Gerald Heaney

Gerald Vincent Heaney (January 26, 1899 – December 26, 1974) was a stage magician and magic supplier from Berlin, Wisconsin, United States. "Heaney the Great" and his magic show toured North America for a number of years during the mid 1900s. Early life Gerald Heaney was born on January 26, 1899, in Berlin, Wisconsin, to John and Agnes Heaney. John Heaney owned a jewelry store in Berlin, one of its earliest businesses. Gerald's interest in magic began at the age of 15 when he met Henry Boughton (Harry Blackstone Sr.). Boughton was preparing for a performance in Berlin and asked the jeweler to create a piece of equipment for him. Boughton had not yet adopted the Blackstone pseudonym and was billed as "Frederick the Great". Boughton befriended Heaney, at times referring to him as "the kid from Berlin". He and Heaney remained friends until Boughton's death in 1965. Career and marriage After his encounter with Blackstone, Heaney became interested in producing magical supplies. When the family jewelry store closed in 1922, Heaney announced that he would devote all of his time to the development of magical goods. To this end, he started a mail order business for magical books, tricks, novelties and other supplies.