Lord of Ice and Master of Illusions Tom Jack (5 photos)

Albinos - people with limited or completely absent melanin pigment in their bodies look fascinating and even mystical.





And they take advantage of this feature. These days becoming models and actors. And in the past - artists of the original genre.



Karl Breu was born on January 10, 1884 in Dubiau (now North Bohemia in the Czech Republic). The boy was born with a severe form of albinism, a hypopigmented congenital disease characterized by the absence of melanin pigment in the eyes, skin and hair, which occurs in approximately 1 in 17,000 newborns.

The baby's albinism manifested itself in the form of snow-white skin, colorless hair and pink eyes. Carl, who looked like a ghost, shocked his father and mother, but his parents loved their son no less than his ordinary sister Laurie.





The family was quite happy, but the parents died when the children were still very young. They were separated. Karl ended up in Lenori in Sweden, Laurie was taken to Vienna.

Despite his appearance, and perhaps because of it, the boy was open, cheerful and sociable. In his circle of teenagers, the boy was considered a romantic and an artist with a passionate desire for adventure.

When a traveling circus arrived in the city, Karl, without hesitation, bought a ticket and ran to the tent. True, he spoiled the performance by parodying the ringmaster.

But he amused the respectable audience a lot with his artistry. Therefore, it is not surprising that after the performance the director of the troupe approached Karl and offered to work as a clown. And he was surprised by the answer: the ambitious boy said that he agreed. But he will work as an illusionist - no more, no less.

However, he quickly mastered the basic techniques thanks to perseverance and diligence. And in subsequent years, his talents only developed even more. Around this time, the star of Houdini rose, who became an idol for Karl. Breu began to diligently study the technique of escapism - disentanglement from ropes and chains.



Wally Paradise

Over the years, it is no longer possible to know what exactly - physical techniques or illusions - Breu's tricks were based on, but the public adored Tom Jack. The illusionist took this pseudonym for his performances. Genetic deviation, coupled with natural artistry, became a real magnet for Tom Jack, the owner of an icy face, attracting the interest of the public.

Although the Ice King did not gain world fame, he became famous and rich at home. He earned enough money not only to get married (his chosen one was an albino girl and part-time colleague Wally Paradise) and a house, but also to sponsor the construction of a memorial to the fallen in his hometown.

The couple had children. The son and daughter did not inherit their parents’ albinism and were quite ordinary in appearance.



The Ice King died in 1953, just short of his 70th birthday. Wally passed away a few years earlier. The fate of the children of the unusual couple remained unknown. But the surviving photos of the artist serve as clear evidence that a non-standard appearance can not only not worsen life, but improve it, giving the owner fame, prosperity and family happiness.