Donald Theobald

Donald Gene Theobald

Known as ""T-Bone" The Worlds Greatest Magic Clown
Born August 18, 1928 in Flora, Illinois
Parents, the late Don and Wilma Theobald
Sister, the late Marilyn Conet,
His father was a water commissioner and mother was librarian

Don, loved the circus as a kid. He got his first magic kit at 10years old and never looked back. He started performing for church and groups by age 11.
At 21, married Wilma Creek and moved to Chicagoland area. He worked as a manager of the dime store Hornsby's and then worked with Wilma at a state mental hospital programming recreational programs for mentally ill. He then worked as a manager of The Treasure Chest which was a magic shop and arcade for years before he got a job as chief maintenance engineer at O'Hare airport where he worked full time for 27 years until he retired.

During his long career as T-Bone, he performed magic shows at various venues from The Bozo Show to the Auditorium Theater, state fairs, and at various parks throughout his lifetime. He had brought smiles to thousand of kids and brought out the child in every adult. His son Dale also had a puppet act and worked with him since he was 11 years old, setting up all the shows and being the puppeteer. They traveled all over with a huge 30 foot magic trailer etc. that T-Bone had custom built, housing a pull out magic puppet stage. He did all this while working full time raising five kids in Franklin Park. In 1963 they moved to Franklin Park and resided there until his retirement in 1989. After that moved to Monroe Center, Illinois.

T-Bone would perform shows at various parks every weekend in the summer and did many shows for birthdays, events, and holidays in the off season. T-Bone also worked as Santa Claus after performing his magic shows at the holidays. He also had a nightclub act in his early years and was known as Don Theobald "Death in the Electric chair".
Also, early in his career he worked as a stunt man and clown at Ohare Stadium.
After retirement from his engineer job, he performed as T-Bone until the age of 75. He also had a craft and woodworking business called D&W crafts with his wife, Wilma. Wilma would make craft items and Don created and made woodworking items that they sold every weekend at craft stores and malls in the Rockford area.

Don was a life long member of The Houdini Club of Wisconsin, Knights of Slights, International Brotherhood of Magicians, Wizards Club, Society of American Magicians. At various times in his life he was president of Knights of Slights, Society of American Magicians, and The Wizards Club.

Until the end he put smiles on everyone's face, sharing stories, handling out goodies and crafts, doing magic tricks and always entertaining people in some way.

Children Terry, Rick (Pam), Dale (Elaine), Denise (Julie Forbes) and the late Debbie.
Grandchildren Tony (Maribeth), (soon to be great grandpa to Evelyn) and Jennifer (Zack).

Don's greatest accomplishment was his ability to do so much in his long life while being a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather. He did it all!


For his final show he will be remembered on Sunday, Jan 28 at Sax-Tiedemann Funeral Home, Rose Lamb, Director. Visitation from 10:00am until time of service 11:00am. In lieu of flowers please donate to your favorite charity.