Harry, Jr. was one of the nicest, professional and talented illusionists of the 20th century. He had a magnificent speaking voice and an amazing stage presence. This poster can be seen, up close and personal, at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA. ~frank
This one-sheet was the "bargain" at the auction of magic lithographs belonging to collector Alan Kanter. This particular poster sold for $800, a fraction of what it has sold for elsewhre.
It is interesting to note that the color scheme on this poster is nearly identical to that used to advertise Blackstone Cigars. According to Harry Blackstone's first wife, Inez Blackstone Kitchen, the great magician (born Henri Boughton) had chosen the name during the dark days of World War I when the stage name that he was using, Frederik the Great, had become unpopular due to growing anti-German sentiment. According to Mrs. Kitchen, one evening while leaving the theatre they caught a glimpse of a billboard for Blackstone Cigars. The magician liked the name so much that he immediately appropriated it for his new stage name, and classic lithographs such as his "Oriental Nights" and "Burned at the Cross" use the same black and yellow graphic treatment of his new stage name.
10 comments:
1920 by Erie Litho
1 sheet
Harry Blackstone played Nashville many times and I had the pleasure of seeing him during his last time here at the Ryman Auditorium in 1948.
Harry Blackstone Jr starred in the
Broadway musical "Blackstone! - The
Magnificent Musical Magic Show"
in 1980 at the Majestic Theater for
a short 3 month run
Had to look it up "Necromantic"
The practice of supposedly communicating with the spirits of the dead in order to predict the future
Black magic Sorcery
As I recall there was a punk elephant
that was brought to the theater in a
shorty trailer behind a pickup truck
for each performance & taken away
I had the pleasure of working with
Harry Jr. A very nice man.
Harry, Jr. was one of the nicest, professional and talented illusionists of the 20th century. He had a magnificent speaking voice and an amazing stage presence. This poster can be seen, up close and personal, at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA. ~frank
His widow, Gay is still an active member of The Magic Castle.
This one-sheet was the "bargain" at the auction of magic lithographs belonging to collector Alan Kanter. This particular poster sold for $800, a fraction of what it has sold for elsewhre.
It is interesting to note that the color scheme on this poster is nearly identical to that used to advertise Blackstone Cigars. According to Harry Blackstone's first wife, Inez Blackstone Kitchen, the great magician (born Henri Boughton) had chosen the name during the dark days of World War I when the stage name that he was using, Frederik the Great, had become unpopular due to growing anti-German sentiment. According to Mrs. Kitchen, one evening while leaving the theatre they caught a glimpse of a billboard for Blackstone Cigars. The magician liked the name so much that he immediately appropriated it for his new stage name, and classic lithographs such as his "Oriental Nights" and "Burned at the Cross" use the same black and yellow graphic treatment of his new stage name.
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