25 Top Magicians Throughout History

Posted by , Updated on March 23, 2024

Ever wondered the secret behind the tricks magicians pull off? While we’re not going to reveal their secret today, we will introduce you to some of the most accomplished magicians who’ve ever performed the classic hat-and-rabbit trick. Whether it’s bar magicians showcasing simple card tricks or underwater escape artists, here we present the 25 Best Magicians in History!

25

Lu Chen

Lu ChenSource: theguardian.com

Commonly referred to as Taiwan’s most famous magician, many refer to him as Asia’s David Copperfield due to his popularity around the continent.

24

Gopinath Muthukad

Gopinath MuthukadSource: bbc.com

A popular magician and escapologist, Gopinah started the first magic academy of Asia in Kerala, India.

23

The Pendragons

The PendragonsSource: nytimes.com

Jonathan and Charlotte Pendragon were a husband and wife team of illusionists who labeled their work “physical grand illusion.” They pioneered several tricks and performed at presidential galas.

22

Tomas De La Cruz

Tomas De La CruzSource: ranker.com

Self titled “Smoothini the Ghetto Houdini,” Tomas is a former US Marine from the Dominican Republic that wowed audiences on America’s Got Talent.

21

Mark Wilson

Mark WilsonSource: washingtonpost.com

Mark is widely credited as being the first major TV magician. He established illusion-shows as a television format.

20

Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin

Jean Eugène Robert-HoudinSource: ranker.com

A famous French magician, Jean is widely considered to be the father of modern conjuring.

19

Joe Labero

Joe LaberoSource: ranker.com

The Swedish magician starting winning magic championships at the age of 16 and was even named the “illusionist of the decade.” This clearly placed him in with the ranks of David Copperfield and Siegfried and Roy, who have also earned this award. Labero’s stage name is derived from his full name – Lars Bengt Roland Johansson.

18

Richard Jay Potash

Richard Jay PotashSource: bbc.com

Going by the stage name of Ricky Jay, Richard has acted in numerous films and was called, “perhaps the most gifted sleight of hand artist alive,” by the New Yorker.

17

Siegfried & Roy

Siegfried & RoySource: theguardian.com

Born in Germany, the duo eventually made their way to the US where they became famous for their work with lions. Unfortunately, in 2003, Roy was bitten by a lion during a show. After that they slowly decreased the number of their performances.

16

John Edward Szeles

John Edward SzelesSource: ranker.com

Better known as “The Amazing Johnathan,” John is known for the gore in his comedy/magic shows (eating his hanging eyeball, skewering his tongue, etc).

15

Dai Vernon

Dai VernonSource: theguardian.com

Known as “The Professor,” Dai was a legend when it came to sleight of hand techniques and card tricks.

14

Howard Thurston

Howard ThurstonSource: ranker.com

After running away to join the circus, Howard managed to eventually become one of the most famous magicians of his time. His traveling magic show was so big that it needed eight train cars to transport it from place to place!

13

Derren Brown

Derren BrownSource: ranker.com

The popular British mentalist and illusionist is well known for rejecting the idea that he possesses any supernatural powers. He makes clear that all of his tricks are little more than psychological manipulation, and like several other magicians on this list, he makes it a point to expose mediums and psychics.

12

Harry Anderson

Harry AndersonSource: bbc.com

Actor, magician, screenwriter, director…Harry is known for doing it all. Between Saturday Night Live and his own shows, he made a name for himself in the world of magic.

11

Harry Blackstone Jr.

Harry Blackstone Jr.Source: washingtonpost.com

Harry followed in the footsteps of his famous magician father and managed to carve out quite a name for himself. It is estimated that he pulled over 80,000 rabbits from his sleeves and hats.

10

Lance Burton

Lance BurtonSource: ranker.com

A popular American stage magician, Lance performed over 15,000 shows for more than 5 million people in venues around Las Vegas.

9

Harry Blackstone Sr.

Harry Blackstone Sr.Source: nytimes.com

Billed as The Great Blackstone, Harry was a popular performer among troops during World War II.

8

Doug Henning

Doug HenningSource: latimes.com

The Canadian magician, illusionist, and politician recently received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

7

Criss Angel

Criss AngelSource: ranker.com

Popular for his show Mindfreak, Criss has been on prime-time TV for more hours than any other magician in the world.

6

Dynamo

DynamoSource: yahoo.com

Steven Frayne aka Dynamo is a British magician known for his show “Dynamo: Magician Impossible.”

5

Penn Jillette

Penn JilletteSource: ranker.com

Making up one half of the comedy magic duo Penn & Teller, the duo don’t just perform, but they are also known for being outspoken proponents of scientific skepticism. The duo are also well known for exposing pseudo science, mysticism, psychics, etc.

4

Teller

TellerSource: ranker.com

The other half of the comedy duo Penn & Teller, he officially dropped his first and middle names (Raymond James) and goes only by Teller.

3

David Blaine

David BlaineSource: nbcnews.com

A well known illusionist and magician, David is known for his high profile endurance acts. He has also broken several world records.

2

David Copperfield

David CopperfieldSource: ranker.com

Named by Forbes as the “most commercially successful magician” of all time, he has earned 21 Emmy Awards, 11 Guinness World Records, a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, a knighthood by the French government, and he has been named a Living Legend by US Congress.

1

Harry Houdini

Harry HoudiniSource: bbc.com

Often considered to be the greatest magician of all time, Houdini was noted for his sensational escape acts. He was even known to challenge various police forces around the world to try restraining him. (He broke out of their best restraints.)



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