Harry McDaniel – He was in Hot Water!

Many magicians would have advertisements on the back of their throw-out cards that had nothing to do with magic. In many cases, the product being advertised would be well known,  such as soda pop, Cracker Jacks, candy, typewriters, and car tires. Usually these sponsors helped to subsidize, or even completely cover the cost of the card for the performer on the front of the card. Harry McDaniel, a Dallas, Texas based magician decided to go this same route, however in this case he owned the company advertising the hot water heaters on the back of his card!

Harry Henry McDaniel was born in Ellis County, Texas on August 15, 1896. As a child growing up in the town of Venus, Texas, the town marshal showed Harry a trick and the art of magic gained another devotee for life.

McDaniel was a veteran of World War I and performed magic for his comrades using small items such as coins and cards which would fit in his “quicky pack”.  After the war, he returned to Texas, got married, and settled in Dallas. Over the years, he became somewhat of a force on the Dallas magic scene.

From The Linking Ring for June, 1944

McDaniel was a charter member of the Dallas Magic Circle and helped to organize it in 1924, and when it was brought into the Society of American Magicians by Houdini while Houdini was in Texas. McDaniel also served as President of the Dallas Magic Circle at one time. McDaniel also was a member of the I.B.M. and in The Linking Ring for December, 1928 they wrote this about McDaniel.

 

Whether this referred to Harry McDaniel’s throw-out card shown above or a different one, it illustrates that McDaniel had the idea of using a card to advertise himself early on.

McDaniel was also known for inventing some magic and he had “a magical emporium and factory, and announces that he is equipped to take care of anything in this line. At surprisingly reasonable prices, he will repair or rebuild your illusions, or equip a complete show” so said The Linking Ring in 1934. McDaniel ran this ad in The Linking Ring for January of 1929.

 

When speaking of a McDaniel performance in The Sphinx for January 20, 1931 it was said, “Topping off the evening’s entertainment, Harry McDaniel, perhaps Dallas’ best-known magician, kept the audience gaping with The Root of All Evil, The Elusive Ball, Restoring the Napkin, Silver Thimbles Among the Gold, Miser’s Dream, The Hella Fez, and The Hindu Rooster. Mr. McDaniel is a manufacturer of hot water heaters when not otherwise occupied with magic”.

While living in Highland Park, Texas with his family, McDaniel constructed a fifty seat theatre that he called “Mack’s Magic Theatre”. It was built over a two-car garage and was well equipped with a stage, and all the lights and sound equipment anyone could ask for.

From The Linking Ring for June, 1944.

A Who’s Who of known magicians performed in this theatre such as “Blackstone, Dorny, Chas. H, Larson, Max Terhune, John Snyder, Jr., the Thayers, and many others” according to The Linking Ring for June of 1944. Here is a photo of Blackstone and McDaniel from that issue.

 

Harry H. McDaniel passed away on December 19, 1962 at the age of 66 in Dallas. His lifelong interest in magic was so strong that it is commemorated on his family cemetery marker with the word “Magician”, along with emblems of the magic societies he belonged to.

Photo taken by VA CURR for Find A Grave.