Howard Thurston

American magician
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://mainten.top/biography/Howard-Thurston
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Quick Facts
Born:
July 20, 1869, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Died:
April 13, 1936, Miami, Fla. (aged 66)

Howard Thurston (born July 20, 1869, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.—died April 13, 1936, Miami, Fla.) was an American magician who led the largest magic show in history.

(Read Harry Houdini’s 1926 Britannica essay on magic.)

Thurston was originally a card manipulator and toured the world (1904–07) with a full-evening show. He returned to the United States to become successor to Harry Kellar, the leading American magician. For more than 20 years he toured with a three-hour show and became best-known for his large stage illusions, such as the “floating lady.” In 1931 he shortened his program to appear as the stage attraction at motion-picture theatres. He wrote My Life of Magic (1929).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.