Harrison Carroll

Harrison Carroll
Born	Harrison Carroll December 25, 1948

Harrison Carroll (born December 25, 1948) is an American magician, living in Buffalo, NY. Mr. Carroll worked primarily as a trade show magician. He officially retired from performing in 2012.

Biography

A graduate of the State University of New York, at Buffalo, school of business, Carroll began performing, at the venerated Forks Hotel, (1974-1979). It was there that he developed his unique performing style under the tutelage of the fabled sleight-of-hand artist, Eddie Fechter. In addition to Fechter, Mr. Carroll was mentored by notable sleight-of-hand artists Frank Garcia, Karl Norman and Eddie Tullock.

Upon Fechter’s death in 1979, Carroll and Rob Allen founded the Performing Magicians Association. It was designed to bring together performing magicians from around the world. The organization, along with its magazine called, State of the Art, eventually failed. In 1991, the Performing Magicians Association closed its doors.

Carroll performed in all types of venues throughout the Buffalo, NY area, including private events and clubs, before becoming a full-time professional in 1982. It was then that he began to specialize in trade shows and corporate events.

During a career that spanned 30 years, he performed in 14 countries and 43 States at many of the world’s largest and most prestigious tradeshows including: CeBIT, Comdex, CES, NAB, and many others. His client list included some of the world’s most prestigious corporations: Xerox, CITGO, American Express, PPG, and numerous other Fortune 500 and multi-national companies.

He possessed the unique aptitude for integrating magic into a company’s sales message. This ability was most appealing to corporations looking to market their products in a unique way. As a result, his services were in demand and it enabled him to perform throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Latin American.

Mr. Carroll selectively contributed instructional material, magical effects, and perspectives to trade periodicals and books on magic. In 2015 he introduced, The Trade Show University to assist other magicians who desire a career in the trade show industry.

CONTRIBUTIONS – MAGAZINES AND BOOKS

• The First 30 Seconds, Linking Ring, January 1985, Vol 65, No 1, Page 89-90 ISSN 0024-4023
• Forks Hotel on Parade, Linking Ring, June 1979, Vol 59, No.6, page 65-90 ISSN 0024-4023
• Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic Parade, Linking Ring, April 2010, Vol 90, No 4, Page 73 ISSN 0024-4023
• Dreams Do Come True, Genii Magazine, Vol 64, No 9, Sept, 2001, pages 32-34 ISSN 0016-6855
• The Giant, Mr. Gadfly Vol 2, Issue 1, Page 2 ISSN1537-3576
• The Purse Game, Mum Magazine, Vol 91, No 11, April 2002, page 30 ISSN 0047-5300
• The FFFF Book by Obie O’Brien, 2012, pages 43-44, published by H&R Books, No List 10, 1994
• Fechter, The Magic of Eddie Fechter, by Jerry Mentzer, 1993, pages 5-8, Published by Magic Methods
• Harry’s Phony Middles, Card Sharp on Duty, Allan Hayden, 1983, Published by A. Hayden
• Unknown, Fork Full of Appetizers by Bill Miesel, 1982, Published by Obie O’Brien, Ryan Press, Pages 1-2
• Face-Up Cutting the Aces, Fork Full of Appetizers Book 2, by Bill Miesel, 1982, Published by Ryan Press, Pages 1-2
• The Close-up Magic of Ray Metz and Friends by William Miesel, Published by Unikorn Press, 1987

WORKS

• Mojo Wax, “It’s for the ceiling, not the floor.” 1992
• Clearly Predictable 2008
• The One-eyed Wildebeest Wallet, co-created with Randy Wakeman, 1994
• The Shell Game, copyright 1994
• Side-FX, 2004 – Co-authored with Scott Tokar – ISBN-10: 0974936502
• Side-FX the DVD – Co-authored with Scott Tokar – Published by Magic Smith, ISBN- 0974936510
• The Trade Show University

REVIEWS

• Genii, Vol 78, No 8, August 2015 – The Trade Show University – Pages 85-86 - ISSN 0016-6855
• Genii, Vol 72, No 1, January 2009 – Clearly Predictable – Page 88 - ISSN 0016-6855
• Linking Ring, Vol 89, No 6, June 2009, page 115 – Lecture
• MUM, Vol 99, No 1-9, August 2009, Page 73 – Clearly Predictable
• Linking Ring, Vol 85, No 11, November 2005, Page 65 – Side-FX
• MUM Vol 94, Jan 2005, page 54 - Side FX - ISSN 0047-5300
• Magic Menu, July/August 1995, Issue 30 – Wildebeest Wallet
• Linking Ring, Vol 78, No 9, Sept 1995 – The Shell Game – Page 113-114 - ISSN 0024-4023
• MUM – Vol 84, No 7, Dec 1994, The Shell Game – Page 36 - ISSN 0047-5300

References

• A sleight case of deception by Patricia Morgan, Indianapolis Star, May 8, 2005
• High Tech Execs Photo by Robert Levins, Las Angeles Daily Journal, June 20, 1988
• Carroll’s magic touch is all business by Tom Hartley, Business First, February 10, 1997
• Show Business for Businesses by James Janega Chicago Tribune, September 19, 1999
• Then you didn’t see it, now you do by Stephanie Cohen, Indianapolis Star, May 8, 2005
• Magicians keep alive the legacy of Forks Hotel by Michelle Kearns, Buffalo News, April 17, 2011
• Entertaining with Magic by Robert M. Davis, Linking Ring Vol 67, No. 1, January 1987, Pages 88-89 ISSN 0024-4023
• American Way of War by Eugene Jarecki, Simon & Shuster, January 2010, Pages 258-259 ISBN 9781416544579
• The Daily Show, Season 11 Episode 7, Jan 16, 2006