Bev Bergeron


(Born ? - present)

Born: Texas, USA
Inducted - 2004

Bev Bergeron is one of the most creative minds in the world of magic.

He rose from fame as Rebo the Clown on the CBS-TV show "Mark Wilson's Land of Allakazam" and has since played nearly every kind of venue from the top state fairs to trade shows to a 16-year run at Walt Disney's Diamond Horseshow Review at Walt Disney World in Florida.

Las Vegas, Atlantic City, network TV for ABC, CBS and NBC are only a few of the other places Bergeron has performed. He recently returned from a tour of Australia and New Zealand, and has been elected President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and honored by the Magic Collector's Association.

Bev received the Lifetime Achievement Fellowship Award given by the Academy of Magic Arts and Sciences in Hollywood, California. Sponsored by the Magic Castle, the prestigious club for magicians, the award went to Bergeron for his long and continuing service to magic. Steve Allen, Harry Anderson and guest magicians from around the world were in attendance at the awards banquet. Mark Wilson made the award presentation.

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A magical inventor as well as performer, Bergeron concocted and oversaw many of the illusions on the Allakazam show, a thing not generally understood by outsiders, who think of him mainly as a funny man clown.

TELEVISION

As REBO, Bev Bergeron was a hit with an entire generation of young television watchers.

With REBO, Master Magician Mark Wilson and Nani, "The Magic Land of Allakazam" was the first network television magic series, first on CBS and then on ABC-TV from 1960-1965. Bev not only performed, but also invented many of the illusions on that show.

STAGE

17 years of performing five shows a day in the Diamond Horseshoe Review at Walt Disney World.

Countless shows - well, probably 20,000 - performed in Las Vegas, Reno, cruise ships, for Kings, Queens Presidents, and every manner of audience.

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" ... comic mayhem ... perfectly-timed comedy patter, funny comments and a delightful rapport with volunteers and audience ... he gets more laughs ... just looking at the audience (a memory of Jack Benny)"

Bev has appeared with Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Merv Griffin, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Joey Bishop, Don Johnson, Julius LaRosa, The Ink Spots ... and many, many more.

At left: Bev performing onstage at Disneyland where he was the star of the long-running Golden Horseshoe Revue.

A look at his performing highlights reveals the impressive career of a true superstar:

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Bev started performing professionally at age 14 He toured with the world famous Willard the Wizard, followed by
tours with the famous Dr. Silkini's Spook Shows SHortly after that, he toured with his own spook and illusion show at age 18

Over the years, he has performed in numerous student campus shows at the University of Texas with fellow students: Fess Parker, L.Q. Jones, Jane Mansfield, Rip Torn, Bill Bates, Jones & Schmidt (authors of The Fantasticks)

Bev performed hundreds of shows while in the Air Force and runner-up in the 1954 World Wide Talent contest.

With Mark Wilson, he produced network TV shows and hundreds of trade shows, as well as hundreds of state and regional fairs
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His appearances on TV and stage with Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Merv Griffin, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Joey Bishop, Steve Allen, Don Johnson, Julius LaRosa, Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett, Roy and Dale Rogers, Perry Como, Art Linkletter, Jerry VanDyke, etc.
16 years appearing as comic lead in Disney's Diamond Horseshoe Review

Appeared in shows in Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, and Radio City Music Hall
Three tours of the Far East (Vietnam) for the Hollywood U.S.O., plus hundreds of TV shows, commercials, stage shows and them park appearances.

Author of Willard the Wizard book used by the Smithsonian Institute for research of their tribute to American Tent Theater

Willard book selected by John Fisher as one of the 12 all time books written on the subject of magic.

Bev is the iInventor of hundreds of magic effects used by most magicians of the world
He developed the method of making an animal from one balloon.
He was elected to S.A.M. Hall of Fame, Los Angeles, 1992, and was elected as President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians in 1996

Recently retired after six years at Sea World of Florida doing 5 shows a day

Currently performs for elite corporate events, writes for numerous magic magazines, is a regular contributor to Magic Web Channel and makes occasional guest appearances at conventions throughout the world.

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