TOP 5 INFLUENTIAL MAGICIANS

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I always get the same question from people "Who is your favourite magician?" And I have to say, there are too many out there that fit this list in their own right. The magic community has such a broad range of different types of magicians with different skill levels that I cannot name any one magician as my ultimate favourite. I will, however, give you the top 5 magicians that have inspired me and have had a huge influence in my own magic career and here they are...

#5. Dan & Dave Buck

Okay, so they count as two people, but they're twins and always work together so...there!

What they're known for:

• Creators and teachers of magic and popularized card flourishing (cardistry).
  
• First magicians to spark the custom designed playing card trend which launched a whole new industry and community of collectors and deck designers (including myself).

The Buck twins have managed to repel the cheesy stigma of how society sees magicians and have brought a sense of style and class to their brand - "A lifestyle brand for magicians". They have created a whole style of their own through curated, high quality productions for their online products. I truly love what they have done for the community and they deserve a top spot on any magician's list. And more importantly, they are excellent technicians of the craft.

Watch this...

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#4. Richard Turner

What he's known for:

• Master and teacher of card mechanics
• Award winning magician
• And he's blind

I have no excuse for my own short comings as a magician. All I can say is WOW! Known as "The Cheat", Richard Turner has inspired me for years! What this man can do with a deck of cards, most magicians can't do in a lifetime. Turner has proven himself against all odds. He has turned what seems to be a negative and has taken advantage of his keen sense of touch to perform some of the  most mind blowing skills anyone has ever seen.  There is a movie about him called 'Dealt' coming in 2015. Can't wait!

Watch this...

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#3. David Blaine

What he's known for:

• Coined the term "Street Magic" and single-handedly revitalized the magic industry
• Modern-day Houdini with a long list of physical endurance stunts including: standing in a block of ice for 3 days, hanging in a box for 44 days, in a tank of water for 7 days, held the Guinness World Record for holding his breath underwater for more than 17 minutes, the list goes on...

For me David Blaine did something very smart. He took staple tricks that almost every magician has in their repertoire, brought a camera along and walked around New York performing tricks on the street. The result was a huge serge of interest in magic again, both within the industry and in the public. Many thought that this was some kind of new style of magic, when in reality it was some of the oldest tricks in the book. And because of Blaine, it opened the doors for me to be able to showcase my own style of magic on TV as well. Thanks for being so clever David!

Watch this...

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#2. David Copperfield

What he's known for: (he needs no explanation, but for the sake of continuity...)

• Hmm let me see...made the Statue of Liberty disappear, walked through the Great Wall of China, floated across the Grand Canyon, made a jet plane disappear... I could be here all day...
• Award winning Broadway and TV shows
• Wind blowing his hair

The photo above, to me, is what started it all. I remember watching his first TV special on ABC and it was my first exposure to magic. Since then, Copperfield has always been my #1 stage illusionist of all time and in my book, no one else comes close. He defined my kind of magic when I first started my career. David Copperfield set the tone and a very high bar for the rest of the magic community and is still a huge inspiration to many young magicians today. 

Watch this...one of my all time favourites! Simple and elegant...

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#1. Derren Brown

What he's known for:

• Mentalist, hypnotist, mind manipulator and all around mad genius!
• Hypnotized a nation, made people into assassins and bank robbers, made a girl kill a cat, played Russian Roulette with a real loaded gun on live television.
• Way too long of a list...you just have to watch him!

Derren Brown is on another level entirely. Though he started out as a magician, he has evolved into something much... scarier. And I love it! This madman has become such an inspiration to performers like myself and he too has set the bar high not only within the industry but for audiences around the world. 

I leave you with one of my favourite shows of Derren Brown in its entirety because everything about it is just amazing. Enjoy...

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#0. Erik Mana

Yeah?... No?....ok...

Thanks for dropping by! :)

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