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912: Diana Zimmerman - The Enchantress

Diana Zimmerman is an enchanting woman in every sense of the word: personality, charm, abilities, looks, intelligence, skill, and so much more. She has led a life of magic like few other women. And she is being recognized for her achievements by being inducted to the Los Angeles Times Global Magicians Hall of Fame on July 9th, 2025. Married at 19 to Dick Zimmerman, magician and creative genius, she performed around the world on television and stage with her one-woman performance. She traveled with a giant gramophone then later switched to a thumb tie and pick pocketing. She developed and still works with the Magic Castle Junior Program (which just celebrated their 50th year) and is the author of several books of fantasy. But she also authored the definitive collector’s edition of the Siegfried and Roy book.

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Diana has so many stories that she shares with us this week including her early days working with her then-husband, Dick Zimmerman, then how Cary Grant encouraged her to form the junior program at the Magic Castle, and many stories about the late Siegfried and Roy. She was a close confidant to the illusionists and shares some “behind the scenes” stories from Little Bavaria to “the Incident” that ended their Las Vegas run.

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 Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly 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.

Tagged with Diana Zimmerman, Magic Castle, Magic Castle Junior Member, Doug Henning, Dai Vernon, Dick Zimmerman, Channing Pollock, pickpocketing, Matthew O'Neill, Jason Latimer, Michael Rangel, Lisa Menna, Cary Grant, Siegfried and Roy, Johnny Thompson, Gary Darwin, Michael Jackson, Little Bavaria.

July 3, 2025 by Scott Wells.
  • July 3, 2025
  • Scott Wells
  • Diana Zimmerman
  • Magic Castle
  • Magic Castle Junior Member
  • Doug Henning
  • Dai Vernon
  • Dick Zimmerman
  • Channing Pollock
  • pickpocketing
  • Matthew O'Neill
  • Jason Latimer
  • Michael Rangel
  • Lisa Menna
  • Cary Grant
  • Siegfried and Roy
  • Johnny Thompson
  • Gary Darwin
  • Michael Jackson
  • Little Bavaria
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232: FISM Italy - Day One

Well, here we go, day one of the six day (and night) congress. After arriving a week early flying into Milan and traveling to Stresa for a couple nights, to Padova for a couple more then ending in Padova, we traveled to Rimini to check in for the International Championships.

Day one was filled with stage and close-up contests and plenty of lectures from dawn to, well, almost dawn the next day. My favorite so far for stage illusion was Mag Edgar from Spain and for manipulation (and maybe the Grand Prix) Lee Chang Min from the Republic of Korea.

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Time stamps for this podcast:

00:02:54 - karl 'Coppertop" Hein, Enrico Dela Vega and Ian Rowland

00:10:28 - Armando Lucera

00:15:17 - Christian SCHENK, owner of "Card Shark" and maker of the Phoenix deck

00:25:41 - Bruce Trigg

00:30:03 - Trish Alaskey and Joe Furlow from the Academy of Magical Arts

00:34:12 - Jussi Saari, Congress Producer, and Henri Honkaluoma, Technical Producer both from Finland

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 for more information on the phoenix Deck.

Click on the banner for more information on the phoenix Deck.

Posted in Convention Report and tagged with Ian Rowland, Armando Lucero, Christian Schenk, Bruce Trigg, Joe Furlow, Jussi Saari, Henri Honkeluoma, Trish Alaskey.

July 6, 2015 by Scott Wells.
  • July 6, 2015
  • Scott Wells
  • Ian Rowland
  • Armando Lucero
  • Christian Schenk
  • Bruce Trigg
  • Joe Furlow
  • Jussi Saari
  • Henri Honkeluoma
  • Trish Alaskey
  • Convention Report
  • 1 Comment
1 Comment

222: My Week at the Magic Castle 2015 - Part Three

Join Scott and Lisa Land for a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard as we return to the Nirvana Apartment from breakfast at Mel's Diner. Scott Land is a puppeteer who was performing in the Palace theater at the Magic Castle during the same week I was in the Close-Up Gallery. We talk about many things and people including Scott's friend, Carl Ballentine. We stop along the way for Scott to point out some of the tourist landmarks on Hollywood Boulevard such as the El Capitan theater, "Walk of Stars" like Robin Williams, Julie Andrews, John Travolta, Milt and Bill Larsen, and Mann's Chinese Theatre.

After we return to the Nirvana Apartments (which is where many of the Castle performers are lodged during their/our week), I took a walk across the street and up the hill to the Academy of Magical Arts where I spoke with its General Manager, Joe Furlow. I happened to have been in the epicenter of the timeline when an agreement had just been reached between the Milt Larsen, the Magic Castle and the Academy of Magical Arts. Many of the agreed terms were discussed during our conversation.

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00:02:52 - Join Lisa and Scott Land as we depart from Mel's Diner and walk along Hollywood Boulevard back to our apartment near the Magic Castle. Enjoy the sights and sounds and stories along the way. As we get back in front of the Nirvana Apartments, Scott talked extensively about Carl Ballentine, the development of his act, an entertaining story about Carl's' belief of Steve Martin "lifting" his act, and the puppet of Carl that Scott created.

00:20:18 - Joe Furlow, General Manager of the Academy of Magical Arts, talks about the resurrection of the Magic Castle and how they are now thriving as a financially successful enterprise.

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.

Tagged with The Magic Castle, Joe Furlow, Scott Land, Lisa Land, puppets, Hollywood stars, Canter's Deli, Carl Ballentine, Steve Martin, Tommy Cooper, Neil Patrick Harris, NPH.

May 7, 2015 by Scott Wells.
  • May 7, 2015
  • Scott Wells
  • The Magic Castle
  • Joe Furlow
  • Scott Land
  • Lisa Land
  • puppets
  • Hollywood stars
  • Canter's Deli
  • Carl Ballentine
  • Steve Martin
  • Tommy Cooper
  • Neil Patrick Harris
  • NPH
  • 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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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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Mark Phillips - "Duel" Reality - Mark Phillips is more than just a long-time, successful trade show magician. He also co-hosts one of the most popular two-person comedy shows in Washington, D.C. #washingtondc #magiccomedy #comedy #tradeshow
MAGIC Live! 2025 Daily Reports It's a wrap! - All four days of reports from MAGIC Live! in Las Vegas have been posted on The Magic Word Podcast and available for your listening pleasure. What another great convention! 15 years and counting. #magicliv
Abbott's 87th Get Together 2025 Daily Reports - Daily reports from "Camp Colon" featuring chats with registrants, talent, organizers, dealers, and more. It's the next best thing to being there!
Travel Breather in the Eye of the Storm - We are between two (actually three) major events: FISM, Abbott's Get Together and MAGIC Live! Last week was a full week of FISM reports. Next week we travel to Colon, Michigan for Abbott's Get Together then i
Mark Phillips - "Duel" Reality - Mark Phillips is more than just a long-time, successful trade show magician. He also co-hosts one of the most popular two-person comedy shows in Washington, D.C. #washingtondc #magiccomedy #comedy #tradeshow MAGIC Live! 2025 Daily Reports It's a wrap! - All four days of reports from MAGIC Live! in Las Vegas have been posted on The Magic Word Podcast and available for your listening pleasure. What another great convention! 15 years and counting. #magicliv Abbott's 87th Get Together 2025 Daily Reports - Daily reports from "Camp Colon" featuring chats with registrants, talent, organizers, dealers, and more. It's the next best thing to being there!
Rome may not have been built in a day, but we tried to see as much of it as we could in an afternoon.
Another beautiful day in Umbria visiting #Assissi and #Perugia #Italy
More time near the Tuscan sun. But this time we traveled south to Umbria where we visited #Bevagna #Montefalco and #Spello
More time under the beautiful Tuscan sun with a visit to Montalcino and Montepulciano for wine tasting and exploring. Now staying in a monestary. #italy
Travel Breather in the Eye of the Storm - We are between two (actually three) major events: FISM, Abbott's Get Together and MAGIC Live! Last week was a full week of FISM reports. Next week we travel to Colon, Michigan for Abbott's Get Together then i

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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