Honoring Past  Presidents of IBM Ring1

ANDREW BUEL

 Our Founder and

 1st President

 1927 to 1936

Andy was an original member of the St. Louis Magic Club and wrote to IBM President W.W. Durbin in 1927 for permission to form Ring One. Andy had originated the idea of calling the magic assemblies Rings (as in linking rings) at an earlier magic convention.

LOUIS VIZARD

2nd Ring One President

 1937

He owned the Louis Vizard Cigar Company and became interested in magic around 1926.  Louis and his wife, Marie, became prominent entertainers in St. Louis. By the 1940s he started specializing in mentalism effects.

DR. CHARLTON CHUTE

 5th Ring One President

 April through December 1939

He caught the magic bug as a youth, and was a popular entertainer in Los Angeles (1922 to 1929) while attending UCLA.  A Doctor of Philosophy, he was appointed by J. Edgar Hoover to help the FBI develop uniform crime reporting systems. During a trip to Africa, Charlton took along his magic props, and the students there were mystified by his egg bag routine and other effects. Following the resignation of President James (due to his business' untimely relocation), Charlton was elevated from club Secretary to the Ring One Presidency and served out the remaining 1939 term.

March 22, 1890 - May 6, 1960

March 21, 1880 - May 27, 1950

September 29, 1906 

 March 19, 1985

James' Advertisement

March 1936 Linking Ring

June 1939

December 26, 1895

September 29, 1950

BENJAMIN R. BADLEY

"Devo, The Magician

from Dixieland"

 3rd Ring One President

1938

Ben "Devo" Badley, born in Louisiana, began performing professionally in 1911. He toured with hypnotist William Fayssoux before launching his solo career as "Devo, the Magician from Dixieland" and sharing his act across the southern states. He joined the Army during WW1 and entertained the troops by doing camp shows. Ben settled in St. Louis after the war ended, and in 1927 was one of the first to perform a hypnotic act on a national radio broadcast. He was a charter member of Ring One, and was one of two men responsible for the re-chartering of S.A.M. Assembly 8 in 1946 after its 16 year hiatus. Ben also enjoyed vertriloquism and was the founder of the original St. Louis Round Table for magic discussions.

May 19, 1889

October 1977

WALTER UNDERWOOD JAMES

 4th Ring One President

 January through March 1939

The Chicago born, brown haired, blue-eyed son of English/Welsh parents, Walter became a successful traveling salesman and accomplished magician. He was Ring 1 Secretary under Pres. Badley in 1938, but served only the first 3 months of his Presidential term in 1939, due to the transfer of his business to Texas. He then promptly joined the Fort Worth Magic Club, Ring 15, and served as IBM Territorial Vice President (for the Texas region) for several years. In July 1961 Walter received his 25 Year Button, the precursor to The Order of Merlin award, having been granted his original membership in 1936 (Member #5779).

December 1931

LInking Ring Ad

P.T. LITTLE

 6th Ring One President

 1940

DETAILS COMING SOON !!! 

Our 1st President

Andrew Buel (1927-1936)

Encourages You To Meet The Current RING1 Leadership