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Adrian Smith

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Adrian Smith

H. Adrian Smith on the Cover of The Linking Ring, July 1948
BornHarold Adrian Smith
September 17, 1908
Providence, Rhode Island
DiedJanuary 13, 1992 (age 83)
Cumberland, Rhode Island.
CategoriesBooks by Adrian Smith

H. Adrian Smith (1908 - 1992) was a magic author and collector.

Biography

Smith became interested in magic as a young boy. His first paid performance was for a Methodist Church and other dates followed throughout his college years at Brown University, which helped put him through college.

In 1930, following his graduation from Brown, he was employed by General Electric in Lynn, Massachusetts, and was later transferred to Schenectady, New York. When he got let go during the Depression years, he put together his magic and presented shows throughout southern New England. He became well known for his mind reading act. He continued performing until 1934 until he found a job as sales representative for a firm in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Smith was president of SAM from 1940 until 1941 and wrote a scholarly column "Magic Books of Another Day" in TOPS from August 1936 through June 1942.

He entered military service in 1941 and was assigned to the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps as an auto mechanic. He worked his way up to Captain, served in the Okinawa campaign, and was discharged in April 1946.

After getting back from war he was appointed 2nd Vice Pres. of the I.B.M., working his way to becoming President in 1948. He served in other capacities for the I.B.M. until his retirement in 1983. He became a member of the Order of Merlin Excalibur in 1984.

It was his intention to have the TOPS column "Magic Books of Another Day" collected, revised, and published in a single volume, but the project never completed. A nice compilation of about half the columns, with revisions and some additional material, was published by Brown University (his Alma Mater) in "BOOKS AT BROWN, Volume XXXIV" (1987).

He amassed one of the finest libraries on magic including some of the most rare and out-of-print books and treatises. The collection was bequeathed to Brown University upon his death.

Books

References

  • The Conjurors' Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 6, August 1948, Harold Adrian Smith, The New I.B.M. President, by Bruce Reynolds, page 32
  • Cover, M-U-M, Vol. 65, No. 3, August 1975, H. Adrian Smith, magician-of-the-month, by John Zweers, page 6
  • Cover, M-U-M, Vol. 73, No. 6, November 1983, H. Adrian Smith, Seventh Dean of the Society of American Magicians, Magician of the Month, by John Zweers, page 12
  • The Magic Circular, Vol. 86, No. 922, January 1992, Obituary, Harold Adrian Smith, 17th September, 1908 – 13th January 1992, by Edwin A. Dawes, page 49
  • Genii Magazine, Vol. 55, No. 5, March 1992, Obituaries, Harold A. Smith, page 345
  • Cover, The Linking Ring, Vol. 72, No. 3, March 1992, OUR COVER, H. Adrian Smith, page 110
  • Cover, M-U-M, Vol. 81, No. 10, March 1992, H. ADRIAN SMITH, September 17, 1908 — January 3, 1992, DEAN, SOCIETY of AMERICAN MAGICIANS, July 1983 — January 1992, by John Zweers, page 10
  • M-U-M, Vol. 91, No. 12, May 2002, The Deans of the S.A.M., H. Adrian Smith, September 17, 1908 – January 3, 1992, Dean: 1983 – 1992, page 25
  • Bio-bibliographisches Lexikon der Zauberkünstler Edition Volker Huber, April 2002, Smith, H[arold] Adrian USA Zauberkünstler; Zaubersammler (*17.09.1908 East Providence, Rhode Island), page 319