Description: Canadian born Doug Henning (1947-2000) was a stage illusionist who revitalized the world of magic in the mid 1970s. A student of both Dai Vernon and Slydini, he started his magical career at the age of 14. After college, he developed a musical with a magic theme (Spellbound) with the assistance of college friends Ivan Reitman (later to direct Ghostbusters) and Howard Shore (later to compose the music for Lord of the Rings). That musical went to Broadway as The Magic Show and brought Henning international fame as its star. Henning's new wave brand of magic proved very popular, and he was given several TV magic specials as well as a number of successful road tours.
Description: Siegfried & Roy are a German-American duo of contemporary magicians and entertainers who became known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers. From 1990 until Roy's career-ending tiger injury on October 3, 2003, the duo formed Siegfried & Roy at the Mirage Resort and Casino, which was regarded as the most-visited show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Description: Ricky Jay (1948 - 2018) was born Richard Jay Potash and was an American stage magician, actor, and writer. He is considered one of the most knowledgeable and skilled sleight-of-hand experts in the United States. He is notable for his signature card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter. Jay was born in Brooklyn, New York to a middle class Jewish family. His grandfather, Max Katz, was a well-to-do certified public accountant and amateur magician who introduced Jay to the profession. At least two of his shows, Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants and On the Stem, were directed by David Mamet, who has also cast Jay in a number of his films. Jay appeared in productions by other directors.
Description: Born William Rakauskus, Will Rock (1907-1995), an electrical engineer, performed in "The Modern Monarch Of Magic Presents Thurston's Mysteries Of India" from 1938 through 1942. His family immigrated to the U.S from Lithuania, settling in Detroit. In the "Who's Who in Magic" column of the Sphinx (May, 1931), he stated he was born in No. Auburn, Massachusetts, although both his obituary in Genii and Leo Behnke's book "WILL ROCK PRESENTS..." states he was born in Lithuania and immigrated to the U.S. with his his family as a young boy. Rock decided to become a magician after seeing Eugene Laurant perform in 1920. He practiced magic for years until 1928 when he started touring, just as the Great Depression was starting.
Description: Alexander the Man Who Knows, was an American spiritual author, vaudeville magician who specialized in mentalism and psychic reading acts, dressed in Oriental style robes and a feathered turban, and often used a crystal ball as a prop. In addition to performing, he also worked privately for clients, giving readings. He was the author of several pitch books, New Thought pamphlets, and psychology books, as well as texts for stage performers. His stage name was "Alexander," and as an author he wrote under the name "C. Alexander."
Description: Alexander the Man Who Knows, was an American spiritual author, vaudeville magician who specialized in mentalism and psychic reading acts, dressed in Oriental style robes and a feathered turban, and often used a crystal ball as a prop. In addition to performing, he also worked privately for clients, giving readings. He was the author of several pitch books, New Thought pamphlets, and psychology books, as well as texts for stage performers. His stage name was "Alexander," and as an author he wrote under the name "C. Alexander."
Description: Canadian born Doug Henning (1947-2000) was a stage illusionist who revitalized the world of magic in the mid 1970s. A student of both Dai Vernon and Slydini, he started his magical career at the age of 14. After college, he developed a musical with a magic theme (Spellbound) with the assistance of college friends Ivan Reitman (later to direct Ghostbusters) and Howard Shore (later to compose the music for Lord of the Rings). That musical went to Broadway as The Magic Show and brought Henning international fame as its star. Henning's new wave brand of magic proved very popular, and he was given several TV magic specials as well as a number of successful road tours.
Description: Hypnosis is a light "trance"--a state somewhere between sleeping and waking. People in a hypnotic trance are typically very focused on one stimulus to the exclusion of others. People in a hypnotic trance are also somewhat suggestible, although they are by no means unable to control themselves and continue to bear full responsibility for their actions.
Description: Harry Bouton Blackstone was a famed stage magician and illusionist of the 20th century. Blackstone was born Harry Bouton in Chicago, Illinois. He began his career as a magician in his teens and was popular through World War II as a USO entertainer. He was often billed as The Great Blackstone.
Description: Mandrake the Magician was a syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk. Mandrake began publication on June 11, 1934. Phil Davis soon took over as the strip's illustrator, while Falk continued to script. The strip was distributed by King Features Syndicate. It was illustrated by Phil Davis (c. 1934–1964) and Fred Fredericks (1964–2013). Published by King Comics beginning in 1934. The comic ended 2013.
Description: Originally performing primarily in Vaudeville and at Coney Island, Al Flosso was noted among his peers for perfecting the "Miser's Dream" illusion of producing numerous coins out of thin air and dropping them with a loud clang into a bucket. Later, he appeared on a number of early TV shows, such as "The Ed Sullivan Show" where he was the first magician invited and appeared many times, and "The Steve Allen Show", among others. He also appeared in several films, including the 1931 Marx Brothers film "Monkey Business”. From 1939 - 1976 Flosso owned and operated Martinka & Co, in New York City, America's oldest magic company, once co-owned by Harry Houdini, also later known as the Flosso/Hornman Magic Co.
Description: Born Erich Weisz on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary, young Harry Houdini moved with his family to Appleton, Wisconsin, where he later claimed he was born. Fascinated with magic, he began performing and drew attention for his daring feats of escape. In 1893, he married Wilhelmina Rahner, who became his onstage partner as well. Houdini continued performing escape acts until his death, on October 31, 1926, in Detroit, Michigan.
Description: Ricky Jay (1948 - 2018) was born Richard Jay Potash and was an American stage magician, actor, and writer. He is considered one of the most knowledgeable and skilled sleight-of-hand experts in the United States. He is notable for his signature card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter. Jay was born in Brooklyn, New York to a middle class Jewish family. His grandfather, Max Katz, was a well-to-do certified public accountant and amateur magician who introduced Jay to the profession. At least two of his shows, Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants and On the Stem, were directed by David Mamet, who has also cast Jay in a number of his films. Jay appeared in productions by other directors.
Description: Born Erich Weisz on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary, young Harry Houdini moved with his family to Appleton, Wisconsin, where he later claimed he was born. Fascinated with magic, he began performing and drew attention for his daring feats of escape. In 1893, he married Wilhelmina Rahner, who became his onstage partner as well. Houdini continued performing escape acts until his death, on October 31, 1926, in Detroit, Michigan.
Description: Howard Thurston (July 20, 1869 - April 13, 1936) was a world famous stage magician from Columbus, Ohio. He had the largest traveling Vaudeville magic show for the time, requiring more than eight entire train cars to transport his props and equipment across the country. Besides being known for the large stage illusions in his Vaudeville show, Thurston was famous for his work with playing cards. He called himself the "King of Cards". One of his most famous effects was the "Rising Card". In 1908 he took over the Thurston-Kellar Show, following the retirement of Harry Kellar. He toured with Beatrice Foster whom he eventually married, but the marriage only lasted for four years. His brother Harry Thurston also achieved some prominence a
Description: Siegfried & Roy are a German-American duo of contemporary magicians and entertainers who became known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers. From 1990 until Roy's career-ending tiger injury on October 3, 2003, the duo formed Siegfried & Roy at the Mirage Resort and Casino, which was regarded as the most-visited show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Description: Joseph Dunninger (April 28, 1892- March 9, 1975) was born in New York, New York, known as "The Amazing Dunninger" was one of the most famous mentalists of his time. He was a pioneer performer of magic on radio and television. Dunninger began as a magician then later perfected the mind-reading act that made him famous. Among the people Dunninger preformed for were six Presidents, Thomas Edison and Pope Pius XII. Like his friend Houdini, Dunninger was a debunker of occult phenomena who modestly assessed his own skills as "Any three-year-old could do it .... with 30 years practice."
Description: Originally performing primarily in Vaudeville and at Coney Island, Al Flosso was noted among his peers for perfecting the "Miser's Dream" illusion of producing numerous coins out of thin air and dropping them with a loud clang into a bucket. Later, he appeared on a number of early TV shows, such as "The Ed Sullivan Show" where he was the first magician invited and appeared many times, and "The Steve Allen Show", among others. He also appeared in several films, including the 1931 Marx Brothers film "Monkey Business”. From 1939 - 1976 Flosso owned and operated Martinka & Co, in New York City, America's oldest magic company, once co-owned by Harry Houdini, also later known as the Flosso/Hornman Magic Co.
