Abbotts 60th Get Together 1997

For more than a century, the name Blackstone has been synonymous with magic. Harry Blackstone Jr and his father before him were the great classical magicians. they brought their spectacular show, complete with floating light bulbs, vanishing elephants and ladies sawed in half, to town and cities both large and small across the United States. Without pop-star pretentions, the Blackstone shows were synonymous with fun and laughter and rabbits from hats.

In 1980, the Blackstone show played at New York's Majestic theatre for the longest run of any magic review in Broadway history. With a company of dozens of assistants, colorful scenery and tons of illusions, the show was described as "pure magic" (Time magazine) and as "irresistible entertainment" (Variety). John Simon of New York magazine described his illusions as "more real than reality" and his patter as "fast and funny". Mel Gussow of the New York Times proclaimed "Blackstone is a master" and Marilyn Stassio of the New York Post described his show as "the creme de la creme of magic acts...by the end of the show there's so much laughing and carrying on that you can't tell the grownups from the kids". The Broadway show later became a two-hour PBS television special broadcast from a vaudeville theatre in Minneapolis where Harry Jr had appeared with his father as a young boy. Calvin Trillin of the New Yorker described Blackstone as "the leading exemplar of the formal tradition of grand illusion" and Newsweek described his touring extravaganza as "the largest and most spectacular travelling illusion show ever".

Over the years, many younger magicians assumed the trappings of pop stars...the deafening music and the smoke and laser effects...but Blackstone deliberately crafted his shows in the tradition of his illustrious father and other grand masters of illusion. To many in magic, his floating light globe remains a high point in the stage magic of the last half-century.

Born in Three Rivers, Harry spent his early years in Colon on Blackstone island, his father's summer headquarters, where he annually refurbished his large illusion show. Harry junior's career in magic began at the age of six months, vanishing and re-appearing in his father's act.

No magician in history has been more honored by his peers. In March 1994, Harry Blackstone was named a recipient of the prestigious Masters Fellowship presented by the Academy of Magical Arts at Hollywood's Magic Castle, a private club with a large international membership of magicians and magic enthusiasts. In 1979 and 1985 he was named as Magician of the Year by that organization and was an honorary member of London's prestigious Inner Magic Circle. he authored several books on the subject of magic including "The Blackstone Book of Magic", "My Life as a Magician", and "There's One Born Every Minute".

Harry Blackstone dies on May 14th in California. He is survived by his wife, Gay, and daughters Cynthia Blackstone, Adrenne Blackstone, Tracy Crosby, and Bellamie Blackstone, and a granddaughter. His son, Harry Blackstone III, preceded him in death.

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