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The Magic Word The Magic Word

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549: Mercer Helms - Trust Me

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Mercer Helms is a retired dove magician, though he shouldn’t be “pigeon-holed” like that (pun intended). He has retired to Houston, Texas after a long and illustrative career in Los Angeles California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Many years ago he continues to work in and around Houston due to his wife’s failing health. We frequently worked together at Houston’s Magic Island where he was the opening dove act and much loved by the audiences.

You can view a video of him performing his dove routine on the Magicana.com website by Clicking Here

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In this week’s episode, Mercer talks about his relationship with Phyllis Diller, how they came to know each other, a few “tales from the road”, plus what it was like working in the old circuit that included the Catskills and old Las Vegas. Mercer was also the subject of a 2015 newspaper article which you can read by Clicking Here.

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 or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here..If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

The Magic Book Shop: This week our sponsor is offering listeners the chance to win a copy of Daryl’s “Ambitious Card Omnibus” on their website. A winner will be drawn on March 15, 2020. Also, you will receive a 15% discount on ALL purchases just for…

The Magic Book Shop: This week our sponsor is offering listeners the chance to win a copy of Daryl’s “Ambitious Card Omnibus” on their website. A winner will be drawn on March 15, 2020. Also, you will receive a 15% discount on ALL purchases just for listening to The Magic Word Podcast. Just put in the promo code: magicword

Tagged with Mercer Helms, dove worker, Phyllis Diller, Ricky Dunn, Magic Island.

March 5, 2020 by Scott Wells.
  • March 5, 2020
  • Scott Wells
  • Mercer Helms
  • dove worker
  • Phyllis Diller
  • Ricky Dunn
  • Magic Island
  • 2 Comments
2 Comments

163: Part 3 - My Week at The Castle 2014

Ah, the old barber shop. Sitting around the cracker barrel, playing dominoes, whittlin', spittin' and tellin' tales. Well, those days are mostly long gone in the real world, but not in the world of magic. Every Wednesday, many local magicians congregate at Dean's Shoppe (haircutting and magic) in Glendale to talk magic and shuffle cards.

In this Part Three of my multi-part podcast from my week at the Magic Castle, I turn on the recorder and let it roll as I had my hair cut and let the conversation and hair fall where it may. Alan Burskey and Pete Biro were the two guys who were in Dean's Shoppe on this particular Wednesday.

Back at the Castle, I chatted with Castle Librarian, Bill Goodwin then finished off the evening at the bar with the Builder of the Magic Castle, Milt Larsen.

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00:01:50 - Alan Bursky talks about his involvement with the Magic Island in Newport Beach and Houston. To confirm one of our points, Alan even called Michael Caliie on his cell phone during our conversation. Pete Biro and Dean Dill add a few comments from time to time while Dean was cutting Scott's hair. Pete Biro talks about his latest project with a documentary on Spook Shows. We briefly talked about Triple Espresso, the "highly caffeinated comedy" but forgot the name of the magician who originally worked at Houston's Magic Island. It was Bill Arnold.

00:25:18 - Bill Goodwin, Close-Up Magician of the Year and The Magic Castle's librarian. Bill was performing with me in the Close-Up Gallery as the late show performer. Bill talks about the Castle's library and how to care for your own.

00:37:37- Milt Larsen, Creator of the Magic Castle, talks at length about his various business ventures including an exciting new movie project that will be based around and filmed in The Magic Castle.

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.

Magic and Martinis' Thursday

There can't be good living where there's not good drinking.

There can't be good living where there's not good drinking.

Just a few comments that accompany the five star ratings on iTunes for The Magic Word. Add your comments today! Thanks.

Just a few comments that accompany the five star ratings on iTunes for The Magic Word. Add your comments today! Thanks.

Tagged with Dean Dill, Alan Bursky, Pete Biro, Mike Calie, The Magic Castle, Magic Island, Bill Goodwin, Milt Larsen, Triple Espresso, Bill Arnold, spook show documentary, Silkini, Mercer Helms, Don Greenberg, L&L Publishing, Joanie Spina.

June 19, 2014 by Scott Wells.
  • June 19, 2014
  • Scott Wells
  • Dean Dill
  • Alan Bursky
  • Pete Biro
  • Mike Calie
  • The Magic Castle
  • Magic Island
  • Bill Goodwin
  • Milt Larsen
  • Triple Espresso
  • Bill Arnold
  • spook show documentary
  • Silkini
  • Mercer Helms
  • Don Greenberg
  • L&L Publishing
  • Joanie Spina
  • Post a comment
Comment

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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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/
Livin' it up in Las Vegas at the Magic Collector Expo. #magiccollectorexpo2025 #davidcopperfield #jeffmcbride #charlesgreeneiii
Join us for our very special 900th podcast episode this week featuring @dansperry who is universally known in the magic community having performed with The Illusionists and often appearing on television plus casinos, theaters, and stages around the w
Daily reports from the 4F convention in Buffalo,  New York.  The original close-up magic convention, invitation only, with some of the best close-up workers in the world. #ffff #fechtersfingerflickingfrolic #ffff2025 #cheektowaga #magicwordpodcast #m
Keith Fields and Lady Sarah - And the Winner is... I.B.M. co-chair of the Contest Committee, Keith Fields and his wife, the Lady Sarah, provide advice, suggestions, and reasons for entering contests. They also talk about their “Magic Soiree&rdq
David DaVinci - Vitruvian Magician - Thrillusionist, David DaVinci, has reinvented the classic style stage magician into a thrilling superstar of the stage. #illusionist #birds #birdmagic #magician #thrillusionist #parrots #ringling @thrillusionist
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/ Livin' it up in Las Vegas at the Magic Collector Expo. #magiccollectorexpo2025 #davidcopperfield #jeffmcbride #charlesgreeneiii Join us for our very special 900th podcast episode this week featuring @dansperry who is universally known in the magic community having performed with The Illusionists and often appearing on television plus casinos, theaters, and stages around the w Daily reports from the 4F convention in Buffalo,  New York.  The original close-up magic convention, invitation only, with some of the best close-up workers in the world. #ffff #fechtersfingerflickingfrolic #ffff2025 #cheektowaga #magicwordpodcast #m Keith Fields and Lady Sarah - And the Winner is... I.B.M. co-chair of the Contest Committee, Keith Fields and his wife, the Lady Sarah, provide advice, suggestions, and reasons for entering contests. They also talk about their “Magic Soiree&rdq
Moontower Comedy Festival: Genius + Poison Magic Week at the Hideout Coffee Shop in Austin, Texas #magic #zabrecky #derekhughes #nickdiffatte #comedy #austincomedy
David DaVinci - Vitruvian Magician - Thrillusionist, David DaVinci, has reinvented the classic style stage magician into a thrilling superstar of the stage. #illusionist #birds #birdmagic #magician #thrillusionist #parrots #ringling @thrillusionist

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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