Beating a Dead Horse: A Family Legacy in Magic’s Golden Age

Step into the hidden world of American magic through the eyes of one of its most storied families. In this engaging lecture, Alexander “Sandy” Marshall shares stories from Beating a Dead Horse, his vivid and deeply personal biography of his father, the legendary magician Jay Marshall—celebrated for his long-running nightclub and television career, his partnership with Frances Ireland, his unforgettable comic persona “Lefty,” and appearances in three Broadway shows. Both Jay Marshall and Sandy’s grandfather, Al Baker, also served as Deans of the Society of American Magicians, signifying their lasting influence on the art.

Marshall reflects on Baker’s legacy as a brilliant creator and friend of Harry Houdini, whose innovations helped shape modern close-up magic. Though Baker died when Marshall was just a young lad, his presence—and impact—resonates throughout the family’s story.

Blending personal narrative with cultural history, Marshall brings to life the Golden Age of Magic in New York City: a world of vaudeville stages, trade secrets, and larger-than-life performers. He also shares his own journey—from winning the American Championship of Magic at 17 to a multifaceted career as an actor, writer, director, and producer—while remaining a lifelong student of the art and now steward of Magic Inc. in Chicago.

Rich with humor, insight, and rare firsthand perspective, this talk reveals the human stories behind the magic—and the enduring legacy of a magical family.

Photo courtesy of Sandy & Susan Marshall.

SEATING POLICY | Programs are free and open to all, but registration is requested. Check-in line forms 45 minutes before the advertised start time. Registered guests are given priority check-in 15 to 30 minutes before start time. Five minutes before the advertised start time, all seats are released, regardless of registration, to our patrons in the stand-by line. If you arrive after the program starts, you will be seated at the discretion of our front-of-house staff.

STANDBY LINE | If registration is sold out or has ended, do not fret! We welcome you to come to the Library regardless of registration status and wait in our standby line, which forms 45 minutes before the advertised start time. Five minutes before the program starts, all remaining seats are released. While this is not guaranteed, we will do our best to get you into any of our programs.

ASSISTIVE LISTENING AND ASL | ASL interpretation and real-time (CART) captioning available upon request. Please submit your request at least two weeks in advance by emailing [email protected].

AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING | Programs may be photographed and recorded by and at the discretion of the Library for the Performing Arts and will post signs indicating as such. If you would prefer your image not be captured, please let us know and we can seat you accordingly. Attending any program indicates your consent to being filmed/photographed and your consent to the use of your recorded image for any and all purposes of the New York Public Library.

PRESS | Please send all press inquiries to Alex Teplitzky at [email protected]. Please note that all recording, including professional video recordings, are prohibited without expressed consent from the Library.

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Host or Publisher New York Public Library for the Performing Arts