July 26: Max Auzinger
Max Auzinger was born on this day in 1839; he accidentally discovered the principle of Black Art as he was working on a play.
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Historic milestones, notable events, and magical anniversaries from this day.
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July 23: The Arch-Exposer
Angelo Lewis, a British lawyer, was born on this day in 1839. As an amateur conjurer, he wrote in children’s magazines and magic books using the now-famous nom de plume, Professor Hoffmann.
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July 11: Harry Kellar
Harry Kellar was born on this day in 1849. He became America’s greatest magician of his time.
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July 10: Lance Burton's Tuxedo
On this day in 1982, Lance Burton won the Grand Prix at FISM in Lausanne, Switzerland, the first American and the youngest contestant to win.
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July 7: Religious Racketeers
Religious Racketeers (later retitled The Mystic Circle Murders), a film featuring Beatrice Houdini in a supporting role, premiered on this day in 1938.
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June 22: Houdini Supersedes
On this day in 1922, Harry and Bess Houdini celebrated their anniversary by hosting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his wife, Lady Doyle, at a Broadway performance.
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June 21: Willard II
Robert Maroney Willard, who performed as the second Willard the Wizard, died by suicide in 1914.
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June 18: Blooming Rose
On this day in 1946, John Petrie of the Petrie-Lewis Company filed a patent for his mechanical blooming rose bush.
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June 11: "Day" Vernon
David Frederick Wingfield Verner was born in 1894 in Ottawa, Ontario. We all knew him as Dai Vernon, the insightful, innovative, and influential magician.
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June 2: Mentalism and the Third Reich
German mentalist Erik Jan Hanussen was born in 1889. He died pursuing a dangerous game, exploiting superstition within the Nazi regime.
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May 29: Brooks' Cards
Herbert Brooks opened at Hammerstein’s Theater in New York City on this date in 1905. He was a sensation in vaudeville with his card tricks and his trunk escape.
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May 19: Blackstone!
Forty-five years ago, in 1980, Harry Blackstone, Jr. opened Blackstone!, his illusion show on Broadway at the Majestic Theater, the start of a 104-performance run