Remembering Roy Horn on His Birthday

 

October 3 is a day to remember Roy Horn, the German-born entertainer whose work with Siegfried Fischbacher helped create one of Las Vegas’s most spectacular magic productions. Horn was born on October 3, 1944; this year would have been his 82nd birthday.

Siegfried & Roy built a theatrical world of grand costumes, pyrotechnics and large-scale illusions featuring tigers and lions. Horn was known for his connection with the animals and helped shape many of the show’s concepts, while Siegfried developed ways to bring those ideas to the stage. The pair captivated Las Vegas audiences for more than 25 years.

October 3 also carries a difficult association with the duo’s history. In 2003, during a performance at the Mirage, Horn was critically injured by a tiger. The incident ended the show’s run, bringing an abrupt close to a production that had become a fixture of the Las Vegas Strip.

Remembering Horn means recognizing both the scale of the spectacle he helped create and the risks and challenges that came with performing alongside powerful animals. His birthday offers an opportunity to reflect on a career that helped define an era of Las Vegas magic.

Harry Blackstone Jr. Appeared in a CigArrest Commercial

 Magicians have long brought their stage presence to television, but one vintage commercial took Harry Blackstone Jr. somewhere unexpected: a pitch for CigArrest, a product marketed to people trying to quit smoking.

The archived spot is listed as a 1987 commercial featuring Blackstone. Instead of inviting viewers into a theater, it uses the magician’s familiar showmanship to deliver a direct message about changing a habit. That makes the clip a curious crossover between magic, celebrity advertising and the public campaigns of the 1980s.

Blackstone Jr. was a natural fit for a television audience. A magician’s work depends on attention, timing and personality—qualities that also help a short commercial stand out. Even without a stage or elaborate illusion, his appearance gives the ad a touch of theatrical flair.

The product itself has its own place in advertising history. CigArrest was promoted as a smoking-cessation aid, and contemporary coverage questioned some of the success claims made for it. The commercial is best viewed today as an archival snapshot of how products were marketed at the time, rather than as health guidance.

For magic fans, the clip offers a small but memorable glimpse of Blackstone Jr. outside the theater. It’s a reminder that magicians’ public personas can travel well beyond the stage—and sometimes turn up in the most surprising places.

Aiden Sinclair Brings Séance Magic to Penn & Teller: Fool Us

 A séance table, a mysterious doll, and a room full of people wondering what might happen next: Aiden Sinclair’s performance on Penn & Teller: Fool Us builds its magic around atmosphere as much as surprise.

Sinclair appeared on Season 4, Episode 5, “Does This Trick Ring a Bell?” The episode, hosted by Alyson Hannigan, originally aired on August 10, 2017.

Sinclair introduces the act as séance magic. He invites Hannigan to join him at the table, where a spirit board and a doll named Evie help set the scene. He tells a story about the doll’s supposed history, then turns the performance into a game involving several audience members and a small object hidden among others.

The strength of the routine is how its pieces work together. The props create an eerie setting, the story gives the objects a reason to be there, and the volunteers make the outcome feel immediate. The result is a mentalism performance with the tension of a ghost story, while keeping the audience focused on the mystery unfolding around the table.

Sinclair’s official biography describes his work as theatrical séance and paranormal illusion. That style is on full display here: the performance invites the audience into a supernatural story while leaving them to decide what they believe they just saw.

The clip is a memorable example of how a magician can use character, pacing, and carefully chosen props to make a routine feel like more than a puzzle. Watch Aiden Sinclair’s performance and see how the séance unfolds:

Remembering Magician Mike Ellis

 October 2 marks the anniversary of the passing of magician Mike Ellis, who died on this date in 2008. His story is a reminder that a magician’s legacy can live on through the people they inspire and the magic community they help build.

Ellis began studying magic as an adult, attending an adult education class in Boynton Beach, Florida, taught by magician Barry Gibbs. Gibbs later sponsored him into International Brotherhood of Magicians Ring #117. In his remembrance, Gibbs noted that the ring came to be known as the Mike Ellis Ring.

Gibbs described Ellis as modest and devoted to magic. He recalled knowing Ellis for nearly a year before discovering his theatrical background—not because Ellis had talked about it, but through the autographed photographs displayed in his home. Ellis’s love of magic and his quiet encouragement of others made a lasting impression on the people around him.

Remembering performers like Mike Ellis helps tell a fuller story of magic. The art is carried forward not only by the names on marquees, but also by teachers, club members, and friends who share what they know and welcome others into the community.

Today, we remember Mike Ellis and the mark he left on the magicians who knew him.

AiRBand by Arnel Renegado video DOWNLOAD

Now available at www.magiciansmagicshop.com

 Produce a rubber band like Spider-Man right on your fingertips! Imagine showing your hand empty, then, with a simple rub or flick of your palm on the table, a rubber band magically appears.

• No string attached
• No magnet
• No thread
• No sticky stuff
• Perform it naked

Show your hands empty before and after the trick. You can even produce two or more rubber bands, and spectators can perform it themselves!

Download the video and learn it now!

Bill Bixby as The Magician first aired today in 1973

 Many viewers remember Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner from The Incredible Hulk. But did you know he also starred as a professional magician in a 1970s television series?

On October 2, 1973, NBC aired the first regular episode of The Magician, with Bixby playing Anthony “Tony” Blake. The character was a stage magician who used his skills to help solve crimes. The series pilot had aired earlier that year, before the regular episodes began.

The opening episode, “The Manhunters,” follows Tony as he investigates a threat against a writer friend. The story takes him into an illegal gambling operation, where his card and dice handling helps him get closer to the truth. It’s a fun example of a television detective using the tools of a magician—observation, misdirection, and showmanship—as part of the story.

The series ran during the 1973–74 television season, bringing a magician’s life and skills into a weekly crime drama. Its premise offered viewers something different: instead of a magician appearing briefly as a guest or performing a trick between scenes, the magician was the main character.

More than 50 years later, The Magician remains an interesting piece of television history for magic fans. It’s a reminder that the art of magic has long inspired stories beyond the stage.

Did You Know? Doug and Debby Henning Had Their Own Toy Line

 Did you know that magician Doug Henning and his wife, Debby, once brought their sense of wonder to the toy aisle?

In 1985, the Hennings created Wonder Whims, a line of plush characters made by Panosh Place. Debby designed the characters from her own sketches, and the collection included six different characters, each paired with an animal friend.

The toys were designed to invite imaginative play. Each Wonder Whim came with a storybook and a colorful kaleidoscope wand, giving children a little world of make-believe to explore alongside the plush toy.

This 1986 commercial is a fun snapshot of an unusual chapter in Doug Henning’s career. Best known for bringing theatrical magic to television and the stage, he also helped create a toy line built around the same idea that made his performances memorable: the world feels more exciting when you leave room for wonder.

Take a look at the commercial and see if you remember the Wonder Whims!