Leon's Family

Velvet Mandrake - wife and partner of Leon Mandrake
Velvet, was the only daughter of Frank and Elizabeth Salerno, vaudeville entertainers, radio musicians and peformers. Velvet was trained in show business as a dancer and actress. Through her parents she became an assistant with the Blackstone show for one season in 1945. She later performed with a travelling stage troupe. In 1947 she joined the Leon Mandrake show (on an M. C. A. tour out of Chicago) and became his wife that same year in Kansas City. She performed as his assistant and later partner from 1947 until his last show in 1985. Velvet is presently living in Surrey and keeping active with hiking and social activities with friends and family.

Lon Mandrake - eldest son of Leon and Velvet Mandrake.
Lon has been president of the B. C. Science Teachers' Association (1987 - 1989) and chairman of three provincial conferences for science education. He has been awarded several excellence in teaching awards and the Distinguished Service to Science Education Award. He has been performing mentalism and magic since 1987 although he was taught several performances as early as 1958. Lon and his wife Linda have performed at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Science World,Vancouver, the Pacific Science Center,Seattle, New York Hall of Science and many corporation shows. He is president of the Society of American Magicians Assembly # 95 and was Regional Vice President for the S. A. M. for Canada. He is married to wife, Linda and has a daughter, Katrina and two sons, Lonny and Eric.

Ron Mandrake - second son of Leon and Velvet Mandrake.
Ron started performing magic in 1964 with a trio including his sister, Jill and musician Keith Saari, The Mandrake Junior Variety Show. Ron later assisted his father Leon Mandrake and performed at several night clubs in 1974 during Leon's engagements at Expo 74 in Spokane, Washington. Ron has performed a variety of slight of hand and does birthday parties and corporate parties, presently. He has two sons, Sean and Jerome.

Kim Mandrake - third son of Leon and Velvet Mandrake.
Kim is a musician (guitarist) and is presently a superintendent of a New York apartment building in Manhatton. He performs with a band (Why Me?) at local clubs in New York. He has two daughters, Kala and Jade.

Jill Mandrake daughter of Leon and Velvet Mandrake. Works at the Library of Simon Fraser University.