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Dr. Lynn

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Dr. Lynn
BornHugh Washington Simmons
October 17 1831
Died1899
Dr. Lynn (1831 - 1899) also known as Hugh Washington Simmons was born either in England or Australia. He toured many countries including the Orient and the United States. It's possible that Houdini became fascinated with magic as a young boy after seeing Dr. Lynn perform in his home town.

Lynn had left the British navy in 1861 to begin a career as a magician in Australia, where he performed as Washington Simmons and Washington Blythe. Afterwards, he was billing himself as "Professor Simmons, the Great Basilicothaumaturgist" in the Orient, Europe and US. Dr. Lynn reached San Francisco from Japan in December, 1863.

According to The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Magic by Bart Whaley, Dr. Lynn was the first to perform the Japanese Butterfly Trick in the west in 1864. He had claimed that he had seen the trick while traveling in Japan in 1863.

Some time in the 1870s, Lynn created a puppet effect called Living Marionettes. using what is known as Black Art.

The decapitation act (involving the apparent severance of the left arm, left leg or head of a man was introduced by Dr. Lynn in 1874 under the title of "Palingenesia". Other effects he presented were a suspension, a Flower Growth and the Basket Trick.

He retired in April 1895. It is recorded in the Magic Wand Annals that Dr. Lynn fell on hard times and, in 1896, benefit performances were held for him.

His often repeated "That's how it's done" during his shows became popular catch phrase in England.

His son Walter Lynn (also an entertainer) reported his fathers passing in Mahatma Vol. 03 (1899).

Books

  • The Adventures of the Strange Man, With a Supplement showing "How It's Done"(1873)

References