Update From The Steampunk Illusionist

I know I've been kind of quiet lately, but that has only been here. I've been busy working on the show and performing the Steampunk Illusionist Show. As with many projects, this one is in a constant stage of development. We are 'growing' the show as I type this. We will be adding many new things to the show, from new routines and new illusions, to new products to sell after the show.

One of the new routines in the show is our Spirit Cabinet, right from the playbook of Anna Eva Fay

herself. Actually, the Spirit Cabinet will also be the backbone of another show we are creating that is about ghosts and spirits! But we will include the Spirit Cabinet in our other shows as well. We had a great time presenting it during October for many of our Halloween shows. For those unfamiliar with a Spirit Cabinet, here is the basic effect. A medium, in this case my assistant Denise, is tied to a chair  She is placed in a trance so that in this state she can summon spirits of the dead. A table with a bell, tambourine and other objects sits next to her and a curtain goes around the medium. As soon as she is out of site, the bells ring, tambourine shakes and other odd manifestations occur. The moment the curtain is opened, the medium is found to still be in a trance state, still tied securely as before. It's quite an amazing presentation.

There are other new effects in the show as well, but I'll share those at a later date. For now, I would like to share with you an updated promotional video of the show. It's fairly short, and shows clips from different performances. We tried to give it an old timey feel by using an aging filter. I'm not happy that Youtube made me change the music. I had paid for the music I originally had, but for whatever reason, they would not allow it. The music that is on there is similar however to what I had. I hope you enjoy the video!

The Steampunk Illusionist Returns!

I feel as if it has been a very long time since I stepped on stage as The Steampunk Illusionist. It's actually not been that long, but with the passing of my Father, time seems twisted and unfamiliar. That being said, The Steampunk Illusionist DID return to the stage this week. We had the honor of performing at the Locust Shade Park Amphitheatre in Triangle VA. It's a wonderful venue that holds up to 600 people. The audience is covered as is the stage, but with the hot August days, it can still be a challenge, and it was.

The temperature was in the 80s the day of the show. Though we were doing the smaller version of the

show, there is still a lot involved in the set-up. We planned a rather ambitious show that we felt would be received enthusiastically. Imagine our surprise when we arrived to find we left our closing effect at home. That situation was a crushing moment as we had worked so hard on this new ending to the show.  We had all the other parts to the closer, including new costumes and such, but the one key piece we needed was missing. So, we quickly had to reorganize the order of the show. We chose to close with our signature Traveling Bottle and Glass routine. This effect is a popular one among stage magicians, but almost everyone I have ever seen perform it does the exact same routine. Now, there is nothing wrong with the original routine, but we wanted something a little different. Our routine uses two people and has a lot of extra comedy due to the antics of my assistant Denise.

We had a couple new routines in the show which I was very proud of. One is an effect with several feathered plumes. The plumes magically change color, again and again. I think it may be my new favorite routine. The other new addition was the Silk Pedestal which dates back to the Victorian era and plays very nicely. I believe that I am going to expand on this routine and make it more of a feature.

The show also included my Steampunked Disectolator illusion, where my arm gets cut into three pieces. And we also do a wonderful effect with three borrowed finger rings that appear in a most impossible location. All in all, we presented 12 routines in our 45 minute show.

There are more new routines that will be going into the show soon. One which is based on a real Civil War era spy! 

The Magic of Maro - Victorian Magician

A couple weeks ago now, I drove to Leland Michigan. It's about 800 miles from where I live and it's on the western side of the state. The area is beautiful, the lakes are breathtaking, and the people couldn't have been nicer. But I was there not to visit but for work. I had been hired to do a couple magic shows and to present a lecture on a magician who died over 100 years ago. Not a well known magician either.

I was instantly intrigued by this magician named Edward Maro. I knew little of him. Actually, one thing I did know was that a huge boulder marked his grave in St. Charles Illinois and it had fallen over at some point. Fellow magician and magic historian Terry Evanswood set out to have the boulder uprighted and had a better foundation placed to hold the boulder in place, this he did several years ago.

But beyond that, I was not familiar with Maro. I did some initial research and I realized I did know a little more about him because I had seen his posters. What his life and career were like I didn't have the faintest. So enter Leland Michigan. I was contacted by a fellow from the Old Art Building, which is sometimes called The W.T. Best Theatre. Turns out, W.T. Best was the real name of Edward Maro. Maro's wife had the building built after his death in 1908 and it was dedicated to him. Well, the folks at the Old Art Building along with the Leelanau Historical Society were interested in seeing if I could do a presentation on Maro. You see, on the side I'm known as 'The Magic Detective', and I enjoy searching out old forgotten magic history mysteries. So the Maro challenge sounded like fun.

After months and months of research, I created a 45 minute power point presentation. This included

photos of Maro, photos of some of Maro's contemporaries, pictures of Maro's many posters, and a few surprises like images of his props that I discovered during my research. The lecture itself would also include MAGIC, the same kind Maro would present if he were alive. One routine in particular was Maro's, called The Maro Spirit Slate trick. Two absolutely ordinary antique school slates are shown on both sides to be blank. A piece of chalk is placed between them and they are handed to a member of the audience. A number is chosen by another spectator and the chosen number mysteriously is found to be written on the slates. I actually incorporated this into another routine called The Spirit Dial. I knew Maro presented the Spirit Dial, though his exact presentation is unknown.

How,  you might wonder did I know what kind of magic was performed by Maro. Well, mainly through three sources. 1 His elaborate full color posters. 2. A program of Maro's that exists to this day. 3. A smaller program of his that I found within an old magic periodical. These sources helped to point me in the right direction. In the case of the Spirit Dial, there is a photo of Maro's dial in the multi-page program. In the case of the Spirit Slate Trick, I found that referenced in the smaller program and then discovered an actual description of the trick in an older magic magazine from the early 20th Century. The detective work was fun though frustrating at times.

I dug up quite a bit of information on Maro that had not been previously covered in old magic magazines. To my surprise, Kim Kelderhouse of the Leelanau Historical Society also turned up a bit of previously unknown information, which she shared with me at the conclusion of my lecture.

Let me say, I had a wonderful audience for the lecture, they were clearly interested in the subject and the added mix of magic on my part made the event entertaining as well as educational. Oh, and I did present a short Hand Shadow Act in the middle of the lecture as I knew Maro too relied upon Hand Shadows in his presentations.

I had a wonderful time sharing what I had learned about Maro with the residents of Leeland. And now, to my surprise I just found out some more cool Maro stuff from a fellow magic historian. This will have to be added to the file in the event there is a Maro Lecture Part 2.

The Steampunk Illusionists Are At It Again!

The Steampunk Illusionists were back on the stage this weekend with a little magic. After quite a long absence their Traveling Bottle and Glass routine returned to the show. This routine was removed from the show almost 10 years ago. Through a combination of misunderstanding, miscommunication, and just a bad decision, the routine was pulled and probably would never have seen the light of day again had it not been for a recently discovered video of the routine.

At the time of it's removal from the show, The Traveling Bottle and Glass was in an experimental state. That means we were changing the routine fairly often, trying different things to see what would work and what might take the routine to another level. In the midst of all the changes, the original routine got lost. But thanks to the forgotten video recording the old routine has been brought back.

The classic trick is known as The Multiplying Bottles. But we prefer to call it the Traveling Bottle and Glass. We do not do the classic Ken Brooke presentation of the trick. Ours is done to music and at first appears to be a one person routine, but then a mischievous assistant shows up to wreak havoc on things. The result is a very funny comedy routine with the magic taking a secondary place.

We also presented The Disectolator in the show. In fact, this was our opening illusion. This is the device where I slice my arm into several sections and actually remove one of the sections. It's a quick routine, barely a minute, but a nice opening.

Our Ring in Bread made it into the show as a last minute decision. I'm glad we put it in the show but not for the usual reasons. We need to really update this trick and punch up both the magic and the comedy, so having it in the show was a reminder to start working on this to take this trick to the next level. I know there is more to work with here, and this routine has not reached it's full potential yet. It's possibly that the show on Saturday will be the last time the routine will be in the show. There will still be a borrowed ring routine, but whether it is discovered inside a loaf of bread or some other place is yet to be seen. Time will tell.

New Promo Video for Steampunk Illusionist

I am always tinkering. I guess that's one of the reasons I like steampunk so much, you can take something old and make it into something new and cool again, usually by tinkering with it. Well, I've got yet another new promo video. I really like it, though I know in a couple weeks it will be altered again. I'll be slowly removing the non-Steampunk clips in favor of new Steampunk clips. But all the material in the video is or has been used in the Steampunk show.

Enjoy the video!

Steampunk Monkey Make-Over

This is kind of funny really. I've taken what is essentially a toy Monkey w/Cymbals and given him a bit of a Victorian make-over. Now he is a SteamMonk! Actually, this monkey is a bit more than just a toy. He has been rebuilt to respond to questions and will eventually be doing a magic trick of his own.

I've been doing test runs with him the last couple weeks to see how audiences respond to him. So far, they've really taken to the SteamMonk. He also seems to have universal appeal, the adults are as into the monkey as kids are. I have had a few technical issues, so all that needs to be worked out. But so far so good.

Below is how he looked prior to his make-over. (kinda creepy)

Telsa for Inspiration

I'm fascinated with Nikola Telsa. The more I read about him or learn about him the more amazing he becomes. This week while book trolling, I found a book called Tesla The Life and Times of an Electric Messiah by Nigel Cawthorne. It's a picture biography, more coffee table book than true biography, but that isn't important. What is important are the huge numbers of photos and illustrations of his inventions.

I picked up the book mainly as a source of inspiration for my next steampunk project. And that is the reason I'm sharing this with you, as a potential source of inspiration. The book talks about his inventions, his theories, and those created by others. 19th Century Science is at your finger tips with this book! Well, at least the general idea of it, not the specifics of it.

IF you are into Steampunk, then you'll want to check out this book for the same reasons I did. I can't vouch for how good of a biography it is, because I've not yet read it. But I have glanced through the pages and enjoyed many of the photos and illustrations.  Click the link above and buy it from Amazon. I got mine through Books A Million and actually paid a little more than Amazon. But it's worth it!

Everyone Doing Steampunk?

I heard this statement recently, "Everyone is doing Steampunk". It was said by a fellow illusionist and I had to laugh a little. It's not true, exactly. I can tell you what is true, there is a trend lately in the stage magic world towards the steampunk look. Also, from what I have seen, a lot of the time the look is incorrect. Now on the other side, there are a number of magicians who have gone steampunk and what they do seem to get correct is the costuming. I can't say much for the material as I have not seen what they do. I know of one fellow who does a steampunk magic act and I know his stuff is right on the mark. No, strike that, I know of two people, Pop Haydn and Master Payne. Pop Haydn LIVES his act and it's killer. Master Payne is a very talented individual who has been able to create a number of different period style acts. These guys present great material.

But I've also seen people who don't seem to get it correct.  I've seen some folks who dress up in steampunk clothes but their act has little to do with steampunk. Also, I've seen some people with steampunk props but again, little do to with steampunk. And worse, I've seen some with 'steampunk-like' props that miss the mark totally. Now it is true that steampunk can be interpreted differently, but slapping a few gears and cogs on a box and calling it steampunk isn't hitting the mark.

Let me also apologize for those who are doing steampunk magic correctly, who I didn't name. I just am not familiar with everyone out there. Also, I'm not here to advertise other acts on MY blog, lol. I won't be naming any of the 'bad' acts. And I'm not naming any illusionists here either, as that would be working against my own interests. I have seen a couple incredibly cool illusion acts who are doing steampunk.

My act actually runs a fine line between actual Victorian and Steampunk. The premise behind my show is that I am a modern day performer who finds himself transported back in time and must use the technology of the day to get home. Magic is theatre afterall, at least stage magic is. And as I've mentioned before, I have a great interest in magic history and this genre allows me to explore historical magic along with more modern day effects with a different twist.

I don't think steampunk is for everyone. I know some guys who do just Victorian and you know what, it fits them wonderfully. The true secret behind any act, whether it be steampunk, victorian, contemporary, or whatever is the performer. The performer is the most important thing. In a themed act the performer must be believable and must be likeable. The costumes and props are tools that complete the theme and tie it all together. But if the performer is not likeable, does not have a strong personality, then he/she is just a person in an unusual costume presenting tricks.

Rather than trying to do steampunk because others are doing it, try to find that which fits you best. Maybe it's sports, maybe it's movies, maybe it's science, maybe it's literature, only you know. Use the things that interest you to build an act. If it is steampunk, then learn all about it first. But if you just like the look, and who could blame you if you do, it might be best to go another direction. That's my advice for the day.

A Few Questions About My Steampunk Magic Props

I've gotten a few questions about my magic props of late that I'd like to address here. The first one came from someone who is not in the magic world, but I liked the question.The others were from magicians, so I hope you enjoy my answers.

1. Why don't you paint your props like other magicians with red/black and dragons on it? This was

a popular trend for a long time, too long in fact. I think it was also part of what killed apparatus magic. Performers like Okito, Fu-Manchu, Chung Ling Soo and others who presented an asian style act, had their props decorated to look like they came from their respective countries. Often there was a dragon or chinese letters written on them. This was done for a specific act and they were generally very tastefully and artfully designed. But magic dealers (those folks who sold magic props) for whatever reason thought this was popular among ALL magicians so they began producing these types of things. Unfortunately, when the magic dealers recreated these props, they didn't have either the skillset or talent for design. The props themselves were well made, but they dropped the ball in the finishing. What is sad is the paint was applied skillfully, but the designs and stenciling were ugly. This all started in the early part of the 20th Century and continued until the late 20th century. It was in the 80s and 90s that the wheels came off and rather than put Asian designs on the props, some dealers painted the magic apparatus in circus colors and/or stenciled other designs on them that really made no sense. It was awful with no sense of style. In my case, I usually repainted my props anyway to suit my style. When I started moving to a steampunk act, I really altered the look of my props.

2. Why steampunk? I didn't always know what steampunk was, but I always had a keen interest in the designs of steampunk. I just didn't know there was a word for it. When I saw that there was this whole steampunk culture out there, I found that it was the perfect marriage for my kind of magic because I would be mixing science fiction, time travel, crazy inventions, victorianism together with magic. Much of magic is still highly influenced by the Victorian age because that is when many of the coolest effects and props were created. Sadly, for 40 years or so magicians have frowned upon the use of apparatus, mainly because the stuff looked so bad and they also didn't like the fact that a prop was given credit for the magic they created. I always found that the right presentation could make anything relevant and popular. Changing magic props into steampunk devices and such automatically pointed the way for solid routines. The prop made sense because the presentation made sense and all of a sudden old forgotten apparatus magic was alive again!

3. Steampunk designs often feature gears and cogs but your stuff has none of that. Why? True,

none of my current props have gears and cogs but that's only because I've not found the right use for them.
I don't want to put a gear on my prop simply for decoration. Gears and cogs have a function, they turn
and cause something else to turn or move. If I use a gear or cog I'd like the audience to see all of these
things moving, just as they'd see any clockwork device moving. I do insinuate clockworks into some of the props through cranking and ratcheting sound effects. But trust me, eventually I will have a clockwork type effect in the show.

4. Should everyone do steampunk? NO!!!! Hell no!!! This is the problem with magic as a rule, no one has an ounce of creativity and they just go with the latest trend until they run it in the ground. For the record, I didn't go after steampunk because I saw another magician doing it. In fact, when I started to get involved with steampunk, I checked to see if there were magicians using steampunk and almost decided NOT to do it because I found a couple who were. Ok, I'll give you the whole story. I found out there was a duo in Las Vegas about to do a big illusion show using Steampunk and I decided not to go with it. But then their show closed very quickly and that seemed to be the end of it. So I thought about it some more and realized that it was a perfect fit for me. I wasn't doing it because it was popular but because it fit my personality perfectly.

I think one thing the steampunk genre does is point out that there are other ways to go besides decorating your props with red/black and bad stenciled designs. And there are far more design schemes besides just steampunk. Here are a few examples of design ideas: Aviation design, lots of aluminum and rivets and gauges and propellers, that's cool. Race Car design: If you thought of your props as being built by a Formula 1 Race team, how would they look? Or what if a NASCAR Team built your prop, how would it look? Futuristic Design: This could go lots of different ways, you could go with a very streamlined design with lots of curves and colors like white, silver, gold and other metallic colors. OR you could go after a prop design right from the NASA launchpad. There are countless ways to go with futuristic.  Then you've got the RETRO LOOK. RETRO DESIGN could be anything from a 1930s Art Deco Look, 1950s Look, a 1970s look and so forth. Don't just do steampunk because you saw someone else do it.

Final Thoughts. Adding a unique design to your props is a great way to go to stand out from the crowd. If you are looking for inspiration, go to a furniture store, go to Target, go to IKEA, check out some of the modern designs that are being produced today. It's an amazing time to find incredible design concepts.

Once you've settled upon a design them don't stop at just the props. Consider your costuming and also consider something sorely forgotten, the scenery. Magicians very rarely have scenery, yet most stage plays, musicals and other theatrical shows have scenery. Even standup comics when they perform at theatres often have cool scenery. THIS should be the new trend more so than decorating props. Decorating your backgrounds!!! Rather than performing against black, or a curtain, create an actual set for your show. There is a trend among family style performers to use custom backdrops and this is a great idea. A great resource for backdrops and custom backdrops is http://www.showbackdrops.com/  My friend Mark Daniel was one of the leaders in using custom backdrops at his shows. He has a new backdrop made for every show he does. The backdrop serves a number of purposes. For one, if you have your name/logo on the backdrop it serves as advertising and branding. For two, it does act as your scenery, or at least the main part of your scenery. For three, it makes you look more professional. Most folks who use one of these portable backdrops only use one throughout the whole show. But I think if you're doing a stage production, you could actually use several throughout your show in an effort to 'change the scene'. Ok, that might be more than you can handle, but it's something to think about!

By the way, the photo at the top of the page is my steampunked 'Sawing a Spectator in Half' Illusion.

Hmmm, One More Thing. I didn't mean to poo-poo the apparatus magic of Okito and others at the start of the article. Their creations were incredible. It's just that the dealer items that followed for years and years tried to continue the same type of design scheme but they were usually poor recreations as far as design. They were well built items, just poorly decorated. NOW, having said that, if you are doing a themed act of some kind and the Asian designs work for you, I would like to give a plug to a modern day creator of those effects. Norm and Lupe Nielsen of NielsonMagic build faithful reproductions of many of Okitos props. In fact, Norm was actually taught personally by Theo Bamberg, the man who was OKITO. So if you are interested in obtaining a HIGH quality piece, you must visit their website at http://nnmagic.com/magicitems/okitonielsenpage.htm

Another Steampunk Magic Illusion

In the world of magic, the term 'illusion' usually stands for a large effect using a person or large animal or other large object. The term 'illusionette' is kind of an odd term which is basically means a smaller illusion.

I just finished building a wonderful piece that was the creation of Larry White. It was a chore to build and I in no way did all the work myself. My father and I did the construction and I couldn't have done it without his help. It was a tricky piece to fabricate.

I'm calling mine The Disectalator, a Very Dis-Arming Illusion. I chose to go with a more subdued steampunk look. Not an over the top steampunk appearance on this one. It has one gauge which I think looks really incredible. I found this gauge on eBay. The folks I got it from also have a store called www.VintageWireAndSupply.com. They've got incredible electrical parts and devices to really take anything and give it a vintage appearance.

Other than the gauge, the only other steampunky looking thing were the bolts that adorn the top edge of the box and the lower section as well. These were all decorative, none of them actually serve a real purpose. I added brass corners onto the lower box and the upper box as well, just to give them a bit more Victorian look.

After working on this piece I came upon an idea for a slightly different illusion, so in the near future I'm going to be rebuilding the upper box for a new effect (which I'm not going to divulge right now).
The effect if you are not familiar is, the magicians arm is pushed through the upper boxes so that his/her hand comes out the far left end. Two metal blades are pushed thru the box dividing it into three sections and then the middle is pulled up, or zig-zaged as it were. The zig zaging can be seen below, minus the arm. I can't take the photo and be IN the prop, lol. I hope you enjoy it. Once the second version is complete, I'll post an image of that as well.

MORE: One of the joys of steampunk work for me is a project never quite seems to be done. Just when I think I've completed it, I find something I can add or replace to make it even cooler. In the case of this prop, I decided very shortly after taking the photos to add one more thing, really to balance out the prop. The right box has a gauge, the middle box has the handle, but the left box had nothing, so I added something to it. It also helps the routine as now the valve handle seems to serve a function, though in truth, that is an illusion

The Steampunk Illusionist Expands

As the summer progresses, we are gradually converting more and more material to fit in the Steampunk Illusionist Show. Some routines need no alterations, like the routine seen above, which is an interactive piece with the entire audience. Other things like our Broken Glass Illusion, needed just a slight bit of alteration.

With the Broken Glass Illusion, we added a 'steam' effect to the routine and also changed the outer look of the prop, slightly. The steam billowing out from the box was even more amazing than I expected. I will need to run a better system of pipes within the prop in order to distribute the steam better. I like the single corner pipe but I'd like to move it to the center (a suggestion of my assistant Denise) and also better fill in the inside of the box as well. Below is a photo of the steam control panel which we opted to put on the side of the box rather than putting it upon the face. (see below)

The effect is similar to the Blade Box but with very large shards of broken glass taking the place of the old metal blades. We've done the routine for many years with the regular blades but then in 2005, added the broken glass. Using the glass instead of blades changed the routine from a kind of standard magic illusion into a very intense and dramatic routine. Some might actually say 'too intense', lol. The steam addition will probably take that level on intensity down a notch, but at the same time increase the overall production values in the routine. Anyway you slice it (pun intended), it's a strong piece of illusion magic.

More Steampunk Magic Props

I have been feverishly working to get new props built and old ones refurbished for my upcoming tour that starts soon (in days). I've attached two images for you to enjoy. The top photo is a refurbished prop that I call 'The Temporal Generator'. This is a rather clever device, whatever is placed inside can be instantly sent back in time or ahead in time. To prove it, I borrow a shoe, place it into the box and send it back in time. Then moments later I bring it back, but apparently something goes wrong and a different shoe ends up in it's place. The borrowed shoe then is discovered in an impossible place with a note from the past!

The next is a neck stock for a routine which was a Sword Thru the Neck Illusion. I won't be using a
sword, but I will have a long metal device that will go into the stocks while someone wears it. The device came out splendidly.

The real difference between the two props is that first one, the Temporal Generator, has lights and sound effects. The Neck stock has no lights or sound effects but you see the magic as it happens. Whereas in the first routine, the magic moment is somewhat delayed. So both have something unique about them and both should be wonderful additions to The Steampunk Illusionist Show.

Rolling Out Small Version of the Steampunk Magic Show This Summer

Right now, I'm working on producing a special ONE MAN version of my Steampunk Illusionist Show for Summer. I typically do around 100+ shows from end of June till end of August. Of those 100+ shows, about two dozen of the shows are this special one man show. And there are at least another dozen that are also steampunk but a different kind entirely.

I'm very excited because it's the first time some of the updated Steampunk material will be in the show. One of the highlights will be a special 170 year old animal automaton. A real mechanical creature made of wires and springs and gears and cogs that will be used to locate a selected playing card! This is my ode to Robert-Houdin, the great French Conjurer and clock maker, who was also known as the Father of Modern Magic, though that title should probably updated to the Father of Modern Victorian Magic.

The new Invisibility Machine will hopefully be ready and in the show. This is a very clever and unique take on a well known routine. But my routine and concept takes it into a whole new direction for which I am quite thrilled to do.

My Mustache Gallery routine will be in the show also. This is a fun comedy magic effect loosely based on an idea by Karrel Fox. I have a feeling it's going to play especially strong in the summer programs.

With any luck I will have a new story routine in the show.  It's all written, now it's just a matter of getting the props ready. It's a story about a relative who shined shoes when he first came to America to make money. It's a heart warming story and has a nice moment of magic, with a surprise kicker ending.

There are dates still open for the show too. So if you live in the VA, MD or DC area and are interested in booking a very unique Steampunk Magic Show for Summer 2014 contact me today! info@steampunkillusionist.com

Fun Magic From the Steampunk Illusionist Show

Here is a classic piece of magic that we call 'The Traveling Glass and Bottle'. Every act I've ever seen does this exactly the same, which is the Ken Brooke routine. And there is nothing wrong with that because it's a wonderful routine. I think my friend Denny Haney does the best version of the Ken Brooke routine. But we wanted something different, so this was our solution. This footage is from several years ago before we had created the Steampunk Illusionist Show, but the routine and music is the same, only the costumes are different today.

Houdini & Fatty Arbuckle Share a Birthday March 24th

Seeing as they both were born in the Victorian Era, I think it's safe to include them on my Steampunk blog. Houdini was born March 24th 1874 in Budapest Hungary. Fatty Abuckle was born March 24th, 1887. I'm going to include a blog article that I wrote several years ago which will give you some biographical information on the two men.


We all know it's Houdini's birthday. But did you also know that Rosco 'Fatty' Arbuckle was born on this day in 1887?  Fatty Arbuckle was a pioneer comedian during the Silent Film era. He holds the distinction of being the first person to be hit with a pie on film! When newcomer Charles Chaplin was hired by Mack Sennett to replace a comedian who had just left, Chaplin borrowed the pants of none other than Fatty Arbuckle to help create his character 'The Tramp'.

Houdini and Fatty actually had a fair amount in common. Fatty Arbuckle began his career in Vaudeville as a singer and dancer. Houdini of course was the King of Vaudeville Entertainers. In the book, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle: A Biography Of The Silent Film Comedian, 1887-1933 by Stuart Oderman, he says that early in their careers both Fatty Arbuckle and Houdini liked to sleep at train stations, likely due to the fact they were making very little money in the early days.

Fatty and Houdini have something else in common, Buster Keaton. Legend has it that it was Houdini who gave Keaton the nickname Buster. Well, Keaton was a vaudeville comedian and Fatty brought him out to California to be in one of his films. So it was due to Fatty Arbuckle that Buster Keaton got his start in movies.

Both Houdini and Fatty Arbuckle were fond of performing the East Indian Needle Trick. (ok, maybe not)

In 19212, poor Roscoe Arbuckle got caught up in a Hollywood scandal largely played out in the press. He had been accused of all manner of sexual deviancy, raping and murdering a woman by the name of Virginia Rappe. From what I've read it was untrue. If anything Fatty was the one person trying to get help for the poor woman who had taken ill. But through some false testimony by a very shady woman, Fatty Arbuckle found himself in the midst of hell on earth. His first two trials ended in a hung jury. The third trial, the jury, after six minutes, gave this statement:

"Acquittal is not enough for Roscoe Arbuckle. We feel that a great injustice has been done him. We feel also that it was only our plain duty to give him this exoneration, under the evidence, for there was not the slightest proof adduced to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime. He was manly throughout the case, and told a straightforward story on the witness stand, which we all believed. The happening at the hotel was an unfortunate affair for which Arbuckle, so the evidence shows, was in no way responsible. We wish him success and hope that the American people will take the judgement of fourteen men and women who have sat listening for thirty-one days to the evidence, that Roscoe Arbuckle is entirely innocent and free of all blame."

Hollywood executives, several days following the verdict decided they would take matters into their own hands and blacklisted Fatty Arbuckle from making pictures. Wait? Wasn't he totally innocent? Guess that didn't matter. However, by 1925 Fatty was back, but under an assumed name, William Goodrich, though this time he was not starring in the movies, he was directing them.

Eventually in 1932, the ban was lifted and Fatty was allowed to star in movies again. He was hired to make six two-reel movies. The day after completing them, he died. Like Houdini, he too died young, he was only 46. 

About the woman, Virginia Rappe. She didn't die at the hotel, nor did she die while Abuckle was present. She died four days later in the hospital. The cause of death, peritonitis, just like Houdini.

It's unfortunate that Fatty and Houdini both died so early. I'm sure they both had a lot more entertainment to give the world. In fact, after their deaths, they would be connected one more time, in a movie called Days of Thrills & Laughter.

In any event, Happy 140th Birthday to Houdini 
and Happy 127th Birthday to Fatty.

*One more note about Fatty. This would make Houdini jealous as it seems that Mr. Arbuckle is still fooling people many years after he died. He is listed in a number of biographies as being buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles, he is also listed as being buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. The truth however is that he was cremated and his wife scattered his ashes over the Pacific Ocean.

**This is reprinted from themagicdetective.com blog, with 

Incredible Busts of Victorian Era Magicians

In the 21st Century it is rare to see a 'bust' made of someone. I think this artform began to fade when photography was invented. In the Victorian Era, busts and statues were often scene in well to do homes. Many of the greatest magicians of all time came out of this period in time. Well, a company called Spectral Motion, owned and operated by Mike and Mary Elizalde have created a series of bronze busts of 6 of magic's most famous entertainers. All of these individuals were born in the 19th Century. Please enjoy these wonderful works of art.

Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin (b.Dec 7,1805 d. June 13, 1871) Known to all of us as the Father of Modern Magic. He was the great French Conjurer who we still revere today. Inventor of many incredible automaton like Antonio Diavolo and the Fantastic Blooming Orange Bush.  Also, creator of incredible magic like the Ethereal Suspension, which in updated forms is still presented today. 

Another of his iconic creations was the Light & Heavy Chest, which was used not only to amaze and impress but also to stop a tribal uprising in French Algeria.  

A full size statue of Robert Houdin resides in front of the Maison de la Magie in Blois France.


Alexander Herrmann (b. Feb 10,1844 d. Dec 17, 1896)
The GREAT Herrmann is considered by many to be the first in the line of the famed Mantle of Magic. He was also a Frenchman, like Houdin, but made his fame here in America. Originally, he worked with his brother Compars, until he went out on his own. Compars Herrmann was equally as famous in Europe as his younger brother was in America. The Herrmann's had a Mephistopholean appearance that added to their mystery and intrigue.

Though he had a very mysterious appearance, his magic and performance was filled with comedy. He was also known to do magic off-stage in public places. Perhaps we should credit Alexander Herrmann with being the creator of 'Street Magic'!

Herrmann died suddenly on a train in 1896. His wife Adelaide took over the show and was joined by her nephew Leon, who also bore a striking resemblance to Alexander.

Harry Kellar (b. July 11, 1849 d. March 10,1922) Here we have the Dean of Magicians. So called, because he was the first 'Dean' of the Society of American Magicians. Harry Kellar was the first nationally famous American born magician. The second in line for the Mantle of Magic, though technically, it really started with him, though some do put Herrmann first.

Kellar began his career as an apprentice to the Fakir of Ava. He went out on his own for a short time and eventually went to work for the Davenport Brothers. When he had a falling out with one of the brothers, he left them and took another employee, William Fay, with him. They toured North and South America and were heading to Europe when a ship wreck ended their tour.

Kellar found his way back to the U.S. and rebuilt his show and went on to  have a flourishing career. He and Herrmann, though not friends, shared a secret that I will reveal a bit later in this article.



HOUDINI (b March 24,1874 d. Oct 31, 1926) The most famous magician in the world, who wanted to be known as an 'escape artist' for much of his life, and then as an actor, producer and later as an author and scientific investigator. Eventually, he would return to magic in a grand way with his Three In One Show of Magic, Escapes and Spiritualist Exposures. Houdini is likely responsible for inspiring more people into magic than anyone alive. I know my own push into magic came from discovering Houdini. 

The creation of the Magic Detective Blog, really has a lot to do with Houdini. There are 172 articles on the blog that are either about or that refer to Harry. The next closest is Harry Kellar with 32. He is an icon, a legend and the bust of Houdini created by Spectral Motion captures Houdini in all his splendor. He looks confident, proud and defiant. It's a fantastic image of the Master Mystifier.

Howard Thurston (b. July 20, 1869 d. April 13, 1936) 
If we talk of the Mantle of Magic, Howard received the Mantle of Magic from Harry Kellar in a ceremony at Ford's Theatre in Baltimore on May 16th, 1908. In all truth, it had more to do with Kellar selling his show to Thurston, but it sure made a great publicity campaign and a tradition that has continued up until present time.

I always thought Thurston was a great performer. But I never quite knew the whole story until Jim Steinmeyer published an incredible biography on Thurston called, The Last Greatest Magician In The World. It is a must read for anyone interested in magic or magic history.

Thurston had been making plans to pass the Mantle of Magic onto one of his associates, Harry Jansen, known professionally as Dante. There was never an official ceremony however because Thurston died suddenly.


Chung Ling Soo (b. April 2, 1861 d. March 23, 1918) 
I must admit when I first looked over the list
of people who were selected for bronzes, the one odd one was Chung Ling Soo, at least to me. He was born William Ellsworth Robinson and in all truth, his inclusion in this list is well deserved. Robinson worked for Alexander Herrmann. Later, he worked for Harry Kellar. Robinson was the 'secret' that I referred to earlier. He worked for the rival magicians before his own rise to fame. He was known as the most knowledgeable man in magic during his time. He played an important part in the success of both. 

Robinson also has a connection to Thurston. He allowed Thurston to show Leon Herrmann his version of the Rising Cards, and when it amazed Herrmann, Thurston publicized himself as 'The Man Who Fooled Herrmann'. The meeting would never have happened without Robinson however.

When Robinson went out on his own, he failed miserably. It wasn't until he came up with the idea of doing an Chinese after seeing Ching Ling Foo, that things really took off for him. So convincing was he in his performance that the public was unaware that Soo was really an American. They truly bought into the idea that he was Chinese. He even used an interpreter when he gave interviews. He is the only real life magician who gets a spot in the movie 'The Prestige'. He also had one of the most tragic deaths in the history of magic having been killed while performing the dangerous Bullet Catching Feat.

All of these busts are a little over 12 inches tall. They are made of bronze and are available for purchase. They were produced in limited quantities of 40, so there isn't a huge supply, but there are some that remain. They are all on display at the Magic Castle if you are interested in seeing them in person. If you want to purchase one of these wonderful works of art, realize you are not buying a mass produced bust from Target or Walmart. These are museum quality and exceptional pieces. If you are interested in purchasing one, and I really encourage you to consider this investment because once they are gone, they will be gone for good. Below is the flyer which has all the information for purchasing. You can reach them at (818)956-6080 or by email at orders@spectralmotion.com

Special thanks for Mike and Mary Elizalde for providing all the wonderful photographs and for your great contribution to magic. 

*This article also appears on my MagicDetective Blog.

The Steampunk Illusionist Magic Show Coming Together Nicely

On Wednesday, we had the honor of presenting another Steampunk Illusionist Show and the show received a standing ovation. We also made sure to video tape the show and were fairly happy with the results we saw. However, as with any performer who is honest with themselves, there was plenty in there that needs adjusting and fixing. It's not anything an audience would likely notice, but we certainly saw things that should be fixed or simply adjusted.

Whenever I say 'we', I'm referring to my #1 super awesome assistant Denise who does more magic behind the scenes than I could possibly do in front of the curtain. She is amazing!

Right now the Steampunk Illusionist has about a dozen effects to choose from for the smaller version of the show. We will be adding some new material to the show shortly. And will be working on a big project in a few days!!!!

Steampunk Illusionist Dot Com Is LIVE

After months of design work and integrating a special system into the site, it's finally completed. Though, is anything ever truly done? I know the header is going to be replaced in a few days once I get the new header design back from the graphics firm. And there are some cosmetic changes I'll be making to the body of the site here and there. So, I suppose it's never done, but at least it's up and has officially replaced the old site which was more of a place holder than anything.

We have been scheduling shows for the Steampunk Illusionist for a while. From the start the shows were going to be a three part project. Step 1 was to design a simple show I could take out on my own. Step 2 was to design a two person show complete with at least one big illusion. Step 3 is a much grander project, which is a show which is part play, part magic show. Step 3 has not been accomplished as of yet, we are still writing that show. But the Steampunk Illusionist will still be out there doing shows, making appearances and traveling back and forth in time (part of the show concept).

The site is www.SteampunkIllusionist.com

Steampunk Illusionist Gets New Costumes

I'm not sure what my favorite part of this entire process is, but I'm really enjoying the costume creation. The photo here is actually not one of ours, but it's a fair representation of what we are going for, minus a few of the extra accessories. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the accessories, but we've got to stay practical too because girls need to get in and out of boxes, float in the air and do all the stuff associated with a magic show and then some. Basically, the girls need to be comfortable but have a killer look.

In our show last Saturday, Denise rocked a killer outfit. Do I have photos? NO! And I can't begin to tell you just how frustrated I am about that. Even the video didn't turn out. :(  But trust me, her costume was incredible. My costume was good, but she had the stand out look from my perspective. I'm still trying to get a hat that fits, lol!

Back to Denise, she had on a red corset, long billowy black skirt, black wig, miniature black top hat, white blouse, awesome period looking boots and lace gloves. I had on my long frock coat, a black vest, top hat w/goggles, black pants and spats. It was a good look, the spats really brought it up a notch and together we looked like we just stepped out of a time machine, which was the general idea.

There are more costumes coming in each week. New hats, new accessories, new vintage style shirts and pants. I want to be sure the show is visually interesting on multiple levels and fashion is the one area where most magicians drop the ball. Generally, most magicians are wearing fashion that is out of date. Here is the ironic part, SO ARE WE, but for us, that is the point! It's a themed show, so the costuming plays as big a part as character, props etc. But for other magicians who are wearing styles from the 1990s, they just look out of touch.

I am so happy to have some sort of gadgetry for the show also. And MORE gadgetry is on the way! I've got some work to do on revamping one of our illusions. I'm going to take before and after photos so you can see how we changed it. Until next time...

Trying A Fresh Approach To Magic thru Steampunk Magic

At the theatre show we did last weekend, one of my favorite comments was how 'fresh and original' our act was. This is funny in an ironic sort of way because the material for the most part has been around for 100 years or so. We have added our own twists here and there. Of course, our approach is to infuse the magic with Steampunk. We are not the first to do this, nor will we be the last. But we have tried to approach it from our own unique perspective.

One routine that is an important part of our show was actually the creation of Orson Welles the famous movie star and film director. Orson was an avid magic fan and even toured with his own Illusion Show for a period of time. This creation of his was later adopted by Doug Henning and I recall seeing Doug perform it on TV and live at his shows. The basic plot is borrowed object to impossible location. Our contribution is to wrap it in a time travel setting with a miniature teleportation device. It's a strong piece of magic, but not without it's issues. It's not easy to do. It has many restrictions. And borrowing objects can be problematic these days. But the end results, we find, are well worth it. Having said all that, the routine continues to evolve because we want the strongest routines possible for our show.

Another piece we presented during the show was a very unconventional escape. Usually, with escapology, the star of the show does the escape. However, in this instance, my assistant, who is also more partner than assistant, is featured. It is not a rough and tumble sort of escape where there is a lot of struggle. Instead, this escape is delicate and fast and to be honest, quite astonishing. I had magicians come up to me after the show and say how this fooled them. No surprise, it fooled me the first time I saw it presented. The way in which it was performed last weekend will change slightly in the future. It does not contain any sort of time travel or steampunk element, however, simply by the nature of the prop, it fits perfectly into the act. Having just said that, hmmmmm, I think I might have a clever premise to add to the routine!