Entertainer. An illusionist and magician in vaudeville, theaters, nightclubs, USO, motion pictures, and television. He also created many popular magical effects, including the 'Flip Over Vanish' box, the 'Temple of Angee (Benares),' the 'Gwynne Substitution Trunk,' and many more, still being performed today. He performed on RKO vaudeville coast-to-coast in the US from 1927-1935, including performances at the Palace, Roxy, and Radio City Music Hall in New York. His wife, son, daughter, and nephew assisted in his acts, the group being dubbed "The Royal Family of Magic." He pioneered the presentation of large magical effects in nightclubs and hotel floor shows during the 1930s and 40s, appearing in top clubs across the US. He appeared in several films for Universal Studios in 1940-41, including "Dark Streets of Cairo," Model Wife," "Knight In A Harem," and as an extra in his friend Orson Welles' epic "Citizen Kane."
During WWII, in 1944, he and his wife, Anne, embarked on an 11-month, 30,000 USO tour through Africa, Italy, Iran, China, Burma, and India, performing for allied troops many times at the front lines of war.
Returning to the US in 1945, Gwynne produced a large theatrical show that appeared for ten years throughout the US. In the 1950s, he became one of the first magicians to appear regularly on television, with 26 appearances on the ABC network show "Super Circus." In the 1960s, he performed in inner-city schools around Chicago with an educational magic program. He presented four shows two days before he died of a heart attack at his home. Playing off the many people claiming to be the world's greatest magician, Gwynne advertised himself as "The World's Second Greatest Magician." The "Jack Gwynne Award For Excellence In Magic" has been presented annually since 1969 at the Abbott Magic Get-Together in Colon, Michigan, where Gwynne and his family are interred at Lakeside Cemetery.
Entertainer. An illusionist and magician in vaudeville, theaters, nightclubs, USO, motion pictures, and television. He also created many popular magical effects, including the 'Flip Over Vanish' box, the 'Temple of Angee (Benares),' the 'Gwynne Substitution Trunk,' and many more, still being performed today. He performed on RKO vaudeville coast-to-coast in the US from 1927-1935, including performances at the Palace, Roxy, and Radio City Music Hall in New York. His wife, son, daughter, and nephew assisted in his acts, the group being dubbed "The Royal Family of Magic." He pioneered the presentation of large magical effects in nightclubs and hotel floor shows during the 1930s and 40s, appearing in top clubs across the US. He appeared in several films for Universal Studios in 1940-41, including "Dark Streets of Cairo," Model Wife," "Knight In A Harem," and as an extra in his friend Orson Welles' epic "Citizen Kane."
During WWII, in 1944, he and his wife, Anne, embarked on an 11-month, 30,000 USO tour through Africa, Italy, Iran, China, Burma, and India, performing for allied troops many times at the front lines of war.
Returning to the US in 1945, Gwynne produced a large theatrical show that appeared for ten years throughout the US. In the 1950s, he became one of the first magicians to appear regularly on television, with 26 appearances on the ABC network show "Super Circus." In the 1960s, he performed in inner-city schools around Chicago with an educational magic program. He presented four shows two days before he died of a heart attack at his home. Playing off the many people claiming to be the world's greatest magician, Gwynne advertised himself as "The World's Second Greatest Magician." The "Jack Gwynne Award For Excellence In Magic" has been presented annually since 1969 at the Abbott Magic Get-Together in Colon, Michigan, where Gwynne and his family are interred at Lakeside Cemetery.
Bio by: DCharvet
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