Career
What started as a hobby at age nine, combined with his skills developed in his Dad’s business (Lee & Daniel Steel Fabricators), quickly progressed to working in a factory that manufactured some illusions and tricks for Harry Houdini as well as many other magicians. John a toured with school assembly shows and the southwestern states with a midnight spook show, "Doctor Doom"s Dungeon of Death," and "Daniel"s Magic Circus." His hobby was antique magic collecting. In 1952 he opened "Daniel"s Magic Den" in Pasadena and put out several items under the "Trickmasters" label.
From 1953 to 1955, he served in the Artillery and was over-seas for 18 months.
He did do a few shows, and while doing one in Berlin, he met Irene Stolz (the future Irene Larsen). He joined forces with Carl Owen in 1958 and eventually purchased Owen Magic in 1960.
Daniel was known for his development work “thin model” of sawing a woman in half. Baranger Motion machines or "Baranger Motions" were store-window mechanical animated advertising displays, rented to jewelers, and produced from 1925 to 1959 by the Baranger Company of South Pasadena, California United States of America. In 1978, the Baranger Studios building and stock of animated displays were bought by Burton A. Burton.
John was put in charge of repairing motions and selling duplicates.
John became a collector of them. 1986 Daniel sold his collection of 90 motions to Teruhisa Kitahara. John Daniel subsequently bought the remaining stock of motions from Burton A. Burton.
In 1993, Daniel published a 60 minute VHS video showing 122 motions and in 2001, Daniel published a book showing images of all the motions plus a history of the business.
John was a builder and dealer vintage electric trains, toys, antique carousels and other collectibles. John was the president of the T.T.O.S. (Toy Train Operators Society).
Daniel collected magic props, posters and tricks including a large collection of Dante the.
