A little later this month (September 27) will be the 133rd anniversary of the birth of Harry Bouton, better known to the world as the senior Harry Blackstone. But we can’t wait another ten days… here’s a little taste of the classic Blackstone magic now!
If you are a magician, you know Richard Himber as a creator of magic. The world knew him, though, primarily as a bandleader. If you search for him on YouTube, you’ll get tons of his music performances from TV, film and Victor records and this clip from who knows where showing a little of his magic.
You can read more about Richard Kimber and his life in music and magic in this piece we posted on him a couple years ago.
The Smithsonian Magazine posted a piece on legendary magician Howard Thurston, which included the above clip and more. You can read the article on their site.
Harry Blackstone Sr. was one of the first magicians to truly embrace the media. He appeared on the radio, in newspapers, magazines and on television. He did not only perform or give interviews but instead starred in comic books and his own radio show. He also lent his appearance and name to advertising, including this poster for Baby Ruth candy bars. The poster currently being offered on eBay is actually a modern print, but it is still a fun (and much more affordable) bit of magic history.
If you are looking for real vintage Blackstone ephemera check out this auction instead.
Tom Frank edited the opening montage for this year’s Academy of Magical Arts Awards and quietly posted it on YouTube last week.
We mentioned Dorothy Dietrich earlier today because she inspired a new young adult novel… But here is a look at Dorothy on Tom Snyder’s Tomorrow back sometime between ’73 and ’82 when that was NBC’s late night programming.
The AP gives the world a peek at the items from the Copperfield Magic Collection on display at the New York Historical Society’s Summer of Magic Exhibit. This special exhibit opened over the weekend and will continue to run through September, so if you are going to be in New York, plan accordingly!