Dell O'Dell

Who was Dell O'Dell?

Dell O'Dell was the stage name of Nell Odella Newton an American magician regarded in her profession as a pioneer who provided a role model for modern female performers. She was noted for being one of the first magicians to appear on television, on her own show, The Dell O'Dell Show, on ABC's local station in Los Angeles in 1951.

At an early stage of her career, she bought the rights to the magic act of Frank Van Hoven and created her own versions of his magic tricks. At the height of her career, she was billed as "The World's Leading Lady Magician" and "The Queen of Magic."

Nell Newton's father worked in carnivals and she began learning magic from him when she was young. She developed a style that featured snappy patter and cute rhymes, which became something of a trademark. She married Charles Carrer, a famous juggler, who managed her show and constructed props for her.

She became a pioneer of television magic when The Dell O'Dell Show began transmission on a local station in the Los Angeles area in California on 14 September 1951.