I've heard the name "Del Ray" but when I do a Google search, I don't find much definitive information on this magician.

For starters, is his First name "Del" and his last name "Ray"? or is his entire last name "Del Ray" and he goes only by his last name (like Tony Slydini went by "Slidini")?

Also, what type of magic was he famous for? And, did he have any personalized effect for which he was best known and/or for which only he performed? (I.E., like Sam the Bellhop for Bill Malone, Silks by Slydini, the Violin Zombie by Norm Neilsen, etc.)

Finally, did he have any published written works or published videos? (I'm not referring to any underground unpublished videos.)

Thanks for any info.

Mike

Del Ray passed on recently. Was a great all-around magician but known best for his close-up work. Especially his blackjack routine. I don't think that he published anything that I can remember anyway. Hopefully, someone may know mmore.

There is a thread about Del Ray on this page. Yes he had signature effects that only he performed and will never be performed again. I would say he was best known for performing miracles. He didn't publish, didn't even like to perform for magicians. There is little info available. Del Ray played it very close to the vest.

Do a search on the Café as there has been a lot posted on Del Ray. Also a good article in magic magazine and there was one by Max Howard that was very good recently. I think it might have been in the Linking Ring.

Richard

In the 43 years I've been into magic, I've seen tons of magicians, and Del Ray was easily one of the best I've ever seen, possibly the best. Luckily for me, I personally witnessed his close-up and stage work in the late 70's to early 80's, and I found him to be unbelievably creative and entertaining, to put it mildly.

Del's dice work and card work were incredible, and he not only performed sleight of hand flawlessly but used electronics before many people even knew what electronics were.

In my opinion, Del's fortes were his ability to bring his props to life and his entertaining personality. For example, he performed an unbelievable routine where a little automoton bird repeatedly predicted the outcome of a roll of dice which a spectator threw and without Del getting anywhere near the dice or bird. He jokingly and repeatedly taunted the spectator with a $50 bill, offering it if the bird's predictions were wrong. At the end of the routine, he locked the bird in it's carrying box and then mixed the key with other keys which he passed out to a number of spectators, keeping one for himself, explaining that whoever got the correct key would get the bird and the $50 bill. It was an incredible Key-R-Rect type effect with no switching of the keys and without Del getting anywhere near them.

Del was very protective of his material and didn't want anyone else doing anything like it. It's really a shame as the world has been deprived of miracles with his passing and there are those who know many of his methods and have the means to reproduce them (me included) but who don't use them out of respect. I wish he would have permitted others to perform his magic as I would absolutely love to perform a tribute show to him. I feel it's a tragedy that his magic died with him.

Larry

I have an old vhs tape of Del performing his wonderful magic, he was increditable just as Larry described....
vinny

Del Ray was one of my first magicians I seen when I was young (10ish). I guess I was spoiled from the start. There really hasn't been any magicians like him. His electronics fasinated me. I almost wondered if there was a 'third-party' helping him out the whole time! Anycase, by far, visual magic, sleight-of-hand, old props brought back to a new life, such as, the folding coin through borrow ring, bounce-no-bounce balls, done flawlessly. I do have a copy of one of his only recorded performances at Tannen's Magic convention with Harry Blackstone, introducing him. I would be willing to trade some VHS tapes, or DVDs whatever. As far as what I was told, he didn't like to have his work filmed or on TV. He is one of the main reasons, I got into magic and am still here! Does anyone know what month of MAGIC mag, that article was in? I would like to pick me up a copy. There surely isn't enough info about this magician. Also, he used to be an assistant for Harry Blackstone Sr.!

Euphoria,

I will find that info for you. I have the Magic magazine article. There was also a tribute in the Linking Ring after he passed. I also have a Linking Ring from 1958 with an article. I'll list them here.

Vandy

I have to agree with Larry. The month is January 04 for the Del Ray article in Magic. Tom Craven has a DVD of Del Ray working a hospitality suite. I purchased it a few weeks ago. I cannot tell you how much joy just watching the tape brought me. Del was superb, funny, and incredible. I am very sorry that I never got to see him perform live. I did see in one of the magazines a few months ago that someone is soliciting material to write a book about Del Ray. I don't remember who it was or even which magazine the request appeared in.

Steve

I spent the weekend at the LA Conference on Magical History. Had a very nice chat with David Baldwin. David (who published the Raymond book) is working with Bob Escher and some other guys on a Del Ray book. It will be a great project when completed. Probably with performance dvd's included.

Del was one of a kind.

Richard

Great News!!

Wow, What can I say about Del Ray? His name alone in magic circles makes magicians silence intstantly. Everything you have heard about him and his genius is absolutely true. He was a 'magicians magician', a true professional. Del's sleight of hand was flawless and his incredible electronic effects even raised the professionalism of his shows to a new level. I have known Del for many years, I was fortunate enough to perform with him on the same 'bill' here in Pittsburgh, Pa. This is what got me into electronic magic, watching Del opened up magic to a whole new world that I never really thought about before seeing him. Del only lived about twenty minutes from my home just outside of Pittsburgh,Pa. He lived in Brookline, Pa. We kept in touch throughout the years via the telephone. Magic has lost one of the greats, possibly THE greatest. One thing is sure, his talents will never be equalled.

Chuck Caputo

Has anyone heard anything further on this book since Hugmagic's Café posting on this?

Thanks for any info.

Mike

Mike,

There was an advertisement in a Linking Ring a few months back that talked about the Del Ray book and asking for information, pictures, clippings, etc. One of the people working on the book is Bill Spooner - here's his website:
http://spoonermagic.com/contact_info.html
He may have more current information - hope this helps.

Dave

Thanks for the info, Dave.

We have a snippet of information on Del Ray (born Delbert Raymond Petrosky, so it's two words) in our Inventor's brief biographies on The Magic Nook site. This is a work in progress, so as we get more information or photos to add, we will do so. We are particularly looking to identify the names he gave his original creations for the electronic act.

If anyone who saw his act can describe it in any kind of detail, that would add to the knowledge base. For example, I was most impressed with what I called his "Leaping Card Box." He would remove a pack of cards from the box and set the card box down on the edge of the table, but it "accidentally" fell off onto the floor. Looking a little annoyed, he made a gesture and the box leaped back up onto the table. That was the moment I decided to do "Wizard" magic instead of magic store magic.

Spellbinder - the above post mentions two articles that have good descriptions of some of Del Ray's effects - particularly in the MAGIC Magazine issue. Those may be helpful to you.

Sorry - I had seen his close up and stage act numerious times starting in the early 70's but I can't begin to accurately describe his effects - I was always too much in awe to begin to take any notes!

I don't know of any performer before or after that has mesmerized me as much....

Dave