Help us get to over 8,748 articles in 2024.

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

Joe Karson

From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians.
Revision as of 07:01, 5 September 2010 by Philippe billot (Talk | contribs) (References)

Jump to: navigation, search

Joe Karson (1912- November 6, 1980) was born Joseph Alexander Chrzanowski in Providence, Rhode Island. He changed his name after his parents separation.

Joe Karson
BornJoseph Alexander Chrzanowski
1912
Providence, USA
DiedNovember 06, 1980
CategoriesBooks by Joe Karson

Early on, he performed for several years with a Chinese magic act called "Chan Lin and Company."

In the late 1930s, he started a mail order business "Karson Xclusives" and a had magic shop in Springfield, Massachusetts where he built much of the magic he sold. Joe was also one of the founding members of the Magic Dealers’ Association

Joe's most famous invention was the Zombie illusion. The inspiration came to him when he was fooling around with the simple impromptu trick where the magician interlocks the fingers of both hands and a lighted match appears to magically suspend in air behind it. He patented the Zombie in 1940.

Due to alcoholism, he started to slip into obscurity, loosing touch with the magic community starting in late 1950’s.

Contributions

  • Zombie
  • Vodoo - A one-man routine for the dancing handkerchief
  • The Magic Vision Tester
  • Chinese Egg Bag
  • Rubberneck (Head Twister)
  • Submerged Card Mystery
  • Mismaide Girl Illusion
  • The Witch of the Pumpkin Illusion
  • Tea Chest Illusion
  • Mystery of the Open Screen
  • Battle of the Toy Soldiers

Books

  • Karson – Complete Club Act (1933)
  • Illusion Magic (1933)
  • Complete Club Act (1934)
  • Miniature Mysteries (1934)
  • Sensational Poison Swallowing Act (1934)
  • Complete Mental Club Act (1935)
  • Magic A La Mode (1939)
  • Hypnotricks (1941)
  • Karson's Rope Thru Body (1943)
  • Tips on Zombie (1946)
  • World's Fastest Card Trick (1948)
  • Trix with Round Cards
  • On the House
  • Mentalia Superba
  • Chan Lin Chinese Magic Mystery Series
  • Illusion Secrets
  • Joe Karson - Beyond Zombie By Michael E. Rose (1999)

References