Moi-Yo Miller
Encyclopedia
Moi-Yo Miller was the stage name of Mona Loretta Miller (born 1914), an Australian who became the principal assistant to the stage magician Dante
.
Miller came originally from Geelong
, in the Australian state of Victoria
. She first met Dante
(aka Harry Jansen) while still in her late teens when she was appearing in a musical revue in Melbourne. Dante had decided to recruit an Australian girl as an assistant after, in his words, "he saw in Melbourne more beautiful women per square block than he had seen in any other part of the World". Miller dated Dante's son, Bill Jansen and went on to work with Dante, staying with him for the rest of his performing career. She very quickly became his main assistant and an integral part of his show Sim Sala Bim. She was often billed as "Australia's Most Beautiful Woman". She has estimated that she was sawed in half around 11,800 times during her career.
Miller became highly regarded among professional magic performers and is widely cited as one of the all-time great magic assistants. She features in the 2008 documentary movie Women in Boxes, which explores the vital role of assistants in magic. In 1993 she received the Dragon Award presented by the J. Marberger Stuart Foundation.
Harry August Jansen
Harry August Jansen , was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and settled in the United States. He traveled the world as a professional magician under the name Dante the Magician.-Biography:...
.
Miller came originally from Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
, in the Australian state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. She first met Dante
Harry August Jansen
Harry August Jansen , was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and settled in the United States. He traveled the world as a professional magician under the name Dante the Magician.-Biography:...
(aka Harry Jansen) while still in her late teens when she was appearing in a musical revue in Melbourne. Dante had decided to recruit an Australian girl as an assistant after, in his words, "he saw in Melbourne more beautiful women per square block than he had seen in any other part of the World". Miller dated Dante's son, Bill Jansen and went on to work with Dante, staying with him for the rest of his performing career. She very quickly became his main assistant and an integral part of his show Sim Sala Bim. She was often billed as "Australia's Most Beautiful Woman". She has estimated that she was sawed in half around 11,800 times during her career.
Miller became highly regarded among professional magic performers and is widely cited as one of the all-time great magic assistants. She features in the 2008 documentary movie Women in Boxes, which explores the vital role of assistants in magic. In 1993 she received the Dragon Award presented by the J. Marberger Stuart Foundation.