Entry No. 25 — the Louisville file — filed under: weird-monument
Harry Collins Magician Memorial at Cave Hill Cemetery
A life-size bronze statue sculpted by Barney Bright depicting Louisville's premier magician—and official corporate illusionist for Frito-Lay—standing beside his tomb in a tuxedo holding a deck of cards.
The story
Most corporate pitchmen get a gold watch and a polite handshake. Harry Leon Collins got a life-size bronze statue standing eternal guard over his final resting place in a tailored tuxedo, holding a fanned deck of cards. Born in 1920, Collins was wounded during World War II at the Battle of Saipan. He honed his sleight-of-hand skills while recovering and joined the USO, turning magic from combat rehabilitation into his life's vocation.
Back home in Louisville, Collins took a day job as a sales representative for Frito-Lay. Rather than running standard sales pitches, he performed magic tricks for grocers to persuade them to stock potato chips, capping each trick by shouting his signature magic word: "Frito-Lay!" The tactic was so effective that the company eventually appointed him as their official corporate illusionist, sending him across the country to do magic on their dime.
Before his death in 1985, Collins commissioned prominent Louisville sculptor Barney Bright to immortalize him in metal. Today, his likeness stands in Section 33 of Cave Hill Cemetery, caught mid-trick beside his own tombstone.
What it's like
You will need to navigate the winding arboretum roads of Cave Hill Cemetery to find Section 33. The life-size bronze statue stands on ground level right beside his tombstone rather than on an elevated pedestal, giving you a remarkably intimate, face-to-face view of the illusionist in his tuxedo. It is customary among local visitors to stand beside the bronze deck of cards and utter his magic word, "Frito-Lay!" Just keep in mind that Cave Hill is an active cemetery with strictly enforced gate hours, so confirm opening times before driving in.
The move: Drive along the winding arboretum paths of Cave Hill Cemetery to Section 33 to view the lifelike memorial up close while uttering his signature magic word, 'Frito-Lay!'
- 📍 Highlands
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 701 Baxter Ave, Louisville, KY 40204
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Cave Hill Cemetery & Natural Cave Spring — Since you are already inside Cave Hill, track down the cemetery's historic natural cave spring located elsewhere on the 296-acre grounds.
- Eastern Cemetery — Head right next door to contrast Cave Hill's pristine maintenance with Eastern Cemetery's overgrown grounds and dark history of grave recycling.
- Unorthodox — Drive less than a mile down Barret Avenue to browse taxidermy, bone specimens, and dark art at this local oddities shop.
- Planet of the Tapes — Cap off your day trip with craft cocktails and a cult VHS archive just down the road in the Highlands.
Good to know
Where inside Cave Hill Cemetery is the Harry Collins statue?
The life-size bronze memorial is located in Section 33 of the cemetery grounds.
Why was a magician using 'Frito-Lay' as a magic word?
Collins started as a Frito-Lay sales representative who used magic tricks to sell snacks to grocers, adopting 'Frito-Lay!' as his magic word before becoming the company's official corporate illusionist.
Who sculpted the monument?
The life-size bronze statue was created by Louisville artist Barney Bright.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Wikipedia · Facebook · ohtravel88.wordpress.com · archive.louisville.com
last checked: 2026-07-21