Thursday, October 23, 2014

THROWBACK THURSDAY: Twice Told Tales

I was a kid in North Dakota in the 1940's.  No Internet back then. Heck, there wasn't even television.  So we got our entertainment from books and radio programs.  I don't know where I got the idea I wanted to be a magician but one year I got a magic set for Christmas.  Over the years I had a pretty good collection of books on magic.  And I gathered together some paraphernalia for making coins disappear and confounding my playmates with a deck of playing cards.  My mother was pretty good with a sewing machine and with craft paper and she made me a black magician's cape and a black top hat and sent The Great Taylor out to do a show.



Now those pants and dusty old cowboy boots could have used some work but look at those hands.  Magician's hands!

The magic shows didn't last but acting had gotten under my skin.  In high school and college I was in a number of plays and entertained the idea of becoming a professional actor.  Alas!  Youthful dreams.

But speaking of dreams, check out this dreamboat.


Mom outdid herself creating this Prince Charming costume for some play or operetta from my far and distant youth.  

Eat your heart out, Pacino!

8 comments:

joeh said...

I don't know about your magic or acting, but your mom was sure talented! That is some outfit.

Phil Perisich said...

Well, you did pull a rabbiit out of the hat with the Mars photo.

Tom Cochrun said...

Looks like you could have put a lot up those sleeves. In fact it looks as though you may have pulled a trick out of that right sleeve before the photo.

Dressed like Little Lord Fauntleroy must have been a little dangerous out there in Nord Dukota!

The Bug said...

Wow that Prince Charming outfit is QUITE impressive!

stephen Hayes said...

It's hard to believe the boy in both of these pictures are the same person, they look so different.

Should Fish More said...

You need a rapier in that last picture. You're lucky to have so many pictures of your youth, my mother used cameras at only christmas

Catalyst said...

Yes, a rapier in the second pic, a wand in the first!

Steve said...

A talented lad.