John Mulholland

John Mulholland (born John Wickizer) (9 June 1898 in Chicago, Illinois – 25 February 1970 in New York City) was an American magician, author, publisher and intelligence agent.

Early life

Mulholland was born on June 9, 1898, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were John and Irene Wickizer. While still at school Mulholland started his professional magic career from 1913. He was educated at Columbia University and College of the City of New York. Mulholland asserted that "Houdini once told me that he considered no man to be a magician until he was able skillfully to perform the cups and balls."

His other friends included Gene Tunney, Harold Ross and Bert Terhune. Mulholland married Pauline Pierce on May 17, 1932.

During World War II, he wrote a spellbook for soldiers. His collection is now owned by David Copperfield.

In 1949, Mulholland was issued a public $10,000 challenge. John J McManus (Magic Collector) issued the challenge in the Conjurors' Magazine (June 1949, Vol 5 Issue# 4). The full page ad called for Mulholland to re-create his famous 'Hooker Rising Trick' under controlled stage conditions with McManus providing the necessary props. Failure to answer the challenge or to correctly recreate the trick would call for publicly accepting the story of his trick as an 'exaggerated myth'.

He was the editor of the Conjurer's Journal and was the only living magician listed in the book Who's who in America immediately after the death of Howard Thurston. Mulholland was also a member and honorary vice-president of the Inner Magic Circle, and a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians.

In 2008, magician Ben Robinson authored The Magician: John Mulholland's Secret Life which documented his work with the CIA.

Skepticism

Mulholland had criticized the claims of parapsychology and exposed the tricks of fraudulent spiritualist mediums. His book Beware Familiar Spirits (1938) revealed many of these tricks.

A review which highly praised the book, stated that Mulholland had "been sworn at, threatened, and even shot at while acquiring the information". Practical Puppetry (1961) John Mulholland’s Book of Magic (1963) Magic of the World (1965) The Magical Mind – Key to Successful Communication (1967)