782: MAGIC Live! 2023 Convention - Day Four Report

Wednesday, August 9th

24 hours Mystique Lounge, Jackson Square
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration, Kiosk

10:00 a.m. - Noon General Session for PURPLE, Showroom
10:00 a.m. - 11:10 a.m. Focus Sessions for WHITE

Twisting it with Juan Caplla and Rubi, French Quarter

Redefining Sponge Magic, Xulio Marino, Bienville G

Close-Up Clinic, Esplanade M
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The Magic Shop, Mardi Gras

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Focus Session for WHITE, see above

2:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. General Session for WHITE, Showroom

2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Focus Session for PURPLE, see above

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Focus Session for PURPLE, see above

Live Tonight!

5:30, 7:25, 9:30 p.m. Downstage, Showroom

6:00 - 10:00 p.m. (continuous showing) Reel Time,, Dauphine D

10:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Black & White Farewell Party, Esplanade

10:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Souvenir Program Handout, Esplanade

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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!

290: F.F.F.F. 2016 Day Four

The final day (and night) of the "Original Close-Up Convention"

Saturday April 30:
11:00am: Luis Otera Lecture
12:30pm: Lunch Buffet
1:30pm: 7th Close-Up Show "Asian Gala"
3:30pm: 8th Close-Up Show Fechter's Fabulous Frolics (Steve Beam emcee)
5:30pm: Dinner Buffet
7:30pm: Fat Brothers Tribute
8:00pm: 9th Close-Up Show Grand Finale Show (Obie O'Brien emcee)
11:30pm: Hospitality Suite

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:00 - Geoff Williams gives us some of his best "Puns of the the Day"

00:04:25 - We follow-up with Lion Fludd after his first appearance and performance at the 4F.

00:10:54 - Scott Robinson, organizer of TRICS magic convention in North Carolina, talks about his upcoming event plus highlights from this convention.

00:14:49 - Matt Episcipo loves this convention because of the camaraderie, a term we frequently hear.

00:19:13 - Steve Bargatze and Rick Merrill have closed the Saturday night show for many years, but this year they are taking a break but talk about what they could have "riffed" on from this year's convention.

00:25:25 - Gary Morton, emcee of the Friday afternoon show, talks about some of the seminal moments from this and past 4F conventions.

00:30:58 - Paul Gertner tells us a little about his planning for his portion of the final night show.

00:36:28 - Michael Dardant and Boris Wils talk about some of the outstanding acts at this year's 4F.

00:47:55 - Mike Maione and Darryl Rose talk about doughnuts and give their impressions on some of the outstanding acts.

01:00:23 - Obie O'Brien sits back and relaxes now that the convention is officially over. He looks back on the successful convention as the 46th annual 4F convention goes into the history books.