Charles W. Cameron: Macabre and Mental Mysteries

Charles Wesley Cameron has often been called the Godfather of Bizarre Magic. He was born on Halloween, 1927, and was one of the founder members of the Edinburgh Magic Circle. He performed on the club circuit with his own magic shows, cabaret spots at home and abroad, tarot readings, TV shows, newspaper and magazine features and numerous interviews. He had a regular slot on Radio Forth offering daily predictions and ghost stories.

Charles was made Curator of the Edinburgh Wax Museum in 1976. For several years in the late 1980s the top floor of the museum became the Castle Dracula Theatre. Charles performed as Count Dracula presenting mind-reading and ghostly seances. His book Castle Dracula Mentalism was published by Martin Breese in 1997.

I first met Charles when he was guest of honour at Keith Hart’s ‘Meeting of the Mages’ (Britain's first bizarre magic convention) in 1996. I remember him as a charming, modest gentleman with a fund of fascinating stories. He died in January 2001. A plaque commemorating Charles Cameron’s life and work can be found by the entrance passageway to the former site of the Wax Museum on Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile.

From the Foreword:

“I prefer subtleties rather than sleights and the effects in this book follow the same pattern. You may be assured that none of the effects are ‘pipe dreams’... they have all been audience tested. There is a tremendous interest these days in the Strange and Unusual and the contents of this book will, I hope, enable you to convince your audience that you possess curious powers and unusual abilities.”

Part One: Satanic Sorcery
    Introduction
    Riches By Sorcery
    Spirit Photography
    Cards Of Horror
    Saint Or Devil?
    Stab In The Dark
    Key Of Fate
    Mentalism Supreme
    Subtle Symbols
    Poisoned Thoughts
Part Two: Mental Mixture
    True Or False
    Numerology
    X-Ray Vision
    Clear As Crystal
    By Appointment Only
    True To Type
    Print Vibration
    Brain Blaster
    Secluded Thoughts
    Mental Conditioning
Part Three Beyond The Unknown
    Find The Witch
    Eye Of Lucifer
    Advertising Made Easy
    Crystal Clear
    Beyond The Veil
    The Time Machine
    Figure Magic
    Mental Appetite
    Challenge Card Effect
    Book Test Fantastic

1st edition 1981, 63 pages, wire-stitched paperback. Out of print. Limited quantity available.