Magic and Magicians
Within the pantheon of famous Magicians and Illusionists the name of Harry Houdini (1874-1926) stands at the very pinnacle. Chung Ling Soo (1861-1918) was a contemporary of Houdini's with a Stage magic show presented to full houses across the greatest Theatre's of Europe. Little did the general public know that Soo's biggest secret would only be revealed after his death. William Ellsworth Robinson was born in the USA in 1861. His Father supported the family by performing on stage with a vaudeville conjuring act and William was taught magic tricks from a young age.
Vaudeville in the USA and Music Hall in Great Britain were the height of public entertainment in the Victorian / Edwardian era in every level of Society with half a dozen acts of 20-30 minutes each.
Robinson began his stage career at 14 with his own magic act. Always dreaming of making it to the 'big time', he continued working for other Theatres until he was nearly 40.
In 1900 Robinson learned that an agent was looking for a Chinese Magician to perform in Paris.
Dressed in traditional Chinese robes and with his long hair styled in a 'queue', Robinson created the persona of Chung Ling Soo.
To maintain the illusion Robinson never spoke in English and used an interpreter assistant when he spoke to journalists. Soo's Chinese Wife, Suee Seen, was also in reality a White American female.
Soo's act took the Stage by storm and within the first year Soo was headlining the Show.
He quickly became one of the highest paid performers on the European Music Hall Theatre circuit and held that position for over a decade.
The climax of Soo's act was his famous 'Bullet catch' where one of his assistants fired a bullet from a gun which Soo caught between his teeth. The Act went tragically wrong on the night of March 23rd 1918 at the Empire Theatre in Wood Green, London.
Soo's assistant pulled the trigger and somehow the real bullet struck Chung Ling Soo in the chest.
He fell to the ground and said 'Oh my God. Something's happened. Close the curtain'.
This was the only time he was known to have spoken in English when 'in character'.
Soo died the following morning.
The news of his death and subsequent revelation that he was a white American was a total shock to the general public but this had been common knowledge within the Magic and Theatre Industry.
Chung Ling Soo is buried in East Sheen Cemetery in Richmond upon Thames, London.