AUGUST 2015 EXTRA: FRANCIS CARLYLE

Today I found out that the legendary magician Francis Carlyle, the creator among other things of “The Homing card”, one of the most performed routines ever either by amateurs and professionals, ended his days living in the streets of LA and died of alcoholism in 1975. Another legendary magician, Ricky Jay, found him living in the streets, took care of him and tried to help but it was already too late. He was found unconscious in a street of Hollywood and died shortly after. He was sixty-three. The creator of the Homing card died as a homeless. What a sad punch line.

How many magicians all over the world make their living performing “The Homing card” in their repertoire? How many audiences have been entertained thanks to Carlyle? Maybe a foundation supported by magicians all over the world is necessary, a foundation aimed to help elderly magicians in trouble, magicians who devoted his entire life to magic, to help them have a dignified end of life. It would be nice that we magicians could agree to carry out a project like this.

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