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| Magicians (Illusionists) |
Magicians (Illusionists)
The term magician can refer to two distinct areas of practice.
The first refers to those who claim to practice the art of change by the use of unknown (either natural or supernatural) forces.
Such practice is covered in this encyclopedia under the headings Ceremonial Magic and Magic. The second connotation refers to stage illusionists. These represent those who have perfected acts presenting the same phenomena as those presented by mediums and psychics. It conjures up many different images in people, some that extend into the far reaches of one’s imagination and experience. Since the days of ancient Egypt and the Pharoahs, magicians have practiced the art of magic.
From the prehistoric caves of Europe and North America, to ancient Greece and Rome, to the Middle Ages, long before the days of Vaudeville, and television, archaeological evidence and historical records show that audiences were held captive by the masters of trickery and illusion. In America, from the 19th century success of the American-born illusionist Harry Kellar to the modern-day magicians, such as Doug Henning and David
Copperfield, have captured the attention of the public.
Since the nineteenth century, when Spiritualism took root and gained popularity among the general public, magicians have been skeptical of Spiritualist and psychic claims. Due to their expertise in the area of illusion, they have been at the forefront of exposing fraud within the Spiritualist community.
The impetus to the birth of the Spiritualism movement in America was linked to two sisters, Margaret and Kate Fox, who claimed to be receiving messages ‘‘from beyond’’ in their isolated farmhouse in 1848. It was the Fox sisters, too, who encouraged the beginning of what would become a long history of debate between spiritualists and magic advocates.
The first important challenge to Spiritualism by a magician occurred right as the movement was just beginning. In 1853 J.
H. Anderson of New York offered a thousand dollars to any ‘‘poverty-stricken medium’’ who would come to his hall and attempt to produce raps. Spiritualists were already becoming notorious for calling up the spirits of the dead, often in seances where the deceased would manifest themselves through a knocking on the table where the participants were seated. The Fox sisters accepted Anderson’s invitation immediately, and were accompanied by Judge J. W. Edmonds and a Dr. Grey.
However convinced Anderson might have been, he backed out as they were about to appear. Amid the hisses of the audience, he refused them admission to the stage.
The term magician can refer to two distinct areas of practice.
The first refers to those who claim to practice the art of change by the use of unknown (either natural or supernatural) forces.
Such practice is covered in this encyclopedia under the headings Ceremonial Magic and Magic. The second connotation refers to stage illusionists. These represent those who have perfected acts presenting the same phenomena as those presented by mediums and psychics. It conjures up many different images in people, some that extend into the far reaches of one’s imagination and experience. Since the days of ancient Egypt and the Pharoahs, magicians have practiced the art of magic.
From the prehistoric caves of Europe and North America, to ancient Greece and Rome, to the Middle Ages, long before the days of Vaudeville, and television, archaeological evidence and historical records show that audiences were held captive by the masters of trickery and illusion. In America, from the 19th century success of the American-born illusionist Harry Kellar to the modern-day magicians, such as Doug Henning and David
Copperfield, have captured the attention of the public.
Since the nineteenth century, when Spiritualism took root and gained popularity among the general public, magicians have been skeptical of Spiritualist and psychic claims. Due to their expertise in the area of illusion, they have been at the forefront of exposing fraud within the Spiritualist community.
The impetus to the birth of the Spiritualism movement in America was linked to two sisters, Margaret and Kate Fox, who claimed to be receiving messages ‘‘from beyond’’ in their isolated farmhouse in 1848. It was the Fox sisters, too, who encouraged the beginning of what would become a long history of debate between spiritualists and magic advocates.
The first important challenge to Spiritualism by a magician occurred right as the movement was just beginning. In 1853 J.
H. Anderson of New York offered a thousand dollars to any ‘‘poverty-stricken medium’’ who would come to his hall and attempt to produce raps. Spiritualists were already becoming notorious for calling up the spirits of the dead, often in seances where the deceased would manifest themselves through a knocking on the table where the participants were seated. The Fox sisters accepted Anderson’s invitation immediately, and were accompanied by Judge J. W. Edmonds and a Dr. Grey.
However convinced Anderson might have been, he backed out as they were about to appear. Amid the hisses of the audience, he refused them admission to the stage.
