So far as John Davenport knows, this material has never previously been published. It is a good introduction to the young Claude Chandler (1896-1977). It is a pity that he never completed his story. Chandler was popular with both audiences and fellow magicians and served as Vice President of The Magic Circle from 1958-1977. In 1922, when Devant was no longer able to perform, Devant teamed up with Chandler to present the David Devant Revue of Magic at St George’s Hall, London.
Chandler’s childhood fascination with theatre and magic, and the skills he demonstrated at a young age, help to explain why magic became a most successful career for him. He was also a ventriloquist and he shares anecdotes about well-known ventriloquists Fred Russell, Arthur Prince and Edgar Bergen. The all-too-short manuscript has been lightly edited by John Davenport and complemented with illustrations from the Davenport Collection. You can read it by clicking on View PDF.