David Bamberg
| David Tobias "Theodore" Bamberg (Fu Manchu) |
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| Born |
David Tobias Bamberg 19 February 1904 Derby, England, UK |
| Died | 19 August 1974 (aged 70) Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Occupation | Magician, illusionist, shadowist, writer, performer |
David Tobias "Theodore" Bamberg (aka Fu Manchu) (19 February 1904 – 19 August 1974) was an itinerant magician that traveled with his full evening magic show from the early to mid part of the 20th century. In Bamberg's autobiography, Robert Parrish wrote in the introduction that no other great illusionist could match Bamberg's skill. The Fu Manchu show was known for comedy, drama, and a plethora of color.
Bamberg was the sixth and final member of the Bamberg Magical Dynasty. They were a Dutch family of conjurers whose magical lineage was passed from each of the first-born sons. His father was Tobias "Theo" Leendert Bamberg (Okito), son of David Tobias Bamberg (1843–1914). Okito was a headliner in European variety. He was a skilled mechanic and one of the most artistic magicians.
David was the eldest son of Tobias Bamberg, who performed as "Okito", and Lillian Poole, daughter of Charles William Poole, one of the brothers who ran the famous Poole's Myriorama traveling Diaroma show in England. During Okito's European tour, Lily, his wife, became pregnant. She continued to assist him, hiding her pregnancy through her Chinese robe. While in Russia, Lily feared that she would give birth there. They cancelled their contracts in Russia and returned to England. On 19 February 1904, Lily gave birth to their first son. He was named David, and would have one brother and one sister.
Bamberg stayed with his grandfather for a year, but was reunited with his father when he fulfilled the postponed contracts in Russia. It was in Russia where Bamberg first appeared on the stage, at the age of four, as a little Chinese boy being produced from a cloth. It was on their way to Norway that Julius and Agnes Zancig met Bamberg. Agnes predicted accurately that he would follow in her footsteps, although no one else believed it at the time.
After his European contract was through, Bamberg's father was approached by American vaudeville agent Martin Beck. He signed a six-month contract to play the Orpheum Circuit in the United States. He brought Lily and David to America to fulfill the dates. With the money he made in Europe and America, he decided to quit show business and settle in New York. He opened up a magic shop on the corner of Broadway and 28th Street called Bamberg Magic and Novelty Company with Joe Klein. Here he created exclusive magic tricks for magicians such as Harry Kellar, Frederick Eugene Powell, Bernard M.L. Ernst, Samuel Leo Horowitz, and many other leading magicians residing in the United States.
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