Alan Shaxon

{{Short description|English magician}}

{{Short description|English magician (1933–2012)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox person

{{Infobox person

| birth_name = Alan Arthur Howson

| birth_name = Alan Arthur Howson

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|12|28|df=y}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|12|28|df=y}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|10|27|1933|12|28|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|10|27|1933|12|28|df=y}}

| death_place =

| death_place =

| death_cause =

| nationality = British

| nationality = British

| occupation = Magician

| occupation = Magician

}}

}}

'''Alan Shaxon''' (28 December 1933 – 27 October 2012) was a professional [[magic (illusion)|magician]] and a former president of [[The Magic Circle (organisation)|The Magic Circle]]. He specialised in cabaret performances and was billed as one of England's foremost magicians.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/obituaries/2012/11/alan-shaxon/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505061031/http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/obituaries/2012/11/alan-shaxon/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |title=Alan Shaxon - Obituaries |publisher=The Stage |date= |accessdate=2012-11-27}}</ref>

'''Alan Shaxon''' (28 December 1933 – 27 October 2012) was a British professional [[magic (illusion)|magician]] who was president of [[The Magic Circle (organisation)|The Magic Circle]]. He specialised in cabaret performances and was billed as one of England's foremost magicians.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/obituaries/2012/11/alan-shaxon/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505061031/http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/obituaries/2012/11/alan-shaxon/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |title=Alan Shaxon - Obituaries |publisher=The Stage |date= |accessdate=2012-11-27}}</ref>

The Magic Circle gave Shaxon "The Maskelyne" award for services to British Magic.{{when|date=December 2019}} He appeared on television, cruised the world in cabaret on luxury liners, and entertained on four occasions at Buckingham Palace. He was a friend and confidant of magician and inventor [[Robert Harbin]], and inherited many of Harbin's props after his death in 1978. Shaxon continued to perform a number of Harbin's illusions, including the "Blades of Opah II". Shaxon's signature effects included The Hydrostatic Glass, Confabulation, Thumb Tie, Aerial Fishing and the Human Gasometer.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

The Magic Circle gave Shaxon "The Maskelyne" award for services to British Magic.{{when|date=December 2019}} He appeared on television, cruised the world in cabaret on luxury liners, and entertained on four occasions at Buckingham Palace. He was a friend and confidant of magician and inventor [[Robert Harbin]], and inherited many of Harbin's props after his death in 1978. Shaxon continued to perform a number of Harbin's illusions, including the "Blades of Opah II". Shaxon's signature effects included The Hydrostatic Glass, Confabulation, Thumb Tie, Aerial Fishing and the Human Gasometer.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

He wrote two books during his lifetime, ''My Kind of Magic'' (1970) and ''Practical Sorcery'' (1976). After he died, a draft manuscript for a third book was discovered, which was completed by [[Scott Penrose]], President of [[The Magic Circle (organisation)|The Magic Circle]], and Steve Short. It had no working title, but when it was published in 2014 it was entitled ''The Sophisticated Sorcerer''.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

He wrote two books during his lifetime, ''My Kind of Magic'' (1970) and ''Practical Sorcery'' (1976). After he died, a draft manuscript for a third book was discovered, which was completed by [[Scott Penrose]], President of [[The Magic Circle (organisation)|The Magic Circle]], and Steve Short. It had no working title, but when it was published in 2014 it was entitled ''The Sophisticated Sorcerer''.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

Shaxon died on 27 October 2012 following a short illness.<ref name=obit/>

Shaxon died following a short illness on 27 October 2012, at the age of 78.<ref name=obit/>

==References==

==References==

==External links==

==External links==

*{{IMDb name|1589910}}

* {{IMDb name|1589910}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20180828073150/http://www.alanshaxonbook.com/ Alan Shaxon - Sophisticated Sorcerer Website]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180828073150/http://www.alanshaxonbook.com/ Alan Shaxon - Sophisticated Sorcerer Website]

{{The Magic Circle - The Maskelyne Award |state=autocollapse}}

{{The Magic Circle - The Maskelyne Award |state=autocollapse}}