mal fortune
Local user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: Scotland
Posts: 121
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Melvin Burkhart Article
An article, with a few great photos of the original blockhead, was written about the Melvin Burkhart shortly before his death in November 2001. It was published in Backwash magazine and can be found here www.backwashzine.com/melvin.html
mal
Last edited by mal fortune (Local user), 6/8/2003, 8:33 pm
|
|
6/8/2003, 7:13 pm
|
Send Email to mal fortune
|
mal fortune
Local user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: Scotland
Posts: 121
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Melvin Burkhart Article
ps - check the size of that spike that he gets in there! Puts me to shame!
Mal
|
|
6/8/2003, 7:14 pm
|
Send Email to mal fortune
|
David Straitjacket
Head Administrator
Global user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: Manchester - UK
Posts: 309
Karma: 4 (+4/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Melvin Burkhart Article
Mal
Melvin was 'lucky' enough to have suffered an injury as a boxer which resulted in an operation that left him with far bigger nasal passages than are normal. So don't feel down about not being able to get something that big in your nose 
David
---
Take a look at my website at:
www.thefreakshow.co.uk
|
|
6/8/2003, 7:56 pm
|
Send Email to David Straitjacket
Send PM to David Straitjacket
|
mal fortune
Local user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: Scotland
Posts: 121
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Melvin Burkhart Article
Yeah, I'd heard something to that effect - it's also mentioned in the article. Wonder if Barry Manilow is going to start doing the blockhead now that he has bust his nose?
mal
Last edited by mal fortune (Local user), 6/8/2003, 8:24 pm
|
|
6/8/2003, 8:22 pm
|
Send Email to mal fortune
|
Todd Robbins
Global user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: New York
Posts: 10
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Melvin Burkhart Article
It is good to read people talking about Melvin. He was a great man. In the upcoming edition of Shocked & Amazed there will be a tribute section. I feel honored to know him and to have been able to call him a friend. If anyone has questions about him, let me know. I will try to answer them. I spent a lot of time recording Melvin talking about his life.
---
Todd Robbins
www.toddrobbins.com
Chairman of the Board, Coney Island USA
Dean of the Coney Island Sideshow School
http://hometown.aol.com/coneyislandtodd/myhomepage
|
|
6/19/2003, 1:53 am
|
Send Email to Todd Robbins
Send PM to Todd Robbins
|
mal fortune
Local user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: Scotland
Posts: 121
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Melvin Burkhart Article
Todd, do you intend to write a biography of Melvin, based on the archival material you have gathered?
mal
|
|
6/19/2003, 12:52 pm
|
Send Email to mal fortune
|
Todd Robbins
Global user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: New York
Posts: 10
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Melvin Burkhart Article
I don't know exactly what I will do with what I have on Melvin. I use his hat and hammer in every performance, but the nail stays on the shelf. It is huge!
By the way, there will be a documentary on the Coney Island Sideshow airing in the States sometime soon. It was done for the Discovery Channel, so I'm sure it will air all over the world. There will be a nice section on Melvin, including footage of he last performance at my wedding and several of us sprinkling his ashes off of Steeplechase Pier in Coney Island.
---
Todd Robbins
www.toddrobbins.com
Chairman of the Board, Coney Island USA
Dean of the Coney Island Sideshow School
http://hometown.aol.com/coneyislandtodd/myhomepage
|
|
6/24/2003, 7:16 pm
|
Send Email to Todd Robbins
Send PM to Todd Robbins
|
mal fortune
Local user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: Scotland
Posts: 121
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Melvin Burkhart Article
quote:
Todd Robbins wrote:
the nail stays on the shelf. It is huge!
No kidding! I must say, I was relieved when I first found out that Melvin's nose was capable of accepting a larguer gauge nail than most - I'd thought I was just being soft with my 6d 
quote:
By the way, there will be a documentary on the Coney Island Sideshow airing in the States sometime soon. It was done for the Discovery Channel, so I'm sure it will air all over the world. There will be a nice section on Melvin, including footage of he last performance at my wedding and several of us sprinkling his ashes off of Steeplechase Pier in Coney Island.
Look forward to seeing that if it comes to the UK.
mal
|
|
6/24/2003, 7:24 pm
|
Send Email to mal fortune
|
sanscan
Blockhead
Global user
Registered: 06-2003
Location: San Diiego, CA/ El Cajon
Posts: 78
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Melvin Burkhart Article
quote:
mal fortune wrote:
ps - check the size of that spike that he gets in there! Puts me to shame!
Mal
Actually, the 'spike" Mel used was a hinge pin that he liked because of its big head. Working with him was both an honor and an education. He'd spend hours with just about anyone who was serious about learning his magic. I miss him.
Slim
|
|
6/25/2003, 7:00 am
|
Send Email to sanscan
Send PM to sanscan
|
Add a reply
Powered by AkBBS 0.9.5b - Link to us
- Blogs
- Hall of Honour
- Chat
Click here to get your own free message board
|
You are not logged in (login)
Board's time is: 12/4/2008, 2:50 am
|
|
|
