Chung Ling Soo
1861–1918 · United States
The stage name of the American magician William Ellsworth Robinson, who performed as a Chinese conjuror and died after being shot during his bullet-catch illusion at the Wood Green Empire in London in 1918.
From the shop
Chung Ling Soo was the stage name of William Ellsworth Robinson (1861–1918), an American magician who spent the last eighteen years of his career performing as a Chinese conjuror. He died after being shot on stage at the Wood Green Empire in London in March 1918 while presenting the bullet catch.
William Robinson
Robinson was born in New York in 1861. He began as a performer but became better known behind the scenes, building and running illusions for Harry Kellar and later for Alexander Herrmann. That work gave him a deep knowledge of stage apparatus.
Becoming Chung Ling Soo
In 1898 the Chinese magician Ching Ling Foo came to America and drew large crowds. Robinson adopted a Chinese stage persona of his own, and in 1900 he opened in Europe as Chung Ling Soo, a name one letter different from his rival's.
He kept the character up completely in public: he did not speak English on stage, used an interpreter for interviews, and was widely believed to be Chinese. His wife, Olive, performed with him under the name Suee Seen. Today the act is seen as an example of the period's fascination with an imagined East, built by a Westerner in costume.
When Ching Ling Foo performed in London in 1905, the two men's rivalry was played out in the newspapers, with a challenge between them that ended without a contest.
What audiences saw
His show was colourful and fast. Audiences saw bowls of water appear from empty cloths, streams of silks and ribbons, birds and flowers, and his best-known feature, Condemned to Death by the Boxers, in which marked bullets were fired at him and he appeared to catch them on a plate.
Death at Wood Green
On 23 March 1918, at the Wood Green Empire in north London, one of the shots struck him in the chest during the bullet catch. He died the following day. The inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death. Only then did much of the public learn that Chung Ling Soo had been an American all along.
Legacy
His death is the most famous accident in the history of stage magic and the main reason the bullet catch has a reputation as the deadliest trick. A character based on him appears in the 2006 film The Prestige. For the period, see the history of magic and famous magicians in history.
Frequently asked questions
How did Chung Ling Soo die?
He was shot in the chest during his bullet-catch illusion at the Wood Green Empire, London, on 23 March 1918, and died the next day. The inquest called it an accident.
Was Chung Ling Soo actually Chinese?
No. He was William Ellsworth Robinson, an American from New York, who performed in a Chinese persona and kept it up in public until his death.
Who was Ching Ling Foo?
A genuinely Chinese magician who toured America from 1898. Robinson's stage name was modelled on his, and the two were rivals.
Is Chung Ling Soo in The Prestige?
Yes. The 2006 film includes a magician who performs as Chung Ling Soo.
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