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:
The Coronation St. Theatre Poster, 26 July - October 1985
Blackpool. The Happy Days Pierrots show. Contains illustration.
The Coronation St. Theatre Poster, 26 July - October 1985
Blackpool. The Happy Days Pierrots show. Contains illustration.
The Coronation St. Theatre Poster, Summer season 1986
Blackpool. You Ain’t Heard nothin’ Yet! The Al Jolson Birthday Show with Steve King and others. Red and black illustrations.
The Coventry Theatre Poster, c1950 - 1959
Michael Holliday, Hal Monty, The Cha Cha’s The Cycling Kirks, The Strong Brothers, David Conway, Yvonne Prestige, The Jolly Jesters, Billy Moore, Davis Conway. Printed on box office card.
The Crown Jewels Experience Poster, c1980 - 1989
Floral Hall Southport. Full size replicas of crown jewels. Red type on neon yellow background. Printed by Silkscreen Printing, Southport.
The Enchanted Hall Programme, Saturday 15 - Sunday 16 March 1969
Douglas, Isle of Man. To the Memory of Dr. Sir Alexander Cannon, K.G.C.B. his friends present, A Night of Mystery and Magic, Amor-Dabbla Blackpool, Salamander Isle of Man, John Sands Ireland, Clifford Hough Cheshire, Sly-Smith Manchester, Johnny Geddes Scotland, Tom Kelly with his musical saw, 4p.p.
The Enchanted Hall Programme, 1961 season
Douglas, Isle of Man. Programme of colour Cine-film Show, 4p.p.
The Enchanted Hall Programme, 18 - 19 March 1967
Douglas, Isle of Man. A night of Mystery and Magic to the Memory of Dr. Sir Alexander Cannon, K.G.C.B, 4p.p.
The Enchanted Hall Programme, 15 - 16 March 1969
Douglas, Isle of Man. A night of Mystery and Magic to the Memory of Dr. Sir Alexander Cannon, K.G.C.B, 4p.p.
The Enchanted Hall Programme, 21 - 22 March 1970
Douglas, Isle of Man. A night of Mystery and Magic to the Memory of Dr. Sir Alexander Cannon, K.G.C.B, 4p.p.
The Enchanted Hall Programme, 18 - 19 March 1972
Douglas, Isle of Man. A night of Mystery and Magic to the Memory of Dr. Sir Alexander Cannon, K.G.C.B, 4p.p.
The Enchanted Hall Programme, 17 and 19 March 1973
Douglas, Isle of Man. A night of Mystery and Magic to the Memory of Dr. Sir Alexander Cannon, K.G.C.B, 4p.p.
The Famous Continental Circus Berlin Poster, 1991
Colour illustration of horses. Left blank for overprinting location and date. Printed by W.E. Berry Limited Bradford UK.
The Glass Pavilion Poster, c1920 - 1949
De Randels Famous Marionettes. Box Office Card. Black type with red border on white background. Printed by British Cinema Printing Co., Ltd., Burnley, Lancs.
The Government Inspector Poster, 21 - 26 March 1988
Theatre Royal Nottingham. Compass Theatre Company. Illustration by Ralph Steadman.
The Grand Theatre Poster, c1930 - 1939
Bolton. George Formby. Contains photograph.
The Great Levante Poster, c1935
Third World Tour of Famous Australian Illusionist. Portrait head above illustration of the '£1000 Steel Trunk Mystery'. Colour illustratiton on three sheets. Printed by central Printing Co (Chas Sowden) Ltd Offset Litho & letterpress Printers Burnley Lancs.
The Great Levante Poster, c1935
Third World Tour of Famous Australian Illusionist. Portrait head above illustration of the £1000 Steel Trunk Mystery. Colour illustratiton on three sheets. Printed by central Printing Co (Chas Sowden) Ltd Offset Litho & letterpress Printers Burnley Lancs.
The Great Levante Poster, c1935
Third World Tour of Famous Australian Illusionist. Printed by: Central Printing Co (Chas Sowden) Ltd Offset Litho & letterpress Printers Burnley Lancs.
The Great Levante Programme, Monday 24 October 1955
The Metropole Glasgow.Famous Australian illusionist. Contains photographs. Printed by Central Printing Co., (Chas. Sowden) Ltd., Burnley, Lancs, 4p.p.
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 619
- Collection 1
- Subject
- Acrobats 15
- Aerialists 3
- Animal trainers 3
- Animals 40
- Business 52
- Circus 126
- Clowning 37
- Comedians 49
- Dance 36
- Equestrians 4
- Fairs 4
- Fakirs 3
- Family 9
- Fire eating 3
- Freak shows 3
- 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
- Wrestling 4
- Zoos 3 + ∧ less