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[[The American Civil War]], also known as the '''War between the States''' or simply the '''Civil War''', was a war fought from 1861 to 1865 between the United States (the "Union" or the "North") and several Southern states that had declared their secession and formed the Confederate States of America (the "Confederacy" or the "South"). The war had its origin in the fractious issue of slavery, and, after four years of bloody combat, the Confederacy was defeated, slavery was abolished, and the difficult Reconstruction process of restoring unity and guaranteeing rights to the freed slaves began. [[File:HarryCooke.jpg|right|thumb|[[Professor Harry G. Cooke]], a veteran of the Civil War, took up as a profession and toured the country with marked success.]]
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[[File: ChanningPollock1.png|right|thumb|200px|[[ Channing Pollock]]]]
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'''Channing Pollock''' (b.1926–d.2006) was an American magician and film actor born in Sacramento, California.
  
There were many magicians around during the years of the Civil War. Magic effects performed by magicians during this time included: [[The Spirit Cabinet]],[[Second Sight]], [[Bullet Catching]], [[Levitation]]s, [[The Inexhaustible Bottle]], The [[Cups and Balls]], The [[Sucker Die Box]], The [[Devil's Hank]], [[Passe Passe Bottles]], The [[Genii Tube]], early versions of the [[Misers Dream]], [[Rising Cards]], and productions of flowers and flags.  
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== Biography ==
The origin of mediumship is usually linked to the Fox sisters at Hydesville, New York in 1848, but believers date the unofficial beginning of Modern American [[Spiritualism]] to the Shakers and similar religious groups. By 1853 the movement had reached San Francisco and London, and by the start of the Civil War in 1860 it was worldwide.  
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A charismatic practitioner of his craft and strikingly handsome with an enigmatic stage presence, he was best known for an act in which he would elegantly produce doves out of thin air and he was often billed as "the most beautiful man in the world". He first became interested in magic at the age of 21. He trained at the [[Chavez School of Magic]] in Los Angeles, graduating in 1952. Pollock's early work as a magician was on the nightclub circuit, where his talents were enhanced by his good looks.
  
The period 1860 to 1910 is known as "The Golden Age" of [[Automata]]. During this period many small family based companies of Automata makers thrived in Paris. They exported thousands of clockwork automata and mechanical singing birds around the world.  
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He appeared on the [[Ed Sullivan Show]] in 1954 and went on to make several appearances at the London Palladium. By the mid-1950s Pollock was unsurpassed in his field, and he had spawned a great many imitators. But his act was unique, and the excitement in his routine was so tied up with his own personality (he always made a point of never smiling until he was taking his final bow) that copyists were never as good. He appeared at cabaret venues and in special shows all over the world, performing for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Queen Elizabeth II and at the wedding of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly. At the height of his career, he was one of America's highest-paid entertainers.
 
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From the early 1800s until the Civil War, professional gamblers plied their trade on the Mississippi River steamboats that traveled between New Orleans and St. Louis. Up to the time of the Civil War it was necessary to keep cards in card presses when not in use, to prevent their curling up.  
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[[Channing Pollock |Read more about Channing Pollock…]]
 
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[[The American Civil War|Read more about magic during The American Civil War...]]
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Latest revision as of 21:13, 14 April 2024

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Channing Pollock (b.1926–d.2006) was an American magician and film actor born in Sacramento, California.

Biography

A charismatic practitioner of his craft and strikingly handsome with an enigmatic stage presence, he was best known for an act in which he would elegantly produce doves out of thin air and he was often billed as "the most beautiful man in the world". He first became interested in magic at the age of 21. He trained at the Chavez School of Magic in Los Angeles, graduating in 1952. Pollock's early work as a magician was on the nightclub circuit, where his talents were enhanced by his good looks.

He appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1954 and went on to make several appearances at the London Palladium. By the mid-1950s Pollock was unsurpassed in his field, and he had spawned a great many imitators. But his act was unique, and the excitement in his routine was so tied up with his own personality (he always made a point of never smiling until he was taking his final bow) that copyists were never as good. He appeared at cabaret venues and in special shows all over the world, performing for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Queen Elizabeth II and at the wedding of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly. At the height of his career, he was one of America's highest-paid entertainers.

Read more about Channing Pollock…