David Copperfield
267 pp., 2021, $24.99, Simon & Schuster
“Yes, Virginia,”1 history, Magic and casinos do go together like jingle bells, Santa Claus and Christmas trees. A new book from David Copperfield, who is appearing nightly at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas, proves the point.
On the casino history side, the late, legendary William “Bill” Harrah, the founder of Harrah’s Hotels & Casinos, was the first to realize that live entertainment was a key element for enhancing gaming revenues. Together with his long-time entertainment director Holmes Hendricksen (who passed just three months ago), they were the first to bring major stars to their stages in Reno and Lake Tahoe. It didn’t take Las Vegas long to adopt Harrah’s ideas. Vegas is now regarded as the entertainment capital of the world. Likewise, Native American casinos across the country literally saved and extended the careers of countless entertainers by providing new venues for hundreds of acts that might not have survived without them.
Major stars always attract players (but they can be costly). So do tribute bands recalling popular groups from the 1950s to the 2000s (they’re generally a bargain). And one category that never fails is Magic. Touring revues like Carnival of Wonders and Masters of Illusion have always drawn casino crowds. There’s also no shortage of headlining magicians thriving on the gambling circuit.
Consider a recent list of Magic practitioners appearing in Las Vegas at the same time: Shin Lim, Penn & Teller, Piff the Magic Dragon Show, Mat Franco, Mac King, Criss Angel, Jen Kramer, Xavier Mortimer, Murray the Magician, Tommy Wind, Hans Klok, Mike Hammer and, of course, David Copperfield. Plus, there’s another half dozen or so “mentalists” (a magic sub-category).
Booking agent Ted Files, of the Scott Dean Agency, has been working with casinos for nearly 50 years. He says, “I think casino goers just want to escape reality, and Magic helps you do that.” He adds that “all great Magic revues combine a bit of comedy, music and dancing along with the tricks that leave the audience wondering just ‘how did they do that?’”
[Disclaimer: I’m a closet Magic nut. I’ve been reading Genii magazine and buying books and tricks from Tannen’s, Abbott’s and Dreamland since I first saw the late Harry Blackstone Jr. entertain my Cub Scout pack by pulling rabbits from his hat. While my skills remain pedestrian, my fandom is world class. Working in casinos over the years got me good seats to watch many great performers. Likewise, I seldom miss a chance to hang out at the Magic Castle in Hollywood whenever a member offers tickets. That background might help you understand why I’m reviewing a Magic book in a casino column.]
Released at the end of October 2021, this book doesn’t feature Copperfield talking much about casinos, but he does a wonderful job of covering Magic’s history. Please note that if you want to learn how tricks work, this is not the book you’ll want. As the name says, this is a volume on the history of Magic and the performers that advanced the art through the years. Copperfield does reference some historic books on Magic that helped him and others learn their skills. (Likewise, I’ll mention a few I found helpful at the end of this review.)
Of course, Magic has been the subject of hundreds of books and there are a dozen more on the history of the craft. But this volume is unique. While I loved the text of Copperfield’s chapters, which provide short, entertaining bios of legendary magicians and their most famous tricks, it is the illustrations which make it unique. You may not be aware that Copperfield has collected and curated one of the best Magic museums in the world. He purchased both the Cole and Mulholland collections and has been adding historic items for years (now totaling an estimated 80,000 items).
Photo: Homer Anthony Liwag
here are a few other noteworthy collections, but considering the depth and quality of Copperfield’s, it is doubtful that anyone will ever match his. It is located in Las Vegas and is officially titled, “David Copperfield’s International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts.” The bad news is that it is not open to the public. Only a lucky few get invites. The good news is that photographer Homer Liwag did get inside and illustrates this book with beautiful shots of the props, posters and illusions. They range from Okito’s “Floating Ball,” Cardini’s tuxedo, Thurston’s posters and dozens of other fascinating shots.
The book is also a bit of an autobiography of Copperfield. He talks of how his family and these legendary magicians influenced his career from Channing Pollock’s “style” to hanging out with Dai Vernon at the Magic Castle. For those who don’t recognize Vernon’s name, you might say that he was the Shin Lim of his generation (1894 – 1992). In other words, an absolute master of “close-up” Magic, done without grand illusions.
I cannot describe how special this book will be to those who love Magic. It is a guide to the craft’s cornerstones. It is equally remarkable that Copperfield has collected these historic tricks and thus preserved them. Many of these artifacts would have been scattered, or lost to obscurity, without his stewardship. Equally important, with this book he has now photo-documented many of these artifacts for others to enjoy.
Over the years, I’ve read everything I can find on Hungarian immigrant Erik Weisz (immigration officials later changed his name to Ehrich Weiss). He was a locksmith and dreamed of being a trapeze artist before he changed his name again to Harry Houdini and became a renowned escape artist. Until I opened Copperfield’s book, I had only seen B&W photos or colorized illustrations (but never a color photograph) of Houdini’s infamous “Chinese Water Torture Cell.” You’ll see it in this book, since Copperfield owns the real cell. It’s legit, not the movie prop that actor Tony Curtis climbed into for the 1953 movie, Houdini. That fictional film falsely claimed that the “Torture Cell” led to the magician’s death.
If you’re not a Magic nerd, this book would still be a great holiday gift as a coffee table piece due to the beautiful photographs and the impressive cover art. It is hard to know who wrote what in this book, as Richard Wiseman and David Britland share credits as co-authors. But the style of all their writing is classic Copperfield. You’ll quickly recognize the tone of his “patter” from his numerous TV specials.
The book is available everywhere from $24.99. There’s a Kindle edition too, but this is one that works best in hard copy. If you’re a huge Copperfield fan, you can get an autographed copy for $35 from some internet sites. Hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
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Want to learn some Magic yourself? Here are a few books I enjoyed early on, but be forewarned, your reading needs to be accompanied by hours and hours of practice. Magic is not just magic; it’s an artform that requires as much skill and practice as that of any professional musician.
If your goal is to get as good as any of the performers featured in this book, a considerable amount of natural talent is also required. If that doesn’t discourage you, here’s a reading list you can find on Amazon:
- The Complete Illustrated Book of Close-Up Magic – by Walter B. Gibson
- The Dai Vernon Cups and Balls – by Lewis Ganson
- Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic – by Mark Wilson
- Now You See It, Now You Don’t! Lessons in Sleight of Hand – by Bill Tarr
Notes:
1 – Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s “The Sun” newspaper in 1897 asking if there was really a Santa Claus. His response is a timeless classic and contains the famous line “Yes, Virginia.” https://www.newseum.org/exhibits/online/yes-virginia-there-is-a-santa-claus/
