![]() The book exposed the tricks of slate writing and a number of devices that fraudulent mediums would use to pretend to contact the dead. In 1898, he authored the book Spirit Slate Writing and Kindred Phenomena. ![]() However, Foo refused to meet with him as Robinson had accepted another previous challenge issued by Foo and lost. Robinson, who had watched Foo's act when he toured the United States and figured out how his illusions worked, accepted the challenge. In a gimmick that was standard for magicians of that era, Foo offered a prize of $1,000 to any person who could successfully duplicate his illusions. Around this time, Robinson learned of a challenge issued by Chinese stage magician Ching Ling Foo. After Herrmann's death in 1896, Robinson decided to strike out on his own. īy 1896, Robinson had performed his acts in shows for Harry Kellar and Alexander Herrmann. (As Auzinger never toured the United States, the resemblance went largely unnoticed at the time). The act and Robinson's new stage name closely resembled that of German magician Max Auzinger, who performed under the name "Ben Ali Bey". In 1887, he began performing " black art illusions" under the name "Achmed Ben Ali". Robinson earned a decent living performing his act but was eager to become a headliner on vaudeville. He initially performed under the name "Robinson, the Man of Mystery". Robinson performed his first magic show at the age of 14 and began performing professionally on the vaudeville circuit shortly thereafter. He later taught his son how to perform magic tricks. Campbell" and "Professor Campbell", and his specialties included impersonations, "dialect singing", hypnotism, ventriloquism and magic tricks. James Robinson variously performed under the names "James Campbell", "H. The family settled in Manhattan while James Robinson toured in Charles "Charlie" White's minstrel shows. Both of his parents were of Scottish descent. Robinson was born in Westchester County, New York, the first of three children born to James Campbell Robinson and his wife Sarah Robinson ( née Titus). ![]() He is mostly remembered today for his accidental death due to a failed bullet catch trick. William Ellsworth Robinson (Ap– March 24, 1918) was an American magician who went by the stage name Chung Ling Soo ( Chinese: 程連蘇 pinyin: Chéng Liánsū).
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