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Newmann the Great

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Revision as of 19:54, 10 March 2009 by Philippe billot (Talk | contribs) (Bibliography)

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C.A. Newmann also known as Newmann the Great (November 28, 1880 - December 29, 1952) was born Christian Andrew George Newmann in Minnesota was a hypnotist and Pioneer Mentalist.

Biography

Newmann was born during the pioneer days when Indian uprisings, bank robberies and highway holdups were frequent occurrences. By the age of 13, Newmann The Boy Wonder was presenting an hypnotic and mind-reading show.

For many years he limited the majority of his performances to the Northern Middle Western States, returning to the same cities year after year. For many summer seasons he gave his performances in his own tent.

Newmann was primarily a mentalist who specializes in unusual, high class mental presentations, although he also presents a few illusions, such as the Levitation, The Spirit Paintings, and similar effects, in connection with his regular program. However, for over 35 years his program was composed only of Hypnotic and Mind Reading effects. He also featured the Blindfold Drive.

Newmann was an ardent collector and has one of the largest magical libraries. After many years of extensive searching, his library was told to contain seven thousand publications, making it one of the largest of its kind in America at the time.

He was one of the early member of the I. B. M. (he was #585) His friend Howard Thurston acclaimed Newmann as one of the greatest of all mentalists. John Northern Hilliard also expressed profound amazement at Newmann's incredible feats, declaring him a true artist.

In his later years he demonstrating hypnosis before classes of psychology at colleges in Minnesota and North Dakota. As late as 1950, Newmann was still appearing in the major auditoriums in Montana and adjacent states. He was continuously performing before the public since 1896.

Newmann began disposing of his vast library piecemeal about a decade before his death. About l,00O volumes were given to the University of Minnesota library. David Price acquired his posters for Egyptian hall museum. Several of Newmann's scrapbooks are in the Carl W. Jones collection at Princeton.

Newmann died in Minneapolis and services were conducted by Carl W. Jones.

Bibliography

  • Newmann The Pioneer Mentalist by James B. Alfredson (1989)
  • The Collected Mental Secrets of C.A. George Newmasn edited by Leo Behnke (1991)

References