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[[File: JNHilliard.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ John Northern Hilliard]]]]
| image                    = GeorgeFWright2.jpg
 
| name = George F. Wright
'''John Northern Hilliard''' (1872 - 1935) was a Rochester newspaper man and clever amateur magician.
| image_size                =
| alt                      =
| caption                  = Courtesy of granddaughter,<br />Barbara A. Wright
| birth_name                =
| birth_day                = July 9,
| birth_year                =  1880
| birth_place              =
| death_day                =  June 6,
| death_year                =  1958
| death_place              =
| resting_place            = Washingtonville Cemetery, Ohio
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| nationality              =
| nationality2              =
| known_for                =
| notable works            =
| flourished                =
| awards                    =
| website                  =
| misc                      =
}}
'''George F. Wright''' (1880-1958) was a magic enthusiast who had many ideas  published in [[Tops]] and [[The Linking Ring]].


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Raised in Salem, Ohio, his love of magic started at the age of nine by a casual passerby doing a coin trick, then again at 12 by a visit to the county fair when he purchased  a   magic book  a  dime. After joining a circus, a side show magician fostered his love of the art.
Hilliard was dramatic critic with The Chicago Herald and later on the staff of The Rochester (N. Y.) Post Express. After moving to New York, he met [[Howard Thurston]] while a reporter on The New York World and became interested in magic. John was credited with securing the master magician with his first engagement on the stage. Several years later Thurston induced Hilliard to give up his newspaper work and become his personal representative.


A one time assistant to [[Kellar]] (he spent three seasons with him), his magic friends included [[Thomas Yost]], [[Gus Roterberg ]], [[Ed Reno]], [[Maro]], [[Laurant]], [[George E. Closson]] and [[Bill Durbin]]
With the urging of [[Floyd G. Thayer]], John starting writing for [[Thayer's Magical Bulletin]] magazine. In 1925, Hilliard became an advance man for The Thurston show. During this time he accumulated notes on what he was learning about magic. In 1932, Carl Waring Jones urged him to turn his notes into a book, offering to publish it. But Hilliard suddenly died of a heart attack in 1935 while in a hotel room in Indianapolis.
 
Wright lived in the Reading, Ohio area (a Cincinnati suburb), from the late 1930 until the 1950s.  
Wright spent a year as national organizer for the [[International Brotherhood of Magicians]], and while active on committees was detailed to conduct an investigation into spiritualism.  


Wright died at the nursing home June 6, 1958 of Bronchopneumonia, arteriosclerotic heart disease, and generalized arteriosclerosis. 
[[John Northern Hilliard|Read more about John Northern Hilliard…]]
[[George F. Wright|Read more about George F. Wright...]]

Latest revision as of 09:23, 20 February 2026

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John Northern Hilliard (1872 - 1935) was a Rochester newspaper man and clever amateur magician.

Biography

Hilliard was dramatic critic with The Chicago Herald and later on the staff of The Rochester (N. Y.) Post Express. After moving to New York, he met Howard Thurston while a reporter on The New York World and became interested in magic. John was credited with securing the master magician with his first engagement on the stage. Several years later Thurston induced Hilliard to give up his newspaper work and become his personal representative.

With the urging of Floyd G. Thayer, John starting writing for Thayer's Magical Bulletin magazine. In 1925, Hilliard became an advance man for The Thurston show. During this time he accumulated notes on what he was learning about magic. In 1932, Carl Waring Jones urged him to turn his notes into a book, offering to publish it. But Hilliard suddenly died of a heart attack in 1935 while in a hotel room in Indianapolis.

Read more about John Northern Hilliard…