Ventriloquism.org

Magician & Ventriloquist

Al Baker

Magic's longtime Dean moonlit as a ventriloquist, and in 1921 his figure Dennis nearly got him arrested for kidnapping.

  • 1874–1951
Al Baker as an older man in a tuxedo, holding a small white rabbit and smiling at the camera
Baker working the bit he never retired: a live rabbit out of the hat. Photo: Magicpedia (Genii)

Ask a room full of magicians about Al Baker and hands go up fast. Ask a room full of ventriloquists and you might get a polite shrug back. That's the honest truth about this man, and I'm not going to dress it up. Baker spent his working life a magician first: shop owner, inventor, author, and for a full decade the Dean of the Society of American Magicians.[2][3] But before any of that, and running alongside it for years, he threw his voice for a living too. Pull up a chair. This is the ventriloquist half of Al Baker, the half that belongs in our house.

A magician's start, a ventriloquist's turn

Baker was born September 4, 1874, in Poughkeepsie, New York.[2][3] By the trade's own later count, he was already a working act, magician and ventriloquist both, well before he turned twenty one.[2] A Connecticut paper writing him up in 1940 put his first date at "over 50 years ago," which lands around 1890 and makes him about sixteen when he first stepped on a stage and threw a voice that wasn't his.[4] Sixteen years old, and he'd already decided on two trades at once instead of one.

Dennis, and the afternoon he fooled the police

The figure was named Dennis, and the corpus we're building here dates him to somewhere between 1920 and 1926, working the circuit at Baker's side.[6] In June 1921 the two of them were booked into the Manchester Chautauqua in Iowa, a week of tent programming through the small towns of the Midwest.[5] A month later they turned up on the same circuit again, on a bill with Youna the Juggler and a blackface comedian named Billy Pryor.[5] Somewhere in that stretch, back in New York, Baker pulled a stunt that made the local papers: he packed Dennis into a suitcase, worked his voice into it on a public street, and let a couple of New York City policemen think they'd stumbled onto a kidnapping.[5] It was press-agent copy dressed up as an event, built for one purpose: get Al Baker's name in the paper the week the Chautauqua rolled through town. It worked. We're still talking about it more than a hundred years later.

He threw his voice at sixteen and was still working it decades later. Magic just did the better job of writing it down.

The shop, the Dean's chair, and the trade he ended up supplying

Off the circuit, Baker built the career magic remembers him for. He ran a photo studio and headlined Chautauqua and Lyceum programs at Coney Island, then opened a magic shop with Martin Sunshine near Times Square.[2] He put out the Dictionary Test, his own line of slates, and a version of the Rice bowls, and he was a regular contributor to The Sphinx.[2] By 1940 that same Connecticut paper called him a manufacturer of magical apparatus in his own right: the performer who became the supplier, a full fifty years into a career that started with a borrowed voice on a small stage.[4] In 1941 the Society of American Magicians named him Dean, a chair he held until his death a decade later.[2][3] He wrote five books along the way, closing with Pet Secrets in 1951, illustrated by Clayton Rawson, the mystery writer and magician whose own novel became the basis for Tod Browning's last film.[1] Todd Karr, who collected Baker's sayings decades later, kept the line that sums up the man's whole working philosophy: "Magicians stop thinking too soon."[2]

The vent world kept calling on him anyway

Here's the part that keeps Baker in our family and not just magic's. Working ventriloquists sought him out for his ear. When Marshall Montgomery needed a consultant while building a new free-walking figure and living at Brooklyn's St. George Hotel, the man he called was Al Baker.[8] And the connection ran deeper than a consulting job. Baker's daughter Naomi married a young magician named Jay Marshall, and Jay later carried the same Society of American Magicians Dean title his father-in-law once held.[1][7] Naomi and Jay had two sons, James and Alexander, known around the family as Sandy.[7] A title, a trade, and a family line, all passed through the same front door.

A vaudeville-era illustration captioned The Ventriloquist and Family of Wooden Heads
Baker's entry in a tribute list of vaudeville ventriloquists, alongside the stock engraving editors reached for when no specific photo of an act was on file. Photo: Ventriloquist Central
Al Baker later in life, in glasses, holding a small deck of trick cards for the camera
Baker later in life, working a card effect for the camera. Photo: Travalanche (Trav S.D.)
figure Dennis daughter Naomi Baker Marshall son-in-law Jay Marshall consulted for Marshall Montgomery Dean succeeded by Jay Marshall

Al Baker died in Brooklyn on October 24, 1951, at seventy seven, married to his wife Phoebe and living with her on 88th Street.[9][10][11] The Society of American Magicians lost its Dean. Our own trade lost a working ventriloquist most people had already stopped counting as one.

Freddy Fiddlesticks, the Ventriloquism.org spokesdummy

Suitcase, sidewalk, two cops who couldn't take a joke. Dennis and I have both been called a lot of things but never before evidence in a kidnapping.— Freddy Fiddlesticks, spokesdummy

Sightings in the newspapers

143 dated notices between 1907 and 1940, sampled evenly across the career to show 60 here. Each links to the scanned page at the Library of Congress. Browse all Career Snippets

  1. 1907Oct 7 Al. Baker, a ventriloquist, was engaged as an additional entertainment feature for a smoker held by Court Standard, No. 111, Foresters of America, in Washington Hall on October 25 (per the October 7, 1907 newspaper announcement). page
  2. 1907Nov 2 Al Baker, magician, ventriloquist and elocutionist, was to give an entertainment in the Princes Bay chapel on Tuesday night, November 12 (per the November 2, 1907 Totten­ville news item). page
  3. 1907Nov 12 Al. Baker, ventriloquist and magician of the Star Lyceum Bureau of New York, was the principal attraction at the second entertainment of the course held at the Princes Bay chapel, tickets thirty-five cents (Staten Island, 1907-11-12). Star Lyceum page
  4. 1907Nov 18 Al. Baker performed as a magician (sleight-of-hand) and ventriloquist at a Y.M.C.A. entertainment on a Saturday night, reported in a November 18, 1907 newspaper item; the Misses Thompson of Jersey City also performed on violin and piano. page
  5. 1907Nov 18 Al Baker performed as a magician doing sleight-of-hand and as a ventriloquist at an entertainment at the Y.M.C.A. rooms on a Saturday night, reported in a paper dated 1907-11-18. page
  6. 1908May 7 Ventriloquist Al. Baker gave an entertainment at The Casino in Sharon (Connecticut) on a Friday evening around early May 1908, under the auspices of the Sharon High School class of 1908, followed by a dance with music by Turner's orchestra of Lakeville. The Casino page
  7. 1908Jul 3 The performance by Al Baker was described as 'the best program of sleight of hand work and ventriloquism ever enjoyed in town,' with 'amusing and mystifying tricks' that 'won hearty applause.' page
  8. 1909Sep 25 Al Baker, ventriloquist and magician, performed with Frank Sherman at the opening entertainment of the boys' department of the Orange Y.M.C.A., reported in the September 25, 1909 edition (the entertainment opened 'last night'). page
  9. 1910Sep 24 Al. Baker performed as a ventriloquist in the second part of a program given by Woodbridge firemen at Fire House No. 1 on School street, Woodbridge, Thursday evening (reported Sept. 24, 1910). page
  10. 1911May 30 'Al' Baker, humorist, impersonator and ventriloquist, was announced as an attraction at the Saturday popular entertainments (with motion pictures), sharing the bill with C. Henry Earle, tenor (May 1911 news item). page
  11. 1912Dec 31 Billed as 'magician and ventriloquist,' performed at the local Y.M.C.A. building's New Year's Day entertainment for Sunday school boys, part of a program including motion pictures, boy scout exhibits, and other activities (New Jersey, per 1912-12-31 clipping). page
  12. 1913Dec 4 Al. Baker, described as a well-known magician and ventriloquist, performed at a children's entertainment (with Starrett's Big Circus) at Wallace Hall, Y.M.C.A., Halsey street, on the afternoon of December 4, 1913. page
  13. 1913Dec 5 Al Baker, described as a well-known magician and ventriloquist, performed at a children's entertainment in the afternoon, alongside Starrett's performing dogs, with proceeds benefiting a home (reported in a Dec. 5, 1913 newspaper). page
  14. 1913Dec 19 Al. Baker, magician and ventriloquist, was among the entertainers at a Y.M.C.A. building event entertainment, reported in a Newark-area paper dated Dec 19, 1913. page
  15. 1914Sep 29 Al Baker, a ventriloquist, was billed to appear at a members' concert in Wallace Hall (with the Gibson String Orchestra) on Wednesday evening, per a 1914 Newark-area newspaper. page
  16. 1914Oct 13 Al Baker, ventriloquist, was billed to appear doing impersonations and storytelling at the Y.M.C.A. members' social held the evening of October 21 (per the 1914-10-13 notice). page
  17. 1915Jan 2 On New Year's Day (per the newspaper's 1915-01-02 date), 'Al' Baker, described as a magician and ventriloquist, performed novelties at an entertainment for Sunday school boys under twelve years of age, held in Wallace Hall; the program also included moving pictures and stories by Amos One Road, a Sioux Indian. page
  18. 1915Dec 15 Al Baker, ventriloquist and magician, was engaged to entertain at the Y.M.C.A. building's New Year's Day social, as arranged by the social committee (per Dec 15, 1915 newspaper). page
  19. 1916Jan 8 Al. Baker, billed as magician and ventriloquist, performed at a Y.M.C.A. entertainment program (as printed, Jan. 8, 1916 newspaper), mystifying the audience with feats of magic. page
  20. 1916Jan 8 Al Baker, described as a 'magician and ventriloquist,' performed feats of magic and a ventriloquism demonstration with his dummy 'Dennis,' assisted by Master Charles Hughes, at a lyceum entertainment program (reported Jan 8, 1916). page
  21. 1916Mar 1 A newspaper reviewer wrote that as a ventriloquist Al Baker 'is different from others, not using the old line of jokes heard so often, but using new and up to date songs, stories and jokes that keep his audience in constant laughter.' page
  22. 1916Mar 1 The newspaper wrote of Al Baker: 'As a ventriloquist he is different from others, not using the old line of jokes heard so often, but using new and up to date songs, stories and jokes that keep his audience in constant laughter.' page
  23. 1916Mar 25 Mr. Al Baker, the ventriloquist, was to appear at a free entertainment for Sunday school children at Simpson M. E. church, provided by the Sunday School Board, on Tuesday evening starting at 7:45 P.M. (per the Perth Amboy area paper dated 1916-03-25). page
  24. 1916Mar 29 The performance of Al Baker was described as 'the feature of the night,' and he 'won much applause with his witty sayings, funny stories, jokes and his ventriloquism' at Simpson M. E. church. page
  25. 1918Jun 14 Al Baker, a ventriloquist and magician, performed at the 'Carry-on' stag night at the Raritan Yacht Club, entertaining nearly 100 members and guests; he was called 'the best entertainer of the kind who has appeared before the club this season.' page
  26. 1918Jun 14 Al Baker, described as 'a ventriloquist and magician of the highest order,' entertained at a stag night held at the Raritan Yacht Club on Water Street on June 13, 1918 (reported in the June 14, 1918 newspaper), sharing the bill with George Montague (character stories) and pianist Abel Larson. page
  27. 1919Mar 26 Al Baker, billed as 'the famous ventriloquist and magician,' performed at a Star Course entertainment at the Y.M.A. in South Amboy on the night of March 26, 1919, sharing the bill with Harry Hayden, a musical humorist. page
  28. 1920Aug 26 Al Baker was billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician' on a Redpath Chautauqua children's afternoon program, alongside 'Youna, Oriental Juggler' and 'Billie Pryor, Funny Man' (newspaper dated 1920-08-26). page
  29. 1921Jan 8 Al Baker, billed as ventriloquist and magician, was scheduled to perform Friday, January 14 (1921) at the Congregational Church of Grantwood, alongside Edith Beach, humorist. page
  30. 1921May 11 Al Baker, described as 'a renowned New York Ventriloquist,' was booked for Joy Night on the Chautauqua circuit in summer 1921, sharing the bill with juggler Youna, comedian/banjoist Billy Pryor, and headliner Jess Pugh. page
  31. 1921Jun 8 A ventriloquist, OCR-garbled as 'AL BAKFIR' (likely Al Baker), performed as part of a Chautauqua program in Manchester alongside juggler J. Young and black-face comedian Billy Pryor, followed by humorist Jess Pugh, per a June 8, 1921 newspaper. page
  32. 1921Jun 15 Al Baker, billed as a ventriloquist, appeared with Young the juggler and Billy Pryor, a black face comedian, on the Manchester Chautauqua, which opened June 12th (per 1921 Manchester newspaper). page
  33. 1921Jun 15 Al Baker, ventriloquist, along with Youna the juggler and Billy Pryor, a black-face comedian, appeared on the Manchester Chautauqua which opened June 12th (1921). page
  34. 1921Jul 1 Al Baker performed a ventriloquist act as part of the Baker Youna-Pryor Trio and Jess Pugh program on the closing night of the Redpath-Vawter Chautauqua in Little Falls, Morrison County, Minnesota (reported in the paper dated 1921-07-01). Little Falls, Morrison page
  35. 1921Jul 7 Al Baker, billed as 'ventriloquist,' appeared with Joy Night and Jess Pugh's troupe (also featuring Youna the Juggler and Billy Pryor) in a Chautauqua program advertised in a 1921-07-07 newspaper. page
  36. 1921Jul 14 Al Baker, billed as a ventriloquist, appeared as part of 'Joy Nite' with the Jess Pugh Company, alongside Youna the juggler and Billy Pryor, black face comedian, on the same bill. page
  37. 1921Jul 14 Al Baker, ventriloquist, appeared in the Chautauqua act 'Joy Night and Jess Pugh' with Youna the juggler and Billy Pryor, black-face comedian, followed by Jess Pugh, as reported in a 1921-07-14 newspaper. page
  38. 1923May 2 Al Baker, magician and ventriloquist, performed with his dummy figure 'Dummy Dennis' at a Chautauqua event, as reported in a 1923 newspaper item. page
  39. 1923May 2 Al Baker is described as a magician who performs tricks and is also 'a good ventriloquist,' with his act including his dummy Dennis and stage business involving alarm clocks and flags; after the show he would teach children tricks. page
  40. 1923Jun 1 Al Baker was billed as a magician and ventriloquist appearing at a Chautauqua, carrying a figure called Dummy Dennis. page
  41. 1923Sep 25 Al Baker, magician and ventriloquist, was the main attraction at a Y.M.C.A. lobby entertainment held Saturday night at 8 o'clock, per the Sep 25, 1923 newspaper. page
  42. 1923Sep 25 The paper stated of Al Baker: 'As a ventriloquist he is said to have no superior. Original, keen of wit and the possessor of natural ventriloquial powers, he always pleases.' page
  43. 1923Oct 1 Al Baker, professional entertainer, magician and ventriloquist, performed at the Y.M.C.A. boys' department entertainment on a Saturday night, packing more than 250 boys into the rooms as a conclusion to 'Visitor's Week' (reported Oct. 1, 1923). page
  44. 1924May 22 Al Baker, ventriloquist, was billed with Moore's Family Orchestra for the afternoon and evening programs of the Second Day of the Gordon Chautauqua, opening July 12th, 1924. page
  45. 1925May 4 On the closing day of a Chautauqua program (as printed, 1925-05-04), New York entertainer Al Baker (OCR rendered 'Al Hawcr', but later referred to as 'Mr. Baker') performed magic and ventriloquism for children with a figure called 'Dummy Dennis'. page
  46. 1925May 7 On the closing day of a Redpath chautauqua program in 1925, children were entertained by 'the clever magic and ventriloquism of Al Baker, New York entertainer, and Dummy Dennis,' alongside the Jackson Jubilee Singers. page
  47. 1925May 28 Al Baker, billed as 'Magician and Ventriloquist,' was scheduled to perform as part of the Redpath Chautauqua's 'Diversions' program at the Belington Chautauqua, June 25 to 29, 1925. page
  48. 1925Jun 4 Al Baker was billed as a magician, ventriloquist and humorist for a Junior Specialty Chautauqua program. page
  49. 1925Jun 4 Al Baker was billed as 'Magician, ventriloquist and humorist' for a Junior Specialty Chautauqua performance. page
  50. 1925Jun 4 Al Baker, billed as 'magician and ventriloquist,' was scheduled to perform at the Belington Chautauqua, June 25-29, 1925, on a program that also included the Hipple Concert Company, Sidney Landon, and the Jackson Jubilee Singers. page
  51. 1925Jun 10 Al Baker, billed as 'Magician and Ventriloquist,' performed at the Elkins Chautauqua (June 27–July 1) as part of the diversions program, alongside Sidney Landon's Literary Impersonations. page
  52. 1925Jun 11 Al Baker, magician and ventriloquist, appeared on the closing day of the local Chautauqua (Elkins, WV, per 1925-06-11 Enterprise clipping). page
  53. 1925Jun 11 Al Baker, described as 'magician and ventriloquist,' was billed as the fifth act at the Elkins Chautauqua, held June 27–July 1, 1925, sharing the program with the Jackson Jubilee Singers. page
  54. 1925Jun 18 Al Baker was billed as a 'Magician, ventriloquist and humorist' for a Chautauqua junior specialty performance, using a figure called 'Dummy Dennis' ('the make-believe lad') in his ventriloquist act, per a 1925-06-18 clipping. page
  55. 1925Jun 18 Al Baker was billed as 'Magician, ventriloquist and humorist' for a Chautauqua junior specialty program (Chautauqua, 1925). page
  56. 1925Jun 25 At a chautauqua event (dates June 25-29, 1925), Al Baker presented 'a junior specialty consisting of magic, ventriloquism and humor.' page
  57. 1925Jul 16 Al Baker, billed as 'the Ventriloquist,' performed with his dummy Dennis for children at the Odd Fellows Home as part of Chautauqua-related entertainment, reported 1925-07-16. page
  58. 1927May 25 Al Baker, ventriloquist and magician, performed at the Children's Gala Program on Thursday, May 26 (1927), with admission 50c. and 25c. page
  59. 1932Mar 17 Al Baker, described as 'the magician and ventriloquist,' performed a ventriloquist act with a doll at a Dutch Treat club luncheon attended by members' children, as reported in a 1932-03-17 New York newspaper column. page
  60. 1935Jun 2 Al Baker, described as a vaudeville ventriloquist, served as master of ceremonies at an event, presenting a boy with a 'magic fly trap' trick; other acts included Leo Rullman's plate-juggling act 'Hold Your Breath,' Herman L. Weber, 'Silent Mora,' Tom Osborne, John Mulholland, and Walter A. Schwartz. page

Sources

  1. Trav S.D., "Al Baker: From Poughkeepsie to Pet Secrets," Travalanche, Sept. 4, 2021
  2. Magicpedia (Genii Magazine), "Al Baker"
  3. Wikipedia, "Al Baker (magician)"
  4. The Waterbury Democrat, Sept. 10, 1940 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  5. Manchester Democrat (Iowa), June 15, 1921 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  6. Ventriloquist Central, "Vaudeville Ventriloquists" tribute page
  7. Wikipedia, "Jay Marshall (magician)"
  8. Magicpedia (Genii Magazine), "Marshall Montgomery"
  9. 1953 IBV Directory of Ventriloquists, In Memoriam roll — scanned document, Jimmy Vee collection
  10. Find A Grave, memorial 121103347, Albert Baker
  11. Find A Grave, memorial 221829806, Albert Baker