Gentleman Jack & Majlis
Af/by Kenny Quinn
En hyldest til et af verdens mest succesfulde showlommetyvepar
Gentleman Jack & Majlis
“The Fastest Hands In The World”
A tribute to one of the world's most successful Pickpocket Entertainer couples:
Gentleman Jack & Majlis
"The Fastest Hands in the World"
Cirkusplakat fra Sydafrika / Circus poster from South-Africa
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Velkendt og populært reklamefoto af Gentleman Jack & Majlis / Famous photo shot of Gentleman Jack & Majlis
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Klik på det foretrukne sprog. Click at the language version you prefer.
Dansk udgave. Click here for English version
Født til artistlivet
Tommy ”Gentleman Jack” Iversen (30.04.1921 – 18.11.1984) blev født i Randers, Danmark.
Han voksede op i en artistfamilie,
der var tilknyttet et omrejsende tivoli, hvor faderen kørte dødsdrom,
og hans mor optrådte som slangetæmmer. Tommys tidlige karriere i
showbusiness startede lige her i dette tivolimiljø, midt i 1930’erne,
hvor han som ung mand fik tilbudt et job hos ”Rubinis Variete” af
direktør Rubini. Her gik han de følgende år igennem en hård skole, hvor
han lærte sig de mest elementære ting fra tivoli- og markedsgøglernes
verden. Han blev lidt af en tusindkunster og optrådte i en alder af
bare 18 år som både jonglør, klovn, bugtaler, akrobat og manipulator.
Det var netop her i årene ved ”Rubinis Variete”, at Tommy for første
gang stiftede kontakt med magiens verden, og hvor hans interesse for
manipulationer blev skabt.
Men inden Tommy slog igennem og
blev til ”Gentlemantyven Jack Atkins”, måtte han endnu en årrække
ernære sig som manipulator og jonglør. I de første år af karrieren i
showbusiness var det jonglørnummeret, der var Tommys hovednummer. Under
et engagement som jonglør på Liseberg i Sverige i 1943 traf Tommy
Majlis, da han bogstaveligt talt kom til at ramme hende med en
jonglørbold – og det slog straks ”klik” imellem den elegante mannequin
Majlis og Tommy. Tommy stjal Majlis hjerte ved første blik helt uden at
hun mærkede det …
Kort tid efter mødet med Tommy
begyndte svenskfødte Majlis Iversen (28.06.1919 - 13.10.1990,
Oprindeligt født Maja-lisa Karlsson) fra Döderhult i Småland, at
arbejde som assistent i Tommys jonglørnummer. Tommys stil som jonglør
var dog alt for hurtig for Majlis, og det kneb for hende at følge hans
tempo i nummeret. En aften blev Tommy hevet til siden af en
artistkollega, som gav ham rådet: - enten skaffer du dig en anden
partner, eller også slutter du som jonglør. Nu var gode råde dyre for Tommy, der fulgte
ordsproget ”Nød lærer nøgen kvinde at spinde - og manden at
stjæle”! I Tommys tilfælde blev det kærligheden, der sejrede, og som lærte ham
at stjæle.
Lommetyv ved et tilfælde
Det var faktisk Majlis´ skyld, at
Tommy ved et tilfælde gik hen og blev ”Show-Lommetyv”. En dag, han var
i byen, fik de uventet besøg af deres artistagent, som spurgte Majlis:
”Er det muligt, I kan lave noget nyt? For jonglører og tryllekunstnere
findes der masser af!”. Hertil svarede Majlis prompte: ”Det kan vi da
sagtens”, hvorefter hun og artistagenten hurtigt blev enig om, at Tommy
fra nu af, og allerede fra deres næste engagement, skulle optræde som
Lommetyven Atkins.
Da Tommy kom hjem igen, var
artistagenten gået, og Majlis fortalte straks, at hun sammen med deres
artistagent havde taget en beslutning om et karriereskift for dem,
hvilket betød, at de om kort tid skulle optræde med Lommetyveri.
Tommys svar var: ”Og hvordan har du tænkt dig, jeg skulle kunne klare
det? Jeg har aldrig set nogen optræde som lommetyv.”
Hertil svarede Majlis ganske
enkelt: ”Du har jo tidligere optrådt med manipulationer og korttricks,
hvor du hver aften stod og lavede forskellige tricks – bl.a. det med et
kortspil, som en publikumshjælper blandede, hvorefter du på mystisk vis
fik kortene over i hans lommer, hvorfra du senere tog dem op. Du må jo
have stukket kortene ned i hans lommer, før du kunne tage dem op igen.
Hvorfor så ikke bare tage tegnebogen med op på samme måde?”
Som sagt så gjort, og således blev
denne metode til Tommy og Majlis allerførste grundprincip i rækken af
lommetyvetricks. I bogen ”How to Pick Pockets” af Eddie Joseph fandt
Tommy yderligere en del tips og ideer, der hjalp ham til at udvikle det
helt nye nummer i en positiv retning til et komplet nummer.
Gentleman Jacks originaleksemplar af Eddie Joseph bogen fra 1940
Succes i hele verden
I 1948 havde Tommy og Majlis
indstuderet og var klar til at optræde med deres nye nummer ”Den ærlige
Lommetyv”. Allerede året efter, i 1949, fik de deres første rigtige
lange engagement med lommetyveakten som hovednummer hos det svenske
”Cirkus Astoria”, hvor de optrådte under navnet ”Jack and May Atkins”.
Herefter gik det stærkt med at få nye engagementer i datidens førende
cirkusser, varietéer, tivoliparker og natklubber i hele Norden og
Europa.
Reklamefotos af Gentleman Jack & Majlis; fra først i 1950’erne
I 1950 blev det til endnu nyt langt
engagement for det unge lommetyvepar. For Tommys vedkommende blev et
job på hjemmebane med Majlis og hans nye nummer, hvor de for første
gang skulle vise deres nye lommetyveakt i Danmark. Jobbet var ved
”Cirkus Moreno & Reinch", som var inde i en formidabel udvikling og
blev anset som et af datidens førende cirkus i Danmark, hvor Tommy og
Majlis blev præsenteret under navnet ”Lommetyvens Konge – Den ærlige
lommetyv Gentleman Jack”.
Avisannonce og plakat fra 1950 i Danmark
Efter sommersæsonen med Cirkus Moreno & Reinch fulgte en lang periode med engagementer på restauranter, varietéer, i
folkeparker og tivolier i hele Skandinavien og Europa. Parret rejste
bl.a. i 1952 på turne med den legendariske Malmstentruppen og var også
hovedattraktionen i et uendeligt
antal af nationale og
internationale shows i Lorry, København - Valencia, København -
Århushallen, Aarhus - Kitkat, Horsens - Club de L’Étoile,
Den Haag Holland - Jaarbeurs, Utrecht Holland - Variete Prater,
København - Scala Theater, Gent Belgien - Casino Amsterdam,
Holland - Caramella Amsterdam, Holland -
Cabaret Parisianna, Bruxelles Belgien - Ambassadeur, Aalborg
Danmark m.fl.
VALENCIA programhæfte fra januar 1958
Gentleman Jack annonce i artistbladet ECHO 1953. ECHO Ltd. independent international professional Circus and Variety Journal
Sydafrikansk cirkusprogram fra 1953
I 1954 fik Tommy og Majlis igen et
engagement i cirkus - denne gang i Irland ved John Duffy & Sons
Circus. Her bliver Tommy ”Gentleman Jack” og Majlis de første, der
optræder med lommetyveri i Irland.
Cirkusplakat fra 1954 i Irland
I de efterfølgende år fulgte
årslange engagementer ved alverdens cirkusser og i internationale
showproduktioner, der bragte dem verden rundt til lande som Argentina,
Australien, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand og Sydafrika. I Sydafrika blev
til ikke mindre end 5 års engagement hos Boswell Bros.
Circus.
Efter de mange år på det afrikanske
kontinent forsatte deres fantastiske artistkarriere til Fjernøsten for
at medvirken i turnerende showproduktioner og for at optræde på
fashionable hoteller. Det blev til hele 5 forskellige turneer i Asien
for det elegante entertainerpar over en længere årrække.
Plakat og flyer fra 1970’erne i Asien
I pauserne mellem turneerne i Asien
opholdt Tommy og Majlis sig hovedsageligt i Skandinavien og i Europa,
hvor man kunne opleve dem i tv-shows, cirkus, tivoli og i danske
sommerrevyer - bl.a. på Kronprinsen i Malmø, i Tivoli Friheden i Århus,
Sans Souci i Kolding, i Cirkus Revyen på Dyrehavsbakken og i Nykøbing
F. Revyen. De to sidste steder med Volmer Sørensen i spidsen som
revydirektør. Herudover blev det til yderligere to
sommerrevysæsoner i Holstebro Revyen, hvor det den gang var Ernst
Trillingsgaard, der sat revydirektørstolen.
Programhæftet fra Sans Souci - Kolding 26. varieté-show 1976
Varieté Lorry program ”LORRY-POSTEN” fra September 1972
Når de ikke optrådte på de 7
verdenshave på Holland-Amerika Lijn’s S.S. ”STATENDAM”, et
krydstogtskib imellem Europa og Amerika, optådte Tommy og Majlis i en
lang række af cirkusser. Her kan nævnes: Chipperfield’s Circus,
Hippodrome Circus, Belle Vue Circus, Circo Price de Madrid, De Jonghe
Music-Hall, Cirkus Berny, Sirkus Sariola, Cirkus Ray Miller, Robert
Bros. Circus, Circus Royale Australia og Circus van Bever i Holland,
hvor de var hovedattraktionen i hele to sæsoner.
Gentleman Jack foran “Circo Price de Madrid“ plakat
Gentleman Jack postkort
Cirkusplakat fra 1956
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Cirkusplakat fra 1969
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Cirkusprogram fra 1964/65
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Cirkusprogram fra 1969
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Gennembruddet i England
Den prestigemæssigt største og mest
opsigtsvækkende optræden for Tommy ”Gentleman Jack” og Majlis var nok,
da de medvirkede i et engelsk tv-show om kriminalitet med den berømte
tv-vært David Frost.
David Frost havde bedt Tommy om
ubemærket at stjæle så meget som muligt fra de ca. 150 publikummere,
der var inviteret til at overvære udsendelsen i studiet. Tommy stjal
fra publikummerne, da de kom ind for at tage plads i studiet - han
stjal ure, tegnebøger, id-kort, cigaretpakker, briller og andre personlige genstande i et væk. Helt som han plejede at gøre.
Et stykke tid efter udsendelsens
start spurgte David Frost publikum: ”Hvor mange her har været offer for
en lommetyv?” Kun få blandt publikum rakte hånden op. David Frost
spurgte en mand, der sad tæt på Tommy: ”Kan De sige mig, hvad klokken
er?”. Det kunne han naturligvis ikke, og manden blev noget overrasket
over at se, at hans ur var væk.
En anden, som også blev meget
overrasket, var Tommy selv, da han fik at vide, at alle blandt publikum
i studiet var politifolk og detektiver fra Scotland Yard med deres
koner. David Frost havde inviteret Tommy i studiet med den hensigt at
afsløre ham på tv, hvilket ikke lykkedes. Deres optræden i det populære
tv-show blev en kæmpesucces, hvorefter Tommy og Maj-lis med et
trylleslag var berømte i hele England.
Advarede mod rigtige lommetyve
En af Tommys specialiteter i hele
hans lange karriere var at afholde seminar for politi og
kriminalbetjente i de forskellige lande, som de besøgte. Her viste og
demonstrerede Tommy, hvilke trick og metoder de kriminelle lommetyve
benytter sig af.
I alle de storbyer verden over,
hvor Tommy gav sit seminar, stjal han samtidig også stor spalteplads i
alle trykte aviser. Det gav ham masser af omtale og overskrifter som:
”Smarteste lommetyv nogensinde set”, ”Fineste lommetyv ude af fængsel”,
”Verdens bedste lommetyv”, ”Tommy er jordens ærligste lommetyv”, ”En
Gentleman kommer til byen”, ”Tommy Iversen er en aristokrat blandt
lommetyve”, ”Lommetyven, der narrede detektiver” osv.
Gentleman Jack i pressen
En sand gentleman
Tommy inspirerede mange af sine
venner og kollegaer med sin klassiske engelske gentleman-stil, som han
udviklede gennem årene og blev verdenskendt for. Hans nummer var et
forbillede for mange nye artister i branchen.
Man plejer at sige, at en artist
har 10-15 sekunder til at vinde publikums sympati, når hun eller han
gør sin entré. Tommy klarede det på bare 5 sekunder med sin
humoristiske, hyggelige, varme og venlige udstråling fra scenen. Han
var en sand mester til at få sit nummer til at se ud som, om det hele
var en leg. Han havde også en enestående evne til at få sine
publikumshjælpere på scenen til at
føle sig godt tilpas og trygge i
hans selskab, hvor de morede sig lige så meget som publikum, der så på
- velvidende om at de var en del af Tommys succes.
Tommy havde også den ”Guds gave”,
at han havde let til fremmedsprog. Han var udstyret med et eminent
sprogøre, hvilket gjorde at han mentalt kunne manipulere med sine
publikumshjælpere på mere end 8 sprog, her i blandt finsk, hollandsk,
japansk og portugisisk.
Tommy levede bogstaveligt talt op
til navnet ”Gentleman Jack” på scenen, hvor han altid på en behagelig
og elskværdig facon sørgede for, at de publikumshjælpere (som aldrig
var stooges / hemmelige hjælpere), han ”stjal” fra, blev behandlet med
ydmyghed og respekt og ikke gjort til grin. De publikummere, som var på
scenen eller i manegen hos Tommy, kaldte han altid for sine kunder. Han
var altid 100 % bevist om, at uden hjælp fra publikum og deres
villighed til at komme med op på scenen, ville han aldrig have haft et
nummer.
Den gavmilde tyv
Tommy, der hørte til blandt verdens
første scene-lommetyve, var en af få, der med glæde delte ud af sin
store viden og hemmeligheder til andre i den magiske verden. Det skete
blandt andet ved flere seminarer i hele Norden og i England, hvor han
havde elever.
Han var også mentor/læremester for
danske Kenny Quinn, som han oplærte og underviste i lommetyveriets ædle
kunst over en længere periode frem til efteråret 1984. Tommy var
virkelig en lommetyv af format og samtidigt et generøst menneske, der
altid var parat til at hjælpe andre. Faktisk var han i virkeligheden
tyven, der hellere gav end tog.
Nogle af Majlis & Gentleman Jacks mange reklame gimmicks
Et lykkeligt par
Efter et langt liv i showbusiness,
heraf 36 år sammen med Majlis som partner såvel på scenen som privat,
sluttede Tommy ”Gentleman Jack” & Majlis deres professionelle
artistkarriere som lommetyvs-entertainere i efteråret 1979.
Det elegante dansk/svenske
entertainerpar havde på dette tidspunkt optrådt i mere end 40 lande
over hele verden. Næsten overalt havde de været ”Top of Bill” op
igennem 50’erne, 60’erne og 70’erne på datidens førende nationale og
internationale varietéer, kabaretter, natklubber, cirkusser og
Revue-Shows, hvor de var kendt som de nobleste lommetyve med tilnavnene
”The Fastest Hands in the World”, ”The Aristocrat of Pickpockets” og
”Lommetyvenes Danske Konge”.
Majlis & Tommy ”Gentleman Jack” Iversen med cirkusplakaten fra årene i Syd-Afrika.
Grunden til at Tommy og Majlis
stoppede deres meget aktive og lange karriere med de fantastiske
engagementer over hele verden, var Tommys hjertesygdom. Den faste base
for parret blev nu deres hjem på ”Von Lingensväg” i Malmø - et sted
hvor både Majlis og Tommy var faldet godt til og hvor de var lykkelige
for at bo efter et langt rejseliv over hele verden. Overalt, hvor Tommy
kom, lyste han op med sit meget positive livssyn og yndlingssloganet:
”Har vi det ikke dejligt!”
I tiden efter 1979 blev det til et
antal gæsteoptrædener i tv-shows og ved tryllekongresser frem til d.
18. november 1984, hvor Tommy i en alder af bare 63 år måtte bukke
under for den hjertesygdom, han havde kæmpet med i en længere årrække.
Både hans omgivelser – og mest af alt ham selv – var klar over, at han
havde levet på lånt tid.
Blot få år efter Tommys død
sluttede også Majlis liv d. 13 oktober 1990 efter en periode med
sygdom. I de mange år, de nåede at levede sammen 24 timer i døgnet, var
de et lykkeligt par, som oplevede så utroligt meget sammen på deres
mange rejser rundt i verden. Uden Majlis havde Tommy været ilde stedt
både med hensyn til deres professionelle samspil på scenen og i privat
livet.
Gentleman Jacks popularitet
Tommys popularitet nåede langt
omkring selv efter hans alt for tidlige død. Den folkekære sanger Kim
Larsen skrev sangen ”Gentleman Jack” som en hyldest til Tommy Gentleman
Jack. Kim Larsen kendte ikke Gentleman Jack personligt, men blev
inspireret til sangen ”Gentleman Jack” af den nekrolog, der var at læse
i Dansk Artist Forbunds medlemsblad ”Artisten” i februar 1985.
Så Kim Larsen tillod sig blot at
”trylle” lidt med virkeligheden – lidt på samme måde, som Gentleman
Jack havde gjort et helt artistliv - hvilket han gjorde med respekt og
fascination af artistbranchen og dens originale personligheder.
Sangen ”Gentleman Jack” var et
nummer i ”Cirkus Himmelblå”-forestillingen og blev sunget af Kim Larsen
selv under hele sommerkoncertturneen i cirkusteltet i 1985. Hans to
gøglervenner Leif Sylvester & Erik Clausen lavede flere tryllenumre
på scenen under hans fremførelse af sangen.
I 2006 skulle det igen vise sig at
Gentleman Jack & Majlis, havde været to meget markante
personligheder. Da udkom forfatter Ulf Mörlings første roman
”Godmother”, som er den første roman, han har skrevet på engelsk (bogen
findes også på dansk).
Forsiden på U. Mörlings roman
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Foto af: Christer Robertsson, Sverige 1974
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Ulf Mörling har tidligere været
Mellemøstenkorrespondent og chefredaktør ved ledende europæiske aviser
og arbejdede bl.a. i 1980’erne ved et Svensk Dagblad. Bogen ”Godmother”
er et skønlitterært værk, hvor alt er fiktivt - dog med den lille
forskel, at både Gentleman Jack og hans kone Majlis har eksisteret i
virkeligheden.
Ikke opkaldt efter whiskyen
Har Gentleman Jack opkaldt sig
efter whiskyen af samme navn? Nej, det er snarere omvendt! Tommy
”Gentleman Jack” Iversen turnerede verden rundt i årene 1949-79.
Jack Daniel’s Destilleriet i Tennessee, USA, introducerede først deres
produkt ”Gentleman Jack” på det amerikanske marked d. 30. september
1988 for 1000 specielt inviterede gæster. Gæsterne kunne alle
konstatere at ”Gentleman Jack Whisky” var en luksus Jack Daniel’s
Whisky, der havde en blid og elegant stil – præcis som den
verdensberømte lommetyv Gentleman Jack havde.
Genteleman Jack i aktion
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Velkendt reklame foto af: Gentleman Jack & Majlis
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Majlis og Gentleman Jack kigger i scrapbøger i lejligheden i Malmø
Til ære for min lærermester & mentor Tommy ”Gentleman Jack” Iversen og hans stilige, elegante og glamourøse kone Majlis.
- K. Quinn, 2012
Tak til følgende for bistand med foto, plakater, avisklip m.m.:
Gertrud & Christer Nilsson, Sveriges Magi-Arkiv www.magiarkivet.se
Joakim Berglund, Bilder i syd AB, Sverige www.bilderisyd.se
Jörgen Börsch, Danmark
Henrik Christensen, Danmark
Björn ”Henriko” Gammals, Finland
Henk van der Berg, Holland
Cirkusmuseet i Hvidovre www.cirkusmuseum.dk
Kenny Quinn er som sin lærermester
Gentleman Jack gentlemantyv. Han havde sin debut i Cirkus Arena i 1985
og har siden sammen med fru Joan med stor succes optrådt i cirkus, på
varieteer og i natklubber over det meste af Europa.Du kan læse mere om Kenny Quinn på www.kennyquinn.dk
Klik her for at se nogle yderligere fotos af Gentleman Jack og Maylis
English version.
Click here to read the Danish version
Born into an artistic life
Tommy "Gentleman Jack" Iversen (30.04.1921 – 18.11.1984) was born in Randers, Denmark.
He grew up in an artistic family,
who were part of a travelling funfair, where his father rode the wall
of death and his mother was a snake charmer. Tommy's early career in
show business began right here in this funfair environment in the
middle of the 1930s, when as a young man he was offered a job with
"Rubini's Variety Show" (a travelling Danish Variety Show) by the owner
Mr. Rubini. Here he went through some hard schooling over the next few
years, where he learned the most basic things from the world of funfair
and being a performer. He became a jack of all trades, performing at
the age of just 18 as a juggler, clown, ventriloquist, acrobat and
manipulator. It was here during his years with "Rubini's Variety Show"
that for the first time Tommy made contact with the realm of magic and
where his interest in manipulation began.
However, before Tommy got his big
break and became "The Gentleman Thief Jack Atkins", he had a number of
years making a living as a manipulator and juggler. In the early years
of his career in show business, juggling was Tommy's main act. During a
show as a juggler at Liseberg in Sweden in 1943, Tommy met Majlis, who
he, quite literally, hit with a juggling ball, and the elegant
mannequin Majlis and Tommy immediately "clicked". Tommy stole Majlis'
heart at first sight without her noticing it …
Shortly after the meeting with
Tommy, the Swedish-born Majlis Iversen (28.06.1919 - 13.10.1990, whose
maiden name was Maja-lisa Karlsson born in Döderhult/Sweden), began to
work as an assistant in Tommy's juggling act. However, Tommy's style as
a juggler was too fast for Majlis and it was difficult for her to
follow his pace in the act. One evening Tommy was pulled to one side by
an artist colleague who
advised him either to get a new assistant or to stop as a juggler. The
good advice was expensive for Tommy, who followed the proverb
"Necessity taught women to spin - and men to steal!" In Tommy's case,
it was love that conquered and which taught him to steal.
A pickpocket by chance
It was actually due to Majlis that
Tommy accidentally became a "Pickpocket Entertainer". One day when he
was in town they had an unexpected visit from their artist agent, who
asked Majlis: "Is it possible that you can do something new? There are
plenty of jugglers and magicians". Majlis promptly replied: "We
certainly can", after which she and the artist agent quickly agreed
that from now on, and already at their next job, Tommy would perform as
the Pickpocket Jack Atkins.
When Tommy came home again, the
agent had gone and straight away Majlis told him that she, along with
their agent had made a decision about a career change for them, which
meant that they would soon perform pickpocketing. Tommy's response was:
"And have you thought about how I'm going to do that? I've never seen
anyone perform as a pickpocket".
Majlis simply replied: "You've
previously performed using manipulations and card tricks, where you
stood and did various tricks all evening - including that card trick
where a member of the audience shuffled the pack and then you
mysteriously placed the cards in his pocket and took them out later.
You must have put the cards into his pocket before you could take them
out again. Why not just take their wallet in the same way?"
What’s said is done, and so this
method became Tommy and Majlis’ very first basic principle in numerous
pickpockets tricks. In the book "How to Pick Pockets" by Eddie Joseph,
Tommy found further tips and ideas that helped him to develop the brand
new act in a positive direction to make a complete act.
Gentleman Jack's original Eddie Joseph book from 1940
Success all over the world
In 1948 Tommy and Majlis had
rehearsed and were ready to perform their new act "The Honest
Pickpocket". The following year, in 1949, they had their first real
long contract as a pickpocket act as the main act at the Swedish
"Circus Astoria", where they performed under the name "Jack and May
Atkins". Then very quickly they received new contracts in the leading
circuses, variety shows, amusement parks and nightclubs throughout
Scandinavia and Europe.
Early Publicity photos of Gentleman Jack & Majlis from the 1950’s
In 1950, there was another new long
contract for the young pickpocket couple. In Tommy's case, it was a job
at home with Majlis and his new act, where for the first time they
would perform their new pickpocket act in Denmark. The job was with
"Circus Moreno & Reinsch", which was
undergoing a formidable development
and was regarded as one of the leading circuses of the time in Denmark,
where Tommy and Majlis performed under the name "King of Pickpockets -
The Honest Pickpocket Gentleman Jack".
Newspaper add & poster from season in Denmark 1950
After the summer season with Circus
Moreno & Reinsch, there was a long period of performing in
restaurants, variety shows, public parks and funfairs throughout
Scandinavia and Europe. In 1952, the couple went on tour with the
legendary Malmstentruppen (The Malmsten troupe) and were also the main
attraction in an infinite number of national and international shows in
Lorry, Copenhagen - Valencia, Copenhagen - Aarhus Hall, Aarhus -
Kitkat, Horsens - Club de L'Etoile, The Hague, the Netherlands -
Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, the Netherlands – Prater Variety Show, Copenhagen -
Scala Theatre, Ghent, Belgium - Casino Amsterdam, the Netherlands -
Caramella Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Cabaret Parisianna, Brussels,
Belgium - Ambassadeur, Aalborg, Denmark and others.
Program from the nightclub VALENCIA in Copenhagen. January 1958
Add from the Artist Magazine – ECHO 1953. ECHO ltd. Independent international professional Circus and Variety Journal
Pgrogram from 953 from South Africa
In 1955, Tommy and Majlis again had
a job in the circus - this time in Ireland with John Duffy & Sons
Circus. Here Tommy "Gentleman Jack" and Majlis became the first to
perform pickpocketing in Ireland.
Circus poster from season 1954 in Ireland
In subsequent years, longstanding
contracts followed with all sorts of circuses and in international show
productions that brought them around the world to countries such as
Argentina, Australia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and South Africa. In
South Africa, they were employed for 5 years with the Boswell Circus.
After all those years on the
African continent, they continued their amazing artistic career to the
Far East to take part in touring show productions and to perform in
fashionable hotels. The elegant entertainer couple had 5 different
tours in Asia over a number of years.
Poster and program flyer from 1970’s in Asia
In the breaks between touring in
Asia, Tommy and Majlis stayed mainly in Scandinavia and Europe, where
you could see them in TV shows, circuses, Tivoli and the Danish summer
revues - including the Crown Prince in Malmö, Tivoli Friheden in
Aarhus, Sans Souci in Kolding, in the Circus Revue in Dyrehavsbakken
and in the Nykøbing Falster Revue. Volmer Sørensen headed the last
two places as revue director. In addition, they had two further summer
revue seasons in Holstebro Revue, where Ernst Trillingsgaard was owner
and manager.
Program booklet from Sans Souci – Kolding, Denmark 26th Variety-show 1976
Variety Lorry program "LORRY-POST" from September 1972 Copenhagen, Denmark
When they were not performing on the 7 seas of the world on the Netherlands-America Line's SS "Statendam",
a cruise ship between Europe and America, Tommy and Majlis performed in
different circuses. To name a few: Chipperfield's Circus, Hippodrome
Circus, Belle Vue Circus, Circo Price de Madrid, Circus Berny, Sirkus
Sariola, Circus Ray Miller Robert Bros. Circus and Circus van Bever in
the Netherlands, where they were the main attraction for two seasons.
Gentleman Jack in front of “Circo Price de Madrid“poster
Gentleman Jack postcard
Circus poster from1969
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Circus poster from 1956
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Circus Program from 1964/65
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Circus program from 1969
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Breakthrough in Great Britain
The most prestigious and
spectacular performance by Tommy "Gentleman Jack" and Majlis was when
they starred in a British TV show about crime with the famous TV host
David Frost.
David Frost had asked Tommy to
steal as much as possible without being noticed from the approx. 150
members of the audience, who were invited to attend the broadcast.
Tommy stole from the audience
when they came in to take their seats in the studio - he stole watches,
wallets, ID cards, packs of cigarettes, glasses and other personal
items - just like he usually did.
Some time after the program started
David Frost asked the audience: "How many here have been the victim of
a pickpocket?" Only a few people in the audience raised their hands.
David Frost asked a man sitting close to Tommy: "Can you please tell me
what time it is?" Of course he couldn't and the man was somewhat
surprised to see that his watch had gone.
Another person who was also very
surprised was Tommy himself when he was told that everyone in the
audience were policemen and detectives from Scotland Yard with their
wives. David Frost had invited Tommy to the studio with the intention
of exposing him on TV, which failed. Their appearance in the popular TV
show was a huge success, and like a wave from a magic wand, Tommy and
Majlis were famous throughout Great Britain.
Warned against real pickpockets
One
of Tommy's specialties throughout his long career was to hold seminars
for the police and detectives in the different countries they visited.
Tommy demonstrated what tricks and methods a criminal pickpocket uses.
From a leading Danish newspaper Politiken
In all the cities around the world
where Tommy gave his seminars, he also stole large columns in all
printed newspapers. It gave him plenty of publicity and headlines like:
"The cleverest Pickpocket ever seen", "The finest Pickpocket out of
jail", "The world's best Pickpocket", "Tommy is the world's most honest
Pickpocket", "A Gentleman is coming to town", "Tommy Iversen is an
aristocrat among Pickpockets", "The Pickpocket who tricked detectives",
and so on.
Gentleman Jack in the News
A true gentleman Tommy
inspired many of his friends and colleagues with his classic English
gentleman's style, which he developed over the years and made him world
famous. His act was a model for many new artists in the business.
It is often said that an artist has
10-15 seconds to win the audience over when he or she makes their
entrance. Tommy managed it in just 5 seconds with his humorous, cosy,
warm and friendly charisma.
He was a true master at making his act look as if it was all just a
game. He also had a unique ability to make his helpers from the
audience feel comfortable and confident on stage in his company, where
they enjoyed themselves just as much as the audience watching - knowing
that they were part of Tommy's success.
Tommy also had the "God's gift" in
that he had found foreign languages easy. He had an incredible ear for
languages, which made him mentally able to manipulate his audience
helpers in more than 8 languages, among them Finnish, Dutch, Japanese
and Portuguese.
On stage, Tommy literally lived up
to the name of "Gentleman Jack", where in a pleasant and gracious
manner he always made sure that the audience helpers (who were never
stooges/secret helpers), who he "stole" from were treated with humility
and respect and not ridiculed. Tommy always called the audience who
were on stage or in the circus ring with him his customers. He was
always 100% aware that he would never have had an act without help from
the audience and their willingness to get up on stage.
The generous thief
Tommy, who was among the world's
first stage pickpockets, was one of the few who gladly shared his vast
knowledge and secrets with others in the world of magic. This was done
by, among other things, a number of seminars throughout the Nordic
countries and in England, where he had students.
He was also a mentor/teacher for
the Dane Kenny Quinn, whom he trained in and taught to the pickpocket's
noble art over a long period until the autumn of 1984.Tommy really was
a pickpocket of standing, while at the same time a generous man, who
was always ready to help others. In fact he was in reality the thief
who would rather give than take.
Some of “Gentleman Jack & Majlis” many advertising gimmicks
A happy couple
After a lifetime in show business,
including 36 years with Majlis as a partner both on stage as well as
privately, Tommy "Gentleman Jack" & Majlis ended their professional
artistic careers as pickpocket entertainers in the autumn of 1979. By
that time, the elegant Danish/Swedish entertainer couple had performed
in more than 40 countries worldwide.
Almost everywhere they had been
"Top of Bill" through the 50s, 60s and 70s in the leading national and
international variety shows, cabarets, nightclubs, circuses and Revue
Shows, where they were known as the noblest pickpockets with the
nicknames "The Fastest Hands in the World", "The Aristocrat of
Pickpockets" and "The Danish King of Pickpockets".
Majlis & Tommy ”Gentleman Jack” Iversen with the poster from the years in South Africa
The reason Tommy and Majlis stopped
their very active and long career with amazing worldwide shows was
Tommy's bad heart. The permanent base for the couple was now their home
at "Von Lingensväg" in Malmö, Sweden - a place where both Majlis and
Tommy had settled down well and where they were happy to stay after a
long time travelling all over the world. Wherever Tommy went he lit up
with his very positive outlook on life and favourite slogan: "Haven't
we got it good!"
After 1979, there was a number of
guest appearances in television shows and magic congresses up until 18
November 1984, when Tommy, at the age of just 63, succumbed to the
heart disease he had struggled with for many years. Both his
surroundings - and most of all himself - were aware that he had been
living on borrowed time.
Just a few years after Tommy's
death, Majlis also passed away on October 13 1990, after a period of
illness. In the many years where they managed to live together 24 hours
a day, they were a happy couple, who experienced so much together on
their many travels around the world. Without Majlis, Tommy would have
been worse off both in terms of their professional interaction on stage
and in his private life.
Gentleman Jack's popularity
Tommy's popularity reached far and
wide even after his untimely death. The popular Danish singer Kim
Larsen wrote the song "Gentleman Jack" as a tribute to Tommy Gentleman
Jack. Kim Larsen didn't know Gentleman Jack personally, but he was
inspired to write the song "Gentleman Jack" by the obituary that was in
the Danish Artist Federations magazine "Artisten" in February 1985. So
Kim Larsen allowed himself to simply "conjure up" a bit of reality - in
much the same way as Gentleman Jack had done throughout a whole
performer's life, which he did with respect for and fascination of the
art of performing artists and its original personalities.
The song "Gentleman Jack" was a
number in "Circus Himmelblå" and was sung by Kim Larsen himself
throughout the summer concert tour in the circus tent in 1985. His two
entertainer and street performer friends, Leif Sylvester and Erik
Clausen, performed several magic tricks on stage during his performance
of the song.
In 2006, it was again proved that
Gentleman Jack & Majlis had been two very distinctive
personalities, when author Ulf Mörling's published his first
novel "Godmother", which is the first novel he has written in English
(the book is also available in Danish)
The Book Cover
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Photo by: Christer Robertsson, Sweden 1974
|
Ulf Mörling was previously a Middle
East correspondent and editor in chief with leading European newspapers
and in the 1980s worked, among other places, at a Swedish daily paper.
The book "Godmother" is a work of fiction, where everything is fiction,
but with the slight difference that both Gentleman Jack and his wife
Majlis existed in reality.
Not named after the whisky
Did Gentleman Jack name himself
after the whisky of the same name? No, it's more the other way around!
Tommy "Gentleman Jack" Iversen toured around the world from 1949-1979.
Jack Daniel's Distillery in
Tennessee, USA, first introduced its product "Gentleman Jack" into the
U.S. market on 30 September 1988 for 1000 specially invited guests. All
the guests could all see that "Gentleman Jack Whisky" was a luxury Jack
Daniel's whisky, which had a fine and gentle style - just like the
world famous pickpocket Gentleman Jack had.
Gentleman Jack in action
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Famous Photos shot of Gentleman Jack & Majlis
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Majlis and Gentleman Jack looking at scrapbooks in their apartment in Malmö, Sweden
In honour of my teacher & mentor Tommy "Gentleman Jack" Iversen and his stylish, elegant and glamorous wife Majlis.
- K. Quinn, 2012
Thanks to the following for their assistance with photos, posters, newspaper clippings etc.:
Gertrud & Christer Nilsson, Sweden's Magic Archive (Sveriges Magi-Arkiv) www.magiarkivet.se
Joakim Berglund, Bilder i syd AB, Sverige www.bilderisyd.se
Jörgen Börsch, Denmark
Henrik Christensen, Denmark
Björn ”Henriko” Gammals, Finland
Henk van der Berg, The Netherlands
The Danish Circus Museum at Hvidovre, Copenhagen (Cirkusmuseet) www.cirkusmuseum.dk
Kenny
Quinn is as his mentor Gentleman Jack gentleman pickpocket entertainer. He had his debut
in Danish Circus Arena in 1985
and have since then together with mrs. Joan with great succes performed
in circuses, variety theatres, nightclubs etc. over most of Europe.
Read more about Kenny Quinn at www.kennyquinn.dk
Et af gentleman Jacks reklamegimmicks: spillekort med reklame på bagsiden
One of Gentleman Jacks advertising gimmicks: playing cards with an add o the reverse side
Et af Gentlemans Jacks postkort / Gentleman Jack Postcard
Plakat fra Ambassadeur i Aalborg / Poster from the nightclub Ambassadeur in Aalborg, Denmark
Gentleman Jack i en finsk avis / in a Finnish newspaper
| Gentleman Jack i en hollandsk avis /in a Dutch newspaper |
Gentleman Jack i Arhus Stiftstidende 1972 /in a Danish newspaper Aarhus Stiftstidende in 1972
|
Klip fra en dansk avis / From a Danish newspaper
Klip fra en dansk avis / From a Danish newspaper
Klip fra Jyllands Posten/ From the Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten
Gentleman Jack i aktion i Circus Price, Madrid / Gentleman Jack in action in Circo Price, Madrid
Gentleman Jack & Majlis i Gt. Yarmouth Hippodrome Circus
Gentleman Jack in action. Foto / Photo: Jan Carlsson, Sweden
Foto taget i forbindelse med et interview / Photo shot in connection with an interview
I 1956 optråde Genteleman Jack i det hollandske Circus van Bever / In 1956 Gentleman Jack was with the Dutch Circus van Bever
Gentleman Jacks julehilsen 1963 / Used as Christmas card by Gentleman Jack in 1963
I
1951 optrådte Gentleman Jack under navnet Jact Atkins i det finske
Cirkus Sariola / In 1951 Gentleman Jack using the name Jack Atikins
toured with the Finnish Circus Sariola
Annoncer bruge af Cirkus Sariola i juli 1951 / Advertistement used by Circus Sariola in July 1951
Annoncer
i artistbladet ECHO fra henholdsvis maj 1952 og april 1953 /
Advertistments in the artist magazine ECHO from May 1952, respectively
April 1953
I
1952 arbejdede Gentleman Jack bl.a. for Malmsten-trupen. Øverst annonce
fra ECHO, neders avisudklip / In part of 1952 Gentleman Jack toured
with the Swedish F. Malmsteen show. Above advertisement from the artist
magazine ECHO and a clip from af Swedish newspaper
Annoncer i artistbladet ECHO maj 1962 / Advertisements in the artist magazine ECHO from May 1962Gentleman Jack skrev under rubrikken "TRICKS & SNACK med Gentleman
Jack"
en lang række artikler i det svenske magi fagblad Magic Masters,
hvis første nummer udkom i 1979. Nedenfor er nogle af disse artikler
gengivet / In the 1979 and the following
years Gentleman Jack wrote a number of articles called "TRICKS & SNACK with Gentleman
Jack" in the Swedish magazine for magicians Magic Masters. Please find below sone of those articles (language Swedish)
Magic Masters marts (March) 1979
Magic Masters juni (June) 1979
Magic Masters september 1979
Magic Masters december 1979
Magic Masters februar (February) 1981
Magic Masters maj (May) 1981
I
1970 optrådte Gentleman Jack i Great Yarmouth Hippodrome Circus i
England / In 1970 Gentleman Jack was part of the performance in Great Yarmouth Hippodrome Circus in England
Gentleman
Jack udviklede også nogle tryllenummer. Her er forsiden til
beskrivelsen af et trick som blev udviklet for Gycklaren Magic i
Sverige, hvor det forsat er muligt at få flere af Gentleman
Jack trick. / Gentleman Jack created some illusions. This is the front
page from the description of a trick which still can be bought from
Gycklaren Magic in Sweden
Reklame for Gentleman Jack / Gentleman Jack flyer
Gentleman
Jacks trick med den svævende vandskål. Tricket hjembragte han fra en
rejse til Østen / Gentleman Jack's trick with the flying water bowl. He
found the trick in the East
Beskrivelse af tricket med den svævende vandskål / Desription (in Danish) of the trick with the flying waterbowl
Gentleman Jacks mønttrick / Gentleman Jacks coin manipulation.
Tricket kan fortsat købes hos Harries Magic i Sverige
Annonce
i Helsinki Sanomat fra 1964, hvor Gentleman Jack optrådte på
Cabaret/Nightclubben KAIVOHUONE i Helsinki / Ad in Helsinki Sanomat fro
1964 when Gentleman Jack starred at the Cabaret/Nightclubben KAIVOHUONE in Helsinki, Finland
Nekrolog
i den svenske avis Dagens Nyheder fra 25. november 1984 / Obituary from
25 November 1984 in the Swedish Newspaper Dagens Nyheter
Siden er senest opdateret 10. november 2013 / Last udpated 101 November 2013
