|
American female magician who billed herself
variously as "The Georgia
Magnet", "The Georgia Wonder" and "The
Electric Girl". She gained great fame performing her physical resistance
act in which male volunteers from the audience were invited to try
and lift her or otherwise move her; despite her tiny size and their
mass, they were always unsuccessful. Promoted as having "supernatural powers",
she was
billed as a spirit medium rather than a magician or variety
performer.
Houdini criticized her act in his Miracle
Mongers and Their Methods for being obvious in its
methods, though he was really more angry over the spiritism
connection.
Her brief but
incredibly lucrative career was over within
two years, when the 16-year-old suddenly got a dose of conscience and refused
to fool her superstitious fans any more. Twelve years after her
retirement, she again cashed in on her mystery by publishing a book
revealing her methods.
Magician Annie Abbott then performed a similar act, eliminating the
spirit connection and finding worldwide fame. See also Mattie
Lee Price.
See also:
"Little
Lulu" Hurst
Georgia
Wonder Phenomenon
Feats
of the Magnetic Girl Explained (1895)
NY
Times article from 1884
another
from 1884
Enjoy
the facts here, but please don't copy this information and post it
on your own web site without getting our
permission first. It took many hours of research to compile. If you are doing a paper or project for
school, you have our permission to use this material (please credit
MagicTricks.com).
|
