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

Magician's Guild

From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians.
Revision as of 22:28, 20 July 2009 by Jpecore (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search

Magician's Guild of America was professional magic society started around 1942 in New York City with the slogan: "For good entertainment, demand a Magician".

Al Baker was one of the founders. They allowed only fifteen percent of the members to be amateurs (starting with 15 out of the 100 expected initial members). Meetings were held at the Hotel McAlpin in New York City and The Board of Governors consisted of Theo. Hardeen, Max Holden, Robert Sherman, Richard DuBois and Julien J. Proskauer. Walter B. Gibson was the first vice-president.

One of the first goals of the Guild was to bring live magic shows to Broadway, which was realized on January 21, 1945 with "Mystery Time" at the Bealsco Theatre. The show included Cardini, Hardeen, Al Flosso, Litzka (Great Raymond's wife) and others. The Great Raymond got sick a few hours before show time and was replaced by Doug Geoffrey (Hardeen Junior), Warren Simms, Hal Haviland, and Jarrow.

The Guild was one of the first groups to introduce regular magic lectures.

The Tops magazine also bore the title as the Official Organ of the Magician's Guild of American around 1938. Then the Conjurors' Magazine was the official organ for the group from 1945 until it merged with Genii in 1949. Magician's Guild News Reports could be seen in Genii during the 1966 through 1973. And finally, in 1981, they selected Legerdemain as their official publication.

Harry Blackstone and Warren Simms were elected as "Deans".

Presidents (not in order)