HORACE GOLDIN: THE ROYAL WHIRLWIND ILLUSIONIST

Horace Goldin

Goldin, of Polish Jewish heritage, was born Hyman Elias Goldstein in Vilnius, which was then part of Russia and is now Lithuania's capital on the 17th December 1874. A childhood accident of falling into a well left him with a speech impediment. It is said that he discovered his talent for magic tricks at a young age after learning from a gypsy performer. His father would move to the United States when Goldin was eight to to build the foundations for their future, Goldin and the rest of his family would have to work to make ends meet and when Goldin turned sixteen, his family emigrated to the United States, settling in Nashville, Tennessee, where they ran a small grocery store, However Hyman was left behind due to the funds being sent by their father being half a ticket short. He would do odd jobs to make up the other half and emigrate joining his family. Despite his strong accent and speech impediment, Goldstein succeeded as a salesman.

From a young age Goldin had aspirations of being a renowned violinist. He would develop an interest in magic at 12 years of age when a travelling fair came to his local town, he would learn many of his early technique from this magicians pitfalls and dexterous fumbles. Goldin would move to live with his uncle in Roanoke, Virginia, who worked as a jeweler. His entry into performing came when he apprenticed with touring showman and magician Adolph Veidt, who encouraged him to adopt the stage name Horace Goldin. He would move to Washington DC to make it big, however he made very little and had no props so was forced to pick up part time work to make ends meet. He would meet Herbert Albini, who mesmerised his audience with 'The Egg Bag'. Goldin would purchase this effect, but struggled to make it work. Goldin would have a poster of Albini in his room later on inviting him over where Albini, touched by the poster gave Goldin exclusive public performance rights to the effect, tutoring him on each caveat of the effect. He and Goldin would eventually fall out due to Albini's alcoholism.

Goldin Promotional Poster

Around 1894, Goldin began performing magic part-time, combining tricks and humor and calling himself “The Humorous Conjurer.” After receiving negative newspaper reviews, he revamped his act, hiring assistants and adopting a quick presentation style inspired by German-born magician Imro Fox. Goldin began performing tricks in rapid succession without speaking, 45 tricks in 17 minutes, earning the nickname “The Whirlwind Illusionist.” This act brought him success in vaudeville, leading to tours across the United States. His show would include many stage effects, these included Arial Fishing, catching fish from the audience. Goldin would perform at the old Opera house in Washington DC. Opening his act making five ducks vanish, however on it's debut one duck went missing. Unbeknownst to Goldin it would be seen by the audience waddling freely upstage behind him. Goldin thinking his act was dying, would place the remaining duck in a pan and covering it, on lifting the lid he'd produce the others with it. After the show he was called to Mr Chase's office, Goldin thought this would be the end of his engagement on the opening night. Mr Chase smiled at Goldin extending his contract an additional week at an extra twenty five dollars a week.

In 1901, he traveled to London to perform at the Palace Theatre, for a 16 week contract.

His performances impressed enough to earn him an invitation to perform a private show for King Edward VII and royal guests at Sandringham in November 1902. He would set a record for the highest quantity of performances before royalty within a week, gaining him the title of The Royal Illusionist.

In 1905, he appeared in a short UK comedy film titled Comic Conjuring.

In 1915, he embarked on a long tour of the Far East, debuting his popular routine, The Lions Bride with a Live Tiger. This would end disastrously in 1918 when a boat carrying his equipment sank at Lahaina, Hawaii, whilst decanting his illusions onto another ship in deep waters. He attempted to sue the shipping company for negligence but gave up when told the hierarchy of litigation were all related so the chances of succeeding were low leading him to drop the lawsuit entirely.

Goldin, who distrusted banks, reportedly carried his money with him, supposedly in gold, which was lost along with his props. Upon returning home, he was forced into bankruptcy. Despite this setback, he was about to enter the most successful phase of his career by developing the sawing a woman in half illusion.

Goldin is often credited with inventing the sawing a woman in half illusion, although it was first popularized by British magician P. T. Selbit in 1921. Goldin presented his version just a few months later. The origin of the idea is debated, with some suggesting a magician named Torrini may have performed an early version before Pope Pius VII in 1809, while others trace it back to ancient Egypt. However, there is little solid evidence for these claims. It is widely agreed that Selbit was the first to stage the illusion, while Goldin secured his place in history through technical innovation and aggressive promotion.

Goldin claimed his version improved on Selbit’s by keeping the assistant’s head, hands, and feet visible during the sawing, whereas Selbit’s assistant was entirely concealed inside a box. Goldin later devised a version without the box, using a large buzzsaw.

Goldin’s success was largely due to his presentation and promotional skills, as well as his persistence in suing other magicians. The Keith theatre firm hired Goldin and organized multiple touring productions of his show across the United States, using different performers. Among them was Servais Le Roy, a Belgian magician who had previously been one of Goldin’s rivals. Promotional stunts included ambulances parked outside theatres and performers dressed as medics to create the impression that serious injury was a real possibility.

Goldin, The Royal Illusionist

Goldin was involved in numerous lawsuits during this period. Some believed these legal actions were as much for publicity as for genuine claims, but he managed to use the courts to limit competition. In one notable case, he obtained an injunction against Selbit over the sawing illusion, even though Selbit had performed the trick first and their versions differed significantly. In other cases, Goldin sued film companies that exposed the methods behind magic illusions.

In a legal battle against a New York film company in 1922, Goldin initially lost when the judge ruled he had not proven himself the original inventor and noted the trick might date back to ancient Egypt. Goldin appealed and won, with the court ruling he had satisfactorily established himself as the originator of the illusion as known to the public, and that the title “Sawing a Woman in Half” had become closely associated with his name.

Some of Goldin’s legal strategies caused problems despite being technically successful. One example was his decision to patent the sawing illusion. He applied for a patent in September 1921 and was granted one in June 1923, giving him exclusive rights for seventeen years. While this strengthened his legal position against rivals, patent law required him to disclose the workings of the illusion, preventing him from keeping the method entirely secret.

Goldin with Apparatus

In the 1930s, this disclosure led to conflict with the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, which was running an advertising campaign revealing the secrets behind famous mysteries. In 1933, the company produced an advertisement illustrating the workings of a sawing illusion. Goldin sued, but the case was ultimately dismissed by a federal court in 1938. After this defeat, Goldin abandoned litigation related to the sawing illusion and returned to relying on secrecy. He never patented his later version involving a giant buzzsaw blade.

Goldin claimed that the cost of his lawsuits consumed much of the money he earned from his inventions, despite appearing financially successful. It was said he made a million dollars for the Keith theatre group and at times earned as much as two thousand dollars a week. He toured internationally with his sawing illusions and performed for King Edward VII of Britain on four occasions He would perform for American presidents Harding and Wilson. And in 1936, he appeared in a British movie revue titled Stars on Parade. Horace Goldin meet Helen Leyton and proposed to in California at 21 to be turned down then in Chicago at 41, she again turned him down and eventually at 54 years of age she said yes.

In his later years, Goldin became a British citizen. He died on the 22nd August 1939 after a show at the Wood Green Empire Theatre in London. Twenty-one years earlier, another magician, Chung Ling Soo, had been killed at the same venue while performing the bullet catch illusion. Goldin successfully performed that trick on the night in question but died later in his sleep.

Copyright © 2025 by Sid Quatrine, Author, Editor