DeMott, George, 1907-1986.

George DeMott was a juggler, magician, professional clown, collector of show business materials, and the author of a how-to book on juggling.

Born on July 21, 1907, George DeMott was raised on a farm in Millville, Pennsylvania. At the age of 18, while working as a doorman at the Fox Theatre in Philadelphia, he reportedly met Harry Houdini and juggler William Hilton, an encounter that inspired the direction of his career. He began as a clown, touring the U.S. and Canada with various circuses, and also performed at parks, fairs, and department stores. For about 15 years (1939-1954) DeMott and his wife Fanny toured the school assembly circuit, primarily in the Midwestern U.S., often performing several short programs per day, and logging thousands of miles in a single season. Mr. DeMott also sought to promote the arts of juggling and magic, and in addition to writing articles on these subjects for a number of show buisness journals, wrote and illustrated a how-to book, WANT TO BE A JUGGLER?, published in 1962. He was a member of the International Jugglers Association, the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and numerous other professional organizations, and also collected theatrical ephemera, particularly items related to the Chautauqua and Lyceum circuits. George Wilbur DeMott died on October 22, 1986 in Leesburg, Florida, at the age of 79.

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