The Blackstone Magic Detective Radio Program

Background

In typically florid promotional prose of the era, this 1926 announcement of Harry Blackstone's appearance at The Rialto, in Elyria, Ohio.

Harry Blackstone, Sr. (Harry Bouton), polished his magic, sleight-of-hand and legerdemain skills growing up as a youngster in Chicago. He made his first stage appearance as a magician at the age of 12. Continually honing his skills and studying with several magician mentors of the era, by the early 1920s Harry Blackstone, billing himself as "The Great Blackstone," was becoming a fast-rising star.

A brilliant self-promoter, throughout the 1930s Blackstone upped his reputation a notch by launching what would become a lifelong campaign against charlatan illusionists, seers and scammers of the post-Depression years who were making small fortunes preying on poor or naive suckers throughout America.

"The Great Blackstone" comes to Radio . . . kinda sorta

Harry Blackstone, already 63 in 1948, had suffered a few health setbacks. Blackstone's 'brand' and franchise, however, were stronger than ever during the post-World War II years. Still recovering from throat surgery, Blackstone was first approached in 1947 about the possibility of a Radio series based on Blackstone's mastery of Magic and Illusion, and framed as a mystery format.

By 1948, Blackstone--still recovering--

Series Derivatives:

Notes on Provenances:

The most helpful provenances were newspaper listings.

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