Go To Hellers Part 3

THE FINAL PERFORMANCES
In September 1878, Heller opens at the Broad Street Theatre in Philadelphia. He is there for four weeks and then he moves to Baltimore for the month of October.

On November 4, 1878 Heller opens at the National Theatre in Washington D.C.. He plays to packed houses because the newspapers are announcing this as Heller's final appearance in Washington.

One of the things Heller does in this final tour is change the show often. It's as if he is giving the American people one last chance to see all his offerings before he moves back to England. 


Heller had a huge fan base in Washington. He had been a resident there for ten years and mingled in high society social circles. He also had a habit following his performances to accept invitations to various friends homes and continue impromptu entertainment into the early hours of the morning. When Heller finishes his run in Washington D.C. at the National Theatre he heads to New York to rest for a week.

THE HELLER SLANDER
An article appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer a few days before Heller arrived in D.C.. The article mentioned an unnamed person from D.C. who made the claim that Heller had abandoned his wife and children and she died of a broken heart. Other papers across the nation picked up the article and it found it's way to Washington.

The National Republican Newspaper held an interview with Heller's father in law, Mr. Kieckhoefer.  He is glad to have a chance to speak out. Mr. Kieckhoefer is outraged that his son-in-law and daughters personal life is slandered by an anonymous person in the press. He says that Heller's wife is not dead but in fact living quite well in Paris supported by her husband.

Mr. Kieckhoefer relates how he did not initially understand Heller's desire to go back to magic, but he eventually came to see the light. He says that a man with Heller's passion had to follow his heart. To further prove that he had no hard feelings with his son in law, he points out that he and Heller were having dinner that very day in Washington D.C.. The controversy dies a quick death following this and Heller plays to huge crowds as mentioned above.

The Continental Hotel Where Robert Heller Died

 
THE FINAL SHOW
Heller arrived in Philadelphia on Saturday
Nov 24th. While walking with his business manager to the theatre, Heller felt a twitching in his arm. Several times on the short journey from the hotel to the theatre Heller had to stop due to illness. He is suffering from a cold he picked up in Washington and it is showing signs of being serious.

On November 26th, 1878 Robert Heller along with Haidee Heller open at Concert Hall in Philadelphia. His cold is worse now and it is noticeable to the audience. He presents the first part of the show, the section with varied magic effects with no problems. But he is so ill now that he lays down for thirty minutes before continuing.  He mentions to the audience that both he and Ms. Heller are both sick with colds. I found two differing accounts of how the show ended. One newspaper account says Heller wraps up the show early with a piano performance of "The Last Rose of Summer". He played the piece with such passion it was as if he had never played it before.  The other account comes from a gentlemen named Kit Clark who saw Heller hours before he died. He said that Heller and Haidee finished the show with the Second Sight routine. Either way, it would be Robert Heller's final performance number. When Heller finished playing he dismissed the audience and both he and Haidee Heller went straight to the Continental Hotel.

He finally agreed to see a Doctor on Tuesday morning. The doctor said he had a slight congestion of the lungs but the truth was much worse. Heller actually intended to perform on Tuesday evening but as the day progressed he admitted he was in no condition to do so. Heller's illness got worse as the evening dragged on. A quote from Kit Clarke says "Just after twelve o'clock, midnight. he had a severe attack of vomiting lasting but a few moments and when it ceased he raised himself up, gave one gasp, and falling back upon the pillow Robert Heller was dead."

On November 28th the Public Ledger newspaper made the announcement that Robert Heller had died. There would be no return engagement. At the time Doctors said he died from "organic exhaustion". We now believe Heller had died from a case of double pneumonia. Heller's death was such a shock to Washington D.C. that his obituary appeared on the front page of the Nov. 30, 1878 edition of the National Republican. 

Worse yet, across the Atlantic Ocean his wife and three children were making preparations for him to return so that they could all be together once again as a family. He was buried by the time the news of his death reached them.

FUNERAL

Houdini at Heller's Grave

The funeral for William Henry Palmer/Robert Heller took place at St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia on November 29, 1878. It was a small affair, a few show business people attended, along with his brother in law, Haidee and Heller's electrician and secret confederate who had been with him for years E.J. Dale.

William Henry Palmer/Robert Heller was buried in Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia. He is in plot 189 section 135. Even on Heller's grave there is no date given for the actual year of his birth.

THE WILL
It's said that Robert Heller's estate was worth over $350,000. This is the value of his estate in 1878, the price today would have to be in the millions.

In his will, he makes arrangements for his wife to receive money for the rest of her life. He leaves money for his children's education, support and maintenance. He leaves money and some jewelry and property for Haidee Heller, who was his assistant during the longest stretch of success in his career. He leaves his brother a trustfund and his gold watch. To Fannie, his sister, who he names the executrix of the will, he leaves 'one clock of her choosing'. That struck me as odd.

Originally his will stipulated that ALL his props and magic equipment be destroyed upon his death. However, he had a death-bed change of heart on that one, and decided to have it sent to Hartz The Magic Dealer for him to sell. Are we to assume that was the 49 TONS of paraphernalia that  he had just brought over from England in 1877? I'm thinking there might not have been quite 49 tons worth.


THE AFTERMATH
What affect did Heller have on the world? For one, according to drama and theatrical people of the time, it was Heller that put conjuring in a new light for American audiences. In the way that Robert Houdin modernized magic for his period by changing his costume and bringing magic indoors, Heller did a similar thing in America by adding other elements such as comedy and music. I'm sure his affect was felt all over the globe when he performed.

Heller was hardly gone before others would rush to fill his spot. Frederick Eugene Powell, known professionally as The Great Powell began a series of performances along with his brother Edwin in which they perform the 'Second Sight' routine. Powell is apparently the only performer presenting the routine at this point, but that would change soon enough.

Harry Kellar too capitalizes on Heller's name. In the early days, Kellar chose to change the spelling of his name from Keller to Kellar so he wouldn't be confused with Robert Heller. Now he turns the tables on the spelling thing and adds a twist of his own.

"For many a day,

We have heard people say

That a wondrous magician was Heller;

Change the H into K

And the E into A

And you have his superior in Kellar!"

Finally, in 1878 the year that Robert Heller leaves this world, a young man named Erich Weiss and his family are moving to Appleton Wisconsin to begin life in America. One can only guess where that might lead...

THE END

William Henry Palmer/Robert Heller Died Nov 28, 1878

I want to thank Joseph Pecore for his incredible help with the research and for working tirelessly on the music so that we could share some of Heller's music with the readers. I also want to thank the folks at Ask Alexander and The Conjuring Arts Research Center for their invaluable database and records. Thank you to all those magic writers and newspaper writers from the 1850's to today who wrote about Heller. Thanks also to the Library of Congress for putting up newspaper archives online! Finally, I have to say that I'm very grateful for the INTERNET.  You just would not believe what tiny little detail you might find out there floating around that will bring everything together. Most of my blogs are not as hard as this one, but it was really a lot of fun. 
OH, AND there is one more Heller Blog to go, but that one I'm holding for later in the year!

Go To Hellers Part 2

William Henry Palmer/Robert Heller

Early Retirement

Parking Lot Today, Once the location of Heller's first DC home

In my last blog I shared with you the reason Robert Heller was forced into retirement. He had been swindled out a $1,100.00. Creditors were after him.  He's forced into retirement in Washington D.C. and drops his stage name and now goes by his real name William Henry Palmer.  The first place he lives in Washington is 260 F. Street NW. which is today a parking lot that is at the corner of 3rd and F st. St. (see photo)
The next place that William Henry Palmer lives in D.C. is 447 13th Street NW. Today the Warner Theatre sits at this location. The Warner however was not built until 1924 and was then called the Earle Theatre. The houses or apartments that were at this location were likely torn down to make way for the theatre. An interesting fact about 447 13th St. NW is that it is walking distance from the National Theatre that Heller would later play when he returned to magic.

Church of the Epiphany DC

In the DC Registry he is listed as a Professor of Music. This is the same way he listed himself on the ship manifest when he traveled from England to America the first time. He is also known to have been the organist at a large church in D.C.. I tried to track down the information on the church, but there is nothing in any records I can find.  My first best guess was St. Johns Church on H. St. NW, which would have been an easy walk from where he lived. I discounted a second church, the Church of the Epiphany as being too small. But I just received a newspaper clipping that shows Heller doing a concert at the Church of the Epiphany in 1864. Granted this is after he went back to magic, but it changes my opinion now that this is more likely the church he played organ for.


MUSIC
This will not be the easiest thing for me to write about as I do not know music, but I found a few things of interest pertaining to Heller. Prior to his 'retirement' in D.C. he performed in Boston. The very first North American performance of 'BEETHOVEN: Concerto No. 4 in G major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 58' was given on February 4, 1854, at the Boston Odeon by Robert Heller with Carl Bergmann conducting the Germania Musical Society. This has historical significance for the music field as I found it listed on the San Francisco Symphony's website. It is also noted in a book "Annals of Music in America" by Henry Charles Lahee.

There is no doubt William Henry Palmer could have had an incredible career as a pianist. His abilities were astounding. Not only could he play perfectly both the piano and the organ, but he had the skill to use mimicry in his performance. An example was when he would demonstrate "The Piano Lesson" and would assume the role of a young child first learning to play the piano. By all accounts the presentation was hilarious.

He also wrote music. The Library of Congress in Washington has several of his musical pieces on file, including; The Ripple Waltz (1854), Wayside Flowers (1854), and The Presidents Mounted Guard Quick Step (1855). He began publishing his music while he was living in Washington D.C.. As a 'Professor of Music' it no doubt gave him credibility to be a published musician. Though his musical prowess was enough to stand on it's own.

He published music under the William Henry Palmer name as well. Notice the sheet music for Souvenir d'Hiver valse Brillante (1857). In English this is the 'Souvenir of Winter', and underneath the name W. Henry Palmer in small letters is {Robert Heller}. This is also dedicated to Sigismund Thalberg, who was the pianist to the Court of Austria. Heller was a pupil of Thalberg's in his youth in England.

In 1932 a book was published which was part biography and partly music book which included sheet music of all of Robert Heller's works. The book was called "Melody Magic".

A rare treat, a  sample of Heller's music.

MUSIC LEADS TO MARRIAGE
Adolf Travers Kiechkoefer was a partner of George Riggs. Maybe you've heard of Riggs Bank, well he's THAT George Riggs. Mr. Kieckhoefer was also a violinist and a lover of fine music. He would often hold parties for gifted musicians that were in town. Rarely however did he find gifted musicians among those already in Washington. Imagine his surprise when an invitation to William Henry Palmer turned out to be an incredible performance and a wonderful evening. The two became friends and Palmer/Heller visited the Kieckhoefer home often. Apparently he was popular with the five Kieckhoefer siblings as well. He began courting the youngest daughter, Anna Marie, and he married her in September of 1857. This information is from an interview with Mary Adelaide Palmer who was their daughter.

William Henry continued to teach music and play the organ at his church for about ten years.  The Palmers had three children while they lived in Washington D.C., Mary Adelaide Palmer, Annie Palmer and Joseph Henry Palmer. Apparently the urge for William Henry Palmer to once again become HELLER was still there. In other words, the desire to do magic for a living was getting the best of him. It was a fire that burned inside him and there was nothing he could do to quench the fire but to submit to it. This caused a temporary rift between him and Mr. Kieckhoefer who could not understand why W.H. Palmer would want to leave his promising music career.

RETURN TO MAGIC
Sometime in the 1861's Palmer becomes HELLER again and returns to magic. It is likely that he did this gradually. Success was slow coming however. Then an event occurs that changes the path of his life and career. He meets Edward P. Hingston who is the manager for Artemus Ward and other acts. For the record, Artemus Ward was a humorist and humor writer but is also considered the very first stand-up comic. Ward was Abraham Lincoln's favorite writer and it is said Ward also inspired Mark Twain. E.P. Hingston convinces Heller to basically 'lighten up' his act and he may have also been the one to encourage him to add his music to the show. Prior to his return to magic he only performed conjuring feats in his performances. Now, he is doing a three part show which he refers to as Magic, Music and Mirth.

Heller opens at 585 Broadway in 1864 in a show called "Sallie Diabolpue". He uses a clever advertising slogan, no doubt created by Hingston.

Shakespeare wrote well,

Dickens wrote Weller;

Anderson was -------

But the greatest is HELLER

Another interesting advertising gimmick that was used was to send flyers to all the churches in town that read "Go To HELLers". The clergyman in town wondered what was going on and many went to the show. Most were delighted by what they saw and encouraged their congregations to check out Heller's entertainment.

This show is a huge hit. Newspapers of the time singled out his music as being fantastic but even that did not overshadow his 'Second Sight' routine which was overwhelming everyone. After a year he finishes in New York and takes his show to Boston and a tour through the states. Next he goes to Paris to perform for the Great Exposition of 1867. He brings his family with him to Paris. He decides to leave them in Paris to live so that his children can receive their education while he is touring. He supports them well while they are in Paris.

After Paris, Heller makes his return to London, this time at the Polygraphic Hall on January 27, 1868. He added Haidee Heller to the bill. She will remain his partner in the 'Second Sight' routine throughout the remainder of his career. It is said that she is his sister or half sister but some historians think there was no relation at all. The truth was any assistant that Heller used was referred to as some member of his family but they never were.

A funny little anecdote happened with Haidee and Mr. Heller. After his musical section of the show he and Haidee got into a quarrel behind the scenes. She refused to come out for the Second Sight routine. So Robert Heller walks out and announces "Ladies and Gentleman, this is the part of the program where Ms. Haidee Heller comes out, except tonight she refuses to do so. Let's wait and see." He then quietly takes a seat on the couch and begins to twirl his thumbs not speaking a word. A few moments later a red hot Haidee comes storming out. Heller says "Ah! I thought so" and they continue with the show.

Next he embarks on a tour of the world which includes Egypt, Australia, the Orient and much more, this continues until 1873. For the next three years he works mainly the British Isles.  In 1877 returns to the states this time with 49 tons of paraphernalia. At least this is what was reported in the New York Clipper newspaper. I wonder if that is even possible to travel with 49 tons of equipment? He leased the Globe Theatre in New York and again wins over the New York audiences this time with 'Heller's Wonder Theatre'. He played San Fransisco in the summer of 1877 and then goes back to England for a brief break. In September he is back in Boston and then in December he is back in New York for what would be is final New York appearance.

In May of 1878, Heller leaves New York for Europe. While in Europe he visits his family in Paris. His children hardly recognize their father who has been touring for many years. Whatever difficulties existed are patched up with his family. He decides that it's time to permanently reunite the family and start a new home in England. Once his next American tour is complete the plan was to bring the family together again, for good.

End of Part 2

 Next...'The Final Performances'

GO TO HELLer Part 1

I love the Victorian Age of Magic. One of the kings from that time was a man named Robert Heller. The fast version of his life was that he was born in England, came to America to perform, was a terrible failure, eventually found some success and then stopped performing and retired to Washington D.C. and then he died. However, that cannot be correct. How could he have been a failure, retired and yet be one of the big names of the time?  With the help of my friend Joe, master magic history online searcher, the record will be set straight or at least it will make a bit more sense. So Ladies and Gentleman, prepare yourselves as  

I give you HELLer!

EARLY LIFE

Canterbury, Kent England. photo by David Iliff

He was born William Henry Ridout Palmer in Faversham, Kent, England, on August 10, 1829. The date is according to the ship records when he first traveled to America. It is listed in books and online anywhere from 1824-1833, but the first ship record has it at 1829. As a young boy he showed interest and talent in music. His father was Henry Palmer was a Professor of Music in Canterbury.  He was also the leader of the orchestra at the Canterbury Catch Club, but he was NOT the organist at the famed Canterbury Cathedral as many magic periodicals have him listed.

From ages 11-14 he attended the Kings School Canterbury. Young William obviously inherited his father's musical gifts and began learning to play the piano at the age of six. At age 14 William won a scholarship to the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. According to a life long friend and associate M.H. Levett, "Heller was a man of liberal education, of exceptionally refined manners; a linguist, speaking several languages, especially French; and a brilliant pianist ranking with some of the best of his time". Early indications were that he would follow the path of music for his life's work but that was until a mysterious visitor came to town.

Robert-Houdin

Robert Houdin, the great French Conjurer visited England in 1848. William Henry Palmer was present in the audience at the St. James Theatre to see Robert Houdin, perhaps for several viewings. He was so taken with the concept of magical performances that his passion for music shifted to conjuring. Magic historian Henry Ridgely Evans says that Palmer purchased his props from a man named Cremer, who had a magic shop in London and also learned the disciplines of manipulation and sleight of hand from him. Three years later William decided it was time to adopt a new name, Robert Heller, and make his London debut as a conjurer. Where did the stage name originate? David Price's book The Pictorial History of Conjuring spells it out. Apparently, 'Robert' came from Robert-Houdin. The second half of the name was taken from a popular Austrian pianist of the time Stephan Heller. By combining the two names he was also subtly joining together his two passions Magic and Music.

For his debut he leased the Strand Theatre in London, had programs printed up that described his act in two languages, English and French, and he then proceeded to do almost every effect from Robert Houdin's show. He even had the nerve to claim that he invented all the magic from the show. Heller even adopted a version of the show name as his own. Robert Houdin's performance was called 'The Soirees Fantastique'. Robert Heller chose to call his show 'Soirees Mysterieuses of Robert Heller'.  Robert Houdin had a huge impact on all magicians from this time and many were doing his material, not just Heller. A look at the repertiore of John Henry Anderson, the Great Wizard of the North and you'll again see a duplication of Robert Houdin's show. By the way, Anderson also claimed to have invented it all. The historical record leans towards his performances as not being hugely successful but I tend to think otherwise. Though he might not have been as big as a success as Robert Houdin, he did tour the provinces of England and did well enough that he thought America might bring him even more stardom.

AMERICA

Heller set sail to America aboard the Arctic in 1852

In 1852 he left the port in Liverpool England and arrived in NY on September 6th aboard a ship called the Arctic. He did not travel alone, apparently he arrived with his younger brother who was listed on the ships manifest as 'Ernest Heller' but I believe his real name is actually Angelo C. Palmer. William Henry also listed his stage name on the ships manifest as Robert Heller. Both of their professions are listed as Professors of Music, I guess putting down 'magician' was not a good idea at the time.

At this point the various histories of Heller's life take a weird turn. Some say his act met with little success, others claim he was successful. The truth as far as I can see is that as soon as he got off the boat he headed to Albany NY for performances at Van Veckton Hall. His first performance in NYC was at a farewell concert for the famous violinist Camilla Urso on November 25, 1852 in which he only played piano.  But a couple weeks later he would be opening at his own venue.

At the time Heller was living in a suite on Grand Street west of Broadway. He had been busy preparing for his new show. Heller had been running ads for the show as early as Nov 23rd. He was announcing the opening of his "Heller's Saloon of Wonders". He rents space at Buckley's Minstrel Hall at 539 Broadway, NYC. Sometime later P.T. Barnum would set up shop in this very same building.

The show opened on December 20th 1852 and ran until the end of May 1853, he gave 200 performances during that time.  His show begins with an introduction in French. The rest of the show he speaks English with a heavy French accent. He wears a dark wig with darkened eyebrows and mustache. Heller is the first magician to bring a 'second sight' routine to America and audiences were overwhelmed by his performance. The second sight, or what he would refer to as 'Hellerism' would continue to be his magic closer for the rest of his career. He is assisted by 'Ernest Heller' in the Second Sight routine. However, even though an 'Ernest Heller' traveled with him to America onboard the Arctic, this partner, who is introduced as his brother is actually M.H. Levett, a native New Yorker.

After the sixth month run at Heller's Saloon of Wonders, they took the show on the road. It's at this point that Heller decides to drop the French accent and the wigs and make-up. He realizes it does nothing to add to the performance so he removes it and goes with his natural speaking voice and his own reddish blonde hair.

His next appearance is at the Walnut Theatre in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1853. The Walnut Theatre has the distinction of being the oldest theatre in America and it is still there and still active today. He plays there to packed houses for three weeks. Then he moves the show to a place known as the Old Chinese Museum, which was actually not a museum at all but a hall that was rented out for concerts and lectures. He performs here for twelve more weeks.

THE MYSTERY
Next he joins up with a group called 'The Germania Musical Society' and performs with them in the roll of a concert pianist. He presents a series of concerts with them in Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and then finally Washington D.C.. This is now 1854 and the histories of Robert Heller say he was not very successful during this time so he retired from magic. One article speculated that he lost his equipment in a fire and that was the cause of his retirement. But I contend that he was in fact successful or at the least, was doing well, but an event occurred to change everything.

WHAT HAPPENED
As far as I can tell this is the first time the actual reason he left magic and moved to D.C. has been revealed. The discovery of a letter reveals the true reason. In a letter that Heller wrote to a Mrs. Blanchard of Portland Maine we discover a very interesting fact. Here is part of the letter, 

"Sometime since I invested the whole of my earnings with the Germanian Musical Society in a building speculation and being the last wreck of my gains in this Country..for further safety, I put..eleven hundred dollars in the hands of a man in whom I had every confidence..what then is my situation?..I learn ...that the villain has gone off to England or Europe somewhere, leaving Creditors..to make the best of it...how cruelly I am beaten down...I am now thinking of returning to England for I have been so shamefully robbed on all sides by the Yankees that I am afraid of them...but still is hope, for two or three of those you have expressed good feelings toward me would help me...yourself and John Goddard...are among them."

The final performance of the Germania Musical Society was in Washington D.C.. I believe that Heller at this point had not so much as a dime to his name. As the letter states he put his money towards a building speculation and the remainder of what he had left he gave to a friend to hold who ran off with it. He was in Washington D.C. and only had his reputation as a concert pianist, so he took a job as a music teacher. Additionally, I'm sure the reason he changed his name back to William Henry Palmer was to avoid the creditors. This later piece was revealed in an interview with a former assistant, but he revealed no further clues. Everyone in the magic community assumed that he had no money because his magic career was a failure. Not true. He had no money because he was swindled.

End of Part 1

Next...Part 2 His Early Retirement