I grew up with Paul Daniels. He didn’t live in my house, though he may have been there all along, hidden by one of his clever illusions. Or just crouched behind the sofa.
He was a regular on our TV on weekend evenings, on shows including The Paul Daniels Magic Show, Odd One Out and Every Second Counts.
It’s easy to forget how amazed we were by his magic tricks and illusions. And they really were amazing, groundbreaking and hugely entertaining (though I did hate the Bunko Booth).
Daniels’s death got me thinking about prime time TV when I were a lad. But I’m not about to gush about the “good old days”.
For TV wasn’t better in the past – it was different.
I loved Doctor Who with Tom Baker in the lead role, and I loved the modern revamp, particularly with Doctor David Tennant.
Old Doctor Who now looks comical, with wobbly sets and cardboard monsters. But it was amazing at the time, and it should not be compared with today’s extraordinary episodes.
Going back can ruin, not enhance, our nostalgia. I used to love the cartoon Hong Kong Phooey – until I watched an episode a few years ago and was aghast at the production quality.
I had the same experience with two series that gripped me as a young teenager – By the Sword Divided and Tripods. They were superb in the 1980s, but naff today.
I think we do ourselves a disservice when we are dogmatic about things being better in a particular era. Read more….
(Editors note: There are some stories we are glad to bring to our readers.. and there are other stories we absolutely dread. When it was announced only a few weeks ago that Paul was sick, I dreaded the day when this story would run. Today’s the day. Paul Daniels was more than a performer.. he was my friend. Paul and I regularly chatted, although we were on opposite sides of the big pond. He was a regular reader of our newsletter, the MAGIC ROADSHOW, and always took time to let me know he appreciated my work and to offer encouragement and kind words. That was SO rare from a top performer. Unfortunately, some magicians want you to think learning something from another magician would be beneath their stature. Paul always spoke like a friend and a true fan of magic. Our last ‘conversation’ included this.. "There’s too much stuff in the Roadshow! I do have another life you know..” Please don’t take this as an advertisement for the Magic Roadshow.. take it as an advertisement for a gentleman always willing to offer a kind word to others. Yes, as Paul joked, he did have another life.. but it was cut way too short. God speed my friend…)
Magician Paul Daniels has died after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, his publicist has said.
The 77-year-old was at his Berkshire home with wife Debbie when he died in the early hours of Thursday.
A statement from his publicist said : “One of our most beloved entertainers, Paul Daniels, has passed away at the age of 77.
"The TV star, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier this year, passed away peacefully at home with Debbie at his side in the early hours of this morning.
"Debbie and the family would like to thank everyone for their support and asks that their privacy be respected at this sad time.”
Earlier this month, Ms McGee thanked fans for their “wonderful messages” of support.
When Daniels fell at home in February, he was rushed to hospital, suspected of having suffered a stroke. He was later diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
McGee wrote on Twitter: “I wish I could answer all your wonderful messages individually but there are so many. They are all appreciated so much. Read more….
(Presented in the US House of Representatives on March 14, 2016.. Now we cannot complain that Congress has done nothing.. This was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Type of Action: Introduction and Referral. Action By: House of Representatives
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 14, 2016
Mr. Sessions (for himself, Mr. Stivers, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Donovan, Mr. Dent, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Buck) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
RESOLUTION
Recognizing magic as a rare and valuable art form and national treasure.
Whereas magic is an art form with the unique power and potential to impact the lives of all people;
Whereas magic enables people to experience the impossible;
Whereas magic is used to inspire and bring wonder and happiness to others;
Whereas magic has had a significant impact on other art forms;
Whereas magic, like the great art forms of dance, literature, theater, film, and the visual arts, allows people to experience something that transcends the written word;
Whereas many technological advances can be directly traced to the influential work of magicians;
Whereas futurist Arthur C. Clarke claimed that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic;
Whereas one of the greatest artists of all time, Leonardo da Vinci, was inspired by magic and co-wrote one of the very first books on magic in the late 15th century;
Whereas modern cinema would not exist today without the innovative work of the accomplished magician Georges Méliès;
Whereas magicians are visual storytellers who seamlessly interweave elements of mystery, wonder, emotion, and expression;
Whereas magic is an outstanding artistic model of individual expression;
Whereas magic fulfills some of the highest ideals and aspirations of our country by encouraging people to question what they believe and see;
Whereas magic is a unifying force across cultural, religious, ethnic, and age differences in our diverse Nation;
Whereas magic is an art that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary;
Whereas the American magicians Harry Houdini and David Copperfield have been the most successful magicians of the past two centuries;
Whereas David Copperfield, introduced to magic as a boy growing up in New Jersey, has been named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress;
Whereas David Copperfield, with 21 Emmy Awards, 11 Guinness World Records, and over four billion dollars in ticket sales, has impacted every aspect of the global entertainment industry;
Whereas David Copperfield, through his magic, inspires great positive change in the lives of Americans;
Whereas people consistently leave David Copperfield’s live magic show with a different perspective than when they entered;
Whereas Rebecca Brown of Portland, Oregon, left a David Copperfield magic show with a newfound inspiration to pursue her lifelong, unfulfilled passion for dance;
Whereas three months after Rebecca Brown attended the David Copperfield magic show, she performed her first choreographed recital in Portland, Oregon’s Pioneer Square;
Whereas programs such as Project Magic, created by David Copperfield, use magic as a form of therapy for children with physical, psychological, and social disabilities;
Whereas learning magic through programs such as Project Magic can help these children improve their physical and mental dexterity and increase their confidence;
Whereas learning magic through programs such as Project Magic helps these children realize that they are no longer less able than their peers;
Whereas programs such as Project Magic teach these children that they are more capable and have a newfound ability to do what others cannot;
Whereas cities such as Wylie, Texas, and its mayor, Eric Hogue, recognize and promote the art of magic with official proclamations, summer educational programs, and the first festival dedicated to the art of magic in the State of Texas;
Whereas Mayor Eric Hogue, who learned the art of magic as a child, continues to use those skills to teach elementary school students about the different roles and responsibilities of local government;
Whereas magic is timeless in appeal and requires only the capacity to dream;
Whereas magic transcends any barrier of race, religion, language, or culture;
Whereas magic has not been properly recognized as a great American art form, nor has it been accorded the institutional status on a national level commensurate with its value and importance;
Whereas there is not an effective national effort to support and preserve magic;
Whereas documentation and archival support required by such a great art form has yet to be systematically applied to the field of magic; and
Whereas it is in the best interest of the national welfare to preserve and celebrate the unique art form of magic: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) recognizes magic as a rare and valuable art form and national treasure; and
(2) supports efforts to make certain that magic is preserved, understood, and promulgated.
Gadgets tend to bring out the worst in Atul Patil. The Vakola-based magician pours milk over iPads, breaks new smartphones in two and makes apples and coins roll off from tablet PCs. His favourite trick has him flinging two phones in the air and watching jaws drop as one phone morphs into another midflight.
Warranty does not cover any of this yet curiously, every time he hurts a device, Patil gets richer. You could argue–as writer Arthur Clarke once did–that any advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
This is perhaps why magicians all over the world are feeling the pressure to up their game. Like sci-fi superheroes, they started by wiping off their lipstick and shedding their capes. Then they got rid of the hackneyed card tricks and gaudy special effects and embraced chrome screens and CGI.
Now, taking a cue from internationally renowned magicians such as US-based Marco Tempest, who choreographs elaborate card tricks through animation, and Germany’s Simon Pierro, who makes beer flow from Ipads, city-based magicians have also started introducing elements of technology in their endangered bag of tricks. Read more..
