Who was Dante the magician?

Dante was the stage name of Harry August Jansen, an illusionist who was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1883 and came to the United States as a child. Howard Thurston gave him the name Dante and put him in charge of a second touring Thurston show. Dante’s magic words, “Sim Sala Bim,” became his trademark and the name of the show he took to Broadway in 1940. He toured the world from 1927 and appeared in a Laurel and Hardy film in 1942. He died at his ranch in California in June 1955.

Who was Dante the magician?

Dante was a touring stage illusionist. His real name was Harry August Jansen. Wikipedia and a 2018 profile by Sébastien Bazou on Artefake, first published in MAGICUS magazine, both say he was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1883.

He came to the United States as a child. Wikipedia and the Artefake profile both say his family settled in St. Paul, Minnesota, when he was six. One other account we read, on the Throwing Cards blog, says the family settled in Chicago instead, so treat the city as uncertain.

How did he get the name Dante?

From the illusionist Howard Thurston. Wikipedia says “Thurston gave Jansen the stage name of Dante,” and the Artefake profile says the same: Thurston turned the name Jansen into “Dante.”

Thurston also gave him a show to run. Wikipedia says Thurston engaged Jansen “to star in the #2 Thurston show,” and the Throwing Cards blog describes Thurston offering Jansen the chance to star in a second touring show. The sources disagree on the year: Wikipedia says 1922, while the Artefake profile says 1923. If you’d like to know more about Thurston himself, read our post who was Howard Thurston?

What does “Sim Sala Bim” mean?

Nothing. Wikipedia describes it as three nonsense words that were Dante’s stage trademark, adapted from a Danish children’s song. The Artefake profile calls them “magic words” inspired by an old Danish lullaby.

The words also became the name of his show. Dante took Sim Sala Bim to Broadway in 1940, at the Morosco Theatre in New York. Wikipedia, the Artefake profile and the Throwing Cards blog all give that year and that theatre.

Where did Dante perform?

All over the world. The Artefake profile says that in 1927 he set out on a world tour, and the Throwing Cards blog says that in May 1927 he left the United States and went on to travel the world. The Magic Detective blog also places a Dante tour in South America in 1927, sent there by Thurston.

The exact route of those tours isn’t something our sources agree on in detail, so we’ll leave the map blank rather than guess.

Was Dante in films?

Yes. He appeared as Dante the Magician in the 1942 Laurel and Hardy comedy A-Haunting We Will Go. Wikipedia’s article on the film lists him in the cast and in its starring line next to Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, with a release date of August 7, 1942. The Artefake profile and the Throwing Cards blog also mention the film.

When did Dante die?

In June 1955, at his ranch in Northridge, in California’s San Fernando Valley. Wikipedia and the Throwing Cards blog both say he died of a heart attack. The day is less certain: the Artefake profile, Magicpedia and the Throwing Cards blog give June 16, 1955, while Wikipedia gives June 15. He was 71.

Who else should you read about?

Our suggestion: if you enjoyed Dante’s story, our magic history series also covers Alexander Herrmann, Harry Kellar and Howard Thurston, three more stage magicians.

What helps you take it further?

• Howard Thurston’s Card Tricks by Howard Thurston. A free 44-page PDF of the young Thurston’s own card system, from 1901, covering the back palm, flourishes and the rising cards. It’s a look at the magician who gave Dante his name.

Browse more public-domain classics in our free ebooks.

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