The Newest Tops

What does it take to become magic’s only Two-Time Gold Medal Champion? Only one magician has ever successfully discovered the answer: George Saterial. By merging a truly original concept with classic style, an obsession with perfection, charisma, and tireless practice and work, George Saterial has achieved arguably magic’s greatest feat. George has become the first and only magician in the world to receive magic’s highest and most coveted honors, the “Gold Medal of Excellence,” from the industry’s foremost associations–The International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians. It’s rare that either award is given–in nearly twenty years they have been granted a combined total of only seven times. George was awarded both honors in the same year.

George will be  performing at the 2010 Magic Get Together in August.

YES, yes dear readers, that is little me, with the white hair, I went through a LOT of changes before I hit the right ‘look’ I wanted. And noticed the name change. BIG mistake. I just thought STEFAN was more elegant than ratty old Senor. So new photos, new wardrobe, music etc. My agent had a fit! “who the hell knows who Stefan Rai is? All my clients know the “Senor”.  How the hell can I book Stefan? It sounds like a concert pianist! Well he was 100% correct. I went back to Senor and was booked immediately and used the name for 60 years. What I am trying to say is that if something works DON’T mess with it. Over the next few months I will be showing all the other looks I did, but the name remained the same! For a quick look, rush to get Paul Osbornes new book on illusions, coming out in May. (Abbott’s will carry it) I am thrilled and proud to say he has dedicated the whole book to little ME  and asked for a slew of photo’s with all the various looks. I can’t wait! Also Michelle tells me since the blurb in last months column, The entire Osborne plans in one box, has been selling great. Yes, it’s a little high but not for what you are getting, and I will bet anyone that in a few years, you’ll have to pay double. Get it while it’s hot! I would not trade mine for triple the money. His new plans are fantastic! It is not true but someone says Paul’s drawings of the magician are based on me!   Wow, I just hope it is true. I just don’t see them often enough, although we speak or email all the time! I LOVE them. My very first plan I got was RABBITASTIC as I was going to use it. And that was 30 years ago, And it’s still a great prop, especially the rabbit part, which you can use alone! (continue reading…)

Yes, its true, an online magic convention that will begin July 15th and run till July 17th.

And the best news is that if you miss anything, you can watch it on a special “on demand” link and you also will receive the convention on a DVD sometime after the virtual magic weekend.

Registration is easy and you can do it online as well.  What you will receive is a scratch off ticket that gives you a special code that you enter online and sets you and your computer up for the festivities.  This should be an interesting test of internet capabilities since generally running a magic convention is enough to keep any organization busy much less having to worry about computers, bandwidth, and streaming video connections.  Speaking to Dave at Murphys Magic, he says they have about 200 registrations available so if this is something that is over interest to you (continue reading…)

The Great “Beating a Dead Horse” Book Tour sounds very grand but that’s what I’ve been doing for the past

month or so… Chicago… New York… London… Blackpool… London (again)… New York (again)… Los Angeles… Las Vegas… Los Angeles (again) and so on. Write a book and see the world!

I especially love London. There is something about the British way of life that presses my buttons as it did to my father before me. I’ve traveled there on 98 separate visits and my 100th visit will undoubtedly occur later this year. London is one of the greatest cities on the planet and through the years my wife, Susan and I have made many great friends there. Even though I’ve traveled extensively throughout Britain, this would be my first visit to Blackpool. It will also probably be my last. Magic shows that are five hours long just aren’t my thing. It’s the reason people hate magicians. When my dad saw a show like that he used to say the acts turned into the Chinese magician: On Too Long. When are the amateurs who think it’s easy to produce going to learn to put a real producer in charge? You know, someone who will do the math so they don’t go way over budget, and also let the acts know if they exceed their allotted time by more than a few minutes they will have their balls fed to a wolf. (continue reading…)

Magic’s popularity is ever-swinging. That’s how it always has been as far back as I can remember. When the magic ‘bug’ bit me hard in the 1960s during my teen years illusions were not very popular. They were out of favor. Whether they were out of favor with the general public or just amongst magicians I cannot say, but there were few remaining ‘big’ shows and Las Vegas hadn’t exploited the appeal of flashy stage illusions.

Nevertheless illusions were the type of magic I was most drawn to. It may be that I had no interest or inclination to learn fancy, difficult sleights necessary for card flourishes. I discovered it was the performance and presentation of magical effects that captivated me; I couldn’t have cared less about the method. More than fooling people and being a magician I wanted to put on a show with mystery, drama, costuming, music and storytelling. I saw the then-unpopular illusions as the way to go. (continue reading…)

At Jerry Conklin’s funeral it was announced that Abbott Magic Co. has
added an award to go along with the Jack Gwynne Award for Excellence,
The Senator Crandell Award for Comedy and the Foster/Baird
Manipulation Award. These awards have been given out for decades in
the dealer room after the Saturday show. The new award will be called,
THE JERRY CONKLIN ABBOTT MAGIC FAMILY AWARD. For over 40 years that
Jerry had lived in Colon he was always there to help abbotts with
setting lights and staging the shows, In the top 12 for most
performances at a Get Together. Working for Abbotts and doing any job
asked. It is in the spirit of this that this award will go from this
time forward to others who have been, like Jerry, one of those who are
already to help make a better Get Together and Abbott Magic Co.This
will be presented this year and every year to follow.

THE LAST FANTASY COSTUME I EVER MADE FOR MY BELOVED HARRY

The enclosed picture, I am very proud of. That was the very last piece of wardrobe I made for Harry. You see it was for the Krewe of Bards of Bohemia at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The krewe we all belonged to. As Harry was the King and Bellamie was the Queen , I was asked to make him up as King Arthur. Which was easy as he was a king in my eyes, a true,true friend. Now at the time Harry was very ill, so fittings were impossible, I had to do it from measurements. You can’t see in the picture, but above the ermine was a HUGE fan of purple feathers, and all the dots you see are rhinestones, so it was quite heavy. But he loved it! I had to dress him, and if that wasn’t a hoot with all the risqué lines. And double entendres! I will never forget that night! I was having very bad leg troubles, so we both had to skip a function. We were in the penthouse suite at the Fairmont Hotel, just Harry, Mike and me. And we started jackpotting. Well Mike asked Harry if he could video the conversation. Well, I have a whole video of Harry and I talking about everything. Just two old pros (continue reading…)