Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby performer » February 26th, 2017, 12:12 am

I.M. Magician wrote:Perhaps the link below provides some realistic insight into the matter.

http://www.tinseltown.news/uncategorize ... for-years/


I have to say I don't like the tone of that article or the sensationalist description. I am getting a feeling that although he was depressed the coroner's verdict (or alleged verdict) is correct and it was some kind of accident. Perhaps he was trying out some trick and screwed it up.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby MagicbyAlfred » February 26th, 2017, 1:35 am

performer wrote:
I.M. Magician wrote:Perhaps the link below provides some realistic insight into the matter.

http://www.tinseltown.news/uncategorize ... for-years/


I have to say I don't like the tone of that article or the sensationalist description. I am getting a feeling that although he was depressed the coroner's verdict (or alleged verdict) is correct and it was some kind of accident. Perhaps he was trying out some trick and screwed it up.


You know, I would not by any means discount Performer's feeling that it was some kind of accident. As incredible as it might seem that it was an accident which occurred when a trick he was trying out went awry, it seems no more incredible than the thought that he would hang himself in his underwear with a bag over his head, at the Magic Castle, shortly before a scheduled performance. Depression or no depression, Daryl was clearly a showman who had great love for magic, and for his audiences, so both the timing, the venue and the modus operandi strike me as ultra-strange. Millions of people suffer from chronic depression, but I highly doubt that most, or even many of them, kill themselves. For that matter, is it that far fetched to think that perhaps there was foul play involved? All in all there is something that just does not add up here.

I think that virtually every magician on this Forum shares that sense of shock and incredulity that this could have happened, and that Daryl, of all people, perpetrated his own demise, especially in that manner and at that place. It is not yet a foregone conclusion that he committed suicide. There could very well be key pieces to the puzzle that are missing. According to Variety: "The statement released by the Magic Castle states that the death was 'ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles Police Department,' but the LAPD could not confirm when asked by Variety Saturday morning. The coroner confirmed that the cause of death remains under investigation."

Time will tell...

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Andy Nicholls » February 26th, 2017, 5:35 am

He was not in his underwear or a closet and the reason for the change from suicide to accident has not been released. Any speculation as to what happened is purely that and surely we should at this point just be saddened by the loss of a great magician and lovely guy?
An observation I would like to make is this:
A multitude of much loved celebrities, artists and famous people have died over the last couple of years. I didn't feel particularly close to them through their art, persona or work despite liking several of them. Trawling through the media and seeing negative comments from people and "jokes" about their demise on online articles and media elicited at best a tut or a shrug.
I felt different reading similar comments and crude puns and speculation (mainly based on incorrect info) this time round. I'm not entirely sure why this is.
I never met Daryl but have lots of his tapes and DVDs and effects. So it's not a personal thing per se. I think it's because I feel that these people were detached from our art and community and hence felt no shame in posting such comments. They didn't know him or his persona. I felt like I did to some extent and got quite angered by what I read.
Maybe that's it? They were talking about one of our own and didn't appreciate who he was or what he had done. The fact they didn't know about him made it worse somehow than those who were more well known and received similar treatment. Its not something I've experienced before and wanted to air my thoughts.
RIP Daryl, you'll be missed by more than just those you were close to. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby performer » February 26th, 2017, 7:06 am

On reflection I just realised that the facebook post I mentioned is out in public for all to see anyway and it is a compassionate post and may shed a little light on the subject. I will post it when I get time. It clearly indicates that Darryl was finding it hard to make a living doing magic. I have always said it is a hard way to make an easy living and the pitch business is an easy way to make a hard living. I have been active in both areas so I know. I think the most stable course as an entertainer is to be a kid show entertainer believe it or not. Weekend in and weekend out and other work during the week this may well be the most profitable avenue for a magician to pursue if he has the ability for it. Less money than working for adults but also less feast or famine and of course there is nothing to stop you doing both.

Failing that here is my advice. There is a book written for actors which is also very useful for magicians too. It is called simply "The Actor" and the sub title is "A practical guide to a professional career" and the author is Eve Brandstein. Much of it is relevant to the acting profession but an awful lot of it is incredibly useful to professional entertainers of all kinds. The chapter I would recommend to professionals who are going through the issues of mental stress under discussion is "How to stay sane in a crazy business". It covers exactly what we are all talking about and advises performers how to avoid it.

The above paragraph may be the most useful advice I have ever given on this forum, particularly for professional magicians. No matter how rich and successful you think they are if you peek below the surface the depths can be murkier than you think.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby MagicbyAlfred » February 26th, 2017, 10:50 am

Andy Nicholls wrote: "He was not in his underwear or a closet and the reason for the change from suicide to accident has not been released. Any speculation as to what happened is purely that and surely we should at this point just be saddened by the loss of a great magician and lovely guy?"

I don't think there is a single person on this Forum or in the magic community at large who is not saddened by the loss of Daryl. A desire to know the truth does not diminish that sadness. Any "speculation" that occurred is due to the initial statements of the Magic Castle and the LAPD which characterized it as a suicide.

The most recent press report I was able to find appears in today's New York Post: "Initially suspected as a suicide, the hanging has now been ruled accidental, local medical examiner’s officials said. 'Our doctor closed it as an accident,' Lieutenant David Smith of the medical examiner’s office told Reuters." According to the article, the accident happened in a dressing room right before Daryl was scheduled to perform.

When the initial shock waves of the incident first hit, the comments on here reflected disbelief that it could have happened the way it was described in initial reports. That disbelief was justified, at least according to the facts that have now come to light. While the loss suffered by Daryl's family is unspeakably profound and irreparable, I hope that they at least take some comfort in knowing that he did not intentionally take his own life, and that it was accident.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 26th, 2017, 11:01 am

There's no closet or "dressing room" with a door in the Parlour. There is a curtain behind which is a dressing area. That's where he was found. Clothed in t-shirt and jeans, with a plastic bag over his head. The information about whether he hung himself is not a confirmed fact. It's hard to hang yourself by accident.

More information will likely come out.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby C. Hampton » February 26th, 2017, 12:26 pm

I have a hard time believing that money was a contributing factor...honestly. No matter what international convention around the world you looked up Daryl was in their line up. This upcoming tour was going to report him a good amount of cash flow due to his selling skills. I also understand he was in the process of filming some TV specials. It might be a reason depending on your life level...I just find it hard to believe.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 26th, 2017, 12:41 pm

Without first-hand direct knowledge of his finances, I wouldn't make those statements. He told several people that he was having financial issues, and one particular person that he had no idea how to come up with the cash to send his daughters to college.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Dustin Stinett » February 26th, 2017, 3:36 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:There's no closet or "dressing room" with a door in the Parlour. There is a curtain behind which is a dressing area. That's where he was found ... More information will likely come out.

Just to be clear, there is a door—with the performer's name on it—that leads to the corridor outside the Parlour showroom. The "dressing room" and "backstage" (the area directly behind the curtain that faces the audience) are one in the same. I think Richard's point is that there is not a dressing room inside and separate from the backstage area that could be construed as a "closet."

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 26th, 2017, 5:11 pm

Correct.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby merenkov2 » February 26th, 2017, 5:14 pm

It would appear the writer of the Reuters story was misinformed when he described Daryl’s death as “accidental”. The official coroner’s report states that it was a suicide by hanging. You can view the on-line Case Detail here: http://mec.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/mec/ ... 2017-01586

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Leonard Hevia » February 26th, 2017, 5:22 pm

Dustin is familiar with the interior of the Castle. Is there some type of beam overhead in that back area to throw a rope over if someone wanted to do this? You can't hang yourself if there isn't something to attach the rope to.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby jason156 » February 26th, 2017, 7:21 pm

You don't need a beam, almost any heavy object you can put a rope around will do. Doorknobs, plumbing underneath a faucet ....If you can't hang from something, you can always do it garrotte-style by spinning around like an alligator till it tightens., that how they do it in prison.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby performer » February 26th, 2017, 8:36 pm

With regard to the financial situation here is some insight from a facebook post. Since it is already out there in public there is no harm done posting it here:

I am shocked and saddened beyond words. I feel such a sense of overwhelming sadness. I just learned my dear magic friend, Daryl Easton, took his own life last night. For those who don't know Daryl he was known as the "Magician's Magician" having won numerous titles including "World Champion" at FISM and multiple awards from the Magic Castle. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and two daughters.
Last year just about this time (March) we were staying in the California area for two months visiting our grandchildren. I arranged to meet Daryl for lunch and a card session. I remember he shared with me how difficult he found it to make a living from magic. I had no idea the depth of his depression. He mentioned he had been trying meditation and expressed an interest in Buddhism, so I gave him a copy of my book "The Basics of Buddhism." Now, I wish I had done more and had kept in closer contact with him.
I pray for Daryl and especially for his wife and two daughters.

There. Please note the phrase "how difficult he found it to make a living from magic"

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Bill Mullins » February 26th, 2017, 8:44 pm

C. Hampton wrote:I have a hard time believing that money was a contributing factor...honestly. No matter what international convention around the world you looked up Daryl was in their line up. This upcoming tour was going to report him a good amount of cash flow due to his selling skills. I also understand he was in the process of filming some TV specials.


It's not like any of these are a guarantee of wealth.
1. I've booked talent for a magic convention. We didn't pay diddly squat. Most don't.
2. When I first joined our local club, we hosted a lecture by a moderately well-known magician. It was the last lecture in a tour. When he finished that night, the fee we had just paid him and money he had in sales was all the money he had. Period. He was going to sleep in his car, and was wondering about heading to Branson to find work there. (A club member ended up letting him spend the night at his house. We heard later that his wife had made it quite clear that he would NEVER bring another magician home like that.) I'm sure that Daryl managed his finances better than that, but a lecture tour isn't a license to print money, not by a long shot.
3. See #1. TV show producers don't pay magicians any more than they have to.

I have no idea what his financial situation was like. But event a successful magician, as Daryl certainly seemed to be, is out of a job as soon as every gig is over. Freelance has difficulties that a regular job does not, and it must be vastly more stressful.

I didn't know Daryl, but the few times I met him he was always nice to me, and he always gave a good show -- whether it was a formal performance, or a lecture. I'm sorry for his family, and for him that he thought this was the best thing to do.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 26th, 2017, 9:16 pm

Multiple anecdotal reports now emerging of his "being in a funk" or being "down" or "depressed" for quite a while.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby merenkov2 » February 26th, 2017, 9:59 pm

Financial problems are often transitory, and there are creative solutions to things like college tuition (scholarships and student loans and such). It’s all quite heart-breaking if this was the main source of his angst. And if it turns out that he obtained an expensive life insurance policy a couple of years ago for his family (the typical waiting period in most states before a policy will pay out for a suicide is two years), then all of this will be doubly heart-breaking...

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 26th, 2017, 11:54 pm

When you are at the end of that dark path, logical answers have no meaning. There is ONLY one way out. It's not rational, and that must be remembered. Suicide is not a rational act unless you're terminally ill.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Christopher1979 » February 27th, 2017, 12:07 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:When you are at the end of that dark path, logical answers have no meaning. There is ONLY one way out. It's not rational, and that must be remembered. Suicide is not a rational act unless you're terminally ill.


I totally agree with you Richard. I will just echo what I said before. although not to a severe degree I suffered with depression and I also have known personally a few magicians that have gone through it too. By the pure nature of practice, you are spending hours on your own and that usually starts as a child. As you get older I think that isolation can easily morph into something else. Obviously this is not conducive with every magician but it is probably far more common than we think.


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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby C. Hampton » February 27th, 2017, 1:50 am

Bill Mullins wrote:
C. Hampton wrote:I have a hard time believing that money was a contributing factor...honestly. No matter what international convention around the world you looked up Daryl was in their line up. This upcoming tour was going to report him a good amount of cash flow due to his selling skills. I also understand he was in the process of filming some TV specials.


It's not like any of these are a guarantee of wealth.
1. I've booked talent for a magic convention. We didn't pay diddly squat. Most don't.
2. The first lecture my club hosted after I joined was a moderately well-known magician. It was the last lecture in a tour. When he finished that night, the fee we had just paid him and money he had in sales was all the money he had. Period. He was going to sleep in his car, and was wondering about heading to Branson to find work there. (A club member ended up letting him spend the night at his house. We heard later that his wife had made it quite clear that he would NEVER bring another magician home like that.) I'm sure that Daryl managed his finances better than that, but a lecture tour isn't a license to print money, not by a long shot.
3. See #1. TV show producers don't pay magicians any more than they have to.

I have no idea what his financial situation was like. But event a successful magician, as Daryl certainly seemed to be, is out of a job as soon as every gig is over. Freelance has difficulties that a regular job does not, and it must be vastly more stressful.

I didn't know Daryl, but the few times I met him he was always nice to me, and he always gave a good show -- whether it was a formal performance, or a lecture. I'm sorry for his family, and for him that he thought this was the best thing to do.


Bill,

You are right...no one knows anyone else finances. I am even more upset knowing the kind of cash he would have made during his upcoming tour. I wished he would have done it and maybe he would had seen things in a different way. I hope the magic community can be ready to show some support to his family. Maybe we can do something as a community to show we care.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 27th, 2017, 10:57 am

I will repeat: suicide is an irrational act. Wondering why he did it when he had an upcoming lecture tour totally misses the point because you are thinking rationally. That's perfectly natural when people are seeking answers to an unknown in the face of a tragedy, however it also reveals a lack of understanding of the nature of mental illness and depression.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Brian Douglas » February 27th, 2017, 11:50 am

Depression is like a heavy weight on your chest. It can wake you from a sound sleep. You may appear to be functioning well by others, but one aspect of your life may be in constant failure and that is all that you can focus on. To the casual observer it may not even be noted.

Depression is to sadness as an abscess is to a cavity. Depression is an unrelenting torment which can easily be multiplied by (insignificant by others) mistakes, errors, or failures made; perceived or real.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby billmccloskey » February 27th, 2017, 12:24 pm

How incredibly sad. I got started in magic in the 90's after walking into a vegas magic shop and picking up the first volume of Daryl's Encyclopedia of card sleights. The circumstances surrounding his death sound odd and I personally would hesitate to infer a motive. As we learned from the suicide death of Bob Brozman, often we don't know the real reasons that a person decides to take that step. Depression is only one of many possible answers. We may never know the real reason.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Brandon Hall » February 27th, 2017, 1:11 pm

It seems they are trying to change the cause from suicide to accident. So the choice is to go for the insurance money and throw Daryl under the bus. There are only two things people do alone, with a ligature around their neck. There is only a thin curtain separating Daryl from the stage. Not exactly a "private" dressing room. I heard people ask why the castle. He dedicated his life to magic. He went out on his own terms in a place he loved. He will always be remembered as long as the castle stands.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby billmccloskey » February 27th, 2017, 1:17 pm

"It seems they are trying to change the cause from suicide to accident"

I believe the coroner's report says suicide and the case has been closed.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Roger M. » February 27th, 2017, 1:58 pm

Probably time to end the conjecture and the need for "details".

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 27th, 2017, 2:41 pm

Brandon Hall wrote:It seems they are trying to change the cause from suicide to accident. So the choice is to go for the insurance money and throw Daryl under the bus. There are only two things people do alone, with a ligature around their neck. There is only a thin curtain separating Daryl from the stage. Not exactly a "private" dressing room. I heard people ask why the castle. He dedicated his life to magic. He went out on his own terms in a place he loved. He will always be remembered as long as the castle stands.


You are incorrect. The report on Reuter's news service that said "accident" was a simple mistake.
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Alex de Cova » February 27th, 2017, 2:46 pm

What a [censored] this discussion is. I suffer from depression for many years. I went through a suicide attempt. I faced that 'demon' already, and also that helpless feeling.

There is NO need for anyone to know that 'details'. If Daryl suicided, then it is so. No f*** need for any curious magician to know that details. What is that good for ??? Sad enough for us all that nobody noticed in our 'community'.

As Richard said already rightly, depression and the things that can go wrong with it is no rational thing whatsoever. Be blessed you don't have to conquer that demon.

Stop this really [censored] asking 'why' blablabla. Don't behave like washerwomen, trying to squeeze out every ounce of detail of information to satisfy your curiosity. Just f*** SHUT UP. Remember and cherish him as we all have him in our memories. Do his stuff well, and stay out of reasoning WHY he did that.

Daryl is dead, and he decided to end his life. No need for us to think why and what and blablabla. There might be a reason why he decided to do this. And this is not our concern.

It is our turn now to shut up, stop digging for details and start to think.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Stephen Burton » February 27th, 2017, 3:23 pm

Performing artists are especially vulnerable to depression. After a show the adrenaline leaves the body and causes us to feel flat, exhausted and depleted.

Health.com reported it this way:

Artists, entertainers, writers
These jobs can bring irregular paychecks, uncertain hours, and isolation.
Creative people may also have higher rates of mood disorders; about 9% reported an episode of major depression in the previous year. In men, it’s the job category most likely to be associated with an episode of major depression (nearly 7% in full-time workers). “One thing I see a lot in entertainers and artists is bipolar illness,” says Dr. Deborah Legge, licensed mental health counselor. “There could be undiagnosed or untreated mood disorders in people who are artistic…. Depression is not uncommon to those who are drawn to work in the arts, and then the lifestyle contributes to it.”

This study shows that we are fifth most likely of all professions to suffer from this debilitating mental illness.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/music ... depression

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Jeffrey Cowan » February 27th, 2017, 4:47 pm

There is little to speculate over. The official finding is suicide. See http://mec.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/mec/ ... 2017-01586

Sadly, Daryl's death is the 2nd time in recent years that a major figure has succumbed to his mental health demons (Tim Conover's suicide was only six years ago).

The better lesson, in my respectful view, is to be as supportive, open and kind as others as possible -- and encourage them to get help from a professional (whether psychotherapy or pharmacological) if there is any sense that they are drowning in their struggles.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby PickaCard » February 27th, 2017, 6:32 pm

Alex de Cova wrote:What a [censored]

There is NO need for anyone to know that 'details'. If Daryl suicided, then it is so. No f*** need for any curious magician to know that details. What is that good for ??? Sad enough for us all that nobody noticed in our 'community'.


He did an unspeakable act in a public place revered by most magicians with an audience waiting for him to come out on stage. Not in some closet in the privacy of his home. Daryl decided to go out with a bang. There is no way he would have thought that such an act would remain very private.

It is only normal for those of us who grew up watching one of the happiest "characters" in magic to wonder why.

You have an insight most do not. Others look for meaning and understanding. If this could happen to Daryl, it could happen to anyone of us. As such, I will keep looking for more details. Not as a voyeur, but as someone Daryl has touched during his life but also in the way he chose his death.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby John M. Dale » February 27th, 2017, 7:17 pm

Maybe it's just me but since the case is closed isn't it about time to lock this thread?

RIP Daryl

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby I.M. Magician » February 27th, 2017, 7:25 pm

First of all, he was probably so troubled that he couldn't care less about the impact on others. Second, just because some people choose suicide, it does not mean that anyone could or would do the same thing.

I prefer to spend my time remembering how wonderful a magician (entertainer) he was. Without a doubt, one of the very best of my generation! He had it all...skill, creativity, personality, presentation. To sum it up, the complete package. His unfortunate demise can never change that and should not be the focus of his fans. It's serves no useful purpose and it's very unhealthy.

So there's my two cents for what it's worth. Thanks for listening.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Tom Stone » February 27th, 2017, 8:02 pm

In 1986, the swedish dealers El Duco and Gay Ljungberg arranged their first "Magic Weekend" convention in Sweden, and they had managed to book both Daryl and Michael Ammar - it was their first appearance in Scandinavia ever, so there was quite a buzz beforehand.

My friend Henrik Holmberg (or as called himself when performing; Chris Cox ) and I went, because we both were fans of Daryl's two books, "Secrets of Puerto Rican Gambler" and "For your entertainment pleasure".
We arrived early on the first day of the convention, so we had to hang around in the lobby for 2 hours before we could access our rooms. So we brought out our cards and sessioned as usual.

Suddenly, I heard the elevator doors next to us open, so I glanced over - and saw Daryl and Michael Ammar stand in the open elevator car. Both Henrik and I got quite starstruck, and froze like deers caught in the headlights, staring stupidly at them...
...Oddly enough, they both stared back at us, also seemingly frozen. For what seemed like an eternity, we all stood completely still, motionless and just stared.... and then the elevator doors closed between us, and the car went up. Henrik and I looked at each other, puzzled. What had just happened?

A few years later, I believe in 1988, I met Daryl again, and this time I actually talked with him. This and that, and suddenly he laughed; -"Your have a pretty high standard over here! The first time I was in Sweden..."
...and he commenced to tell me that when Michael Ammar and he met up for lunch during the first day of the El Duco convention in 1986, they discussed what they were going to perform and teach, while riding the elevator down. They were pretty relaxed about it, and said to each other: -"None of us have ever been in these parts of the world. That means that no one here knows anything about our work, so every single thing we do will be as completely new for them. We can almost phone it in, just do our oldest and easiest material!"
...Just then the elevator reached the lobby floor, and just as the doors opened, they saw a 15 year old kid (Henrik) nonchalantly, almost without looking, do a perfect Hot Shot cut, with the card sailing in a large, wide and perfect arc between the hands.
...So they just looked at us, until the doors closed. They skipped the lunch: -"We have to adjust our plans. I'll go back to my room to rehearse.".

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erdnasephile
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby erdnasephile » February 27th, 2017, 8:06 pm

Thank you for sharing that story, Mr. Stone! Hilarious!

If others of you have some great Daryl stories, I would love to hear them...

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Joe Mckay » February 27th, 2017, 8:26 pm

I read a profile on Daryl in the Linking Ring about 15 years ago. And this was in an old copy of the magazine I had borrowed off somebody else.

A part of the profile touched on Daryl's livelihood. It mentioned that Daryl made money as a magician performing and doing lectures. And on top of that - he invested a lot of his money in the stock market. I guess as a way of providing an extra source of income.

I wonder if some of his investments went south over the years and that is what caused him to feel financially stressed?

It is odd that I should remember this snippet. But I thought it might be worth sharing.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Bill Mullins » February 27th, 2017, 9:25 pm

Tom Stone's post above is a good reason not to lock the thread.

In 1999, the close-up show at the Winter Carnival of Magic in Gatlinburg was the finest hour of close-up magic I have ever seen -- 15 minutes each by Tommy Wonder, Johnny Ace Palmer, Johnny Thompson, and Daryl. Each brought their "A" game, and all four were great. Two of those magicians are now gone.

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Tortuga » February 27th, 2017, 10:02 pm

Daryl was an incredibly talented magician and he could teach magic in a way that made you believe you could really learn it. Not many have that knack.

I will leave with this, something I learned many years ago, "suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem". Unless, as RK has suggested, you have a terminal disease, suicide makes no sense.

Things can always get better and generally do. If you know someone who suffers, urge them to get help.

Take it from someone who knows.

RIP Daryl.....
It's never crowded on the extra mile.....

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John M. Dale
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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby John M. Dale » February 27th, 2017, 11:44 pm

Bill Mullins wrote:Tom Stone's post above is a good reason not to lock the thread.


I only made that comment due to the motive second guessing that had been going on. I'm very close to someone who spent 5 years in and out of hospitals due to major depression and attempted suicide multiple times. Anyone who hasn't experienced it or been close to someone who has doesn't have a clue about it.

If we're going to instead share memories then I rescind my suggestion.

I had the pleasure of seeing Daryl some years ago when the PCAM held it's annual convention in Palo Alto, CA. I'd never really thought much of rope magic before then but when I saw Daryl cut the end of his rope with his fingers because he had "forgotten" his scissors I thought my eyes might pop out. The next 10 minutes were some of the finest magic I've ever witnessed. It was one of those rare times when I got to see something that was so magical that I was mesmerized into just seeing magic happen and the idea of wondering how it was done didn't even enter my mind.

JMD

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Re: Daryl's Death at The Magic Castle

Postby Ian Kendall » February 28th, 2017, 2:49 am

suicide makes no sense.


Sadly, this is completely wrong.


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