Dates

• Existence: c1900 - 1989

Biography

A. W. Parsons aka D. Deveen was a British magician born c1900.

Parsons started to perform in variety theatres in 1923 and soon he adopted the stage name Deveen. He specialised in cigarette manipulation and although his shows contained many other magic tricks, this is the act that made him famous and remained constant throughout his whole career. He became so prominent in this type of act that he wrote several articles for magic journals and two books on the subject.

Daveen was known by many names at the beginning of his career including the Gay Deceiver, the Distinguished Deceiver and Devil Deveen, all of which were followed by the phrase and his New York or American Blondes, referring to his assistants.

By the 1930s Deeveen had achieved fame and was elected Vice-President of Leicester Magic Circle. He also started to tour around the USA, where he attended The International Brotherhood of Magicians annual convention in 1939. When the Second World War started Deveen returned to England and immediately offered his services to the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA). Deveen served with ENSA throughout the war entertaining allied troops around the world on many occasions. Among other events and tours, he took part in the first two entertainments for the British Expeditionary Force overseas and managed a show which toured North Africa and the Middle East for three years.

After the war Deveen resumed his show business career in the UK. In 1957, he married Ivy Banks, who was one of is stage assistants. He continued performing until the early 1970s in spite of the decline of the variety scene.

Deveen died in 1989.

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