700: Mike Caveney - Magic Words

In this milestone episode #700, world renown raconteur, Mike Caveney regales us with stories from magicians from long ago plus his many tales from the Egyptian Hall, the Left Handed League, the Long Beach Mystics, and much more. Mike is so deserving of this special episode because of his importance to the magic community not only because of his stand-up magic performances, but also because of his contributions as an author, publisher, lecturer, and collector. It was at his suggestion that David Copperfield started his journey as a collector that eventually became a museum.

As a publisher, Mike is an “open book” as he answers any and every question about his life, collecting, friends and associates as well as his performing. Some of these stories you have have heard or read here and there, but now they are all in one place: this week’s episode.

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439: 2018 MAGIC Live! - Day One Update

Day One Schedule - Sunday August 5, 2018

24 hours - Back Room Lounge

10:00 a.m. Registration and Photo Badges

7:30 - 11:00 p.m. Welcome Party

7:30 - 11:00 p.m. - "What's New" Dealers Faire Open

10:30 p.m. - Grand Prize Giveaway

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:16 - Prepare for takeoff from Houston Hobby airport with coffee and Dunkin' Donuts on "red eye" to Las Vegas

00:05:35 - Jeff Copeland will be a first time dealer at MAGIC Live! and talks about a few of his products.

00:13:02 - Jessica is a clerk at Gambler's General Store which is one of my favorite stops in Las Vegas

00:17:45 - Bill Malone has a few gags to share while we were getting our convention badges made.

00:19:55 - Charles Bach talks about Chappy Brazil and Kevin James chats about the upcoming season of "The Illusionists"

00:25:34 - Max Krause chats about his magic shop and theatre in Oklahoma City that is the second highest rated attraction in OKC.

00:29:10 - Martin Lewis talks about his late friend, Harry Anderson, and recounts his "Unicorn Story" that Harry wrote to accompany his linking finger rings performance.

00:34:46 - Bob Kavooras tells about his new line of vodka, Illusion Vodka

00:44:54 - George Tesoro and Michael King talk about producing and directing magic video and major motion pictures

00:52:52 - Jonathan Scott is one of TV's "Property Brothers" and also a magician who happens to be in town and is a magician

01:01:43: - Pat Hazell trips down memory lane telling us about fooling Slydini, his film appearances, and more.

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.. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

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