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Armah
| Armah | |
| Born | April 29, 1891 Brighton, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Died | May 31, 1948 (age 57) Miami, Florida |
Armah (1891-1948), The Oriental Mystic, was one of the stage names of William John Armstrong (1891-1948). [1]
Biography
For many years he appeared as a professional magician throughout the United States, Central and South America. He sometimes used the shorter W. J. Lee as a theatrical name. He was often referred to as Poogee Poogee or Pooshee Pooshee by audiences, as those were the magic words he used. His admirer, William Alstrand, adopted it as his stage name.
For a time, he also worked in vaudeville with his wife as "Fairman and Lee".[2]
In the 1920s and 30s, among other engagements, he appeared for eight consecutive seasons at the Traymore Hotel, Atlantic City in, and for five seasons at the Shoreham Hotel, Washington. D. C. He pioneered close-up magic in hotels under salon-like conditions, proving its professional potential.
He incorporated fortunetelling by cards, palmistry, and crystal gazing into his act.
He had instructed several well known magicians in the art including John Booth.[3]