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[[File: CharlesBertram1.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ Charles Bertram]]]]
[[File: JohnWyman1.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ John Wyman]]]]
'''John Wyman Jr.''' (b.1816-d.1881), born in in Albany, New York, was a successful magician and ventriloquist, billed as '''"Wyman the Wizard"'''. He entertained several U.S. Presidents, including Martin Van Buren, Millard Filmore and four times for Abraham Lincoln. For a time, Wyman was under the management of [[P. T. Barnum]].


'''Charles Bertram''' (b.1853-d.1907) was a British magician who performed for royalty and appeared several times at the [[Egyptian Hall]]. He was a favorite performer of King Edward VII.
== Biography ==


== Biography ==
Wyman was one of the first performers to present "Gift Shows". These were performances where the performer gave gifts or prizes like gold and silver watches at the end of his shows. He was known for giving quality prizes. [[Houdini]] called Wyman "one of the most honest men of our profession".  He was one of the most financially prosperous entertainers of his time.


The year of birth of Charles Bertram is not clear.  Most articles in magic magazines claim born 1853, Edwin A. Dawes claims 1863. Some pages in Internet claim born 1855. His tombstone doesn’t show the year, the author of the Bertram’s-Grave-Page claims 1855.  
During his career, he lived in Baltimore Md, Washington D.C. and made Philadelphia his home where he continued to live after his retirement from the stage. He later moved to New Jersey, where he owned real estate, and died in Burlington.  


It is suspected that he adopted his stage name in 1881 of Charles Julius Bertram (1723-1765).
Wyman may have been the first performer in the U.S. to present a full evening show as well as the first to perform the [[Bullet Catch]] routine.  
Originally a victualler (traditionally a person who supplies for the crew of a ship food, beverages and other provisions on a vessel at sea) and landlord of Bassett's Hotel (formerly known as Petter's Hotel), a tavern at the corner of Garrick-street and New-street (now New Place) which still exists today as The Round House. Bertram became bankrupt 1882 and turned to conjuring as a full-time profession.  


[[Charles Bertram|Read more about Charles Bertram…]]
[[John Wyman|Read more about John Wyman…]]

Revision as of 13:49, 18 August 2024

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John Wyman Jr. (b.1816-d.1881), born in in Albany, New York, was a successful magician and ventriloquist, billed as "Wyman the Wizard". He entertained several U.S. Presidents, including Martin Van Buren, Millard Filmore and four times for Abraham Lincoln. For a time, Wyman was under the management of P. T. Barnum.

Biography

Wyman was one of the first performers to present "Gift Shows". These were performances where the performer gave gifts or prizes like gold and silver watches at the end of his shows. He was known for giving quality prizes. Houdini called Wyman "one of the most honest men of our profession". He was one of the most financially prosperous entertainers of his time.

During his career, he lived in Baltimore Md, Washington D.C. and made Philadelphia his home where he continued to live after his retirement from the stage. He later moved to New Jersey, where he owned real estate, and died in Burlington.

Wyman may have been the first performer in the U.S. to present a full evening show as well as the first to perform the Bullet Catch routine.

Read more about John Wyman…