August Roterberg (1867–1928) was born in Hamburg, Germany and emigrated to the United States around 1883 as a teenager. He started out selling magic by mail order, and then opened a magic store in Chicago. It was housed in the lobby of the "old" Palmer House Hotel. Roterberg is best known as a magic inventor and is credited with inventing the "Multiplying Billiard Balls" trick. He retired around 1917 and moved to California, where he lived until his death.