Moi-Yo Miller

Moi-Yo Miller was the stage name of Mona Loretta Miller (born 24 April 1914),[1] an Australian who became the principal assistant to the stage magician Dante.[2]

Miller came originally from Geelong, in the Australian state of Victoria.[2] She first met Dante (aka Harry Jansen) while still in her late teens when she was appearing in a musical revue in Melbourne. Dante had decided to recruit an Australian girl as an assistant after, in his words, "he saw in Melbourne more beautiful women per square block than he had seen in any other part of the World".[3] Miller dated Dante's son, Bill Jansen and went on to work with Dante, staying with him for the rest of his performing career. She very quickly became his main assistant and an integral part of his show Sim Sala Bim. She was often billed as "Australia's Most Beautiful Woman".[4] She has estimated that she was sawed in half around 11,800 times during her career.[5]

Miller became highly regarded among professional magic performers and is widely cited as one of the all-time great magic assistants.[6] She features in the 2008 documentary movie Women in Boxes, which explores the vital role of assistants in magic.[7][8] In 1993 she received the Dragon Award presented by the J. Marberger Stuart Foundation.[9]

Miller celebrated her 100th birthday in 2014.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Sim Sala Bim: It's Moi-Yo magic". 2009-10-05. Retrieved 2010-10-02. She was born Mona Loretta Miller in 1914, the start of World War 1.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Dante on stage with Moi-Yo Miller". National Picture Library of Australia. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  3. ↑ "Australia's Most Beautiful Woman With Dante: Miss Moi-yo Miller". http://www.kingofmagicians.com. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  4. ↑ "Moi-yo Miller". http://www.kingofmagicians.com. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  5. ↑ "Reviews...Women in Boxes". MasterMath (W G Raley). Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  6. ↑ "Women In Magic". magictricks.com Library. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  7. ↑ "Women in Boxes". WIB, LLC. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  8. ↑ Women in Boxes at the Internet Movie Database
  9. ↑ "1993 Dragon Award - Moi Yo Miller and Arturo Montes". J. Marberger Stuart Foundation. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  10. ↑ http://www.theweeklyreview.com.au/geelong/well-read/interviews/8748-a-magical-life/#.U6bZlCjhwbY

Further reading