February 9, 2016

Fred Kaps and The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show or ya gotta have a sense of humor













 Fred Kaps (1961)




Music history
February 9, 1964

Fifty-two years ago today, at approximately 8:12 p.m. Eastern time, The Ed Sullivan Show returned from a commercial (for Anacin pain reliever), and there was Ed Sullivan standing before a restless crowd. He tried to begin his next introduction, but then stopped and extended his arms in the universal sign for “Settle Down.” “Quiet!” he said with mock gravity, and the noise died down just a little. Then he resumed: “Here’s a very amusing magician we saw in Europe and signed last summer….Let’s have a nice hand for him—Fred Kaps!"       

For the record, Kaps proceeded to be quite charming and funny over the next five minutes. In fact, Fred Kaps is revered to this day by magicians around the world as the only three-time Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques Grand Prix winner. But Fred Kaps had the horrific bad luck on this day in 1964 to be the guest that followed the Beatles on Ed Sullivan—possibly the hardest act to follow in the history of show business (link to more info below).



 Ed Sullivan & The Beatles 
February 9, 1964




 
Fred Kaps (Abraham Pieter Adrianus Bongers) was born on June 8, 1926, in Rotterdam. He was a Dutch magician, famous for being the only magician to become FISM Grand Prix world champion three times. He was the creator of numerous original effects including his version of the color-changing silks. and the endless stream of salt.        

On July 23, 1980, Bram Bongers better known to the world as Fred Kaps died of cancer. He was a month shy of his 54th birthday.

During a closed party on March 9, 2005, a memorial was revealed in front of the house in Utrecht where he used to live, to honor the contributions he made to magic. He was called the "World's Greatest Magician" in 1972 by George Anderson. In 1980 he received the AMA Masters Fellowship as well as being inducted in the SAM Hall of Fame.   





Net links:        
      
          
Fred Kaps on the Ed Sullivan Show on YouTube             
          

            

A sense of humor is important in life!



Styrous® ~ Tuesday, February 9, 2016  

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