Bill Greenough

Bill Greenough
Born	William R. Greenough March 22, 1908 Wethersfield, Connecticut
Died	September 7, 1996 West Hartford, Connecticut

William "Bill" Greenough (b.1908-d.1996) served as National President of the Society of American Magicians between 1953-1955, the only man besides Houdini and Thurston to serve two terms.

Biography

In the 1920s and 1930s, Bill was the band leader of the Colony Club Orchestra at the ballroom of the Bond Hotel in Hartford and was also an accomplished ragtime pianist. In the early 1930s, he was an avid speed boat racer for six racing seasons. At one time he owned a sport cruiser named Misdirection. He would later retired from the Taylor & Greenough Printing Co.

Greenough became interested in magic when he found a complete Tarbell Course with a box of gimmicks after the death of his father in 1937. He joined The Society of American Magicians in 1946 and became an active member of the Hartford S.A.M. Assembly #21. He took home first prize for a presentation at the S.A.M. convention in 1948.

During his time as President of the S.A.M., the Society began the publication of its own magazine. Prior to this time, Assembly reports were given space in The Sphinx. Greenough designed the layout of the first issue of the smaller formatted M-U-M. His wife Mary (Gillon) Greenough served as a national treasurer for Magigals.

He was presented in the M-U-M as one of the Magicians of the Year and honored by Assembly No. 21 in 1990 which is now known as the "Bill Greenough Assembly".

He was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Magic award at the 1991 Magicians Ball. He was again honored at the New England conference in 1993.