MASTERS OF THE GOLDEN ERA 

by H.M. Lorette, The Original Dancing Juggler 

(from the IJA Newsletter, December 1956, January 1957 & March 1957) 

Fifty years ago I considered the three best jugglers were: Kara - Frock Coat; Cinquevalli - Tights; and Salerno - Immaculate Evening Clothes. My first choice was Kara. His entire routine would take up too much space, so I will confine to a few of his best tricks. Juggled egg, plate and egg cup. Caught egg in egg cup then threw egg high, catching on china plate, threw up again - this time assistant gets in way and egg breaks on head for laugh. Pulled tablecloth from under a large amount of crockery and spun cloth on end of billiard cue. Juggled triangular pool rack, chalk, bottle and cue (four articles). Tossed coin to toe of shoe then to eye, a la monocle. Juggled table, candle-stick and candle. Sat on chair, put glass of wine on three straws and put to head balance, spun tray on finger of left hand and juggled bottles and plate in right hand. Tossed match, matchbox and cigar, lighting match on box; then took candle stick and tossed candle in air, lighting candle from match during the turn. 

A knock-out was his juggling four balls in right hand and hat and ball in left, catching hat on head and going into five ball shower without stopping, then catching balls in hat. 

Clever routine with knife, fork and orange. At finish cuts orange in two pieces with knife and continues juggling with four. (It may have been a turnip or something colored like an orange as it seems hard to cut orange even with a razor sharp knife). Then he did five, knife, fork and orange in right hand, plate and napkin in left. 

Some nice plate moves, three continuous around back, rolled two plates from hand to hand across body passing each other, one across chest and another across back of neck. Then tossed three plates in right hand, spun bowl on end of ladle in left hand, then throwing up bowl and ladle to left hand juggle, juggling all five. Balanced average sized hat rack on chin, juggled three high hats and threw a hat to a prong, second hat to second prong and last hat to top of rack. 

Sometimes his assistant did a head-to-head balance, Kara juggled the three hats, tossing a hat to each of his feet and the last to assistants' pratt and walked off stage with assistant still at head balance. 

Paul Cinquevalli made a fine appearance in tights. For billiard ball work added a close fitting jacket with pool pockets, one waist high in the middle of his back, two about where the lower vest pockets would be and two he could add quickly, at right and left shoulders. He tossed four balls with one hand over right shoulder and juggled four in one hand (the two and two way) then four continuous over the shoulders the regular way and finished by catching a ball in each pocket. 

Put ball on end of cue, balance on forehead and showered three balls, knocks ball off top of cue, retaining balance of cue, then showers the four balls, stops, having two balls in each hand, lets cue fall to right hand and juggles the five. Cue and two balls in right hand (two balls as one) and two regular in left hand. 

Now comes a trick that created a lot of discussion among jugglers in the old days. Cinquevalli had net on end of a long pole, put two billiard balls in it and held to audience for examination. Returning to hands, had a hard time balancing two balls on end of cue, of course the lower ball was solid, but the top ball was a puzzle, no false moves were susceptible. David DeVant, Will Goldston of London and myself all had ideas that might be possible but I believe he never revealed the "modus operandi." 

Before putting the cue and balls to the balance, his assistant gave him a small goblet, which he placed in his mouth, also a small silk handkerchief which he put at the lower part of the glass to give him a better hold with his teeth. He places another billiard ball on the glass held in his mouth, now puts one cue with two balls on top of the ball held near his mouth, after getting perfect balance and holding it for an instant, shook his head catching the three balls and the glass all in different pockets and the cue in his hand. A wonderful feat. 

I will omit some small work such as balancing cigarette paper or cigar on nose, high hat, cigar, rolled umbrella routine, etc.

Cinquevalli was an excellent performer with cannon ball. Had two short pieces of pipe, put ball on top of one on chin and other from forehead again at it, and changed ball from one to the other retaining balance. Cannon ball on long pole onto forearm and lets roll down arm as if by accident with arm going down over orchestra and stops it with his hand, apparently avoiding a calamity. Puts helmet on head and throws ball from between heels to helmet. Does great rolling with ball hand-to-hand across chest, over back, etc. Rolls down back and does a rollover without dropping ball, getting it under knees quickly and rolling up back again and out arm to end and holding it while bowing. 

A nice trick near opening of act was spinning a straw hat on a stick in right hand and juggling two straw hats in left. The three straw hats were same type Maurice Chevalier wears. A clever routine with suitcase, hat and open umbrella doing rollover during trick. 

Now a few of Salerno's outstanding achievements. 

Opened with some clever moves with high hat, rolled umbrella and gloves. Took cigar from cigar case, throwing cigar around back to mouth. Then cigar case to left inside coat pocket. Takes up candle stick, lights cigar and turns candle a half turn to stick extinguishing it. 

Puts eyeglasses on end of stick holding rolled newspaper and throws them to nose catch and, after glancing at newspaper, puts in pocket. Hat, foot to nose balance, a half turn to balance on forehead and some nice gloves with hat, cigar and umbrella (both open and closed). A large picture in frame about 5 x 2-1/2 or 3 feet. Balanced at corner on forehead and let slide to next comer. Repeats getting to next comer, then thrown in air from forehead to assistant to catch. Nice work with knife, fork, rolled napkin and potato. Some nice moves with champagne bottle, cork, napkin and container. Three plates, stops each one at short balance on forehead. Juggles three plates right hand, another balanced on forehead, bowl on stick spinning in left hand, then juggling the five, catching last plate after a spin around the body. 

Assistant brings on tray with letter on it. Salemo takes shears from table and, throwing letter in air, clips off end of envelope. Reads and starts reply, then folds up and tosses in air, catching in large envelope. Seals and directs it. Throws pen holder around back, catching at top of ear. Juggles letter, pen and ink. Assistant holds satchel open, Salemo throws letter in it, and as assistant goes off, throws pen in the middle of his back where it sticks out for comedy. 

Tosses billiard cue from foot to chin, then over head to balance on his back. Assistant hands him two more cues and he throws the one on back into the air, juggling the three, showers them back to three juggle changing one in the juggle to catch the thin end. Tossing it to head balance, the butt end is the end caught in the operation. 

Puts ball on cue and balances, showers three balls, shakes the one on cue into four shower and then catches one from the shower on top of cue again. A good balance of cue, one ball, chalk and two balls on top. Similar but a little different from Cinquevalli's method. 

Juggled three lamps shaped like torches. They changed colors three times - yellow, green and red - while juggling. Nice work with them on dark stage and finished with continuous double throws around back. 

Finishing Trick: Had bottle on chair in back of table, stood on chair getting bottle between his feet. Then did hand stand on table, in doing so grasped a large wine glass with his teeth holding it in mouth, raised feet holding bottle over head, shook stopper out and poured the glass full of wine from bottle and places bottle on forehead with feet. Places feet on table and stands upright, slowly working bottle forward on head, until he finally drinks all the contents of the glass. This whole feat was an unexcelled piece of showmanship, and would have to be seen to be fully appreciated.

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