Mora, Silent
(1884-1972)
Born Louis Jerome McCord in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, McCord exibited his magic at traveling tent shows , museums, theatres and vaudville houses. He was tutored in magic by John Lawrence McKissock. When McCord was young he met and became friends with Edward Maro, a successful bandleader and magician. McCord reversed the vowels in Maro to create his stage name "Mora".
Silent Mora had two acts. The first was his famous Chinese act which was perfomed silently to music. The second was for club dates for which he would wear a tuxedo and used comedy and audience participation.

Featured effects included: 4 balls in a net, cone and ball, billiard ball on a fan, bowl vanish, Chinese sticks (c. 1925, using sticks he made for himself),vanishing lamp, Chinese strings, and 4 balls and two hats. Mr. Mora also developed a vanish of a billiard ball with a nice wand spin which Dai Vernon later adapted for his own use.

Jay Leslie remembers: "Silent Mora also invented the appearing Pool Cue, similar in operation to the Walsh cane. I have one that was autographed April 10, 1949."

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Silent Mora
Born: Louis McCord
October 25, 1884
Allegheny, Pennsylvania

Died
August 4, 1972

Nationality
American

Silent Mora (1884 - 1972) made most of his own apparatus and may be best known for his Balls in Net routine.
Mora tutored in magic by John Lawrence McKissock and while young he became friends with Edward Maro who was a successful bandleader and magician. He reversed the vowels in Maro to create his stage name.

He performed on vaudeville, doing a silent act early in his career, possibly the first pantomime magic act in Oriental costume. Ching Ling Foo taught him a number of routines. He also did shadowgraphy and juggling.

He may have also been one of the first to synchronize magic to music in a performance.

Silent Mora later settled in Boston and became active in the magic community.

References
• Photo Genii 1951 November
• Obit Genii 1972 August