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Here is some more history knowledge about the Herrmanns that I posted at SoMF


The Herrmanns, they are not the most known by name, but definitely, one of the biggest trend setters.

If you ask a little kid to draw a magician, most of the time, they are drawing one of the Herrmanns, without even knowing it. The classic man, with the small mustache, short beard, top hat, suit, the cape, and a rabbit. There's Compars, Alexander, Leon, and Felix, they all started that classic look of a magician.

They did a lot of things first. The first internationally known magician. The first official look of a magician, AND the first woman, solo, not only magician, but performer. They were very famous for the bullet-catch, catching them in their hands, plates, and teeth.

Jeff McBride stuns Vegas audiences with his wicked card throwing, and that to came from Alexander Herrmann. Alexander could throw cards over hundreds of feet, bounce them of balconies, walls, floors, and even people, and make them land in the lap of a specific spectator.

The second sight act, performed by many people, was originated by Adelaide Herrmann. The first female magician/performer.

Compars Herrmann was best known for his cards, but wasn't really that known at all as a magician.

Back in the Early 1800's, in Germany, is where Samuel Herrmann got his start. He was working more as a traveling showman. Doing (present-day) simple stage tricks that stunned audiences. Back then they were called Parlor Prestidigitator (say that 10 times fast!)

After the birth of Sam's son Compars, in 1816, Samuel took his family to Paris. There, Compars was intrigued by the artistic life. Using stage skills he learned from assisting his father, Compars joined an acting troop. he thought about medical school, which is what his father wanted, but decided to become a magician, (Woo Hoo!!). In 1847, he took his show on the road, and soon had an international reputation.

One of my favorite tricks by him was, he cut the head off of a white chicken and a black chicken, and switched them, and put them back on. After doing that, he was asked if he could switch the heads of a black slave and a white slave, but he declined.

According to legend, Compars kidnapped his little brother Alexander, to work as his apprentice. In reality, he just bribed him to come along as an assistant. In 1859, Compars became the first magician to perform over seas. When he actually came to the states in 1861, he was unknown by everyone, but became known for doing close-up effects, for large stage audiences.

One of the created effects by Compars, was the inexhaustible bottle, which has been recreated countless times.Compars continued performing until his death in 1887, but Alexander, his little brother would carry on the Herrmann name.

As an assistant to a popular magician, he was already known, and very, very, talented. Very soon after he starting performing on his own, he took on the name "Alexander the Great. He is the most known Herrmann of all. When you hear someone talking about 'Herrmann' they are usually referring to Alexander.

Unlike his brother, Alexander preferred stage tricks, on a stage. No way!! But that wasn't at all a problem, because by the 1870's, magic was becoming so popular, people were needing to see something new.

He performed, decapitations, spirit cabinets, and bullet catches. Another seemingly deadly effect is the cremation, where he would be put in a box, lit on fire, and when they opened up the box, there was a skeleton there.

He was becoming more and more of a perfect performer, as he traveled around the U.S. in a private railroad car. When he would get to the town, he would sneak out and hop on a chariot for a better entrance. When he was traveling around the U.S., he went on the just finished, continental railway.

In 1874, he met, and fell in love with a girl named Adelaide Skarsay. Adelaide left an enormous impression on Alexander's act, and legacy. They married in 1875, and she officially joined Alexander on stage. Many people credit her as being one of the most influential, to women performers.

Back in 1875, women didn't have much power, and men had all authority, so to be in her position, was just not probable, but it indeed happened. Both of them were becoming so wealthy and famous, they were way beyond their father, and brother's wildest dreams.

In 1896, The Herrmanns and crew, were leaving New York, on the first leg of touring around the state. Alexander was smoking one of his favorite "Herrmann" cigars, when he noticed some chest pains. They 'called' (didn't really have phones) for a doctor to meet them at the next stop, but it was too late, The Great Alexander Herrmann, died on his own train.

With Adelaide at his side, his final words were "I guess I'm not going to get over this, be sure to take the company back to New York" and passed away. . .

For some, they said that The Great Herrmann is dead, others said that magic was now dead. LET THIS BE A LESSON TO NOT SMOKE!!!!!


Adelaide Herrmann had little time to Grieve and Weep, Alexander had been at one of his only financial lows, and didn't leave any money. But with hundreds of bookings coming up, and knowing she couldn't do it all by herself, she set out for his nephew Leon. Leon Herrmann was a 29 year old cabaret performer, and jumped on the chance at riding the coattails of one of the greatest performers of his time.

Continuing the tour, people soon found out Leon's great skill, the levitation. Once Leon became known, people weren't liking him as much, saying that "he is no Alexander" But there mistake was comparing him to the best of the time, and he was good, just not as good. That's like saying "Mike stinks at magic because Copperfield is better", even though MIKE IS VERY GOOD! But they did have a point, Leon spoke almost no English at first, and didn't get much better.

So after a daring decision in 1899, she decided to go solo, since Leon just couldn't fill Alexanders shoes. She was very brave to be going to the West, alone, when the West was still the Wild West, but she even performed the bullet catch.

Leon, tried to use his uncles name, and went by Herrmann the Great, but Adelaide sent him to court. Sadly, Leon won, and kept the name for the duration of his career. In another attempt to save her husbands name, she tried somebody else, but this time it was her nephew, Felix. Felix had grown up in Alexander and Adelaide's house, and was even an assistant to Leon. Though he was not a Herrmann, he was very much loved as one, but sadly died in 1938.

Adelaide kept on performing well into her 70's, but she died to at the age of 79, in 1932.


It's really a shame that how popular all of them were, that they are not as well known, All the lady magicians should know them, because if it weren't for Adelaide, who knows if they would be performing. Only the image of the Herrmanns is remembered, and people don't even know who it belongs to. . .

As I said in the previous post, thank you for contributing with such interesting history!