Sleight of Hand Artist, Steven Carlson

Sleight of Hand Artist, Steven Carlson, performing his elegant style of close-up magic for guests at the beautiful Forepaugh’s Restaurant in St. Paul, MN.  The magic event was on Halloween night, a tribute the great escape artist, Harry Houdini.

in 1899 Houdini’s career was going nowhere and he was seriously contemplating retirement from entertainment.  But his big break came in St. Paul, MN at the Palm Garden beer hall, (less than a half mile away from the Forepaugh’s mansion) when he met manager Martin Beck.  Beck, impressed with Houdini’s handcuff act, advised Houdini to concentrate on the escapes and booked him on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit.  The rest is history.

Houdini died on Halloween in 1926 he was 52.