MY STORY: ANTHONY HOARE (TONY THE MAGICIAN)

Anthony Hoare has worked as a children’s entertainer since retiring from the Navy in 1981. In the four decades since, thousands of children have enjoyed a performance by Tony the Magician. Here, he describes the lure of magic and the Tuxedo… 

I was born in Slough in 1941, although we soon moved to Battersea, London. My father was an Army regular, but having been wounded in the North African campaign, worked as a tinsmith. In my early years, we lived in a one-bedroom house, sharing a bathroom with the other tenants. When my two siblings we born, we were moved into a council house, which felt enormous! 

I was one of the smartest in my class, although didn’t attend a high-performing school. Children who passed the 11+ exams went to grammar school, but that wasn’t the case for most of us boys in Battersea. Instead, I joined the Royal Navy, aged only 15. In the 1950s, there were countless films like Reach for the Sky, about the aviator Douglas Bader. They were like propaganda movies and inspired me to join the Forces. 

I trained on HMS St. Vincent at Forton Barracks, Gosport, becoming a radio electrician, repairing and maintaining radar, sonar and radio equipment. I then spent two years aboard a frigate, HMS Zest, progressing from junior radio technician to chief petty officer during my 25 years in the Navy. I was involved in active scenarios, such as the Cod Wars – a dispute with Icelandic fisherman about fishing rights in the North Atlantic. It wasn’t dangerous in terms of warfare, but t was bitterly cold! There was also an crisis in Rhodesia, when we were deployed to prevent oil reaching the country. You’re always on guard, as things can escalate, but our measures were largely preventative rather than combative. 

In those days, everyone seemed to know a magic trick. My father taught me a simple card trick that he probably learned during his Army days. It wasn’t very hard, but sparked my interest. When I was a schoolboy, shops in London often sold magic sets and props like squirty flowers, so I learned other tricks. I also studied books written by the great magicians and watched performances by David Nixon. 

I continued performing magic throughout my service. Being a chief petty officer presented me with more opportunities and sometimes the captain asked me to entertain children when we were at port. I would perform magic on special occasions such as Christmas too, when we were often in the middle of an ocean, far from home. I still use some of the same magic to this day, including the Teddy bear trick.

My parents had moved to Crawley, as many companies moved their workforce out of London to the New Towns in the late 1950s and early 60s. It was wonderful to live somewhere new, surrounded by green spaces. I married Rita in 1972, and we had the option of moving into Navy accommodation, so I could go home when my ship was at port. However, we wanted a more permanent home, so bought a house in Horsham It was a good decision and we’ve lived in the town ever since. 

I retired from the Navy in 1981, having served 25 years. There were opportunities to continue as an instructor, as I was only 40-years-old. However, although I enjoyed my time in the Armed Forces, I decided to focus on magic and started working as Tony the Magician in 1982.

This was magic’s heyday. Paul Daniels broke the mould and brought it to a mainstream audience. He didn’t revolutionise magic, but was a master showman, using comedy and theatre to create a spectacle. He was a fabulous entertainer and The Paul Daniels Magic Show had a prime-time Saturday night slot on BBC1, attracting 15 million viewers. He opened the door to others, such as Wayne Dobson, another fabulous magician. 

These high-profile magicians created demand for children’s entertainers, especially magicians, and I was very busy. At the time, I was attending 20 children’s parties a month and made a good living. I could afford a new car every few years, paid the mortgage, and even enjoyed a few foreign holidays. One summer, we took the show to Brighton in a yellow double-decker bus, and I also performed at Worthing Pier with two assistants and Cuddles the Rabbit, who would chop me in half. 

I have always worn a Tuxedo, as magicians I watched growing up were smartly dressed, often wearing a top hat too. I was grateful that Paul Daniels dressed well too. He modernised magic in many ways, yet maintained that tradition. A lot of children’s entertainers wear bright clothes and take on child-like persona, yet I’ve always been more traditional. Sometimes, I attend a children’s party and can tell that the parents are unsure about me. They see an old chap in a Tuxedo and wonder how he’s going to entertain a dozen excitable five-year-olds. After I’ve soaked them with a squirty flower, they soon realise that I’m just as daft as anyone! 

Wearing a suit helps me maintain a degree of control too. When I was a boy, I remember watching a magician perform at my school. He set up a small table and carefully laid out his props, without saying a word. I was fascinated by this well-dressed man and his secretive behaviour only added to the intrigue. I haven’t forgotten that feeling and hope it’s something I inspire in children too. Also, I find that being serious at the beginning of an act helps to calm children down, much like a teacher does before a class. Once I have their attention, I can begin the job of making them laugh.

When I started out, my act was comprised solely of magic, but it has evolved to include games and activities too. By providing all the entertainment, it just leaves mum to sort the food, allowing them to enjoy the party a little too. My act has remained consistent in terms of presentation, but the tricks change annually. If you go to a house where you’ve already performed for an older sibling, you can’t do the same thing. So, I start each year with a new routine. When I come up against a clever-clogs who is familiar with my act, I have half a dozen versions of each trick, so can make alterations to trick them too.

Little ones love puppets and visual humour, while children aged five and six enjoy games, especially silly ones. By the time they’re eight or nine, children try to catch you out, as they’re keen to understand the secrets of a trick. So, you have to surprise them. Teenagers tend not to want magic parties, but still enjoy close-up trickery. I have performed magic for adults too, occasionally working at weddings, doing card tricks around the tables.

I helped launch the Saturday Ritz Club at Horsham Arts Centre (now The Capitol) in 1985. It was inspired by Variety and magic was just one element. We also staged talent shows with singing, dancing and jokes, made birthday announcements, had performances by local dance groups, and usually screened a short film or programme too. It gave children some independence and parents a chance to get things done while their kids were occupied. At its peak, the cinema was packed out, and although numbers declined slightly, we were still attracting a good crowd before new management brought it to an end in 1992.  

Nowadays, we have very little magic – or even Variety – on TV. Britain’s Got Talent is a modern equivalent, but the format doesn’t allow for acts to develop stage-craft and find an audience. Would Paul Daniels have survived Simon Cowell’s big red buzzer? I’m not sure. Although Dynamo and David Blaine enjoyed success a decade or so ago, most people would struggle to name a current, mainstream magician.

I’m now 85, but still love magic. This summer, I have been one of several magicians to provide free 45-minute shows at the Bandstand in Horsham Park, courtesy of Horsham District Council. I’m due to perform the last show of the summer on 27 August. People come up to me all the time to say “hello”, recalling parties I attended 30 or 40 years ago. I’m slowing down now and have only a handful of bookings each month, but will carry on, just as long as there are children that love magic as much as I do.

Further information: Contact Tony on (01403) 267833 or email tonythemagician@gmail.com

Photos: Alan Wright Photography/Words: Ben Morris. First published on 1st September 2026.