1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 3 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: I'm Holly Fry and I'm Tracy V. Wilson, and we 4 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: are doing part two of our episode on Jean U 5 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: Jean Robert Udna. Uh So you did listen the first one, 6 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: highly encouraged because we're jumping right back in when we 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: left off last time, Roberto Dea had just finished the 8 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: Paris Expo, at which he had won a silver medal 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: and sold his most impressive automaton to P. T. Barnum. 10 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 1: He was still working in his shop as a watchmaker, 11 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: but he had become proficient enough with automata that he 12 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: was often called on to repair other people's mechanical props, 13 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: and he had become pretty well known in conjuring circles 14 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: in Paris. So today we are picking up right there 15 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: to talk about how he pretty quickly transitioned from being 16 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: an unknown watchmaker to being a famous magician in his 17 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: early forties. Roberto den had been performing some demonstrations of 18 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: tricks for people during the expo. That's we heard about 19 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: that in the account from P. T. Barnum that we 20 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: read in Part one. These seems to have been primarily 21 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: done to show off the capabilities of the mechanized show 22 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: props that he had on display there. But when the 23 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: expo was over, maybe buoyed by his success, Roberto Den 24 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: started considering stage conjuring more seriously. Exactly how he got 25 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: to that dream is something that's told in different ways, 26 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: although the primary players and details in the different versions 27 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: are pretty consistent. Yes, so we're going with one particular 28 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: version here today. No, as we talk about the interactions 29 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: between these two men, they may or may not have 30 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: been a little different. So this version states that the 31 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: Count de la Scallopier happened upon barrow Don's shop while 32 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: he was walking around Paris one day in eighteen forty three, 33 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: so that would have been even before that Paris exposition 34 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: that we've been talking about, and the Count was so 35 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 1: impressed with Januen's inventions that he wanted to become his 36 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: patron to help him with launching a theater. This interest 37 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: on Las Galloper's part started not with a stage act automaton, though, 38 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: but with something called a magic clock. Roberto Dan's magic 39 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: clocks continue to be sources of fascination today, particularly for 40 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: people interested in clockworks and watchmaking. There are still a 41 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 1: few of them around in museums and private collections, and 42 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: what makes them so extraordinary is the fact that they 43 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 1: appear to work without any actual clockworks. The dial of 44 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: the clock is made of clear glass, and the hands 45 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: of the clock appear to be floating in the dial 46 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: without any connections to any kind of mechanism, but they 47 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: take out the time precisely. The clear dial is ringed 48 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: in brass, and it sits the top a long glass rod. 49 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: One that came up in the research was fifty seven 50 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: centimeters or twenty two and a half inches tall. That 51 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: height includes the round face, the glass rod, a filigree base, 52 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,959 Speaker 1: and a black lacquer pedestal with a red velvet top. 53 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: So there are of course clockworks involved in this, there 54 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: is no magic to it. The clock face is actually 55 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: composed of three layers of glass, with the hands painted 56 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: on the layers, and their toothed edges are hidden within 57 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: the brass frame. That clear glass rod is actually two rods, 58 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: one within another, and the interior rod is turned by 59 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: a clockwork in the base and in turn catches the 60 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: teeth on the edges of the clear round face plates 61 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: to move the hands and keep time. It's a very 62 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: elegant and beautiful design. I must say, yeah, that sounds cool. 63 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: And the cowd let's Callapier purchase one of these clocks 64 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: from Robert Dan and was so charmed by the clock 65 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: and the shop and Robert Dan himself that he started 66 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: going to the shop regularly to see what the watchmaker 67 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: was working on and just to chat with him. It 68 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: was through these chats that Roberto Dan told the Count 69 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 1: of his desire to have a stage act one day, 70 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: and at that point Les Glapier offered to finance it. 71 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: He made that offer on the spot. At first, Robert 72 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: Dan was reluctant. He didn't really want to risk someone 73 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: else's money. But then several days later, the story goes 74 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: that the Count needed a favor. He had noticed that 75 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: money was going missing from his desk and he could 76 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: not figure out who was taking it. He wanted Robert 77 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: ro Dan to put his creative mind to catching the thief, 78 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: which he did. According to an account written by Henry 79 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: Ridgley Evans, who was a magic historian who lived from 80 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty one to eighteen forty nine, here is what 81 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: happened quote the upshot of all of it was that 82 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 1: uden he did not know to make it both names 83 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: as Roberts, so sometimes you'll hear him preferred to just 84 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: as Udan. The upshot of all of it was that 85 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: Udin invented a clever device for apprehending the criminal. It 86 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: consisted of an apparatus fastened to the inside of the 87 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: desk in the Count's house. When the desk was unlocked 88 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: and the lid raised ever so little, a pistol was discharged. 89 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: At the same time, a claw like arrangement attached to 90 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: a light rod and impelled by a spring, came sharply 91 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: down on the back of the hand which held the key, 92 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: inflicting a superficial flesh wound. With this clever machine, the 93 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: robber was successfully caught. He proved to be the Count's valet, 94 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 1: a trusted employee. Also reminds me of a whole episode 95 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: of I Think, the podcast Criminal that I listened to 96 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: about people setting booby traps to catch thieves. The count 97 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: gave the money he recovered from the thief to Robert Udan. 98 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,239 Speaker 1: He told Robert and that he had to take this money. 99 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: He could only repay it from the profits the theater 100 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: made if the theater was indeed profitable. Sometimes this is 101 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: reported as a sum of ten thousand francs, sometimes fifteen thousand. 102 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: In either case, though it gave the watchmaker the money 103 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,119 Speaker 1: to start his own venue. Yeah. Part of the reason 104 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: that number is a little bit unclear is that there 105 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: was never an official contract here. There mentions of it 106 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: from both men, but like they literally just shook on 107 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: it and that was it, which is very trusting on 108 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: the part of Desclopier. Robert do rented a space in 109 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: the Palais Royale and custom built it out to be 110 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: his performance space, which was a cozy, two hundred seat theater. 111 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: He wrote of his renovations something deeply relatable if you've 112 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: ever had any work done on your house, writing quote, 113 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 1: I will spare my readers the numberless tribulations which accompanied 114 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 1: my unending building. Mistakes in time and money are so 115 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: usual in such matters that I need not allude to 116 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: them here at length. All this was over, and with 117 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: the liveliest pleasure I saw the last workmen depart, not 118 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: to return again. He opened his theater to the public 119 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: on July three with a show he called Soare Fantastique, 120 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: and he ran his show very differently than other conjurers 121 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: had before him. In his memoir, Roberto den listed the 122 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: ways the theater reformed traditional stage conjuring. He had worked 123 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: as an assistant to other conjurors and found the use 124 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: of them to be more of a hindrance than a help, 125 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: largely because it made the main performer seem less impressive. 126 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: He also used gas lights instead of candles. He refused 127 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: to use table cloths that draped down to the floor 128 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: because he knew it made audiences suspect some kind of 129 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: trickery was happening underneath the drape. He also wrote quote, 130 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: of course I abstained from any eccentric costume, and I 131 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: never thought of making any change in the attire civilized 132 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: society has agreed to accept for evening dress. For I 133 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 1: was always of opinion that bizarre Accouterma, far from giving 134 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: the wear any consideration, on the contrary, cast disfavor upon him. 135 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: We should note that most historians do seem to agree 136 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: that there actually were some assistance in the theater. They 137 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: were just not part of the act, but instead we're 138 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: working behind the scenes to run the various mechanical props 139 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: Robert used. He also had firm rules for himself about 140 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 1: how he behaved in his act. He wrote, quote, I 141 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:45,119 Speaker 1: also traced out for my performances a line of conduct 142 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,440 Speaker 1: from which I never diverged. That was to make no 143 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 1: puns or play upon words, and never to permit myself 144 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: to be guilty of a mystification, even were I sure 145 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:01,439 Speaker 1: of gaining the greatest success. Finally, I wish to offer 146 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 1: new experiments, divested of all charlatanism, and possessing no other 147 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: resources than those offered by skillful manipulation and the influence 148 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: of illusions. This was, it will be seen, a complete 149 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: regeneration in the art of conjuring. My only fear was 150 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 1: whether the public would accept these important reforms and such 151 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: elegant simplicity. And really, the manner in which Roberto Dan 152 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: presented his theater and his stage act is what actually 153 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: makes him so notable in history, at least in my opinion, 154 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: even if you never heard of him before this, When 155 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: you hear the word magician, what you think of, or 156 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: what you picture in your mind is almost certainly an 157 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: image that is modeled on Roberto Dn. Biographer Christopher Fetchner 158 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: wrote about the significant shift that happened to stage magic 159 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 1: when Roberto Dan opened his theater quote, it's important to 160 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: understand what magic was like before Roberto Den. Not only that, 161 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: but you must understand how audiences viewed a magic show. 162 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: Before Roberto Dan, magic was not considered an art. When 163 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: people went to a magic show, it was to have fun. 164 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: The magicians often pulled pranks on their neighbors. They were 165 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: not big mysteries. There was nothing classy about it. Popular, yes, 166 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,599 Speaker 1: but it was a low level of entertainment, like performing animals. 167 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: Roberto Den changed all of that and made magic a 168 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: high form of entertainment, probably not only because of his repertoire, 169 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: but also because of his charm and personality on stage, 170 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: his elegance, his education. He was able to make magic 171 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: acceptable to France's high society because he knew them very 172 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:50,439 Speaker 1: well from selling them his mechanical clocks and automata. When 173 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: you entered into the theatre Roberto Den, you did not 174 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: enter into a theater, but into a living room, and 175 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: your host was on stage, and he talked to you 176 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: like a host and magically offered you food, drinks, and gifts. 177 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: The very idea of going to a conjuring performance became 178 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: something Audiences dressed up for it was a fine evening out, 179 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: which it had never been before. The best comparison I 180 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: could think of to possibly make here is the difference 181 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: in how you might approach going to a movie at 182 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:24,679 Speaker 1: your local cinema plex versus attending a play in an 183 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: upscale theater. You would just dress a little nicer for 184 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: the play. And that's kind of how this happened. And 185 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: this all worked after a somewhat slow start, do in 186 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 1: part to Robert Don not really having his stage presence 187 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: in his banter figured out initially, his small theater was 188 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: soon filled to capacity for pretty much every performance. Just 189 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: as the watchmaker and magician had elevated the experience, he 190 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: also elevated ticket prices above what people normally paid to 191 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: see magic shows, so he did quite well for himself 192 00:11:56,520 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: despite the limited seating. Additionally, because he himself handled so 193 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:06,839 Speaker 1: much of the theater's operations, his operational overhead was relatively low. 194 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: We'll talk about some of Roberto dns stage spectacles in 195 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: just a moment, but first we will pause for a 196 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:26,959 Speaker 1: sponsor break. Robertodon continued to keep his watch shop open 197 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 1: so when events like the February Revolution of stopped most 198 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 1: entertainment he was able to suspend his Paris performance schedule. 199 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: Then he kind of went back to his regular day 200 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,600 Speaker 1: business for a bit. He worked at developing new automata, 201 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: but then he went on the road touring Europe. He 202 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: had tried to stay open during that time. He had 203 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,719 Speaker 1: offered free admission to his theater as a way of 204 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: drumming up audiences. Before that offered to travel and perform 205 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: elsewhere was made, and he found that he did not 206 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: like the audiences that that approach created. Note and quote 207 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: the free admission when he believes the theater short of spectators, 208 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:08,359 Speaker 1: imagines he is doing an act of kindness by accepting 209 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: the invitation offered him while he was touring, and while 210 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 1: he was in England on that tour, Roberto Dan gave 211 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: a performance for Queen Victoria. That was the first of 212 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,199 Speaker 1: two he would have with her in his career. Robert 213 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: Dean regularly introduced new spectacles into his show. So we'll 214 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: talk about a couple of his most famous automata. The 215 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 1: first is the Orange Tree. Roberto Dan described this trick 216 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,559 Speaker 1: this way and his writing quote A mysterious orange tree 217 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: on which flowers and fruit burst into life at the 218 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 1: request of the ladies. As the finale, a handkerchief I 219 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:48,599 Speaker 1: borrowed was conveyed into an orange purposely left on the tree. 220 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:53,079 Speaker 1: This opened and displayed the handkerchief, which two butterflies took 221 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: by the corners and unfolded before the spectators. They're actually 222 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: modern performances of the Orange Tree trick, although we know 223 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: today that the item or items collected from the audience 224 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: member are placed by slight of hand. The rest of 225 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: this is a clockwork which is really quite charming and 226 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: even beautiful. Yeah, there are some really good ones you 227 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: can find. If you just go online and search roberta 228 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: Orange Tree Trick, you'll find some, and they're pretty entertaining 229 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: to watch. Also, incidentally, if you saw the two thousand 230 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: six film The Illusionist, which contains a version of the 231 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: Orange Tree trick, please know that the one in the 232 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: film is an enhanced version inspired by, but not replicating 233 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: Roberto Dance. Some of that is just movie magic. You 234 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: may also read accounts that give slightly different versions of 235 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: how this trick played out, including some that featured the 236 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 1: oranges being plucked from the tree and passed around to 237 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: the audience to eat as proofs that they were real. 238 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: Those had been kind of placed onto the orange tree, 239 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: onto these spikes that it had, so that they could 240 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: bloom out with the clockwork. Sometimes it was those, sometimes 241 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: it was fake ones, apparently depending on who does the 242 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: trick and when in history it was happening. Houdini wrote 243 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: about the Orange Tree trick in his Unmasking book. He 244 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: noted that though Robert Dan claimed it as his own invention, 245 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: it was really a variation of tricks that had been 246 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: performed by other conjurors for more than a century before 247 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: the Square Fantastique. Houdini traced the automatons design back to 248 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: a man named Christopher Pinchbeck, Sr. Who died in seventeen 249 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: thirty two and who premiered a trick called the Apple 250 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:34,359 Speaker 1: Tree in seventeen thirty. Udini then traced several other performers 251 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: who used some variation of it between Pinchbeck and Robert Houdin. 252 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: Because Robert Dan was such a voracious reader, Judini believed 253 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: he had read about the trick as it was performed 254 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 1: by his predecessors, and decided to make it his own 255 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: and claim credit for it, assuming that not many others 256 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: knew this history. He was borrowing from Houdini includes images 257 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: in his book of playbills and advertisements in which fer 258 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: performers advertised an orange tree trick. That sounds very very similar. Yeah, Houdini, 259 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: as we have talked about on the show many times, 260 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: a big collector of a lot of items related to 261 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: magic and had all the receipts basically and reprinted them 262 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: in his books to take on other people. Another popular 263 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: automaton based act of Roberto Daz was a miniature bakery, 264 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: sometimes called the confection Er. He described it as quote, 265 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: a small pastry cook issuing from his shop door at 266 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: the word of command and bringing, according to the spectator's request, 267 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: partistory and refreshments of every description. At the side of 268 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: the shop, assistant pastry cooks might be seen rolling paste 269 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: and putting it in the oven. This description really does 270 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: not convey how cute and charming this particular automaton is. 271 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: Roberto dam would offer a member of the audience, normally 272 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: a woman, a menu card with a selection of different 273 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: pastries to choose from, um including a Mecca anon. A 274 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: pastry chef would pop out the door of the shop 275 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: to receive the order and then retreat inside to prepare it. 276 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 1: And the audience would be able to see the baker 277 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: moving within, as well as those assistants that he mentioned 278 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: preparing the ordered item, and then after a few moments, 279 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: the baker would pop back out of the main door 280 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: of the miniature shop bearing the requested treat. This was 281 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: another one that Roberto Dan was credited as the inventor 282 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: of for a long time, but it existed well before him. 283 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: Houdini wrote of this one quote. This trick in various guises, 284 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 1: can be traced back as far as sevent nine. Reputable 285 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 1: magicians offered it as part of their repertoire, and at 286 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: times two men presented it simultaneously, showing that more than 287 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 1: one such automaton existed. According to Houdini's research, there were 288 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: many variations as well. There was a fruittery, a Dutch 289 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: coffee house, and quote a Russian in from which ten 290 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:03,160 Speaker 1: sorts of liquor are served. After that, it evolved into 291 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: the confectioner's shop, essentially the same as the way Robertodan 292 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: had performed it. Neudini then offers up a lot of 293 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: supporting documentation to make his case for all this. Then, 294 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 1: for a trick called second site, Roberto DNA had a 295 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: very special co star on the stage. That was his 296 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 1: oldest son, Emil, and he credited his two surviving children 297 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: with giving him the idea for this trick. He wrote, quote, 298 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: my two children were playing one day in the drawing 299 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: room at a game they had invented for their own amusement. 300 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:36,400 Speaker 1: The younger had bandaged his elder brother's eyes and made 301 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: him guess the objects he touched, and when the ladder 302 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:43,400 Speaker 1: happened to guess right, they changed places. This simple game 303 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 1: suggested to me the most complicated idea that ever crossed 304 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: my mind. Pursued by the notion, I ran and shut 305 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 1: myself up in my workroom, and was fortunately in that 306 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 1: happy state when the mind follows easily the combinations traced 307 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: by fancy. I rested my head in my hands, and 308 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: in my excitement, laid down the first principles of second sight. 309 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: Robert and said that amy is natural ability for recall 310 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: was greater than his own, and that he also trained 311 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: him in memory games to prepare him for the trick. 312 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 1: Judini would later write that this was a complete waste 313 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 1: of time. For the act, which premiered on February twelve six, 314 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: Emil was blindfolded, and then Jean Eugene would hold up 315 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: items that he had received from the audience, the boy 316 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 1: would state what they were without having seen them. While 317 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:37,439 Speaker 1: the first audience to see the act was, according to 318 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: Robert Dan, not especially responsive or receptive to this particular bit, 319 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:46,959 Speaker 1: later audiences really marveled at it's, so much so that 320 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: he credits this act with being the one that really 321 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: started his constant sellouts. In his memoirs, Robert Dan confessed 322 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: the trickery of it that he and Emil had a 323 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:01,399 Speaker 1: code that was undetectable to anyone else, writing quote, A 324 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 1: secret and unnoticeable correspondence existed between my son and myself 325 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 1: by which I could announce to him the name, nature 326 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: and bulk of the objects handed me by spectators. As 327 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: none understood my mode of action, they were tempted to 328 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,640 Speaker 1: believe in something extraordinary. And indeed, my son, a Meal, 329 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: then aged twelve, possessed all the essential qualities to produce 330 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:29,119 Speaker 1: this opinion, for his pale, intellectual and ever thoughtful face 331 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: represented the type of a boy gifted with some supernatural power. 332 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: Many who have studied Roberto dance work, including Houdini, believed 333 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 1: that there was some sort of silent code like an 334 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: electric signal, that Roberto Dan used, as well as verbal 335 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: cues that he gave during his presentation of the originality 336 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: of Robert Dan's Second Sight Act, Houdini wrote quote, some 337 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:57,719 Speaker 1: of Roberto Dan's ardent supporters insist that in claiming the 338 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 1: invention or discovery of second Sight, the French conjurer was 339 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: merely an unconscious plagiarist, having stumbled upon, quite by accident, 340 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 1: a trick which he did not know that others had 341 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 1: offered before him. Such a statement is illogical and absurd. 342 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: Books of magic to which Roberto Den had access, in 343 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: which he admits having read, described the trick in a 344 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: more or less crude form. But regardless of how later 345 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: of his sionados of conjuring have viewed Robert U Den, 346 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: or if he was, as Houdini put it, quote, a 347 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: clever purloiner and adapter of the tricks invented and used 348 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: by his predecessors and contemporaries to the audiences of mid 349 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:45,160 Speaker 1: nineteenth century Paris, he was nothing short of amazing, and 350 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: he did very well for himself because of it. We 351 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: mentioned already that during the February Revolution he left Paris 352 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: for a time to tour once he returned to his 353 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,679 Speaker 1: Palais Royal Theater. When that was over, he kind of 354 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: became an iconic part of the Paris Entertained been scene, 355 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 1: and that happened very quickly. He wrote of his return 356 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: to the Paris stage, quote need I described the delight 357 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 1: with which I presented myself once more before a Parisian audience, 358 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: whose kind patronage I had not forgotten. Those professional men, 359 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: who like myself, have been long absent from Paris will 360 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 1: understand it, for they know nothing is so sweet to 361 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: the heart as the applause given by a man's fellow citizens. 362 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: Coming up will cover a surprising move on Robert Dan's part, 363 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 1: handing his stage over to another magician. We will get 364 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 1: to that after we pause and hear from the sponsors 365 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 1: that keep the podcast going. After a while. Back in Paris, 366 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: Roberto Den gave his student, Pierre at ten Shokat, who 367 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: used the stage name Hamilton's, use of the theater, having 368 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: taught him more or less his entire repertoire tricks. It 369 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:04,160 Speaker 1: just so happened that Hamilton's was also the love interest 370 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: of Robert Dan's sister. This move was in part because 371 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 1: Roberto Dan had noticed that he was not as energetic 372 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: as he had been before his tour. He just found 373 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: stage shows a lot more draining, But it was also 374 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 1: motivated by the fact that his wife Olamp had just 375 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: given birth to their first son in Blois, and he 376 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: wanted to go there to spend some time. Once he 377 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,880 Speaker 1: was convinced that Hamilton's can more or less handle things, 378 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: something that he tested, apparently by going to performances in disguise. 379 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: He not only spent time with his family, but also 380 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: decided to tour a little bit more. He traveled around 381 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: France and then to Germany and then back to England, 382 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 1: where he once again gave a command performance for the Queen. 383 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: He returned to his Paris theater for a brief time, 384 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,119 Speaker 1: but then, at the age of forty eight, decided to 385 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:54,159 Speaker 1: retire from the stage. He once again handed the Palais 386 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 1: Royal Theater to Hamilton's, this time for good. He had 387 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: only been a theatrical magician for eight years, but had 388 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: become a sensation. He later wrote quote at last in 389 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: January eighteen fifty two, judging Hamilton's fit to succeed me, 390 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: I decided on giving up my establishment to him, and 391 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,640 Speaker 1: in order that my theater, the fruit of my labors, 392 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: might remain in the family. Two contracts were signed, and 393 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 1: on the same day my pupil became my brother in 394 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 1: law and my successor. Just a few years into his retirement, 395 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:31,880 Speaker 1: Jean Ugeenne Robert Dna was called back to the stage 396 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 1: by none other than the French government. In eighteen thirty 397 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:39,880 Speaker 1: France had invaded and colonized Algeria. That began a one 398 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: hundred thirty two year rule of Algeria by France, which 399 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 1: did not end until nineteen sixty two. But the Algerian 400 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: War of Independence, that period of foreign rule might have 401 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,879 Speaker 1: been much shorter had it not been for robertru Dam. 402 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,919 Speaker 1: This is sometimes related as kind of a fun fact 403 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,199 Speaker 1: about that time a magician stopped a war, and on 404 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: a technicality, yes, you could say that, but what he 405 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 1: really stopped was the reclaiming of Algiers by its indigenous population, 406 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: which had been enduring what a lot of historians have 407 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: categorized as a genocide for twenty five years at this point. That, 408 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,400 Speaker 1: of course, is way less fun, but also a more 409 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:25,120 Speaker 1: accurate way to put it. So all of that being acknowledged, 410 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: here's what happened In eighteen fifty six. A revolutionary movement 411 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 1: was growing among the Algerian population, and France was getting concerned. 412 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 1: This movement was usually described, at least from the French side, 413 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:42,159 Speaker 1: as having been led by the Marabu. A Marabou is 414 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 1: a Muslim religious leader, and often these figures are linked 415 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 1: with military efforts because they often serve much in the 416 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 1: same way that chaplains do with military forces of primarily 417 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:56,640 Speaker 1: Christian nations. When France occupied Algeria, they maintained order by 418 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: getting a lot of the most powerful people in the 419 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: occupied region in, including some chieftains on their side, and 420 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: as a consequence, a lot of the population turned to 421 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 1: the Marraboo for leadership. In the eighteen fifties, the French 422 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: believed that the Mariboo were fomenting a rebellion. The French 423 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: also believed that the reason that the Maraboo had such 424 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:19,360 Speaker 1: sway over the people of the region was because their 425 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 1: followers believed they had magical powers. So the French thought 426 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: if they brought in their own magician to make an 427 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: even more powerful showing, the Marraboo would be discredited or 428 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:34,480 Speaker 1: at least humbled. In the complaisance with their European colonizers. 429 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: That's how Roberto Dan found himself in Algeria in late 430 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:43,879 Speaker 1: October eighteen fifty six, with two special shows booked at 431 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: the Baba Zoon Theater. The first show started quite pleasantly. 432 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: He did the kind of benign and delightful tricks that 433 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: you might see a magician perform, things like pulling flowers 434 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 1: out of a hat, according to Roberto Dan quote, but 435 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: it was not enough to amuse my spectable leaders. I 436 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: must also, in order to fulfill the object of my mission, 437 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: startle and even terrify them by the display of a 438 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 1: supernatural power. My arrangements had all been made for this purpose, 439 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:15,119 Speaker 1: and I had reserved for the end of my performances 440 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: three tricks which must complete my reputation as a sorcerer. 441 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 1: So after those sort of benign tricks, he next showed 442 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,919 Speaker 1: the audience a strong box with a ring handle and 443 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: asked for a volunteer to come up and see if 444 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: he could lift it. A muscular man from the audience 445 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,920 Speaker 1: came up and was able to lift the box easily. 446 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 1: Heads up, there's some very sexist language ahead. After the 447 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: box was easily lifted, Roberud reportedly did some sort of 448 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:46,439 Speaker 1: magical art movement and said the words voila, you are 449 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: weaker than a woman. Now try to lift the box 450 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: this time. No matter how hard he tried, that volunteer 451 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:56,560 Speaker 1: could not lift the box. There are some reports that 452 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 1: he tried so hard that his legs gave out and 453 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:01,719 Speaker 1: he fell to the floor. It was a total thor's 454 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: hammer situation, like this was a mulnear and he could 455 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:08,400 Speaker 1: not get it. This left the volunteer very unsettled, as 456 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: well as some of the audience. But it was of 457 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 1: course a trick that Robert rod had done many times 458 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,399 Speaker 1: in his stage act with an electro magnet under the 459 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:22,119 Speaker 1: stage floorboards. Next, he caught a marked bullet in his teeth, 460 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:25,440 Speaker 1: after having told the audience that he had a talisman 461 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:29,159 Speaker 1: which rendered him invulnerable. One of the men in the 462 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: crowd said that he wanted to kill roberta den, and 463 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,360 Speaker 1: the magician offered him a pistol to inspect and then use. 464 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: That's a trick that's done a lot of different ways, 465 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: depending on the conjuror's choice. Some use wax bullets instead 466 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,720 Speaker 1: of real ones, Some use guns that only shoot blanks. 467 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 1: Some use magnetic bullets. All the magician has to do 468 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: is keep the real bullet in their mouth until it's 469 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 1: time to produce it. For somebody who doesn't know the trick, 470 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: it is really impressive. The final trick the French magician 471 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: you to quell this rebellion was to make one of 472 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 1: the men from the audience disappear. This caused a panic. 473 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 1: He basically did, like one of those you know behind 474 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 1: the sheet is this man? And then he wasn't there anymore. 475 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: And in the panic, there was this rush to leave 476 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: the theater because people at that point thought that Robert 477 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: Dan was a demon or was somehow channeling something dangerous. 478 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: But then they found the vanished man outside, seeming a 479 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: little bit disoriented. And then he did the exact same 480 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: show the following night, convincing the Algerians that the French 481 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: had powerful magic. According to Roberto Dan's memoirs, he actually 482 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,800 Speaker 1: didn't want to leave things in this state. Per his 483 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: account quote, the blow was struck. Henceforth, the interpreters and 484 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 1: all those who had dealings with the Arabs received orders 485 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 1: to make them understand that my pretended miracles were only 486 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 1: the results of skill inspired and guided by an art 487 00:29:54,320 --> 00:30:00,080 Speaker 1: called prestidigitation and in no way connected with sorcery. He 488 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: claimed that in thanks he was given gifts by all 489 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 1: of the local chieftains as an honor. In h five, 490 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 1: a paper in Algiers, which must have had a largely 491 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:15,200 Speaker 1: French colonial readership based on its content, referenced this performance 492 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:19,239 Speaker 1: and the ongoing feelings towards Robert Dean in Algeria by 493 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 1: writing quote, he has remained in the grateful memory of 494 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: the Algerians as an extraordinary man who spared France much 495 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 1: bloodshed and moved colonization forward twenty years. Spots of dubious honor. Yeah, 496 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: it's very crazy, and like Algeria loves him, and it's like, well, 497 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 1: French colonizers in Algeria love him. That's a wide statement 498 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: to make. After Robert Dan returned to France, much in 499 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: demand due to his hero status for quelling that rebellion, 500 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: he gave a farewell performance and then he retired permanently, 501 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 1: this time to write and spend more time at home. 502 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 1: He wrote several books on magic and conjuring in his 503 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: remaining years. The end of Roberto Dan's life was hastened 504 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: by the Franco Prussian War at one point, Roberto Den 505 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: and his family hit out in a cave near their 506 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: property for safety. This was not good for his health. 507 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: His younger son, Yugen, was in the military and died 508 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: after being wounded at the Battle of Worth. After hearing 509 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: this news, Roberto Den also became ill. This was probably 510 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: made worse by the stress of his loss and the 511 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: ongoing conflict. He died of pneumonia on June seventy one. 512 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 1: After his death, his theater did stay in the family 513 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: for a while, though it changed locations. When Roberto Dan's 514 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 1: son Emil died. The theater was purchased by George Miliz. 515 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 1: Roberto Dan's house in Blois is a museum that is 516 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 1: open to the public today. It seems right to you 517 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 1: actually end this episode at the beginning beginning of Roberto 518 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 1: Dan's memoirs. Whether he was a plagiarist, as Udini came 519 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: to believe, or he wanted to be seen as a 520 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: man who loved his craft deeply, and that's reflected in 521 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 1: the introduction to his memoir, which starts rather poetically with quote, 522 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 1: eight o'clock has just struck. My wife and children are 523 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: by my side. I have spent one of those pleasant 524 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 1: days which tranquility, work and study can alone secure with 525 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 1: no regret for the past, with no fear for the future. 526 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: I am, I am not afraid to say it, as 527 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 1: happy as man can be. And yet at each vibration 528 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: of this mysterious hour, my pulse starts, my temples throb, 529 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 1: and I can scarce breathe so much do I feel 530 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 1: the want of air and motion? I can reply to 531 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 1: no questions? So thoroughly am I lost in a strange 532 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 1: and delirious revelry? Shall I confess to your reader? And 533 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: why not? For this electrical effect is not of a 534 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:57,760 Speaker 1: nature to be easily understood by you. The reason for 535 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: my emotion being extreme at this moment is that, during 536 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 1: my professional career, eight o'clock was the moment when I 537 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: must appear before the public. Then, with my eye eagerly 538 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: fixed on the whole in the curtain, I surveyed with 539 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 1: intense pleasure the crowd that flocked in to see me. Then, 540 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: as now my heart beat, for I was proud and 541 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: happy of such success. Robert Dan goes on in this 542 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 1: introduction to talk about the nervousness he would feel before 543 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 1: each performance, the delight of performing for an audience and 544 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 1: the sound of applause before asking quote, do you now 545 00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 1: understand reader, all the reminiscences this hour evokes in me 546 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 1: and the solemn feeling that continually occurs to me when 547 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:49,600 Speaker 1: the clock strikes eight o'clock was forever his hour. I 548 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 1: just like that intro. It's very beautiful. Maybe probably go 549 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: stritten lovely just the same. I have a listener meal 550 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:02,959 Speaker 1: from our listener Caitlin that I thought was super duper interesting, 551 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 1: and it's about our recent episode on wigi boards. Uh, 552 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:11,000 Speaker 1: since um you know we're still I'm still in my 553 00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:15,279 Speaker 1: Halloween fields, frankly, and I will be four months. Um, 554 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,640 Speaker 1: Caitlyn writes, High Holly and Tracy and happy Halloween. Listening 555 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:21,359 Speaker 1: to the first part of the weigi board two parter 556 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: last week, and every time you described it as a 557 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:26,719 Speaker 1: talking board, I had a little jolt. I've spent the 558 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:29,280 Speaker 1: better part of this academic year looking at the history 559 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:32,640 Speaker 1: and contemporary use of a a C or alternative and 560 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: augmentative communication, which is the broad category for any type 561 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:41,480 Speaker 1: of communication that isn't spoken word, usually in speech therapy 562 00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: and special education circles. A a C refer specifically to 563 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:49,640 Speaker 1: communication books or devices, In my research, I came across 564 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,200 Speaker 1: the f hall Row communication board, which is often credited 565 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: as the first commercially reproduced board and which sounds an 566 00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:59,960 Speaker 1: awful lot like the predecessors of Wigia boards. I've attack 567 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 1: to picture below, but in short, you have an alphabet 568 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:06,400 Speaker 1: along with common phrases the speaker human or spirit indicates 569 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:09,960 Speaker 1: in turn to form sentences. I did accessibility work for 570 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 1: a play that starts to A A C using characters, 571 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,480 Speaker 1: and the Regia comparison would have been so useful for 572 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:19,520 Speaker 1: explaining to unfamiliar people what exactly a basic board does. 573 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:22,359 Speaker 1: I hope your holiday is spooky and fun. I've also 574 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 1: included a photo of my cat, shark Depus, who vehemently 575 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,759 Speaker 1: rejects any Halloween costume I try to put her in. 576 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:31,520 Speaker 1: She is spooky in spirit, Caitlin um, that is very 577 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 1: very cool, and I I when that cat is cute 578 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:37,760 Speaker 1: and she's a little torty, and I'm love a torty. 579 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:41,360 Speaker 1: I had not thought about the possible accessibility use of 580 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,600 Speaker 1: something like awegia. Yeah, my mom uses the device that 581 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 1: has the whole alphabet and different specific things like like 582 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 1: bathroom and coffee and that kind of thing. Uh, and 583 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:58,399 Speaker 1: I didn't make that connection either because we just think 584 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:02,320 Speaker 1: of them as such different realms I think, right, but 585 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 1: they are very very similar. So that was fascinating. Caitlin. 586 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:09,120 Speaker 1: Thank you for like making that connection for me, because 587 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 1: now I will look at each boards in a whole 588 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:15,399 Speaker 1: new way. It kind of opens up an interesting possibility 589 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 1: for maybe where these might have started. We mentioned in 590 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 1: that episode that they kind of just show up and 591 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,919 Speaker 1: people start writing about them and being like, oh, people 592 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:28,839 Speaker 1: love them for contacting spirits, but others just think they're fun. 593 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:31,320 Speaker 1: And part of me is like, was this actually some 594 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:33,880 Speaker 1: sort of device that someone was trying to put together 595 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 1: for use in this this more um practical way for 596 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 1: accessibility and someone got the idea to be like, I 597 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 1: could play with that. Um. We'll probably never know, but 598 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:50,720 Speaker 1: it's an interesting thing to ponder. So thank you so much, Caitlyn, 599 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: because that was a cool piece of insight. If you 600 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 1: would like to write to us, you can do so 601 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,799 Speaker 1: at History Podcast at iHeart radio dot com. You can 602 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,360 Speaker 1: also find us on social media as in History, and 603 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:04,280 Speaker 1: you can subscribe to the show if you haven't already, 604 00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:06,759 Speaker 1: on the I Heart Radio app or wherever you listen 605 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:14,360 Speaker 1: to podcasts. Stuff you Missed in History Class is a 606 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,560 Speaker 1: production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from i 607 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:20,839 Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 608 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.