Celebrities
Comments (0)Carl Ballantine
Sleight Of Hand
November 13, 2009Among the show biz luminaries that we’ve lost this year was Carl Ballantine, the “master” magician whose self-deprecating Vaudeville schtick thrilled and amused audiences for decades. Ballantine, who was born Meyer Kessler in Chicago, was also known for his brilliant portrayal of Lester Gruber, one of the sailors on the classic ‘60s sitcom “McHale’s Navy.”
Ballantine, who died Nov. 3 at age 92, took his stage name from Ballantine whiskey. He was reportedly the first magician to ever play Vegas.