Looking for material on Jack Kodell

[Jeff Pierce Magic]

If you have photos, playbills or other memorabilia related to Jack Kodell please email me directly at jeffpiercemagic@aol.com

Thanks
Jeff

[Jeff Pierce Magic]

Could someone who owns "Who's Who In Magic" by Barton Whaley LMK if there is an entry for Jack Kodell included. Email me direct at jeffpiercemagic@aol.com

Jeff

[Richard Kaufman]

Kodell, Jack
(Mankato, Minnesota: 4 Nov 1927- ) Stage name of Jack E. Koudelka. Pro since age 13. Introduced parakeet magic in 1945. Toured 13 countries in Europe, South Asia, & Africa, including such top venues as the London Palladium in 1949. In 1960 retired from pro magic (going into the incentive motivation business), although still a regular at the Round Table in Chicago. Several TV bits. Audio. Retired again in 1997, moving to Orlando, Florida.
[Hudd;Genii2/88;Genii5/88;St;Des;Wh2]

[Jeff Pierce Magic]

Thanks Richard, Genii did a couple of articles or covers on Jack, correct?

Jeff

[Richard Kaufman]

One that I know of ... it's green.

[Joe Pecore]

From http://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php/Kodell, Kodell was on the cover of Genii April 1959 and Genii February 1988

[Richard Kaufman]

Here's a little story about Kodell. I met Don Alan at FFFF one year and made a handshake deal to do his book. I attempted to follow up, but could get no response. Eventually I heard that Ron Bauer got a hold of Alan and talked him out of doing it with me.

Instead, I received a phone call out of the blue from Jack Kodell, whom I had never heard of nor met, offering to let me do his book instead. I said, "Okay," and then attempted to discuss structure and an explanation of his bird act. "Oh, I don't have any birds and there's no way to explain it."

So, my impression of Jack Kodell is that he was full of crap. Add Don Alan to that list. The end result is that there's no Jack Kodell book and a Don Alan manuscript that was never finished and published anyway.

[Max Maven]

The issue of Genii with the green cover (remembered by Richard Kaufman) is dated November 1997. It contains the most thorough bio of Jack Kodell ever published.

[Joe Pecore]

I see Kodell was also on the cover of the March 1957 issue of Genii.

That now makes four Genii issues! Is he in the running for the most Genii covers?

[Richard Kaufman]

I'm sure that Houdini, Siegfried & Roy, Copperfield, and Lance Burton all have him beat.

[Jon Allen]

During my first trip to an IBM convention back in 1994, I stayed with Mark Fitzgerald and his wife in Florida. One evening, they had guests over for dinner and it was Jack Kodell and his wife. I don't know if Mark is on here but you could contact him to see if he has access to any of the items you are looking for.

[Jonathan Townsend]

to start...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwDVwUwMk2I

just to start :)

[Jeff Pierce Magic]

I'm sure that Houdini, Siegfried & Roy, Copperfield, and Lance Burton all have him beat.

Then that puts him in great company.

Jeff

[Jeff Pierce Magic]

Ok I found a classified ad in a Genii from 1996 where som guy named Dan from Folsom, CA was selling Kodells large automated Cat prop. Does anyone know who this might be or who purchased the prop from him?

Jeff

email me direct ast jeffpiercemagic@aol.com

[NCMarsh]

Jack and Mary (who as Mary Naylor had a remarkable career of her own as a variety performer) live in the Orlando area and are incredibly supportive of performers in the area.

There is a DVD of an interview Jack did with John Ekin about his life and work available at http://jackkodell.com -- early versions included a short talk Mary did on performance craft for magicians which is invaluable.

I do know, if anyone has any leads on the Cat prop -- Jack is very interested in finding out what happened to it. He doesn't know where it ended up and would very much appreciate the info.

Best,

N.