Ziska

Ziska ( September 21, 1875 - February 4, 1926), born William Griffin in Boston, Massachusetts, started in magic at age nine as "The Boy Master Magician."

He was a one time assistant to the Great Herrmann and later assisted Zancig (from Australia, not from the The Zancigs).

He performed a comedy magic act for many years on Vaudeville with his partner, Louis King, as "Ziska and King".

Later on when Ziska married his second wife, who joined the act as Ziska and Saunders. After playing for a number of years they separated and Ziska did a single act (as Count Ziska) which consisted of the Linking Rings, the Egg Bag, and the Multiplying Billiard Balls.

He was a member of The National Vaudeville Association (NVA) and an early member of the IBM (card number 152). The NVA took care of his burial services at the Kensico cemetery, outside of New York City where many other Vaudevillians were buried.

Effects

• "The Transposed Cards" in "Art of Magic", page 38.

Honors

• Cover of Mahatma, May 1898

References

• Obit. - MUM March, 1926.