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Shikanominarazu Loyal user 264 Posts 
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Hello,
I was bored, looking around at old magic quizzes (like you do), and I noticed that in the Max Maven "Inquisition" column for January 2005, Max noted that letters exist from Robert Bloch (who wrote the novel Psycho) stating that Stewart James was one of several inspirations for Normn Bates. Anyone know more about this? |
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Leo H Inner circle 1528 Posts
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Yes--Mr. Bloch visited James's house with other people but stayed in the car. He noticed an old lady peeking out through the curtains in one of the house windows. The old lady was Stewart's mother. He never married and lived alone with his mother in that house. You can begin to see how Bloch was inspired to write his horror novel from this.
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Shikanominarazu Loyal user 264 Posts
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Quote:
On Jun 1, 2025, Leo H wrote: Interesting. Can you tell me where you read that? |
ThomasJ Inner circle Chicago 1082 Posts
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Based on David Ben’s post in the link below, it sounds like it was Pat Lyons who visited Stewart’s house and stayed in the car. She explained the story to Robert Bloch who used it as inspiration.
This is a very interesting topic. Thank you both for the info. I did some digging and found this Genii thread from 2009 - https://forums.geniimagazine.com/viewtopic.php?t=28461 |
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Mr. Bones Veteran user 360 Posts
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Lyons apparently had quite the twisted imagination, in that being influenced by Stewart James Courtright home (which is a perfectly normal, and indeed an extremely beautiful waterfront Canadian house), and then noticing Stewart's mother looking out the window (which is again a perfectly normal thing to do when strangers are pointlessly milling about in your driveway) has absolutely nothing to do with the reality that was Stewart James, a man who was peaceful, creative, passive, and indeed very friendly to anybody who took the time to get to know him.
In fact, the entire premise reeks as somewhat distasteful, a premise fabricated entirely in Lyons head, and re-told as fact by others who should definitely know better. Anybody (including Lyons, Maven, Bloch, etc) who would attempt to in any way equate the real Stewart James with the fictional murderer that is Norman Bates needs to give their head a seriously hard shake.
Mr. Bones
"Hey Rube"! |
critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 3316 Posts
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I always heard Norman Bates was based on Ed Gein.
Typhoon Tuck
"As soon as you have succeeded at making a sustainable fire, your thoughts should turn to how you are going to start your next fire" ~Mors Kochanski "Work hard, study well, eat and sleep plenty. That's the Turtle Hermit way!" |
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ThomasJ Inner circle Chicago 1082 Posts
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Quote:
On Jun 14, 2025, critter wrote: That is correct. Max Maven leads with that fact in the same entry. |
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critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 3316 Posts
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First time I heard it was on a documentary about cannibals.
Typhoon Tuck
"As soon as you have succeeded at making a sustainable fire, your thoughts should turn to how you are going to start your next fire" ~Mors Kochanski "Work hard, study well, eat and sleep plenty. That's the Turtle Hermit way!" |
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Shikanominarazu Loyal user 264 Posts
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Quote:
On Jun 14, 2025, ThomasJ wrote: Thanks, that's interesting. |
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Leo H Inner circle 1528 Posts
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Quote:
On Jun 14, 2025, Mr. Bones wrote: Let's be transparent here: James lived alone with his mother and remained a bachelor his entire life. He apparently had conversations with three imaginary friends throughout his life. That's a bit strange. People in the magic world would pay him a visit at his house. Those that Stewart was not fond of would not make it past his front porch into the house. Karl Fulves was one of the unfortunates. |
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Mr. Bones Veteran user 360 Posts
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Quote:
On Jun 21, 2025, Leo H wrote: That James would very likely be diagnosed with some degree of autism in 2025 certainly doesn't make him a "model" for a mass murderer. The belief that James was in any way associated with, or inspired violence is a concept that's utterly ridiculous. If your premise is simply that James was somewhat unconventional, so be it. Folks who live on the spectrum are often perceived as "strange" or "unconventional" by others. It's just not a metric I use to evaluate somebody who lives on the spectrum. The premise in the OP was that James and his mother were the models on which the "Psycho" characters were based, which is absolutely insane. That James was idiosyncratic in some of his ways is a long established fact - but to stretch that to being the influence for the creation of "Norman Bates" is the outcome of a bored imagination seeking some sort of twisted notoriety through association with a deservedly well known personality. Stewart James was a true genius, was likely on the spectrum, was friendly to those he trusted, was unfriendly to those he didn't trust. He owned and lived in a house that included a suite for his mother, and produced more high quality magic than pretty much any other magic creator on earth. That's actually a pretty strong resume, and a pretty typical pattern of life (save the "magic creator") for a substantial percentage of the population. (I too built a suite in my house for my now departed mother, it was the smartest thing I ever did, and I enjoyed many a cup of tea and fantastic conversations with her in her final years - does that make me "strange"?). Associating James in any way with any degree of murder and mayhem is (IMO), simply disgusting.
Mr. Bones
"Hey Rube"! |
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critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 3316 Posts
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Are there even any neurotypical magicians? I don't think that's a real thing.
Typhoon Tuck
"As soon as you have succeeded at making a sustainable fire, your thoughts should turn to how you are going to start your next fire" ~Mors Kochanski "Work hard, study well, eat and sleep plenty. That's the Turtle Hermit way!" |
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Leo H Inner circle 1528 Posts
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Quote:
On Jun 22, 2025, Mr. Bones wrote: Nobody is trying to associate Stewart James with murder and mayhem. You're out of control. Writers obtain inspiration for their stories from anywhere. A writer can see Stewart's unconventional lifestyle and draw inspiration to create a story about a killer. You might visit a circus and draw inspiration to write a killer clown story. It certainly doesn't mean that the clowns you saw in the circus are murderers. |
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critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 3316 Posts
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Most neurodivergents are pretty harmless and just end up doing math or magic or botany.
It's neurotypicals that do the most crimes.
Typhoon Tuck
"As soon as you have succeeded at making a sustainable fire, your thoughts should turn to how you are going to start your next fire" ~Mors Kochanski "Work hard, study well, eat and sleep plenty. That's the Turtle Hermit way!" |
ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 3080 Posts
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Quote:
On Jun 22, 2025, Mr. Bones wrote: I believe it's only the idea of a man living at home with his mother who peaked out through the window that inspired Bloch. The MAIN model for Norman Bates is, of course, Ed Gein. Also the model for a lot of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
"When you punish a person for dreaming their dreams,
don't expect them to thank or forgive you." The Mountain Goats; "The Best Ever Death Metal Band Out of Denton" |
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critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 3316 Posts
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Boo Radley!
Typhoon Tuck
"As soon as you have succeeded at making a sustainable fire, your thoughts should turn to how you are going to start your next fire" ~Mors Kochanski "Work hard, study well, eat and sleep plenty. That's the Turtle Hermit way!" |
| The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Magicians of old » » Stewart James Inspired Norman Bates? (6 Likes) | |
Posted: May 30, 2025 09:01 am 
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