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One sheet stone litho vintage poster of the American
vaudeville magician and mentalist known as Alexander the Man Who Knows. His real name was Claude Alexander Conlin (1880–1954), and he was one of the highest-paid entertainers of his era.
About Alexander the Man Who Knows
Stage Persona: Alexander specialized in mentalism and psychic readings, adopting an "Oriental" persona with a feathered turban and robes to enhance the mystique of his act.
Performance: He was famous for his mind-reading act, where he would answer personal questions written on sealed slips of paper by audience members, often after staring into a crystal ball.
Methods: He was a pioneer in using concealed electronic devices, such as a hidden earpiece, to receive information about the audience from his assistants backstage.
Advertising: Alexander invested a large fortune into creating vibrant chromolithograph posters like this one, which became his primary source of promotion and are now highly collectible pieces of magic history.
Life of Intrigue: His life off-stage was as dramatic as his performances, with rumors and accounts of multiple wives, involvement in bootlegging, and even jail time |
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