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:
Alexandra Theatre Poster, Week commencing 5 March 1973
Birmingham. John Hanson in Franz Schubert’s Lilac Time. Colour illustrations. Printed by Electric (Modern) Printing Co. Ltd., Manchester.
Alhambra Theatre Poster, Week commencing Monday 29 September 1980
Bradford. Oh! Calcutta!. Contains colour illustration.
Alhambra Theatre Poster, Week commencing Monday 5 October 1981
Bradford. Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. Contains colour illustration.
Alhambra Theatre Poster, Commencing Monday 3 July 1960
Morecambe. Ken Platt in ‘Love Locked Out’. Contains colour illustration. Printed by electric (Modern) Printing Co. Ltd. Manchester.
American Three Ring Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Colour illustration of clown.
An Evening with Tommy Steele Poster, c1950 - 1959
ABC Blackpool. Red and yellow poster with photograph.
Apollo Entertainment Brouchure, c1983
Promotional brochure for Apollo Engertainment production company, 4p.p.
Apollo Victoria Theatre Programme, 1982
London. Lerner & Lowe’s Camelot, Richard Harris, Fiona Fullerton, Robert Meadmore. Contains colour illustrations, 20p.p.
Arcadia (The Victory Theatre) Programme, c1900 - 1950
Colwyn Bay. Catlin’s Royal Pierrots. Also at Scarborough, Llandudno and Touring Company. Mr Jackson Brown comedian, Mr Percy R. Willing pianist & accompanist, Mr James Carson comedian, Mr Louis Fredericks, Miss May A. Willis comedienne & dancer, Mr Sidney Frere, Mr Scott Richards basso, Miss Rita Hope soprano, Miss Ethel Beech soubrette. Contains handwritten notes. Printed by WH Smith & Son, Printers, St Nicholas Street, Scarborough, 8p.p.
Arcadia Theatre Poster, c1940 - 1959
Drummond Road, Skegness. Frank A. Terry presents Aladdin and his wonderful Lamp with Les Lee & Al Dixon, Gloria Levine acrobatic Dancer and others. Printed by C.H. Major & Co. Ltd.
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 28 August 1899
Birkenhead. Saker Harlow Trio! Continental Eccentrics, James Dubois, ‘Pongo’ the man monkey, gymnastic, entertainment, Letta and Minnie, Florence Chester Queen of African Coon and descriptive vocalist, Rose Conroy Serio-comic Vocalist and Burlesque Actress, Gus Harris vocal character comedian, Lily Lever ballad and descriptive vocalist, Ryan and Hal L-pantomimic act. Red, blue and yellow type on white background. Printed by S Griffith & Co, Printers, Liverpool.
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 16 October 1899
Birkenhead. Tom Leamore comedian, The Four Vampires pantomimists, Major Doyle Lilliputian Comedian, Robert Gilbert’s marvellous troupe of acrobatic dogs, The Three Sisters Slater-song and dance, Jesse Burton baritone and descriptive vocalist, The Vitascope, The 2 Emeralds duettists and expert dancers, Lily Marney Irish Comedienne. Red, blue and yellow type on white background. Printed by S Griffith & Co, Printers, Liverpool.
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 23 October 1899
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 30 October 1899
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 10 February 1896
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 10 November 1890
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 26 December 1892
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing Monday 14 January 1895
Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, Week commencing 24 March 1890
Additional filters:
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- 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
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