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Ventriloquist

Will B. Wood

He toured three continents billed as the Kellar of South America, patented an illusion the whole trade copied, and vanished into the Gulf of Mexico with his own figures still packed in the trunk.

  • 1862–1908
Vintage poster: Wood, the World's Greatest Ventriloquist, standing among several of his figures
A turn-of-the-century poster billing him “The World’s Greatest Ventriloquist,” surrounded by several of his figures. Via Travalanche (Trav S.D.).

On the night of January 20, 1908, a tugboat called the Cuneto Bulnes went down in a storm off the coast of Yucatan, a schooner in tow behind it. The captain and crew made it. The only two passengers aboard did not.[1] One of them was Will B. Wood, a ventriloquist and illusionist who had spent twenty years on stages across three continents. The other was his daughter. Nobody ever found either body. What came back instead, over the years that followed, were his figures: wooden heads, swollen and split from the seawater, a couple of them still holding his own name where he'd packed it into the mouth mechanism.[2] Pull up a chair. This one starts at the bottom of the Gulf and works its way backward to a woodshed in Pennsylvania.

A Kellar boy who built his own name

He was born William Wood, most likely in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, sometime around 1861 or 1862.[1] A newspaper notice from December 1883 called him "the wonderful boy ventriloquist and magician" and had him at seventeen, which would push his birth year out five more than every other record on him.[1] Show business has always been loose with a performer's age when "boy wonder" is the billing. I won't pretend to settle it. I'll just note that the same instinct for a good stage story followed him his whole career.

By 1886 he was working for Harry Kellar, the biggest illusionist in the country at the time, and he stayed in Kellar's company until around 1890.[1] Somewhere in those years the trade hung a nickname on him that stuck for good: the Kellar of South America.[1]

Edna, and the levitation with her name on it

His wife performed under the name Edna, the Human Orchid, a role she'd already been playing in Kellar's own company before she became Wood's partner in life and on stage.[1] On November 12, 1889, Wood filed two patents of his own: an illusion where a woman lifted clear off the floor, walked on air, turned around, and turned over while she floated.[1] He named the effect after his wife and put it on the poster in letters bigger than his own: "Wood's Great Sensation Edna."[2] The next year he won a $3,200 verdict against a rival who'd copied it outright, real money and a real vindication.[1] Long after Wood was gone, Adelaide Herrmann was still performing the same trick under her own name, "The Maid of the Moon."[1] The illusion outlived the man who patented it, which is its own kind of immortality for an inventor.

Twenty countries and a pistol shot

Wood built his own company and took it everywhere a boat or a mule could reach. In 1891 he toured North America billed alongside Martha and Charles Steen, a telepath and a spiritualism debunker, through Vancouver, Los Angeles, and El Paso.[1] By October 1895 he'd already worked South America and was talking up a Spain tour next; four months later a single notice tracked him through twenty countries, Nicaragua and Ecuador among them, three cities in Argentina, two in Brazil, the company weathering fever, a cholera scare, and a run-in with smallpox along the way.[1] He finally toured his own country properly in 1901 and 1902.[1] Then from 1903 to 1906 he ran a three-year swing from Mexico City down through Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, with his manager Hastings Clawson keeping notes on corrupt officials, a revolution or two, and a month at a stretch on mule back between towns the railroad hadn't reached yet.[1] When Edna's health finally forced her off the stage in June 1906, their daughter Bertha stepped into the act.[1] By then Wood's signature was the Pistol Shot Vanish: he fired a pistol, and Bertha disappeared from the stage in the flash.[2]

Twenty countries, a levitation with his wife's name on it, and a pistol shot that made his own daughter vanish on cue. That's a full career by any measure, and he was still touring when it ended.

The wreck, and what the sea gave back

Wood and Bertha were on that Gulf of Mexico run in January 1908, headed from Frontera, Mexico, to Progreso, Yucatan, when the storm hit. The tug's captain and crew survived. The only two passengers aboard did not, and neither body was ever recovered.[1] The story got stranger from there. Some papers ran with murder, one claiming pirates were behind it, another that the crew had robbed the pair and left them "to the sharks."[1] His widow later told authorities he'd been carrying some $14,000 in English bank notes.[1] The Society of American Magicians, of which Wood wasn't even a member, passed a resolution asking the federal government and President Roosevelt himself to investigate.[1] The State Department eventually reported back that it found no evidence of foul play.[1] Edna wasn't satisfied. She sailed to Vera Cruz herself that June to look into it.[1]

One theatrical trunk survived the wreck and eventually made its way to a friend of Wood's, magician Frederick Eugene Powell, and then to a collector named John Petrie: full of Wood's large ventriloquist figures and the lithographs for his illusions.[1] Separately, and more strangely, wooden heads started washing ashore. A pair of them, both female, are the ones a collector named Alan Cook eventually photographed and passed down; he suspected, though he couldn't be certain, that they'd been retrieved from the sea and returned to Edna as the widow.[3] By 1958, the International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists' president, W.S. Berger, was reporting that four of Wood's figures, salvaged from that same Gulf of Mexico wreck, had come into the Vent Haven collection, including a clown figure donated by the Petrie-Lewis Manufacturing Company.[4] A year later, another IBV writer was still hoping somebody would sit down and write Wood's full story, noting the 1889 patent as a lead worth chasing.[5] That biography never got written. Consider this archive a start on it.

Poster: Wood's Great Sensation Edna, showing a levitating woman in flowing light

Wood's Great Sensation Edna

The levitation Wood patented in 1889 and named for his wife. He billed it bigger than his own name, and the trick outlasted him: Adelaide Herrmann was still performing a version of it years later.

Photo via Travalanche
William Wood posing with two of his ventriloquist figures

Wood and two of his figures

A studio portrait from the height of his touring years, the vent seated with his partners the way every act of that era staged the picture: the performer standing, the figures given the chair.

Photo: Autistic Wanderer, via Find A Grave
A Will B. Wood ventriloquist figure head, seawater-damaged, with the mouth broken open

A survivor, seawater and all

One of the heads that came out of the Gulf of Mexico. The mouth mechanism split from the water damage, the wig matted, the paint chipped but the face unmistakable.

Photo via Ventriloquist Central Blog
A female Will B. Wood ventriloquist figure head, mounted on a display stand

One of the female heads

Likely one of the pair returned to Edna Wood after the wreck. Female figures are rare survivors from this era of the trade, which makes this face, and its sister head, worth the extra look.

Photo via Ventriloquist Central Blog

The circle

No act tours three continents alone. Here's who traveled with Wood, in the record and after it.

mentor Harry Kellar wife Edna Wood, “the Human Orchid” daughter Bertha Wood manager Hastings Clawson later performed the trick Adelaide Herrmann collector Alan Cook keeper Vent Haven Museum

That's an unusual way for a performer to be remembered. Most vents live on through the people who saw the show and passed the story down. Wood's figures did something rarer: they survived the ocean he didn't, and fifty years on they were still the clearest evidence anyone had that he'd stood on a stage at all.

Freddy Fiddlesticks, the Ventriloquism.org spokesdummy

He packed his own name into their mouths, and the sea gave it back to him. That's the only billing that ever mattered.— Freddy Fiddlesticks, spokesdummy

Sightings in the newspapers

25 dated notices between 1891 and 1891. Each links to the scanned page at the Library of Congress. Browse all Career Snippets

  1. 1891Jan 26 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Premier Ventriloquist and Magician,' performed at the Metropolitan Theater (Chas. P. Hall, proprietor and manager), Sacramento, in the week commencing Monday, January 26, 1891, alongside Martha E. Steen, Prof. Chas. N. Steen, and Edna 'Queen of the Air'; prices were 25c, 50c and 75c. Metropolitan Theater page
  2. 1891Jan 29 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Premier Ventriloquist and Magician,' performed all week (week of January 29, 1891) as part of Steen & Woods' World of Mystery and Novelties, alongside Martha E. Steen, Prof. Chas. N. Steen, and Edna the Queen of the Air. Woods' World page
  3. 1891Jan 29 Will B. Wood was billed as 'Premier Ventriloquist and Magician' in Steen & Woods' World of Mystery and Novelties, playing all week starting January 29, 1891, described as 'a most novel and refined entertainment.' Woods' World page
  4. 1891Jan 31 Billed as 'Premier Ventriloquist and Magician' with Steen Woods' World of Mystery and Novelties, performing at a theater with matinee and evening shows on Saturday, January 31st (1891), including a children's matinee at 3 o'clock. Steen Woods' World page
  5. 1891Jan 31 Billed as 'Premier Ventriloquist and Magician' with Steen Woods' World of Mystery and Novelties, performing at a matinee and evening show on Saturday, January 31 (per the January 31, 1891 newspaper), alongside Martha E. Steen (mental telegraphy), Prof. Chas. N. Steen (exposer of Spiritualism), and Edna, 'Queen of the Air'. Steen Woods' World page
  6. 1891Feb 4 Billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician' as part of Steen Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties at the New Los Angeles Theatre, one week beginning Monday, February 1891. New Los Angeles Theatre · Steen Wood's World page
  7. 1891Feb 4 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared as part of Steinwood's World of Mystery and Novelties at the New Los Angeles Theatre for one week commencing Monday, February 1891 (per newspaper dated 1891-02-04), alongside Martha E. Stern, Prof. Chas. N. Stern, and Edna 'Queen of the Air.' New Los Angeles Theatre · Steinwood's World page
  8. 1891Feb 5 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared as part of 'Stexa Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties,' an engagement commencing Monday, February 9, with seats on sale from February 6th (per Feb 5, 1891 newspaper notice). Stexa Wood's World page
  9. 1891Feb 5 Will B. Wood was billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician' in Stkena Wood's 'World of Mystery and Novelties' show, part of a program including Martha E. Stken (thought transmission/mental telegraphy), Prof. Chas. N. Stern (exposer of Spiritualism), and Edna 'Queen of the Air'; engagement commencing Monday, February 9, with seats on sale after February 6th. page
  10. 1891Feb 6 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared with the Steen & Woods 'World of Mystery and Novelties' engagement at the New Los Angeles Theatre, Los Angeles, opening the week of Monday February 1891 (seats on sale from February 6th). New Los Angeles Theatre page
  11. 1891Feb 6 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared as part of Steen & Wood's 'World of Mystery and Novelties' at the New Los Angeles Theatre (H. C. Wyatt, manager), one week commencing Monday, February 9, with seats on sale from February 6, 1891. New Los Angeles Theatre page
  12. 1891Feb 6 Will B. Wood, ventriloquist and magician, performed with his 'wooden-headed automatic family' figures (over five feet tall) that talk, sing, and dance, sharing the bill with Professor Chas. N. Steen, 'Edna, queen of the air,' and 'the human orchid,' per a newspaper item dated Feb. 6, 1891. page
  13. 1891Feb 6 Will B. Wood, billed as 'the ventriloquist and magician,' performed as part of a traveling variety/spiritualism show (San Gabriel area, per Feb. 1891 report), introducing his 'wooden-headed automatic family,' described as the largest and finest such figures ever presented, over five feet in height, that 'talk, sing, and dance as naturally as human beings.' page
  14. 1891Feb 8 Will B. Wood, billed as Ventriloquist and Magician, appeared with Steen Wood's Would Ok Mystery and Novelties company at the New Los Angeles Theatre, one week commencing Monday February 9, 1891. New Los Angeles Theatre page
  15. 1891Feb 8 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared at the New Los Angeles Theatre (H. C. Wyatt, Manager) for one week beginning Monday, February 9, 1891, as part of Steenwood's 'Mystery and Novelties' show alongside Martha E. Steen and Prof. Chas. N. Steen. New Los Angeles Theatre page
  16. 1891Feb 10 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared at the New Los Angeles Theatre in Los Angeles for one week beginning Monday, February 9, 1891, as part of Steen Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties, alongside Martha E. Steen (Silent Transmission of Thought/Mental Telegraphy/Second Sight), Prof. Chas. N. Steen (exposer of Spiritualism), and Edka, 'Queen of the Air.' New Los Angeles Theatre · Steen Wood's World page
  17. 1891Feb 10 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared as part of 'Steen Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties' at the New Los Angeles Theatre, one week commencing Monday, February 9, 1891, managed by H. C. Wyatt. New Los Angeles Theatre · Steen Wood's World page
  18. 1891Feb 12 Will B. Wood was billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician' with Steen & Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties, one week engagement commencing Monday February 9 at the Theatre managed by H. C. Wyatt; seats on sale from February 6th. Theatre · Wood's World page
  19. 1891Feb 12 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared with Steen & Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties at the Los Angeles Theatre for one week beginning Monday, February 9, 1891, managed by H. C. Wyatt. Los Angeles Theatre · Wood's World page
  20. 1891Feb 13 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared as part of Steen Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties at the New Los Angeles Theatre, one week commencing Monday, February 9, 1891. New Los Angeles Theatre · Steen Wood's World page
  21. 1891Feb 13 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared as part of 'Steen Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties' at the New Los Angeles Theatre for the week commencing Monday, February 9, 1891, alongside Martha E. Steen (Silent Transmission of Thought/Second Sight) and Prof. Chas. N. Steen. New Los Angeles Theatre · Steen Wood's World page
  22. 1891Feb 14 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' performed in Steen Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties at the New Los Angeles Theatre, Los Angeles, on the 'Last Night' Challenge Contest bill (Feb. 14, 1891 issue), sharing the bill with Martha E. Steen, Prof. Chas. N. Steen, and Edna, Queen of the Air. New Los Angeles Theatre · Steen Wood's World page
  23. 1891Feb 14 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' performed as part of 'Steen Wood's World of Mystery and Novelties' at the New Los Angeles Theatre (H. C. Wyatt, Manager) on the show's last night, per a February 1891 ad, sharing the bill with Martha E. Steen, Prof. Chas. N. Steen (billed as 'the world's greatest exposer of Spiritualism'), and Edna, 'Queen of the Air.' New Los Angeles Theatre · Steen Wood's World page
  24. 1891Feb 15 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared as part of 'Steenwood's World of Mystery and Novelties' at the New Los Angeles Theatre (H. C. Wyatt, manager) with a farewell performance on a Sunday evening, per the Feb. 15, 1891 newspaper. New Los Angeles Theatre · Steenwood's World page
  25. 1891Feb 15 Will B. Wood, billed as 'Ventriloquist and Magician,' appeared in 'Steenwood's World of Mystery and Novelties' at the New Los Angeles Theatre (H. C. Wyatt, manager) for a farewell performance on a Sunday evening, per an item dated 1891-02-15. New Los Angeles Theatre · Steenwood's World page

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, “William Wood (ventriloquist)”, corroborated by Magicpedia’s biography citing Variety (Mar. 7, 1908), The Baltimore Sun (Mar. 2, 1908), The New York Times (Jun. 17, 1906; Apr. 12, 1908), The Era (Oct. 12, 1895; Feb. 1, 1896), M-U-M magazine (Richard Hatch, Jul. 2006), and U.S. Patents 415,084 and 415,085 (Nov. 12, 1889)
  2. Magicpedia (Genii), “Will B. Wood”
  3. Alan Cook, via Ventriloquist Central Blog, “Vaudeville Ventriloquist William Wood’s Female Dummy Heads”
  4. The Oracle (International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists), July 8, 1958 issue — W.S. Berger’s report from the Buffalo convention on the Petrie-Lewis Mfg. Co. donation
  5. The Oracle (International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists), July 8, 1959 issue — note on the 1889 patent and the biography never written
  6. Alan Cook, via Ventriloquist Central Blog, “William Wood, World’s Greatest Ventriloquist circa 1900-1910” — the seawater-damaged figure photographs
  7. Find A Grave memorial 160303903, “William Wood” — photo contributed by Autistic Wanderer
  8. Trav S.D., “More Creepy Ventriloquists: William Wood,” Travalanche (Oct. 24, 2014)