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WILLIAM WALLACE LEE
William Wallace Lee was one of North Carolina’s most noted
magicians during the 20th century. For more than four decades, Wallace the Magician entertained countless
numbers of school children and general audiences throughout the country. He traveled extensively in the Carolinas and as far
west as Texas. His northern travels took him through the Dakotas and Canada.
Wallace was a multitalented individual and had an early love
for music. He played the trumpet with the Old Durham Orchestra and served as a musician in the special services in the Navy
in World War I.
WALLACE'S EARLY LIFE
Wallace Lee was born in Long Oak, Georgia on August 7, 1892. His family moved
to Durham, North Carolina in 1903. Wallace received his education in the Durham public schools. It was evident at an early
age that he had a keen sense of humor. Wallace once told me "I tried all the tricks a boy would possibly know and then started
on a quest for more. It brought me pleasure to contrive something and then surprise or mystify my playmates." He grew into
manhood with the same desire to mystify and entertain. His interest in magic began at an early age after seeing a performance
of Herrmann the Great. He decided he could do as well if not better than Herrmann, so he entered magic as profession at the
age of 20. His show emphasized oriental and modern magic. It included Chalk Talk and ventriloquism. He soon became a master
ventriloquist. Wallace made many of his stage props including his hand-carved vent figure. He used many colorful stock magic
posters over his career.
Wallace billed himself as a famous magician, cartoonist, and
impersonator. He was well noted for his ability to "double talk". Whenever Wallace attended a magic convention you would likely
witness a crowd of magicians gathered around a seemingly confused gentleman who was applying his skills as a double-talk expert
to an unsuspecting spectator. I first experienced Wallace apply his double talk skills at the 1955 I.B.M. convention.
Wallace published a number of books and magic tricks. One of
his most successful works was Math Miracles. He had a talent for mathematics and loved puzzles. Other publications include
X-Jargon, Calendar on the Tip of Your Tongue, and Primer
of Doubletalk.
Wallace was an excellent sleight of hand artist, as well as a stage
performer. He died May 13, 1969. While he died almost a year before the official Chartering of Ring 199, he had given his
permission for us to name the Ring in his honor. In fact it pleased him greatly.
. - Courtesy William
E. Spooner
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| Dick Snavely with Doves - promo photo |
RICHARD "DICK" SNAVELY
Dick Snavely was born July 1, 1927 in Hagerstown, Maryland and graduated
from Hagerstown High School. He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. Following the war, he earned his degree
in English and Drama from Lynchburg College. He taught English and Drama in Newport News, Virginia, and then attended
graduate school in Theatre Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In 1952, Dick joined the Raleigh Little Theater, where he worked for fourteen years, first as
technical director and then as director-manager. He staged several dozen productions before leaving in 1967 to work
for WUNC-TV. He produced the weekly show "North Carolina People" for more than a decade. In 1991, he was awarded
the Raleigh Medal of Arts for "extraordinary achievement in the arts".
It was in 1991 that Dick retired and devoted his time and energies to the performing art he had
loved since boyhood...his magic. In addition to his talents as a director, he was an excellent performer, as those of
us who were privileged to see him do his "Annverdi Multiplying Bottles" routine, or "Herkimer the Haunted Hank" can attest
to. He was a founding member of Wallace Lee ring 199 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and he and his lovely
wife, Dot, provided their basement as a meeting place for area magicians for over twenty years.
For many of us, Dick provided information and inspiration. Whenever we affectionately referred
to him as a "classic of magic", he would respond with a sly smile and a twinkle in his eye. He was always quick to offer
a word of encouragement. He was a warm and gentle man. His magic...his memory lives on in each of us who knew
him, and we are all the richer for it.
- Michael Deering
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| Dick performs "Duke's Dye-version" with Tate Elliott assisting. |
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