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Lesault New user 63 Posts |
From Click here
Ryan M: What's been your favorite moment in magic? David Blaine: My favorite moment in magic was a story I heard about a magician who used his magic to end a war. Anyone know where I could find out more about the magician who ended a war? Thanks. Lesault. |
Dave Le Fevre Inner circle UK 1666 Posts |
Jasper Maskelyne was a stage illusionist.
His skills were utilised by the allies in combat against German forces in the Middle East during World War II. Could that be the guy? Dave
The Ozzy Osbourne of the 34x27
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Lesault New user 63 Posts |
That looks like the guy! Thanks, Dave.
I also spotted this while looking him up... http://www.greystonehistory.com/movies.shtml Tom Cruise as The War Magician Tom Cruise is set to star in a Paramount Pictures production of The War Magician based on the nonfiction book by David Fischer. Cruise would star as Jasper Maskelyne, the handsome, famous British stage magician who used sleight of hand in fighting the Germans during World War II. Maskelyne one-upped David Copperfield by making the Suez Canal seem to disappear, "moving" Alexandria Harbor to hide it from Axis bombers, and creating a phantom army before the battle of El-Alamein in Egypt. BTW - how big were his hands? Lesault. |
Jim Morton Veteran user 361 Posts |
Maskelyne didn't stop the war. His services were used to help win a war. I suspect Blaine was referring to Robert-Houdin, who used the bullet catch in Algeria quell a rebellion of the Marabouts against the French forces there. Robert-Houdin writes about the incident in his memoirs.
Jim |
WR Special user Utah 945 Posts |
Jaspher Maskelyn was a magician who went to war and was out in charge of Britians Camoflaugh division. There is a book called the war time magician. Don't know the author.
Ditto on Houdin he stopped a war with the magnetic box... Most magically yours, WR
"Tell Em WR sent Ya."
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Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
Jim, you are right about Houdin, but I'm sure you know there's more to the story. Houdin proved that if he was helping the troops they would never run out of ammo by producing an endless supply of cannonballs from his hat. He also showed them that they could not win on hand to hand combat. He had the enemies biggest guy try to lift a chest that was on the floor after he did it, Houdin looked at him and said he had removed his power. Now the big guy couldn't move it. He also gave the guy a painful jolt on command. This was the first use, I believe, of electromagnetism in magic.
The story is a great one and it's ripe for the telling. If I didn't have so many stories to work on I'd write this one up. Greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
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Lesault New user 63 Posts |
Thanks for the info! Now I can tell my friends I'm *NOT* wasting my time learning all these stupid tricks
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Eric Starkey Regular user Pittsburgh, PA 180 Posts |
Robert-Houdin also used his light/heavy chest to avoid battles and scare off the opposition.
"You will become as weak as a woman!" |
Cornelius Loyal user Canada 213 Posts |
Jasper Maskelyne was incredible and my favorite magician! He could even make cities disappear and reappear miles away! Scary!
Unfortunately, after the war, Jasper Maskelyne found trouble getting work, the British forgot his services and he died a broken man. From, Cornelius |
Lesault New user 63 Posts |
Anyone else in the UK who is interested in this - See 'Secret History' on Channel 4 at 9pm on Thursday 27th June.
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professorpopcorn New user Taunton Somerset U.K. 79 Posts |
It certainly was an interesting programme about a man with a remarkable story.
When you're smilin'
When you're smilin' The Whole World Smiles With You !!! Tra-la-la www.profpopcorn.co.uk |
Xaero New user 50 Posts |
I think Robert Houdin used the light and heavy chest to prevent a war. Or at least that's what they mentioned on "The Secerts of Magic" TV special (The one where Lance Burton burries himself at the end).
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John Smetana ???? - 2009 499 Posts |
The book "The War Magician"-was written by David Fisher and published by Coward, McCann in 1983.
ISBN 0-698-11140-0 The book subtitle states"How Jasper Maskelyne And His Magic Gang Altered The Course Of World War 2. Best thoughts, John Smetana |
Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Jasper Maskelyne, "The War Magician", was active in North Africa during World War II, in a camouflage group that, among other things, managed to "move" the city of Alexandria, and "hide" the Suez Canal (similar technology would be later used, in part, by David Copperfield for his Statue of Liberty vanish).
Maskelyne left magic completely after World War II and emigrated to Kenya, where he was a successful farmer until his death in 1973. It was, of course, Robert-Houdin who had the soubriquet "the magician who stopped a war", for the reasons given above. cheers, Peter Marucci showtimecol@aol.com |
studentoflife Veteran user Paris, France 310 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-08-04 23:21, Peter Marucci wrote: Is that story true history? How many lives did he save?
- Y
<BR>"Nothing is difficult...it's all about what you want, and how bad you want it." |
Pakar Ilusi Inner circle 5777 Posts |
David Blaine?
It's in his book "Mysterious Stranger". Involves Winston Churchill and the "Oil and Water" Card Effect. Don't remember the Magician, have to find my Copy of that book...
"Dreams aren't a matter of Chance but a matter of Choice." -DC-
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JIMclubber64 Loyal user 269 Posts |
Pakar, could you be referring to Henry Christ? I've read in one magic book that he performed some version of Out Of This World for Churchill some 15 times or around that amount. This supposedly caused Churchill to arrive at an important meeting VERY late (apparently he arrived at 2 in the morning), thereby temporarily "stopping" World War 2.
"Magic should always have a purpose. [...] Find your purpose for performing. Only then will you be able to find the right trick!" -- Jay Noblezada
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edh Inner circle 4698 Posts |
There was a recent documentary about Maskylene on the history channel(IIRC). Very very interesting.
Magic is a vanishing art.
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Pakar Ilusi Inner circle 5777 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-07-05 11:03, JIMclubber64 wrote: Could be. Can't find my Copy of Blaine's Book.
"Dreams aren't a matter of Chance but a matter of Choice." -DC-
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Cyberqat Inner circle You can tell I work on the net from my 2209 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-05-29 15:18, Cornelius wrote: Sounds something like their treatment of Alan Turing, I'm afraid. He's the father of both computer science and modern cryptography and his code breaking skills were invaluable to the allies. He was also an unrepentant homosexual, and homosexuality was illegal in England. As soon as they had no further use for him, they sent him to court, forced him to use regular hormone injections, and he died two years later (probably from suicide):(
It is always darkest just before you are eaten by a grue.
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