Date: Fri 01-Aug-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

magician-Cervinek-Ramigo

Full Text:

Abracadabra! The Amazing Ramigo Is Newtown's Resident Magician

(with cuts)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

In magician speak, sleight of hand is called prestidigitation.

Now you see it, now you don't, and the hand is so much quicker than the eye.

Miraculous transformations are achieved as Newtown's own home town magician,

Miroslav Cervinek, performs his repertoire of tricks for local and

international audiences alike.

"I love performing at fund-raisers, in hospitals, and for senior citizens

because they're older than I am," Mr Cervinek quips.

His audiences should be forewarned, however.

"The Great Ramigo," as Mr Cervinek of Prospect Drive, Newtown, is called when

he's on stage, will charm you mightily because he'll tell you his life story,

crack jokes and make your money disappear -all at the same time.

Now 63 years old, The Great Ramigo has had a long history as a magician,

having begun as a 20-year-old in military service in his homeland of

Czechoslovakia and continuing to practice his trade in this country after

moving to New York City in 1963.

Mr Cervinek also calls himself the "European Super-Magician" and his credits

are impressive. His awards are numerous.

His on-stage career was launched with a Magician's School performance in 1954

in Czechoslovakia, to be followed by many appearances at magic shows and

competitions, such as the Magic Society of Linz, Austria, in 1961, and at

Boston's John Hancock Hall in 1970.

His television performances on NBC and CBS date as far back as the Ted Mack

Original Amateur Hour , yet he has taught classes in magic as recently as this

past spring for the Trumbull Continuing Education department.

Chef's Hat

Or Magician's Hat?

Mr Cervinek has also enjoyed a long career as a hotel maitre d' in New York

City and in Newtown after moving here in 1970, when he held a nine-year

position at the Newtown Inn. That was before it became Nehemiah's and then Tom

Sawyer's and then the Newtown Tavern. (Another magical transformation

perhaps?)

While keeping his Newtown home base, Mr Cervinek has traveled widely,

continuing to visit his homeland at least two or three times a year and, in

1983, spending three years in Alaska, working as a hotel maitre d'.

He liked Alaska very much, he said, but finally had to leave because, "I

couldn't sleep when the sun was up 24 hours a day."

Now living in Newtown again, Mr Cervinek has retired from the hotel restaurant

business and is wearing his magician's hat full time.

Charm And Trickery

Actually, any person watching The Great Ramigo perform his magic might call

him ageless.

For one thing, he's so amazingly deft, flashing an impish grin and

devil-may-care twinkle while pulling the ten of diamonds out of his right ear.

An interview with Mr Cervinek was both informative and entertaining,

especially because he'd brought along his bag (actually it was a briefcase)

full of tricks.

While he talked and answered questions, he performed.

After all these years in the United States, Mr Cervinek still retains his

thick accent, but that fact does not seem to bother him in the least.

Perhaps it adds to the effectiveness of his performance, because while one is

concentrating hard to understand what he's saying, he has changed the spots on

a handful of cards from red to black, or he has swallowed the ace of spades.

"I never had the accent before I came here!" The Great Ramigo insists.

Then he takes your quarter, drops it into a little heart-shaped box, places

the box inside a fancy black silk bag, twirls the bag around his head twice,

reaches inside, and pulls out the box with your quarter in it.

Only this time the box is shaped like an oval and your quarter has turned into

a dime.

All the while, The Great Ramigo's hands and fingers never stop moving.

How Does He Do It?

He was accompanied during the July 21 interview by his daughter, Monica, who

was visiting from Arizona where she is studying microbiology and genetics.

"Does he ever show you how the tricks work?" Monica was asked.

"No. I've asked and he won't tell me," Monica replied with a smile.

He can do card tricks for two straight hours and has a full repertoire of

gadgets and props to keep his audience interested.

"I work hard to keep it simple," The Great Ramigo said, as he whipped a card

into the air like a boomerang and then caught it on the return flight.

"If you don't see it, then I don't need to do anything!" he said with delight.

There were other stunts, such as swallowing a string of razor blades and

certain scarf-and-wand wizardry that he had left at home for another day.

At the end of his Monday morning performance, he acknowledged the applause

graciously.

"Thank you for that sitting ovation," he dead panned.

Then, with a telltale twinkle in his eye, he closed up his briefcase filled

with tricks, warning us all, "Don't reveal my secrets!"

Anyone wanting to call Mr Cervinek to discuss a possible performance by The

Great Ramigo should call 270-7902. Or they should contact the Trumbull

Continuing Education department at 452-5147 to find out about upcoming magic

classes taught by him. All you need to bring to class is a deck of cards.