Hi All:

Reaching out once again to this great community for some help/direction pointing. This time it's on the early era of film--the silents. Besides Houdini who handled his own stunts, what other magicians, if any, lent their skills to Hollywood (or studios abroad) not necessarily as actors, but as "consultants"--using the techniques of magic to create death-defing and other stunts. Seems that magicians would be among the first people early filmmakers would turn to for this kind of assistance.

As always, any info, ideas, etc. would be most appreciated.

Best!

gary

Why are you limiting this to the "silents" only?

Hi Rennie:

I wanted the period when special effects hadn't really evolved and most work had to be done in real time. However, I would certainly be interested in learning about magicians who contributed their talents in the post-silent period.

gary

This may be a little off track, but if you don't know about it, you should. Georges Melies was a pioneer film maker and a professional magician. He purchased an outfit from the Lumiere brothers, who thought film making was a dead end.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0617588/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/18/movies......vds.html

He owned the Theatre Robert-Houdin in Paris.

Hey, Bill, thanks! I know Melies but not that he was a professional magician. My homework assignment for tonight!

gary

We cannot forget Dunninger as consultant for the classic movie "Houdini".
As I recall the actor who starred as Boston Blackie had something to do with magic. And of course John Calvert as well as Channing Pollock.
The list just keeps going on here..
Rennie

Thanks, Rennie-- duly noted and much appreciated.

Boston Blackie was played by Chester Morris.

I once saw some film that S.S. Henry made. He had an early 16mm camera, and he used to film everything. He took some shots at the first IBM Convention which was in either 1926 or 1927. Among the clips I saw were some that he did against a black backdrop. He had three dollhouses, and he had his assistants disappearing and reappearing in them via trick photography. One of them changed into a goat.

Hey, Bill:

Now that's cool!

I wonder if that footage is on the three dvd compilation "Vintage Magic Films:
Silent Films of Early Magic Stars." I've never viewed the collection but supposedly the IBM convention of 1928 is on it as well as some Henry performances from 1927-38. Here's a link that lists the contents:

http://www.miraclefactory.net/vintagecontents.htm

I've really got to check this out. Looks like some neat stuff on it.

gary

They left off one of the best, so they must not have all of S.S. Henry's films. This is a film of T. Nelson Downs performing the Coin Star. It eliminates all of the conjecture about the way the coins might or might not have been prepared.

Hmmmm--well guess that means I'll have to check this out AND continue searching for some more old footage. Still trying to find the really early magician participants in film--1890-1928 or so when trick photography was used, but still primitive (at least in the first part of this span)--and real-time illusions may have been used to compensate.

You might want to at least look into the work of Harold Lloyd. Like Charlie Chaplin, he did his own stunts, sometimes to his own detriment.

Thanks once more, Bill. You're a Miser's Dream of great suggestions.

Actually I have done some research into Lloyd's work and he was brilliant at what he did. Now if I could find some magicians around that time who worked behind the scenes and created the illusions/effects that others performed in front of the camera . . . .

Best!

gary

I doubt that you will find that many magicians who contributed to stunt work on camera. Much of the stunt work that was done was created by people who wanted to simulate an event without killing everyone involved.

You might want to check with some of the professional stunt man organizations.

For those who are interested--which may only be Bill, Rennie and me--there's a fascinating new book by Matthew Solomon called DISAPPEARING TRICKS: SILENT FILM, HOUDINI AND THE NEW MAGIC OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY published by University of Illinois Press. Some great photos in it as well. Opens up some fascinating lines of inquiry!

gary

There was a book called _The Magician and the Cinema_ by Erik Barnouw that you might find of interest. The review at amazon.com by K. Kilpatrick says:
-----begin quote-----
"This book covers the history of film that many forget. It discusses the importance and influence that magicians had on film. Film began in their illusions as pictures were projected onto smoke etc.
You will definitely enjoy reading this book if you have interest in film history. I happen to have interest in film and magic. This book kept me pretty well interested throughout."
-----end quote-----

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

Thanks, Anatole:

Already in the process of picking up the book. Have read Barnouw, but not this work, and like him a lot so I'm looking forard to it.

Best!

gary

Dittos, thanks Bill. Great information.

Giani

You guys are dedicated. Impressive.