Happy Birthday, Corinda!!

Instead of mentally projecting your mentalism thoughts, type them here.
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Barefoot Boy
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Happy Birthday, Corinda!!

Postby Barefoot Boy » May 17th, 2012, 7:23 pm

It's a special day today! Happy Birthday, Thomas William Simpson! You would have been 82 years old today. You lived a colourful yet mysteriously private life. Your book has influenced a great deal of my colleagues and friends and helped to define the art that I love so much.


Thank you for being my favourite teacher!

I will have a cup of tea in your honour!
Outward sunshine; Inward joy,
Blessings on thee, Barefoot Boy.
www.mindreader.ca

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Barefoot Boy
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Re: Happy Birthday, Corinda!!

Postby Barefoot Boy » May 17th, 2013, 12:16 am

Thinking about you again on what would have been your 83rd birthday!

Another tea for the teacher of mind readers.

Cheers, Tony!
Outward sunshine; Inward joy,

Blessings on thee, Barefoot Boy.

www.mindreader.ca

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Barefoot Boy
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Re: Happy Birthday, Corinda!!

Postby Barefoot Boy » May 17th, 2014, 1:29 am

Thinking about you again on what would have been your 84th birthday!

Another tea for the teacher of mind readers.

Cheers, Tony!
Outward sunshine; Inward joy,

Blessings on thee, Barefoot Boy.

www.mindreader.ca

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Q. Kumber
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Re: Happy Birthday, Corinda!!

Postby Q. Kumber » December 22nd, 2016, 7:52 am

Yesterday Brendan Byrne, a magician friend in Dublin, while queueing at the bank got chatting to the man behind him, a rather posh Brit who was complaining that the most cash he could take from the machine in a day was 1,500 euro, so had to line up for the teller for more.

In the conversation that ensued he asked Brendan if he was gainfully employed. Brendan said he was a magician. The man replied that in the 1960's he used hang out with Tony Corinda and John de Haviland.

You never know who you will meet.

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Re: Happy Birthday, Corinda!!

Postby performer » December 22nd, 2016, 8:29 am

I knew Corinda quite well. I used to sit in the pub with him and Ron MacMillan. I even did business with him. I got on well with him some of the time and didn't get on well with him on other occasions. He was a very sarcastic man.

I saw him do two tricks once. One was the Centre Tear which he performed exactly as described in the 13 steps. There has always been a bit of controversy whether he wrote the 13 Steps or not since to his great annoyance others have claimed the authorship. I am bloody sure he wrote the centre tear portion anyway as he performed it exactly as described.

I completely forgot to mention that I actually worked for him for a time in my younger days in Hamleys where he had a magic concession. I remember he was irritated that I didn't know what the coffee vase trick was. And I still don't know what the bloody trick is and neither do I particularly care.

One day he came into Hamleys drunk as a Lord and that is when I saw him do the second trick I mentioned. It was the tiny cups and balls trick with coloured plastic cups. The easy version that beginners do. He went behind the counter and started to demonstrate it to passing customers. Of course he used to be a grafter himself. He did it brilliantly. Better than anyone I have seen do it before or since. I think the alcohol fuelled his showmanship somewhat.

Oh, and with regard to the 13 Steps I happen to know someone who was paid to annotate Step Two. Perhaps it will see the light one day. Can you guess who it was? Brilliant chap I have admired for my entire life.

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Matthew Field
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Re: Happy Birthday, Corinda!!

Postby Matthew Field » December 22nd, 2016, 9:49 am

I spent two years working closely with Patrick Page on his book "Magic Page by Page" and Pat hated the process of going over everything multiple times. So he'd try and distract me by playing DVDs, showing me tricks and moves and stuff in his collection of props, and telling stories. I sure didn't mind.

Pat loved to talk about Corinda, for whom he worked for a time, manning the counter in his shop. Corinda was a very colorful character and his life has not been well documented, which it deserves to be.

Perhaps some day.

Matt Field

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Re: Happy Birthday, Corinda!!

Postby performer » December 22nd, 2016, 12:42 pm

Maybe I should do it. On the other hand I don't think I want to.

I do remember Roy Walton told me a few things about him many years ago. It seems he sprung out of nowhere. He had a pitch in Battersea Park selling something to do with glass. I think it was the little glass blowing models which is a bit of a grafting line but not quite. It does draw a bit of a crowd of people just watching the glass being blowed. It may have been this or it may not have been.

I also heard he used to work with the crooked spiritualist mediums going through the coat pockets of the believers at the spiritualist churches. I have no idea if this was the truth or not although, knowing Corinda, it wouldn't surprise me. He was very street wise and very cynical. He made a lot of money in his time with various business ventures nothing to do with magic. I remember those awful vulgar plastic card things that were all over London with some dreadfully vulgar messages on it which I most certainly did not approve of.

Oh, and he used to sell svengali decks too may God have mercy on his soul.


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