864: Michael Campion - Coming Into His Own

In our second installment in this “Month of Boo'“ on The Magic Word Podcast, we feature a “family friendly” entertainer, Michael Campion. He is a young “heart throb” for adolescents who watched the five year series “Fuller House” online where he starred as the character, Jackson. It has been six years since we last visited with Michael when he was then just 16. Today his interest in magic has come to the forefront and he is currently performing on weekends in a one-man show at Beetle House in Los Angeles called, “Haunted Mystery Show of Magic.” Tickets are available by Clicking Here. The reason we revisited with this young man is to discover his journey from a family entertainer to a magician who is now featuring a seance as part of his show. Michael is not the first actor in Hollywood to have a love of magic and performing and balance it with his acting career. Another one who comes to mind is Steve Valentine.

Many who listen to this episode are much older than our guest this week. But there is a lot to learn from as Michael Campion shares his insights and journey to write, develop, find a venue, and market his one-man show. It shows his determination and will hopefully inspire other listeners to follow their dreams to produce their own shows.

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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.

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.

The Magic Word

A Podcast for Magicians, About Magicians, Hosted by a Full Time Professional Magician, Scott Wells

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