David Berglas
Legendary magician and former President of the
Magic Circle from 1989 until 1998, David Berglas,
studied Textiles at Bradford Technical College in
1947.
David has enjoyed a truly magical international career. He
has staged spectacular shows throughout the world and
played at private functions for countless royals and VIPs. He
was one of the first magicians on British TV in the 1950s
and in 1985 had a Channel 4 series The Mind of David
Berglas. David has been an advisor on numerous movies
from Hammer Horror to James Bond films. David is revered
by others in his field. Derren Brown described him as “a
real hero of mine” and said he was “often looking for a ‘Berglasian’ touch or extra level to a routine.”
David’s family were textile manufacturers who fled Nazi
persecution in Germany in 1933. His immediate family
escaped, some literally with the Gestapo knocking at their
door in Berlin, but others perished. In 1939 his fluent
German led to his recruitment by US intelligence, and he
trained at a secret location in Paris to decode messages.
Discharged from the US Army in 1947, he came to Bradford
Technical College to study textiles with a view to joining
the family textile business, Berglas Brothers of Crown Point
Mills in Wyke. This was a momentous decision as David’s
introduction to magic came from his organisation of the
Rag Day.
“I had a crazy idea for some of us to dress as Cowboys and
Indians and then ride through into the centre of Bradford
to collect some money from astonished onlookers. I knew
where to get the horses but I needed some costumes. I
found a little shop in Bradford called the Veroni House of
Magic. When I returned the costumes my name was put
on their mailing list and I received an invitation to go to
a meeting of the Bradford Magical Society.
I would never
have been a magician if not for Bradford Technical College. I
always had unusual ideas but never dreamt I would become
professional entertainer or have a wonderful career for 50
years. Everything happened by chance. My hiring those
costumes and taking up magic as a hobby, the slump in
textiles caused by the introduction of new fabrics like rayon
meaning I didn’t go into the family firm - all coincidences
coming together. In my first year as a professional magician
I was very successful, with a series on the radio and then
things just took off.”
David retired in 1994, apart from occasional prestigious
occasions, such as the Millennium Eve when he played a
private function at the Grosvenor Hotel with Shahid Malik.
“I have only chosen to work about 6 times in the last 14
years, although I am always busy and I still go to a lot
of showbusiness functions. So as well as working for and
alongside all the old big names, I have also met all the
latest stars.”
David has been delighted to be recognised as a Hero of
Bradford College, lending items from his personal collection
for the exhibition. The 3-D photos, viewed with special
glasses, were taken by David’s friend, David Burder, who
studied Engineering at Bradford College and is now MD of
3-D Images Ltd.
Photograph supplied by David Berglas