Magic at War

Dutchman, Louis Lam (1903-1943) was a first-rate magician, specialising in card tricks and mental effects. Born and raised in Amsterdam, his primary job was as a trade correspondent. But, by the late 1930s he was making a name for himself as a writer of magic. His trilogy of English language books,  Would You Believe It  (1935),  Watch Me Closely  (1937) and   Be Deceived  (1939), were published in the U.K. and sold well. Lam also contributed to other books, including Fast Ones (1940) by   Joseph Ovette . He was a member of  London's Institute of Magicians and was increasingly well-connected with magicians around the world. Lam, Louis.  Be Deceived  (1939) Lam's magic writings may have been prompted by the situation in his homeland. In the late 1930s, anti-Semitism was on the rise in Europe. As a Jew, Lam would have found it increasingly difficult to get work. His books were, perhaps, an effort to generate an income to look aft...

In wartime Britain, radio was the chief form of news and entertainment. The B.B.C. had launched a television service in 1936, but t ransmissions were halted throughout the war. Returning home after a hard day’s work, exhausted and often depressed about wartime events, the British population would turn to the radio for light relief and a sense of normality.  The wireless brought the news vividly to life for people far from the action, but it was also a source of comfort too. In their sitting rooms, couples swayed to dance music played live, families gathered to listen to radio comedy shows such as  It’s That Man Again , listen to singers like Vera Lynn, and occasionally to be mystified by magic – performed over the radio.  Home radio in World War Two (Source: Creative Commons Licence) A host of magicians achieved considerable success from their appearances on radio during World War Two, but not all actually performed any tricks. Here's a few of them: J. B. Priestley P...