The Gentleman & The Jester: A Tribute to John Peerless
- rkevinluty
- Apr 9
- 2 min read
Blog entries:
The Gentleman & The Jester: A Tribute to John Peerless
In the world of magic, there are performers who do tricks, and then there are Magicians. In the 1980s, while I was stumbling into developing my "bumbling" comedic style, I had the incredible fortune of befriending one of the true greats: John Peerless.
A Compliment from a Master
I’ll never forget the 1985 Cloverdale Farm Festival. We were performing on separate stages, and between sets, we’d catch each other’s acts. At a time when many magicians were competitive, Peerless was different.
During his famous Sympathetic Silks routine, he paused to tell the audience about another magician he knew—me—who did a routine where silks kept "popping out of a crystal tube" in a hilarious, fumbled struggle. To have a seasoned pro like Peerless validate my comedy in front of his own audience was the first real encouragement I ever received in this business.
The Barkerville Torch
Peerless didn't just offer words; he offered doors. Having been a celebrated performer at Barkerville Historic Town himself, he knew exactly what that stage required. He personally recommended me for the Barkerville auditions, telling the producers they needed to see my show.
Though I was young and perhaps a bit too "self-centred" to realize the full weight of his endorsement at the time, the fact that he wanted me to follow in his footsteps at Barkerville remains one of the proudest memories of my 40-year career.
Master of the Fundamentals
John was a master of the fundamentals. I once asked him how he could name a card just by having a spectator call out 'stop' as he moved through the deck with the faces toward the audience. He calmly explained his secret: he had every card memorized. By glancing at the card left on the other half of the pack, he knew exactly which one he was holding up. It was a testament to the discipline behind his effortless style.
A Legacy of Encouragement
Peerless was a "Gentleman Magician"—a polished contrast to my chaotic comedy. Looking back today, I choose to remember the man who didn't try to "correct" my style, but instead told the world that my version of magic was exactly what the audience needed to see.
John Peerless was peerless, indeed. I’m proud to carry a bit of that 1980s Surrey magic with me every time I step onto the stage today.
The full page from the August 1985 edition of The Leader (Surrey, BC), detailing the Cloverdale Farm Festival lineup where the 'Gentleman and the Jester' story began.
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