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Dr. Walford Bodie

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Dr. Walford Bodie
BornSamuel Murphy Bodie
June 11, 1869
Aberdeen, Scotland
DiedOctober 19, 1939 (age 70)
Blackpool
Resting placeDoune Churchyard near Macduff
CategoriesBooks by Dr. Walford Bodie

Dr. Walford Bodie (1869-1939), not a real doctor, was a hypnotist, magician, ventriloquist, and "electrician".

Biography

Bodie developed an early interest in conjuring and ventriloquism. One of his first performances was at Stonehaven Town Hall in 1884 at the age of 15 years

Bodie first appeared in London in 1903 at the Britannia Theatre where he act was billed as 'Electric Wizardry' and included so called 'bloodless surgery'. Ricky Jay describes the Bodie's act in his book Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women in a chapter entitled 'Genius or Charlatan? Walford Bodie, M.D.'

Shortly before his death, Bodie appeared on the BBC radio program "Abracadabra! or Magic Over Scotland" on March 30, 1939.[1]

The article in MUM January 2008 article "HOUDINI & BODIE: TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS" by Richard Hatch shows Bodie's, likely Houdini inspired, poster using his court experience for publicity. Even though he lost the court case, you would not know it from the poster.

Books

References

  1. Roger Woods and Brian Lead. Showmen or Charlatans. (2005)
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