Fred Culpitt and his Creations

Fred Culpitt

Frederic Willis Culpitt was born in England on May 9th, 1877. He was one of the early magic comedians. Culpitt was also an incredible inventor and he gave the magic world some treasures. Though, I'm not sure 'gave' is the right word, as it seems clear that the magic world at large actually ripped these treasures off from Culpitt, and he never received a dime for any of the unauthorized props.

His interest in magic began at the age of eight and he continued to practice this craft up until he was of an age to take on full time employment. His parents had arranged a job for Fred in the British Govt, but he declined and went the route of conjurer. Culpitt presented an act with was made up card manipulations, scarf tricks and livestock effects. He also presented a comedy turn using chapeaugraphy.  He was very successful touring the Music Halls but shifted to becoming a Society Entertainer. He later became stage director at Maskelyne's St. Georges Hall theatre as well as a regular performer there.

He was a frequent contributor to The Magic Wand Quarterly and also wrote articles for The Linking Ring. Fred Culpitt died of a heart attack on October 8th, 1944.

Culpitt's Top 3 Creations

The Poster Trick, also known as The Bathing Beauty-A stage magic trick were a picture of a woman at the beach is seen wearing a robe. The poster is folded in half and the magi reaches inside and removes a fabric robe. The poster is unfolded and the image has changed to that of a woman wearing a bathing suit. The magician folds the poster in half again, and reaches inside and removes a fabric bathing suit just like the one in the picture. But this time, when the poster is opened the woman is seen to be in the water and only her head and shoulders are visible! Click here to watch a young David Copperfield doing a modern version of the effect.

The Silk To Egg Trick - This has become a modern classic. The quick version of the trick has the magician placing a handkerchief into his/her hand and changing it into an egg. Then he/she explains the egg was hollow and teaches the trick. Upon repeating, the handkerchief again vanishes but the egg is discovered to be real. Click here to watch Lance Burton presenting the Silk To Egg trick.

The Doll's House Illusion - Another modern classic of illusion magic. A small child's doll house is shown to be empty and a second later contains a full grown human being, a living doll!

The history of the doll house begins in the 1920s when it was first debut by Fred Culpitt. It borrowed it's methodology from an illusion created by Servais LeRoy called The Magic Jam. It was an astonishing illusion for the time and it became the hit of his act. Soon after it's appearance magicians started to copy Culpitt's illusion without his permission.

In 1927, the illusion came to America and it was being sold and produced by numerous companies, including Abbotts and Thayers. Jack Gwynne added it to his show and made a hit with it on this side of the Atlantic. He eventually created a new version of the trick with a different effect. It was called 'The Temple of AnGee' and was a sword basket type of effect done with a dolls house prop.

Don Rose created a version of the Doll's House that used a very different method and featured a much smaller house. Years later, Jim Steinmeyer would create a version based on the Don Rose Doll's House called The Magical Toy Shop. Doug Henning was the only one to my knowledge to ever present this effect. Below are a few photos of Doll's Houses that I've collected.

Thayer Doll House
This was built by Illusionartsmagic.com and it is from the early Thayer workshop plans. This is what some of the early versions of the Doll House Illusion looked like. I don't know how closely this resembles the original Culpitt Doll's House as I have never seen a photo of it.

The Thayer Doll's house sat upon a table and often had furniture and things inside that could be removed. Once the items inside are taken out, the door was closed and out popped a human being. In the Jack Gwynne version of the illusion, he recited the fairy tale "The House That Jack Built" and the conclusion of the effect his wife appeared wearing a hooped dress that fell out around the illusion as she stood up making the production look enormous!

Bill King Collection

Bill King was a collector from Maryland who had several cool looking Doll's House Illusions amongst his treasures. One of these is an Owen, I think, and the Haunted House looks like it might have been built using the Osborne Plans. Bill was a great guy, he passed away not too long ago.

 The Loomis Doll House

This is probably the best Doll House in modern times. It was designed by professional magician Dennis Loomis back in the 1970s. I remember asking my friend Denny Haney of Denny & Lee's Magic Studio years ago about where to find a good Doll's House and he said the only one you want is the Loomis Doll House. Well, I guess I listened because I own one. It's a wonderful illusion and I've had several people who are not magicians inquire about purchasing it.  It has some subtle properties that make it more deceptive than other Doll House Illusions. If you're in the market for one,  you can click the link on Dennis's name and purchase a DVD with blueprints and instructions on how to build one of your own.




The Temple of Benares

Originally called The Temple of AnGee, which was named for Jack Gwynne's wife Anne, The Temple of Benares used the Doll Houses shape and method and added slots cut in the roof and then swords. The box was decorated to look like some sort of temple.

The effect was not a production, but instead, someone climbed into the box, the doors were closed and swords were thrust through the holes in the box. Upon opening it, the audience could see all the swords still inside the box but the person had vanished. The doors were closed and the swords removed and the assistant returned unharmed.


The Don Rose Doll House

The Don Rose Doll House worked on a different principle than that of the Culpitt Doll House. It's method more resembled a Genii Tube or Phantom Tube.

This one in the photo is designed to pack totally flat, but I have seen some that are on raised platforms similar to the Culpitt Doll House.
In the photo the back doors can be seen open, the front however is not open in the photo. When performed the audience can see completely through the house.

Stanyon & Houdini

I was reading Stanyon’s Magic recently, Volume 1 Issue #4. If you’re not familiar with Stanyon’s Magic it was actually called MAGIC edited by Ellis Stanyon and underneath the masthead it read “The only paper in the British Empire devoted solely to the interests of Magicians, Jugglers, Hand Shadowists, Ventriloquists, Lightning Cartoonists and Specialty Entertainers”. It ran from 1900-1914 and then again from 1919-1920. There were a total of 177 issues.

Born in England in 1870, William Ellis Stanyon was a full time magician and magic dealer. He began publishing 'Stanyon's Serials' in 1899 which eventually morphed into MAGIC. His periodical was 8 pages per issue and contained, news, tricks, reviews and gossip, as well as advertisements. Occasionally other people would write articles for the paper, such as Henry Ridgely Evans and Arthur Margery.

Houdini was featured on the cover of Issue #4 in January of 1901. He was appearing at the Alhambra and presenting his Handcuff Act. Stanyon goes on to say that the handcuff trick was a favorite of magicians and spirit mediums for many years, and then describes the method of a standard pair of handcuffs and a duplicate key.

Then he begins to talk of Houdini and how he had taken this act to places unknown. He goes on to brag how Houdini accepts all challenges and will attempt to escape from multiple cuffs, rather than just a single pair. He makes note of a ‘new’ addition to Houdini’s act, what we know of today as the ‘Ghost House’ which was the small three sided curtained cabinet that surrounded Houdini while he did some of his escapes. He describes one escape by Houdini where he had handcuffs placed on his wrists behind his back and then he crouched down inside the cabinet, facing the audience, he was out in seconds.

The final few paragraphs in the article were about Houdini’s box trick which Houdini called The Metamorphosis, and is known today as the Substitution Trunk. Houdini would borrow a jacket from a spectator and place it on before he had his hands tied behind his back. Then he’d climb into the cloth bag, which was tied and the knots were sealed and then the lid of the trunk was closed, locked and ropes tied around the box. Bess stands at the opening of the curtain and says “I will step into the cabinet and clap my hands three times-then notice the effect.” Instantly, Houdini bursts through the curtain and Bess is found inside the box, inside the bag wearing the borrowed jacket with her hands tied behind her back.

In Patrick Culliton’s fantastic book HOUDINI The Key, on page 45, there is a quote by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who witnessed Houdini and Bess present the Metamorphosis and he even loaned his jacket to the couple for the effect. Doyle goes on to stay “Houdini is the greatest conjurer in the world and this is his greatest trick.”

A lot of detail in the Houdini Sub-trunk routine has been overlooked today. Houdini was the handcuff king, yet he did not use handcuffs during the Sub-trunk, instead he had his wrists tied with ropes. After-all, the audience would have seen him escape from countless cuffs, he had to make this different. The use of the borrowed jacket is something that other performers have used, but it’s not seen much today, if at all, yet it’s a brilliant addition. It makes the effect more personal because that borrowed object experiences the magic along with the artists. First it’s on Houdini and instantly it’s on his wife, at least this is how it appears to the audience. It can’t be a gimmicked or prepared jacket because it was borrowed, and often from a famous person.

The ropes that are tied around the outside of the box add another impossible element. Even if Houdini could somehow get free of the tied wrists, the tied bag, there is no way he could get out of the trunk because not only is it locked, but it’s wrapped up with rope which he cannot reach! Yet in 3-5 seconds, Houdini appeared and Bess was somehow mysteriously inside the box.

It’s one of the greatest effects in magic. It’s also one of the most copied. For those who say, Houdini was not a good magician, I point to his presentation of the substitution trunk. It was incredible in his era and it still lives on in the acts of magicians today.

Now if I might go back to Ellis Stanyon for a moment. Stanyon bragged about Houdini’s clever twist on the escape act and his box trick in his periodical in 1901. In October of 1901 an advertisement appeared in MAGIC for 'The Great Handcuff Release'. According to Houdini-The Key, Houdini and Staynon were initially working together to produce a manuscript exposing handcuff escape methods but the partnership turned sour. Then in 1902 he announced to his readers that for subscribers only he would feature in the May issue 'The Great Handcuff Release'.  The article was apparently written by Houdini and the exact same article also appeared in MAHATMA Magazine in the U.S.  as well. 

In October of 1903, Stanyon offered more material from Houdini’s act. Under the title, “Original Lessons in Magic-ILLUSION- Metempsychosis Double-Extraordinary” , this was a detailed set of instructions on how to perform the sub trunk. There was no mention of Houdini in either the handcuff expose article or the ‘original lesson’ on the sub trunk. However, the advertisement for 'The Great Handcuff Release' did mention Houdini's name. Houdini called his version of the Sub-Trunk The Metamorphosis, Stanyon referred to this version as Metempsychosis. The exact wording that Bess Houdini used when presenting the Sub-trunk can also be found within the description of the trick by Stanyon.

Stanyon did change things slightly. His instructions have the trunk with the artist inside, being picked up and placed inside of a second box and locked and sealed. So there was a slight change to the routine, but otherwise it is the exact routine as presented by Harry and Bess Houdini. Incidentally, Houdini never appeared on the cover of Stanyon’s MAGIC ever again. But he was mentioned. In fact, in February 1909, Stanyon reveals his thoughts on how the Houdini Milk Can works. He does finish the column by saying 'The method is my own explanation, not necessarily the method employed by Houdini'.

As for William Ellis Stanyon, he far outlived Houdini. His magazine continued until 1920 and he himself lived until 1951. His son Cyril took over the magic business, known as 'The House of Magic,  though I'm not sure how long it continued afterwards. Today the original MAGIC lives on as a valuable resource for magic historians.

Rare Houdini Picture

I don't recall seeing these photos before. They are not super rare, as in unseen, but certainly not some of the more popular images. Above is Bess, Houdini and Kellar in California. Below is another image of Houdini outside of Kellar's house in California.

The Miraculous Coin Casket

Illustration from Modern Magic

Professor Hoffman's book Modern Magic describes a wonderful little device called The Miraculous Coin Casket. This device holds four coins and each time the lid on the box is opened and then closed again one of the coins vanish. This can be repeated until all four coins are gone.

A recent eBay search showed one of these babies for sale for the modest price of $2500.00. However, quality modern reproductions that can had for a little less than that. I'm not really sure of the origin of the prop. The video below is Joe Stevens and he is demonstrating the Otto Mauer Coin Casket. Otto Mauer was a NY Magic Dealer. I don't know who the inventor of the prop was. The ebay auction shows a Coin Casket from a magic dealer called BLAND. So apparently it was being produced by more than one magic company.

(SPOILER ALERT-The secret to this trick is revealed in the video, so if you prefer NOT knowing the secret, don't watch. This is magic from the 1800s so it's not likely to harm a modern magicians act by revealing the secret)

Watch the first video you'll get to see the vintage Otto Mauer prop in action, you'll also get to see the inner workings of this incredible piece of Victorian Era craftsmanship. The second video below shows a modern recreation by Richbark Custom Magic. They show the workings first, but if you stay with the video you'll see their version in action as well. I should not the inner workings are different between the two boxes even though the end result is the same.

The Man With X-Ray Eyes-Kuda Bux

When I was just a young teen trying to learn everything I could about magic, I came across a fellow named Kuda Bux on TV. At the time he was an elderly gentleman with a full head of white hair. He wasn't going to do an illusion or an escape or manipulation. He wasn't going to read minds or do card tricks either. He claimed he could see without the use of his eyes and he would demonstrate his unique ability. I had seen magicians do tricks with blindfolds, so I was sure what I was about to see was nothing more than yet another blindfold trick. He began by handing two large clumps of dough (flour and water) to a committee on stage and instructing them to put the dough over his eyes and push it deep into his eyes to prevent his eye sight. Then he handed two very large piece of medical gauze, about an inch thick and those too were placed over his eyes. Next his head was wrapped in bandages and after that cloth bands were wrapped over his head in every conceivable direction.

Kuda Bux then instructed his on stage volunteers to write things on a chalk board and he would duplicate anything they wrote or drew. True to his word, he did just that. With his face and head covered he duplicated everything they wrote. It was amazing all by itself. But sometime later I had learned that Kuda Bux was legally blind at the time of the performance and that made it even more incredible.

Kuda Bux was born Khudah Bukhsh in Kashmir Pakistan in February 17th 1905. He began his career in the mystic arts as a conjurer doing the same kinds of tricks we are all used to, linking rings, cards tricks that kind of stuff. But he always had an appetite for real magic which led him into studying yoga. Noted historian John Booth writes in his book "Psychic Paradoxes" that Kuda Bux first started doing the blindfold act as early as 1919. He also mentions that early in his career Kuda Bux billed himself as Professor K. B. Duke. Later he went by the name we know him by, Kuda Bux and added 'The Kashmir Mystic' as his title.

Kuda's fame seemed to rise in the 1930's following a highly publicized 'fire walking' stunt in front of the University of London Council for Physical Research. He repeated the same stunt in NYC in the location of where the Rockefeller Center now stands. His fame continued to grow and his moniker changed to 'The Man With X-Ray Eyes'. In March of 1950, CBS Television debuted a show called "Kuda Bux, Hindu Mystic".

In William Rauscher's book 'The Mind Readers', he relates a story that appeared in Argosy Magazine, July 1952 and was written by author Roald Dahl. The short version of the story is that Kuda and Dahl were discussing his X-Ray eyes and he was asked if he could see through steel. Kuda Bux said no, because he had to be touching the object in order to really see it. So a test was devised where a book was held behind a door, Kuda put his arm through the door, held his hand above the book and within a few moments began to read from the book even though it was completely out of his site!

Later in life, Kuda settled down in Hollywood California and was known for regularly visiting the Magic Castle. It's interesting to note that even though Kuda Bux performed regular magic, and even an illusion show at one time in his career, his blindfold act fooled many magicians to the point they weren't sure if it was a trick or if he could really see without his eyes.  He died in Hollywood on Feb 5th, 1981, just a few days short of his 76th birthday.

Kellar's Sunken Treasure

I've always been intrigued with the story from Harry Kellar's life where he lost all his props in a shipwreck. It's an exciting story and a tragic one and frankly a turning point for Harry Kellar. I had read the account in KELLARS WONDERS by Mike Caveney and Bill Miesel, and the story is also found in the new book THE AMAZING HARRY KELLAR GREAT AMERICAN MAGICIAN by Gail Jarrow. But upon digging, I've discovered some of the details are incorrect.

The shipwreck happened on the evening of Friday August 13th, 1875, not the 18th as listed in the KELLARS WONDERS book. According to the various magic history accounts I've read the ship hit rocks near the Island of Ushant in the Bay of Biscay. This was the region of the shipwreck, but I've discovered some more specifics which give a better idea of exactly where the ship ran ground. First however, let me share with you a little back story that leads up to the shipwreck.

TIME LEADING UP TO SHIPWRECK

After leaving the employment of the Davenport Brothers, William Fay and Harry Kellar joined forces in the Spring of 1873 and began to tour the United States. Calling themselves Fay & Kellar, probably because William Fay was older than Harry and it was a case of age before beauty. Harry Kellar would do the act that he learned while working with the Fakir of Ava and then the conclusion of the show would be a recreation of The Davenport Cabinet, or what is known today as The Spirit Cabinet. The act apparently was not an immediate success as lack of money left them occasionally stranded.

Their luck would change however. Kellar secured some dates for them in Cuba. At the Albisu Theatre in Havana it was said they made over $3000 during their first night on stage. Success continued for them on their tour of Cuba. From there the two went to Mexico and again met with great success. To cut down on their travel expenses they hit upon the novel idea of leaving the Spirit Cabinet behind in each city they played and simply had a new one built when they got to their next destination. Back in this time, the Spirit Cabinet was just that, a very large wooden cabinet. There was nothing faked or gimmicked about it so having the locals build a new one was easy.

Royal Mail Steamship Boyne

From Mexico they sailed on to South America and toured all over the country. The tour of South America was successful with the exception of a couple weeks in December 1874. By July 1875, the South American tour was complete and Fay and Kellar got on board a steamship called the BOYNE and set sail for London. They had smooth sailing across the Atlantic Ocean and made it safely to Lisbon, Portugal.

On Wednesday August 11th, the steamship Boyne set sail from Lisbon for London and there were no problems with the weather until Friday morning when a thick fog set in. At this point they plotted a course which would take them 15 miles west off the coast of Ushant Island. They checked the depth of the sea at 5pm and it was 450 ft deep. Another reading was to be taken at 7:15pm when the forward lookout alerted the captain that rocks were spotted. This information comes from a book called "The Shipwrecked Mariner" dated 1875. The book says "Captain Macauley, who was on the bridge, immediately ordered the engines to be stopped and the helm put hard aport." However, the ship hit the rocks right off the coast of the Island of Molene.


The captain commanded that the lifeboats be lowered and safely got passengers and crew into the boats in a orderly fashion. The book says that this happened 'without confusion'. The lifeboats full with passengers and crew were taken to the Island of Molene. Once the passengers were safe on the island, the captain actually returned and stayed with his ship. The next morning, Saturday August 14th, the ships crew returned via the lifeboats to the Boyne in an effort to salvage what they could.
A few bags belonging to passengers were recovered but most were lost. The Shipwrecked Mariner states that within an hour of hitting the rocks the water level was over the deck and that divers discovered the rocks completely penetrated the bottom of the ship. The Boyne was finished and so were the hopes that Fay & Kellar would be able to retrieve their show equipment and valuables.

TREASURE

According to Harry Kellar's book A Magicians Tour "he had  two chests of curios from Mexico and South America, including stuffed birds, images, a Mexican Saddle mounted with solid silver, a Mexican suit that cost $500, and specimens of the gold and silver currency of every country he had visited. He also had about $8000 worth of cut and uncut Brazilian diamonds". The estimated loss amounted to around twenty-five thousand dollars. Given that this baggage has been underwater for 137 years, I wouldn't think that the clothes or much of the curios would still be recoverable. However, gold and silver coins and diamonds, you bet!

If the diamonds alone were worth $8,000 back then, they'd be worth over $100,000.00 today. 

I would have to say that the drawing of the shipwrecked Boyne, along with the knowledge that the ships final resting place was off the coast of the Island of Molene gives a pretty good description where the shipwreck remains. Unfortunately for me, I'm not a diver. But if you find it due to my help, I'll happily accept a finders fee :)   

UPDATE
It would appear (see comment by Joseph P below) that some of the gold and diamonds had been found by the crew during salvage efforts. One of the articles states the crew was helping themselves and when they were discovered, they tossed the items back into the sea. The men were arrested.
Another attempt to bring up the valuables was attempted but it produced nothing. According to the article in the Otaga Daily Times, Oct 26th 1875, it was believed the treasure had either been secretly removed or sunk so deeply into the sand as to be near impossible to find.
So it appears that Kellar's treasure was either pilfered by the crew or probably lost forever. 

References
Besides the Kellar books mentioned in the article, I also used 'The Shipwrecked Mariner' page 232.
And a large section of this blog article was taken from a previous blog article I wrote on William Fay.

New HARRY KELLAR Book

It seems that every month there is a new book about Harry Houdini, but it's pretty rare to see a book for the general public on any other magician. Recently, Jim Steinmeyer put out an excellent book for the public on Howard Thurston. Now there is a brand new book called The Amazing Harry Kellar Great American Magician by author Gail Jarrow.

This book is published by Calkins Creek/Boyds Mill Press and is a great book about the first really famous American magician. It's really more a biographical picture book but it has plenty of story to go with it. The book is 96 pages and is filled with 27 full color photos of Kellar's posters, as well as many other b/w images of Harry Kellar and other famous magicians of the time. The book contains all the major stories from Kellar's life, like the drug store explosion from his youth, the ship wreck where he lost all his props, and the passing of the mantel of magic to Howard Thurston. The book does not gloss over the way Kellar obtained many of his illusions and automatons. Ms. Jarrow does a fine job showing just who Mr. Kellar was and why he was an important figure in show business and magic history.

The book came about because Lisa and Rich Gensheimer introduced Ms. Jarrow to the world of Harry Kellar. Lisa and Rich are film makers who are working on a documentary film about Harry Kellar called "American Mystic: The Magical Life of Harry Kellar" which is due to come out very soon. Mike Caveney and Bill Miesel, the authors of the almost 600 page book KELLARS WONDERS, were involved in the project as well.

To me it's exciting that young readers will get to learn about another character from the world of magic besides Houdini. And don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled with every book on Houdini that comes out. But Kellar is among my top 5 favorite magicians and his story deserves to be told. There just aren't a lot of books out there on Harry Kellar. Besides the two mentioned in this article, the only other book on Kellar I can think of is the one that Kellar wrote, A Magician's Tour, which was redone twice, once by Magico and then again by Phil Temple & Robert Olsen. On a personal note, I'm thrilled with The Amazing Harry Kellar Great American Magician because I will add it to the list of books I cover in my educational reading programs for schools.

The Amazing Harry Kellar Great American Magician is a fantastic book for young readers, adults, and especially magicians. It would certainly make a great gift for anyone interested in magic or interested in the history of the theatre or entertainment. Hey and for the Dad into magic, a great Father's Day Gift!

The book retails for $17.95 and is available through Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble stores.

The Magic Detective is HERE

I finally made the leap to changing the address of this blog. The new address is www.themagicdetective.com. The old address deancarnegie.blogspot.com will continue to work for a while and for all I know it may continue to work forever. But it's much easier to remember themagicdetective.com

I'm considering holding a Trivia Contest for the Summer. Details will be posted shortly.

Imitation Is The Sincerest Form of Flattery-Magic Style

In today's magic world we have enormous amounts of imitation, which is often more akin to theft and copying than imitation. One recent example was the fellow who stole Piff The Magic Dragon's act and presented it on TV as if it were his own. I've also seen a video on Youtube of a fellow performing Lance Burton's Dove Act copying every detail down to the costume and music. This stuff sadly has been going on forever and happens in other areas of entertainment as well. It's one thing to be inspired by another performer, it's another to steal their act. If the originator has passed on then it's a different issue. Though unless one is presenting a tribute act, it's probably best to still change the act somewhat. I thought I'd share some examples from a bygone era to show how far back this goes.

The Pastry Chef of the Palais Royal

We'll start with Robert Houdin the great french magician. Many performers ripped off the routines of Robert-Houdin. But if you read Harry Houdini's book "The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin" you'd think that everything Robert-Houdin did was stolen also. I find this book to have some interesting historical facts, but I don't always agree with Houdini's conclusions. There is a wonderful routine called The Pastry Chef of the Palais Royal which Robert-Houdin presented. In his routine, a miniature model of a bakery sits upon a table. It appears to be mechanical in nature, as Robert-Houdin must wind it up in the manner of a music box. Out comes a pastry chef holding a tray to take the order. The magician tells the chef what an audience member has selected off a menu of pastries, and the chef turns and goes back inside. The audience can see other mechanical men rolling the pastries and working in the kitchen. A few moments later the mechanical chef figure comes back out with the exact item the person from the audience requested. A marvel of the time. But was it original?

Ernest Basch

If we are to believe Houdini, no way was it original. In fact, Houdini does a fine job of proving that a routine of this nature existed before Robert-Houdin. In his book he says "the trick appears first, not as a confectioners shop with small figures at work, but as a fruitery, then again as a Dutch Coffee house, then as a Russian Inn, from which ten sorts of liquor were served. Finally in 1823, it is featured under the name that made it famous, The Confectioners Shop." So the effect did seem to exist prior to Robert-Houdin. But I tend to think Robert-Houdin was presenting his version of an already existing routine.

The image on the right is that of french magician Ernest Basch, and he is standing near what he claimed was Robert-Houdin's original Pastry Chef automaton. However, if you look at the picture above, you'll see it is clearly not the same. This black and white image was from Houdini's book. It does show that there were other automaton's of this nature out there and it also shows that Robert-Houdin's actual automaton was different. So I think this was more a case of imitation not theft.


Now let's look at William Henry Palmer. He first saw Robert-Houdin perform in London and became interested in magic. When he decided to perform magic himself he changed his name to Robert Heller. It's said that he chose the name 'Robert' from Robert-Houdin, the name Heller from pianist Stephan Heller. Ok, he was inspired by Robert-Houdin, but read on.

Robert Heller took his imitation a step further and even performed with a french accent initially.  There is no denying he copied Robert-Houdin's act. In the book 'The Annals of Conjuring' by Sidney W. Clarke, there is a list of 15 routines presented by Heller and the exact same 15 in the same order presented by Robert-Houdin. Heller did give the routines 'slightly' different names, as if that made a difference. Worse yet, he claimed to have created the magic in his show. This bit of bragging was common among many magicians.  Eventually Heller dropped the accent and found his own style.  He met with real success  when he stopped trying to be Houdin and instead performed as HELLER.

John Henry Anderson, The Great Wizard of the North, claimed to have invented a trick that he called "Suspension Chloroforeene" which was amazingly similar to Robert-Houdin's invention called "The Ethereal Suspension".  In the Houdin version, his son was placed between upright walking sticks and a bottle of ether was held below his nose briefly. Backstage, an assistant with a hand held fan made sure the smell of ether made it's way into the audience as well so as to increase the theatricality of the effect. The boy passed out from the ether and apparently became as light as a feather. To prove this, Robert-Houdin removed one of the walking sticks and lifted his son up and showed that he could actually rest easily upon the other. In the John Henry Anderson routine, Chloroform was used instead of ether, other than that the routine was exactly the same.

Anderson, also presented the Magic Scrapbook, known as the Artist's Portfolio in Houdin's act and the Second Sight routine, which went by the same name in Robert-Houdin's show.

Let's take a look at Harry Kellar.  Notice the side by side photos below. Robert Heller is on the left and a young Harry Kellar is on the right. They look very much alike. Today we most often think of Kellar as the older, clean shaven, balding gentleman, but in his younger days he sported a rather large mustache. As best I can tell, he shaved it off around 1894 because the first Kellar posters without the mustache appeared that year. I wondered if he wore this mustache to look more like Heller. However, I think it was more the fashion of the time.

Robert Heller (left) Harry Kellar (right)

Though the two gentleman do look very much alike, Kellar actually tried to distance himself from Robert Heller. Harry's last name was actually spelled KELLER, but he altered the spelling because it looked too much like HELLER.  His act was fairly different from that of Robert Heller with the exception of the spirit manifestations that many performers of the day were doing. Harry Kellar had worked for the Davenport Brothers, the creator of the Spirit Cabinet act and he left their employment somewhat disgruntled. Upon his exit he took with him another Davenport employee, William Fay. Kellar and Fay teamed up and began to present their version of the Spirit Cabinet.

Harry Kellar did get something from Robert Heller though, but it was after Heller had died. When Robert Heller presented his Second Sight Act it was always with his 'so-called' sister Ms. Haidee Heller. Well, now that Robert Heller had passed on, Haidee, who was no relation, was off presenting the act with a new partner. In 1880, Kellar met her while he was working in Scotland and hired her and her partner to present their act in his show. A few years later, Kellar and his wife Eva began presenting a Second Sight Act. I wonder where he learned that from?

Kellar's most frequent target was John Nevil Maskylene of Egyptian Hall Fame. In fact, it was at Egyptian Hall that Kellar saw Dekolta present his Vanishing Bird Cage Trick. Kellar purchased a copy of the cage from a relative of DeKolta's, though apparently DeKolta himself was unaware of this transaction. A somewhat shady deal.

Maskelyne & PSYCHO

A short time later Kellar hired a mechanic to make a copy of John Nevil Maskelyene's popular  automaton PSYCHO. Kellar even called his version PSYCHO as well, though when he played England, he changed the name temporarily to Arno. Kellar continued to go back to the 'Maskelyne Magic Well' and steal not just automaton but illusions as well. At one point he tried to get permission to do Maskelyne's new Floating Lady illusion. When Maskelyne turned him down, Kellar figured out another way of getting the illusion. He offered a job to Paul Valadon, who had been working at Egyptian Hall. Paul moved to America to become part of Kellar's show.  Together, Valadon and Kellar would build a version of the Maskelyne levitation. Theirs was actually an improvement over the original levitation because it was portable. Maskelyne's original was not made to travel.

It just goes to show, if you've got a popular trick, act or persona, there are people out there who will copy it. I mentioned at the start that this sort of thing happens in other forms of entertainment as well. Comedians are a great example. There are some performers who have no problem with stealing jokes and routines from other comedians. Carlos Mencia and Dane Cook have both been accused of stealing jokes and routines. I've noticed in the movie industry sometimes very similar  projects  come out from competing studios. An example would be the movie Tombstone and then Wyatt Earp. Same story basically, same characters, two different studios. When the movie Capote came out, it was followed quickly by a movie called Infamous, which was the same story about author Truman Capote. Very recently, the movie Battleship came out at the box office and an oddly similar movie which at first had the title American Battleships appeared on the Syfy Channel. The producers of Battleship sued the producers of the other movie over the title so the second movies title was changed to American Warships. So call it what you will, copying, imitation or whatever, it existed 100 years ago and is still going strong today.

Mayer Samuel Weiss's Bible

Here's an interesting picture I found through the Library of Congress. It's an image from the opening pages of the bible that was owned by Houdini's father, Dr. Mayer Samuel Weiss. Houdini has his bookplate on the far left hand side, and I believe the hand writing in the book is probably Houdini's as well.

But the most interesting thing to me is the actual business card belonging to his father which has been inserted into the book. The address 227 E 75th Street NYC NY is shown below. However, the building they lived in is long gone and today the place where their home was is a group a tennis and recreational courts.

If you'd like to read a more extensive blog on Houdini's Father, you must go to the HoudiniFile

WILD ABOUT HARRY: REPORT: Houdini haunts The 43rd Magic Collectors W...

John Cox from Wild About Houdini, attended and lectured at this years Magic Collectors Association Weekend in Chicago. I wish I could have been there. After reading his review of the events, I REALLY WISH I HAD BEEN THERE!!!! Houdini was a big deal at the event and as usual, he was making news!


WILD ABOUT HARRY: REPORT: Houdini haunts The 43rd Magic Collectors W...: Click here to see cover #2 Last week I had the extreme pleasure of attending Magicana 's 43rd Magic Collectors Weekend in Chicago, which...

Rasputin & Houdini

Grigori Rasputin

 In the 20th Century, it would be difficult to find two more mysterious people than Rasputin and Houdini. At first glance, one might think they have little in common, but actually they have more than you might realize. For example: they were both born in the late 1800s, they both were accused of having supernatural powers, they both did seemingly super human feats, they both were known personally by the Russian Royal Family, and the events of their deaths are both mysterious and unusual.

Grigori Rasputin was born on Jan 22, 1869 in a small village in Siberia. Later in life he would become an Russian Orthodox Monk. He had a reputation as a mystic and a healer and picked up the nickname of The Mad Monk because of his unusual ways.

It seems Rasputin and Houdini arrived in Saint Petersburg at roughly the same time 1903. Houdini was in Russia to perform and was a hit in Moscow at the prestigious Yar Restaurant and also other theatres and establishments around Moscow. Houdini was so popular in Russia that the Czar Nicholas sent for him.

Apparently the Russian Royalty had a fascination with mystics and the occult and though Houdini claimed that his feats were all done by legitimate means, he was a wonder worker and it would be easy for superstitious people to attribute unworldly powers to Houdini.

Houdini in Russia

In an Associated Press story which appeared several months after Houdini's death, it was revealed that Houdini had been asked to be a spiritual adviser to Czar Nicholas, but he refused because he was Jewish and much of Russia, especially Moscow at the time, was very anti-Semitic. The article goes on to say that Houdini again received a request from the Czar after he had left Russia to be the spiritual adviser and Houdini again turned him down. Then a third request was made and again a third refusal from Houdini. This role of spiritual adviser later went to Grigori Rasputin.

In Houdini His Life and Art by James Randi and Burt Sugar, the same 'spiritual adviser incident' is mentioned except in this version of the story, Houdini says wine was served at an elaborate ceremony and Houdini being a teetotaler, declined to drink. This was an insult and he lost favor with the Romanovs. This version of the story is repeated in the Ruth Brandon book on Houdini.

Is it a true story or just Houdini fiction? It's hard to say. The research I've done on the Romanov's shows that they were indeed very superstitious and did hire people they thought were mystics and prophets, which more often than not were just crazy people. Tsarina Alexandra had heard of Rasputin's ability to heal. Her son Alexei was sick with hemophilia and doctors had been unable to bring any relief to the boy. Rasputin seemed to heal the boy or at least ease his pain and so his esteem within the Royal Family grew.

In time however, things turned sour for Rasputin. People within and outside the Royal Family felt he was abusing his role and leading the royals down a dangerous path. On top of that he had a reputation for alcohol and women which did not seem to add up for someone who claimed to be a holy man.

In June of 1914, Rasputin was attacked by a former prostitute. She stabbed Rasputin in the gut and as his entrails burst forth from his body she screamed "I have killed the anti-Christ".  Except, Rasputin didn't die. He was operated on and he lived.

Then in December of 1916, another attempt on Rasputin's life took place. First he was poisoned, but he didn't die. Then he was shot several times and didn't die. Then apparently he was beaten and then tied up inside of a carpet and thrown into  Neva River.  Somehow, he escaped from the confines but was unable to make it out of the icy river. An autopsy showed he had not drowned, so perhaps the multiple gun shot wounds along with the severe beating and the poison finally got him.

When I read of Rasputin's death, I couldn't help but think of Houdini. Many people think he died inside the Water Torture Cell, mainly due to the Tony Curtis movie on Houdini which ended that way. We know a punch to the stomach in Montreal had something to do with it. But some speculate that perhaps the punch had been a murder attempt by angry spiritualists. There is much debate about a punch being able to cause an appendix to burst. And if I'm correct, did not the authors of Houdini-The Making of America's First Superhero make the claim that Houdini might have been poisoned!? Regardless of the what, why or how, Houdini's death is as strange as that of Rasputin.

Houdini only made one tour of Russia in 1903. He never again returned. The Silverman book on Houdini says "Houdini left Russia with a feeling of relief and liberation, looking back on the country as "some sort of mild prison" from which he had "managed to escape". These must be Houdini's words as the same sentiment is in other biographies as well.

Politics, Magic and a Wooden Chest

Imagine for a moment that President Barack Obama decides the only way to solve the crisis in Afghanistan is to send David Copperfield there to put on a show and demonstrate that American Magic is stronger than anything the Taliban have to offer. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Especially given the political climate today with the NSA, IRS, and Secret Service prostitution scandal and all the other various scandals. Frivolous spending is being scrutinized by politicians and the public alike.

But in 1856, this is essentially what happened. Not with the US, but with France. The French Government called upon recently retired magician, Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, to travel to the country of Algeria. The government of France was trying to prevent a conflict between themselves and a religious sect called the Marabouts. These Marabouts were thought of as wonder workers and were trying to influence the local Arab tribes to break from France. So the French Government thought, 'why not send Robert-Houdin down there and show them that our magic is far superior to anything the marabouts have to offer'.

Again, think about that. Imagine this conversation, "Hey Penn & Teller, would you mind going to Syria and doing your Bullet Catch to help calm the hostilities there?"  That is basically what Robert-Houdin was asked to do. Crazy, wild, wacky? Yes, but read on...

Don't think that Robert-Houdin only met with the Marabouts either. He went straight to the theatre and put on his show! All the typical magic that he was famous for, but with one unusual addition. He walked to the front of the stage and made the bold claim that he would remove the strength from any warrior present. He asked for a volunteer and he quickly got a male from the audience. Robert-Houdin requested the young man to lift a small wooden chest that was on the floor. With very little effort, the Algerian man raised the wooden box off the ground.

Now, Robert-Houdin proclaimed he would rob the man of his strength. He asked the man to once again lift the box. But this time, the man struggles, he even falls to his knees and screams out. Then he let go of the wooden box and runs off the stage and out the theatre. I can just imagine the pandemonium that must have broke out following this. Needless to say, 'Conflict Averted'.

A wonderful story. Somewhat hard to believe but apparently true. If it happened today, the media would be having a field day with this, and not in a good way. But in 1856, it was a huge victory for the French Govt. Robert-Houdin was a hero, but rather than bask in his celebrity, he returned to retirement to work on scientific inventions and experiments with electricity.

Amazingly, the wooden box, which Robert-Houdin called his "Light & Heavy Chest" still survives. Today it is in the collection of Ken Klosterman and his Salon De Magie. It is a remarkable piece of history and unbelievably it still works today. Though I believe that Ken had it refurbished and tweaked the method slightly. But the fact that it remains is incredible. The "Light & Heavy Chest" has made appearances on a number of TV Specials about Magic History and appeared at more than a couple magic conventions as well. It's basically one of those pieces that has become legendary. Below is a photo of the wonderfully preserved Robert-Houdin Light & Heavy Chest. I would imagine it's the crown jewel in Ken's collection and he knows all about the history of the chest and who owned it after Robert-Houdin and he loves to share the tale of how it arrived in the Salon De Magie!

As I mentioned in a previous blog, Ken Klosterman is writing a monthly column in M-U-M Magazine (which you get as a member of the Society of American Magicians). He'll be featuring different pieces from his extensive collection. Please check it out because it is sure to be great.

New Houdini Family Photos Discovered

I never know what exciting things the day is going to bring. Today was an exceptional surprise. This morning I received an email from one of my readers about a discovery he made of some Houdini Glass Plate Negatives. He had one of Houdini smiling which is pictured above. He purchased these about a year ago at a flea-market!

But it's the second image that is the incredible one. He believes that the image below is of Cecilia Weiss. Jeff from JB Auction House, who is the finder of the plates, pointed out that the photos we have of Cecelia are mostly from 1900-1908. However, Cecilia died five years later, so it's possible this is her. (SEE UPDATES BELOW)

The Mystery Photo

I'm also posting this image of Cecilia with some of her known photos so you can compare for yourselves. Now, if it is NOT Cecilia, then my best guess is it is Hannah Steiner, Cecilia's mother, who was Houdini's Grandmother and is buried in the Houdini plot in NY. This yellowish photo (at the very bottom) shows Hannah on the far left, Rose Steiner and a young Cecilia Steiner.

A big thank you to Jeff for allowing me to post these images. Now folks, PLEASE comment below. Let us know if you think this picture is indeed an older Cecilia or perhaps Hannah.

UPDATE: Leave it to John Cox. He pointed out that there was a photo taken after 1908, this one was 1913 as Houdini was leaving for Europe. The last known photo of Cecilia Weiss and it is not the woman pictured above. However, I still believe this is a relative, probably Hannah. Your thoughts?
UPDATE 2: It looks like folks are leaning towards Hannah Steiner, which to me is still incredible.

 

Hannah, Rose and Cecilia Steiner

1913 image of Cecilia Weiss

FuManchu Floating Ball

I love museums, I love collections of historical items and frankly anything to do with history. Though I have a small collection of my own made up of posters, programs, magic props and one large illusion owned by Harry Blackstone Jr., it's not enough to satisfy my craving for history.

So I seek out other collectors and have been fortunate enough to view a number of really wonderful collections. Every collection is impressive to me. I remember years ago Richard Kaufman showed me his collection of magic sets. It was just so cool to see so many wonderful examples of magic sets from all over the world. Ken Trombly invited me over to see his poster collection a couple years ago and that was truly amazing.

But the one collection that has really stood out above all others for it's magnitude of incredible pieces has been Ken Klosterman's collection. He calls the area he displays the collection the Salon De Magie.
It's awesome beyond words. But I'm not sure how many folks know that there is a second location, kind of an annex with some equally cool items.

There is one item in that collection that really caught my eye. It's a prop that was once owned by David Bamberg. The item is the Fu Manchu Floating Ball. I am sure the ball itself was made by David's father Theo Bamberg. The ball is inside of a plexiglass box which was used during the presentation of the illusion.

The plexiglass box is designed to have the lid open on it's own, as if by magic. The floating ball is often attributed to Okito (Theo Bamberg) but apparently, Theo learned the effect from David Abbott. Today, Teller presents a version of the Abbott Ball effect in the Penn and Teller show in Las Vegas.

By the way, Ken Klosterman is now writing a monthly column in MUM Magazine which features a different item from his collection each month. I'm sure he'll also share with the readers the way he obtained the various items and from whom.

Le Grand David: All Done By Kindness

There is a famous David Devant Poster which has the words 'All Done By Kindness' written across the bottom. I'm almost certain that my friends at LeGrand David had one poster with those words written across it. I know however, that they mainly used the slogan 'always a wonder to remember'.

I guess for me, 'All Done By Kindness' really sums them up the best. Upon everyone of my visits they have all been the kindest folks. And one day in 2004, I received something in the mail from them that I have cherished ever since. Now, before I say what it is, let me tell you that I collect LGD stuff. Posters, magazine articles, programs, books, you name it, and I collect it. I've got a huge collection of their newspapers that I've acquired of the years, and I've hunted quite a long time for some of the more rare early posters and programs from their show. I still don't have a copy of every poster they've done, but I have most. I've also seen a couple of their props in different collections and one day perhaps if luck shines upon me and those collectors decide to sell, I'll be able to add a prop to my collection.

But greater than any prop or poster or frankly, greater than any piece from any magician I have in my magic history collection, is a hand-made card that they sent to me. Inside the card reads "Thank you Dean, Your Magic Words Have Touched Our Hearts" and then it is signed by every member of the LGD cast. That cards sums up the 'All Done By Kindness' that they express in all they do. They are all wonderful and generous people who I'm proud to call my friends.

A Visit to the Mini Museum of Magic

While in the Boston area, Denise and I stopped by Ray Goulet's Magic Art Studio and the Mini Museum of Magic in Watertown. Ray was a very close friend of Cesareo and in fact, Cesareo had suggested I make this visit on one of my trips. So this time out, we made sure to stop.

I must say it was well worth the visit for many reasons. First off, we spent a few minutes in the actual magic shop which was fun. Then a fellow came in who said he was going to give us a tour. I kind of recognized him but couldn't quite figure out who it was. He introduced himself and gave me his card and as I looked at it for a minute I realized, "WOW, I know who you are!". The fellow giving us the tour was none other than Houdini's Great Nephew John C. Hinson. As you might imagine, the talk moved from general magic history to HOUDINI. My first question right out of the gate was in regards to the WTC and how many there were....and my suspicions were confirmed. It was really fun hearing his stories and talking about Houdini. We spent a little time looking over the collection in this room. There was a lot of stuff, some cool posters. tons of apparatus, pictures of Le Grand David and even a couple automatons. John is a really nice guy and it was fun meeting with him and talking to him.

I'm not sure how long we were in there talking to be honest because we all lost track of time. Then we went into the theatre area where Ray and his wife Ann were along with several other magicians. Among that group was a fellow I also recognized Alan Wassilak the illustrator and cartoonist and magician! I had seen his cartoons in MUM for years and this was the first time meeting him. He turned out to be a super nice fellow and we even saw him the following day at the LeGrand David Show! Great guy!

We spent some time talking to Ann and Ray and everyone. I noticed on the wall a LeGrand David poster I had never seen before. Apparently it was one of the very early ones and was never made into prints. It was hand painted by Rick Heath and it's simply stunning. Also on the wall, suspended by chains was a 500 lbs sculpture of the LeGrand David troupe which was made by David Bull's father. Three of these giant sculptures were cast and Ray has one, there is one on display at the Cabot and then a third is at the American Museum of Magic in Marshall Mich.

Ray decided to take us on a tour of his Mini Museum Annex, and what a surprise we were in for! There is so much stuff in there it boggles the mind. Hanging framed on the wall is a Houdini Buried Alive Poster. There is also a rather large display window with numerous Handcuffs, a costume worn by Bess Houdini, a stock certificate of Houdini's and a punch bowl trophy that was given to Houdini by his assistants. There was also a display with pieces of the original Water Torture Cell.

Among the pieces which belonged to famous magicians, Ray had; Harry Kellar's Die Box, a cloth used in the decapitation trick performed by Alexander Herrmann, A flower botania owned by Harry Blackstone Sr., and a costume worn by none other than Cesareo Pelaez. The wonderful thing about the costume was that it was on a mannequin that looked just like Cesareo. Well it turns out that this amazing piece was also created by hand by Rick Heath, the resident artist at LeGrand David. I think this was our favorite piece in all the collection!

Ray has a video called "Ray Goulet's Mini Museum of Magic" which is available from the shop. It's not very long but it does give a wonderful overview of his collection. By the way, Ray pointed out to us he has never purchased entire collections in his entire time of collecting. Instead, he purchased each item piece by piece and amassed it all over a period of 35 years. It was a real treat to meet Ray and his wife Ann, they are an adorable couple and super nice people!

If you're interested in finding out more about Ray, I suggest you pick up the new book Ray Goulet Recollections of a Renaissance Man by Frank Dudgeon and Ann Goulet available through MagicArtStudio.com

If you do contact the shop, also ask about the DVD on his Mini Magic Museum as well!

LGD: Marco The Magi Lives On

I would like to finish this Tribute with some thoughts on my friend Cesareo. There is no question he was a genius, a visionary, and a much loved person. He will be missed and I hope his status continues to build and build over the years. Cesareo was not a Houdini in the traditional sense. But in many ways he was very much like Houdini.

Both Cesareo and Houdini were immigrants who made a mark in this world that few could ever hope to duplicate. Both of them had a fiery passion for what they did. Both were innovative and creative. Both were Presidents of the Society of American Magicians. In fact, I'm sure if I gave it enough thought I could come up with a huge list of how they were similar.

But honestly, they were also very different. Cesareo was unique and though influenced by folks like David Bamberg and Chang and others, he was his own person. Even in his educational life he was different. He was an assistant to Abraham Maslow, but even Maslow couldn't communicate and connect with students the way Cesareo could. He was one of a kind and went on to have an amazing impact in the lives of his students, friends and everyone who came in contact with him.

I mentioned in an earlier blog article that I can still hear Cesareo in my head. It's true. I remember the conversations we had while driving back from the airport and sitting in the back of the theatre chatting. I recall vividly the very first conversation we had in the second floor of the Cabot. Quite an inspiring time to say the least. I remember him telling me 'You are doing it wrong' when I told him about the Festival of Magic Show that my friend Ralph and I were doing. Cesareo then told me what we should be doing, and we tried it and it worked! He told me to bring a video with me the next time I visited and he would discuss it with me while we watched. Unfortunately, he had a stroke only a week or so after that visit and he would be spending many months recovering and I never got to share my video with him or hear his thoughts.

I certainly didn't get anywhere near the time with him that others did. But I understood him and what he was about. So those lessons and conversations will be repeating in my mind for a long time. The suggestions he had for me will also continue to inspire and push me. And though he may be gone in the physical form, I know that he'll continue to teach and instruct through the writings he's left behind and those special friends who will carry on his message, and now I find myself among those special friends carrying on as well.

I just found out there is a new edition to the excellent book that Avrom Surath wrote called "Wonderful Suprises". It is a biography of Cesareo Peleaz by one of his closest friends. I read the first edition and it was great. But this new edition has some extra material.  On the back of the book is a quote from Cesareo which I will not give out, but I can tell you, for me they will be words to live by. You'll need to get the book to know what it says and you can probably get the book by contacting the Cabot St. Cinema Theatre at www.cabotcinemamovies.com

I'd like to leave you with this poem which was a favorite of Cesareo's and describes him perfectly and in a way, he leaves us with yet another lesson.

"The Country Teacher"

Even though you do not get

to see the fruit of your labors

Sow, always sow

life is to sow

is to sow

is to grow,

is to love.

Anna Eva Fay Final Resting Place

On our recent visit to Beverly, MA, we took some time to visit the grave of Anna Eva Fay. I have a photo of the site posted elsewhere, but this is the first time I got to see it in person. It's a beautiful structure, but there was an interesting bonus that I had never seen and was curious about. Inside the crypt there is an ivory bust of Anna Eva Fay on display.

Ms. Fay is laid to rest in the Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose MA.

LGD: The Final Visit

I just returned from an emotional and very rewarding trip to Beverly Mass. The trip was really to say goodbye to Cesareo and to support my friends at the LeGrand David Show, the show which he created.  I had missed the funeral, but I felt it important to visit the grave site. My friend is in peace now, no longer suffering the effects of illnesses and ailments. And as David so eloquently said during the show on Sunday, Cesareo is now busy building a show for the heavenly hosts.

We went to dinner with David on Saturday evening and it was a very enjoyable night. On Sunday we went to see the first performance of LGD since the hiatus that was instituted by Cesareo following their 35th Anniversary performance. This show is one of the last for the 35th year of consecutive shows. The big question is will the show continue??? No one knows for sure, that is for the members of the company to decide. David now fills the shoes left behind by Cesareo. Though no one could really fill Cesareo's shoes, David has been groomed his entire adult life by Cesareo and I know the future is in excellent hands.

I must say that the version of the show we watched on Sunday was magnificent. It was different from what I had seen numerous times before and I was filled with joy over the changes and additions to the show. You get to hear Cesareo's voice in the show which is a treat. And there is more dialog in the show than in past versions which I really enjoyed. David's routine with a Toucan is a real treat. I don't want to give away any of the surprises, but I will say if you've never seen the show, there are still several more performances left of the 35th Season. It would be a very good idea to go see the show NOW as this version might never be presented again and believe me, it's wonderful!

Visit their website at www.LeGrandDavid.com for more information on showtimes.

For me, this visit was about saying goodbye to my dear friend Cesareo. But it was also about continuing to build the friendships with the members of the company. We only got to spend a few short moments with Mark and sadly an even shorter time with my friend Rick. I was glad to talk a little with Ann but we also didn't get to enjoy Avrom's company but for a few brief seconds. So next time, we will be sure to see more of them!

The future is going to be different for all of us but I predict it will be an exciting future! I cannot wait to see what they do next year and in the years to come. We will be back in Beverly later in the year and hope to spend more time with our friends and enjoy the next chapter in this exciting adventure!

The last article in this tribute http://deancarnegie.blogspot.com/2012/04/lgd-marco-magi-lives-on.html

LGD: The Original Visit

I don't think I ever shared this story with anyone before. This is about my original visit to Beverly, years ago as a teenager.  I had seen an ad in GENII Magazine for this show called LeGrand David. I didn't know much about it other than they had a two page ad with tons of reviews by famous people. It just so happened my family and I were going to New England on a short vacation and would be staying in Nashua NH. I knew that Nashua was not far from Boston so I asked my Dad and he took us all, along with the friends we were visiting to the show.

As a teen-aged magician, I was more concerned about being sure none of the tricks fooled me. But somewhere along the way I got caught up in the show. Somewhere along the way I gave in to the sights before me and just took it all in. That singular event had a huge impact on my life. In fact, during intermission, I got met someone in the audience who was famous. I met Mr. Bill Larsen, of Magic Castle and Genii Magazine fame. He and his wife were in the audience that night and it was so exciting meeting him. After the show, I met David Bull, the man who is Le Grand David. But I wanted to meet Cesareo and was unable. He was swamped with people. I did buy two magic posters, both of which I still own and both of which I proudly displayed in the Underground Magic Theatre years later. But there was something about this guy Cesareo, who I only knew then as Marco the Magi. I didn't know he had another name.

I still can recall moments from that show in my mind. I remember seeing Cesareo bounce around the stage with so much energy and enthusiasm.  I remember his Linking Ring Routine and I remember a very different version of The Floating Table. I also remember young Seth the Sensational, who was the son of Leslie Bartlett. What a grand show it was. I remember Marco telling the story of one of the stage curtains and telling about FuManchu. I recall David performing an unbelievable two handed Billiard Ball Manipulation routine that stunned me. I also enjoyed seeing David present the Rice Bowls and the Vanish of a Walking Cane.

It left such an impression on me that years later I wanted to return. I sent a letter to the company and not even sure if I addressed it to anyone in particular. I wanted to bring my magic club up there on a field trip. A week later I received a personal invitation from Cesareo to be his guest for a weekend of my choice. He sensed something about me in the letter which he mentioned, and which I'm not even sure I was aware.

I made arrangements and along with my girlfriend at the time took the train to Boston. As we rode the train, I carried with me an issue of MAGIC Magazine that had been devoted to LGD. I wanted to show it to my girlfriend to let her know a little about what we were going to see. But a day before we left, I was sitting in my office with my friend Ralph and I said to him, "don't ask me why, but I have a feeling that I'm not going to return the same person I am now". Maybe that was the sixth sense talking, I don't know. But suffice to say, that weekend in April in 2000 changed my life because I did finally meet the real Magi, Cesareo and he had a profound effect on me that he probably never quite realized. It never would have happened though without that seed being planted years before. The desire to return always stayed with me and when I returned it was like going home, to my magic home.


Tomorrow, in the morning, I'll be leaving for Beverly, MA. I am anxious to see my friends and to say goodbye to Cesareo in person. I'll have more articles pertaining to LGD soon, and once things get settled, Episode 1 of The Magic Detective, which has been long delayed because of my workload and other issues, will be appearing.

LINK: My White House Easter Egg Roll Nightmare

This is a link to my other blog. It's a funny story of something that happened to me in 2007 while at the White House Easter Egg Roll. As today is the day of the annual event, I thought you might get a kick out of this. Just click the link below.
Carnegie: Artist of Mystery: My White House Easter Egg Roll Nightmare: