Halloween means different things to different people.
To kids, it means costumes and candy. To adults, it means candy without the need for costumes. To magicians — half-way between kids and adults on the maturity scale — it means increased bookings and Houdini.
The Magic Castle sends news of their good work on the streets of Hollywood; where adults of all callings can wear festive and mysterious costumes year-round.
The Magic Castle’s Founder, Milt Larsen received a call on November 1, 2000 from a concerned visitor to the Walk of Fame, that the Houdini star, located just one block south of The Magic Castle, was cracked.
Interestingly, the manifestation happened exactly 25 years to the day of its placement at Hollywood and Orange.
Thanks to the efforts and donations of David Copperfield, Penn and Teller, Lance Burton, Tihany, Marvyn Roy (Mr. Electric), Siegfried and Roy, and the Larsens, Houdini’s star has been refurbished. The Magic Castle and some of its Hollywood friends unveiled the new star on October 24, 2008 — the 84th anniversary of Houdini’s last performance. Continue reading Magic Castle Celebrates New Houdini Star
Jamie Flora is more than just a fan of Harry Houdini. He owns bricks from a home that may have been built from with materials salvaged from the demolition of The Garrick Theatre in Detroit.
Okay, it is a stretch but it is better than any connection Inside Magic can currently claim; especially since we learned recently blow driers were not even invented when Houdini was performing and we likely bought a piece of junk from that nice old lady.
Mr. Flora researched the construction lineage of his Plymouth, Michigan home and came to the inescapable conclusion – there may be some connection!
Consider the following factors if you will:
First, Mr. Flora’s house was built in 1928 — the year they tore down The Garrick Theatre in Detroit.
If there is one thing Mr. Copperfield does well — and he does many things well but he does this one thing more well than any of the other things — it is advance work for his show.
Tickets for the Edmonton show are $56.00 CDN to $86.00 CDN for seats in the beautiful Rexall Place.
Mr. Copperfield knows he can please fans in those seats but he needs to get them into the theatre first.
That is where the advance work makes the difference between his show and so many other truck and bus tours. According to The Edmonton Journal article, Mr. Copperfield’s hard work has paid him as much as $57 million in one year.
To put that number in proper perspective, assuming there was no sales tax or shipping costs, $57 million would buy (at retail) 1,900,000 D’Lite pairs; or pay rent on the Inside Magic office for 4,750 years.
That is some serious coin. He could walk into any magic shop, in any town, and ask to see the most expensive trick — maybe The Bengal Net (U.F. Grant’s) or Passe Passe Bottles (the nice glass ones) or one of those Black Art Tables with the cool top — and he would not worry one second about dropping said trick. Continue reading David Copperfield Works It Hard
Inside Magic had high hopes for the 2008 drama staring Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Inside Magic opined during the film’s pre-production that it was a sure fire hit. How could it go wrong with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Houdini?
Sure, the story was completely made up, but how was that different from anything you might read on this website? Who were we to fling objects that look like rocks?
The drama based on a fictitious tale about Harry Houdini had the components necessary for a hit but apparently did not find the audience Houdini and Ms. Zeta-Jones deserved.
The film told the story of Houdini searching for a true psychic. The great magician is taken in by Ms. Zeta-Jones’ character Mary McGarvie and her young daughter Benji.
Already the story sounds good, right? Who couldn’t love a film where Catherine Zeta-Jones has a daughter who is a dog? Like you, we saw all of the Benji movies in the 1970′s and, probably not like you, we saw them again later during detox (the second stay).
The Benji movies were great and great fun.
They were kind of like The Daring Dobermans‘ films but without the attacking and jerky cinema verite editing and pan shots.
We read somewhere Benji was actually a female dog. That is not new. Lassie was a boy dog. So, we have no problem believing a girl spirit could inhabit the body of what everyone knows is a boy dog. Continue reading Why Did Houdini Flick Fail? Inside Magic Knows
Ted Lesley was an innovator in so many aspects of our magicial arts. He was an inventor and visionary. His obituary will be written and re-written on other sites and each will no doubt give a different perspective on this great mind and incredible performer.
Several message boards carried posts notifying the magic public of Mr. Lesley’s passing yesterday around noon in an extended care home in Berlin, Germany.
Mr. Lesley was born in Dueren, Germany August 1, 1937.
He fell in love with (or at least was smitten by) magic when a school teacher showed the young man an effect. He considered magic as a profession but his parents suggested he look a “real profession.”
Accounting was apparently real enough for his parents. He used his incredible mind to assist clients in their financial affairs and later as a tax accountant. Continue reading Sad News: Ted Lesley Passes
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