Difference between revisions of "Albert P. Smith"

Revision as of 07:42, 10 December 2008

Albert P. Smith ( 1878? - May 16, 1957) was a showman during the 1920s and 1930s as the Mysterious Smith.

Smith had highly successful years between 1894 and 1899 when the Spanish- American War broke out. He entered the service and spent two years in the Philippines.

In 1902 after getting out of the service, he began a tour around the world to Japan, China, across India and back to the Philippines.

After coming back to the United States, he played in moderate size towns for a week at a time. His publicity stunt was a coffin escape. He wife, as Madame Olga, did a mentalism act in the show.

Smith retired around 1935 to become a photographer and sold his show to Howard Thurstons' brother, Harry. He did perform again after retirement in Iowa with an act called "The White Prophet: Do Spirits Return?" which featured a Spirit Cabinet.

The Mysterious Smith's last performance was in Nashville, Tennasse in 1942. He had done in his lifetime 28,800 public performances in 42 states and traveled around the world twice. He died in St. Petersburg, Florida.

References

• Words about Wizards by Robert Parrish (1994)
• Linking Ring January 1949, page 39