Ali Bongo

Published on Wednesday 11 March 2009 20:50

Magician and showbusiness consultant

Born: 8 December, 1929, in Bangalore, India.

Died: 8 March, 2009, in London, aged 79.

ALI Bongo shot to fame in the 1960s through various television shows and in variety. He first became known with his contributions to the BBC's hugely popular David Nixon Magic Show of that period. His stage show was billed as The Shriek of Araby and his wildly over-the-top costume made an impact as soon as he came on stage. To add to his visual eccentricities, Bongo claimed he was Pongolian and spoke mostly gibberish. He was also influential backstage and advised many TV and stage shows on tricks. Bongo was the inspiration for the outlandish magician-detective Adam Klaus in the BBC drama Jonathan Creek, starring Alan Davies.

Ali Bongo was born William Oliver Wallace of Scottish/Irish parents in India, where his father, a regimental sergeant major, was stationed. He claimed a line of descent from the family of the legendary William Wallace. His fascination for magic dated from his youth, when he entertained at home with tricks culled from the India Times.

The family returned to the UK and he attended Sutton Valence School in Kent. Later, Bongo took a variety of retail jobs, eventually becoming manager of the magic department of Hamley's giant toy shop on London's Regent Street.

By the 1950s Bongo had created an act which he toured round the clubs and these brought him to the attention of David Nixon at the BBC. Nixon immediately booked him as adviser to his magic show and by 1971 Bongo had his own children's show called Zokko and a prime time show, Ali Bongo's Cartoon Carnival. He worked on nine series of shows for Nixon and became an acknowledged authority on the history of magic.

The following year he was voted Magic Circle Magician of the Year and this brought him work as an adviser on such programmes as Dr Who, Tarot Ace of Wands and The Tomorrow People. On the last, he met the young Paul Daniels, the TV magician with whom he was to remain closely associated for the rest of his life. Bongo's advice was often sought on such shows to ensure tricks and special effects were performed safely and convincingly.

Bongo was an extrovert performer whose act was delivered in near-silence – his frenetic stage manner kept an audience entranced. He relied on stage effects – flags appeared unexpectedly from his purple turban and bright flowers changed colour as he drew them through a silk scarf.

Everything with Bongo was exotic and exciting and children sat wide-eyed in front of him. He talked little. He gabbled away in his made-up language – "hokus-pokus fishbones-chokus" was much repeated to roars of laughter – not least from Bongo. His antics created an immediate contact with his audience and he delighted in involving them in spectacular card tricks and mind-reading feats.

Bongo was adamant that tricks should never be explained and often spoke on the subject to the Magic Circle. He was made president of the circle last year and did much to encourage the young members' club.

For such a careful and professional man it was strange that in 1973 he became involved in a dispute with Uri Geller over Geller's supposed psychic powers. Bongo appeared on Blue Peter in an attempt to verify his claims but nothing was conclusively proved. However, with typical off-hand good humour Bongo charmed the audience and made light of the issue. Geller remained angry, saying: "I have no time for magicians. What do they know about my powers?"

In the 1980s he was much involved with the popular Paul Daniels shows on television. Daniels has written of his friend: "I cannot think of a magician more widely known inside the world of magic than Ali Bongo. He had many talents, including a wide-ranging knowledge of every kind of magic, and an absolute genius for making strange devices out of cardboard, paper, rubber bands and the like. I worked with him during the 15 years of The Paul Daniels Magic Show, for which he contributed many close-up tricks."

Bongo travelled widely to act as a consultant on magic shows – notably to Las Vegas to work with David Copperfield.

Bongo devoted his life to magic and loved discussing complicated tricks at conventions. He was addressing such an event in Paris when he collapsed. For generations of magicians Bongo was the epitome of a magician who conjured up magic before your very eyes. His madcap delivery and dress were part of his act and he loved to entertain, saying: "Magic is great entertainment, if done professionally and with style." Bongo provided both.

He is survived by his sister.

ALASDAIR STEVEN