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[[File: DavidBerglas2.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ David Berglas]]]]
[[File: JNHilliard.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ John Northern Hilliard]]]]


'''David Berglas''' was a psychological illusionist and mentalist, known as the "International Man of Mystery" and was one of the world's leading mentalists.
'''John Northern Hilliard''' (1872 - 1935) was a Rochester newspaper man  and clever amateur magician.


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Hilliard was dramatic critic with The Chicago Herald and later on the staff of The Rochester (N. Y.) Post Express. After moving to New York, he met [[Howard Thurston]] while a reporter on The New York World and became interested in magic. John was credited with securing the master magician with his first engagement on the stage. Several years later Thurston induced Hilliard to give up his newspaper work and become his personal representative.


Known for his numerous publicity stunts including going down the notorious Cresta Run blindfolded, manipulating and even smoking cigarettes underwater(!), performing various versions of Russian roulette, presenting hilarious pick-pocketing routines and touring the world, lecturing on and demonstrating memory feats. His signature pieces include the levitation of a heavy table and a dangerous pulse stopping routine.
With the urging of [[Floyd G. Thayer]], John starting writing for [[Thayer's Magical Bulletin]] magazine. In 1925, Hilliard became an advance man for The Thurston show. During this time he accumulated notes on what he was learning about magic. In 1932, Carl Waring Jones urged him to turn his notes into a book, offering to publish it. But Hilliard suddenly died of a heart attack in 1935 while in a hotel room in Indianapolis.
 
In his 2009 Enigma show brochure, [[Derren Brown]] describes David Berglas as "One of our greatest living magical performers" and thanks him "-for his constant inspiration and generosity. Each show is indebted to his artistry and astonishing body of work. Thank you David".
 
The "Holy Grail" of Card Magic is known as "The Berglas Effect" which is his version of [[Any Card At Any Number]] (ACAAN).
 
Some of the celebrities he has entertained include Winston Churchill, Aristotle Onassis, Paul Getty, Lord Mountbatten of Burma, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Michael Jackson, the Sultan of Brunei and most of the British Royal Family.
 
In 1999 he established a non-profit organization called, the Foundation for Promoting the Art of Magic (FP-AM). This has benefited the magical fraternity and has donated substantial funding for educational establishments like The College of Magic in Cape Town, South Africa.  


[[David Berglas|Read more about David Berglas....]]
[[John Northern Hilliard|Read more about John Northern Hilliard…]]

Latest revision as of 10:23, 20 February 2026

Previous featured articles are located in Category:Featured Article

Proposed candidates are listed in Category:Featured Article Candidate

John Northern Hilliard (1872 - 1935) was a Rochester newspaper man and clever amateur magician.

Biography

Hilliard was dramatic critic with The Chicago Herald and later on the staff of The Rochester (N. Y.) Post Express. After moving to New York, he met Howard Thurston while a reporter on The New York World and became interested in magic. John was credited with securing the master magician with his first engagement on the stage. Several years later Thurston induced Hilliard to give up his newspaper work and become his personal representative.

With the urging of Floyd G. Thayer, John starting writing for Thayer's Magical Bulletin magazine. In 1925, Hilliard became an advance man for The Thurston show. During this time he accumulated notes on what he was learning about magic. In 1932, Carl Waring Jones urged him to turn his notes into a book, offering to publish it. But Hilliard suddenly died of a heart attack in 1935 while in a hotel room in Indianapolis.

Read more about John Northern Hilliard…