A NOTE FROM BILL DEMAR

I was born at a very early age, in fact it was 6:00am, I remember the time because I was the one who had to shut off the alarm. I only weighed ½ lb. How did you live you may ask? I sold newspapers. (thank you Robert Orben)for those opening remarks.

I was a radio nut. Had my ear in the speaker all the time. Loved the Bergan and McCarthy show. All more detailed in my book, “VENTRILOQUISM and related subjects” recently republished by Tom Ladshaw.
Carved my first figure out of balsa wood. Very first vent show ever, was in a talent contest, and I won first place,
Demanded by the audience, before the judges could decide. My second show was the next week-end in another contest, and I won that one too. It got into the papers and a local magician ask me to tour with his family, in the vicinity. That was at age 17.
At age 20 I went into the army and was sent to Germany and spent most of my time in Special Services traveling around Germany entertaining with various shows. All of them contained someone who made it later in the civilian world, to some degree.
When I got out of the service, I picked up my Marshal figure on the way home. Started to work more on a regular basis when I started working Night Clubs/strip joints. Also worked a lot of fairs with many known performers. Traveled on tour for several years with the ‘Ink Spots’ and the ‘Harmonica Rascals’, and some magic circus shows. That also had some names, like ‘Lash LaRue’.
In about ’74 I was asked to tour the country doing school show assemblies, one to four a day. Fortunately I had designed my act to set up and pack up quickly. My last school tour was in ’96.
I don’t miss the smoking drunks in the night clubs, but I do miss the little kids in the early grades.
Always had to travel to get any work, never could get anything in my own home town. Still can’t.