Svengali

"Svengali" is also a: user

created by root
(person) by pingouin (4.4 y) (print)   (I like it!) Sat Nov 13 1999 at 14:24:02
I tip my hat to XX for the background info. In modern times, a svengali is someone who pulls strings - a maker of pop culture successes. Sometimes the puppets cut the strings, with mixed results. It's usually a pejorative, but it shouldn't be. Here's some pop svengali links, off the top of my head: Kim Fowley, Don Kirshner, Creed Taylor, Brian Epstein, New Edition, Andrew Loog Oldham... It was Gil Evans' favorite anagram.
(person) by Tem42 (13 hr) (print)   (I like it!) Sat Feb 19 2000 at 4:45:52
The maleficent hypnotist in the novel Trilby by George du Maurier.
Now used to describe someone who tries to persuade, manipulate, or force people to do his bidding for evil purposes.

See: Svengalian, Machiavellian.
Y'know, if you log in, you can write something here, or contact authors directly on the site. Create a New User if you don't already have an account.