Wilford Hinkson

Wilford Hickson

Old Magicians don't fade away
they go 'poof!'

Wilford and Helen Hickson have performed as Wilford the Wizard and Princess Helena.

By Jerry Johnston
Desert News staff writer

He's got old crusty newspaper that feature his picture, he's got posters and plaques and personalized cards. He's been around.

His name is Wilford Hinkson. The Great Wilford, Wilford the Wizard. Anf at age 72 he may be the grand old man of Utah magicians. Today he servers as the territorial vice president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. And, needless to say, he performs whenever he can.

"The thing that makes magic work," he explained, pulling a dove from a canister, "is people can't see straight, they can't hear straight, and they can't remember anything. Kids are the hard ones to fool. I can talk to an adult and get him to follow my patter, but a child doesn't listen -- a child watchs what he wants to watch."

Today The Great Wilford spends most of his time teaching. The loss of his right foot and the advancing of years hamper his mobility some, but he's still got enough oomph to handle 22 students and do a presentation or two himself.

Wilford does more mentalist and teaching work today, instead of usual trickery.

His specialty?

"Mental work, ESP," he says. "I cut my teeth on close-up magic, like most magicians do, but today I'm a mentalist. When you do traditional magic effects I think you lose 50 percent of your punch."

And what has over 60 years in the trade taught him?

"First, we've simplified magic instead of making it more complicated. I haven't seen a magic trick -- or effect as I like

to call them -- that I didn't recognize before the magician begins. There are about 50 principles in magic, everything is a variation of them. In the old days we had long, great tables covered over so people could hide underneath, we've gotten away from that, and I thinks that's good."

Born in Pennsylvania, Hinkson began working with magic at age 7. By age 13 he astounded the teachers and pupils at his school by escaping from a packing case that had been nailed shut.

Wilford and Helen Hinkson have performed for nearly 60 years as Wilford the Wizard and Princess Helena. Trained doves are always part of the routine.

Wilford the Wizard demonstrates his prowess at trickery while his wife, "Princess Helena," awaits her turn to help.

Since then he has toured almost every state and has been on two foreign tours. Eventually he settled in Utah and organized the Intermountain Magicians Assembly. He's been president of the organization twice.

And in that time he's seen about everything. Once the government sent him onto the Navajo to perform. The idea was to break the hold the medicine men had over the tribe by giving the tribe a taste of white man's magic. "When I was done I didn't get a hand," he says. "Finally some white men there began to applaud and then the house came down with applause."

As for the future, The Great Wilford plans to keep helping young magicians, perhaps mounting a show or two, maybe even a tour for the better ones.

"In Utah there are so many talented magicians it's hard to get a good price for a show," he says. "The big money must be made elsewhere."

Still, for a full-time magician living in Utah, Hinkson has done rather well. But then after 60 years in the trade he knows all the tricks in the book.

Wilford the Wizard demonstrates his prowess at trickery while his wife, "Princess Helena," awaits her turn to help.

Deseret news photos
by Gerald Silver

Old Magicians don't fade away they go 'poof!'
By Jerry Johnston Desert News staff writer He's got old crusty newspaper that feature his picture, he's got posters and plaques and personalized cards. He's been around. His name is Wilford Hinkson. The Great Wilford, Wilford the Wizard. Anf at age 72 he may be the grand old man of Utah magicians. Today he servers as the territorial vice president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. And, needless to say, he performs whenever he can.	"The thing that makes magic work," he explained, pulling a dove from a canister, "is people can't see straight, they can't hear straight, and they can't remember anything. Kids are the hard ones to fool. I can talk to an adult and get him to follow my patter, but a child doesn't listen -- a child watchs what he wants to watch." Today The Great Wilford spends most of his time teaching. The loss of his right foot and the advancing of years hamper his mobility some, but he's still got enough oomph to handle 22 students and do a presentation or two himself.
Wilford does more mentalist and teaching work today, instead of usual trickery.	His specialty? "Mental work, ESP," he says. "I cut my teeth on close-up magic, like most magicians do, but today I'm a mentalist. When you do traditional magic effects I think you lose 50 percent of your punch." And what has over 60 years in the trade taught him? "First, we've simplified magic instead of making it more complicated. I haven't seen a magic trick -- or effect as I like	to call them -- that I didn't recognize before the magician begins. There are about 50 principles in magic, everything is a variation of them. In the old days we had long, great tables covered over so people could hide underneath, we've gotten away from that, and I thinks that's good." Born in Pennsylvania, Hinkson began working with magic at age 7. By age 13 he astounded the teachers and pupils at his school by escaping from a packing case that had been nailed shut.	Wilford and Helen Hinkson have performed for nearly 60 years as Wilford the Wizard and Princess Helena. Trained doves are always part of the routine.
		Since then he has toured almost every state and has been on two foreign tours. Eventually he settled in Utah and organized the Intermountain Magicians Assembly. He's been president of the organization twice. And in that time he's seen about everything. Once the government sent him onto the Navajo to perform. The idea was to break the hold the medicine men had over the tribe by giving the tribe a taste of white man's magic. "When I was done I didn't get a hand," he says. "Finally some white men there began to applaud and then the house came down with applause."	As for the future, The Great Wilford plans to keep helping young magicians, perhaps mounting a show or two, maybe even a tour for the better ones. "In Utah there are so many talented magicians it's hard to get a good price for a show," he says. "The big money must be made elsewhere." Still, for a full-time magician living in Utah, Hinkson has done rather well. But then after 60 years in the trade he knows all the tricks in the book.
		Wilford the Wizard demonstrates his prowess at trickery while his wife, "Princess Helena," awaits her turn to help. Deseret news photos by Gerald Silver

Old Magicians don't fade away they go 'poof!'

Old Magicians don't fade away
they go 'poof!'