497: Pat Hazell - Part One: Notes From Home

Pat Hazell may not be a name you are familiar with, but for those do (like Johnny Carson and Jerry Seinfeld), then you know how funny he is and how serious he takes comedy. He was an emcee at the 2018 MAGIC Live! event where he showed the “fake trailer” that fooled Jerry. You can view that very funny trailer by Clicking Here. He moved from magic into comedy but has never quit thinking about magic. “Wonderbread Years” is just one of his successful one-man shows that he has developed along the way. In this “Notes From Home” podcast, he talks about his roots so you can see perhaps how it affected his later life as a successful comedian.

In this podcast, Pat Hazell talks about his recent return to magic conventions with his appearance at the 2018 MAGIC Live! event, He also talks about his magical beginnings in Omaha performing restaurant magic, his performances on ”The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”, and a publicity stunt to promote his ”upside down straight jacket escape” in the warehouse district of Omaha (see the picture here on the blog). He also tells some funny stories about Hooters Restaurant, his Omaha apartment that had high enough ceilings where he could practice juggling, and his “joke of the day” on his answering machine. Pat also talks about why he got into comedy writing and performing that led to his move to Los Angeles where his career took off. There are a ton of other stories that you’re sure to enjoy.

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400: David Berglas - International Man of Mystery, Part One

David Berglas has an affect on me.

Okay, that is corny. But it is true that he has influenced and inspired more magicians and mentalists in the world than can be counted. Not only has he changed how we look at magic, David Berglas has significantly changed magic on television.

The BBC called him the “Godfather of TV Magic”. Born in 1926, Berglas escaped to Britain from Nazi Germany at age 11. He first became interested in Magic in his 20’s and studied psychotherapy at university before becoming a professional magician in 1952. His groundbreaking TV show in 1986, “The Mind of David Berglas” paved the way for all others to follow up to this very day. He is the author of several books including, "The Berglas Effects" and "The Mind & Magic of David Berglas", among others. And he is an multiple award winner of several prestigious organizations and is the Past President of The Magic Circle.

Subscribe To My Channel and Get More "How Magic Changed TV" Videos. If you can not find some of our episodes, please switch to another country. Some videos blocked by the country. The most are the US.

I was part of a momentous meeting organized by Spyros Melaris in 2002 when he arranged a dinner meeting with David Berglas and his wife, Ruth, with Banachek and his wife, Heidi, and me and my wife, Kathy. It was a wonderful, memorable dinner with Banachek sharing his spoon bending to David and magic talk late into the evening. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, no photos of that evening exist except those in our minds.

It was at that first meeting that we all became good friends and I am glad that we could get together again for this podcast where David talks about his beginnings in magic, work both in front of and behind the cameras on television and film, plus lots of stories about celebrated names of magicians, most of whom are long since passed.

Magicians' Valhalla

Although the list below is not exhaustive nor in any particular order, it does reflect the names of many well-known (and some lesser known) magicians, spouses and assistants who passed on in 2017. Some may not be as well-known to you, but they were my personal friends (hey, it is my blog!). If you are unfamiliar with any of these names, then it would behoove you to do a little online search of what these people have contributed to our craft. If you have someone you think was overlooked, then please post the name in the comments below on this blog.

Those whose names are highlighted were featured or interviewed here on The Magic Word Podcast. You can click on their name to revisit and listen to their voices again. David Oliver put together a video of some names and dates of passing of these (and others) in a YouTube video. Click Here to see that video.

Phil Messina

Daryl Easton (Martinez)

Bob Cassidy

Jim Zachary

Ed Thomas

Jessica “Shedini” Moore

George Kovari, Jr.

"Chuck" Kirchner

John Moehring

Eugene Burger

Tom Jones

Eddie Gibson

"Fast" Eddie Silverman

Kenneth Silverman

Paul Diamond

Peter Diamond

Steve Baker

Kevin King

Celeste Evans

Tim Glancey

Ian Ogilvy

Trevor Dawson

James Hamilton

Mike O’Dowd

Bill McIlhany

Michael Giles

Harold Greenbaum

Philip Morris

Ray Goulet

Lee Delano

Fantasio (Ricardo Roucau).

Deanna Shimada

Heidi Larsen

Johnny Fox

Happy New Year! I've got mine. Have you ordered yours yet? Click on the graphic above to visit Amazon.com and purchase your 2018 calendar while helping supprt The Magic Word Podcast. Or you can Click Here.to visit the Amazon.com site for more inform… — Happy New Year! I've got mine. Have you ordered yours yet? Click on the graphic above to visit Amazon.com and purchase your 2018 calendar while helping supprt The Magic Word Podcast. Or you can Click Here.to visit the Amazon.com site for more information. Thank you and Happy Holidays!

387: Orson Bean - It Began With A Fir Tree

The cover of a 1960 comedy album showed Orson Bean holding a "Fir Tree" (made from rolled-up newspaper) which started the search. While in the Los Angeles, California area, I learned that Orson Bean had an interest in magic and even belonged to the Academy of Magical Arts.

In a fortunate turn of events, The Magic Word Podcast was able to visit the home of legendary actor and comedian, Orson Bean, and his lovely wife (and talented actor in her own right), Alley Mills. What started out as a search into Orson's background and interest in magic led to a fascinating discussion through time and television history.

Orson and Alley were also putting the final touches on their new one act play, "Alright Then" that is "a true story of two people who fell in love and overcame insurmountable odds to forge a successful marriage." Their intent was to take it to the Mark Twain Library in Redding, CT (which they did this past July) then return to Los Angeles and present it there. During this podcast, Orson and Alley present a snippet from the play.

Watch SAFE AT HOME: An Evening with Orson Bean for FREE. Orson had offers to take his LADCC Award winning show to New York and elsewhere, but he feels strongly that this is a show he wants everyone to see and to enjoy, just as our audiences did here at Pacific Resident Theater. He decided to “give it away to the world” and posted it on YouTube. Now YOU and EVERYONE you know can enjoy this hilarious,

During our conversation, we start with magic but the real magic unfolds as we hear remarkable stories about Hollywood legends such as Johnny Carson, Ernie Kovacs, Bob Hope and so many, many more. Alley Mills also chats about her work on "The Wonder Years" TV show and the friendships that bonded the cast for life. Towards the end of this recording, Orson and Alley presented (and rehearsed) a bit of their new play "Alright Then"