Vernon, Dai
1894 - 1992
AKA - The Professor/The Man Who Fooled Houdini
(David Wingfield Frederick Verner)
As child met Nate Leipzig and Max Malini.
Student at Asbury College and The Royal Military College of-
Canada. Active in sports. Started giving magic shows and
decided to become full time magician so moved to-
New York 1913, started working immediately. In New York,
local newspaper misprinted his name as Dai instead of-
David and it stuck. Vernon came from popular dance couple-
of the time, Vernon and Irene. Vernon drifted from city to city-
doing magic and silhouette cutting. While in Chicago,
Vernon took up Harry Houdini's challange of performing,
"The Ambitious Cards", eight times without Houdini-
catching on and coined the phrase, "The Man Who Fooled-
Houdini" as a result. Vernon devoted his life to magic and
became one of the greatest card performers in the world.
Vernon moved to California in the mid-60's and decided to
stay at The Magic Castle after visiting Bill and Milt Larsen.
Dai accepted students and Garrick Spencer gave him the -
title "The Professor". Dai did not like the nick-name at -
first but it stuck. His student list is like a who's who of -
exceptional magicians. It includeds the likes of Doug-
Henning, Michael Ammar, Michael Skinner and David Roth,
to name a few.
Dai retained his Canadian citizenship until WWII,
then became American citizen in order to send-
his son to Annapolis
Vintus, Len1903 - 1999
(Melvin Justus Given "Mel" McMullen)
Born June 19, 1903/Died June 17, 1999
Founder and first President of the International Brotherhood
Of Magicians, member of the Order Of Merlin-
Excelsior (60 years continuous membership)
In 1919 - 20 Len organised a club called, Winnipeg Wizards,
for local Winnipeg practitioners of the art of magic.
Two years later, 1922, it developed into the I.B.M..
Started I.B.M. as a correspondence club which he named
Edited the first Linking Ring Magazines and set dues at $1.00
Known as "Mr. Manitoba", Len was General Manager of
North American Lumber company, where he used their
mimeograph machine to make the first Linking Rings.
Served as Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and
was Founder and Director of The Golden Boys Movement.
Served and traveled throughout Manitoba as manager
of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and The Canadian
It started with visits to the "Show of Wonders" at circuses,
which visited each summer. Watching levitations, Princess-
Karmac's living head and others had Len looking through the-
ten cent magic catalogues and he was hooked.
