Jerry Lewis passed away today at the age of 91. You can read more about the incredible career of one of the world’s most recognizable funny men in this New York Times article.
As tribute we give you the trailer for The Geisha Boy, the one film that we can think of off the top of our heads that saw Jerry lewis playing a magician.
Sad news for the magic world; Eugene Burger has passed away at the age of 78 from cancer. Simone Marron posted on Facebook:
It is with heavy hearts that we, friends of Eugene Burger, inform you that Eugene has passed away in Chicago at the age of 78.
Eugene enjoyed a long, healthy life, but was very recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Even so, his death today came more quickly than expected, and we are deeply shocked and saddened by his loss.
We know that in the days, weeks, and months ahead, countless things will be written and said about Eugene, and we will share more information, too. But for now we want to tell you that Eugene embraced his situation with great clarity, humor, and peace of mind. As he said one day, “Now I am on the way to the ultimate capital M Mystery of life.”
Please join us in remembering and celebrating Eugene, a rare and wonderful person who has meant so much to us and to magicians all over the world.
Please share.
Abigail Spinner McBride posted:
Tears of grief will turn to sweet memory. These feelings will not last forever, and it will not always be as painful as it is right now. This, I know.
Mostly, I am profoundly grateful to have shared 28 years with The Master. My guru, teacher, guide and friend will never pad down the stairs in his bathrobe again to hug me good morning. I will never hear his resonant voice reciting poetry or giving “words from the dean” to the classes here. I will never be making him breakfast again, or going out to dinner, or sitting with him by the fire….
It’s the little things that break your heart open.At the corner of my eye
From the edges of a dream
In the center of the space inside my heart
I remember…
We remember.
And all that we have loved is always here, now.
All that we have loved is always here.“It is with heavy hearts that we, friends of Eugene Burger, inform you that Eugene has passed away in Chicago at the age of 78.
Eugene enjoyed a long, healthy life, but was very recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Even so, his death today came more quickly than expected, and we are deeply shocked and saddened by his loss.
We know that in the days, weeks, and months ahead, countless things will be written and said about Eugene, and we will share more information, too. But for now we want to tell you that Eugene embraced his situation with great clarity, humor, and peace of mind. As he said one day, “Now I am on the way to the ultimate capital M Mystery of life.”
Please join us in remembering and celebrating Eugene, a rare and wonderful person who has meant so much to us and to magicians all over the world.”
What can we say about Eugene Burger? He was an incredibly influential magic creator and teacher. We offer a clip from Jeff McBride: A Magickal Life featuring Eugene (from Reel Time Images). We will post more videos tomorrow.
It has been announced that last week trailblazing female magician Celeste Evans passed away at the age of 85. Ms. Evans began performing professionally in the early 1950s and toured the world with her famous dove act. You can read more about the statement made by her daughter Evanna Brenning to the Canadian Press through the 570 News website.
I was fortunate enough to conduct a phone interview with Celeste Evans in 2013 and posted two articles on iTricks which you can read here and here.
We open up today with video of magician Jim Merrill in the WZZM 13 studios talking about sport stacking and its benefits for kids.
Insider Louisville is covering this year’s SAM/IBM Combined, which is basically going on now! If you aren’t in Louisville you are missing it!
Add David Caserta to the list of magicians we know will be on The CW’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us this season; according to the Broadway World site he will make his appearance next Thursday, July 20.
Speaking of television, there were no magic acts on America’s Got Talent last night, but there was another prominent shot of Jibrizy… if he is going to be on it will probably be on Thursday night’s special episode. Judges’ cuts begin next Tuesday.
Finally, we sadly announce a broken wand for Kenneth Silverman, Pulitzer Prize winning author, biographer of Edgar Allen Poe and Harry Houdini and magician. You can read about his amazing career on the New York Times site.
He was not a magician… but we know Adam West meant a great deal to so many iTricksters, including the staff. While not the most prolific Batman (that would be Kevin Conroy, who voices Batman in the DC Animated Universe and related video games), Adam West portrayed Batman for the longest period of time. For just over 50 years, starting with the campy 1966 TV series, through the Super Friends cartoons until last year’s Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders animated film. Adam West was 88; you can read more about his career (both in and out of the cowl) on The Hollywood Reporter’s site. You can also see a fascinating interview with West on the Archive of American Television website.
It was announced yesterday that magician Andy Cunningham passed away at the age of 67. Best known for his decade long children’s show Bodger & Badger, which saw Cunningham as a hapless handyman with a mashed potato loving badger sidekick, Cunningham made this video in 2013 for the group Care For The Wild to draw attention to a badger cull planned by the British government.
Sad news via Facebook from Maria Ibanez that Paul Diamond, a popular Florida magic shop owner has passed away. We have no other details at this time but would like to share this video of Paul, known as Mr Humble, performing.