David Copperfield & The Magic of ABC
1977
The Canadian Conservatory of Magic is proud to present its special section dedicated to the ephemeris of conjuring. This section explores the fascinating history of magic throughout the year, highlighting significant events, iconic artists, and innovations that have shaped this art. We invite enthusiasts and the curious to dive into the captivating world of illusion and magic and celebrate this extraordinary heritage.
Magic in history
01
September
1900:
- Birth of Tony Slydini
- Visit the Tony Slydini exhibition (exclusive to members)
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Columbia Theatre - St. Louis
1913: Adelaïde Herrmann - New Victoria Theatre - Pittsburgh
1916: Thurston - Thalia Theatre - New York
1936: Dante - Alhambra Theatre - London
1937: Dante - Empire Theatre - Glasgow, Scotland
03
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Haymarket Theatre - Chicago
1916: Thurston - Thalia Theatre - New York
1937: Dante - Empire Theatre - Glasgow, Scotland
2012:
- Death of Michel Cailloux (aged 80)
- Visit the Michel Cailloux exhibition (exclusive to members)
05
September
1902:
- Thurston - Tivoli - London
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Haymarket Theatre - Chicago
1915: Houdini - Orpheum - Kansas City
1916: Thurston - Weiting Theatre - Syracuse, NY
07
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1903: Buatier de Kolta - Colonial Theatre - Cleveland, OH
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Haymarket Theatre - Chicago
1926: A fire in a warehouse on West Forty-sixth Street in New York destroyed all of Adelaide Herrmann's possessions, including the dogs and other animals used in her show
1977 : "The Magic of ABC Starring David Copperfield", Copperfield's first television special, airs on ABC
09
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1940: Dante - Morosco Theatre - New York
11
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1911:
- Houdini - Keith's Theatre - Providence
- Thurston - Imperial Theatre - Providence
- Adelaïde Herrmann - Willard Theatre - Chicago
1916: Thurston - Majestic Theatre - Buffalo
13
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1909: Thurston - Amphion Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
1911:
- Houdini - Keith's Theatre - Providence
- Thurston - Imperial Theatre - Providence
1916: Thurston - Majestic Theatre - Buffalo
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
15
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1905: Lafayette - Grand Opera House - Pittsburgh
1906: Houdini launches his own magic magazine entitled "Conjurers Monthly Magazine," which will be published for two years. He is its editor-in-chief
1907: Carter - Lyric Theatre - Salt Lake City
1909: Thurston - Amphion Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
1911:
- Houdini - Keith's Theatre - Providence
- Thurston - Imperial Theatre - Providence
1916: Thurston - Majestic Theatre - Buffalo
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
1975 : The show "Y'a un truc", hosted by Gérard Majax and Yvonne Guillaud (Vonny), debuts on Antenne 2 in France
17
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Columbia Theatre - Cincinnati
1909: Thurston - Amphion Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
19
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1904: Leon Herrmann - Temple Theatre - Detroit
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Columbia Theatre - Cincinnati
1916: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Pittsburgh
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
21
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Columbia Theatre - Cincinnati
1908: Thurston - Park Theatre - Philadelphia
1916: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Pittsburgh
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
23
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1884: Kellar - New Park Theatre - New York
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Hopkins Theatre - Louisville, KY
1907: Adelaïde Herrmann - Shubert Theatre - Kansas City
1916: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Pittsburgh
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
25
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1884: Kellar - New Park Theatre - New York
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Hopkins Theatre - Louisville, KY
1916: Thurston - Grand Theatre - Youngstown, OH
1917: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Paterson, NJ
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1928: Thurston - Capitol Theatre - Albany, NY
1947: Cardini - Capitol Theatre - New York
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
1980: "The Magic of David Copperfield III: Levitating Ferrari" airs on CBS
27
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1884: Kellar - New Park Theatre - New York
1885:
- Birth of Harry Blackstone
- Visit the Harry Blackstone exhibition (exclusive to members)
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Hopkins Theatre - Louisville, KY
1909: Thurston - Giradro Avenue Theatre - Philadelphia
1916: Thurston - Grand Theatre - Youngstown, OH
1917: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Paterson, NJ
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1920: Blackstone - Empire Theatre - Buffalo
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1928: Thurston - Capitol Theatre - Albany, NY
29
September
1869: Alexandre Herrmann - Academy of Music - Brooklyn, NY
1876: Kellar - Victoria Theatre - Sydney, Australia
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1909: Thurston - Giradro Avenue Theatre - Philadelphia
1916: Thurston - Grand Theatre - Youngstown, OH
1917: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Paterson, NJ
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1920: Blackstone - Empire Theatre - Buffalo
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1928: Thurston - Capitol Theatre - Albany, NY
02
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1916: Thurston - Thalia Theatre - New York
1937: Dante - Empire Theatre - Glasgow, Scotland
1942: While performing at the Lincoln Theatre in Decature, Illinois, Harry Blackstone Sr. manages to calmly evacuate all the spectators who came to see his show, when he learns that the pharmacy, next to the theater, is on fire
2020: "David Blaine: Ascension" airs exclusively on YouTube
04
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1905: Lafayette - Hyde & Behman's Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Haymarket Theatre - Chicago
1916: Thurston - Weiting Theatre - Syracuse, NY
1937: Dante - Empire Theatre - Glasgow, Scotland
2014: Start of the fourth season of the series "Dynamo: Magician Impossible" on UKTV
06
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Haymarket Theatre - Chicago
1916: Thurston - Weiting Theatre - Syracuse, NY
1933: Dante - Grand Opera House - Wellington, New Zealand
1948: Robert Harbin - Shepherd's Bush Empire - London
08
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Haymarket Theatre - Chicago
1950: Birth of Dominique Duvivier
10
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
12
September
1865: The Davenport Brothers - Salle Herz - Paris
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1911:
- Houdini - Keith's Theatre - Providence
- Thurston - Imperial Theatre - Providence
1916: Thurston - Majestic Theatre - Buffalo
1924: Houdini - Keith's Theatre - Boston
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
14
September
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1909: Thurston - Amphion Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
1911:
- Houdini - Keith's Theatre - Providence
- Thurston - Imperial Theatre - Providence
1916: Thurston - Majestic Theatre - Buffalo
1925: Houdini - Shubert Alvin Theatre - Pittsburg
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
16
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Columbia Theatre - Cincinnati
1909: Thurston - Amphion Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
1911:
- Houdini - Keith's Theatre - Providence
- Thurston - Imperial Theatre - Providence
1916: Thurston - Majestic Theatre - Buffalo
1917: Houdini performs a benefit show for the Army Athletic Fund at the New York Hippodrome
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
1956: Birth of David Copperfield
18
September
1838: Birth of Louis Hasselmayer
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Columbia Theatre - Cincinnati
1909: Thurston - Amphion Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
1910: Thurston - Liberty Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
1916: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Pittsburgh
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1932: Premiere of the film "Chandu the Magician" starring Edmund Lowe and Bela Lugosi. The film was directed by William Cameron Menzies and Marcel Varnel and distributed by 20th Century Fox
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
20
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Columbia Theatre - Cincinnati
1916: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Pittsburgh
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1932: Theodore Annemann - Red Barn Theatre - Locust Valley, NY
1945: Cardini - Biltmore Hotel - New York
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
22
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1884: Kellar - New Park Theatre - New York
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1916: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Pittsburgh
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
1989: Premiere of the film "Penn & Teller Get Killed" with Penn & Teller. The film is directed by Arthur Penn and distributed by Warner Bros.
24
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1884: Kellar - New Park Theatre - New York
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Hopkins Theatre - Louisville, KY
1917: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Paterson, NJ
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1928: Thurston - Capitol Theatre - Albany, NY
1948: Blackstone - Lafayette Theatre - Detroit
2008: "David Blaine: Dive of Death" airs on ABC
26
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1884: Kellar - New Park Theatre - New York
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1903: Adelaïde Herrmann - Portland Theatre - Portland
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Hopkins Theatre - Louisville, KY
1916: Thurston - Grand Theatre - Youngstown, OH
1917: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Paterson, NJ
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1921: P.T. Selbit - Forty-fourth street theatre - New York
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1923: Houdini gives a lecture on the dark side of spiritualism at the University of Illinois at Champaign
1928: Thurston - Capitol Theatre - Albany, NY
28
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1903:
- Thurston - Temple Theatre - Detroit
- Lafayette - Girard Avenue Theatre - Philadelphia
1906: Adelaïde Herrmann - Hopkins Theatre - Louisville, KY
1909: Thurston - Giradro Avenue Theatre - Philadelphia
1916: Thurston - Grand Theatre - Youngstown, OH
1917: Thurston - Lyceum Theatre - Paterson, NJ
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1920: Blackstone - Empire Theatre - Buffalo
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1928: Thurston - Capitol Theatre - Albany, NY
30
September
1878: Robert Heller - South Broad Street Theatre - Philadelphia
1902:
- Houdini - Circus Carre Munchen - Bavaria
- Thurston - Empire Theatre - London
1909: Thurston - Giradro Avenue Theatre - Philadelphia
1916: Thurston - Grand Theatre - Youngstown, OH
1919: Alexander, The Man Who Knows - Grand Opera House - Kansas City
1920: Blackstone - Empire Theatre - Buffalo
1922: Thurston - Plymouth Theatre - Boston
1923: Premiere in the United States of the film "Haldane of the Secret Service" starring Harry Houdini and distributed by the Houdini Picture Corporation
1935: Cardini made his stage debut at the Playmouth Theatre in Boston in the play "The Ascending Dragon" in which he played the lead role
1937: Max Malini - St. Francis Hotel - San Francisco
September 2, 1942
Presenting his Show of 1001 Wonders, Blackstone appeared before his spectators, mostly children, and was about to start his show when an assistant approached and whispered something in the magician’s ear. What the audience didn’t know - and what Blackstone had just learned - was that the drugstore next to the theatre was on fire. Blackstone instantly realized that he must quickly evacuate the theatre as the two buildings shared a common basement.
The magician then announced to the crowd that he would perform his new illusion « The Hindu Rope Trick » outside, on the street. He told them that when the « Rope Trick » was finished he would continue with the rest of the show.
Blackstone and caste members evacuated more than 2,000 people, row by row, in a matter of minutes. Hence, like the Pied Piper, he led all of the children outside into the street, away from the consuming flames before they ever realized that they had been in danger.