Richard Potter (magician)
Encyclopedia
Richard Potter was a magician
, hypnotist
and ventriloquist
. Potter was born in Boston
; his father was a British tax collector and his mother a black servant. He became a well-known magician in the New England
area. He eventually performed up and down the east coast
, going as far south as Alabama
. Potter's only run-in with prejudice was in Mobile, Alabama
. Despite this issue, Potter still made over $4000 during his visit. Richard Potter was the first African-American magician and the first American-born magician to gain fame in his own country. Later in life he moved to New Hampshire
and purchased a large amount of land. The village of Potter Place
where he lived was named after him.
Potter inspired Grace Metalious's character Samuel Peyton in the novel Peyton Place
.
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
, hypnotist
Stage hypnosis
Stage hypnosis is hypnosis performed in front of an audience for the purposes of entertainment, usually in a theatre or club. Expert opinion is divided over whether participants' responses are best explained as being due to an altered state of consciousness or by a combination of deliberate...
and ventriloquist
Ventriloquism
Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is an act of stagecraft in which a person manipulates his or her voice so that it appears that the voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered "dummy"...
. Potter was born in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
; his father was a British tax collector and his mother a black servant. He became a well-known magician in the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
area. He eventually performed up and down the east coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, going as far south as Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Potter's only run-in with prejudice was in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. Despite this issue, Potter still made over $4000 during his visit. Richard Potter was the first African-American magician and the first American-born magician to gain fame in his own country. Later in life he moved to New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and purchased a large amount of land. The village of Potter Place
Andover, New Hampshire
Andover is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,371 at the 2010 census. Andover includes the villages of Cilleyville, Potter Place, and East Andover, in addition to the town center...
where he lived was named after him.
Potter inspired Grace Metalious's character Samuel Peyton in the novel Peyton Place
Peyton Place (novel)
Peyton Place is a 1956 novel by Grace Metalious. It sold 60,000 copies within the first ten days of its release and remained on the New York Times best seller list for 59 weeks. It was adapted as both a 1957 film and a 1964–69 television series....
.