Anton Zamloch - Press Coverage of Zamloch

Press Coverage of Zamloch

Zamloch was also apparently an expert in dealing with the press. His arrival and performances received extensive press coverage in local newspapers in the cities where he performed. The following is a sampling of that coverage.

In 1880, The Daily Gazette in Colorado Springs noted: “Do not fail to visit Court House Hall tonight. Zamloch, the wizard will give you a present worth ten times your money, more or less, and will entertain you besides to a greater extend than the price of your ticket.”

On his return to Colorado Springs the following year, The Daily Gazette noted: “Zamloch is certainly a very clever prestidigitator and many of his tricks appear incapable of explanation. When he holds a wire cage containing a live canary and then advancing into the midst of the audience with an upward toss of his hand makes the cage and bird instantly disappear he performs one of the cleverest tricks known to the profession. The manner in which Zamloch manufactured piping hot coffee out of nothing and then provided cream from empty space was truly startling and was greeted with prolonged applause. To describe all the feats performed by him would take more than a column of space . . .” The review noted that Zamloch also distributed presents of real value “in strict accordance with the announcement.”

A California newspaper in 1883 gave Zamloch the following review: “Zamloch, the great presidigitateur and gift autocrat, concluded a series of four entertainments in the City Hall, Tuesday evening. The gentleman is a clever performer, and his entertainments were largely patronized and gave general satisfaction. The presents distributed were of a higher grade than those usually given by shows of this character. Zamloch is great.”

When Zamloch returned to Portland in 1883, the Morning Oregonian announced: “Tomorrow evening Zamloch, the Austrian conjuror, opens for a week at the New Market with his wonderful sleight of hand entertainment. Since his appearance here several years ago, Zamloch has made a tour of the world, adding largely to his stock of illusions.”

The San Luis Obispo Daily Register offered this colorful analysis in February 1888: “Blaze away, O Zamloch, with your __erried battery of mind-bewildering mystifications. We are converted and convorted. Come up. Imp-of-Darkness, and tie a red-ribbon to our hydrant and bid the ruby wine to flow forth. Then, indeed, poor printers will ever be thy proselytes. Step into our sanctum and coax dazzling editorials from the crown of our last election-won hat . . .”

In 1891, the San Antonio Daily Light noted: “Professor Zamloch, the Prestidigitateur, drew a large audience at Rische’s theater last night. Many of his feats of legerdemain are really wonderful and a good entertainment was given. The Professor has a great spiritualistic séance which is very clever and will be seen by the San Antonio public ere the departure of that gentleman.”

When he visited Phoenix, The Arizona Republican said: “Prof. Zamloch, the renowned conjuror, gave three exhibitions at Patton opera house during the past week. To say that the professor is the sleekest man in the world on the dark art business is putting it mildly.”

When Zamloch arrived in Hawaii in 1891 as part of a world tour, the Hawaiian Gazette reported: “Professor Anton Zamloch, magician, arrived in Honolulu on the Australia. He will be favorably remembered by many families and friends as giving his wonderful entertainments here about twelve years ago. He brings with him a vast amount of new and interesting features, and will undoubtedly receive a hearty welcome from our amusement-loving people. Himself and staff, among which is the irrepressible assistant ‘Billy’ Marx, will remain in Hawaii for about two weeks, and then proceed on their second great tour around the world.

The Hawaiian Gazette reported on his performances to large crowds, noting: “While admitting that everything he did was mere trickery, it was the object of each person in the hall to learn just how they were done. . . . Another interesting act was one in which flags of all nations, wine, ribbons, cigars and matches were taken out of the same bottle.”

Several nights later, the paper reported: “Zamloch reigned at the Opera House last night. The very air seemed to be permeated with mystery, and the spectators were at times almost breathless with expectancy at the wonderful results in magic, or in anticipation that he must surely fail in some great trick. But with Zamloch the word failure is not known, his feats in the mysterious arts are carried out so neatly and seemingly so easily, that the audience is mystified and simply stare in speechless wonder. His basket trick, the changing of the canary birds from a glass case one side of the stage to a cage on the other side, by simply tapping his wand and right in full view of the audience, cannot be explained. His cabinet séance is as much a mystery as the many other things he does, and still he says it is not spiritualism, rheumatism or any other ‘ism, but explains to the wondering audiences that it is just the way he does it, and they don’t ‘catch on.’”

On November 12, 1897, the Ventura Democrat reported: “A crowded house greeted Zamloch last evening at Armory Hall, and the entertainment furnished by this greatest of conjurers and his constitutionally tired assistant, ‘Billy,’ was excellent throughout. Zamloch, in his most marvelous mystifications, is the most successful operator of his class today, barring none – being the equal of the famous Herman, who has caused wonder among the people of all countries and kingdoms. Zamloch is easy, graceful, courteous and humorous – his every deception practiced with complete success.”

In December 1897, the Fresno Bee reported: “Wherever Prof. Zamloch has appeared his performances have been highly praised by the press and public. His show is clean and is first class in every detail. Nothing to shock the most fastidious, at the same time keeping the audience in roars of laughter from rise to fall of the curtain.”