Help us get to over 8,748 articles in 2024.

If you know of a magician not listed in MagicPedia, start a New Biography for them. Contact us at magicpediahelp@gmail.com

Difference between revisions of "Robert Harbin"

From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians.
Jump to: navigation, search
(Bibliography)
m (References)
(11 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Wikipedia}}
+
'''Robert Harbin''' (1909 - 1978) was a British magician and writer born Edward Richard Charles Williams in Balfour, South Africa. He is noted as the inventor of a number of classic illusions, including the [[Zig Zag Girl]].<ref>Memories of Robert Harbin
Robert Harbin (February 14, 1909 - January 12, 1978) was a British magician and writer born Ned Williams in Balfour, South Africa. He is noted as the inventor of a number of classic illusions, including the [[Zig Zag Girl]]. He also became an authority on origami.
+
By Bayard Grimshaw, [[Genii 1980 April]]</ref> He also became an authority on origami.
 +
{{Infobox person
 +
| image                    =
 +
| image_size                =
 +
| alt                      =
 +
| caption                  =
 +
| birth_name                = Edward Richard Charles Williams
 +
| birth_day                = February 14, 
 +
| birth_year                = 1909
 +
| birth_place              = Balfour, South Africa
 +
| death_day                = January 12,
 +
| death_year                = 1978
 +
| death_place              =
 +
| resting_place            =
 +
| resting_place_coordinates = 
 +
| nationality              =
 +
| known_for                =
 +
| notable works            =
 +
| flourished                =
 +
| awards                    =
 +
| box_width                =
 +
| misc                      =
 +
}}
  
 
==Career==
 
==Career==
The young Ned Williams first got interested in magic after an unknown ex-serviceman appeared at his school with a magic show later described as "rather poor". Williams came to London at the age of 20 and began by working in the magic department of Gamages toy shop. He began performing in music halls under the title "Ned Williams, the Boy Magician from South Africa". By 1932 he was appearing in the Maskelyne's Mysteries magic show in various London theaters.  
+
The young Williams, known as Ned, first got interested in magic after an unknown ex-serviceman appeared at his school with a magic show later described as "rather poor". Williams came to London at the age of 20 and began by working in the magic department of Gamages toy shop. He began performing in music halls under the title "Ned Williams, the Boy Magician from South Africa". By 1932 he was appearing in the Maskelyne's Mysteries magic show in various London theaters.  
  
 
He was the first British illusionist to move from stage performing to television, appearing in the BBC TV show Variety in 1937 and in his own show which began in 1940.  
 
He was the first British illusionist to move from stage performing to television, appearing in the BBC TV show Variety in 1937 and in his own show which began in 1940.  
  
He developed a number of new tricks, including the Neon Light and the now ubiquitous [[Zig Zag Girl]] (1963). His lesser know inventions include the Aztec Lady.
+
He developed a number of new tricks, including the Neon Light and the now ubiquitous [[Zig Zag Girl]] (1963). His lesser know inventions include the [[Aztec Lady]].
  
 
Much of his inventive genius was put into written form and he is known as one of the most prodigious authors on the subject of magical effects. However, although Harbin was brilliantly creative in the field of magic he was not a particularly good writer and his friend and associate [[Eric Lewis]] has stated that many of Harbin's titles were ghost written for him.
 
Much of his inventive genius was put into written form and he is known as one of the most prodigious authors on the subject of magical effects. However, although Harbin was brilliantly creative in the field of magic he was not a particularly good writer and his friend and associate [[Eric Lewis]] has stated that many of Harbin's titles were ghost written for him.
Line 26: Line 48:
 
* How to Be a Wizard, Oldbourne, (1957), ISBN B0000CJUT3
 
* How to Be a Wizard, Oldbourne, (1957), ISBN B0000CJUT3
 
* How to Be a Conjuror, Sphere, (1968), ISBN 0-7221-4322-2
 
* How to Be a Conjuror, Sphere, (1968), ISBN 0-7221-4322-2
* The Magic of Robert Harbin, C.W. Mole and Sons, (1970) - This was published with a run of only 500 copies. After the run, Robert Harbin had the plates destroyed. This book is very rare and has gone for upwards of $2,000 on eBay [citation needed].
+
* [[The Magic of Robert Harbin]], C.W. Mole and Sons, (1970)
 
* Magic (Illustrated Teach Yourself), Knight, (1976), ISBN 0-340-20502-4
 
* Magic (Illustrated Teach Yourself), Knight, (1976), ISBN 0-340-20502-4
* Harbincadabra, brainwaves and brainstorms of Robert Harbin (1979) [i.e. N. Williams]: From the pages of Abracadabra, 1947-1965, R. Harbin
+
* [[Harbincadabra]], brainwaves and brainstorms of Robert Harbin (1979) [i.e. N. Williams]: From the pages of Abracadabra, 1947-1965, R. Harbin.
 
* Magic (Illustrated Teach yourself), Treasure, (1983), ISBN 0-907812-39-2
 
* Magic (Illustrated Teach yourself), Treasure, (1983), ISBN 0-907812-39-2
 
* The Harbin Book, M. Breese, (1983), ISBN 0-947533-00-1
 
* The Harbin Book, M. Breese, (1983), ISBN 0-947533-00-1
Line 66: Line 88:
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 +
{{Wikipedia}}
 
*Smith, Eric C. Introduction to Genius of Robert Harbin quoted at The Magic Depot. Aaron Smith.   
 
*Smith, Eric C. Introduction to Genius of Robert Harbin quoted at The Magic Depot. Aaron Smith.   
 
*The Times, "Obituaries", 13 Jan 1978, p.16, col.F
 
*The Times, "Obituaries", 13 Jan 1978, p.16, col.F
 
*The Times, "Varieties, &c.", 9 Mar 1932, p.10, col. E
 
*The Times, "Varieties, &c.", 9 Mar 1932, p.10, col. E
 
*The Times, "Broadcasting", 9 Feb 1937, p.9, col. A
 
*The Times, "Broadcasting", 9 Feb 1937, p.9, col. A
* [[Eric C. Lewis]], [[The Genius of Robert Harbin]]: A personal biography, Mike Caveney's Magic Words (1997), ISBN 0-915-18130-8
+
* Cover [[Genii 1969 April]]
 +
* [[Eric C. Lewis]], [[The Genius of Robert Harbin: A Personal Biography]], Mike Caveney's Magic Words (1997), ISBN 0-915-18130-8
 +
* Obit [[Genii 1978 January]]
 +
* Article by Eric Lewis [[Genii 1979 January]]
 +
<references />
 +
 
  
[[Category:Biographies|Harbin]]
+
[[Category:Biographies]]
 +
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harbin}}

Revision as of 13:36, 23 April 2012

Robert Harbin (1909 - 1978) was a British magician and writer born Edward Richard Charles Williams in Balfour, South Africa. He is noted as the inventor of a number of classic illusions, including the Zig Zag Girl.[1] He also became an authority on origami.

Robert Harbin
BornEdward Richard Charles Williams
February 14, 1909
Balfour, South Africa
DiedJanuary 12, 1978 (age 68)
CategoriesBooks by Robert Harbin

Career

The young Williams, known as Ned, first got interested in magic after an unknown ex-serviceman appeared at his school with a magic show later described as "rather poor". Williams came to London at the age of 20 and began by working in the magic department of Gamages toy shop. He began performing in music halls under the title "Ned Williams, the Boy Magician from South Africa". By 1932 he was appearing in the Maskelyne's Mysteries magic show in various London theaters.

He was the first British illusionist to move from stage performing to television, appearing in the BBC TV show Variety in 1937 and in his own show which began in 1940.

He developed a number of new tricks, including the Neon Light and the now ubiquitous Zig Zag Girl (1963). His lesser know inventions include the Aztec Lady.

Much of his inventive genius was put into written form and he is known as one of the most prodigious authors on the subject of magical effects. However, although Harbin was brilliantly creative in the field of magic he was not a particularly good writer and his friend and associate Eric Lewis has stated that many of Harbin's titles were ghost written for him.

In about 1952 Harbin appeared in a minor part as a magician in the film The Limping Man, produced by Cy Endfield. In 1953, Harbin and a friend of Endfield's, Gershon Legman, discovered a common interest in the Japanese art of paper-folding. Harbin wrote many books on the subject, beginning with Paper Magic (illustrated by the young art student, the Australian Rolf Harris who in the middle of the project, caught the origami idea and contributed several intricate models himself) in 1965, and was the first President of the British Origami Society. He was the first Westerner to use the word origami for this art-form. He also presented a series of origami programs for ITV in its "Look-In" shows for children in the 1970s.

His grave is at Golders Green Crematorium in London.

Awards and honors

Bibliography

On magic

  • Something New in Magic, Davenport, (1929) as Ned Williams
  • Psychic Vision, Davenport, (1930)
  • Six Card Creations, Davenport, (1930) as Ned Williams
  • Demon Magic, Davenport, (1938)
  • How to Be a Wizard, Oldbourne, (1957), ISBN B0000CJUT3
  • How to Be a Conjuror, Sphere, (1968), ISBN 0-7221-4322-2
  • The Magic of Robert Harbin, C.W. Mole and Sons, (1970)
  • Magic (Illustrated Teach Yourself), Knight, (1976), ISBN 0-340-20502-4
  • Harbincadabra, brainwaves and brainstorms of Robert Harbin (1979) [i.e. N. Williams]: From the pages of Abracadabra, 1947-1965, R. Harbin.
  • Magic (Illustrated Teach yourself), Treasure, (1983), ISBN 0-907812-39-2
  • The Harbin Book, M. Breese, (1983), ISBN 0-947533-00-1

On origami


Other subjects

Lost works

"Magic Marches on", which includes unpublished tricks, illusions and escapes, is to be included in "The Davenport Story" Volume Two, The Lost Legends (2010).

References

Wikipedia-logo.png This page incorporated content from Robert Harbin,

a page hosted on Wikipedia. Please consult the history of the original page to see a list of its authors. Therefor, this article is also available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

  1. Memories of Robert Harbin By Bayard Grimshaw, Genii 1980 April