paper Today a Kellar poster sells for thousands of dollars KELLARS LATEST THEOSOPHIG WONDER THE SHRINE of KooMRA SAMI THE SHRINE OF KOOMRA SAMI 1895 When Kellar performed this illusion his male assistant stepped inside a cage and the cage curtains closed The
curtains flew open again The man had multiplied and the cage now held him his double and a young
PRESENTING HARRY KELLAR N 1900 Americans loved magic shows and their favorite magician was Harry Kellar Kellar's stage performances sold out as people lined up to see his latest breathtaking illusion His face and reputation were known everywhere He traveled to five continents and became the first American born magician to gain worldwide celebrity THE FIRST AMERICAN BORN MAGICIAN TO GAIN WORLDWIDE CELEBRITY Harry Kellar is still admired by today's magicians But most people have never heard of him Instead they think of Harry Houdini as America s greatest magician Yet Kellar was born in America and Houdini was not Kellar was a more talented magician whose career lasted longer than Houdini's In fact Houdini idolized Kellar who was twenty five years Houdini's
Senior Why has Houdini s fame lasted though Kellar s has faded Houdini was a better escape artist than magician and a better self promoter than anyone else He made himself a superstar At the peak of his career in 1926 Houdini died unexpectedly shocking the world and guaranteeing that he would not be forgotten Harry Kellar was a more modest man He impressed the public by demonstrating his conjuring skills and exceptional showmanship He thrilled and amazed audiences with his illusions while capturing their affections He encouraged other magicians and advanced the popularity of stage magic Kellar achieved his fame slowly during a career that lasted almost half a century This is the story of his lifetime of hard work determination and adventure in HARRY HOUDINI 1874 1926 oudini was born as Ehrich Weiss in Budapest Hungary He grew up in Wisconsin and New York At the age of seventeen he began working as a magician basing his stage name on the famous
