Sylvester the Jester

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Sylvester the Jester, 2006
Sylvester the Jester, 2006

Daniel Sylvester Battagline, also known as Sylvester The Jester (b. 1961), is an American magician, best known for playing a cartoon character which comes to life. He has had hundreds of stage and television appearances, including NBC’s "World's Wildest Magic," ABC’s "Champions of Magic II", Jerry Lewis's Muscular Dystrophy Telethon and The Discovery Channel’s "More Science of Magic." He has performed in multiple Las Vegas shows including opening for The Amazing Johnathan, and appearing at Caesar’s Magical Empire. He also produces a series of magic products, and has been credited with creating the illustrations for various magic publications, such as the cover for The Amazing Johnathan's Every Trick in the Book, and the poster for John Carney's "Mr. Mysto" act. In 1996, he also created a prop for the television show, "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch." He has been featured on the cover of several magic and culture-related magazines, such as the September 1998 issue of Magic.[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

1985, "Reverse Gravity" trick
1985, "Reverse Gravity" trick

Battagline was born in Youngstown, Ohio, one of three children to Pat Battagline, a plumber, and Merrie Lou Clark, a homemaker. He grew up in the small town of Berlin Center, Ohio, attending Western Reserve High School, where he began experimenting with magic at the age of 15, after seeing a televised performance by Doug Henning. He later went on to Youngstown State University, where he studied Fine Art and Theater Arts, before relocating to Los Angeles, where he joined the prestigious Magic Castle community, and performed for the next seven years. He was best known during this time for a unique sleight of hand move known as "The Sylvester Pitch." He was also mentored by Larry Jennings and Dai Vernon, who referred to Battagline as "a genius"[2].

Sylvester's portrait of Larry Jennings and Dai Vernon, 1989
Sylvester's portrait of Larry Jennings and Dai Vernon, 1989

Battagline's "Sylvester the Jester" character began to emerge in the early 1990s, and over the next several years, he began to tour internationally in over 30 countries. He was also a key performer and creative consultant in the year-long production of "Las Vegas Magic Express" in Seoul, Korea, which was produced by Kevin James.

Currently, he lives in Bellflower, California and continues to participate in Magic Castle activities.

[edit] Awards

"Steam from the Ears" effect, 2002
"Steam from the Ears" effect, 2002
  • Baguette d’Or (Golden Wand), 1998, Monte Carlo Magic Stars, awarded by Princess Stéphanie of Monaco [1]
  • Kid's Choice, 1998, Junior Jury's Grand Prix, Monte Carlo Magic Stars
  • Festival Favorite, 1998, International del Humor, Bogotá, Colombia
  • Gold Medal Champion, 1995, Pacific Coast Association of Magicians (PCAM), Santa Clara, California
  • Appreciation Award (50th Anniversary Special), 1996, International Brotherhood of Magicians

[edit] Notable nominations

The Magic Castle’s Academy of Magical Arts, Los Angeles, California:

  • Parlour Performer of the Year: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
  • Stage Performer of the Year: 1998
  • Lecturer of the Year: 2002
  • Comedy Magician of the Year: 2003
  • Stage Magician of the Year: 1998, 1999

[edit] Works

  • Sylvester The Jester Performance, 2006, DVD
  • Suspended Dimension (The Jacketless Topit), 2001, Kevin James’ Imagination Unlimited, DVD
  • Sylvester Pitch ‘98, 1998, Creative Enterprise/Hotrix, VHS [2]
  • Hurtling the Moon, Creative Strategy Lecture Notes, 1995
  • Sylvester Pitch Lecture Notes, 993

[edit] Criticism and controversy

Battagline has been criticized for his style, including his exaggerated cartoon-like movements, and provocative humor [3].

[edit] References

1994
1994
  1. ^ Pictures of magazine covers
  2. ^ Genii magazine, October 1988
  3. ^ Magic magazine, September 1998 cover story
  • Official website
  • Interview with Badmoonkid
  • Wolf, Michael. "Not Just a Weirdo", Magicana magazine, 2003
  • Weber, Ken. "Sylvester The Jester", Maximum Entertainment, 2002
  • Booth, John. Extending Magic Beyond Credibility, (Linking Ring reprint, August 1999), Chapter 4" "Sylvester: The Self-Mayhem Principle [3]
  • Booth, John. "Sylvester The Surreal Jester", Linking Ring magazine, August 1999
  • Levy, Mark. "The Jester is Sylvester!", Magic Magazine, September 1998
  • Pogue, David. Magic For Dummies, 1998
  • Booth, John. "Memoirs of a Magician’s Ghost", Linking Ring, August 1999
  • Giorgio, Tony. Genii magazine, October 1993
  • Brown, Judy. L.A. Weekly, April 13, 1995
  • Weber, Ken. Maximum Entertainment: "A Personal Entertainment Highlight: Sylvester the Jester" [4]

[edit] External links

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