Dell O’Dell
Posted By thecircusblog on August 29, 2011
The Funsation Femagician, The Lady Magician with a most outstanding magic act. This lady was class, so much so that KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles gave her her own TV show that aired for more then one season. Each week she would present a half hour themed magic show that was always different……..never repeating a trick.
Her husband Charles (whose last name I’ve forgotten, I’m afraid), was a extraordinary prop builder, which is so necessary for a magic act. Charles had his own act. He was a terrific juggler from the old country, and while he was juggling, he would use the expression “OH BOY!” during every juggling trick. It was kind of a running gag.
We were always doing casual dates together, especially Christmas shows. At one of the shows, I told Dell that I had found five abandoned Barn Owl chicks and I was raising them. There was a serious expression on her face when she asked me, “What do you plan to do with them and are they tame?”
Of course I proudly said yes, and believe it or not, they were. I hand fed them horse meat every day and I could move then with confidence from a gloved hand to a perch. The owls became very docile and easy to handle.
I guess she was impressed because she asked me if I would like to sell them. When I asked her why, she said, “As you know, I use birds and rabbits in my act, but I think it would be very unusual to use five owls in a Magic trick.
I don’t remember if I sold them or gave the owls to her, but she did create a trick where the owls appeared and disappeared, only to reappear again in a little red barn. Later Dell told me that she had turned them loose in the countryside up in the hills of North Hollywood.
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thecircusblog
My name is Ivan M. Henry and I am the 4th generation of a circus/show business dynasty. I hope you enjoy the blog.Comments
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Dear Mr. Henry: I just read your interesting post about Dell O’Dell. My name is Michael Claxton, and I have been working on a book about Dell and her husband Charlie Carrer for the past five years. I would be very interested in talking with you about any additional memories you may have of them, and I would like to ask your permission to include your story of Dell and the barn owls in my book. Thank you very much for your time, and thank you for sharing your show business memories on this blog.
Hi in 1953 or 4 when Dell had her tv program in Losangless tv – I was to appear as a teen age magician-when we arrived at the studio – the gate gaurd said the program was off the air – no one contacted us – what a dissapointment Ralph