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[[File: JNHilliard.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ John Northern Hilliard]]]]


'''Theodore 'Theo' Annemann''' (February 22, 1907 – January 12, 1942), born Theodore John Squires, was an American professional magician who specialized in the field of [[Mentalism]]. Annemann is most famous for inventing and refining many of the standard mentalism routines that continue to be used by magicians today.
'''John Northern Hilliard''' (1872 - 1935) was a Rochester newspaper man  and clever amateur magician.


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
[[File: AnnemannandVernon.png |right|thumb|200px|[[Theodore Annemann]]]]
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.
Born Theodore John Squires in East Waverly, New York, he was adopted by Stanley Anneman. Ted added the second 'n' in 1930.
Early in his life, Annemann began working as a railroad clerk and then got into show business as a tenor singer and a magician's assistant. He eventually became interested in [[mentalism]] and used his invention and performance skills to become one of the most talented and respected magicians of the 1930s. He invented the "Window Envelope" by 1931 and "Flat Rabbit" in 1937.
Annemann perfected his own version of the famous [[bullet catch]] illusion, performing the effect outdoors. Accounts of his performance describe the feat as a dramatic effect wherein Annemann would collapse from the apparent force of the gun and then produce the bullet from his blood-drenched mouth.
In 1934 he became the editor of the famous magazine The [[Jinx]], published primarily for magicians. The magazine was primarily focused on mentalism, but did also feature ground-breaking effects from other fields of magic. The publication of this magazine ceased after Annemann's death and copies of it have become collector's items. Effects from the magazine have been published in several books and manuscripts, among them Annemann's [[Practical Mental Magic]]. This book is considered a classic in the field of mentalism. Annemann also founded and edited [[The Sign of Exceptional Magic]] in 1935


[[Theodore Annemann |Read more about Theodore Annemann...]]
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.
 
[[John Northern Hilliard|Read more about John Northern Hilliard…]]

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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…