Cindythings Chrystal Dunninger Museum Page 3

Now what have we here? It is 1924, and who is this with little Harry Jr.? It is none other than Joseph Dunninger, a magician who did a little mind reading in his act. Harry Jr. attends a military school, Kyle School, in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York. His great-grandfather Franz Siegel was the famous general I mentioned, and Harry Jr. and Chrystal had seats of honor at a centenary celebration of his birthday at the school. I have the letter inviting her.

On February 16, 1925, the bill at the Park Lane in New York reads: "Dunninger and Chrystal Spencer Mind Reading and Oriental Conjuring." Also on the bill were the Brahms Quartette and Moss and Fontana, who danced after supper.

In April 1925, Chrystal's photo and "Mummy Changes to Dancer" act are featured in Science and Invention. She says she "specializes in classical East Indian and Hawaiian dances."

On May 20, 1925, Chrystal's photo and caption appear in Review of the Rialto in the Wilmington Morning News of Wilmington, Delaware. The caption says Chrystal is appearing as "one of the many pretty girls entertaining with Dunninger, the master mind of modern mystery, at the Playhouse every night this week and Thursday and Saturday afternoons." Sounds fun!

Two days later, and she is mentioned in a column about Dunninger getting a traffic ticket. For speeding--on Broadway, no less! The mention is very flattering--for Chrystal, if not for the naughty driver. It ends: "My thoughts are of Chrystal Spencer, his principal aid and one of the dancers in his company of entertainers. Miss Spencer is one of the prettiest girls I have seen for some time." I get that all the time, too. I wonder if they were driving something like this car they were photographed driving in 1928? Isn't it fabulous?

The same year, 1925, Chrystal appears in Bather's Revue as one of the "Annette Kellermann Girls" and her group representing the Asbury Mills wins for best appearance. She rode in an auto parade with the same girls that year, in another parade in a car with Miss America in Atlantic City, and in yet another parade, in which she appeared on a prize-winning Fralinger's Taffy float. You can still buy Fralinger's Taffy, you can find it online. Some of the other girls are Ziegfeld Girls, so that gives you an idea of how attractive and successful Chrystal was in her day. Chrystal pointed herself out in these and many other pictures.

That summer, Chrystal is photographed holidaying in the Catskills with Dunninger.

What's that sound I hear? It's the pitter-patter of little feet! Follow me to the next page and I'll introduce you to a little Dunninger you haven't met yet.