Many who lived or shopped in Holyoke know the story of Sidney "Sid" Radner, businessman/owner of American Rug Company and a driving force behind the Volleyball Hall of Fame. Sid Radner was also supremely talented in another field, one that became a lifelong passion: magic and sleight-of-hand illusions.
Sid Radner was born in Holyoke on December 8, 1919, the son of William and Edythe (Hallup) Radner. Most of his youth was spent living at his family's home at 293 Walnut Street.
Sid Radner became enthralled with magic and escape at the age of 11 after seeing Harry Houdini perform in movies and attending other live magic shows. Harry Houdini and his wife Bessie appeared at the Empire Theater on High Street in 1895. It was later revealed that he performed his handcuff-escape act at the Holyoke Police Department. Harry Houdini's brother, Theodore Hardeen, performed at the Victory Theater in 1928.
While in the audience for the magician's acts, Sid Radner eagerly volunteered to assist whenever needed. He attended many other magic shows with other performers throughout the Holyoke area and read over 50 books on the art of magic and escape.
Sid Radner got in touch with Emery Chagnon, a Holyoke resident who had been on stage with escape artists, to learn more about how the tricks were performed. By the age of 12, hewas performing his skills for local clubs and organizations.
By age 14, he was staging local performances, including a play, "The Sixteenth Century Magician." The Holyoke Transcript wrote that his performance "baffled the audience with the wealth of material which he brought forth from empty chests and held them spellbound with his adroit handling of a magic pack of cards." He mixed comedy into his routine and received much laughter.
Although he performed the magic acts and card tricks, he was passionate about learning more about the escape routines. While attending Worcester Academy, he served as an assistant to magician Frederic Eugene Powell, who at 79 had 60 years of experience in the business. On stage for two performances at the school, Sid Radner was tightly bound in a straitjacket and managed to free himself. Mr. Powell's comment, "That boy's good." He was considered the youngest person in the world to successfully perform escape acts. His goal? Well, it was to pattern himself after the talent and skill of Harry Houdini.
He received encouragement from his parents, who supplied him with tools of the trade andreading materials. Sid Radner wanted to go on stage upon graduating from Worcester Academy in 1937. He left the door open to specializing in college, as physics and chemistry were the basis for many acts.
He first mastered the skill of freeing himself from the most secure handcuffs and was working on lower-quality products. While on the Worcester Academy swim team, he dove into the deep end handcuffed and emerged from the water, free from their hold.
At home, he had handcuffs, straitjackets, and stocks, the latter having to free his bound head and arms from the wooden contraption.
Lest he be thought of as singular-minded, Sid Radner was later a graduate of Yale University and of Worcester Academy, lettering in tennis and lacrosse and serving as captain of the swim team.
At home, he had handcuffs, straitjackets, and stocks, the latter having to free his bound head and arms from the wooden contraption.
While at Yale University in 1939, Sid Radner appeared at a Yale Community Council-sponsored show at the New Haven County Jail. In front of several hundred inmates and prison workers, he managed to escape their most secure restraints in a matter of minutes. He was likewise successful in demonstrations at police departments in Northampton, Springfield, and Worcester.
On stage, he performed under the name "Rendar the Magician," or Hollis Rendar, taking his middle name and his last name spelled in reverse.
In 1943, while on leave from the military, he brought Theo Hardeen to his family's residence at 293 Walnut Street.
In 1946, Sid Radner published his first book, aptly titled The Bunco Book, co-written with Walter B. Gibson. More will be forthcoming on this facet of Mr. Radner's life in chapters to follow.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
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