Channing Pollock (August 16, 1926 – March 18, 2006)^[1] was an American magician and film actor.

Biography

Channing Pollock was the son of Robert Burns Pollock and Marjorie Leppert. While his parents attended a lecture of famed playwright Channing Pollock, the author noticed that Majorie was pregnant. After finding out that the couple shared the same last name, he joked that the baby should be named after him. He died before his namesake became famous.

After serving in the US Navy during World War II, Channing married his childhood sweetheart, Naomi Phelps, a daughter of a preacher. He first became interested in magic after reading Professor Hoffmann's Modern Magic in his early 20s.^[2] Pollock used his G.I. Bill to study at the Chavez School of Magic in La Verne, California from which he graduated in 1952.^[3] After graduating from the famed Chavez School of Magic in Hollywood, California, Naomi soon became his partner on stage until their divorce in 1959. The marriage produced one son, Russell.

His second marriage was to Josephine (Jozy) Bolton from England on January 13, 1960. Jozy soon became his onstage partner. They divorced in 1968.

In January 1969, he married Corinne Shoong.

Career

Magician

Pollock was recognized as one of the most sophisticated and charismatic practitioners of his craft. He was best known for an act in which he elegantly produced doves out of the air, and he was often billed as "the most beautiful man in the world". Pollock's early work as a magician was on the nightclub circuit.

Pollock was skilled with sleight of hand and card manipulation.^[2] He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1954, and went on to make several appearances at the London Palladium. By the mid-1950s Pollock was unsurpassed in his field, and he had many imitators.

In 1954 the Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences awarded him Magician of the Year.^[4]

He appeared at cabaret venues and in special shows all over the world, performing for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Queen Elizabeth II and at the wedding of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly.^[2] At the height of his career he was one of America's highest-paid entertainers. He taught his act to his chauffeur in London, Frank Brooker, who went on performing the act for several years under the name of Franklyn.

While in Rome doing movies, he appeared on Italian TV doing magic. On his return to America, he was not able to secure work as an actor so he returned to doing magic by touring with Liberace.

Pollock retired in 1968 when he had his last performance on his friend Peter Pit's television show, Watch Closely later that year. During his retirement, he and his wife Corri visited the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California and attended many magic conventions. He made brief appearances on various television shows doing card tricks. In 1996, on the television show Champions of Magic, Pollock even produced a dove for Princess Stephanie of Monaco.

Actor

In 1959 his act was in the film European Nights, and the following year he quit his career as a magician to become an actor. He appeared in several thrillers and dramas, including Musketeers of the Sea (1962), with Aldo Ray and Pier Angeli; Lo sceicco rosso (1962); Rocambole [fr] (1963); and Georges Franju's Judex (1963), in which he played the title character. According to Jacques Champreux, grandson of Louis Feuillade and co-scenarist of the film, he was being touted as a possible new Rudolph Valentino. Nothing came of it. He also appeared on several American variety shows such as Bonanza, Daniel Boone, and The Beverly Hillbillies.

Farming and mentoring

In 1971, Pollock and his wife Corri set up an organic farm in San Gregorio, California, near Moss Beach. He continued to act as a friend and mentor to many aspiring magicians like James Dimmare. He was a mentor to Lance Burton.^[5]: 196

Death

Pollock died in Las Vegas at age 79 from complications due to cancer. ^[6]