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322: Kirby VanBurch - From Vegas to Branson

Kirby VanBurch is returning to his roots...Houston, Texas. He was born there when he fell in love with magic at age seven. His interest grew so he moved to Las Vegas where, according to Wikipedia, he was the youngest illusionist to have his own show. From there he moved to Reno then back to Las Vegas where he ran for the U.S. Senate. Then he moved to Branson, Missouri where he stayed for the next 20 years performing in nine separate theaters.

2010 Promo video for show in Branson, Missouri.

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Time Stamps for the podcast:

00:04:07 - In this podcast, Kirby talks about his early roots in magic starting in Houston then moving to Las Vegas while in his late teens. It is interesting to hear about his failed attempt to run for political office (U.S. Senate) in Nevada. But perhaps most interestingly, he speaks candidly about an argument with Siegfried and other "behind the scenes" stories with his show in Branson including many "differences of opinion" and lawsuits that swirled around him.

0055:02: - PRODUCT REVIEW: this week we had a little time left to offer a Murphy's Magic Supplies product review. We take a look at the recent At The Table lecture by Kyle Littleton who has a host of commercial ideas for the worker that he has never shared anywhere else.

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. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

Click on the banner above to visit The Magic Word's "Virtual Magic Store" for more information on this week's video offering and to download your copy.

Click on the banner above to visit The Magic Word's "Virtual Magic Store" for more information on this week's video offering and to download your copy.

Tagged with Las Vegas, Branson, Kirby VanBurch, Bill Smith, Lance Burton, Harry Blackstone Jr., Kerry Pollock, Melinda, Mike Michaels, Siegfried and Roy, Walter "Zaney" Blaney.

September 15, 2016 by Scott Wells.
  • September 15, 2016
  • Scott Wells
  • Las Vegas
  • Branson
  • Kirby VanBurch
  • Bill Smith
  • Lance Burton
  • Harry Blackstone Jr.
  • Kerry Pollock
  • Melinda
  • Mike Michaels
  • Siegfried and Roy
  • Walter "Zaney" Blaney
  • 1 Comment
1 Comment

250: At Home With Lupe & Norm Nielsen

After the 2015 MAGIC Live! convention, I stayed over for an extra day so as to visit with one of magic's legends: Norm Nielsen. I spoke with Lupe about coming over to their home to chat and see the poster collection. She told me that the bulk of their collection is now in Chicago preparing to be auctioned off by Potter & Potter over the next two years. But I was still welcome to come by for coffee and a visit. So I did.

Fortunately, I had visited their home and collection in 2007 when I also snapped some lovely photos which are on this blog. I also posted some pictures from this year's visit. Perhaps you can tell what a difference eight years makes.

Lupe talked about Norm's poster collection at the Order of Merlin breakfast at the combined IBM/SAM convention in St. Louis. You can Click Here to hear that interesting, historical presentation. Unfortunately, you cannot view the beautiful posters that she showed in her presentation, but the stories are interesting.

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View fullsize  This is the illusion that Norm built and showed to Okito and discussed during our chat.

00:01:56 - Norm Nielsen and Lupe talk about their magic poster collection, how he came to start collecting and what is happening to it now. He also talks about his long career as a performer and builder and creator. He has many stories about other magic legends he has met along the way, not the least of which was his good friend, Tobias "Theo" Leendert Bamberg "Okito" (1875-1963) . During this chat in Norm's living room, his lovely wife, Lupe, fills in some details and gives us some additional background information. David Sandy and Lance Rich are also in attendance "in the studio audience" who ask some relevant questions, too.

00:59:07 - After our chat, we go out to the workshop where David shares a funny story about Faucett Ross. This is a legendary story that is Mac King's favorite story and has to be heard by this larger, podcast audience in order to preserve it for posterity.

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. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

Check back with Potter & Potter from time to time to see when the Nielsen Poster collection will be put "on the auction block".

Check back with Potter & Potter from time to time to see when the Nielsen Poster collection will be put "on the auction block".

Tagged with legends, Lance Rich, Norm Neilsen, magic collection, Potter and Potter Auctions, magic posters, Lupe Nielsen, Faucett Ross, David Sandy, Okito.

August 27, 2015 by Scott Wells.
  • August 27, 2015
  • Scott Wells
  • legends
  • Lance Rich
  • Norm Neilsen
  • magic collection
  • Potter and Potter Auctions
  • magic posters
  • Lupe Nielsen
  • Faucett Ross
  • David Sandy
  • Okito
  • Post a comment
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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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