Elmer G. Eckam was born in May of 1892 in Rochester,
New York. Eckam’s first stage work was working as the assistant as a teenager
with fellow Rochester magician Ray Hogan (1886 – 1945). Eckam performed for
over forty years. He gained experience after leaving the auspices of Hogan by
working the Chautauqua and Lyceum circuits as well as many of the theatres and
clubs. By the Twenties, Eckam had his own unique act that included escapes. The
full evening show was performed at national and state conventions in the East
and Midwest. He was well liked by magicians and was a friend to fellow
performers like Harry Houdini and Harry Blackstone. At the 1927 I.B.M.
Convention in Kenton, Ohio, Eckam thrilled the over one thousand participants
by escaping from a straight jacket while being suspended fifty feet in the air.
Eckam published a magic newspaper titled, Eckam’s
Echo from 1937 to 1940. He also had a mail order magic business from his
home in Rochester that he called “Art in Magic”.
