Critchlow, Cyril, 1923 - 2008
Dates
- Existence: 1923 - 2008
Biography
Cyril Critchlow was born in Staffordshire in 1923 and moved to Blackpool with his family as a teenager in the late 1930s.
Cyril developed an interest in magic from an early age and became known as a magician during the Second World War under the stage name of Reval.
Throughout his life in Blackpool, Critchlow became an avid collector of ephemera relating to Blackpool’s entertainment heritage from the 1860s to the present day and wrote several books on the subject. He was also a passionate heritage campaigner and in 1977 he fulfilled a lifelong dream when he opened The Museum of Entertainment on Coronation Street, where he displayed his personal collection of entertainment ephemera.
Critchlow presented magic shows and gave talks on Blackpool history of entertainment at the ‘Witches Café’ which he also ran. In 1980 he became the proprietor of a small theatre of variety and he even worked as a spotlight operator at the Winter Gardens Theatre for a while. In the mid-sixties he was elected town Councillor. Additionally, he was a founder member of the Blackpool Magicians’ club, becoming at one point President and Honorary Life Member. He was a member of Equity, The Magic Circle, Blackpool Heritage Forum and he was President of the North West Music Hall and Variety Friendship Society.
He was still entertaining with his magic act in his 80s performing as Wizardo, Harry Potter's grandfather and took part in Sheffield University’s Cabinet of Curiosities held at Blackpool in 2008.
Cyril Critchlow died after a short illness in 2008.
Found in 620 Collections and/or Records:
Souvenir Catalogue, 1976
Cyril Critchlow Presents Cavalcade of grease Paint. Descriptions of exhibitions items. Two with corrected addresses, 28p.p.
Spa Theatre Poster, c1960 - 1969
Bridlington. Ken Platt in Carry on Father and Pillar to Post. Red and yellow illustration with photograph.
Spa Theatre Poster, c1960 - 1969
Bridlington. Ken Platt in ‘Carry on Father’ and Pillar to Post. Contains colour illustrations and photographs.
Statement from The Palace Theatre, 4 - 9 August 1924
Attercliffe.
Steve Streets Fall Guys Poster, c1970 - 1979
Taunton Victoria Park. Poster for stunt exhibition and show containing colour illustrations of acts. Double sided.
Strippers Poster, 11 June 1984
Theatre Royal Nottingham. Colour illustration of the act on mount board.
Telegram from Miriam Claydon, c1940s
Telegram to John Everton Sanger from Miriam Claydon. Typescript.
The Albert Halls, 5 December 2003 - 11 January 2004
Bolton. Snow White, Stu Francis and others. Contains colour photograph.
The Albert Halls, 30 November 2001 - 6 January 2002
Bolton. Aladdin, Paul Crone and others. Contains colour photograph.
The Albert Halls, 29 November 2002 - 5 January 2003
Bolton. Dick Whittington, Paul Cron and others. Contains colour photograph.
The Alfred Beck Centre Poster, c1970 - 1979
Grange Road Hayes, Middlessex. Clyde Tyme Music Hall Starring TV and Radio Star Ken Platt, Leslie Welch memory man, Montelli and June Mr and Mrs Music, Peter Tracy the Australian Song Pedler, Mike Scott magician, Barbara Drew singer, Sue Turners Gaiety Girls. Black and yellow type on white background.
The Alhambra Poster, Thursday 12 - Saturday 28 March 1987
Bradford. The RSC production of Kiss me Kate. Colour illustration of the act.
The Alhambra Poster, Week commencing 22 March 1982
Bradford. Local Affairs by Richard Harris, Irene Handl, Christopher Beeny, Mark Eden, Adrienne Corri and others. Colour illustration.
The Alhambra Theatre Poster, Monday 18 - 23 May 1987
Bradford. Alan Beasdale’s It’s a Madhouse. Colour illustrations.
The All New Cottle Sisters Poster, Tuesday 1 - Sunday 13 August 1995
Bournemouth. Colour illustration of the Cottle sisters and a gorilla.
The Apollo Programme, September 1983
London. The Country Girl by Clifford Odets, Hannah Gordon, Martin Shaw, John Stride. Contains illustrations and photographs of the acts, 34p.p.
The Best of Magic Programme, 1990
TV special, featuring details of magicians, photos and description, as a deck of cards as well as a fold out poster.
The Charlie Crow Show Poster, c1970 - 1979
Tom and Rita Fearon Present The Charlie Crown Show. Colour poster for puppet show.
The Cinema Poster, c1920 - 1949
Stanton Hill. Special Visit of Ronald Courtney and His Popular Players, Including Joe Hodson Yorkshire Comedian, Leo Rodway, Geo. Alexandra, Dia Phillips, Miss Elsie M Raye, Cissie Elliston, Clara Gardiner, Ronald Courtnay, Queenie Mona, Plus a selection of plays. Brown and blue type on white background. Printed by Bailey & Sons, Cinema Printers, Derbyshire.
The Civic Hall Poster, c1950 - 1959
Barnsley. Aladdin, Ronnie Collis, Anjie Dean, Granville Taylor and Valerie and others. Contains colour illustration. Signed by Granville Taylor (Faust). Printed by Electric (modern) Printing Co., ltd., Manchester.
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- Archival Object 619
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- Acrobats 15
- Aerialists 3
- Animal trainers 3
- Animals 40
- Business 52
- Circus 126
- Clowning 37
- Comedians 49
- Dance 36
- Equestrians 4
- Fairs 4
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- Family 9
- Fire eating 3
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- Gymnasts 1
- Jugglers 8
- Magic 104
- Male impersonators 3
- Menageries 2
- Mimes 3
- Minstrel shows 4
- Motion pictures 8
- Music 3
- Music-halls 12
- Musical performances 42
- Pantomime 31
- Performers 357
- Pierrot 9
- Puppets 24
- Showman 26
- Showwoman 12
- Singing 29
- Skating 3
- Stunt performers 3
- Travel 9
- Variety 267
- Ventriloquists 9
- Wild west 3
- World War, 1914-1918 5
- World War, 1939-1945 8
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