Maurice Rooklyn music collection, [ca. 1920-ca. 1960]

MLMSS 10127/Boxes 1X-5X

fonds

[ca. 1920-ca. 1960]

Textual Records, Notated Music, Manuscript Notated Music

950479

1.95 metres of textual material (5 outsize boxes)

The Rooklyn brothers, Maurice, Harry and Jack, where born in London of Russian-Jewish parents. Their family migrated to Australia in 1912, first living in Paddington, and later moving to the Hunter Valley town of Greta. The three brothers soon became involved in the entertainment industry, performing musical, comedy and illusion acts on the Tivoli circuit.
Maurice Rooklyn was a magician. He created an act known as ‘The Human Target’, which was a variation of catching the bullet in your teeth trick. After getting shot twice, he moved to England where he toured his signature billiard ball manipulation routine known as ‘A Symphony in Spheres’. In the 1940s and 50s, he became a famous magician known as 'The Amazing Mr Rooklyn' – his illusion and hypnotism show travelled throughout Australia with a large troupe, also visiting New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Japan. The highlight of his career was being the first Australian to win the International Magicians Competition in Vienna in 1958.
Maurice Rooklyn was proud of his Jewish heritage, participating in many performances at the Maccabean Hall, now the site of the Sydney Jewish Museum. In 2005 the Sydney Jewish Museum held 'The Amazing Mr Rooklyn' display, after which his extensive archive was donated to the Museum by his widow. Selected parts of the archive were offered to the Powerhouse Museum and The State Library of New South Wales in 2007.

Reference: https://scratchingsydneyssurface.wordpress.com (accessed 14/08/2018)

Compiled by Maurice Rooklyn and donated to the Sydney Jewish Museum by his widow in 2006.

An extensive collection of printed sheet music and original musical scores, ca. 1920-ca. 1960, used in the accompaniment of magic acts by Maurice Rooklyn. The music is often stamped 'The Amazing Mr Rooklyn', or signed 'Rooklyn', grouped and annotated by the name of the magic routine. The music is also annotated with stage directions and cues, presumably by Maurice Rooklyn or his muscians, and scored in parts for band instruments including piano, saxaphone, bass, trumpet, trombone, and drums. The original scores appear to be written in a number of different hands.

BOX 1X
Includes printed sheet music and original scores used in Rooklyn's magic routines:
Human Target
Suspension Trick
Hong Kong Sequence
Ball Manipulation Routine
Chinese Chopper
Chu Chin Chow
Chinese Scena
Cheating the Gallows
Wardrobe Illusion
Beer Barrel
Mr Rooklyn Magic Show
Circular Saw Trick
Sweetheart Aloha
Birth of a Pearl
Candle Trick
Bird Productions
Home of Ghosts

BOX 2X
Includes printed sheet music and original scores used in Rooklyn's magic routines:
Daybreak
Black Magic
Hong Kong Sequence - Wedding of the Birds
Opening - 2nd Half
Chinese Scena
Cheating the Gallows
Barrel Music
Mr Rooklyn Magic Show - Piano, Alto Saxaphone, Tenor Saxaphone, Bass, Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, Trombone, Drums.

Also includes substantial quantity of contemporaneous sheet music, including 'Waltzing Matilda' by Marie Cowan.

BOX 3X
Includes printed sheet music and original scores used in Rooklyn's magic routines:
Cutting Handkerchief Tricks
Opening sequence
Ball Routine
Ball Manipulations
Finale
Chinatown
Chinese Shuffle
Can-Can Dance
Keyhole Trick
Spook Cabinet
Wedding of Birds

Also includes a folder of run sheets or programs for a Rooklyn Magic Shows, and typed captions for photographs taken during Rooklyn's tour or Japan, ca. 1947.

BOX 4X
Includes printed sheet music and original scores used in Rooklyn's magic routines:
Radio Trick
Silk Cutting Trick
Top Hat
Opening - Second Half
Duck Trick
Linking Rings Trick
Bodyless Lady Trick
Circular Saw Trick
Stretching a Lady Trick
Ball Manipulation Routine
Revolving Glass Cabinet Illusion
Suspension Trick
Necklace Tricks

BOX 5X
Includes printed sheet music and original scores used in Rooklyn's magic routines:
Clock Vanish Trick
Ball Manipulation Routine
Bird Cage Illusion
Wedding of the Birds
Finale
Cheating the Gallows
Duck Trick
Stick Rack
Dancing Handkerchief
Clock Trick

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Research & study copies allowed: Applies only to material in which the author has been deceased for more than 50 years
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales