Fantasio | |
---|---|
Born | Ricardo Roucau October 3, 1936 |
Died | October 30, 2017 | (aged 81)
Ricardo Roucau (3 October 1936 – 30 October 2017) was a magician commonly known as Fantasio. [2]
Roucau became interested in magic at an early age after seeing Fu Manchu perform in Argentina. [3]: 279
Roucau previously performed as Ricardo and then as Larry, before being warned in 1961 by John Scarne that the name would not work for a magician trying to make it in America. [2] He also performed with his wife as 'Larry and Daisy'. [1] Roucau adopted the name Fantasio after noticing it on a box of playing cards. [2]
Roucau was known for his handling of walking sticks and lit candles, which he would make materialise during his act. [3]: 279 Roucau was a prolific inventor, [1] and Mike Caveney believes that Fantasio's appearing and disappearing props were at one point the most popular magic props in the world. [4]
Roucau performed at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, and the Latin Quarter and Radio City Music Hall in New York City. [5] He also appeared on The Hollywood Palace and The Ed Sullivan Show. [5]
Roucau and his wife Monica won second place in General Magic at the 1979 Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques (FISM) competition [6] and Rocau won second place in Comedy Magic in the 1994 FISM competition. [7]
Fantasio was a lifetime member of Ring 45 and Assembly 280. In 2010, he was named Dean of Assembly 280. [8]