The audience watched with wondrous expectation. The internationally acclaimed magician Chung Ling Soo was about to perform his famous “Condemned to Death by the Boxers” trick. The illusionist claimed to be able to catch a bullet in mid-flight as it hurled toward him.

Even though everyone expected the gunshot, an involuntary startle gripped the spectators as the deafening sound reverberated through London’s Wood GreenEmpire theater. Chung Ling Soo grabbed his chest and doubled over. Audience members looked at each other with baffled expressions. Surely, this was all part of the act, wasn’t it? The performer then cried out and the curtain fell. A collective gasp could be heard as his words sunk in. Something totally unexpected had happened. Chung Ling Soo had been shot, but almost as shocking were the words he said: “Oh my God! Something’s happened! Lower the curtain.”

To understand why his words had as much impact as the sight of a man being shot on stage, we must learn a bit about Chung Ling Soo’s background. He was born in Westchester County, New York in 1861. At an early age, he became fascinated by the art of illusion and found he had a gift not only for magic but for theatrics. By the age of 14, he was performing in his own magic show.

He was good, but he needed something extra to give him the edge he would need to succeed in a highly competitive field. This was, after all, the era of magic’s biggest names. To be competitive, he would have to stand out against such legends as Harry Houdini.

One of the most celebrated illusionists of the late 19th century was the Chinese magician Ching Ling Foo. The hero of our story decided to model his act after the famous Chinese magician. He emulated his style, incorporated variations of his illusions, and even dressed like him.

This, really, was the start of the biggest illusion of his career. You see, Chung Ling Soo was not born with that name. It, too, was inspired by the man he sought to emulate. He was not, in fact, remotely a product of Chinese lineage. His real name was William Robinson. He was of Scottish descent. To pull off this illusion, Robinson would have to convince the world that he was a mysterious son of the Orient.

Robinson threw himself into the facade. He shaved his facial hair, wore his hair in a queue, and darkened his features with yellowish greasepaint. Traditional Chinese clothing enhanced the illusion. To top it off, he pretended to have no command of the English language.

Robinson a/k/a Chung Ling Soo created an elaborate background story for himself. He presented himself to the world as an American-born son of a Scottish missionary who married a Cantonese bride. Orphaned by the age of 13, he was raised by Arr Hee, a Chinese mystic who taught him ancient and nearly-lost magical arts from the Orient.

The illusion was successful. Chung Ling Soo’s fame grew and spread throughout the United States and beyond. For eighteen years, he delighted and mystified audiences with his dazzling and mystifying displays of magic.

Few suspected his real identity or background. That’s why, on March 23, 1918, when the “Condemned to Death by the Boxers” trick went horribly wrong, the audience got a double shock. The prop gun malfunctioned and accidentally fired a real bullet at the performer, fatally striking him in the chest.

As he doubled over and cried, “Oh my God! Something’s happened! Lower the curtain,” the audience struggled to come to grips with what they were witnessing. Those were the first — and last — English words Chung Ling Soo had spoken during his illustrious career.

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