Obituary - John Shearer, magician and entertainer

Died: July 4, 2017

JOHN Shearer, who has died aged 85, was Scotland’s greatest internationally renowned magician. His smiling outgoing personality and humorous approach to magic belied the fact that he was a highly skilled conjurer.

John was equally at ease whether performing in sophisticated cabaret venues, working men’s clubs, in theatres at home and overseas, or at children’s parties. The Magic Circle recognised his abilities and awarded him a gold medal and, in recognition of being the first professional British magician to tour the Soviet Union, he was made an honorary member of the Inner Magic Circle in London.

As a youngster, he became aware of his dexterity with playing cards when he had joined his parents in card games. He later joked that he could cheat without them knowing.

Other magic skills were developed during his two and a half years national service in Wales. One of the officers was Bernard Ramussen, an amateur magician who recognised young Shearer’s interest in magic and showed him a number of tricks. By the time he was demobbed, he had developed an act comprising close-up magic, card tricks and illusions.

Back in Scotland, he would travel by bus from his parents' home in Denny carrying a suitcase full of props to take his magic to concert parties, local gala days, church halls and hospitals, and on Sundays he would play the interval spot at Falkirk’s Roxy Theatre. Payment for these appearances took the form of a box of chocolates or a pair of hand-knitted socks and it was not until he made his first appearance at a working men’s club in Kilsyth that he received cash. A later performance at Stirling’s Little Theatre was his introduction to working with an established Scottish showbiz act, the Alexander Brothers.

John Shearer was born in Bonnybridge, the only child of professional golfer Hugh Shearer and his wife Margaret. On leaving school, he began work as a car mechanic, but on realising that his salary was insufficient to buy his own car, he became a travelling salesman. A car came with the job, allowing him to take his magic further afield in the evenings with his props now transported in the car boot.

In the mid 50s he met Eleanor, when she came to work in the same company as John. In 1960 they married and he continued juggling two careers. As his popularity as a magician increased, so too did the pressures as a salesman and when his employer offered him an ultimatum - concentrate on your salesman’s job or go - he decided to become a full-time professional conjurer; a decision he never regretted.

He immediately began working six days a week in clubs in the north of England and the Midlands - often playing three clubs in an evening - and staying in theatrical digs. He quickly learned what worked with some audiences and what did not, dropping some tricks and introducing others.

One new trick was Dippy the Duck, a wooden duck which John manipulated, causing its beak to dip into a pack of cards and bring out a card that had previously been selected by a member of the audience. Often members of the audience would shout “It can see” and on those occasions, he would put a blindfold over its painted eyes. It was extremely popular with audiences and became a regular feature of his act.

A tour of Ireland supporting Sydney Devine gave John lots of exposure. He also played at Belfast’s Grove Theatre with Dicky Valentine where he was delighted to see his name on the bill for the first time, although he remarked “The printer who printed the bills had bigger lettering than mine”.

Summer seasons in Dunoon, Rothesay and Glasgow came next, leading to appearances in theatres and cabarets all over Britain where his name was now appearing larger in the billing. Bruce Forsyth, Max Bygraves and Dickie Valentine became firm friends and the American star Guy Mitchell, who found it tiresome staying in hotels, would reside at John and Eleanor’s home in Dollar during part of his UK tours.

In the early 60s, there was a number of Russian clubs in Glasgow and John Shearer performed many times in these venues and also aboard Russian cruise ships which berthed in Grangemouth. This led to an invitation in 1965 from a cultural exchange group, the Silk Thread Club, to appear in the USSR.

His act had to be changed to suit audiences who did not speak English. He dropped the jokes and, introducing Eleanor as his stage assistant, produced a visual act using Chinese rings, silk handkerchiefs and Dippy the Duck. He often recalled the outdoor event at Moscow’s Gorky Park where the stage was located within a vast natural amphitheatre with an audience of around 10,000 sitting on the grass. “How anyone could see me, let alone know I was showing the two of diamonds, remains a mystery. And on another occasion, I was taken to a radio station where an interviewer asked me to perform. Can you imagine? … a magician on the radio.”

He went on to do five overseas tours with Andy Stewart’s White Heather Show performing across the USA and Canada. He was also included in five tours which Andy took to Australia and New Zealand.

Andy Stewart also booked John on special cruises billed as Scotland Goes to Sea using P&O ships sailing out of Miami. His popularity with audiences was noted by agents of the Princess Line and the Norwegian Lines whose ongoing offers of work allowed him to spend 15 years in total cruising the world.

Between tours and cruises, he continued working in Britain. He also performed in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Malta and Madeira, and regularly played at St Andrews’ Nights and Burns’ Suppers in Hong Kong. Following 64 years in the magic business, his last professional appearance was in 2008.

He died at Orchard House Nursing Home in Tullibody and is survived by his wife Eleanor, their children Keith and Gill and five loving grandchildren.

NORMAN CHRISTIE