Bob White - A remembrance
Posted: August 3rd, 2020, 7:41 pm
What a year it has been –it seems like it has been ages since good friend Bob White passed away. I talked to Bob virtually every day, most times twice a day, for nearly thirteen years. I've been thinking about Bob quite a bit the last few days and thought I would post a remembrance and a few anecdotes that some of you may not have known. Bob told after he died I could tell anything I wanted, but I'll save the Tony Ireland (from Scotland) story for if we ever meet for a beer some late night in a hotel lobby at a magic convention!
Robert H. White – August 3, 1941 – February 6, 2020
Bob was born August 3, 1941 at the Florence Nightingale Hospital in Dallas (now part of Baylor Hospital) to Mary Alice White, nee Graves, (1907 – 1994) and A.R. White, also known as “Bob White” (1904 – 1971). Bob spent his first few years in Dallas before the family moved to Corsicana. Bob told me once that he was actually struck by a Dallas Bus when he was a young boy and remarkably, escaped serious injury.
Bob was around magic and magicians from a young age. His father was very active in the Dallas magic scene. He was on the Texas Association of Magicians’ charter in 1946, was the territorial representative for the IBM (1948), and served various other roles in magic organizations. Young Bob performed his first act for the local magician’s group at the Mercantile Bank Building in 1946. He attended the first “official” TAOM in 1946 and can be seen entertaining magicians Russell Swann and Frank Lezama.
In High School Bob was very active in Scouting, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, with Troop 258 in Corsicana. Some of his fondest memories of those days were of his trek at Philmont and his time at Camp Constantin for summer camp. During his formative years, Bob began to take a serious interest in close up magic, particularly the magic of Dai Vernon, through both the Stars of Magic series and the Dai Vernon Book of Magic.
After graduating High School spent hitchhiked to California from Texas where he spent some time in Hawaii. He told me once that he got a ticket in California for hitchhiking and that when he got home he forged a letter from his mother saying he had died in an automobile accident. On the way back, he stopped in Las Vegas, and was introduced to a local gambler named “Tinkle” who showed Bob a bottom deal and some other moves that were generally not well known among magicians. When Bob arrived back home he described what he had seen to his father who told him that he had a book upstairs that described such things (Expert at the Card Table). Bob then began his lifelong study of Erdnase.
At an early TAOM convention (I believe 1960) – Bob’s father told him to come to the lobby and see a young man doing some tricks that he thought he might enjoy. The “young man” was Roger Klause and Bob said the first trick he saw him perform was Jarrow’s Hanky Panky from the Stars of Magic. This began a lifetime friendship between the two close-up aficionados. During this time, there were several young close up magicians that came together – Johnny Brown, Pressley Guitar, Roger, Bob, Steve Freeman, Dan Johnston, Chuck Smith, Jerry Winn, John Cornelius, John Moehring, Mike Christian, and others. During the 60’s and 70’s these friends would meet frequently to session and hang out.
Shortly after his father passed away Bob sold his insurance business and decided to perform magic full time doing school assembly programs. Bob loved selling the programs almost as much as loved performing them and he built a lucrative business performing school assembly programs all over North Texas. He would also perform at birthday parties, close up shows, and hospitality suites - he often said if he was not doing a show he was looking for a show to do. He was a regular opener for local bandleader Randall “Ran” Wilde and would often open for his band the Ran Wilde Orchestra.
In the early 1980’s, Bob learned to cut silhouettes, and on a 1985 trip to the Castle spent some time visiting with the Professor discussing the art of cutting Silhouettes. He cut the silhouette of Martin Lewis that appears on the cover of the book Martin’s Miracles. Several of his silhouettes appear in the Roger Klause book “In Concert” by Lance Pierce.
Bob gave his first seminar in Dallas at the Harvey Hotel in June 1997. This was followed over the next thirteen years by several other lectures and seminars where Bob would elaborate on his methods and system for managing magic. Bob would hate the term “mentor” but he had a long list of friends he helped over the years. Bill Malone once remarked that Bob was magic’s “best kept secret”. For many years, he would hold court for a group of us on Saturdays. Most Saturday’s of my twenties were spent hanging out with Bob. We would start at Magicland, head to a BBQ joint for lunch, and then Mexican food for dinner.
Beginning in 2003 Bob started hosting a get together that came to be known as the Dallas Super Session. Held every March it was an informal get together of close up enthusiasts with only one rule - every one must do a trick of some sort. Those who attended will agree that it was a blast. Bob hosted these through 2007 with the 2008 Super Session being held in Borger, Texas to honor Bob's lifelong friend Roger Klause who passed away later that year. I hosted Super Session for several years afterward and Bob enjoyed coming and holding court. The Super Session would bring in friends and magicians from all over the country.
Having spent his entire life around magic and magician’s Bob had a knowledge of magic that was vast, and he often had very strong opinions, but he was willing to share if he thought you were serious. He could help you on anything from the Slydini Newspaper Tear, to a cigarette vanish, to Bluff Aces.
Bob’s biggest influences in the performance of magic were Dai Vernon and Charlie Miller. He and Roger would often travel great lengths to see the Professor at conventions or lectures. The Professor was a guest at his home in August 1967. The Professor’s natural and conversational style of presenting magic was something he spent his life applying to his own magic. Bob was also friendly with both Don Alan and Karrell Fox – two men he often said taught him how to make money from magic.
In 2008, due to health issues, Bob cut back on performing in the schools before fully retiring in 2010. He performed a final show in Madisonville in December 2014. Many of the high school students who had seen him perform during elementary school came to watch his show one final time. Bob loved working in the schools and missed it until the day he died. After he retired, he spent his time practicing magic, working on vintage razors, and cooking. He passed on Thursday February 6, 2020. He is survived by his sister Linda, daughter Stacy, son Bob, and one granddaughter- Lauren (aka – “Monk”).
Robert H. White – August 3, 1941 – February 6, 2020
Bob was born August 3, 1941 at the Florence Nightingale Hospital in Dallas (now part of Baylor Hospital) to Mary Alice White, nee Graves, (1907 – 1994) and A.R. White, also known as “Bob White” (1904 – 1971). Bob spent his first few years in Dallas before the family moved to Corsicana. Bob told me once that he was actually struck by a Dallas Bus when he was a young boy and remarkably, escaped serious injury.
Bob was around magic and magicians from a young age. His father was very active in the Dallas magic scene. He was on the Texas Association of Magicians’ charter in 1946, was the territorial representative for the IBM (1948), and served various other roles in magic organizations. Young Bob performed his first act for the local magician’s group at the Mercantile Bank Building in 1946. He attended the first “official” TAOM in 1946 and can be seen entertaining magicians Russell Swann and Frank Lezama.
In High School Bob was very active in Scouting, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, with Troop 258 in Corsicana. Some of his fondest memories of those days were of his trek at Philmont and his time at Camp Constantin for summer camp. During his formative years, Bob began to take a serious interest in close up magic, particularly the magic of Dai Vernon, through both the Stars of Magic series and the Dai Vernon Book of Magic.
After graduating High School spent hitchhiked to California from Texas where he spent some time in Hawaii. He told me once that he got a ticket in California for hitchhiking and that when he got home he forged a letter from his mother saying he had died in an automobile accident. On the way back, he stopped in Las Vegas, and was introduced to a local gambler named “Tinkle” who showed Bob a bottom deal and some other moves that were generally not well known among magicians. When Bob arrived back home he described what he had seen to his father who told him that he had a book upstairs that described such things (Expert at the Card Table). Bob then began his lifelong study of Erdnase.
At an early TAOM convention (I believe 1960) – Bob’s father told him to come to the lobby and see a young man doing some tricks that he thought he might enjoy. The “young man” was Roger Klause and Bob said the first trick he saw him perform was Jarrow’s Hanky Panky from the Stars of Magic. This began a lifetime friendship between the two close-up aficionados. During this time, there were several young close up magicians that came together – Johnny Brown, Pressley Guitar, Roger, Bob, Steve Freeman, Dan Johnston, Chuck Smith, Jerry Winn, John Cornelius, John Moehring, Mike Christian, and others. During the 60’s and 70’s these friends would meet frequently to session and hang out.
Shortly after his father passed away Bob sold his insurance business and decided to perform magic full time doing school assembly programs. Bob loved selling the programs almost as much as loved performing them and he built a lucrative business performing school assembly programs all over North Texas. He would also perform at birthday parties, close up shows, and hospitality suites - he often said if he was not doing a show he was looking for a show to do. He was a regular opener for local bandleader Randall “Ran” Wilde and would often open for his band the Ran Wilde Orchestra.
In the early 1980’s, Bob learned to cut silhouettes, and on a 1985 trip to the Castle spent some time visiting with the Professor discussing the art of cutting Silhouettes. He cut the silhouette of Martin Lewis that appears on the cover of the book Martin’s Miracles. Several of his silhouettes appear in the Roger Klause book “In Concert” by Lance Pierce.
Bob gave his first seminar in Dallas at the Harvey Hotel in June 1997. This was followed over the next thirteen years by several other lectures and seminars where Bob would elaborate on his methods and system for managing magic. Bob would hate the term “mentor” but he had a long list of friends he helped over the years. Bill Malone once remarked that Bob was magic’s “best kept secret”. For many years, he would hold court for a group of us on Saturdays. Most Saturday’s of my twenties were spent hanging out with Bob. We would start at Magicland, head to a BBQ joint for lunch, and then Mexican food for dinner.
Beginning in 2003 Bob started hosting a get together that came to be known as the Dallas Super Session. Held every March it was an informal get together of close up enthusiasts with only one rule - every one must do a trick of some sort. Those who attended will agree that it was a blast. Bob hosted these through 2007 with the 2008 Super Session being held in Borger, Texas to honor Bob's lifelong friend Roger Klause who passed away later that year. I hosted Super Session for several years afterward and Bob enjoyed coming and holding court. The Super Session would bring in friends and magicians from all over the country.
Having spent his entire life around magic and magician’s Bob had a knowledge of magic that was vast, and he often had very strong opinions, but he was willing to share if he thought you were serious. He could help you on anything from the Slydini Newspaper Tear, to a cigarette vanish, to Bluff Aces.
Bob’s biggest influences in the performance of magic were Dai Vernon and Charlie Miller. He and Roger would often travel great lengths to see the Professor at conventions or lectures. The Professor was a guest at his home in August 1967. The Professor’s natural and conversational style of presenting magic was something he spent his life applying to his own magic. Bob was also friendly with both Don Alan and Karrell Fox – two men he often said taught him how to make money from magic.
In 2008, due to health issues, Bob cut back on performing in the schools before fully retiring in 2010. He performed a final show in Madisonville in December 2014. Many of the high school students who had seen him perform during elementary school came to watch his show one final time. Bob loved working in the schools and missed it until the day he died. After he retired, he spent his time practicing magic, working on vintage razors, and cooking. He passed on Thursday February 6, 2020. He is survived by his sister Linda, daughter Stacy, son Bob, and one granddaughter- Lauren (aka – “Monk”).