665: Jania Taylor - Magic Lady

Jania Taylor is indeed a “Magic Lady” who performs on stage as well as out in the street for outdoor festivals. She also offers a lecture on some of the Women in Magic from over the years. Around the holidays she is seen as Santa’s Helper in a costumed character. And during her “off time” in the winter, she teaches snow skiing.

This was a video of “Now You See It with Scott Wells” from the MAES Convention in 2011 that featured Jana Taylor as one of my guests (as well as Denny Haney, too).

Bob Brown (of Bob Brown and Brenda fame) delivered a memorable lecture for the registrants at the 1983 International Brotherhood of Magicians convention in Honolulu, Hawaii. With today's marketing methods, much of his tips are outdated, but there is still much to be learned by this super salesman. Bob died on February 7, 2016, but I know he would like to be remembered for what he did best.

In this week’s episode Jania talks about her character in her outdoor festivals, promoting herself, some of the history of women in magic, busking, and more.

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585: Ariann Black - Solid Gold Magic Diva

Ariann Black was voted the Female Magician of the Decade in Las Vegas. Though her one-woman show has long since disappeared from the Strip, she continues to be relevant in our magic community. Nowadays Ariann can be found in her native home in Canada working on her coffee table book about female magicians from yesteryear. She also currently hosts a weekly cooking show on Facebook called, “Ariann Black’s Magic Kitchen” which features recipes that are quick and easy to make.

A montage from some of female magician Arian's work in shows like SPLASH.

Magician/Illusionist Arian Black preforms the interlude illusion on Masters of Illusion

In this episode, the first part of our conversation focuses on her new book and her research about female magicians from the past. The second half of our chat is about her successes in Las Vegas with her casino show and the heartbreaks and problems with trying to produce her own show in a male dominated industry in “Sin City” where it seems the odds are stacked against a woman trying to make her own way.

For more information and to register for this event, please visit NEMCA.com

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.

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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