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Phillip Theodore Thomas
(March 12th
1912- July 2nd 1998)
First president of the Magic Dealers Association (MDA)
Member of I.B.M Ring 179 in Baltimore #4855
Member of Kellar-Thurston Assembly 6
Order of Merlin Excalibur (50 yrs.)
S.A.M member # 2214 (53 yrs.)
Mr. Thomas gave performances in the basement of his
home with neighborhood friend Milbourne Christopher, who later became a
world-famed magician. They teamed up as "Mil & Phil" and
performed in churches and at Carlin's (amusement) Park.
Later, they added Hen
Fetsch and billed themselves as "The Unholy Trio" or "The Little
Demons."
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| PHIL'S SHOW RAN FOR SIX YEARS AND OVER 300 EPISODES IN BALTIMORE! In the audience was a young Don Driver... and the rest you can say is history... |
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| DON DRIVER |
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| PHIL THOMAS was a magic disciple of ERNEST B. MARX and a member of his PYRAMID MAGIC CLUB |
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| Phil on the set of his Sunday morning TV show 'MAGIC MAN' on channel 11 WBAL in Baltimore.
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In grade school, he attended a performance by
the legendary magician Howard Thurston at Ford's Theater and went backstage
after the show.
"With the audacity of the young, I went backstage after a
performance and knocked on the magician's dressing room door. He let me in.
When he realized the sincerity of my interest, he talked to me for some time
with his hand on my shoulder. When I left, he gave me a pat on the back. If I had the
slightest doubt earlier, that resolved it. Thereafter, I never wanted to be
anything but a magician."
Whenever he appeared at Ford's, Mr. Thurston would
hire him to do odd jobs and once presented him with an autographed picture
signed: "Always keep them doubting, Thomas."
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| 1956: PHIL THOMAS with his wife KAY, HEN FETSCH and KARRELL FOX behind him. Phil and Kay met at a 'Camp Fire Girls' expo when he called her from the audience to assist in a trick. |
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Phil at the first YOGI MAGIC MART on 215 N. CHARLES ST. |
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| KAY & PHIL 1969 at YOGI MAGIC MART'S second location 310 N. CHARLES ST. BALTIMORE "I also remember when I was a kid going to Phil Thomas's shop, and then one day after we had been doing 'the act' and appeared in England and got on the cover of 'Abra' that he said... "Well, my boy, you have hit the big time." Ah the memories" - Dick Kohlhafer |
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| 1979 ETIENNE is STEVE WARBURTON http://magictrickcollection.com/about.htm |
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| 1980: DAVE ROEMER, ANN and PHIL THOMAS at YOGI MART MART on 217 N. Charles St. "WOW!! Awesome....Dave, Ann & Phil!! When I use to come into the shop! many times, I had to bring my 4 year old Son, Damien! Ann would take him into the office, open her desk drawer, which had a "Ton" of change! She would say, "Young-un", reach in & grab a handful! He would! Then Ann would take him down stairs to a shop which sold candy & soda! She would get him anything he wanted!! GREAT FRIENDS!!!" - Kevin D. Kirtley |
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| A message from PHIL, ANN & DAVID ROEMER concerning the " new" YOGI MAGIC MART location at 217. NORTH CHARLES STREET. Notice the original letterhead with the old 310 address scratched out. |
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| 1977 THOMAS amid the burnt ruins of Yogi Magic Mart at 310 Charles
Street ; holding the floating ball given to him by Howard Thurston. "Out of this disaster has come a realization, I never knew I had so many friends" - Phil, the Magician |
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| Phil
Thomas as I remember him in the early eighties at his shop, Yogi
Magic Mart - at 217 N. Charles St. What a wonderful person and magician.  KEVIN D. KIRTLEY "At 217 N. Charles St. My Mentor, Phil Thomas, sold his business to Paul Wolman, of P.W.Feats. John Ekin & Dave Rohmer, who both worked in the shop, left, after Phil sold it. Phil, recommended a very little known Magician, but, who had small business management skills, Kevin D. Kirtley. The business was moved to Ellicott City, Md. Three local, but very well chosen magicians, Chris Mosner, James van Liew & Kevin D. Kirtley took over, managing the business. John Ekin returned, for a short time, Chris Mosner, eventually left, Kevin D. Kirtley, resigned! Then, James Van Liew, the last connection, to the Yogi Legacy..... resigned! The Yogi Magic Mart/Main Street Magic, in Ellicott City.....burned to the ground! The Legendary Magic Shop..... was gone!!" - Kevin D. Kirtley  with DAVID COPPERFIELD |
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| Some of the wonderful items I purchased from Phil Thomas. Mr. Thomas always kindly veered young magicians away from purchasing effects flattered in the catalogs that he deemed substandard, even though he stocked them! He truly cared about young people and magic. |
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| Great pamphlets and books recommended to me personally by Phil Thomas. Hen Fetsch's Milk Pitcher Magic is on the upper right, along with the now vintage Adam's Milk Pitcher. I will never forget Mr. Thomas showing me the "eye-of-the-needle" rope trick. |
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| A RECEIPT in Mr. Thomas's own handwriting... |
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| PHIL THOMAS SCHOOL OF MAGIC QUOTES FROM PHIL THOMAS "Fool them, but fool them pleasantly" "Never reveal how a trick is done, or else it will ruin the fun for your friends." |
PHIL THOMAS. My hero...
ReplyDeleteWOW...what a great Website for magic....I love it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Steve.
DeleteGreat site. I remember the 310 location and worked for a summer at the 217 store - where I joined the Yogi Magic Club. Phil Thomas was always encouraging and inspiring. I ran into him on the street in NY years later and he immediately recognized me. I was lucky to have known him and to have spent time at the Mart.
ReplyDeleteMagic show You made such an interesting piece to read, giving every subject enlightenment for us to gain knowledge. Thanks for sharing the such information with us to read this...
ReplyDelete*In the 1970s I went once to the Yogi Magic Mart. I bought four sponge balls. I practiced and could do this: place two balls in someone's hand. Take one ball out and put it in my hand. Then have them close their hand. I would shake my closed hand, then throw the ball up in the air. but when everyone looked up, the ball had vanished. When the person holding the one ball opened their hand, the ball I put in my hand was back in their hand. Amazing!!!
ReplyDelete