Jules Lenier has died

[Richard Kaufman]

I just had an e-mail from Howard Hamburg that Jules Lenier has died.
Any confirmation or details?

[Guest]

Oh man... I am so sorry to hear that. He was an inspiration. I loved seeing him do his Tarot reads.
He will be missed and highly remembered.
Greg

[Guest]

It is posted on the Castle forum.

JMT

[Guest]

Sadly, the same informaiton has been posted on the Magic Castle forums. I believe this is the confirmaiton you asked for but didnt want.

[Guest]

Very Sad !
It was always very nice talking to him at the Castle.
I think he was there almost everytime i went there.
(maybe 8 times over the last 10 years)
He will be missed.

J.

[Guest]

I will remember Jules the way he was when I first met him. We were in Watford, and Terry Seabrooke took us to his club. They had some of the all-pervasive gambling machines that you see at English pubs, over at one end of the room.

Terry left to check the plumbing, so Jules and I quickly cobbled as much change together as we could, and loaded it into the coin return slot of the gaming machine. As Terry was leaving the men's room, he walked past Jules, who was busy taking his "winnings" out of the machine.

[Pete Biro]

There's a brass plaque just outside the entrance (on the right facing the building) to the Magic Castle with Jules' name on it, next to the bench where you would always find him "out smoking" -- He will be missed. :(

His Signature Piece (to me) was his brilliant "Fast and Loose" routine. :(

[Guest]

Sad news.

[Dustin Stinett]

Im very sad to hear about Jules. He was among the first professional magicians I saw perform at my first magic convention. He was an elegant and skilled performer. Later, when I was old enough to drive and started hanging out at the Newport Beach/Costa Mesa location of Hollywood Magic, Jules was working there (with Jack McCandless and Amy St. Pierre) and I got to know him pretty well. It got to the point where I often provided him with a ride home. He was very knowledgeable in many aspects of magic and its performance, and he was very generous with his time and advice.
Later still, when I was old enough to start hanging out at the Magic Castle, Jules got me into darts and, in particular, the game 501. We played often in the old Hat & Hare Pub back in the 1980s. These were unforgettable times for me. It was a period in my life that I will cherish forever, and Jules was a big part of it.

Thanks for the memories Jules: Ill miss you.

Dustin

[Steve Bryant]

Hard to believe you can go to the Castle now and not find Jules there.

Back in 68 I brought my brand-new wife to the Castle, and Jules wasted no time taking the opportunity to kiss the bride. I reminded him of that a few years ago, after which his parting comment to me was always, with mischief, "Say hello to your wife."

He was a delightful representative of the Castle's golden age.

[Guest]

Jules was a wonderful friend. I cannot count the hours he and I sat together in Irma's Room. Sadly, my travels stopped taking me to the Castle a few years ago and he and I could only write. His letters and cards have always been cherished, now, even more so.

He taught me his Fast and Loose routine downstairs at the Castle and it's been a part of my close-up shows ever since.

Anyone who wants to see the real Jules needs to look at the extras materials on Wilson/Asher's Hit The Road dvd. The story he tells is classic Lenier.

The other fond memory that comes to mind is how he'd walk up to the entrance bookcase at the Castle and growl "Open up, Owl."

Sigh.

[Richard Kaufman]

I'd like to do a memorial piece on Jules for Genii, and I think it'd be nice to do something unusual.
That's where all of you come in.
Please post some DETAILED anecdote about Jules here with the understanding and permission that it may appear in Genii.

[Guest]

I Think the first time i came to the Castle... Jules asked me to sign his book. I suppose he always had a book, i can't remember "stars of magic" ? where he asked magicians to sign... i was very honoured...
j.

[Guest]

When I first started learning Magic, Jules was working at the Old "Bert Wheeler" toy store (Hollywood Magic had moved to it's own building down the street) Jules took me under his wing teaching me Fast and Loose, and a great 4 coins across. Soon I was working at Hollywood Magic and Jules and I would get together for lunch several times a week. This lasted when he moved to Joe Burgs shop, we continued to meet and share ideas. The Jules moved back to Hollywood Magic, What a great time to learn, Working daily with Jules and Earl Nelson and getting paid for it as well. Jules would invite me to the Castle when he performed, It was my first real introduction to The Magic Castle. Now 30+ years later,I would still look forward to seeing Jules and sharing ideas like we did in the beginning of our friendship. Last one final memory, one night in Irma's room only Jules myself and 2 guests of mine were there. Jules took a business card out of his wallet and bent it in half, he asked Irma to play some blues and he accompanied her play that business card on the crease of his slacks making it sound like the best brushed snare drum you have ever heard. Thanks for the magic in my life Jules, I miss you already

[Richard Kaufman]

Please send me your anecdotes about Jules Lenier for a tribute in Genii. You can post them here or e-mail them directly to me at moobooks@ix.netcom.com

[Guest]

It was a running gag, that I'm sure he did with others, is that he would be introduced to someone at The Castle, and he would say, "I hate magic."

Whenever I had guests at The Castle, I would introduce Jules, saying he comes here every night and hates magic...and he would add, "and despise magicians."

[Guest]

I am so sorry to hear this news. I sat on a stool next to Mr. Lenier on Jan. 7th in Irma's room at The Castle and we had a good conversation about a book he was writing on the Tarot. It's funny that you mention it, but he did say that he hated magic. He was a very interesting fellow and he will be missed.

Sincerely,
Diamond Jim Tyler

[Richard Kaufman]

Please let's have more anecdotes about Jules for our memorial in Genii.

[Guest]

I have no specific anecdote. My memories are watching him do some kick-a** cold reads using a Tarot. There was something mystical about watching this little old man, with a persistent cough, scan through the cards and come up with these great stories as to why the cards were telling you specific things.

I remember discussing certain things he had published in the past and how his take on a memorized deck helped me come up with a great presentation I always use in the second effect of my set.

His knowledge amazed me and most of the time when he walked by me I bowed to him and would say things like, "Ah, the master." or "The great one is here." He would smile at me and wave his hand.

It's going to be very weird not seeing him sit outside on one of the benches and filling his lungs with his precious smoke. He was quite a character.

Greg