HISTORY OF THE DALLAS MAGIC CLUBS (and there is a lot of it)
Dallas Magic Club “s”. That’s right — plural. The organization called Dallas Magic Clubs is really two separate clubs,
(1) the Dallas Magic Circle (S.A.M. Assembly 13), chartered on October 4, 1924 as an Assembly of the Society of American Magicians national magic organization; and (2) Willard the Wizard (I.B.M.Ring 174), chartered on July 10, 1964 as a Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.
Both clubs meet simultaneously and share officer/board member responsibilities. Jointly speaking, the charters of both Clubs have an objective of promoting harmony among those interested in magic by associating and organizing individuals interested in the art of magic and its advancement. Each club joins in adopting rules to discourage inappropriate activities such as divulging secrets of magic to public; false or misleading advertisements of effects, literature, merchandise and actions pertaining the magical arts. Further, the charters contain rules supporting the humane treatment and care of live animals employed in magical performances.
The Dallas Magic Clubs possess a couple of “treasures”. The original copy of the S.A.M. Assembly 13 charter, which was signed by Harry Houdini (not a copy). Not to be outdone, Ring 174 boasts other treasures – the original charter, a wand actually used by the Club namesake, mounted on a frame and presented to the club by the Willard family; and the actual coin-pail used by Willard in his shows. Currently, these “treasures” are located in the home of Dal Sanders and are available to be viewed by simply contacting Dal. Photo’s of this “Shrine” are available on our Website.
The following article appeared in the 1968 Issue of M-U-M Magazine, Volume 58, Number 6. This particular issue was a tribute to Assembly 13, the Dallas Magic Circle, and featured none other than our own Paul Siegel on the cover.
The Beginning of S.A.M. Assembly 13
By Raymond C. Terranella (b.1904 d. after 1964)
Dallas is a city often referred to as “Big D,” a nickname born in the thirties when it hit top as the biggest town in Texas. Before that, as in 1924, it was just plain Dallas. And that was the year the Dallas Magic Circle made headlines by having no less than Harry Houdini , the founder and president of the Society of American Magicians, personally install it as Assembly 13. (This achievement may have started Dallas doing everything else in magically big style!)
Our having the busy Houdini in person was a matter of pure good fortune: the Great Houdini was performing in Dallas as a headliner at the State Fair of Texas. His act was presented in the open before a huge grandstand, and his main effect, as I now recall it, consisted in shooting a girl from a cannon on the ground, after which she re-appeared in a formerly empty trunk that previously had been hoisted high in the air, way above the heads of the spectators.
Society of American Magician’s Charter For Assembly 13 Signed By Harry Houdini
On October 4, 1924, right after his night show, Mr. HOUDINI graciously came to us at the Adolphus Hotel and made the now famous installation of Chapter (sic) 13 – NOT at all an unlucky number for us.
All of us numbered about 15, and our Circle may have been two years old at the time. Ours wasn’t a star-studded club then, (I don’t recall any member being a full-time professional), but it boasted greatly talented and very friendly amateurs from 18 to 60, dedicated to the art of mystifying and entertaining each other and various charitable organizations. (It was some years later that Mark Wilson and Tom Palmer were our members and then professionals.)
Our installation night with Houdini put all the members in a sweat because the club wanted to show off. This meant that the members had decided, in reciprocity for Mr. Houdini’s visit, to have each member show off with a trick. I, for one, sweated through my meal, mentally rehearsing every step of my effect between the bites of food that went into my mouth. I don’t believe the other members got off any easier than I, for no one finished his meal ahead of me.
Performing For Your Hero
A personal note here: I dressed up an old card trick for my part of the show and the trick nearly went haywire. I was supposed to find a selected card by weighing (?) the finger-prints pressed onto it by all the members as they passed it around. But when I went through the deck I discovered TWO apparently selected cards, and I found myself in a helluva spot in front of our distinguished visitor. By the time I got through weighing those two cards over and over again – and finally coming up with the right one – I had impressed Mr. Houdini as being one of the most dramatic young magicians he had ever seen. He publicly praised my talent for building suspense!
Before our part of the show, Mr. Houdini offered to perform a little trick of his own. This he did with an old fashioned hunting-case watch, handed to him with the lid closed after we had set the hands. He touched it to his forehead and correctly divined the time hidden under its lid. (This was soon after his expose of the Spaniard Argamasalla, “The Man with the X-Ray Eyes,” who did a similar effect.)
It was a great night, that night 44 years ago. Not all the members present that evening are alive today. Yet, that night will always live, and the club, too, as long as man’s love for a fascinating hobby or profession can find its answer in Magic
International Brotherhood of Magicians Charter For Ring 174
More information is coming soon.
An update to the history of the Dallas Magic Club is coming soon
Willard the Wizard’s Want
Coin Pail
