Chung Ling Soo

Chung Ling Soo was the stage name of William Robinson (American, 1861-1918). Never able to establish his own act, Robinson “borrowed” the act of a Chinese performer named Ching Ling Foo. After moving to England, Robinson pretended to be a Chinese conjurer for eighteen years, fooling his audience with his magic and his appearance. His career and secret were cut short in 1918 when his bullet catch illusion went horribly wrong and he died from a bullet wound to his chest.