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Famous Magicians

Witte Clarence — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 14:20:25 +0000

There’s hardly anything more thrilling than witnessing a magic trick for the first time. Your eyes can hardly believe it, and the excitement ripples through the audience. For centuries, magic has fascinated, astonished, and left people speechless. To give you a small glimpse into the world of magic and its various forms, let’s talk briefly about the art of magic in general. Of course, there isn’t just one way to perform a magic trick, so let’s first answer the question:

What Types of Magic Are There?

The world of magic is as vast as the number of tricks that exist globally. New ones are constantly being developed, while old ones are refined and modified. There are countless types of magic worldwide – here are a few selected categories that have amazed people for ages:

Sleight of Hand (e.g., the shell game, …)
Grand Illusions (magic with elaborate trick apparatuses)
Card Magic (tricks and illusions using playing cards)
Mentalism (such as mind reading, fortune-telling, …)
Escape Acts (e.g., escaping from chains, circus-style performances, …)

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Of course, these tricks, illusions, and deceptions require someone to perform them: magicians. Many of today’s magicians were inspired by great predecessors. That’s why there are countless magicians who’ve made a name for themselves. To keep this article short, we’ll focus on a few significant and famous magicians who have left a lasting impact on the art of magic over the centuries. We’re not talking about Bibi Blocksberg, Gandalf, or Dumbledore here—these are real magicians! Let’s start with the father of card magic. Curtain up for…

Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser

Viennese magician and card artist Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser is considered the father of card magic. Initially a theater critic, he was well-educated and enhanced his magic shows with stories and literary works. Starting in 1857, his performances took place in what was known as the “Salon Hofzinser.” Together with his wife, he primarily performed card tricks, but the couple garnered the most attention with Frau Hofzinser’s supposed “clairvoyance” abilities. Unlike some other magicians, the Hofzinsers never claimed to have supernatural powers. Everything was based on deception and illusion.

Hofzinser’s magic shows were highly successful due to his sophisticated deceptions, intimate setting, and poetic presentation style. When delivering poetic pieces, Hofzinser used the power of pauses and subtle psychological tricks to distract the audience from the actual sleight of hand. For instance, he could direct the audience’s attention to irrelevant details with his words while skillfully forcing a card. This type of misdirection is still used by many card magicians today, which is why Hofzinser is considered the greatest card magician of his time.

Next up in our “Famous Magicians” series is one of the most well-known magicians in the world. He inspired countless people to pursue magic, and nearly everyone knows his name:

Harry Houdini

Originally born in Hungary as Erik Weisz, Houdini likely never imagined at the start of his career that his stage name would become a household name. At just 17, he dedicated himself to magic, and by his 20s, he was performing in traveling circuses around the world. Houdini became famous for his escape acts, which amazed audiences at the end of the 19th century. He quickly gained fame not only in America but also in Europe, especially in Germany, where he wowed people with increasingly dangerous escape stunts, such as underwater escapes.

A natural showman, Houdini would challenge his audience by betting that he could escape any restraint placed on him—and he always did! Aside from escapes, Houdini also dabbled in traditional magic, once making an elephant “disappear” in one of his shows. However, Houdini had a volatile personality and was not well-suited for this kind of entertainment, so he soon returned to extreme illusions. It seemed Houdini thrived on danger. His acts continue to influence magicians today, including greats like David Blaine.

Shin Lim

A modern talent to be reckoned with is Shin Lim, the winner of the 2018 season of “America’s Got Talent.” Of Han Chinese descent, Lim began practicing magic at the age of 10, and it shows. His skill in card manipulation is so refined that he even fools the best magicians. Through numerous TV appearances, Shin Lim captivated audiences with his “Dream Act,” winning over hearts with his quiet yet poetic style. He continuously mesmerizes with his incredible card tricks, creating a truly magical atmosphere.

Dubbed “The #1 Sleight of Hand Artist in the World,” Shin Lim’s primary medium is card magic, but he often incorporates other elements. With constant practice, refinement of his craft, and his subtle storytelling, he shows fans the importance of chasing their dreams. Shin Lim deserves a place in any list of famous magicians.

But what kind of cards does Shin Lim use to ride this wave of success? Guess what: Bicycle® playing cards! With just a Bicycle deck, Shin Lim won two seasons of “America’s Got Talent.” For his growing fanbase of young magicians and those who want to be, he has even developed and designed his own decks. We at Bicycle® have had the honor of supporting him at many of his performances. We’re proud to have collaborated with him on a custom deck: the Shin Lim x Bicycle® Deck, a fantastic starter deck for beginners who appreciate quality. With smoky, mystical illustrations in black and red, this deck alone will get you applause from the audience! Whether for a small gathering or a big show, this magical deck is perfect for any performance. And who knows—with practice and a little magic, there may soon be even more famous magicians in the world…

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How do you become an illusionist?

Witte Clarence — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Tricks, magic and illusions are attractive because of their mystery. Magicians often arouse amazement, they are admired and feared at the same time. Many want to repeat the feats of famous illusionists, to learn the secret craft. The desire to amaze people drives many seekers of magic to learn an art that is known only to a narrow circle.

Given today’s opportunities and progress, it is difficult to say what natural talents a would-be magician should have. The would-be illusionist will have to believe in himself, putting that great feeling on a pedestal. It is impossible to conquer a secret science unless one believes with all one’s heart in magic, success, and the positive outcome of the endeavor begun.

The first steps and subtleties of learning

Those wishing to become an illusionist should study a lot of offers. These can be courses, practical classes, and various schools. Most practitioners are willing to give paid lessons, to share the insights and secrets that open the boundaries of the magical world. Variety and circus schools also teach mastery, nurture skills, qualities, and teach the art of illusion.

The Art of Learning at Home

If learning from professionals follows a well-established pattern, learning at home will be somewhat more difficult. The would-be illusionist will need concentration, excellent and impeccable self-organization. A student should train diligence, work with persistence, and practice every element, paying attention to details. Beginning magician recommended to stock up on special literature, which is presented in a huge range. Find the right textbook to discover the wonderful world of tricks and mesmerizing illusions.

Illusionist magician in terms of psychology and magic

Pay attention to the psychological aspect before you begin your training. A successful magician is required to be a good psychologist and understand people. Constant work with the audience requires learning the basics of psychology. A magician has to hold attention, amuse and distract people in order to do great tricks. A good magician does not reveal his secrets, so the wizard needs to concentrate the viewers’ eyes and attention as much as possible on things that will not lead to unmasking. The basis of an illusion is considered a secret; if it is revealed, the trick becomes uninteresting.

A successful illusionist has to learn how to communicate with the crowd. It is impossible to make a dizzying career as a magician if there is no contact with the audience. The inability to talk, to find an approach to people suggests that you should think about a different career, abandoning magic tricks and magic shows. Studying psychology helps to master “street magic”, to find an approach to different people, knowing their character and disposition. Success will come to the illusionist, who will not be discouraged, will persist in training, to improve on the path of self-development.

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Top best magicians in the world

Witte Clarence — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 07:41:00 +0000

Jonathan and Charlotte Pendragon

While studying theater at the University of California, Jonathan met Charlotte, who was attending dance and gymnastics classes at the same university where the young illusionist was studying. Having common hobbies, the young couple quickly mastered magic tricks and began touring the country. The most famous was the sawing of a girl. Charlotte would lie down in a supposedly transparent box, and her husband Jonathan would cut her in half with a hacksaw.

The great Dante

Harry Jansen, known by the pseudonym Dante, was one of the first magicians to work in tandem with professionals. The young magician was born in 1883 in Copenhagen and died in California after living for 72 years. With his mysterious death, most likely from a heart attack, he took with him the secrets of the best tricks.

Harry Blackstone

One of the most popular illusionists of the 19th century, Harry Blackstone was born on September 27, 1885. He is the author of the world-famous construction for cutting a person into two parts.

Harry’s most famous trick is the “flower garden”, in which he filled the stage with many bouquets that appeared from nowhere. Appearance and disappearance tricks were the signature of this illusionist.

Cyril Takayama

Cyril Takayama, a Japanese national, was born in 1973 in Hollywood. It was there that he began his career as a magician at the age of 12, attending one of the local schools for magicians. In his youth, he loved to perform coin tricks on the streets of the city.

Cyril Takayama gained his worldwide fame thanks to his videos on YouTube. It was there that people learned about him in Japan, the illusionist’s homeland.

Pen and Teller

Two comedians, Pen Fraser Gillette and Raymond Joseph Teller, were the first in the world to combine magic tricks with humor.

They performed mostly dangerous tricks, such as hanging over a pillow with nails in a straitjacket or diving into a container. In addition to performances, they wrote books about their tricks and, of course, starred in comedy television series.

David Blaine

Brooklyn-based illusionist born in 1973 in New York City is known all over the world. The fate of this magician is quite tragic: he was raised by a single mother who died of cancer in 1994. At that time, David was 21 years old.

He recorded his magic performance on a videotape and sent it to the ABC TV channel. After that, the show “David Blaine: Street Magic” was born.

David Copperfield

Perhaps even those who have never been interested in magic have heard this name. David Seth Kotkin (this is the magician’s name) was born on September 16, 1956 in New Jersey.

Like the Japanese Cyril Takayama, young David began his career at the age of 12, and at 16 he was already teaching “magic courses” at New York University. The “Wizard of the Century” has been awarded 21 Emmy Awards.

Harry Houdini

Is there really anyone better than Copperfield? Born in March 1874 in Budapest, Harry Houdini became a true shoot expert. Erich Weiss (the magician’s real name) not only performed tricks, but also exposed charlatans.

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Interesting facts about magicians and their tricks

Witte Clarence — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 07:38:00 +0000

It is not known for certain who the first magician in human history was.
The first known document that mentions illusionary art is the ancient Egyptian papyrus Vestkar, named after the owner of the collection where it was originally kept.
This document contains legends dating back to 2900 BC, the reign of Pharaoh Khufu (known to us as Cheops). One of the stories mentions a performance by a magician and trainer named Jedi, who can put a severed goose’s head back in place and grow it back and can make a lion follow him without chains. It is clear that the performance was nothing more than a trick.
Weba-aner, one of the magicians mentioned in the Westcar Papyri, was known for taking a small wax figure of a crocodile and inexplicably turning it into a living, adult and very fierce beast.
For the first time in fiction, magicians were mentioned in the 16th century: Teofilo Folengo from Mantua in his poem “Macaronada” introduced a magician named Boccal de Bergamosc.
Later, in 1750, the Italian magician Balducci performed an unusual trick with the decapitation of a bird in public. He showed the crowd a bird with its head pressed to its body and tied, and another severed head attached to its neck. The imaginary head was then cut off, and blood was even spurting from it. When the bird was covered with a handkerchief, the magician would untie the rope and present the “newly grown” rooster’s head to the people.
Thanks to Amayak Hakobyan, we all know the “spell of all time” “sim-sala-bim”. In fact, it was not invented by him, but by a magician named Dante about 100 years ago. This phrase has nothing to do with illusionists: it is “nonsense”, a quote from a children’s rhyme.
The appearance of a rabbit from a cylinder is sometimes mistakenly considered a classic trick. In fact, this trick is not often performed. Probably, John Henry Anderson was the first to show it. It happened in the 1830s.
The “orange tree” – one of the most famous tricks of the XIX century – was performed by the Frenchman Jean-Etienne Robert-Oudin. In front of the audience, Robert-Oudin poured earth into a pot, threw grain in it, and watered it several times during the performance. A sprout appeared in the pot, it turned into a green bush, and then became covered with oranges. The magician cut them and treated the audience to them. He cut the last orange, and two mechanical butterflies steamed out of it and flew across the stage.
“The Miser’s Dream” is the name of a classic trick where coins appear in the air and rain down on the stage.
The magician Pinetti, who lived in the 18th century, became famous for his swallow trick. He would take out a cage and pull a bird out of it and hand it to the first spectator he saw. The swallow would immediately die and show no signs of life. The illusionist would then approach a woman sitting in the audience and ask her to breathe on the dead body, after which the swallow would immediately resurrect.
In fact, Pinetti was well versed in ornithology. He knew that if you lightly squeeze the carotid artery of a bird, it will fall asleep. And in just a few minutes, it would wake up from sleep.

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