Who Is: Harry Blackstone Jr. - Master Magician

Magicians who are otherwise called wizards use or practices magic to entertain their viewers. Fantasy magicians derive their power from studies or innate talents. They are perceived as people endowed with special gifts that aid them to do things which an ordinary people cannot do. Magicians usually appear in children's books, folktales and myths. They may also appear to entertain people during parties and gatherings, just like the Seattle Magicians.

The ability to perform magic could be an innate talent which one could have inherited from his predecessors. An example of this would be Harry Blackstone Jr. Harry Blackstone Jr. is one of the most well-known magicians in America. He is the exceptionally gifted son of Harry Blackstone Sr., also known as ‘The Great Blackstone’ of America. He is known as a writer, an actor, an inventor, a casino showroom headliner, a TV personality, a comedian, an entertainer, a teacher, a father and above all, he is the creator and performer of the largest magic and illusion show ever to play Broadway.

Harry Blackstone was born in Colon, Michigan, “The Magic Capitol of the World”, which incidentally was the ‘kingdom’ for his father during his reign as the most famous magician in his time. It is in this place where Harry Blacstone Jr first performed in a magical play at age six, although some reviews would reveal that he was used by his father in his magic shows as early as infancy. In his first performances, he appeared and disappeared through his father’s illusions. It is also through his father that he mastered and internalized the tricks of this craft.

Although he was honed through the supervision of his father, Harry Blackstone tried to develop a more modern approach in the field of magic. As he puts it, “What I am undertaking is the challenging – but delightful – task of bringing this magnificent art to even higher levels, building on what has gone before, injecting a modern, innovative presentation that is very much of the present, of the future, and of my own creation”. In some occasions, he would perform a sequence of his father’s illusions, but he is more known to perform the world-famous magic tricks called the “Dancing Handkerchief” illusion, the Floating Lightbulb, the Vanishing Birdcage, and the Frightening Buzzsaw.

His efforts to modernize his father’s magical tricks bore fruits as he was able to gain respect and honor not only from his audience but also from his peers. He also garnered enormous titles in this profession, among this are: the name “Magician of the Year” in 1979 and 1985 by the Academy of Magical Arts; the name “International Ambassador of Magic”, by the Society of American Magicians.

He co-authored a book entitled “The Blackstone Book of Magic and Illusion”, together with Charles Reynolds and Regina Reynolds. Some of the illusions discussed in this book are applied by Seattle Magicians and corporate magicians.

He died on May 14, 1997 at age 62 due to complications arising from pancreatic cancer. After his death, some of his performance equipment and props were auctioned and are brought to the hands of some collectors and magicians from around the world.

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