SALEM — For everything Salem is known for, having an official magician hasn’t been one of them.

Until now.

The City Council voted unanimously Thursday night to name Salem native Anton James Andresen as the city’s first official magician. Councilor-at-large Jerry Ryan proposed the honor.

Most people around Salem might know of Andresen, but by another name: Anton the Great, an 18-year veteran of “Salem Now” on Salem Access Television, where he’s been performing alongside Leo Jodoin doing tricks as part of holiday and other non-regular programming since he was 13 years old.

Official magicians are near impossible to find. One of the most noteworthy examples of someone bearing such a title was in New York City, where Abraham “Doc” Hurwitz built a name for himself and entertained millions as the city’s official magician leading into the 1970s, according to the New York Times.

But for Anton the Great, this is a unique honor…  Read more..

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