I first met ROY KISSELL when I was 17 years old (Gad, What a Memory), and working? at the Sterling Magic Co. in Detroit. In those days, Roy's job was quite unique. He worked at an amusement park in the Detroit area, where he guessed people's weights and ages. A most admirable position, as he only worked six months of the year. When the park closed for the winter, our hero would spend six months lying on the Florida beaches until the park reopened for the next season (ah, what a life). It was during this six-month, annual vacation that Roy would spend most of his time on magic. Reading, practicing, performing, and visiting the magic shop almost daily.
We became good friends immediately. My "KORN" was beginning to ripen in those days, and Roy made many good suggestions for the act which to this day I still use. Roy has always been abundant with good magical ideas, and always willing to share them. He has written material and skits for many performers. In fact, several years back, he and "CEDRIC OF LONDON" wrote a column for the old "TOPS" magazine. The column was called "WOOFLE-DUST" and was full of audience-tested tricks. Roy's experience in magic has been long and varied. When he works automobile shows, he appears as "CHEVO" the clown. He has another character for his kid shows, "PROFESSOR NOODLE-STROODLE", the tramp-clown magician. He has always loved clowns, and has made quite a study of them. One of Roy's many hobbies is oil-painting, and his favorite subject is, of course, CLOWNS. His artistic ability extends further, as he loves to draw and sketch. Last year he made the illustrations for a book titled "COMEDY-ALA-CARD" (which was written by a friend of his).
When the same friend produced "The Magic World of Ford", a traveling industrial show featuring magic, Roy Kissell was his first choice as lead magician for the unit. Roy traveled with the show for two seasons thruout the United States, giving over 2500 performances, and meeting many magicians all over the country.
Last year Roy traveled for "20th Century Fox" making TV appearances as a promotion for their film "The Wizard of Bagdad".
Roy is also an active magic-clubber, and is territorial representative for the I.B.M., and the cur-
