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The Magic Word The Magic Word

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161: Part 1 - My Week at The Castle 2014

So many magicians. So little time. One of the biggest mysteries is how a week can disappear so quickly. Like putting lightning in a bottle, I captured some audio from several people, magicians, fans, a TV producer, and well...so many more. Last year when I posted my week at the Castle, I kept it all in one podcast that ran over three hours. This year, I have even more content and decided to break it up in shorter segments. 

This first part includes my conversation with the manager of the Nirvana Apartments (where many of the Castle performers stay), Don Lawton's widow, Joan Lawton, and Rafael Benetar, from Spain.

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00:01:51 - Sue Dion, Resident Manager of the Nirvana Apartments talks about the historic building that is located across the street from The Magic Castle. They have four rooms leased for the purpose of lodging some of the performers each week. Sue gives us not only a bit of the building's history, but also talks about some of the "occupants" who refused to leave even after their death.

00:11:26 - Joan Lawton, publisher of the Don Lawton Autograph Book, talks about the early days of the Magic Castle when she was the receptionist at the door and spent many hours with former Academy President (and actor) Cary Grant. Joan is the widow of Don Lawton who was the congenial host and emcee at the Castle for many years. If you are interested in receiving an autographed copy of the Don Lawton Autograph Book, then you can order one directly from Joan by contacting her directly at: JLawton@MagicCastle.com

00:24:03 - Rafael Benatar joined me for brunch at Greenblatt's in Hollywood where we talked about the Escuela de la Magiai (School of Magic). Rafael performed in the Close-Up Gallery last week and this week is appearing in the Parlour. We chat about his lecture, performance, and future plans.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. (please note: this RSS Feed subscription system may not work with Android systems). Remember, you can download it through iTunes. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt!

Tagged with The Magic Castle, Hollywood, Joan Lawton, Nirvana Apartments, Sue Dion, Greenblatt's Deli.

June 5, 2014 by Scott Wells.
  • June 5, 2014
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  • Hollywood
  • Joan Lawton
  • Nirvana Apartments
  • Sue Dion
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The Magic Word The Magic Word

A Podcast for Magicians, About Magicians, Hosted by a Full Time Professional Magician, Scott Wells

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Thanks to all of you listeners, The Magic Word Podcast and our newsletter (or “podletter” as I call it) has been recognized by FISM and received nominations in two categories. Please click on one of the graphics above and cast your vote to help push us on to victory in Turin, Italy, this summer! Thank you!

In May 2024, Scott Wells had the distinguished honor of receiving a “Special Fellowship” from the Academy of Magical Arts (The Magic Castle) for the Magic Word Podcast which promotes “not only personal stories of fascinating individuals, but also fellowship amongst our extended family of artists and entertainers everywhere.”

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This week we feature an episode about two magicians 🎩 🎩 who share ideas on how to find your own theatre to perform in, plus learn how to work with a magic partner on stage. Visit the website for more information:  https://www.themagicwordpodcast.co
What a great, action-packed, adrenaline-laced, fast-paced movie. I recommend watching part one (Dead Reckoning) to catch up from where we left off two years ago. Best to see this on the big screen. Recommended!
Eric Leclerc joins us from Canada this week to talk about comedy and his experience being the compere (emcee) at the Blackpool convention 2025. #ericleclerc #canadianmagician #comedymagic #mikehammer https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagi
My son, Nick, received stem cells today for his leukemia. That means that today is his new "birthday." Let's hope and pray that this treatment works this time. 🤞
And then this happened! I was surprised at AbraCORNdabra with this award. Thank you for recognizing and appreciating my efforts. #abracorndabra2025 #tinybubbles
Three days of reports from AbraCORNdabra in Des Moines, Iowa featuring chats with organizers, registrants, dealers, and talent like @jekiyoo #stevedaly #alschneidermagic @samelsonmagic #abracorndabra2025 #desmoines #magicconvention
IYKYK Happy Mother's Day. Celebrating our annual pilgrimage with Kathy at my side, in spirit.
Daily podcast reports on the Magic Collector Expo from Las Vegas featuring chats with talent, organizers, dealers, and registrants. #lasvegas #theorleans #magic #magicconvention #davidcopperfield #magicwordpodcast https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/
This week we feature an episode about two magicians 🎩 🎩 who share ideas on how to find your own theatre to perform in, plus learn how to work with a magic partner on stage. Visit the website for more information:  https://www.themagicwordpodcast.co What a great, action-packed, adrenaline-laced, fast-paced movie. I recommend watching part one (Dead Reckoning) to catch up from where we left off two years ago. Best to see this on the big screen. Recommended! Eric Leclerc joins us from Canada this week to talk about comedy and his experience being the compere (emcee) at the Blackpool convention 2025. #ericleclerc #canadianmagician #comedymagic #mikehammer https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagi My son, Nick, received stem cells today for his leukemia. That means that today is his new "birthday." Let's hope and pray that this treatment works this time. 🤞 And then this happened! I was surprised at AbraCORNdabra with this award. Thank you for recognizing and appreciating my efforts. #abracorndabra2025 #tinybubbles Three days of reports from AbraCORNdabra in Des Moines, Iowa featuring chats with organizers, registrants, dealers, and talent like @jekiyoo #stevedaly #alschneidermagic @samelsonmagic #abracorndabra2025 #desmoines #magicconvention IYKYK Happy Mother's Day. Celebrating our annual pilgrimage with Kathy at my side, in spirit. Daily podcast reports on the Magic Collector Expo from Las Vegas featuring chats with talent, organizers, dealers, and registrants. #lasvegas #theorleans #magic #magicconvention #davidcopperfield #magicwordpodcast https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/

The Magic Word Has been recognized by FeedSpot as the # 1 magician podcast in the world. Thank you all for your support and for listening throughout the years.

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