Claude Alexander Conlin

Claude Alexander Conlin, active from the early 20th century, was a multifaceted figure known by various stage names including "Alexander, The Man Who Knows." He began his career as a vaudeville magician specializing in mentalism and psychic readings, often incorporating a crystal ball and Oriental-style attire into his performances. Beyond the stage, he provided private readings for clients. His career spanned a period of significant popularity, during which he was reputedly one of the highest-paid mentalists globally. Alexander also developed innovative electrical stage effects, precursors to modern technology.

Conlin's life extended beyond performance into authorship. He penned pitch books, New Thought pamphlets, and works on psychology, often under the name C. Alexander. His publishing company, C. Alexander Publishing Company, released his own astrological and pro-Spiritualist material, alongside works by other New Thought authors. Notably, he published "The Life and Mysteries of The Celebrated Dr. Q," which exposed fraudulent spiritualist techniques while also exploring the potential truths within Spiritualism. His writings also included guides on affirmative prayer, mediumship development, and crystal scrying, connecting him to the New Thought movement.

Claude Alexander achieved considerable fame as "Alexander, The Man Who Knows" between 1915 and 1924. His act focused on mental telepathy and mind reading, where he would answer sealed questions from the audience, often using a crystal ball as a focal point. While his methods were kept secret during his lifetime, he is recognized for pioneering electrical stage effects that anticipated modern electronic stage technology. These innovations often involved assistants covertly gathering information and relaying it to him via hidden earpieces. At the peak of his career in the 1920s, biographers consistently report him as the world's highest-paid mentalist, earning millions and retiring from the stage at age 47 in 1927.

Following his stage retirement, Alexander continued to engage with spiritual and psychological themes through his writing. He authored several books and pamphlets, including "The Life and Mysteries of The Celebrated Dr. Q," which offered insights into the methods of fraudulent mediums. Concurrently, through his C. Alexander Publishing Company, he promoted New Thought principles and Spiritualism. His publications included a five-volume series on "The Inner Secrets of Psychology" and guides for the "Crystal Silence League," detailing techniques for affirmative prayer, developing mediumship, and crystal ball scrying. His bookshop also stocked works by prominent New Thought figures like William Walker Atkinson.

Alexander's personal life was marked by complexity and numerous reported marriages, with accounts varying significantly among biographers and family members, ranging from seven to fourteen marriages. His life also involved brushes with the law, including jail time, an escape, and a trial for attempted extortion. He admitted to killing four men and was involved in a high-speed pursuit involving contraband liquor. Despite these controversies, he maintained friendships within the entertainment industry after retiring from the stage. His legacy includes not only his performances and writings but also the preservation of his stage materials, which were later sold to magic dealers.