Roy Benson

Cast

Born

January 16, 1914 · Courbevoie, Seine [now Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France], France

Died

December 6, 1977

Birth name

Edward Emerson Ford McQuaid

Roy Benson was born Edward Emerson Ford McQuaid, on January 17th, 1914 in Courbevoie, France. His mother was Dora Ford of the Four Fords and The Ford Sisters of Vaudeville fame, his father was Edward Emerson McQuaid of Vaudeville's Juggling team, Emerson and Baldwin. Roy led a very interesting life in an era which is a distant memory to some and ancient history to the current generation. He was not only a magician who was ahead of his time, but a magician who set a precedent for comic/magicians we know now. Roy was a proficient musician, a professor and he also built the monster for The Flesh Eaters (1964) and started out as cinematographer but chose not to continue for personal reasons. Roy struggled with alcoholism and eventually died of emphysema on December 6th, 1977. His contribution to the Magic world was a substantial one.