National Festival of Smoke and Mirrors Day
In honor of National Festival of Smoke and Mirrors Day (March 29th), we are featuring images from our photographic collections that showcase the talents and activities of magicians, illusionists, and escape artists in Texas. A majority of the photographs are of the magic show of Willard Family, a troupe of magicians that traveled throughout Texas and the Southwest, beginning in the 1920s, that performed a variety of stage illusions. The troupe consisted of Harry F. and Joy Willard, their daughter Rosemary, Tommy and Corinne Willard , and Jimmy Carmichael.
We are also including a photograph of Fred Brown, an escape artist from El Paso, Texas. Police found Brown in a strait-jacket and chains as shown in the photograph from which he freed himself during a street demonstration. After finishing his escape from the strait-jacket and chains, Brown passed around a hat to the crowd that had gathered to witness his feat only to be jailed as a vagrant shortly thereafter.
- Fred Brown, escape artist from El Paso in a San Antonio jail after being arrested for vagrancy, December 26, 1937 (MS 359, 1722-C)
- Tommy Willard and his wife, Corinne, on stage demonstrating the card star trick, circa 1930s (MS 362, 84-22).
- Harry F. Willard, in an “Oriental” costume, demonstrating a smoke trick similar to the Hindu rope trick, circa 1925 (MS 362, 84-29).
- Harry F. Willard demonstrating the cremation trick; the ‘devil’ is on stage with Willard and a casket, circa 1933 (MS 362, 84–31).
- (L-R) Tommy Willard, Corinne Willard, Jimmy Carmichael, Joy Willard, and Harry F. Willard demonstrating the cannon trunk trick, circa 1930s (MS 362, 84-32)
- Willard the Wizard Show, (L-R) Harry F., Rosemary, Tommy, Corinne, Jimmy Carmichael, Joy, circa 1930s (MS 362, 84-30)








