Mad & Wicked Magicians: Film & TV List

Mad and mischievous magicians have been appearing (and disappearing) in movies since 1896 when the godfather of trick filmmaking, Georges Méliès, first made a woman vanish and then reappear as a skeleton right before our very eyes. The short curiosity piece was called Escamotage d'une Dame au Théâtre Robert Houdin; or, The Vanishing Lady, and it launched the infant motion picture business into the realm of fantastic spectacles and celluloid entertainment through fictionalized, and often amazing, scenarios. Compiled here is a list of evil and criminal stage magicians on film and television. From the crooked con, villainous murderer, to the completely insane, these unethical illusionists have thrilled, chilled, and shocked us with magic, murder, and mayhem for many decades. The following list proves just how popular these wicked villains truly are.

1. Escamotage d'une Dame au Théâtre Robert Houdin (1896; a.k.a. The Vanishing Lady)  
2. Un Homme de Tête (1898; a.k.a. The Four Troublesome Heads)
3. Hooligan Assists the Magician (1900) 
4. The Mystic Swing (1900) 
5. La Clownesse Fantôme (1902; a.k.a. The Magician and the Imp) 
6. L'Enchanteur Alcofribas (1903; a.k.a. Alcofribas the Master Magician) 
7. Les Bulles de Savon Animées (1906; a.k.a. Soap Bubbles) 
8. Les Illusions Fantaisistes (1910)  
9. The Master Mystery (1918)
10. The Magician (1926)
11. West of Zanzibar (1928)
12. Kongo (1932) 
13. Popeye: King of the Mardi Gras (1935) -- animated short 
14. Miracles for Sale (1939)
15. Merrie Melodies: Case of the Missing Haare (1942) -- animated short 
16. Mighty Mouse and the Magician (1948) -- animated short; cats steal a magician's wand & terrorize a village of mice 
17. Adventures of Superman: "A Ghost for Scotland Yard" (1953) -- TV series episode 
18. The Silver Chalice (1954)
19. The Mad Magician (1954) -- in 3-D 
20. The Magician (1958)
21. The Red Skelton Show: "Deadeye and the Magician" (1960) -- variety TV show episode 
22. Magic Mansion (1965-1968) -- TV series 
23. Woody Woodpecker: Tragic Magic (1962) -- animated film short 
24. Two On a Guillotine (1965) 
25. The New Adventures of Superman: "The Deadly Super-Doll" (1966) -- animated TV series episode 
26. The Wild Wild West: "The Night of the Druid's Blood" (1966) -- TV series episode 
27. The Wild Wild West: "The Night of the Eccentrics" (1966) -- TV series episode 
28. The Pink Panther: The Hand is Pinker Than the Eye (1967) -- animated short 
29. Theatre 625: "The Magicians: Edmund Gurney and the Brighton Mesmerist" (1967) -- TV series episode 
30. The Wild Wild West: "The Night of the Feathered Fury" (1967) -- TV series episode 
31. Frosty the Snowman (1969) -- animated short 
32. The Magnificent Six and 1/2: The Magician (1969) -- film short 
33. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: "Hassle in the Castle" (1969) -- animated TV series episode 
34. The Wizard of Gore (1970)
35. Lidsville (1971) -- TV series 
36. The New Scooby-Doo Movies: "A Good Medium is Rare" (1972) -- animated TV series episode 
37. Dusty's Trail: "The Magician" (1973) -- TV series episode 
38. The World of Sid & Marty Krofft: H.R. Pufnstuf Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1973) 
39. Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell (1974; a.k.a. Shogun Assassin 5: Cold Road to Hell) -- murderous cult uses fake magic tricks and illusions 
40. The Scooby-Doo Show: "Scared a Lot in Camelot" (1976) -- animated TV series episode 
41. Baggy Pants and the Nitwits: "The Magician's Assistant" (1977) -- animated TV series episode 
42. Scooby's All Star Laff-A-Lympics (1977-1980) -- animated TV series 
43. The Bay City Rollers Meet the Saturday Superstars (1978) -- TV special 
44. Magic (1978)
45. The Krofft Superstar Hour (1978-1979) -- TV series 
46. Scooby and Scrappy-Doo: "The Sorcerer's a Menace" (1979) -- animated TV series episode 
47. The Magic Treasure (198?) -- animated short 
48. Terror Train (1980)
49. The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries/Scooby and Scrappy-Doo: "A Halloween Hassle at Dracula's Castle" (1984) -- animated TV series episode 
50. Friday the 13th - The Series: "The Great Montarro" (1987) -- TV series episode 
51. Matlock: "The Magician" (1988) -- TV series episode 
52. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: "For Letter or Worse" (1988) -- animated TV series episode 
53. Penn and Teller Get Killed (1990)
54. Zorro: "The Magician" (1990) -- TV series episode 
55. The Linguini Incident (1991)
56. Are You Afraid of the Dark?: "The Tale of the Magician's Assistant" (1993) -- TV series episode 
57. The Pink Panther: "That Old Pink Magic" (1993) -- animated TV series episode 
58. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman: "Illusions of Grandeur" (1994) -- TV series episode 
59. Lord of Illusions (1995)
60. Santa and the Magician (1995) -- animated short 
61. Goosebumps: "Bad Hare Day" (1996) -- TV series episode 
62. Animaniacs: "Magic Time" (1998) -- animated TV series episode 
63. The Power Puff Girls: "Abracadaver" (1998) -- animated TV series episode 
64. The Magician's House (1999) -- TV mini-series 
65. The Magician's House II (2000) -- short film 
66. The Ripping Friends: "The Muscle Magician" (2001) -- animated TV series episode 
67. Courage the Cowardly Dog: "Mondo Magic" (2002) -- animated TV series episode 
68. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: "Abra Cadaver" (2002) -- TV series episode 
69. Mona the Vampire: "The Alien Magician" (2002) -- animated TV series episode 
70. What's New, Scooby-Doo?: "Riva Ras Regas" (2002) -- animated TV series episode 
71. Stripperella: "The Evil Magicians" (2004) -- animated TV series episode 
72. The Fairly OddParents: "The Masked Magician" (2005) -- animated TV series episode 
73. Justice League Unlimited: "Flash and Substance" (2006) -- animated TV series episode 
74. The Prestige (2006)
75. CID: "The Case of the Vanishing Magician" (2007) -- TV series episode 
76. CSI: NY: "Sleight Out of Hand" (2007) -- TV series episode 
77. Magicians (2007) -- a sleazy magician appears 
78. The Wizard of Gore (2007)
79. Midsomer Murders: "The Magician's Nephew" (2008) -- TV series episode 
80. Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King (2008)
81. Focusnici (2009: a.k.a. Magicians) -- short film 
82. Monk: "Mr. Monk and the Magician" (2009) -- TV series episode 
83. Adaalat: "Magician" (2010) -- TV series episode 
84. Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Chill of the Night!" (2010) -- animated TV series episode 
85. Magic Man (2010)
86. Magician's Pride (2010) -- short film 
87. Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo! (2010) 
88. Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Four-Star Spectacular!" (2011) -- animated TV series episode 
89. Dan Vs.: "The Magician" (2011) -- animated TV series episode 
90. Young Justice: "Denial" (2011) -- animated TV series episode 
91. Young Justice: "Terrors" (2011) -- animated TV series episode 
92. Father Brown: "The Mayor and the Magician" (2013) -- TV series episode 
93. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013) 
94. The Magician (2013) 
95. Now You See Me (2013)