Howard Thurston

Howard Thurston rose to international fame in the early 20th century by succeeding Harry Kellar as America’s premier illusionist in 1908. He was a master showman known for his elaborate stage productions and stunning sleight of hand, particularly his famous 'Rising Cards' trick. During the Roaring Twenties, he traveled with a massive touring show that made him a household name across the United States.

While Thurston was famous for many large-scale stage illusions, his signature piece was the 'Rising Cards.' In this routine, selected cards would magically float up out of the deck and into his hands, even while held by a spectator. This piece of close-up magic was ingeniously adapted for large vaudeville theaters, allowing audiences to clearly see the impossible happen on stage.

Yes, Howard Thurston had a massive, highly publicized rivalry with Harry Houdini, another legendary American magician of the era. While Houdini focused heavily on daring escapes and anti-spiritualist crusades, Thurston dominated the realm of grand, theatrical stage illusions. Despite their fierce competition for ticket sales, the two men heavily influenced each other's approaches to showmanship.

Magic historians often read Jim Steinmeyer's critically acclaimed biography, *The Last Greatest Magician in the World*, to understand Thurston's life and legacy. The book details his rise to power, his complex touring company, and his eventual decline in the late 1930s. Many of Thurston's original props and beautifully illustrated posters are also preserved in the David Copperfield International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts.