Any new england folks remember Richard Volcane aka George Perrin? He was and still is my inspiration in magic although no longer with us! Would love tohere from anyone who remembers this great working show!

Anybody? Volcane got his start working for Bill Neff's Madhouse of Mystery show.....and I believe several of his illusions were based on neff originals...anybody? Think wild eyebrows!

Magically Yours

Adam Christopher

I was Company Manager, then MC for the magic show in the late '70's (?), need to go find an old playbill. I have photos from the show and memories. George was always trying to put together caper to break into Neff's warehouse or Blackstones or Thurston or Kellar. He could convince you of anything with a straight face, including the evil curse guarding the warehouse.

I actually knew and worked with George when I was a teenager. He was one of the nicest guys I have ever met.

He lectured for us in Springfield, MA maybe 15 years ago.

I also worked on the show with George in the mid-70's. He had performed at my high school and they needed a couple of students to help out for the day. I volunteered and after that performance, George asked me if I'd be interested in continuing on with the show (on weekends and whenever possible.) I accepted and over the next year or so, had a wonderful time. It was a mixed bag of responsibilities ... one moment assisting on stage and then running off to handle the music. I too learned a lot from George. What a kind and great man.

One of my best friends and teachers. I worked for George in the early 90’s. He is missed dearly every day. Someone that had wild stories and could keep you on your toes. I have so much more I will be writing and hope to connect with others. I remember his celebration of life was one big magic show. As George always said the show must go on, even if we did just catch the curtains on fire!

I saw Richard perform around 1967 or so in Warwick , RI where I was living at the time.
I was new to magic and remember only that I had a great time.
Fred Foshey (Fred Marco) used to speak of George all the time and I have a vague recollection that perhaps Rory Johnston worked for him a few years after that... but I could be mistaken.

I remember RICHARD VOLCANE very well.
He was a customer of ours at The Little Jack Horner Joke And Magic Shop in Boston.
He also worked for me doing his show.

First of all, I am sad to report that Adam Christopher, who started this topic thread, has passed away. He and I met more than a decade ago to reminisce about the Volcane show.

For the rest of us: I'm glad to see a few of us remember Volcane/George Perrin. I worked as an assistant and a featured performer in his traveling show in the 1980s. What a great experience for a young magician to see what goes into marketing, rehearsing, packing, and presenting a small traveling show like this in small towns around the country where many people have never seen a live magician in a formal setting with mid-sized illusions and pretty costumes.

Yes, he had a thing about Bill Neff's spook show. He also could tell the funniest show business stories. He was clever in how he usually hired students from local dance studios for his on-stage assistants when touring a region, rather than engaging aspiring young magicians, because he wanted assistants who were graceful and comfortable carrying his props on and off the stage. I was one of a few exceptions, and he actually gave me a short spot in his show to gain experience.

"Watch the Magic Happen!" was his declaration to introduce various illusions in the show. One enduring memory was how he would produce from a squared circle the biggest live white rabbit (named "Harvey," of course) that most people had ever seen. In a large school auditorium, even people in the back seats could confirm that, yes, that was a BIG LIVE RABBIT, and oh, how the children cheered to see it. Backstage, Volcane had a curious, almost telepathic power over his animals. Harvey would obey Volcane's spoken commands -- and that rabbit clearly loved to perform.

This show was ideal family entertainment. I was lucky to know him and work in his show when it was still in good shape and prospering, before the economy and his health deteriorated. For me, it was like traveling with "Mr. Mysterious and Company." Oh, I've read Rory Johnston's remarks about the show, and I'm sincerely sorry that Rory did not have the happy experience that some of us in this forum had working with or viewing the Volcano show, and I sense the deep disappointment in Rory's remarks.

I helped organize the sale of much of his equipment when he decided to retire the show, and that was a sad moment for any magician. Also, I inherited from Marco/Fred Foshey Volcane's personal scrapbook with photos and fliers, which enhances my own file of color photos from the show and news clippings about the man. I've been wondering if anyone is so keenly interested in him, perhaps looking to write a biography or feature, that they would like this memorabilia? If so, PM me. As you see by my signature, I honor his memory and spirit.