Signifigant Events in the History of Magic

May 4, 2006 12:32 PM

Geeky question to be sure: But in the history of magic, from Houdini to the present, what have been the most significant moments? For example, David Copperfield making the statue of Liberty disappear should certainly be on the list. What else belongs?
posted by captainscared to Media & Arts (14 answers total)

This pissed off a number of magicians, and should probably be considered significant.
posted by interrobang at 12:39 PM on May 4, 2006

The "David Blaine: Street Magic" special from 1997. Made magic hip, for a while at least.
posted by smackfu at 12:40 PM on May 4, 2006

Penn and Teller certainly have a unique spin on it. Gross-out magic or something.
posted by surferboy at 12:42 PM on May 4, 2006

Vegas Baby

Next to Vaudeville Las Vegas has probably done more to keep Magic alive than anything else.

Oh, wasn't there some man eating tiger involved with a magician recently...
posted by Gungho at 12:43 PM on May 4, 2006

Response by poster: These are great.
posted by captainscared at 12:44 PM on May 4, 2006

David Copperfield showing up all over the place with Claudia Schiffer at his side is more impressive than his making the Statue of Liberty disappear!
posted by clearlynuts at 12:48 PM on May 4, 2006

I'd say that "Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants" becoming the fastest sell-out in off-Broadway history when it opened in 1994 could be worth mentioning.
posted by nicwolff at 1:03 PM on May 4, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks, nicwolff. I forgot about that.
posted by captainscared at 1:19 PM on May 4, 2006

Le Grand David and his own Spectacular Magic Company in Beverly, MA (with performances every Sunday for 30 years) carries on the tradition of magic houses ("Egyptian Halls") of the late 19th. century and much of the 20th century. Magicians such as John Nevil Maskelyne, David Devant, Alexander Hermann, Harry Kellar, Howard Thurston and Harry Blackstone Sr. drew huge audiences and were 'stars of their times.'

Later, radio mentalists, like Joseph Dunninger and television performers such as Milbourne Christopher and Jr. set the stage for current media performers.
posted by ericb at 2:15 PM on May 4, 2006 [1 favorite]

*Harry Blackstone, Jr.*
posted by ericb at 2:17 PM on May 4, 2006

Also -- the founding of The Magic Castle (Hollywood, CA) in 1963.
posted by ericb at 2:22 PM on May 4, 2006

Don't forget Doug Henning. He's more a punchline now than anything else, but his act was huge in its heyday - bigger than Blaine or Copperfield or anyone like that.
posted by mikel at 3:39 PM on May 4, 2006

Yeah, the Wikipedia history credits Henning with reviving magic for adults. Oh, and just to be clear, the vanishing Statue of Liberty was originally designed by Jim Steinmeyer. Copperfield performed it but didn't create it.
posted by mediareport at 7:14 AM on May 5, 2006

Houdini's Chinese Water Torture Cell, introduced in 1913, was a biggie. Depending on how you're defining "significant moments," his death might qualify, too -- he often let audience members punch him in the stomach to show how strong his abdominal muscles were, but in 1926 J. Gordon Whitehead, a boxing student, decided to try his hand without giving Houdini a chance to prepare himself first, which resulted in a ruptured appendix.
posted by Acetylene at 8:35 AM on May 5, 2006