Carl Ballantine Invented Modern Comedy Magic

Carl Ballantine (September 27, 1917 – November 3, 2009) was an American magician, comedian and actor.
Billing himself as "The Great Ballantine", "The Amazing Ballantine" or "Ballantine: The World's Greatest Magician", his vaudeville-style comedy routine involved transparent or incompetent stage magic tricks, which tended to flop and go "hilariously awry" to the wisecracking Ballantine's mock chagrin.
He has been credited with creating comedy magic and has influenced both comics and magicians.
Fans of old TV programs will also remember him as Gruber on McHale's Navy.

Carl Ballantine on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1962

A Carl Ballantine performance from 1961