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Richard Valentine Pitchford (24 November 1895 – 13 November 1973) was a master magician under the name Cardini, whose career spanned almost half a century. Born in Britain, he worked chiefly in the United States of America. == Biography == Richard Valentine Pitchford was born in Britain on 24 November 1895, in the Mumbles, in Swansea.〔U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942〕 Some sources use the incorrect year of 1899.〔 He joined the British Army during World War I, where he passed time in the trenches by practising card manipulations. One result of his many hours of practising outdoors in frigid weather was that he developed the ability to perform card manipulations while wearing gloves.〔Cullen, Frank (2007). ''Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America, Volume 1''. Psychology Press. p. 196. ISBN 0415938538.〕 After being injured in battle, he continued to hone his magic skills in a hospital.〔 After an unsuccessful attempt to establish himself as a stage magician in British variety, he travelled to Australia, where he performed initially as Val Raymond before adopting the name Cardini.〔 His new name advertised his mastery of card manipulation and paid homage to the most famous magician of the era, Houdini.〔 Cardini subsequently performed in Canada and then entered the United States from British Columbia. While working his way across the U.S. he met Swan Walker in Chicago, who became his wife and lifelong assistant. In New York City, Cardini became an almost immediate success, as audiences (and magicians) had never seen such an act. Cardini enhanced his performance by incorporating his magic tricks into a skit.〔 Sleight of hand, gestures, and the appearance and disappearance of objects were all timed precisely and exactly coordinated to music. He performed in New York at The Palace, Radio City Music Hall, Copacabana and other prominent nightclubs and reviews, and in London at the London Palladium. In 1938 he gave a command performance for King George V. In 1945 he became president of the Magician's Guild, at the death of Theodore Hardeen.〔 In 1957 at the age of 62 he appeared on one of the few magic television shows broadcast at that time, ''Festival of Magic''.〔This is the only known footage of Cardini at work -- see http://www.flixxy.com/cardini-master-magician.htm〕 He died on 13 November 1973 in Gardiner, New York. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Richard Valentine Pitchford」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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