Harry Blackstone Sr.

Harry Bouton Blackstone, known professionally as Harry Blackstone Sr., was a legendary stage magician and illusionist.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1885, he became one of the most famous performers of the 20th century. He was often billed by the grand title, The Great Blackstone. His career spanned many decades and included performing as a USO entertainer during World War II. Blackstone represented a specific style of magic that was courtly and elegant. He was considered one of the last great practitioners of this classical American tradition. He typically performed in formal white tie and tails to maintain this sophisticated image.

Blackstone's stage productions were massive and highly organized affairs. He did not perform alone; instead, he traveled with a sizable cast of uniformed male and female assistants. His younger brother, Pete Bouton, served as the stage manager for all of his shows. The performances often relied on music rather than speech. Blackstone remained silent during much of his large-scale stage shows. Instead, an organist or a pit orchestra provided lively musical accompaniment. They played popular tunes of the era, such as "Who," "I Know That You Know," and "Chinatown."

His repertoire included both gentle wonders and daring, intense illusions. One of his most famous signature pieces was "The Floating Light Bulb." In a darkened theater, Blackstone would take a lighted bulb from a lamp. He would then make the glowing bulb float through a small hoop. He would even bring the lamp down from the stage to float it over the heads of the audience. For a more colorful effect, he performed "The Enchanted Garden." In this act, countless bouquets of brilliant feather flowers appeared under a foulard and on various stands. This transformed the stage into a riot of color.

Blackstone also mastered complex illusions that used mechanical devices and physical tension. In his version of "Sawing a Woman in Half," he used an electric circular saw. The saw was roughly three to four feet in diameter and mounted in an open frame. Unlike other versions, Blackstone used a table that was pulled through the saw by a motor. He would demonstrate the saw's power by cutting through a piece of lumber first. An assistant was then placed on the table and secured with wide metal restraints. Although the blade appeared to pass through her body with loud ripping sounds, the woman emerged completely unharmed.

Another intense illusion involved a cabinet filled with bright, tubular incandescent light bulbs. As the magician pushed the perforated front of the cabinet backward, the light bulbs protruded through the holes. The cabinet was then revolved so the audience appeared to see the assistant impaled by the glowing filaments. He also performed the Kellar Levitation, which he titled "The Dream of Princess Karnac." This illusion featured a woman lying uncovered on a couch. In contrast to these intense moments, he also performed the "Vanishing Bird Cage." In this trick, he invited a score or more of children onto the stage to touch a tiny cage holding a canary. He would then toss the cage, making both the bird and the cage disappear.

Blackstone's influence extended into popular media and business ventures. In 1941, he became the star of the comic book series *Super-Magician Comics*. This series was scripted by his friend, the magician Walter B. Gibson, and featured Blackstone battling exotic villains. He also starred in a 1948 radio series called *Blackstone, the Magic Detective*. This show aired on WOR-Mutual and included descriptions of magic tricks for children to try at home. Professionally, he briefly co-owned the Blackstone Magic Company with the Australian magician Percy Abbott. While this partnership lasted only 18 months, it was part of a larger magical history in Colon, Michigan.

The legacy of Blackstone Sr. is preserved through his family and major institutions. His son, Harry Blackstone Jr., also became a famous magician. In 1985, on the 100th anniversary of his father's birth, Blackstone Jr. made a historic donation to the Smithsonian Institution. He gave them the original floating light bulb, which was designed and built by Thomas Edison. He also donated the original Casadega Cabinet used in the "Dancing Handkerchief" illusion. This marked the first time the Smithsonian accepted a donation in the field of magic. Blackstone died in Hollywood, California, in 1965 at the age of 80. He is remembered in Michigan, where a street was renamed Blackstone Avenue in his honor.