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[[File: Oudini1.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ Oudini]]]]
[[File: Tampa1.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ Tampa]]]]
'''Oudini''' (1885-?) was the stage name of Francis "Frank" Joseph Rowan, an escape artist and obvious [[Houdini]] imitator based on the name, during the early 1900s in the Boston area.


'''Tampa''' (b.1887-d.1939) was born Raymond Stanley Sugden in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania.


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Oudini wrote a book called The Great Mysteries in 1909 in which he exposed his escapes and included many photos and press clippings of his performances.  On the reverse side of the title page with the copyright date are the names "by Frank J. Rowan and E. T. Stewart".


Some thought that [[Robert Doidge]] might have been "Oudini" because he had at one time so many copies available to sell.
He became a professional magician at the age of 30, performing a Chinese act with magician Ray Hartman in the "Chau Tung Mysteries". When Hartman was drafted, Sugden started performing with his wife and two sons under the name "Sugden the Magician". In 1925, Sugden changed his billing to "Sugden England's Court Magician". He was friends with [[Harry Kellar]], [[Houdini]], and [[Howard Thurston]]. He assisted Thurston in the planning of illusions such as his "Ghost in the Blue Room", "Beauty", and "East Indian Rope Trick". He also built effects for Thurston including a version of the "Spirit Painting" effect.


John Henry Grossman wrote in his MUM "Ask the Doctor" column that [[Walter B. Gibson]] informed him that Doidge told him that it was Frank J. Rowan, who lived near Haverhill, Massachusetts (where many of the press clippings from the book came from).  
Howard Thurston signed Sugden to a ten year contract on November 2, 1925. In 1926, he traveled with a full evening show under Howard Thurston as "Tampa England's Court Magician". In 1929, the stock market crashed and everything came to a halt for the world of entertainment. Thurston was barely keeping his company paid. He couldn't keep the Tampa show booked, so Ray started to find bookings on his own. Thurston only saw that Sugden was taking business away, not helping to keep the "Thurston" name in the public's mind. Sugden suggested that they part company and end the contract. Thurston kept delaying inevitable.  


[[Oudini |Read more about Oudini …]]
[[Tampa|Read more about Tampa…]]

Latest revision as of 18:11, 25 August 2024

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Tampa (b.1887-d.1939) was born Raymond Stanley Sugden in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania.

Biography

He became a professional magician at the age of 30, performing a Chinese act with magician Ray Hartman in the "Chau Tung Mysteries". When Hartman was drafted, Sugden started performing with his wife and two sons under the name "Sugden the Magician". In 1925, Sugden changed his billing to "Sugden England's Court Magician". He was friends with Harry Kellar, Houdini, and Howard Thurston. He assisted Thurston in the planning of illusions such as his "Ghost in the Blue Room", "Beauty", and "East Indian Rope Trick". He also built effects for Thurston including a version of the "Spirit Painting" effect.

Howard Thurston signed Sugden to a ten year contract on November 2, 1925. In 1926, he traveled with a full evening show under Howard Thurston as "Tampa England's Court Magician". In 1929, the stock market crashed and everything came to a halt for the world of entertainment. Thurston was barely keeping his company paid. He couldn't keep the Tampa show booked, so Ray started to find bookings on his own. Thurston only saw that Sugden was taking business away, not helping to keep the "Thurston" name in the public's mind. Sugden suggested that they part company and end the contract. Thurston kept delaying inevitable.

Read more about Tampa…