Who do you consider to be the greatest ten (or twenty, or thirty, or any number you want) magic inventors of the past century?

I specifically mean inventors of original effects, like Annemann, Stewart James, etc.

Dai Bato

I'll start with U.F. Grant, Clint Reidel, James Swoger, Al Baker, Stewart James and Joe Berg.

The reason for each is his ideas were/are truly original.

Julie

I would like to add to the above list, Steve Dusheck and Max Maven... Probably the most prolific, though, would be Stewart James.
Rennie

...and I'll add "Hen" Fetsch.

Julie

Read Peter Warlock's book on Walter Jeans. Jeans was very creative.

Tommy Wonder, Scotty York...look in those magic catalogs.

What about Karl Fulves?

Dai Bato

Burling Hull, U.F. Grant, Steve Dusheck

In the past, Johann Hofzinser.

Thanks for jogging my memory on some of these names. I had forgotten about Walter Ceretta Jeans, and now I find that there is very little information to be had unless you are one of the lucky ones to have the Peter Warlock book. If anyone has it, can you check out my (very) brief biography of Jeans on my site, and see if you can post or e-mail me his vital dates and the names of some of his other inventions?

Here's the link to his section: http://magicnook.com/forum/bioHIJ.htm

Also, keep those names coming. As I see ones I've missed, I will begin adding them. If you see any misinformation or omissions on my biographies pages, I'd appreciate any help you can give with correcting them. Thanks!

On the list of the greatest magic inventors of the last century?

Certainly an influential publisher in the closeup realm.

I'm not much of a card person, but wouldn't Marlo have to be on that list...and Vernon?


Jack Shalom

As I browse through my Brief Biographies of Magic Inventors, I notice that there are some who churn out invention after invention; and others who seem to have one or two really unique and pivotal principles that others go on to milk and yield fresh ideas from.

What's more important, quantity or quality? Anyway, I think the top ten inventors, since we are being asked to enumerate, should be judged on having both.

If everyone posting on this thread contributes their favorite to the pool, we will not have a list of ten, but a list that looks more like my set of biographies with hundreds. To make this quest work, each poster should be required to give a complete list of all ten nominees, with reasons why they think each inventor deserves being on that list.

I won't start. I would have to think for a long, long time to dare to put together that list without prejudice.

Geez, what about Guy Jarrett, the master builder of his time?

Some of Jarrett's original ideas were so good they were still being used in Vegas shows within the past decade.

And what about Bob Longe? I don't have any of his Sterling books, so I don't know. Was he a prolific inventor of card tricks?

Dai Bato

Dai,
I am not sure, but I do not believe that Bob Longe invented his; I believe they were invented by someone else. I may be wrong.
As for prolific card effect inventors, I would have to add Nick Trost to the list.
Rennie

By the way, Mike Caveney just published a greatly expanded second edition of the Walter Jeans book, for those who are interested. CHS

Marlo invented all of Karl Fulves' stuff.

(Ducking) (Just resurrecting a bygone era of magic which is dear to my heart.)

Tenyo....

Vernon called him "Computer #2" and enjoyed his visits in Japan with him. He developed brilliant magic for Tenyo and continues to challenge us here on the Café with his insight and thoughts.

Hideo Kato.

While not within this century, I put Robert-Houdin at the top of the list. As the father of modern magic and a prolific inventor, we owe him an immense debt of gratitude for advancing the art that we call magic.

Houdini, oddly enough, might be put on that list. The Milk Can Escape, Water Torture Cell, and The Disappearing Elephant were considered some of his best works.