50 facts
There are seven kinds of magic:
1. The first one is natural magic, the magic of nature.
2. Talismanic magic.
3. Ceremonial magic
4. Invocative magic
5. Sympathetic magic
6. Illusionary magic
7. Divinatory magic
Types of magic performance
Magic performances tend to fall into a few specialties or genres.
A
mentalist on stage in a mind-reading performance, 1900
Amateur magician performing "children's magic" for a birthday party audience
- Stage illusions
are performed for large audiences, typically within a theatre or
auditorium. This type of magic is distinguished by large-scale props,
the use of assistants and often exotic animals such as elephants and
tigers. Some famous stage illusionists, past and present, include Harry Blackstone, Sr., Howard Thurston, Chung Ling Soo, David Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, and Harry Blackstone, Jr..
- Platform magic (also known as cabaret magic or stand-up magic)
is performed for a medium to large audience. Nightclub magic and comedy
club magic are also examples of this form. The use of illusionettes
(small tabletop illusions) is common. The term parlor magic
is sometimes used but is considered by some to be pejorative. This
genre includes the skilled manipulation of props such as billiard balls,
card fans, doves, rabbits, silks, and rope. Examples of such magicians
include Jeff McBride, Penn & Teller, David Abbott, Channing Pollock, Black Herman, and Fred Kaps.
- Micromagic (also known as close-up magic or table magic)
is performed with the audience close to the magician, sometimes even
one-on-one. It usually makes use of everyday items as props, such as cards (see Card manipulation), coins (see Coin magic), and seemingly 'impromptu' effects. This may be called "table magic", particularly when performed as dinner entertainment. Ricky Jay and Lee Asher, following in the traditions of Dai Vernon, Slydini, and Max Malini, are considered among the foremost practitioners of close-up magic.
- Escapology is the branch of magic that deals with escapes from confinment or restraints. Harry Houdini is a well-known example of an escape artist or escapologist.
- Mentalism
creates the impression in the minds of the audience that the performer
possesses special powers to read thoughts, predict events, control other
minds, and similar feats. It can be presented on a stage, in a cabaret
setting, before small close-up groups, or even for one spectator.
Well-known mentalists of the past and present include Alexander, The Zancigs, Axel Hellstrom, Dunninger, Kreskin, Derren Brown, Rich Ferguson, Guy Bavli and Banachek.
- Theatrical séances
simulate spiritualistic or mediumistic phenomena for theatrical effect.
This genre of stage magic has been misused at times by charlatans
pretending to actually be in contact with spirits.
- Children's magic
is performed for an audience primarily composed of children. It is
typically performed at birthday parties, preschools, elementary schools,
Sunday schools or libraries. This type of magic is usually comedic in
nature and involves audience interaction as well as volunteer
assistants.
- Online magic tricks were designed to function on a computer
screen. The computer essentially replaces the magician. Some online
magic tricks recreate traditional card tricks and require user
participation, while others, like Plato's Cursed Triangle, are based on
mathematical, geometrical and/or optical illusions. One such online
magic trick, called Esmeralda's Crystal Ball, became a viral phenomenon that fooled so many computer users into believing that their computer had supernatural powers, that Snopes dedicated a page to debunking the trick.
- Mathemagic is a genre of stage magic that combines magic and mathematics. It is commonly used by children's magicians and mentalists.
- Corporate magic or trade show magic uses magic as a
communication and sales tool, as opposed to just straightforward
entertainment. Corporate magicians may come from a business background
and typically present at meetings, conferences and product launches.
They run workshops and can sometimes be found at trade shows, where
their patter and illusions enhance an entertaining presentation of the
products offered by their corporate sponsors. Pioneer performers in this
arena include Eddie Tullock[7] and Guy Bavli.[8][9]
- Gospel magic uses magic to catechize and evangelize. Gospel magic was first used by St. Don Bosco to interest children in 19th century Turin, Italy to come back to school, to accept assistance and to attend church.
- Street magic is a form of street performing or busking that employs a hybrid of stage magic, platform and close-up magic, usually performed 'in the round' or surrounded by the audience. Notable modern street magic performers include Jeff Sheridan and Gazzo. Since the first David Blaine TV special Street Magic
aired in 1997, the term "street magic" has also come to describe a
style of 'guerilla' performance in which magicians approach and perform
for unsuspecting members of the public on the street. Unlike traditional
street magic, this style is almost purely designed for TV and gains its
impact from the wild reactions of the public. Magicians of this type
include David Blaine and Cyril Takayama.
- Bizarre magic uses mystical, horror, fantasy
and other similar themes in performance. Bizarre magic is typically
performed in a close-up venue, although some performers have effectively
presented it in a stage setting. Charles Cameron has generally been credited as the "godfather of bizarre magic." Others, such as Tony Andruzzi, have contributed significantly to its development.
- Shock magic
is a genre of magic that shocks the audience. Sometimes referred to as
"geek magic," it takes its roots from circus sideshows, in which
'freakish' performances were shown to audiences. Common shock magic or
geek magic effects include eating razor blades, needle-through-arm, string through neck and pen-through-tongue.
10 Facts About Magicians
Here are ten facts that you probably didn’t already know about magicians:
1. The most famous member of the Magic Circle is Prince Charles. He
joined the club in 1975 after performing the famous Cups & Balls
trick for members.
2. The fastest magician alive is Eldon Wigton who performed 225
tricks in 2 minutes for a World Record attempt in 1991. I met him while
performing in Ohio and he told me that one day he plans to break his own
record!
3. At least fifteen magicians have died from performing the famous
bullet catch illusion (including Chung Ling Soo, pictured below). Crazy.
Dead. Fools.
4. The largest magic club in the world (International Brotherhood of Magicians) has close to 25,000 members.
5. Reginald Scot wrote the book
The Discovery of Witchcraft
in 1584 to prove that magic was not real. The book was his protest
against witches that were hung because they were suspected of being the
“real deal”.
6. Matthew Buchinger (self portrait on the right), a popular 18th
century magician was born without arms or legs and was just 29 inches
tall. He was a magician, calligrapher and musician who played the flute,
trumpet, and more. He even managed to find the time to father eleven
children. Clever dick.
7. Harry Houdini chose his stage stage name as a mark of respect to the father of modern magic, Robert-Houdin.
8. The phrase “died on stage” was taken to the extreme by Coulew of
Lorraine in 1613 when he was clubbed to death by an angry audience
member using one of his own props!
9. The only magicians to have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame are Harry Houdini and David Copperfield.
10. Magicians are good inventors. For example, English stage magician
John Nevil Maskelyne invented the pay toilet and his grandfather,
Jasper Maskelyne invented the typewriter keyboard.
Publications
Out of Print
- The Sphinx
- The Conjuror's Monthly Magazine published by Harry Houdini
- The Jinx published by Ted Annemann
- The New Jinx
- The Cauldron published by Charles Cameron
- The Invocation published by Tony Raven
- The New Invocation published by Tony Andruzzi and later by Docc Hilford
- Oracle published by Larry White and David Goodsell
- Mind Over Magic published by T.C. Tahoe
- Goodliffe's Abracadabra
Currently Published
- Magic Magazine
- Genii
- The Linking Ring published by the International Brotherhood of Magicians
- M-U-M published by the Society of American Magicians
- Vibrations published by the Psychic Entertainers Association
- Reel Magic multimedia magazine published on DVD
- Inside Magic, online magazine
- Smoke & Mirrors E-zine
- Magic Roadshow Journal of Magic - Monthly online publication
Interesting Facts About Magicians
The word magic is derived from the Persian word "magus" which designated a priestly class. Magic has many names! It is also called conjuring, hocus pocus, sorcery and wizardry, to name some of the most common.
The
most dangerous trick in magic is the Bullet Catch. This effect, in
which a marked bullet is fired at the performer who catches it between
his teeth, has killed twelve magicians and wounded many more.
Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926. This brilliant magician and escape artist was the first man to fly an airplane in Australia -March 16, 1919.
The
great film director Orson Wells had a lifelong interest in magic.
During World War II he had his own magic show that he presented for
members of the U.S. armed forces. His assistants at times included such
stars as Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich.
Matthew Buchinger,
one of the premier Cups and Balls performers of the 18th century, was
born without arms or legs and was 29 inches tall.
Charles Dickens was an enthusiastic amateur magician. In
August 1849, in one of his most ambitious performances he introduced
himself as "The Unparalleled Necromancer Rhia Rhama Rhoos, educated
cabalistic ally in the orange groves of Salamanca and the ocean caves of
Alum Bay."
David Copperfield is the first living magician
to have a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. The only other
magician so honoured is Harry Houdini, who received a star after his
death.
The Levitation Illusion was first performed in Greek dramas as early as 431 B.C.
The
ancient Greeks were great admirers of magic, erecting statues of their
favourite magicians. Homer even mentions conjurors in his epic poem, The
lliad.
The most famous Chinese magician of all time, Chung Ling
Soo, was really an American named William E. Robinson. He was mortally
wounded in 1918 doing the Bullet Catch trick on the stage of the Wood
Green Empire Theatre in London and died the next day. Only then did the
world discover that he was not Chinese.
During World War II, the
magician Jasper Maskelyne hid the Suez Canal and Alexandria Harbor from
the Germans and helped the Allied Forces win the war in Africa. In the
book Top Secret, Maskelyne tells of his war experiences and of the time
when he performed at the Empire Theater in Cairo, Egypt as "The Royal
Command Magician." Few people actually realized that the performance was
a front for the British intelligence service.
Magicians were
very much involved in the birth of the movie industry. Not only were
many magicians exhibitors of films, but many were involved as performers
and producers. Harry Houdini made several silent films and was the
creator of many special effects; magician George Melies bought the
Robert-Houdin Theatre and exhibited the first motion picture seen in
Paris.
The author of the 14 most recent James Bond thrillers is a
magician. John Gardner, retained by the estate of Ian Fleming, the
creator of the Bond character, was a professional magician before he
became an author.
David Copperfield is the highest paid magician being named on fortune 500's list.
The worlds fastest magician is Eldon D. Wigton (Dr. Eldoonie). He performed 255 tricks in 2 minutes
on April, 21 1991
Eliaser Bamberg, the 18th-century Dutch
magician, was known as "The Crippled Devil." He had lost one of his legs
in an explosion and wore a wooden leg. The story goes that Eliase) had
hollowed out his wooden leg and used it as a secret hiding place for his
magic props.The worlds strongest magician is Ken Simmons,
He can bench press over 500lbs
Famous Celebrities who are (were) also Magicians:
Johnny
Carson, Don Johnson, Woody Allen, Dick Cavett, Dick Van Dyke, Milton
Berle, Cary Grant, Bill Bixby, Jimmy Stewart, Steve Martin, Muhammad
Ali, Bob Barker, George Bush, Jerry Lewis, Charles Dickens
MAGIC. . . .
The hand is not really quicker than the eye. The skill of the magician is in getting an
audience to focus its attention where he wants it at a specific instant. The success of
magic lies in the ability to create illusions that have the appearance of reality.
For thousands of years it was believed that magicians or sorcerers were able, by use of
supernatural powers, to gain control over natural forces. Magic was, therefore, closely
allied with religion. A king's personal magicians were supposedly able to make it rain,
ward off enemies, prevent and cure diseases, cast spells on an invading army, and most
significantly gain the favor of the gods.
From the days of ancient sorcerers to the present-day feats of such master illusionists
as Harry Blackstone, Jr., Doug Henning, and David Copperfield, magic as entertainment has
surpassed the appeal of magic in religious ritual. There are ancient Egyptian records
giving details of performances before Pharaoh Cheops, who died about 2494 BC.
When in the 4th century Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire,
it turned against all magicians. They were outlawed nearly everywhere. Later, in the
Middle Ages, magicians were caught up in condemnations of witches, sorcerers, and devil
worshipers. They were often jailed and sometimes executed. Not until the Renaissance did
it become possible for traveling entertainers, such as jugglers and other wonder workers,
to perform before royalty, nobility, and even bishops if not always for the public. By the
16th century there were professional magicians doing card tricks, reading minds, and
making objects disappear.
There are today many books of magic that show anyone with manual dexterity how to
perform tricks. During the Renaissance there were no such instruction manuals.
Illusionists passed the secrets of their trade from one generation to another.
Books on magic began to appear late in the 16th century. One of the earliest was
published in France in 1584: 'The First Part of Subtle and Pleasant Tricks' by Jean
Prevost. The first book in English came out in 1612: 'The Art of Juggling'. Debunkers of
magic also published. In England Reginald Scot issued the book, 'The Discovery of
Witchcraft' in 1584 to expose the sleight-of-hand artists of his time.
By the 18th century magic as entertainment was well established in Europe. One of the
most famous illusionists was Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen. In 1770 he devised an automated
chess player that took on all challengers. Benjamin Franklin played against the machine in
1783 and lost.
Pulling a rabbit from
a hat is a classic symbol of magic, yet in truth has rarely been a part
of any magician's show. By some accounts, the idea of pulling a rabbit
from a hat was part of a publicity stunt. Created by a British magician,
the effect capitalized on the public's interest in a woman who claimed
to have given birth to a litter of rabbits.
Kuda Bux, the mentalist most famous for his Blindfold Drive and other blindfolded feats, eventually lost his sight to glaucoma.
