Illusionist

🇺🇸Harry Houdini

Literature

1874–1926

"I'm tired of fighting, Dash. I guess this thing is going to get me."

🇺🇸Penn Jillette

Entertainment

b. 1955

"If you can just convince the dope people that the gun people are right and the gun people that the dope people are right, we could actually live in a lot more freedom."

🇬🇧Derren Brown

Psychology

b. 1971

"can be poorly presented and surrounded by naffness, and often amounts to little more than childish attempts to fool you. I guess it’s largely to escape those associations that I’ve gone the route I have."

🇬🇧Uri Geller

Entertainment

b. 1946

"Like I told you, I'm not a magician," he says. "If something isn't working, I don't try to guess."

🇺🇸James Randi

Psychology

atheism

1928–2020

"Uri Geller may have psychic powers by means of which he can bend spoons; if so, he appears to be doing it the hard way."

🇺🇸Alexander Herrmann

1843–1896

"I have not drawn a very rosy picture of the magician. I did not intend to do so. To the novice entering the life and promising himself ease, indolence, and wealth, I should say, "Don't!"