SLYDINI THE MASTER OF MISDIRECTION

Tony Slydini The Master of Misdirection (1901-1991) Born: Quintino Marucci, Palermo, Italy. Tony was attracted to the psychological elements of the art, which later became precise and expert misdirection. The Audience fueled his desire to become a close up artist.
While Tony was still young the family moved from Italy to Argentina, and Tony got more serious with his craft.
Slydini worked in South America's Vaudeville houses, the depression hit and work became scarce for him. New York City became his home in the 1930s but work was still scarce, but soon he did find work in a museum on 42nd street, carnivals and sideshows. He soon found an agent who got him work for $15. a day 3 days a week, while showing his skills another agent saw him and this went on for 7 years, but soon he was recalled back to NYC In 1945, he landed some work in New Orleans, At that time, in New Orleans, there was a magic convention that Slydini used to show his own special brand of magic. Slydini was different and they loved it. It was the magic of close up and no one knew what it was. not even his peers had a foothold on it yet.His audiences gave him 20 minute ovations.
Close up magic had already been around for centuries all slydini did was brought it to the masses attention, it was his style that had never been seen before. He was one of the first magicains to show close up as an art not as a lead into or bigger and grander illusions.
Magic was more then just a bag of tricks "You have to know all the details. Something is happening all the time. You have to understand every moment. You have to hold people, how to entertain them. You must be aware of the commonsense of things, the movements of the body, where to look and how to sit or stand."
A man of continental charm, sharp wit, undeniable skill and subtlety, Slydini delighted in performing, whether for laypersons or magicians. Bringing precision, grace, and intelligence to the table, Slydini could baffle them all as well as he entertained.