Through the late 1800s, magic shows occupied American stages alongside traveling circuses and vaudeville acts. Near the turn of the 20th century, however, magicians began to occupy an elevated theatrical status, commanding their own one-man shows in prestigious theaters across the United States.
Historically, magicians were often practicing spiritualists and considered tricksters or con men, even occultists. The new practitioners were skilled entertainers and illusionists, striving to obtain celebrity status and erase magic’s spiritualist roots.
The new breed of magicians dressed elegantly and invested in flashy stage props, eschewing “dark magic” for sleight-of-hand spectacles. Entertainers such as Harry Kellar, Alexander Herrmann, and Howard Thurston — not to mention Harry Houdini — became household names.
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