October is such a vibe-filled, magical time of the year, I thought maybe looking at a real magician would be fun for Halloween too. And not just any ol' magician either, I'm talkin' THE world's most iconic, thrill master, stage illusionist-- THE GREAT BLACKSTONE! Click his name to read more about him, but for our AEET purposes today, here are some select images from my Blackstone souvenir program which was available all around the world during his 1948 performances. Yes sir, see Blackstone buzzsaw his "bevy of mystic beauties" in two! Levitate them! Mummify them! Drown them-- and more! I've even included a few pages from the TRICKS section of the program just in case any of you feel tricky on All Hallow's Eve! (NOTE: Please do not saw anyone in half!) And yes, that gorgeous, gam-filled cover illustration is like a cherry on top, as well...
This is amazing (I'm going to have to memorize all those tricks now), but, wow, doesn't Blackstone look like a pretty tough customer? Like he just stepped out of the ring? Like an ex-con? Like some carney roustabout? Things must have been plenty hairy on the the stage magic circuit to harden a kindly ole Larry Niven-type into the scarred ruffian in that portrait. Holy cow, he looks like his own Madame Tussauds figure after years of rough handling in the back room. He looks like a Jack Pierce makeup test.
ReplyDeleteI think I like the back cover picture best. The Bevy of Mystic Beauties are definitely ready for their big Gold Diggers number!
This thing is the hard sell cranked up to 11! "No 1 Magician" "Last of the Great Magicians" "World's Master Magician!"
ReplyDeleteAll the ladies needed to have fabulous legs because you were never sure whose legs were sticking out of the other end of the box (too soon to reveal a trick???)
I like the buzz saw act (I suspect the part of the background that can be seen through the slats is actually forward, hiding where the body is hidden), I love how jovial Blackstone looks, and the bizarre chicken and space lady costumes.
Quite the show!