August 15: Clayton Rawson

​​Clayton Rawson was born on this day in 1906 in Elyria, New York. His magical achievements were notable, including magic illustrations, sophisticated tricks, beginner’s books for kids, and as John Scarne’s ghostwriter. In 1947, he contributed The Little Wonder Thought Projector, that supremely silly, incredibly smart routine with an eggbeater, to Hugard’s Magic Monthly. It was his mystery novels, however, that brought him public fame. He specialized in the “locked room” format—an impossible crime that couldn’t have happened, with the books featuring his magician/detective character, The Great Merlini.