Thurston (Carolina Theater)

Frederick Bancroft (1866 - 1897) was a dentist and life insurance agent that tried to become a successful professional magician like his friend Alexander Herrmann.

Moving to Chicago from central New York around 1878, Bancroft performed some magic on the stage as a boy under the name "De Castro, the boy magician", doing only a few small tricks at the old Olympic Theatre on Clark Street in Chicago. . He eventually became a life insurance agent in the St. Paul and Minneapolis area. He was very successful and also made money in the real estate boom. He took an interest in magic again and started performing at church societies, benefits and club entertainments.