The Relationship Between Magic Electricity

The relationship between magic and electricity dates back to the late 1800s, when Thomas Edison, also known as “Wizard of Menlo Park,” first premiered the incandescent lightbulb. Expectations were high, as Edison had previously patented his stock ticker, quadruplex telegraph, and phonograph to public acclaim and fascination. Edison had promised the press a revolutionary product with his lightbulb which would replace the dangerous and unreliable gas lamps commonly used at the time. There was, however, a problem with Edison’s bold claims regarding his invention as his incandescent lightbulb only worked for a few minutes before overheating and burning out. Journalists whom Edison invited to see his lightbulb illumination demonstration in late 1878 were carefully chosen and personally guided through his workshop. Often, they were ushered in and out quickly so that they had no idea his invention was, essentially, not sustainable. This strategy worked in Edison’s favor, as it allowed him to build excitement over his incandescent lightbulb while looking for a long-term fix to the fixture’s fatal flaw. On New Year’s Eve 1879, Edison publicly premiered his incandescent lightbulb, which now featured a carbon filament allowing the lightbulb to burn longer without overheating. Electricity at the time was viewed by the public as mysterious and magical, “a natural power as disruptive as lightning and as enchanting as the aurora borealis,” and Edison was among the first to harness its raw power.

Magician Harry Blackstone, known as “The Great Blackstone,” was quick to incorporate Edison’s incandescent lightbulb into his act just years after Edison’s invention was formally granted a patent. Edison himself handcrafted the lightbulb that was used in Blackstone’s act, in which the illusionist lit up a darkened theater with a floating lightbulb that dangled between his hands. As the illusion progressed, Blackstone would pass his floating, still-illuminated lightbulb through a small hoop and then even over the heads of his audience members. This illusion helped Blackstone break into the mainstream and would contribute to his legacy as one of “the last great magicians” of the First Golden Age of Magic. Today, Blackstone’s lightbulb is a part of the Smithsonian Institution’s theatrical collection and was the first magic artifact ever accessioned by the organization.

While Blackstone may have been one of the earliest magicians to incorporate electricity and light fixtures into his act, the magician perhaps most associated with these elements is “Mr. Electric,” himself, Marvyn Roy (1925-2020). Roy, alongside his creative collaborator and wife, Carol Roy (1929-2009), toured their “Mr. Electric & Carol” act around the world for more than 40 years, dazzling audiences with their “Artistry in Light” magic act which involved hundreds of lightbulbs of various sizes, shapes, and brilliance. Marvyn was famous for making lightbulbs glow without the assistance of wires or obvious power sources, and he even could make milk pour out of a lit lightbulb and into a funnel. The duo’s grand finale involved more than 30 feet of small string lights being pulled from his mouth, with Carol pulling the seemingly endless string to the amazement—and shock—of their audience. While Marvyn handled most of the illusions, Carol worked as Marvyn’s on-stage assistant and oversaw the show’s choreography and design. In addition to their performances on television in the 1950s and 1960s, “Mr. Electric & Carol” gained notoriety for their frequent appearances in Las Vegas, where they performed as part of the Stardust Hotel & Casino’s Lido de Paris production in the late 1950s and, later, as part of the Tropicana Hotel & Casino’s Folies Bergere in the 1980s.

Lightbulbs, such as those used in the duo’s “Artistry in Light” act, are measured in watts, which describe the rate at which energy is flowing in an electrical system. “Mr. Electric & Carol” used everything from standard 60-watt lightbulbs to massive 5,000-watt lightbulbs used in lighthouses. The earliest incandescent lightbulbs, such as those invented by Thomas Edison over 150 years ago, consumed an average of 16-watts. For comparison, a modern clock radio needs as few as 10-watts to function, while the wattage of a dishwasher can range anywhere from 1,200-2,400-watts.

Innovations in green technology have helped make modern lightbulbs more energy efficient. An LED lightbulb, for example, can last over 20 years and consume as little as 2.5-watts to illuminate. These bulbs can help minimize light pollution, reduce harmful emissions, and minimize chemical damage to the environment.