Magicians today are a far cry from their ancient predecessors. Instead of pulling rabbits out of hats, the magi were guardians of Egyptian kings. Throughout the ages, magic and the magician has evolved greatly and today's illusionist is more of a celebrity than a mystic. In this article, we'll meet the masters of sleight of hand who have laid the foundation for today's renewed interest in the unknown.

Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, who opened an illusion theater in Paris in the 1840s, is believed to be the father of the modern magician. Modern entertainment magic owes much of its origins to him.

In the 1900s, he was followed by the greatest celebrity magician of all time, Harry Houdini. Houdini's real name was Ehrich Weiss and he took his stage name from Robert-Houdin,

He developed a range of stage illusion tricks, many of which were based on escapology. In addition to expanding the range of illusion hardware, showmanship and deceptive technique, these performers established the modern relationship between the performer and the audience.

Magic is a performing art that entertains an audience by creating illusions of impossible or or supernatural feats using purely natural means. These feats are called magic tricks, effects or illusions. The most important tool for any magician is his audience.

To believe that what they are seeing really is an illusion, the gathering must be willing to suspend their disbelief. Traditionally, he refuses to reveal his secrets to the audience so as not to expose the art form and preserve the livelihood of magicians who perform for money. This is such a common practice that there is even a magician's oath.

Magic has come and gone in fashion and a select group of successful magicians have become some of the most famous celebrities in popular entertainment. Doug Henning's show restored magic as a form of mass entertainment with his distinctive look and exuberant showmanship. Since then, he has been succeeded by the likes of David Copperfield, Penn and Teller, Zeigfried and Roy, and Criss Angel.

Controversial escape artist David Blaine is sometimes included in this category although his act doesn't follow the typical feats of the magician. Instead, his performances are likened to Houdini-style escape tricks and physical endurance displays rather than the illusion magic performed by others.

According to his area of expertise, the magician can also be referred to as a conjuror, illusionist, mentalist or escape artist. While their feats may appear wondrous, they are in fact just tricks to the eye.

Exceptionally gifted magicians can use their skill and charisma to leave audiences awe struck. The magical powers of Criss Angel and David Blaine has brought renewed popularity to the art form and large audiences are once again flocking to see mysticism at work.