About

The Ford family has deep roots in mystery entertainment. Kevin Ford is a fourth generation hypnotist and presenter of mental mysteries. Around the age of seven, Kevin recalls first hearing incredible stories of “Aunt Kate” and with each new anecdote his desire to learn more about her grew. Later, this would spark his desire to pursue in-depth research about her. She was, in fact, his great, great, great Aunt. At one time, she along with her husband, were among the highest paid and most traveled entertainers of their day. They performed on multiple occasions in royal palaces entertaining the elites of Europe (including Queen Victoria) potentates in the Near East and later embarked on an extended tour of the Australian continent.

Together with her husband, Samri S. Baldwin (1848-1924), they developed the "Second Sight Act," the question and answer act used to this day by mentalists, even on national television on shows such as "America's Got Talent". In addition, they created a show titled “Oriental Hypnotic Dream Visions.” They played throughout the world with much success until 1906, when the show folded after poor investments made by her husband.

At around 17 years of age, Kevin received a remarkable gift from his maternal grandmother; a box containing cryptic family records, a notebook, decaying documents and jewelry that would turn out to reveal the true secrets of the Baldwin’s and their astonishing act. Kevin has taken what was once the original “Baldwin” material dating back to the late 1800’s and turned it into his totally new and novel show for this century.

Displayed here is a 3-sheet woodblock engraved poster of Kate Baldwin AKA Kitty Baldwin, AKA "The Rosicrucian Somnambulist." Now, that last word might defy easy categorization but this poster magnificently incorporates all things profane and entertaining into one amazing package.

Poised at home amidst this legion "From Beyond," Miss Baldwin is the very picture of spooky panache. Despite appearances of their advertisements they always extolled that their work was purely entertainment and denounced having mysterious psychic capabilities or any kind.

Kevin Ford was born and raised in Niagara Falls, NY where he attended local schools. At university, he appeared in over 15 live theater productions on campus. He was a lead actor in productions such as Eugene O’Neil’s – “Ah Wilderness”and Malvoilio in Shaespeare’s “Twelth Night.” He was also featured in supporting roles in numerous musical and comedic shows.

But even earlier, he had begun a discovery and love for performing; specifically "mystery arts" and as a result became admitted as the youngest member of the prestigious International Brotherhood of Magicians. Over the years he built a reputation in magic circles to this day is sought as a magic consultant by some of the industry’s most well known names.

In 1991, he formed Mirage Entertainment principally producing "edu-tainment" programs for elementary and middle schools in New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio. During an extended engagement for the New York State Parks he was reunited with a mentor and stage hypnotist from his early magic days. As a result of their conversations Kevin set out to create a new type of hypnosis show, based on the secrets of the “Baldwins.”

In 2000, Kevin traveled to Las Vegas where he was professionally trained in starge hypnosis by Ormond McGill; recognized for many years as the "Dean of American Stage Hypnotists."

In 2001, Kevin debuted “Hypnotism & Beyond” and since that time has been delighting audiences and receiving rave reviews. Since that first performance, he has continued to hone his skills and introduce new mind bending techniques that delight and amaze each new audience. His performances have taken him all across, as well as up and down, the United States and Canada. He is always looking to bring another generation a glimpse of impossibility metamorphosing into reality.