The Human Billiard Table Routine

By David Cain

A well-known juggling routine known as the Human Billiard Table was invented by Paul Cinquevalli, the most famous juggler of all time, in 1894. Let’s look at his original creation and others who copied him.

Paul Cinquevalli

The following is a description of the Human Billiard Table Routine as performed by Cinquevalli that appeared in an 1897 article from the Strand Magazine about his career (1876-1914). Cinquevalli claimed that it took him eight years to learn the routine.

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Cinquevalli is seen in a queer garment. This is his “billiard table” jacket, which was made to his order by a Regent Street tailor. Briefly, he plays an orthodox, scientific game of billiards on his own sinewy person. The jacket is of real billiard cloth, with five beautifully-made pockets of cord and brass wire. The sixth “pocket” is the juggler’s own right ear, and his forehead is “spot.” His arms and knees serve as cushions, and wonderful cushions they are.

Roberts or Peall would consider the whole game wonderful. “I play an ordinary game of ‘fifty up,'” says Mr. Cinquevalli. “Cannons are made in the air. There is a pocket on each shoulder, two in front, and one at the bottom of my back.”

The game is a very miracle of neatness and skill. The balls fly into the air, cannon and then descend, only to glide hither and thither, in and out of the pockets, actuated only by a series of sharp jerks on the part of the player. “When the balls are moving over my back, I am guided only by the sense of touch.” And marvellously delicate must that sense be, considering the relative lightness of the balls and the thickness of the green jacket and tights. The prettiest and most difficult move of all is from the low back pocket into one of the shoulder pockets. The ball doesn’t seem to know where to go; it runs along hesitatingly, but at last it recognizes its destination, and seeks it with a comical little spurt.”

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Let’s take a look at photos of Paul Cinquevalli performing the Human Billiard Table Routine.

 

A Cinquevalli Copycat

The following photo is often misattributed as showing Paul Cinquevalli, but it isn’t him. We don’t know who the juggler is, but he is doing the Human Billiard Table Routine.

Unknown Juggler

Troba

Troba was a contemporary of Cinquevalli who mainly did heavyweight juggling feats. Troba did, however, perform the Human Billiard Table Routine, as you can see below.

Troba

Paul Vandy

Paul Vandy (1874-1950) was another contemporary of Cinquevalli who performed the Human Billiard Table Routine. He regularly appeared at Maskelyne’s Theatre of Mystery, where he was heralded in the Observer on October 5th, 1922 with the following statement. “The programme at Maskelyne’s Theatre will be strengthened tomorrow by the addition of Paul Vandy, a clever juggler, who turns himself into a “human billiard table.”

Paul Vandy

Anglo

Anglo was the stage name of Australian juggler Thomas Horton, who was born in 1879 in North Adelaide, South Australia. He was the author of the first juggling instruction book, The Art of Modern Juggling (1907), which included the following page about the Human Billiard Table Routine. You can click here to learn more about this troubled performer.

Richie Vallee

The fellow juggling historians I’ve checked with have not been able to find any information about Richie Vallee, but I do have a photo of him in the archives of the Museum of Juggling History performing part of Cinquevalli’s billiard routine.

Richie Vallee

Joe Adami

Joe Adami was born on December 16, 1890 in Liverpool, England as Joseph Haygarth. He died in 1974 in Fulham, London, England. He was known almost exclusively for performing the human billiard table routine. Joe Marsh wrote the following about him in a Jugglers’ Bulletin from 1947. “Ever see a billiard table that walks around and even tops the bills at the leading music halls? Well, we have one over here at the moment appearing under the name of Joe Adami, The Human Billiard Table. A really amazing performer he is. Joe plays a complete game of billiards on his back, wearing a green coat with Pockets filled to his shoulders and waist, also pockets on his shoes and chest. To see him make really tricky “cannons” and “in-offs” is a revelation and he claims to be accurate 99 shots out of 133. I have seen him do his act many times and never a miss yet. The balls are pushed along by the muscles of his back.”

Below is a video of Joe’s act from 1935.

Harry Otto

Harry Otto lived for show business. The juggler and magician got his start as an aerialist in a circus before the twentieth century began. Later he was featured on vaudeville circuits performing his juggling act and his magic act. In 1953, he performed on the TV show “You Asked For It”, demonstrating his version of the Human Billiard Table Routine. As you can see below, he had quite a few problems performing the routine.

Harry Otto Grasselle died on August 21 at age 98.

Rob Murray

Rob Murray was born in 1909 in Australia. He was a popular comedy juggler who appeared on television many times. Below is his appearance on the Paul Daniels Show from 1981 that includes his comedic take on the human billiard table routine. Rob Murray passed away in 1984.

Sam Boyles

Sam Boyles created a version of the Human Billiard Table Routine that added ankle pockets. You can see a video of the routine below.

 

Charlie Frye 

Another modern juggler that has kept the routine alive is the very talented Charlie Frye. Check out his version below.

The Human Billiard Table Routine is well over a hundred years old and continues to interest jugglers around the world.