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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.