Lev Schneider - (RIP?)

[Dustin Stinett]

I have received unconfirmed reports that Lev Schneider, a Russian mentalist who lived in the U.S., has died, but I cannot find anything to confirm it, especially when. Can anyone help with that?

Here is a video of him performing some Hellstromism on the Paul Daniels show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxMVSkqDgIc

[Richard Hatch]

Here's a compilation of 7 Lev Schneider ("the Kreskin of Russia") appearances on Letterman from 1983 to 1985:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T41hwCzF81E

[Dzuckerbrot]

Do we know much about Schenider's life and career?

[Dustin Stinett]

Do we know much about Schenider's life and career?

Not that I am able to find. There are zero responses at my (albeit, low) level of membership on Ask Alexander, and there is very little on the Google. It's pretty clear that he was very good at muscle reading. I suspect, like Kreskin, he all but completely avoided being linked to magicians.

[Richard Hatch]

"The Mystic Word" column in Bascom Jones' Magick for July 20, 1979 describes his act as performed for a week at the Magic Castle. His age is given there as 51, so presumably born around 1928, making him about 95 today if still living. He was assisted at the Castle by his niece, Natasha, who served as his translator, since he spoke no English. She's described as a 23 year old green eyed singer and musician. Though her last name was not given and might not have been "Schneider", there was a Latvian musician Natasha Schneider who was then 23 and had arrived in the USA in 1976 and moved to Hollywood in 1978. Her birth last name transliterates as Schneiderman, and I wonder if that might also have been Lev Schneider's birth name? Alas, this particular Natasha S(c)hneider died in 2008. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_Shneider

[Richard Hatch]

In his final letterman appearance in 1985, Lev is assisted by his niece Natasha and she confirms that she is both a musician and an actress, having recently been in a film called "2010". This website about her mentions that she gave birth to a son, Robin Kapustin, in July 1976, just two months after arriving in the USA. He might be around to provide info. Also perhaps her brother Vladimir, also a musician, or her second husband, guitarist Alain Johannes, might have the information about Lev.
https://2010odysseyarchive.blogspot.com/2015/07/natasha-shneider-dead-at-52.html
She's buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Here's a video visit to her gravesite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxbzYuOi59U

[Richard Hatch]

I'm guessing that he is the "Lev Shneiderman" born in Astrahan, Soviet Union on 15 August 1928 who died in Los Angeles on 23 November 1993. Per information from ancestry.com

[Richard Hatch]

An article on page 783 of the November1979 Genii entitled "Lev Shneider in America" gives details of his initial contact with the Magic Castle and performances, assisted by his niece Natasha. The author of the article: Phil Goldstein.

[Richard Hatch]

A comment posted two years ago below the Paul Daniels appearance linked to above says "My late step father Lev. I miss him! He was amazing indeed." The poster is listed as @Livingtango and is a teacher of Argentine tango whose website and contact info is here:
https://www.livingtango.com/

[Dzuckerbrot]

Thanks so much Richard. I see on IMDB that Natasha Shneider played the role of Irina Yakunina in Peter Hyams 1984 film "2010: the year we make contact". This sequel to 2001 was co-written by Arthur Clarke. Ms. Shneider is in good company as the film stars Roy Scheider, Helen Mirren, Bob Balaban and John Lithgow.

[Tarotist]

For some reason muscle reading and hellstromism is quite common among Russian mentalists. Of course the most famous one of all was Wolf Messing if anyone wishes to look him up. I actually own his biography written by Tatiana Lungen.

[Dustin Stinett]

So it turns out that Lev Schneider died in the mid-1990s.
It's good that we were able to find some videos and other information on him. Too bad it was so late coming.