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John A. Daniel (c.1931-2011) (aka John Daniels) was magician and a collector and dealer of magician memorabilia, Baranger Motion machines, vintage electric trains, toys, antique carousels and other collectibles.
What started as a hobby at age nine, combined with his skills developed in his Dad’s business (Lee & Daniel Steel Fabricators), quickly progressed to working in a factory that manufactured some illusions and tricks for Harry Houdini as well as many other magicians. As a very young magician John met Bess Houdini who was stage assistant and wife of Harry Houdini.
John a toured with school assembly shows and the southwestern states with a midnight spook show, "Dr. Doom's Dungeon of Death," and "Daniel's Magic Circus." His hobby was antique magic collecting.
In 1952 he opened "Daniel's Magic Den" in Pasadena and put out several items under the "Trickmasters" label.
From 1953 to 1955, he served in the Artillery and was over-seas for 18 months. He did do a few shows, and while doing one in Berlin, he met Irene Stolz (the future Irene Larsen). He eventually brought her back to the United States in 1957 as his magician's assistant and they were married.
He joined forces with Carl Owen in 1958 and eventually purchased Owen Magic in 1960. Daniel was known for his development work “thin model” of sawing a woman in half.
After divorcing Irene, he married Catherine Cynthia Birch (Miss Virginia 1960, Miss America 1961 contestant) who had become his magician's assistant.
Baranger Motion machines or "Baranger Motions" were store-window mechanical animated advertising displays, rented to jewelers, and produced from 1925 to 1959 by the Baranger Company of South Pasadena, California USA. In 1978, the Baranger Studios building and stock of animated displays were bought by Burton A. Burton. John was put in charge of repairing motions and selling duplicates. John became a collector of them. 1986 Daniel sold his collection of 90 motions to Teruhisa Kitahara. John Daniel subsequently bought the remaining stock of motions from Burton A. Burton. In 1993, Daniel published a 60 minute VHS video showing 122 motions and in 2001, Daniel published a book showing images of all the motions plus a history of the business.
John was a builder and dealer vintage electric trains, toys, antique carousels and other collectibles. John was the president of the T.T.O.S. (Toy Train Operators Society). Daniel collected magic props, posters and tricks including a large collection of Dante the Magician.
Max Maven is an American magician and mentalist whose performances are considered erudite and intelligent. He is ranked as one of the most influential mentalists of all time, and one of the 100 "Most Influential Magicians of the 20th Century" by Magic Magazine.
Milbourne Christopher was a prominent American illusionist, magic historian, and author.
Milt Larsen is an American actor, writer, performer, lyricist, magician, entrepreneur, speaker, and the creator of The Magic Castle, a private club for magicians and enthusiasts.
This timeline of magic is a history of the performing art from B.C. to the present.
Baranger Motion machines or "Baranger Motions" were store-window mechanical animated advertising displays, rented to jewellers, and produced from 1937 to 1959 by the Baranger Company of South Pasadena, California United States. The dimensions of one typical "motion" were 21 inches (53 cm) wide, 12 inches (30 cm) tall, and 12 inches (30 cm) deep.
The Pacific Coast Association of Magicians is an association of magicians. It was founded in 1933; the first president was Lloyd E Jones. It has chapters in Japan, Hawaii, California, and western Canada, and holds an annual convention. The third of these, in 1935, was held at the Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood, and was attended by Bess Houdini, widow of Harry Houdini. In 2018 the convention was held in Bakersfield, California.
Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine is the largest selling magazine in the world devoted to magic and magicians. It is a monthly magazine first published in September 1936, currently edited by Richard J. Kaufman and owned by Randy Pitchford. The magazine is based in Washington, DC.
A magician's assistant is a performer in a magic act who is not billed as the magician or principal name in the act. The role of an assistant can include holding the props that are used by a magician, shifting props onto and off the stage, and serving as a living prop in illusions that involve manipulation of the human body. Other aspects of the role can include dancing or acting as visual ornamentation, sometimes for simple aesthetic purposes and sometimes to misdirect audience attention. The figure of the glamorous female assistant has become a stereotype or icon in art, popular media and fiction.
William Larsen Jr. was co-founder and president of the Academy of Magical Arts, better known as Hollywood’s Magic Castle, with his brother Milt Larsen and wife Irene Larsen. Born in Pasadena and a graduate of Occidental College, Larsen began his career in television at CBS, working his way up to associate producer of “Playhouse 90" and the Danny Kaye and Jonathan Winters variety shows. In 1953, after the death of his father, attorney and magician William W. Larsen Sr., he became editor and eventually publisher of Genii, The Conjurors Magazine, a publication for magicians founded by his parents in 1936. Larsen and his brother, Milt Larsen, realizing a dream of their father’s, founded the Magic Castle in 1963, a private dining and performance club for magicians that now has more than 5,000 members. Not long after the Magic Castle opened, Bill married Irene Larsen on November 10, 1963. Along with Milt Larsen, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Sphinx was a monthly magic magazine published in Chicago from March 1902 through March 1953 by William J. Hilliar.
David Tobias "Theodore" Bamberg was an itinerant magician who traveled with his full evening magic show from the early to mid part of the 20th century. In Bamberg's autobiography, Robert Parrish wrote in the introduction that no other great illusionist could match Bamberg's skill. The Fu Manchu show was known for its comedy, drama, and color.
Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of illusion, stage magic, and close up magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural means. It is to be distinguished from paranormal magic which are effects claimed to be created through supernatural means. It is one of the oldest performing arts in the world.
The Magic Castle is a clubhouse for magicians and magic enthusiasts, as well as the clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts. It is in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California and it bills itself as "the most unusual private club in the world".
Richard J. Kaufman is an author, publisher, illustrator, and editor of books and magazines in the field of magic and amateur magicians of noted skill.
John Mulholland was an American magician, author, publisher and intelligence agent.
Ron Wilson was a professional magician, and winner of the Academy of Magical Arts Magician of the Year award in 1971.
Irene Larsen, known affectionately as “Princess Irene” throughout the worldwide community of magicians and illusionists, was a co-founder of the Magic Castle and the Academy of Magical Arts.
Gerald Vincent Heaney was a stage magician and magic supplier from Berlin, Wisconsin, United States. "Heaney the Great" and his magic show toured North America for a number of years during the mid 1900s.
Bruce Cervon was an American magician who was best known for his close-up magic, both through performance and invention. He published a series of books and helped to create a permanent record of the magic of Dai Vernon through The Vernon Chronicles, Dai Vernon's Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic, and Bruce Cervon's Castle Notebooks.