Tony Slydini
Slydini (born 1901, Italy, died 1991) was a world renowned magician.
Tony Slydini was born Quintino Marucci. Best known as a master of close-up artistry, he served as inspiration to a generation of magicians, including Doug Henning.
Slydini was the son of an amateur magician who encouraged him to pursue sleight of hand at an early age. Slydini was attracted
to the psychological aspects of the art, which would later show itself in his magic in the
form of precise and expert use of misdirection. He was also inspired by the relationship
between the magician and his audience, which fueled his desire to be a close-up artist. While
still young, Slydini and his family left Italy to live in Argentina. It was there that Slydini
began to experiment more seriously with magic. He worked in South America's version of
vaudeville for a time, but soon the Great Depression hit and work became scarce. In 1930, he moved to New York City, landing a job in a museum on Forty-second Street. From there, Slydini found work in carnivals and sideshows. On a visit with his sister in
In 1945 in New Orleans Slydini showed his own special brand of magic. His style of close-up was something that had never been seen before: he was one of the first to show close-up magic as an art in itself rather than as a lead-in to bigger and grander illusions. Slydini's magic was impromptu: rather than follow a set sequence of tricks, he allowed his audience and the situation to dictate his show. Reportedly, Dick Cavett once asked Dai Vernon who could still fool him. His answer: Nobody but Slydini.
Slydini died in 1991.
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