Appreciation - Vonfred

Vanni Pulè, writes:

Veteran magician Vonfred (Alfred Camilleri) passed away peacefully on June 6 after a long illness at the age of 70. He was an established name in magic especially in the 1960s and early 1970s when he used to appear in hotels and nightclubs quite regularly. He started out as an actor in the 1950s with popular Maltese theatre companies Stage Commandoes and Radjo Muskettieri that were directed mostly by popular stage and radio comedians.

He started doing magic and was included as a guest in such shows, through which he became a household name and was the first magician to appear on the Maltese television station when it made its earliest "live" broadcasts. He was always inclined towards visual magic without too much verbal explanation and later introduced doves in his show, which then became a regular feature of his performance.

He appealed to young and old and, while his night club work continued, he became a popular performer for children. In the meantime, he also helped and advised youngsters who wanted to embark on the intriguing art of conjuring.

He was a frequent visitor to London where he became a regular customer of the more popular magic dealers and a friend of many British magicians.

Unfortunately, the onset of his illness coincided with the 50th anniversary of his first magic performance. Yet, he continued entertaining children and, even when he was not feeling very well, he still presented his show for the children of his seaside town as he had done for so many years, especially during the Christmas period.

About five years ago, the Malta Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians made him an honorary life member for his service to magic.

He is survived by his wife, Carmen, his son Mel and daughter-in-law Angele and his grandson, Nicholas.