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:
Cirkus Merano Poster, c1993
Bodo. Colour illustration of clown and elephant by Thomas.
Cirkus Merano Poster, c1984
10 Year anniversary. Colour illustration of clown and elephant and cake by Thomas. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Cirkus Merano Poster, 1994
Oslo. 20th Year anniversary. Colour illustration of clowns and elephant by Thomas.
Cirque Achille Zavatta Poster, c1970 - 1979
Le Pouliguen Place de la Duchesse Anne, France. Colour photograph of clown
Cirque Perrier Poster, c1980 - 1989
Swanscombe. Colour illustration of clown and showgirl. Printed by W.E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
City Varieties Poster, Season commencing 20 December 1975
Leeds. Robinson Crusoe, Dave Betton, Pippa Boulter, Mandy Cole, Frank Marlborough and others. Contains colour illustrations. Printed by E. Millet & son Ltd., Leeds.
City Varieties Poster, Season commencing 22 December 1973
Leeds. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Kenny Joy and others. Contains colour illustrations. Layout and PEP Advertising and printed by Mastin Bros., Algitha Road, Skegness.
City Varieties Poster, Season commencing 23 December 1977
Leeds. Cinderella, Des King and others. Contains colour illustration. Printed by A. Taylor and Sons Ltd., Wombwell.
City Varieties Programme, 1969 - 1970
Leeds, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Kenny Cantor, Len Howe, Sean Mackenzie, Sally Glanville, Norman Barrett, Llewellyn Williams, Jane Terry, Margaret Ayre, Joan Hall, John McCombe. Contains illustrations and photographs of the acts. Published by B Roberts & Co. Printed by: E Millet & Son Ltd., Atkinson Street, Leeds, 20p.p.
Civic Theatre Poster, Tuesday 7 - Saturday 11 October 1980
Barnsley. Gulliver’s Travels. Colour illustration.
Civic Theatre Poster, 26 December 1981 - 23 January 1982
Barnsley. Jack and the Beanstalk, Harry Worth and others. Red and green print with photographs of performers. Printed by Walkers-Printers (inc. Cheeman’s) Barnsley.
Civic Theatre Poster, Sunday 15 May 1983
Barnsley. Call up the Comedians, Jimmy Marshall and others. Red and blue print with photograph. Printed by Walkers-Printers.
Civic Theatre Poster, Commencing Monday 27 December 1982
Barnsley. Cinderella, Lee Clark and others. Contains photographs. Printed by: Walkers-Printers.
Civic Theatre Poster, Thursday 1 December 1983
Barnsley. Matt Monroe and Syd Lawrence and his orchestra. Yellow and blue type on white background. Printed by Walkers Printers, Barnsley.
Civic Theatre Poster, Commencing Monday 26 December 1983
Barnsley. Mother Goose, Ken Goodwin and others. Blue and orange type on white background. Printed by Walkers Printers, Barnsley.
Civic Theatre Poster, Thursday 17 July 1980
Barnsley. Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen. Purple type with photograph.
Civic Theatre Poster, Tuesday 25 - Saturday 29 March 1980
Barnsley. A Night at the Music Hall, Clinton Ford, Jimmy Marshall, Chris Corbally Britain’s youngest ventriloquist, Montelli & June Mr & Mrs Music, Gladys Ambrose, The Du Barry Set, The Ray Paul Sound, Colin Cresswell. Red and black type on yellow background. Printed By Taylors Printers, Wombwell, Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
Co-operative Hall Poster, c1920 - 1929
Edlington. Hodson’s blue Star Comedy, concert & Dramatic Co., Various plays. Black type on purple background.
Combined Services Entertainment Poster, c1940 - 1959
Ken Platt, Dennis Bettis and others in Radio C.S.E.Calling. Red and green type on white background. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Consult the Oracle Advertisement, c1940 - 1949
Advertisement for Consult the Oracle booklet from Wilford Hutchinson.
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