The Resume

(December 22, 1839-May 18, 1917)
Born in Cheltenham, England, United Kingdom
Partnered with George Cooke (1865-1905) and David Devant (1905-15)
Long-term engagement at the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, London (1873-1904)
First magician to levitate a woman (1904)
Founding member of the Magic Circle (1905)

Why he might be annoying:

He invented the pay toilet.
He offered £500 for anyone who could determine how he performed an escape from a box. Two magicians who claimed to have figured it out sued when he failed to pay up. He lost after refusing to tell the court the secret of the escape.
While mocking a supporter of spiritualism, Archdeacon Thomas Colley, he claimed that Colley's 'Archdeacon' title was bogus, leading to a libel suit that he lost (1906).

Why he might not be annoying:

He and Cooke first came to prominence by exposing two fraudulent spiritualists, the Davenport Brothers.
He wrote 'Sharps and Flats,' an exposure of the secrets of cardsharps.
He gave a Royal Command Performance for the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 49]
• I Died in 1917 (Ranked: 77)
• Inventors
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• Magicians
• People with John or Mary in their Names
• Profiles 34501-34750 (Ranked: 34737)

Year In Review:

In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying