author
Carlton
1881–1942
A celebrated British stage magician and variety performer, he was best known as “The Human Hairpin” and for a career built on sharp comedy, illusion, and showmanship. His memoir offers a lively firsthand look at the world of early 20th-century entertainment.
1 Audiobook
Twenty Years of Spoof and Bluff
by Carlton
About the author
Born Arthur Carlton Phelps in 1881, he performed under the stage name Carlton and became a well-known figure in British variety entertainment. Sources describe him as a comedy magician and card manipulator, remembered especially for the act that earned him the nickname “The Human Hairpin.”
Carlton developed a strong reputation on the stage in the early 1900s, with performances that blended illusion, humor, and polished presentation. The Magic Circle notes that he was one of the best-known comedy magicians of his time, and his career left enough of an impression that he is still remembered by magic historians and collectors.
He is also associated with Twenty Years of Spoof and Bluff, a memoir that recounts his path from humble beginnings into professional show business. He died in 1942, but his name survives through that entertaining snapshot of theatrical life behind the scenes.