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 37 Collections and/or Records:
Advertising Brouchure for Carlo and Company, c1990 - 1999
Promotional material for Clown Carlo and Company containing a four page programme, a four page insert and a leaflet.
American Three Ring Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Colour illustration of clown.
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 1 August 1892
Birkenhead. Grand re-opening. The Killeno Family Male and Female Acrobats, Miss Myra Massey Double-voiced Vocalist, Captain Slingsby The Intercepted Letter, Mr Frank Seymour Eccentric Comedian, Vocalist and Dancer, Evalo and Roisso The Clown and the Turk, Mr J. Forde Irish Comedian, Vocalist and Dancer, Prof. Norton Royal Court Conjuror and Card King, Poole’s Minstrels. Green and red type on off white background. Printed by S. Griffith & Co, Printers, Liverpool.
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 23 October 1899
Blackpool Tower Circus Programme, Summer season 1956
Blackpool Tower Poster, 1984
All New Super Circus. Includes All Star Wrestling with Big Daddy. Colour photograph with clown illustration.
Blackpool Tower Poster, 1983
Peter Jay presents International Super Circus. Includes All Star Wrestling with Big Daddy. Colour photograph with clown illustration.
Busch Berlin and Roland Bremen Circus Poster, c1960 - 1969
Aachen. Featuring black and white photographs of clowns and red and yellow type.
Circus Holiday Poster, Tuesday 9 - Sunday 14 July 1981
First Ever Visit. Dumfries. Colour illustration of clown face.
Circus Holiday Poster, Tuesday 3 - Sunday 15 November 1981
Lea Bridge Road. Colour illustration of clown face on pink.
Circus Romano Poster, c1980 - 1999
Colour illustration of showgirls and clown and red and yellow type. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Circus Vargas Poster, c1980 - 1989
Photograph of clown.
Cirkus Merano Poster, c1980 - 1989
Colour illustration of clown and elephant by Thomas. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Cirkus Merano Poster, c1980 - 1989
Colour illustration of clown and elephant by Thomas with tear off tickets. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Cirkus Merano Poster, c1993
Bodo. Colour illustration of clown 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.
Cyril Critchlow Collection
Duffy's Safari Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Ireland. Colour illustration of clown face and animals. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Fossetts Circus Poster, c1900 - 1999
Ireland. Sponsored by Smarties. Colour illustration of clown juggling smarties, features stars from the Hungarian State Circus. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Filtered By
- Subject: Clowning X
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- Type
- Archival Object 36
- Collection 1
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- Acrobats 4
- Aerialists 2
- Animal trainers 2
- Animals 10
- Business 4
- Circus 30
- Comedians 5
- Dance 5
- Equestrians 2
- Fairs 1
- Fakirs 2
- Family 1
- Fire eating 2
- Freak shows 2
- Jugglers 4
- Magic 6
- Male impersonators 2
- Menageries 1
- Mimes 2
- Minstrel shows 2
- Motion pictures 3
- Music 2
- Music-halls 2
- Musical performances 5
- Pantomime 2
- Performers 31
- Pierrot 4
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- Showman 2
- Showwoman 1
- Singing 4
- Skating 2
- Stunt performers 1
- Travel 2
- Variety 8
- Ventriloquists 3
- Wild west 1
- World War, 1914-1918 1
- World War, 1939-1945 2
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