became Silent Mora. William Ellsworth Robinson derived his alter-ego, Chung Ling Soo, from the name of the Chinese magician Chung Ling Foo.
Were these magicians disgracing the reputations and memories of their magical idols or just paying homage to them?
Despite the rumor mill, Carl Rosini did return to the United States in 1932. By this time, Vaudeville was dying, and Carl realized he had to adapt to the new venue, the nightclub. Suddenly, a whole new breed of magicians was competing for magic's crown.
The Elder Rosini knew that to stay on top and be successful, he had to scale down his show for the smaller stages in nightclubs and hotels. Audiences would be close to the performer, and large Illusions would block their view. Angles also presented problems, and illusions that relied on assistants hiding nearby would be impractical.
Carl was well aware of his competition, but little did he know a past employee was going to be the one to hurt him the most, professionally and personally.
It wasn't long after his arrival in the states that Carl learned his old assistant, Paul music, had stolen his name. Carl was livid. The signor Rosini felt that Paul would hurt his bookings because agents would get them confused. He was right. As time went by, agents would often ask Carl if he was the original Rosini and questioned him about the tricks he performed. Carla was so outraged that Paul was performing under the Rosini name, he took legal action to stop him from performing in the United States under his surname. However, to stop Paul, Carl would have had to file an injunction in every state. He realized this was Impractical, but reportedly he was successful in preventing Paul from performing under the Rosini name in the state of New York.
Though Paul and Carl both worked in hotels and nightclubs during the thirties and forties, their styles of Performing and their tricks were quite different.
Paul was a fresh new face with a modern and streamlined act. His rapport with audiences and the comedy he used in his routines made his act perfect for nightclubs and hotels. Pause act consisted primarily of sleight-of-hand effects that did not rely on much apparatus.
Carl was older and more dignified, and his presentations were usually severe and sedate. Though he was an internationally acclaimed stage magician and Vaudeville Conjurer, he just didn't have the overall appeal of Paul. Furthermore, Carl was not nearly as Adept at sleight-of-hand as Paul.
The distinguished magician John Booth knew and liked both Carl and Paul Rosini. Though he never brought up the subject of the misappropriation of the name Rosini, John knew that Carla was angry with Paul.
Booth has his own analysis of the situation. "Ordinarily, one would feel flattered to have another magician take one's name, a sort of tribute to his stature in the business. But Carl felt he was losing dates and even part of his reputation, I am sure, by this problem. A certain jealousy was part of his reaction. But Carl, of an earlier tradition of show show business simply was no longer bookable, whether Paul had existed or not. When an apprentice surpasses the master, before the letter is ready to learn to let go, I suppose it isn't easy to accept psychologically. Carl had already made a fine reputation. He needed to step aside for the new generation."
In Magic circles, Carl made it known he was none too happy about Paul's theft. In a letter dated June 21st, 1945, to Doc Mahendra (F.B. Sterling), now in Ken klosterman's collection, Carl echoed what Mahendra had expressed in a previous letter. "I note what you say regarding Paul Rosini. I always felt that there was a law of compensation. I am still Rosini respected and fixed comfortable and have the same wife and family for 37 years. I have seen these things happen before, and the end is always bad."
Despite his younger competition, Carl Rosini was successful on the club circuit. At one point in the 1930s, Carl was doing so many club and hotel dates; he couldn't handle the workload. As a result of working constantly, Carl had a nervous breakdown, and while he was recuperating, he decided it was time to retire.
Carl's self-imposed retirement didn't last long. In 1943, he began several tours with the USO. From the spring of 1943 to the spring of 1945; the Rosinis performed in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, the Persian Gulf, and the mid-pacific.
In 1948, after 50 plus years in Show Business, Carl left the stage once and for all and officially retired. Ironically, this was the same here Paul Rosini died. Carl would no longer have to look over his shoulder.
In 1957, after living for many years in Beechhurst, Long Island, New York, Carl and Peggy sold their home and moved to Clearwater Beach, Florida. The couple enjoyed a secure and happy retirement together until February 23rd, 1969, when Carl died.
Carl resented Paul purloining his name until the day he died. When Paul passed away, Carl summarized how he felt about Paul in a few words. He simply said, "Now he is gone, and I am still here."
Death of A Conjurer
Throughout 1947, Paul played nightspots in the midwest, including the Bismarck Hotel in Chicago and the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Paul was still working regularly by 1948. In July of that year, the Sphinx magazine honored Rosini once again by featuring him on its cover.
Rosini would never see himself Grace another cover of a magic magazine. In August of 1948, Paul finished a four-week run at the Schroeder Hotel. He played another two weeks in upstate Wisconsin and returned home to Chicago.
A few weeks after his return to Chicago, on September 19th at 4:30 a.m., Paul Rosini's illustrious career came to an end. With a bottle of bear in right hand and a deck of cards in his left hand, Paul Rosini died at the new Lawrence hotel, at 1020 West Lawrence Avenue in Chicago, where he and Margaret were living at the time. The cause of his death listed on Rosini's death certificate is chronic myocarditis arteriosclerosis. Rosini's drinking habit contributed to cirrhosis of the liver and, thus, his early demise. He was only 45 years old.
Three days after Rosini died, he was interred at Elmwood Cemetery in River Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Paul's good friend, Dorny, broke a ceremonial Wand Over the casket as many of these friends in magic watched.
For reasons unknown, Paul's wife, Margaret chose this cemetery over one in Gary, Indiana, where Paul's family owned a plot. Rosini's father and brothers were not happy with the arrangement.
The magic community mourns the loss of one of its greatest exponents. Paul's good friend, Fred Brau, printed a heartfelt eulogy in the October 1948 issue of Hugard's Magic Monthly by writing,
"Everyone in magic Knows by now of Paul Rosini's passing. At his Peak, he was a great performer who held audiences in the palm of his hand. Who can forget him, with the untying knot, saying, ‘Rosini, you are wonderful!’; forget his sidewise trot as he moved about, or the joyful little leap in the air when he found the right card?
Paul loved his magic; years ago, he said, 'When I die, Freddy, I'll have a pack of cards in my hand.' So, for Paul—honest, no fake! Tiny Waltz!"
After Paul's death, Margaret continued to live in Chicago and later remarried. Rosini's first wife, Anna, was still living in suburban Philadelphia at the Lincoln Hotel with her sons, Paul, Jr., and Michael (Mickey) when Paul died.
Bill Frazee wrote in the November 1948 issue of the Sphinx that he would not be surprised if Paul's sons would carry on with the mental act, a la the Zancigs, as their parents did. He elaborated, "Mrs. Rosini still knows the code, and no doubt will teach it to them. Both boys are good looking and the ideal type for that kind of act."
Though both of Rosini's sons enjoyed magic, neither of them was of a professional caliber. Paul, Jr. tried performing magic on a regular basis for a time but was unsuccessful. According to family members, he married, had children, and became a professional waiter. His present whereabouts are unknown.
Michael did not take up magic as a profession, but rather as a hobby. He became a Salesman and eventually relocated to the Seattle, Washington area. There, until his death in 1983, he raised a family and continued to practice magic for his enjoyment.
Though Paul Rosini has been dead for over five decades, magicians will never forget his contribution to the art of magic. Paul took tired and forgotten tricks and reintroduced them to audiences with incomparable style and unique presentation.
Paul's charming personality and impeccable technique transformed every trick he touched into pure electricity. John Braun summed up Rosini's ability as a conjurer quite well when he wrote, "Whatever he did was always magic, beautiful to see!"
Despite the brevity of his career, the impact Rosini had on his audiences, and the world of magic is enduring. Through his individuality, artistic sensibilities, contagious sense of humor, and brazen Showmanship, Rosini was a leader in the field of conjuring for over two decades.
Many magicians are not aware that they owe a high debt to Paul Rosini. He was living proof, the real power of magic lies within the performer and not the sleights or tricks they do. Rosini believed in his magic and shared his sense of wonder with everyone who witnessed his performances. If every magician could leave an impression upon their audiences as Rosini did, the art of magic would only be better for it.
So, Professor, play a little waltz one more time. Play it as a tribute to the dashing magician Paul Rosini. He had a twinkle in his eye, a spring in his step, and believed in the power of magic.
