Horace Goldin (then Hyman Goldstein) arrived here in Nashville as a boy from the old country unable to speak but a few words of English. He lived with his cousins over their store and later went on the road as a salesman before becoming a magician.
He invented the illusion of sawing a woman in half and had several units out playing vaudeville and presenting the sawing.
Later after many magicians started copying the illusion he developed a version in which the lady was sawed by a buzz saw without being in a box.
He appeared before kings and queens of several countries and advertised himself as "The Royal Illusionist."
I saw that buzzsaw illusion when the show played in Philadelphia. The effect was so strong that when he invited people in the audience to come on stage for a closer look, some actually became ill. Tht's real magic. Bob Momyer
It was said that during Goldin's early days he carried a litho of the magician Herbert Albini around with him and would tack it on his hotel room wall to in spire him.
Percy Tibbles ( P.T. Selbit) created the first sawing in half illusion in London, almost as quickly, imitators sprung up everywhere. It was Goldin who separated himself from the pack with his Buzz Saw Illusion. I recall also that he had an ambulance parked outside the theatres he was showing (just in case!). Showmanship, some got it, some don't!
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1920 by Moody Bros
Horace Goldin (then Hyman Goldstein) arrived here in Nashville as a boy from the old country unable to speak but a few words of English. He lived with his cousins over their store and later went on the road as a salesman before becoming a magician.
He invented the illusion of sawing a woman in half and had several units out playing vaudeville and presenting the sawing.
Later after many magicians started copying the illusion he developed a version in which the lady was sawed by a buzz saw without being in a box.
He appeared before kings and queens of several countries and advertised himself as "The Royal Illusionist."
In 1978 I worked on "The Incredible
World Of Magic & Illusion" at "The
Village Gate" in Greenwich Village
The featured illusionist was Aldo
Izquierdo the worked as "Richiardi"
& did the most spectaculay buzz saw
routine with his beautiful daughter
Much bovine innards & stage blood
was spewn everywhere (including some
of my black velour masking drapes)
He was truly a master of his craft
Izquierdo's father was from Lima Peru
& was also an illusionist that worked
as "Richiardi The Great"
Chic,
I saw that buzzsaw illusion when the show played in Philadelphia. The effect was so strong that when he invited people in the audience to come on stage for a closer look, some actually became ill. Tht's real magic.
Bob Momyer
His daughter wore a custom stainless
belly pan that held a plastic bag of
bovine guts soaked in formaldehyde
along with pouches of stage blood
The stench was part of the gimmick
(She must have weighed 90 lbs or so
soaking wet but still looked great)
The overhead swing saw with a large
open blade noisily sliced through it
That show also had a young Dutch
fellow named Ger Copper who was 1 of
the most amazing finger magicians
It was said that during Goldin's early days he carried a litho of the magician Herbert Albini around with him and would tack it on his hotel room wall to in spire him.
Percy Tibbles ( P.T. Selbit) created the first sawing in half illusion in London, almost as quickly, imitators sprung up everywhere.
It was Goldin who separated himself from the pack with his Buzz Saw Illusion.
I recall also that he had an ambulance parked outside the theatres he was showing (just in case!).
Showmanship, some got it, some don't!
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