Charles Cameron (magician)
Encyclopedia
Charles Wesley Cameron was a professional magician
who specialized in a style known as bizarre magic
. He was born in Edinburgh
, Scotland
, as the eldest of 2 brothers.
He was a magician, and commonly dubbed as the Godfather of Bizarre Magic
and served with the Royal Air Force in the Middle East during World War II.
His only leaning to convention was when he became an accountant and worked with different commercial outlets throughout Edinburgh
including the Sports Council. His brother George became highly qualified in the insurance field and is a published photographer and cartoonist.
At one stage in Charles’ varied career he studied psychology, but this was not completed due to the need to study medicine and the dissections that this route entailed.
, straight magic, close-up magic etc. He has been elected President of the Edinburgh Magic Circle at least three times.
In the early days he performed on the club circuit with his own magic shows, cabaret spots at home and abroad, tarot readings, TV shows, newspaper and magazine features and numerous interviews. He was devastated when his close friend and mentor, Tony Andruzzi
, died in tragic circumstances. Charles and Tony shared many likings – Famous Grouse whisky
, smoking, and a deep interest in the bizarre to name a few.
Always interested in the weird, supernatural and mysterious, and a keen student of the occult, he had a regular slot on Radio Forth
doing daily predictions and ghost stories. His home in Haddington housed his great collection of unusual artifacts and books.
of the Edinburgh Wax Museum on Royal Mile
in 1976. Here, he really came into his own, bringing in friends and family as supporting artistes. At night, the top floor of the museum was turned into Castle Dracula Theatre and Charles enjoyed some of the happiest days of his life. Working in the museum and entertaining visiting dignitaries and stars of stage and screen by day, Charles took on the mantle of “Count Dracula
” - complete with his own coffin and cloak - by night. Performing mind-reading and mock ghostly seance
s, the theatre ran for almost three years in the mid 1980s.
The Wax Museum closed in 1989 and all the wax models were disposed of. The museum had been one of the highlights of the Edinburgh tourist trail.
. He scripted and narrated numerous programs on the supernatural
for Radio Forth and the BBC. On Radio Forth he also had his own show “Beyond the Unknown”. “Beyond the Unknown” lasted for four series. The first three series consisted of twenty-five programs and the fourth was a collection of ghost stories.
Charles appeared on Scottish television on numerous occasions and also on some French, German, Italian and American shows. He was a member of the Lothian Players, an amateur theatrical group, in which he took lead roles in various pantomimes and musical reviews. He had also been an extra in the films, 'Chariots of Fire
', 'Lucia', 'Conquest of The South Pole' and 'Looking After Jo Jo
'.
and raised two daughters Fiona and Lesley who, between them, gave Charles two grandchildren, Hannah and Jacob. Sadly Nan died of cancer in 1993. Charles subsequently moved back to Edinburgh in 1997.
With his clear diction and enunciation, he did readings for the blind while he lived in Haddington and was also a firm supporter of the Community Day Centre in the town. In any spare time available, he rattled collecting cans for various charities including the Poppy Appeal
.
In 2002, it was decided that the actual site of the plaque should be in the entrance passage to the building, formerly the Wax Museum, which lies within a courtyard off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh Old Town. This entranceway at 142 New Assembly Close is perfect as it can easily be seen by all who pass by on this very busy road.
Permission to erect a plaque had to meet with City Council approval and many months were spent in contacting all possible departments and officers within the Council. Finally, permissions were received on the understanding that the proposed plaque was to be of an equal size and quality and placed directly below one already on the site. That existing plaque only gave the history of the building prior to the Wax Museum taking over. That meant the plaque to Charles had to be a hefty piece of cast bronze measuring 15 3/4" wide × 12" deep × 1/2" thick. Equally hefty was the price of this whole project as far more was involved in it than just the making and security fixing the plaque on site.
Many of Charles' friends and associates in magic, throughout the world, sent in donations to fund this project. Also, many of his local 'lay people' friends were only to happy to contribute too. Alex Wallace, partner of the late Charles and to whom donations were sent, was taken aback by the sheer kindness and generosity of people sending in money. This turned to amazement and emotional times when people who never met or had any contact with Charles generously came forward with donations. This shows just how much Cameron is regarded within the brotherhood of Bizarre Magic and mentalism.
Before its final fixing, a recess was made at the rear of the plaque so that a document containing all the names of the sponsors could be sealed behind it, a 'time capsule' with a difference.
In part of a dedication, Tony Andruzzi (Masklyn ye Mage) wrote in a gift copy of his "The Negromicon of Masklyn ye Mage (1977)" to Charles, "the one who started all this".
In a copy of Anthony Raven's "The Necromantic Grimoire Of Augustus Rapp" gifted to Charles, Raven wrote "To Charles Cameron-a kindred soul who travels the same paths and whose writings inspired this work".
The plaque and was made by October 2003, in time for the very special Charles W. Cameron Memorial Gathering, which was held during the weekend of 10, 11 and 12 October in Edinburgh.
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
who specialized in a style known as bizarre magic
Bizarre magic
Bizarre Magic, or Bizarre Magick, is a branch of stage magic, or conjuring, like stage illusions, sleight of hand, or children's magic. The major difference is that bizarre magic uses storytelling and word play to a much greater degree, and less emphasis is placed on the manual dexterity of the...
. He was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, as the eldest of 2 brothers.
He was a magician, and commonly dubbed as the Godfather of Bizarre Magic
Early life
Born on Halloween, 31 October 1927, Charles took a keen interest in magic from very early on in his life, and started conducting his own experiments at age seven. He was educated at Edinburgh's Royal High SchoolRoyal High School (Edinburgh)
The Royal High School of Edinburgh is a co-educational state school administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. The school was founded in 1128 and is one of the oldest schools in Scotland, and has, throughout its history, been high achieving, consistently attaining well above average exam results...
and served with the Royal Air Force in the Middle East during World War II.
His only leaning to convention was when he became an accountant and worked with different commercial outlets throughout Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
including the Sports Council. His brother George became highly qualified in the insurance field and is a published photographer and cartoonist.
At one stage in Charles’ varied career he studied psychology, but this was not completed due to the need to study medicine and the dissections that this route entailed.
Magic career
In 1947, Charles became one of the founding members of the Edinburgh Magic Circlehttp://www.edinburghmagiccircle.co.uk/. Working in tandem with Roy Scott and Harry Burnside, he took part in mentalismMentalism
Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, appear to demonstrate highly developed mental or intuitive abilities. Performances may appear to include telepathy, clairvoyance, divination, precognition, psychokinesis, mediumship, mind control, memory feats and rapid...
, straight magic, close-up magic etc. He has been elected President of the Edinburgh Magic Circle at least three times.
In the early days he performed on the club circuit with his own magic shows, cabaret spots at home and abroad, tarot readings, TV shows, newspaper and magazine features and numerous interviews. He was devastated when his close friend and mentor, Tony Andruzzi
Tony Andruzzi
Antonio C. "Tony" Andruzzi was a professional magician. From the 1950s to the early 1970s his performances were comedy illusions. He adopted the name Tom Palmer and had his legal name changed to Thomas S. Palmer...
, died in tragic circumstances. Charles and Tony shared many likings – Famous Grouse whisky
The Famous Grouse
The Famous Grouse is a brand of blended Scotch whisky, first produced by Matthew Gloag & Son Ltd. in 1897, and now produced by The Edrington Group. The malt whiskies used in The Famous Grouse blend include The Glenrothes, Highland Park Single Malt and Macallan Single Malt. Its emblem is the Red...
, smoking, and a deep interest in the bizarre to name a few.
Always interested in the weird, supernatural and mysterious, and a keen student of the occult, he had a regular slot on Radio Forth
Radio Forth
Radio Forth is a group owning two radio stations based in Edinburgh. The stations broadcast to Edinburgh, The Lothians and Fife.-History:Radio Forth was launched on 22 January 1975 by current chairman Richard Findlay. His opening speech included "This, for the very first time is Radio Forth"...
doing daily predictions and ghost stories. His home in Haddington housed his great collection of unusual artifacts and books.
Edinburgh Wax Museum
Charles was made CuratorCurator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of the Edinburgh Wax Museum on Royal Mile
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
in 1976. Here, he really came into his own, bringing in friends and family as supporting artistes. At night, the top floor of the museum was turned into Castle Dracula Theatre and Charles enjoyed some of the happiest days of his life. Working in the museum and entertaining visiting dignitaries and stars of stage and screen by day, Charles took on the mantle of “Count Dracula
Count Dracula
Count Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...
” - complete with his own coffin and cloak - by night. Performing mind-reading and mock ghostly seance
Séance
A séance is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word "séance" comes from the French word for "seat," "session" or "sitting," from the Old French "seoir," "to sit." In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, speak of "une séance de cinéma"...
s, the theatre ran for almost three years in the mid 1980s.
The Wax Museum closed in 1989 and all the wax models were disposed of. The museum had been one of the highlights of the Edinburgh tourist trail.
Radio and Television
Charles scripted and narrated his own weekly show, titled “Friday Frighteners” on Radio Forth. In addition, he prepared daily and weekly horoscopes for Radio Forth for several years and did a weekly hour long phone in show on astrologyAstrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
. He scripted and narrated numerous programs on the supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
for Radio Forth and the BBC. On Radio Forth he also had his own show “Beyond the Unknown”. “Beyond the Unknown” lasted for four series. The first three series consisted of twenty-five programs and the fourth was a collection of ghost stories.
Charles appeared on Scottish television on numerous occasions and also on some French, German, Italian and American shows. He was a member of the Lothian Players, an amateur theatrical group, in which he took lead roles in various pantomimes and musical reviews. He had also been an extra in the films, 'Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
', 'Lucia', 'Conquest of The South Pole' and 'Looking After Jo Jo
Looking After Jo Jo
Looking After Jo Jo is a 1998 BBC Scotland television drama starring Robert Carlyle as a petty thief turned drug dealer in Edinburgh in the 1980s. It is set in and around the North Sighthill housing estate....
'.
Magical Societies
Charles was a member of many magical societies during his life.- The Edinburgh Magic Circle (past President).
- International Brotherhood of Sorcerers.
- The Esoteric Order of Pan (Arch Mage Ipsissimus).
- The Immortals.
- Scottish Association of Magical Societies, ( Lecturer).
- Also retained for many years by the El Project
- The Magik Club (Patron).
Personal life
Charles met and married Nan Sandilands. The couple settled in Haddington, East LothianHaddington, East Lothian
The Royal Burgh of Haddington is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which was known officially as Haddingtonshire before 1921. It lies about east of Edinburgh. The name Haddington is Anglo-Saxon, dating from the 6th...
and raised two daughters Fiona and Lesley who, between them, gave Charles two grandchildren, Hannah and Jacob. Sadly Nan died of cancer in 1993. Charles subsequently moved back to Edinburgh in 1997.
With his clear diction and enunciation, he did readings for the blind while he lived in Haddington and was also a firm supporter of the Community Day Centre in the town. In any spare time available, he rattled collecting cans for various charities including the Poppy Appeal
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion , sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants.-History:The British Legion was...
.
Plaque
Soon after the death of Charles W. Cameron, many of his friends discussed the possibility of having a plaque erected in the City of Edinburgh as a tribute to the Godfather of Bizarre Magic. It was hoped that the plaque would be erected on the building or in the entranceway of what had formerly been the Edinburgh Wax Museum, where Charles had been its curator during the daytime. During the evening he became ‘Dracula’ as he played the lead role in his own bizarre and spooky magic show. This show took place in a specially designed auditorium at the Wax Museum and it soon became famous as ‘Castle Dracula’.In 2002, it was decided that the actual site of the plaque should be in the entrance passage to the building, formerly the Wax Museum, which lies within a courtyard off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh Old Town. This entranceway at 142 New Assembly Close is perfect as it can easily be seen by all who pass by on this very busy road.
Permission to erect a plaque had to meet with City Council approval and many months were spent in contacting all possible departments and officers within the Council. Finally, permissions were received on the understanding that the proposed plaque was to be of an equal size and quality and placed directly below one already on the site. That existing plaque only gave the history of the building prior to the Wax Museum taking over. That meant the plaque to Charles had to be a hefty piece of cast bronze measuring 15 3/4" wide × 12" deep × 1/2" thick. Equally hefty was the price of this whole project as far more was involved in it than just the making and security fixing the plaque on site.
Many of Charles' friends and associates in magic, throughout the world, sent in donations to fund this project. Also, many of his local 'lay people' friends were only to happy to contribute too. Alex Wallace, partner of the late Charles and to whom donations were sent, was taken aback by the sheer kindness and generosity of people sending in money. This turned to amazement and emotional times when people who never met or had any contact with Charles generously came forward with donations. This shows just how much Cameron is regarded within the brotherhood of Bizarre Magic and mentalism.
Before its final fixing, a recess was made at the rear of the plaque so that a document containing all the names of the sponsors could be sealed behind it, a 'time capsule' with a difference.
In part of a dedication, Tony Andruzzi (Masklyn ye Mage) wrote in a gift copy of his "The Negromicon of Masklyn ye Mage (1977)" to Charles, "the one who started all this".
In a copy of Anthony Raven's "The Necromantic Grimoire Of Augustus Rapp" gifted to Charles, Raven wrote "To Charles Cameron-a kindred soul who travels the same paths and whose writings inspired this work".
The plaque and was made by October 2003, in time for the very special Charles W. Cameron Memorial Gathering, which was held during the weekend of 10, 11 and 12 October in Edinburgh.
Books
As well as a love of books, he has written books as well – to date thirteen, with another five on the stocks. He also wrote “The Cauldron” (serial pamphlet) which has been recently reproduced by Karl Bartoni for The Magik Club.Published Books
- Curiosities of old Edinburgh.
- Scottish Witches.
- Scottish Witches, Revised and Enlarged Edition.
- Handbook of Horror
- Witches' Brew.
- Macabre and Mental Mysteries
- Devil's Diary.
- Castle Dracula Mentalism.
- Mind Your Magic
Awaiting Publication
- Beyond The Unknown.
- The Land Of Make Believe (a children's story book).
Unfinished Books
- Pardon My Weird Friends (Autobiography).
- Don't Blink-It's Magic.
- Castle Dracula.