Theodore Annemann
1907-1942
Theodore Annemann was a master of both magic and mind reading effects and can be credited with changing the course of mentalism.
He was known for writing ‘The Jinx’ and ‘Practical Mental Effects’ as well as other books and manuscripts on the subject of mentalism and magic.
But he was perhaps best known as the creator of hundreds of effects and tricks that many mentalists and magicians still use to this day.
Early life
Theodore Annemann was born Theodore John Squires in East Waverly, New York on 22 February 1907.
He was just two years old, when his father Fred Squires, left him and his mother.
Theodore’s Mother; Flavilla, remarried sometime later to Stanley Anneman.
Theodore inherited the last name of his stepfather and became, Theo. J. Anneman.
(He didn’t add the extra ‘n’ to his last name until 1930).
He was fascinated by magic from the age of 10 when a school friend showed him the ‘Ball and Vase Trick’.
He was so captivated by the effect that he immediately purchased his own and would constantly demonstrate magic tricks to anyone that cared to watch.
Annemann was a quiet child and preferred to be alone rather than the company of his schoolmates and he devoted most of his time to his passion of magic.
This is where his obsessive fascination with all things magical began,
he studied magic every day and night and spent all of the money he earned from delivering newspapers with magic dealers.
By the age of 14 he was able to purchase his first full magic set for the sum of $1.25.
At this point he would often skip school and his mother was forced to accompany him each morning. It got so bad that the chief of police threatened to arrest Mrs Anneman if he didn’t go to school.
His mother was so concerned by his obsession with magic and lack of interest in getting an education, that she burned all of his magic books!
This setback didn’t stop him from pursuing his passion and about 15 years later; he sent his mother a bound copy of the first 50 issues of The Jinx, with a note which read:
“Dear Mama, when you look through these pages, I hope you remember when you burned my magic books in the furnace. That made me try and write one myself. Have you got a match for this? Theo”
As a teenager he was quite a rebel, sporting strange hairstyles, he looked mysterious, almost dangerous and he certainly looked like someone who might actually be able to read minds and that’s when he began performing magic around Waverly.
His first shows as a teenager were a series of magic effects, one of his feature tricks was the Substitution Trunk but he didn’t have an assistant so he enlisted the help of his younger brother Leland, who had no interest in magic and Theodore had to pay him handsomely for his help.
After leaving school he was encouraged to find a ‘real’ job and soon began working as a railroad clerk before getting into show business as a singer and then moving on to become a magician’s assistant.
His interests soon turned to mentalism and he channelled all of his creative energy to emerge as one of the leading mentalists of his day.
Annemann the Enigma
Annemann understood the audiences of his time and he realised that they had become too smart to believe in crystal ball reading by a performer wearing odd looking costumes whilst attempting to look mysterious.
He developed a practical, and at the time modern approach to mind reading.
When he wasn’t performing, he was creating new magic and mentalism effects, and writing about them.
In 1931 he published his first and last hardcover book titled;
“The Book Without a Name”.
Annemann married Margaret Abrams on April 23rd 1927 and in 1935, the couple had a daughter, Mona Lee.
The relationship didn’t last and they got divorced in November 1937.
The Jinx
In 1934, he began editing and publishing ‘The Jinx’.
Although the publications focus was on mentalism, it did include some magical effects.
Annemann soon became a giant in the field of mind reading and psychic performance, he published more than a dozen books and thousands of articles.
His book Practical Mental Effects is still one of the best mentalism books ever published, covering every aspect of mentalism and mind reading.
Annemann went on to marry a lady named Jeanette Parr in January 1938 but they had become estranged at the time of his death.
Death
By 1941 Annemann had developed some serious financial problems and he’d become a reclusive alcoholic, not many people had seen him for about two years.
Despite his problems he attempted to make a comeback performance titled:
“Annemann the Enigma”
At a theatre in New York City, where he was scheduled to perform his bullet catch indoors for the first time.
Tickets were printed and sold for the full performances scheduled for January 26 and 27, 1942 but the show never took place.
On January 12, 1942 at the young age of 34 Annemann committed suicide.
Theodore Annemann was a creative genius whose short life was filled with personal problems including a fragile personality, anxiety and severe depression.
He is still one of the most revered mentalists ever and his work in the field of mentalism remains unparalleled.
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Ryan