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'''Richard Turner''' (b. June 16, 1954) is an American playing card technician.  
[[File: JNHilliard.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ John Northern Hilliard]]]]
 
'''John Northern Hilliard''' (1872 - 1935) was a Rochester newspaper man  and clever amateur magician.


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
[[File:Richard_Turner_Cowboy_Hat.png|right|thumb|200px|[[Richard_Turner_Cowboy_Hat.jpg]]]]
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.
Although an accomplished magician in his own right, Richard does not perform “magic tricks” in the true sense of the term - he has dedicated his life to mastering and demonstrating the moves used by cardsharps old and new to cheat the uninitiated. Richard’s educational, yet entertaining demonstrations have been featured on dozens of television programs in countries around the world, including "That's Incredible", "Ripley's Believe It Or Not", “The 700 Club”, five appearances on Japanese programs, including “World Geniuses” and on Great Britain’s “The Paul Daniels Magic Show”. He has conducted motivational lectures for scores of international corporations and government agencies, and created and performed a family entertainment program for school children across the nation featuring a comedy routine co-starring his wife as schoolmarm "Miss Guided", his trusty, if somewhat wacky assistant. Richard’s inspirational programs promote honesty, integrity, loyalty, discipline, perseverance, and foster the ability to overcome obstacles and become the best that one can be.
 
An expert on all facets of card cheating, Richard performed his 19th Century riverboat gambler’s act as "The Cheat" on a constant basis:
*For seven years, two days a week at Marie Calender’s Restaurant and five days a week aboard the Reuben E. Lee Riverboat-themed restaurant in San Diego, California, once logging 2,190 consecutive days worked;
*Entertained VIPs for four years at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, Texas, the world’s largest honky tonk;
*Served seven years as Ambassador and Featured Performer at Six Flags, Fiesta, Texas, where he performed thirty-seven shows a week;
*Nine years at the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum in downtown San Antonio, Texas; and
*Demonstrated his skills at countless business expositions, magic conventions, private parties for the rich and famous and as a Performing Member since 1975 at the [[Magic Castle]], widely revered by professional magicians as the most prestigious venue of its kind (where he was inducted into the Hall Of Fame).
 


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.


[[Richard Turner |Read more about the amazing Richard Turner...]]
[[John Northern Hilliard|Read more about John Northern Hilliard…]]

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…