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Magicpedia:Selected anniversaries/December
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MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_1
- 1857 - Report in the Wiener Zeitung of Hofzinser's card manipulations.
- 1940 - Ottokar Fischer, who dedicated his life to the history of magic (most notably with the magic of Hofzinser), dies.
- 1957 - John Albenice, an American nightclub magician and author, dies.
- 1978 - David Nixon, English magician and television personality, dies.
- 1987 - Paul Clive, English magic dealer and brother of Douglas Craggs, dies.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_2
- 1889 - Chang was born Juan Jose Pablo Jesorum in Panama City, Panama.
- 1920 - Felicien Trewey, who popularized the art of Shadowgraphy and Chapeaugraphy, dies.
- 1942 - Gustave G. Laureyns died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_3
- 1899 - Eddie Joseph, prolific inventor and author, is born.
- 1964 - Marco Tempest, known to combine technology and magic, is born in Zurich, Switzerland.
- 2020 - Bev Bergeron died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_4
- 1819 - Alexander Heimburger was born Johann Friedrich Alexander Heimbürger, Germany.
- 1872 - Jean Hugard was born John Gerard Rodney Boyce in Queensland, Australia.
- 1961 - John Blackledge, pupil of stage magician Edward Maro, dies.
- 2001 - Kirk Kirkham, who had one of the largest private collection of stage illusions in the world, dies.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_5
- 1895 - Malcom Lippincott, vaudeville magician, is born.
- 1918 - Oscar Weigle, Jr., magic writer, editor and magician, is born.
- 1933 - Hull Magicians' Circle was formed. Jasper Maskelyne served as honorary President until his death in 1973.
- 2001 - Brother John Hamman, card magician and inventor of many creative card moves, dies.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_6
- 1805 - Robert-Houdin, the father of modern magic, was born in Blois, France.
- 1982 - Doug Henning marries Debbie Douillard.
- 1985 - Walter B. Gibson, author of the Shadow, dies.
- 2008 - Vanni Bossi died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_7
- 1776 - Mr. Pierre Jaquet-Droz's Mechanical Exhibition is now opened at No. 6, in King Street, Covent-Garden, London, from 12 to 3 o'clock every morning and from 7 to 10 every evening, Sundays excepted.
- 1911 - The Demons Club of Baltimore was inaugurated at the home of Arthur D. Gans.
- 1958 - Von Arx, professional magician and brother of The Great Nicola, dies.
- 1969 - Vaudeville and nightclubs performer Jack Gwynne dies.
- 1990 - Bruce Posgate, long time Forum columnist for New Tops, dies.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_8
- 1861 - Magician and french filmmaker Georges Méliès was born in Paris, France.
- 1929 - William Wallace, known as Ali Bongo was born in Bangalore, India.
- 1956 - Marvyn Roy & Carol do their first opening at the Lido in Paris.
- 1959 - Past president of PCAM, Senor Maldo dies.
- 1962 - Dr. Nils Simonson started the Magic Academy of Sweden in Stockholm.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_9
- 1908 - Nelson C. Hahne was born.
- 1924 - 1,500 Spiritualist met in Chicago to protest Houdini's attacks on their religion.
- 1946 - Richard Webster was born.
- 1965 - Marshall Brodien appeared on the Mike Douglas Show.
- 1978 - Herb Arno and George Sands' April Follers Conclave has been cancelled.
- 2004 - Tricks, David Ben's Show, started.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_10
- 1948 - Stephen Minch, founder of Hermetic Press, is born.
- 1982 - Doug Henning's Broadway show Merlin premiered at the Mark Hellenger Theartre in New York.
- 1997 - Hugh Riley, President of SAM (1958-59), passes away.
- 2006 - John McKinven died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_11
- 1889 - Joseph Vanek, a Hungarian scientist, politician and magician, passes away.
- 1948 - Darwin Ortiz was born.
- 1966 - American bandleader, composer, violinist, magician and practical joker Richard Himber dies.
- 1984 - Doug Henning opened his show World of Magic on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_12
- 1895 - Harry Francis Willard, in the long line of Willard the Wizards, was born in Clarksville, Texas.
- 1923 - Herbert Brooks (1873-1923), a British stage magician who went to America to performed in the Vaudeville, dies in Arizona.
- 1940 - Frances Louise Willard, daughter of Harry Francis Willard and part of a mentalist team with her husband Glenn Falkenstein (1932-2010), is born.
- 1958 - Mell Melson (1890-1958), who was Abbott's staff artist and ran Tops from 1936 to 1957, dies in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- 1960 - Henry Clive (1882-1960) who traveled the world as a magician as "Clive the Illusionist" dies in Hollywood California.
- 1985 - J. Gary Bontjes (1935-1985) an amateur magician who served as National President of the S.A.M. in 1971, dies in Morton, Illinois.
- 1996 - Jim Temple, the inventor of Color Monte, dies at the age of 77.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_13
- 1902 - Joe Berg, magic dealer and inventor, is born.
- 1938 - John Harvey Murray, known as Father Cyprian, is born.
- 1977 - Doug Henning's appears on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_14
- 1882 - Nicola was born William Mozart Nicol in Burlington, Iowa.
- 1978 - Doug Henning's World of Magic show four airs on NBC.
- 2010 - David Alexander died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_15
- 1890 - Arthur Buckley was born in Sydney, Australia.
- 1910 - David Price was born.
- 1941 - Last issue of Jinx (No. 151) was published, just before Ted Annemann committed suicide.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_16
- 1862 - Eva Kellar was born.
- 1884 - Vaudeville escape artist Kolar was born in Chicago, Illinois.
- 1895 - Frederick Bancroft, was a dentist and life insurance agent who tried to become a successful professional magician, began a week run at the National Theatre (Washington, D.C.).
- 1995 - Peter Warlock died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_17
- 1873 - Horace Goldin, often credited with inventing Sawing a woman in half in half illusion, was born
- 1896 - Alexander Herrmann the French magician dies.
- 1977 - Doug Henning's third TV special airs, which he performs Paul Harris' Twilight routine.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_18
- 1806 - Barnardo Eagle was born.
- 1900 - Chung Ling Soo, who is in Vienna, writes a letter to Houdini.
- 1958 - Julien Proskauer, SAM President 1935-36, passes away.
- 1999 - Robert Reinhart, columnist for Variety, passes away.
- 2006 - The game show Identity debuted on NBC with host Penn Jillette.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_19
- 1940 = Shimada was born.
- 1965 - Emil Kio died.
- 1967 - Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, better known as Criss Angel, was born.
- 1976 - Magic designer and inventor Paul Fox dies.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_20
- 1883 - Ionia was born.
- 1934 - Vaudeville coin manipulator Manuel died in an car crash.
- 1940 - Ian Adair was born.
- 1963 - Mrs. Lillie Flosso, wife of Al Flosso, passes away.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_21
- 1868 - John H. Davison, President of the I.B.M. 1937-1938, was born.
- 1872 - Jean Irving, also known as Dantell, Nemo, Nostaro, the Human Salamander, was born.
- 1895 - Frederick Bancroft ends a week run of his magic show at the National Theatre (Washington, D.C.).
- 1950 - Max Maven was born.
- 2004 - Alton Sharpe, Editor-publisher of Ollapodrida, passes away.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_22
- 1839 - John Nevil Maskelyne born.
- 1888 - Victor Farelli born.
- 1893 - Alex Hellström born.
- 1980 - Lewis Ganson died.
- 1991 - Tony Andruzzi died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_23
- 1896 - Vincent Dalban, inspirator of the Lie Detector theme, was born.
- 1919 - Professor Hoffmann dies.
- 1938 - Robert A. Olson was born.
- 1962 - Jack Miller dies.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_24
- 1889 - George Staples was born.
- 1922 - Henry Hatton died.
- 1963 - German magician Kalanag died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_25
- 1906 - Danny Dew was born.
- 1971 - Charles Carrer died.
- 1941 - Lennart Green was born.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_26
- 1893 - Samuel Lewis Whittington-Wickes, known as Amazing Chang, is born.
- 1895 - Benjamin R. Badley, known as Devo, is born.
- 1975 - After eight months of design and rehearsal, Doug Henning's World of Magic aired live on Friday, December 26, on NBC with special guest Bill Cosby
- 1980 - Goodliffe, creator and editor of Abra, died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_27
- 1854 - W. Golden Mortimer, first president of SAM, was born.
- 1894 - Judson Cole, vaudeville magician, was born.
- 1975 - Francis Carlyle, creator of Homing Card, died.
- 1989 - Gene Devoe, co-founder of the Midwest Magic Jubilee, passes away.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_28
- 1802 - Phillippe born.
- 1933 - Alan Shaxon was born.
- 1990 - Horace Bennett passes away.
- 2012 - Scotty York died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_29
- 1919 - David Nixon born.
- 1930 - Bev Bergeron was born.
- 1952 - Newmann the Great died.
- 1963 - René Lavand is on the Ed Sullivan Show.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_30
- 1876 - Lionel M. Homburger was born.
- 1958 - Donald Holmes died.
- 1976 - Paul Fleming died.
MagicPedia:Selected_anniversaries/December_31
- 1875 - Clement De Lion who toured the United States in vaudeville around 1910 with his act "Two Hands, Twelve Billiard Balls — That's All!", was born Knut Waldemar Clement
- 1898 - Ade Duval, known for his "Smoking of the Thumb" act, was born Adolph Amrein.
- 1904 - William W. Larsen, Sr., founder and editor of Genii magazine, was born.
- 1984 - The Doug Henning Tour ended at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City.