James Allen Hydrick, who is American by birth, was born in South Carolina on February 28, 1959. Details about his parents are not available. However, there was a distinct trait in his father. He was a horrible mugger and was so violent that he beat one of James’ brothers to death. His abusive nature also led James to begin karate training at the age of 6 in an effort to defend himself against his father. At the time of his birth, his father was 30 years old while his mother was just a teenager.
James Hydrick then left his remaining parents and brothers and went to live in orphanages and foster homes. There is no formal education record at all levels – from primary to tertiary. There is also no information about his brothers or what became of them after James left home.
In the 1970s, James Hydrick became a notorious criminal. He has committed crimes such as theft, illegal breaking and entering, assault, kidnapping and torture. He was arrested and sentenced to several prison terms. Hydrick was a difficult man to confine and control. Between 1977 and 1982, he escaped from prison three times.
His first escape from prison was to Georgia, where he kicked through its walls to burst free but still a fugitive, he was re-arrested soon after in South Carolina. This time, he walked through the gates of the South Carolina prison. His last escape was in 1982 when he jumped over the fence at Utah State Prison with a pole.
James Hydrick is popular not for his crimes or escapes but for his claimed telekinetic powers, sleight of hand tricks and karate skills. He began appearing on several television shows, displaying his psychokinetic skills. Many people then, and no doubt today, were interested in such exhibits that seemed to portray the existence of the supernatural.
He was best known for spinning a pencil at rest without touching it or changing its position through physical activity. This happened on an episode of the show C’estincredible! in December 1980. The episode was repeated in 1981, from which James’ popularity soared. He also performed another “trick” by telekinetically turning a page of a book.
Soon after, her claim was refuted by JamesRandi, a skeptic and paranormal magician. Randi revealed in 1981 that Hydrick’s claim to the workings of the paranormal was a simple magic trick that could easily be performed. When James Hydrick was proven a national television fraud (Bob Barker’s show, That’s My Line ) in which he appeared alongside James Randi, his fame vanished.
He would later confess to inquiring journalist Dan Korem that there was in fact nothing supernatural about his performance and that he had learned the trick from his days in prison and not from a Chinese master as he had. claimed earlier.
James Hydrick was again apprehended by the police. His latest apprehension was based on child sexual abuse charges against him. He was charged with sexually harassing 5 children, all boys, in Huntington Beach, California. In 1989, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison for this offence. He served his full sentence and was taken to Atascadero State Hospital for treatment upon his release.
