In 2008, magician Ben Robinson authored The Magician: John Mulholland's Secret Life which documented his work with the CIA. Copies of the document were believed to have been destroyed in 1973, however, copies later resurfaced and were published as 'The Official CIA Manual of Trickery and Deception'. He left his editorial position at The Sphinx in 1953, officially due to health problems but in reality it was a cover for him to work for the Central Intelligence Agency.ĭuring the Cold War, Mulholland was paid by the CIA to write a manual on deception and misdirection. Failure to answer the challenge or to correctly recreate the trick would call for publicly accepting the story of his trick as an 'exaggerated myth'. The full page ad called for Mulholland to re-create his famous 'Hooker Rising Trick' under controlled stage conditions with McManus providing the necessary props. John J McManus (Magic Collector) issued the challenge in the Conjurors' Magazine (June 1949, Vol 5 Issue# 4). In 1949, Mulholland was issued a public $10,000 challenge. His collection is now owned by David Copperfield. ĭuring World War II, he wrote a spellbook for soldiers. In 1939, he was the only foreign officer in the British Magical Society, and by that time had studied his craft in 42 countries. Mulholland married Pauline Pierce on May 17, 1932. His other friends included Gene Tunney, Harold Ross and Bert Terhune. Mulholland asserted that 'Houdini once told me that he considered no man to be a magician until he was able skillfully to perform the cups and balls.' Mulholland was a close friend of Harry Houdini. He published many books on magic and its history. He ran one of the first magic workshops and was from 1930 the editor of the magical trade magazine The Sphinx.

Mulholland was a professional magician for two decades, working in small companies and large stage shows. Mulholland learned the art of magic as a teenager with John William Sargent, President of the Society of American Magicians.

Mulholland supplemented his income by teaching industrial arts at Horace Mann School during 1919–1925. He was educated at Columbia University and College of the City of New York. While still at school Mulholland started his professional magic career from 1913. His parents were John and Irene Wickizer. Mulholland was born on June 9, 1898, in Chicago, Illinois. John Mulholland (born John Wickizer) (9 June 1898 in Chicago, Illinois – 25 February 1970 in New York City) was an American magician, author, publisher and intelligence agent.

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