The greatest illusionist in history, Houdini, whose career began at the dawn of cinema, turned his craft into large-scale show, and he himself became the first transatlantic celebrity..
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Eric Weiss (real name) showed his talent as a magician in early childhood. Six-year-old Eric was already showing his family and neighbors everything he could card tricks, and from the age of ten he made money from this in various establishments. And at the same time he sold newspapers and shined shoes on the streets - his family, Jewish emigrants from Budapest, was poor. By the age of 18, having changed his name to Harry (derived from Eric) Houdini (in honor of the famous illusionist Robert Houdin), the young man began to pursue a professional career. Together with his brother Theo, Houdini, who through long training had turned his body into plasticine, demonstrated miracles of flexibility - placed in a small box, he got out of there in a few seconds. Joint family business did not live long: in 1894, twenty-year-old Harry met Bess Runner and three weeks after the first meeting he married her. After which he made her his assistant, instead of his brother. Release tricks had already become Houdini's signature style; gradually their scale and complexity grew, despite the fact that their dramaturgy and techniques were common. Handcuffed (or tied up) illusionist for maximum short time unraveled by being hung by the feet, thrown into a river, buried alive in a coffin or in a steam engine. In addition to magic tricks, Harry Houdini made films for which he wrote the scripts himself; wrote books, including exposing his colleagues. He also greatly spoiled the lives of magicians, mystics and assorted sorcerers, leading them to clean water, exposing directly at the sessions where he appeared incognito. Houdini was a real pop star of his time, which was his undoing. One day, before his next performance, several young people came into his dressing room. One of them asked whether the famous magician could really take any blow. Before the illusionist had time to answer, the young man hit Houdini in the stomach. This caused a rupture of the appendix, which, in the absence of antibiotics in those years, turned out to be fatal. In October 1926, Harry Houdini passed away. The great artist was buried in the same coffin in which he was lowered bound into the water. This time Houdini failed to get out.
An opponent of Houdini, Vernon remained in history as the man who confused the legend of the genre: Houdini could not understand how his younger colleague did a trick called The Ambitious Card. The maestro, who publicly stated that he could figure out any trick in three viewings, watched The Ambitious Card eight times in a row and capitulated, unable to understand how Vernon did it. The victory, like other professional achievements, did not spoil Dai Vernon: looking like an old school university professor, an honored illusionist who trained more than one generation of magicians, behaved modestly, was not arrogant and did not demand respect. The only one Vernon couldn't help but say something bad about was Harry Houdini. Why is unknown.
Unlike Harry Houdini, Uri Geller built a career on flirting with mysticism and the supernatural. And even his signature trick - deforming spoons with the help of “simple” stroking - Geller presented as an incredible miracle. He stopped the clock, and, in fact, went down in history as the man who made time freeze on the clock of London's Big Ben. Colleagues treated Geller with doubts and regularly accused him of fraud - including regarding the trick with Big Ben (there is no video evidence that the clock actually stood up; there are only the words of the magician himself and several witnesses). All this did not interfere with the career of Uri Geller, who became a celebrity thanks to his television show. In addition to magic tricks and television, he wrote and is writing books, and acts in films. The peak of his popularity has long passed, but Geller is not too worried about this - he works as a judge in the “Battle of Psychics”, and several years ago he calmly admitted that he himself was tired of the fuss around his paranormal talents, and all he needed was “to be a pop illusionist." This is true.
An illusionist whose tricks are real big-budget blockbusters, a large-scale show performed by a large team of assistants. Copperfield is the equivalent of Steven Spielberg: rich, artistic, with an idea and convincing drama. He passed through the Great Chinese wall, “stole” the plane and the Statue of Liberty, got out of the flames, jumped into Niagara Falls. Copperfield gives more than three hundred concerts annually, and has a venue assigned to him in one of the Vegas casinos; the magician actively uses modern technologies in his work, preferring complex staged stunts. However, like a true professional, he does not disdain modest sketches. During non-working hours, he relaxes, spending time, money and nerves on women. Copperfield dated Claudia Schiffer, and, in addition, several times found himself at the center of scandals due to accusations of harassment.
Burton is the variety version of David Copperfield. It’s just as rich and artistic, only, unlike Copperfield, everything is done live, not on camera, but in front of an audience. Burton worked in Vegas for 13 years, where a separate building was specially built for him. Over the years spent in Vegas, the illusionist earned more than $100 million.
Illusion is a mystery that attracts and fascinates. At all times magicians illusionists gathered crowds of people for their performances, and some of them left a mark not only in the souls of people, but also in history. Our article is dedicated to the best magicians in the world who, thanks to their dexterity, skills and talent, captivated thousands of spectators.
Let's start from earlier times. Illusion, as an art, dates back to antiquity. The predecessors of modern magicians, illusionists, captivated people with their skills at fairs back in the Middle Ages. The best magicians in the world start their story with late XIX century. At this time, the illusionist Harry Houdini, who is still called the greatest illusionist in history, gained widespread fame. Magic tricks were not just a craft for him. He turned them into a real show.
- pseudonym of Eric Weiss, born in Budapest on March 24, 1874 into a poor family. Boy with early childhood conquered his acquaintances with his incredible abilities, and already at the age of 10 he began to earn money by performing magic tricks in entertainment venues. He became famous all over the world thanks to his release tricks. Having his body trained to the point of “plasticine” allowed him to perform incredible somersaults and escape from the most incredible shackles: shackles, handcuffs and a straitjacket. One of the qualities he possessed was the ability to expose his colleagues in the shop, often right at the “magic” sessions, which caused their strong indignation. Harry Houdini wrote books, made films and was a real star and the best magician of his time.
The only colleague whose trick Harry Houdini could not solve was Dai Vernon. He was an honored illusionist who trained more than one generation of magicians, but he behaved modestly and did not gain such brilliant fame as his opponent Harry.
The next great magician we will talk about is Uri Geller, who was born in Israel on December 20, 1946, 72 years after Harry Houdini. Magician and illusionist Uri Geller presented himself as a magician and wizard. All his tricks were presented as transcendental miracles. He went down in history thanks to his ability to stop clocks and the most important focus of his life was stopping Big Ben. He was regularly accused of fraud, but this did not stop him from becoming the author of the famous television show. He also writes books, acts in films and is one of the judges of the “Battle of Psychics”.
The next great magician was born in New Jersey on September 16, 1956. He was distinguished by a phenomenal memory and already at the age of 12 he performed magic tricks professionally and joined the American Society of Magicians. At the age of 16, David began teaching the art of illusion at the university, and at the age of 17 best magician In his time, he took part in the musical "The Wizard", where he took the pseudonym "Copperfield" after Dickens' character. Since the age of 18, he has been hosting his own television show, and his tricks are becoming increasingly large-scale. His ideas are multifaceted and represent entire events in the illusory world: the disappearance of the Statue of Liberty, the ability to fly, passing through the Great Wall of China, escaping from Alcatraz prison and an exploding building, falling from Niagara Falls, disappearing from an Orient Express carriage, liberation from a straitjacket, survival in a column of fire. Today David Copperfield is one of the most famous people planet, and his show is one of the most exciting in the world. He uses all possible achievements of science and technology, as well as many assistants. All his tricks are high budget and require a whole team of professionals to implement.
A representative of a different genre, the so-called “street magic” -. Born in New York in 1973. This new wave magicians. David Blaine began to gain popularity by finding things hidden among spectators, “revitalizing” pigeons. World fame came to him thanks to the numbers: burial alive in a plastic container, freezing in ice, standing for 35 hours on top of a 22-meter column, imprisonment without food for 44 days in a box above the surface of the Thames, holding his breath under water for 17 minutes, burial in container underground for 170 hours, staying inside the iceberg for 62 hours, with body temperature dropping to 33.7 degrees. David Blaine is an active participant in the Guinness Book of Records and is a millionaire.
Of course, in our time the art of illusions is developing, and new bright tricks and new famous names are appearing.
Today, the illusion show has become available in a more intimate format. Now invite a magician to the party– it’s prestigious and exciting. True masters of their craft and talented magicians and illusionists will cheer up and entertain guests at a wedding, corporate event, anniversary, children's day birth. Booking a magician for a holiday has become affordable even for a low-budget event, because illusionist programs can be designed for different times and audiences.
Mystery has attracted people since ancient times and today, despite progress, magicians illusionists-favorite guests at events, and their show programs are always exciting and impressive.
Magic has been around for hundreds of years, and since the days of great magicians like Harry Houdini, many have tried to change the very essence of magic. This is a list of the most talented magicians and their magic tricks.
Richard Ross - United Rings
Richard Ross was a Dutch magician renowned for his sleight of hand, appearing as amazed by his tricks as the audience. This trick was performed in 1983. Watch the rings carefully as they move closer and further away from each other. Simple but perfect action.
Teeth - David Blaine
Renowned illusionist and endurance performer, famous for his numerous street stunts and television appearances. He has been called a modern-day Houdini. In this trick, he pulls out a girl's teeth, then blows on her and makes them appear in their place. This will shock you.
The Cut Cup - Paul Daniels
An English magician who became famous after several television performances, programs and live shows. The cup trick is fast, interactive and fun. As Paul Daniels himself says, it took him 300 performances to get the trick right. The sleight of hand is perfect. This is the work of a master.
Harry Blackstone Jr. - Floating Bulb
Harry Blackstone Jr., son of Harry Blackstone Sr., (known as the Great Blackstone), died in 1997. His father was born in 1885, and together they gave magic performances for a long time. The clip shows a wireless light bulb floating around the stage and auditorium.
Lance Burton - Pigeons
A master of magic, William Lance Burton now performs evening concerts in Las Vegas, but his career has included numerous television performances of magnificent stunts. He won a magic competition in Kentucky. Lance started doing magic tricks at the age of five. His pigeon trick was chosen for his professionalism and skill.
Criss Angel - Walking on Water
Criss Angel is the darkest magician on this list, famous for his shows Crazy, Believe and Phenomenon. He is famous for his dark magic. This illusion shows a pool of people to whom he shows that he can walk on water, performing his trick while they watch and swim around and under him.
David Copperfield - The Vanishing Statue of Liberty
By the standards of magicians, making objects disappear is a simple case of deception, illusion, sleight of hand, or mistake. This goes with a card or decoration, but what about something bigger? Siegfried and Roy became famous after the disappearing elephant trick, Copperfield went further and made the Statue of Liberty in New York disappear. It has to be seen to be believed.
The Pendragons - Metamorphoses
Pendragon is a husband and wife magician from America. They are known for their fast and dangerous illusions. In 2006 Jonathan Pendragon fell on an arrow while rehearsing a dangerous stunt. The arrow hit his liver, stomach and heart, but he survived. Their metamorphosis focus is recognized as the fastest focus in history.
Penn and Teller - Bullet
The Catch the Bullet trick is not only downright dangerous, but also downright awesome. The magicians mix Penn's enthusiasm with Teller's taciturnity and add a dash of humor to make the show very entertaining.
David Copperfield - The Deadly Saw
David Copperfield is officially the most successful magician in history, having sold more than 40 million tickets to his shows and earning more than $1 billion. He holds 10 Guinness World Records, 20 Emmy Awards, the title of Living Legend and many others, and is also the first magician to have his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His tricks are very impressive and dramatic, and he has the charisma and flexibility that have made Copperfield a model for magicians around the world.
The first document containing information about the art of illusion is considered to be an ancient Egyptian papyrus called Westcar. It is named after the owner of this congress, where it was originally located. This document contains legends that date back to 2900 BC. e., in those days Pharaoh Khufu reigned. One of the legends tells about the famous trainer JEDI, who knows how to regrow a severed goose's head, as well as leading a lion who followed him without holding ropes.
1. WEBA-ANER - a great magician, also mentioned in Westcar. He is famous for miraculously transforming a toy crocodile statue into a living alligator.
2. In literature, the first mentions of magicians begin in the 16th century. T. Folengo in his work “Macaronada” talked about BOCCAL de BARGAMOSC.
3. A trick where the head is first cut off and then reattached was performed by the Italian magician BALDUCCHI. In his trick, he used a live rooster; its head was initially tied under the wing. Instead, another rooster's head was attached to the neck. The magician ordered the rooster to run, “cut off” its head, and “blood” flowed everywhere. He then showed this severed head to curious spectators. Afterwards, he covered the bird with a stole, removed the head that was under the wing, and hid the severed head. In the end, the rooster got up and ran around as if unharmed.
4. ERISH WEISS, who bore the pseudonym HARRY HOUDINI, is a great magician of all times. Since childhood, he dreamed of being a magician like ROBERT-HOUDIN and therefore decided to take a pseudonym for himself, meaning “similar to HOUDIN.”
5. The trick with a rabbit emerging from a hat is often considered a classic trick. However, this trick is not performed very often. It is believed that the first person to demonstrate this trick is HENRY ANDERSON in the 1830s. But such an attribute as a magician’s hat can be easily purchased at a magic and illusion store.
6. The first person to pronounce the words “Sim-Sala-Bim” as a spell was the illusionist DANTE from Denmark (1885-1955). In fact, all these three simple words were taken from ordinary verse.
7. HENRYROLTAIR (1853-1910) he is known for his tricks on a bicycle, with the help of which he fluttered in the air and performed a “dead loop.” In further practice, Roltair began to levitate a car with the driver sitting in it, which is why he is one of the great magicians peace.
None of the above tricks, even with the participation of assistants, led to accidents.
8. During the trick with “sawing a woman”, which was performed by HORACE GOLDIN (1873-1939), an ambulance was on duty around the building, with a sign “if the saw does slip”
Behind every trick is the work of a large team and tricks that are more like deception
On December 20, 1946, illusionist Uri Geller was born, who supposedly, since childhood, was able to move the hands of a clock and read his mother’s thoughts. However, former magician James Randi, who is willing to pay $1 million to anyone who proves that he has paranormal abilities, is more than skeptical about Uri Geller’s skills and proves their inconsistency. By the way, the latter refused to take tests at the Trick Debunker Foundation. And he continues to “bend” spoons with the power of thought and “see” what is depicted in the drawing hidden from him.
Uri Geller: the master's spoon is afraid
Uri Geller's star began to shine in full force in the 70s, when he began taking part in television shows. The famous illusionist became famous for bending metal spoons. At the same time, scientists became interested in his phenomenon and suggested that the psychic magician undergo a series of studies. Conclusion: “Uri’s abilities are not hypnosis, not an illusion, not the effect of suggestion, but real psychophysical phenomena.” But then James Randi intervened, who sent his like-minded skeptics to the physicists.
Under the strict guidance of their teacher, who has not yet given his $1 million to anyone, four experimental subjects managed to convince scientists that they also have superpowers. Randy exposed Geller, explaining that he used spoons made of soft metals and alloys that, when rubbed with a finger, the heat caused them to bend in front of astonished spectators. The whistleblower drew attention to the fact that the illusionist works exclusively with personal props, but does not take other people’s equipment into his hands, finding various excuses.
Randy recorded how, with the help of a special lens in Geller’s glasses, he spied what the TV show host was drawing, and then, without any problems, repeated the image after her. By the way, Uri never came up with any new tricks. And in lately In general, he became a preacher-parapsychologist.
Harry Houdini: Through a Brick Wall
wikimedia Famous wizard and magician of the first half of the 20th century Harry Houdini could get out of locked boxes lowered under water. Walking through a brick wall, getting out of a straitjacket, leaving a locked prison cell while handcuffed. And again, no superpowers, just skill, cunning and the magic of illusion.
He knew everything about locks and master keys. Before the famous Houdini trick, right in prison, while his wife distracted the attention of the police, he studied constipation, then prepared miniature master keys. Before he deliberately put himself in the cell, his wife, during a farewell kiss, handed him the master key, which Houdini hid in his mouth. In a straitjacket, he worked his muscles, tensing and relaxing them, to loosen the tense tissue. And he climbed out of the can of milk, easily pushing out the constipations along with the lid from the inside. They couldn't be moved from the outside. It slipped out of a box lowered under water with the help of two loose boards.
In 1918, Harry Houdini first and last time performed a trick with the disappearance of an elephant using optical illusion. The animal was covered with a white blanket, and under it there was another one made of black velvet. Color to color with stage curtains. Against a black background, the box with a dark blanket was invisible.
Through the brick wall, which was erected directly on the carpet, the magician “passed” through a narrow hole that was located under the structure.
David Copperfield:p flights in dreams and in reality
wikimedia Copperfield won't see Randy's million either. The magician who became famous for flying through the Grand Canyon in Arizona, in a glass box and on stage with a girl in his arms, has no magical powers.
It has long been known that an illusionist “flies” with the help of a thin, super-strong fiber used in the space industry. It is no longer possible to see it from a distance of half a meter. And the disappearance of the Statue of Liberty was even included in the Guinness Book of Records, although this secret has also been revealed.
Filming was carried out in the dark. A cloth was stretched between the light towers to cover the statue, and then the lights were turned off, and Freedom “disappeared” against the background of the night sky when the cloth was lowered. At the same time, the spectators sat at a sufficient distance and were blinded by the spotlights.
In 1990, the illusionist dived into Niagara Falls and almost immediately emerged... dry. Obviously there was a stuntman involved. And in 1986, Copperfield passed through the Great Wall of China through a gap, which was quickly repaired. For some reason, he never repeated this trick; apparently, it was costly.
David Blaine: T eats attentiveness
turkcewiki Popular today American magician and illusionist, street magician David Blaine also does not look like a superman, despite the fact that his tricks still shock the public today. It's easy to find an explanation for them. The trick of changing the hands on the viewer's watch is not that difficult. The main thing is to choose a person who has a watch with a screw-down crown, and then chat with the owner and constantly distract him. While he is not looking, Blaine is manipulating his watch with one hand and the experiment participant with the other.
Favorite trick: the illusionist tries to guess a card that a passer-by has pulled from the deck, wished for, and put back. The magician allegedly fails to name the card, and as a result, in a fit of imaginary rage, David Blaine throws the deck out the window. Miraculously, the chosen card sticks to the glass. In fact, at this moment he is working with an assistant who has the same second deck in his hands. An invisible observer who stands outside the window sees that very card in the hands of the viewer and, using a piece of wax, imperceptibly sticks it to the glass.
Another trick called “enchanted ashes”. A man from the crowd writes in notebook his name, then crumples the piece of paper and burns it. Blaine takes the ashes and rubs them into his hand, where magically the correct name appears. While the action is happening, the illusionist in the book spies the imprint of the name on another page. Distracting the viewer's attention, he writes the hidden word on his hand with soap or wax, and then takes a little pen and rubs it into his hand. The powder sticks to wax or soap, revealing the name.
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