Ormond McGill

Ormond Dale McGill (June 15, 1913 – October 19, 2005) was a stage hypnotist, magician and instructor who was considered to be the "Dean of American Hypnotists". He was also a writer and author of many books including Hypnotism and Mysticism of India (1979) and The New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnotism.

Born in Palo Alto, California, McGill became interested in magic as a child (and was later considered legendary in magic circles), but first studied hypnosis in 1927 while still a teenager. He wrote the seminal Encyclopedia of Genuine Stage Hypnotism (the acknowledged bible of stage hypnotism) in 1947, and continued to teach courses and lecture right up until a few days before his death. He died in his native Palo Alto. He has explained in his book about position of chicken that present them as motionless and appear as hypnotized. McGill explained that the reason for a chicken's hypnotism was due to the tonic indolence that the chicken adopts to save itself from predators by bluffing them as being dead.

From 1947 to 1954, McGill performed hypnotism and magic under the stage name of Dr. Zomb. His "Séance of Wonders" show featured horror-themed routines and costumed assistants typical of the midnight "spook shows" which were popular during that era. He has performed in several stage shows all over the globe in the 20th century. Ormond McGill also trained students for therapeutic applications through hypnotism.

McGill continued to collaborate with other colleagues including Gil Boyne, whom he mentored, and to teach hypnotherapy until his death in 2005 with Randal Churchill at the Hypnotherapy Training Institute.

In addition to his career as a world-traveling magician and stage hypnotist, McGill was also a skilled hypnotherapist and a student of Eastern mysticism. He wrote between twenty-five and forty books (sources disagree on the total), including such titles as Grieve No More Beloved (about his afterlife contact with his deceased wife), Hypnotism and Mysticism of India, and his autobiography, The Amazing Life of Ormond McGill. McGill has revealed truth behind magical events such as Indian rope trick and others during his visit to India.