Max Holden (magic)
Encyclopedia
William Holden Maxwell (1884–1949) was a Scottish-born American
vaudeville performance artist and magician.
William Holden Maxwell was born on the twentieth of August, 1884 at Glasgow, Scotland. Maxwell had an early interest in magic and while still in his teens placed a classified ad as Max Holden in the publication Magic: The Magicians Monthly Magazine, asking for information on magic tricks and juggling. Around this time Maxwell was learning his craft as an apprentice to British magician David Devant
before striking out on his own as a magician and juggler touring the Moss Empires
circuit in Great Britain
.
In 1905 Maxwell chose to immigrate to America
where he took up residence in Boston, Massachusetts. The following year he was joined by his parents, Samuel and Mary along with his brother John May Maxwell (1889–1967). In America Samuel Maxwell was able to apply his trade as a cabinetmaker at a furniture factory in nearby Revere
while John eventually became a patternmaker for Hunt-Spiller manufacturing in Boston. In 1915 William Maxwell became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America.
and Marcus Loew
circuits. He was known for his Shadowgraphy
shows that he improved in 1914 with an invention of his own that added an array of colors onto the shadowgraph screen. Maxwell would go on to spend a number of years touring abroad and was said to have crossed the Atlantic
some eighty-six times over his near quarter century career.
In 1929 Maxwell retired from the stage and with the help of fellow magician, Lewis Davenport
, opened a magic shop in Manhattan
with later branches in Philadelphia and Boston. The Max Holden's Magic Shop on 42nd Street soon became a Mecca for professional and amateur magicians interested in honing their art and exchanging new ideas.
The magic community was outraged when in 1933 Camel Cigarettes ran a series of magazine advertisements with the tag line “It’s Fun to be Fooled, But It’s More Fun to Know”, that revealed to the public how magicians performed certain illusions. Maxwell's involvement in the ad campaign did not become known until sometime after his death in 1949.
and the following year became the father of a son, William Jr., who was born in Melbourne during their tour of Australia
. Over the early years of their marriage Tess performed on stage with Maxwell as half of the team of Holden and Graham. This billing predates their marriage by a number of years and may reflect the name of a previous spouse or partner. Public records and family history indicate that Maxwell was widowed some time before 1915 and may have been married briefly before his marriage to Tess.
. He was survived by his wife and son. William Holden Maxwell Jr. died in Massachusetts on the 9th of January, 2011.
vaudeville performance artist and magician.
Early life
The son of a cabinetmaker,William Holden Maxwell was born on the twentieth of August, 1884 at Glasgow, Scotland. Maxwell had an early interest in magic and while still in his teens placed a classified ad as Max Holden in the publication Magic: The Magicians Monthly Magazine, asking for information on magic tricks and juggling. Around this time Maxwell was learning his craft as an apprentice to British magician David Devant
David Devant
David Devant was an English magician, shadowgraphist and film exhibitor. He was born David Wighton in Holloway, London...
before striking out on his own as a magician and juggler touring the Moss Empires
Moss Empires
Moss Empires was a British company formed in Edinburgh from the merger of the theatre companies owned by Sir Edward Moss and Sir Oswald Stoll in 1898. This created the largest British chain of music halls...
circuit in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
In 1905 Maxwell chose to immigrate to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he took up residence in Boston, Massachusetts. The following year he was joined by his parents, Samuel and Mary along with his brother John May Maxwell (1889–1967). In America Samuel Maxwell was able to apply his trade as a cabinetmaker at a furniture factory in nearby Revere
Revere, Massachusetts
Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...
while John eventually became a patternmaker for Hunt-Spiller manufacturing in Boston. In 1915 William Maxwell became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America.
Career
In time Maxwell (as Max Holden) became successful performing his magic act in America on the Keith-Albee-OrpheumKeith-Albee-Orpheum
The Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation was the owner of a chain of vaudeville and motion picture theatres. It was formed by the merger of the holdings of Benjamin Franklin Keith and Edward Franklin Albee II and Martin Beck's Orpheum Circuit, Inc..-History:...
and Marcus Loew
Marcus Loew
Marcus Loew was an American business magnate and a pioneer of the motion picture industry who formed Loews Theatres and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .-Biography:...
circuits. He was known for his Shadowgraphy
Shadowgraphy (performing art)
Shadowgraphy or ombromanie is the art of performing a story or show using images made by hand shadows. It can be called "cinema in silhouette"...
shows that he improved in 1914 with an invention of his own that added an array of colors onto the shadowgraph screen. Maxwell would go on to spend a number of years touring abroad and was said to have crossed the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
some eighty-six times over his near quarter century career.
In 1929 Maxwell retired from the stage and with the help of fellow magician, Lewis Davenport
Lewis Davenport
Lewis Davenport was a fictional character in UK soap opera Family Affairs, played by Sam Stockman from 2002 until 2004.-Lewis' arrival in Charnham:...
, opened a magic shop in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
with later branches in Philadelphia and Boston. The Max Holden's Magic Shop on 42nd Street soon became a Mecca for professional and amateur magicians interested in honing their art and exchanging new ideas.
The magic community was outraged when in 1933 Camel Cigarettes ran a series of magazine advertisements with the tag line “It’s Fun to be Fooled, But It’s More Fun to Know”, that revealed to the public how magicians performed certain illusions. Maxwell's involvement in the ad campaign did not become known until sometime after his death in 1949.
Marriage
Maxwell married Elizabeth “Tess”, possibly a British national, on May 3, 1921 at Waterbury, ConnecticutWaterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
and the following year became the father of a son, William Jr., who was born in Melbourne during their tour of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Over the early years of their marriage Tess performed on stage with Maxwell as half of the team of Holden and Graham. This billing predates their marriage by a number of years and may reflect the name of a previous spouse or partner. Public records and family history indicate that Maxwell was widowed some time before 1915 and may have been married briefly before his marriage to Tess.
Death
William Holden Maxwell passed away on the 13th of July, 1949 after a long illness at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, New YorkOceanside, New York
Oceanside is a hamlet located in the south part of the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. The population was 32,109 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. He was survived by his wife and son. William Holden Maxwell Jr. died in Massachusetts on the 9th of January, 2011.
