120 Facts About Alexander Herrmann

Alexander Herrmann, better known as Herrmann the Great, was a 19th-century French magician.

Alexander Herrmann was born in Paris, France, the youngest of sixteen children to Samuel Herrmann, a German Jew, and Anna Sarah Herrmann, of Breton descent.

Samuel Alexander Herrmann was a favorite of the Sultan of Turkey, who sent for the magician often.

Alexander Herrmann was carrying the gold watch on the day of his death.

Samuel Alexander Herrmann played small towns around from 1817 in Germany and moved his family to France.

Alexander Herrmann played the institutes and lyceums of Paris and gave performances until 1855.

Alexander Herrmann taught his skills to his oldest son Compars, known as Carl.

Samuel Alexander Herrmann continued even after his son Carl succeeded him as a magician.

Alexander's brother Compars Herrmann left medical school at an early age to pursue a career as a magician and served as a role model and inspiration for Alexander.

When Compars returned to his parents' home in Paris in 1853, he was thrilled to find out that his eight-year-old brother Alexander Herrmann was already showing an interest in magic.

Alexander Herrmann's duties consisted of being suspended in a horizontal position on top of a rod, performing as a blindfolded medium, and being lifted from an empty portfolio.

Back in Paris, Alexander Herrmann showed his father what he had learned from Carl.

Alexander Herrmann stayed in Paris until he was about 11 years old; then he returned to Vienna to meet up with Carl, who was to continue mentoring him.

The exact origins of "flying card" tricks are unknown, but Alexander Herrmann is usually credited with first including card throwing in a major act.

Alexander Herrmann become so skilled that he could place a card in the lap of any spectator that raised their hand.

Alexander Herrmann developed a technique that is still copied today which allowed him to be able to scale the cards all the way to the back of the theater.

Alexander Herrmann appeared on his own until he met up with Carl in Vienna in 1867.

Alexander Herrmann brought his own show to London in 1871 and began a three-year stretch at Egyptian Hall, which he called his "one thousand and one nights".

Alexander Herrmann had a full set of curly hair, a thick goatee and a moustache with upturned ends.

Alexander Herrmann was a humorist who aimed to make his performances a joyous occasion.

In 1895, Alexander Herrmann printed a statement to a San Francisco newspaper that contradicted everything in the lawsuit.

Alexander Herrmann told the newspaper that he had been born in France on February 11,1843, of German parentage.

Alexander Herrmann stated that his father was a physician in Germany and had moved to Paris before Alexander was born.

Nevertheless, the rumors persisted even after his death; Alexander Herrmann's widow had to disprove them many times.

Alexander Herrmann stepped up to two gentlemen and picked a handkerchief from one.

Alexander Herrmann did this clumsily to get the attention of two policemen that were behind him.

Alexander Herrmann professed his innocence and asked the policemen to search him.

Alexander Herrmann tried in vain to explain to the police that the entire thing was just a magician's joke.

The entire town was laughing at the practical joke Alexander Herrmann had played on London's finest.

Alexander Herrmann had an outgoing personality and had no problem making friends.

Alexander Herrmann was set to tour Europe after his triumph at Egyptian Hall.

Alexander Herrmann was once having dinner with newspaper journalist and humorist Bill Nye.

Alexander Herrmann found a large diamond in the lettuce of Nye's salad.

Alexander Herrmann had trouble getting his diamond back from the waitress.

Alexander Herrmann had his private rail car waiting at the Whitestone Depot, along with two baggage cars that carried his equipment.

Alexander Herrmann was decked out in black velvet evening clothes with britches.

Alexander Herrmann wore the typical top hat of the day and white gloves.

Alexander Herrmann took off his gloves and made them vanish between his hands.

Alexander Herrmann presented two metal cones and a beautifully decorated brass vase.

Alexander Herrmann opened the lid on the vase and showed a bag of rice.

Alexander Herrmann went into the audience, walked over to a bearded gentleman and borrowed his hat.

Alexander Herrmann returned to the stage and placed the hat on a chair and the orange on one of the tables.

Alexander Herrmann left the cone on the empty hat and placed the orange on the table.

Alexander Herrmann picked up the orange and made it disappear in his hands.

Alexander Herrmann concluded the card act with three people from the audience selecting cards.

Alexander Herrmann would take the pack out of the goblet and toss them, and they would melt in mid-air.

Alexander Herrmann would ask an audience member to call out for one and he'd accurately toss it to him, sometimes as far as the topmost row in the gallery.

Alexander Herrmann then picked up the silk top hat that he had borrowed from an audience member.

Alexander Herrmann would produce a large number of dollars until the hat was full.

Alexander Herrmann poured the coins into a silver tray and showed it to the audience.

Alexander Herrmann thanked the owner of the hat as he returned it.

Alexander Herrmann pulled it apart and had two rabbits, one in each hand.

Alexander Herrmann tossed the rabbit into the air and shot at it.

Alexander Herrmann quickly went down to the runway into the audience.

Alexander Herrmann pulled the vanished rabbit from the coattails of a spectator.

Alexander Herrmann stood in front of the curtain and cradled the rabbit like a baby.

Apparently the rabbit did not understand broken French because the rabbit turned its head toward Alexander Herrmann and cocked up one ear.

Alexander Herrmann caught his breath and the rest of the show continued.

Alexander Herrmann carried his loads on his body and inside his coat, placing them where he needed them.

One summer evening, Alexander Herrmann was sitting backstage in his dressing room after packing his jacket.

Alexander Herrmann was talking to the theatre manager, who had his evening jacket off.

Alexander Herrmann put on his coat and gloves as he walked towards the stage.

Alexander Herrmann took his bow and went into his opening act.

Alexander Herrmann took off his gloves in preparation to make them disappear when he realized that something was wrong: he wasn't wearing his coat.

Alexander Herrmann took the next card and gripped it between the first and second finger of his left hand.

Alexander Herrmann then scaled two or three more cards in quick succession into the audience.

Alexander Herrmann's assistant came back with a few more cards.

Alexander Herrmann told Herrmann that he had sent someone to look for the manager.

Alexander Herrmann told his assistant to bring on more cards.

Alexander Herrmann flung a few at the balcony into the hands of a waiting spectator.

Alexander Herrmann was scaling cards to the farthest reaches of the gallery with even more accuracy.

Alexander Herrmann was exhausted and didn't know what else to do to stall.

Alexander Herrmann looked over at the wings and saw the surprised manager.

Alexander Herrmann went offstage and quickly removed the manager's jacket.

Alexander Herrmann carefully put on his coat and smoothed it up.

In 1883, after solidifying his name in the United States, Alexander Herrmann embarked on another world tour.

Alexander Herrmann's tour led him all the way to Siberia.

Alexander Herrmann was invited to a banquet for the Spanish minister, attended by various distinguished members of Russian society.

Alexander Herrmann picked up a deck of cards and walked over to the wizard.

Alexander Herrmann firmly grabbed the deck and tore it in half.

Alexander Herrmann handed the torn deck to the magician to see if he could outmatch the czar's iron grip.

Alexander Herrmann only hesitated a moment as he proceeded with the challenge presented to him.

Alexander Herrmann placed one half on top of the other and squared them neatly.

Alexander Herrmann gave Herrmann a watch with a chain made of heavy twisted strands of gold.

Alexander Herrmann tells an interesting tale of an incident that took place after the performance.

Alexander Herrmann was playing billiards at the saloon with the attache of the court when he noticed the Czar was playing there.

Alexander Herrmann shot the ball with all of his strength against a plate-glass mirror that extended from the floor to the ceiling.

Alexander Herrmann hesitated for an instant, then ordered the mirror to be covered with a cloth concealing it from view.

Alexander Herrmann later told The North American Review that he would leave it to the reader's imagination how it was done.

From Russia, Alexander Herrmann returned to the place of his birth, France.

Alexander Herrmann met his brother Carl again in 1885 in Paris.

Alexander Herrmann left Paris to go back to America, where he became an established institution.

Two years later, while in New York, Alexander Herrmann was shocked to hear the news of the death of his brother Carl, who died on July 8,1887, in Karlsbad in Germany.

Since Alexander was widely known in the States, when news of the death of Professor Herrmann hit the papers, many thought it was Alexander that had died.

Alexander Herrmann often squandered his money and would ask Leavitt to advance him $5,000 or more.

Alexander Herrmann tried to dethrone the reigning monarch, but the America people loved Alexander and his wit.

Alexander Herrmann knew Kellar wasn't serious competition, but he was condescending toward him nonetheless.

Alexander Herrmann was judgmental of Kellar's lack of sleight of hand skills and his preference for using mechanical methods.

Alexander Herrmann too was a master at misdirection, and as a pure entertainer, he had no equal.

Alexander Herrmann claimed that much of the expense for transportation costs was for sending antique furniture and other curios back to Herrmann's home in Long Island.

Alexander Herrmann announced in May 1896 that he would attempt the bullet catch for the seventh time on the stage of the Olympia Theatre as part of a fundraiser for the Sick Babies Fund.

Alexander Herrmann went to the Herrmann Manor at Whitestone Landing for the interview.

Alexander Herrmann shrieked, which brought a maid from down the hall.

Alexander Herrmann mentioned that he had applied for a life insurance plan with Connecticut Indemnity Association, but that the plan would not be in effect for the trick.

Alexander Herrmann wore a white shirt with frills on the sleeves.

Alexander Herrmann held a china plate in front of him like a target.

In 1885, Alexander Herrmann returned to America, receiving the best terms given to any star on the road.

Alexander Herrmann lost a lot of money to outside investments.

Alexander Herrmann the Great was a generous person despite his Mephistophelean appearance.

Alexander Herrmann was the first magician to perform at Sing Sing prison.

Alexander Herrmann lost a large amount of money helping other actors who invested in bad theatrical venues.

On December 16,1896, Alexander Herrmann was finishing a week engagement at the Lyceum in Rochester, New York.

Alexander Herrmann invited an entire school to his matinee performance.

Alexander Herrmann paid for their train tickets to Manhattan and paid their expenses.

Alexander Herrmann invited them to his evening show before they left.

Alexander Herrmann performed for the group, doing card tricks and telling amusing stories about his adventures around the world.

Alexander Herrmann's body was taken to New York for burial services, and thousands attended and tried unsuccessfully to approach to the coffin.

Alexander Herrmann is interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City.

In contrast, Adelaide Alexander Herrmann continued to perform as a successful solo magician for the next 25 years, and became known as "The Queen of Magic".

Alexander Herrmann died in 1932, and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery next to her husband.