Help us get to over 8,769 articles in 2026.

If you know of a magician not listed in MagicPedia, start a New Biography for them. Contact us at magicpediahelp@gmail.com

Magicpedia:Today's featured article: Difference between revisions

From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians.
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Tag: Manual revert
 
(97 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 8: Line 8:
{{clear}}
{{clear}}
</noinclude>
</noinclude>
[[File: GroverGeorge.jpg |right|thumb|200px|[[ Grover George]]]]
[[File: JNHilliard.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ John Northern Hilliard]]]]
 
'''John Northern Hilliard''' (1872 - 1935) was a Rochester newspaper man  and clever amateur magician.


'''Grover George''' (1887 -1958) toured South and Central America during the time when [[Howard Thurston]] was the dominate magician in the United States. He returned to the United States where he performed in second rate venues until he eventually returned to South America.
== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Born in Zanesville Ohio, he got interested in magic at an early age. He performed his first magic show for a school in his hometown and eventually put himself through college by performing magic. In the 1920's George decided to step up his game by upgrading his show and taking it to the larger first class theaters. He purchased the equipment and rights to [[Doc Nixon|William "Doc" Nixon]]'s act called 'Hong Kong Mysteries' and then formed the Mysteries Production Company.  A young [[Paul Rosini]] was taken on as an assistant around 1923. He struggled with an American Tour because [[Howard Thurston]], fearing competition, told theaters that if they booked George, they would not ever have Thurston on their stage again.
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.


[[Grover George |Read more about Grover George...]]
[[John Northern Hilliard|Read more about John Northern Hilliard…]]

Latest revision as of 09:23, 20 February 2026

Previous featured articles are located in Category:Featured Article

Proposed candidates are listed in Category:Featured Article Candidate

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…