Tony Corinda
1930 – 2010
Early life
Tony Corinda was born Thomas William Simpson, in Mill Hill London on 16 May 1930. Life was tough growing up in London during the war years. Schools were being closed due to the Germans air raid attacks. Thomas left school with no qualifications at 13 years old and started working at just 14. Towards the end of World War II he started working at a Medical Research unit and attended college to further his education so he may go on and train as a microbiologist. At the age of 18 he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps and was posted to Egypt, where he worked in an army research laboratory. There was a military hospital nearby and Corinda would often visit often the patients.
Magic
It was in Egypt that his interest in magic developed. At the time he knew a few simple magic tricks and he would show them to the patients over and over again. Being in the desert meant that the hospital was isolated so the patients didn’t get many visitors if any at all.
A chance encounter with a patient who was a magician led to Corinda being taught some new effects. The patient also gave him a magic dealer’s catalogue. Corinda would eagerly read through the catalogue and slept with it under his pillow. He then discovered Davenport’s magic, at this time his repertoire had increased to around a dozen effects and he started reading magic books, this is when He became obsessed with mentalism. He changed his name to Corinda when he was 20 years old. After leaving the army he returned to London and continued to work in medical research.
Only now he’d lost interest and he drifted between jobs. He decided a complete change of scenery was needed so he moved to Dover to stay with his friend Pete Hammerton. Pete was a Kent county chess champion, he also had a keen interest in magic and puzzles. Pete’s mother was a spiritualist medium; this is where Corinda’s interest in the occult started. Both Corinda and Pete found work at a nearby holiday camp as hosts entertaining children.
Corinda returned to London sometime later, where he spent his days studying magic and playing chess. After sometime working on a travelling fair he took over The magic shop on Oxford street in London. The shop was on a busy street, it catered mainly to the general public and most of the items being sold were practical jokes or beginners magic tricks, although other magical items and small illusions were also sold over the counter. Corinda was a clever businessman and he ran a small enterprise of shops throughout London’s west end.
The 13 steps
He first started writing the 13 steps to mentalism in 1958. The intention wasn’t to write a series but after he started to write, he spoke with David Berglas about writing 10 individual booklets, each on a different subject. Yet he was unsure if there was enough material to write about, Berglas reassured him and said he could write a lot more than 10 booklets on various topics in mentalism.
In fact, it was Berglas that suggested 13 booklets for the series. Each of the 13 steps were originally written as individual booklets, each one dealing with a different aspect of mentalism or related material. When the final Step was completed it was the only book at that time which explained every detail of an effect including scripting, timing, stagecraft and manufacturing of the props. 13 steps was originally published as 13 individual booklets and in 1964 it was published as a complete volume.
The 13 steps to mentalism is considered to be essential reading for anyone with an interest in mentalism and it is widely regarded as a mentalist’s reference book.
There was some speculation whether Corinda was even a good performer, yet he insisted he wouldn’t have been a successful dealer if he wasn’t an excellent performer. One of his rare shows that people remembered was at The Magic Circle, where he performed an outstanding fake séance.
(You can read my thoughts on 13 steps by clicking the picture below)
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!
During an interview which debated the ethics of mentalism, Corinda referred to Fogel’s philosophy:
If you don’t have to admit anything, keep your mouth shut!
One of Corinda’s own favourite sayings was: Good timing is invisible, bad timing sticks out a mile!
Corinda was extremely proud of his membership at The Magic Circle and equally as proud of his lifetime membership diploma of The Psychic Entertainers Association.
Corinda retired and moved to Norfolk where he became a recluse and distanced himself from the magic community.
He maintained an interest in the world of mentalism, and occasionally wrote articles for Vibrations; the Psychic Entertainers Association’s monthly magazine.
Death
on 1st July 2010 at the age of 80, Tony Corinda passed away. His funeral was attended by a small gathering of local friends and neighbours. His friends and neighbours had no idea that Corinda was a legend in the world of magic and mentalism.
Corinda’s memory lives on through The 13 steps to mentalism.
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