Sword-swallower Johnny Fox dies of cancer at age 64

NEW YORK (AP) — A sword-swallowing magician who presented his quirky art form to enthusiastic audiences around the world has died.

A close friend, Barbara Calvert, says Johnny Fox succumbed to cancer on Sunday in Maryland. He was 64.

Calvert says Fox died peacefully, with a smile, while surrounded by loved ones who gave him a standing ovation.

The president of the Maryland Renaissance Festival, Jules Smith, says Fox – though ill – performed there through October.

His haunts included New York, where he ran an oddity-filled museum called Freakatorium for 5½ years. He was also a beloved fixture in Brooklyn's Coney Island arts scene.

A celebration of his life will take place at a later date in Maryland.