Matt Schulien

Matt Schulien (1891? - March 1, 1967), born Mathias Schulien, was a Chicago restaurant owner and magician.

Matt was famous for his card tricks he performed for his customers at his restaurant Schulien's. Magicians visiting Chicago would never fail to stop at his restaurant.

Schulien operated various restaurants in Chicago over a period of 50 years. His father, Joseph Schulien, who died in 1939, passed his restaurant business down to Matt.

Mr. Schulien was a large man, 350 pounds, and would use his size to good advantage as a magician to conceal props in places on his person unimaginable to normal size magicians. Bert Allerton had summed it up as "How can you beat a guy who palms cards with his stomach?"

Schulien still greeted customers until he became ill, just weeks before his death.

Awards and honors

• Sphinx magazine award for close-up. For his "Ribbon Spread Trick," which was published on page 293, of the January 1949 issue.

Books

• The Magic of Matt Schulien by Philip R. Wlllmarth (1939)

References

• Sphinx 1945, pg 106 Schulien, Genial Boniface of His Establishment by Dorny