10 VERY best you've ever seen

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castawaydave
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10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby castawaydave » February 3rd, 2008, 3:06 am

I was at a Large & Fun/Drunken Mardi Gras party tonight. Ergo, am slightly plotzed, and thus compelled to present a top 10 list as a conversation stimulator:

THE 10 best magicians I have ever seen:
Dai Vernon
Slydini
Patrick Martin
Daryl
Jeff Sheridan
Derek Dingle
Doug Henning
Teller
Michael Weber
Harry Anderson

Right now, I would LOVE to hear some dude pop off about what a crappy list that is and how HIS list would totally whip my magic-list's ass!

Newsflash: Unless your list includes, at a minimum, Max Malini, Francis Carlyle, Paul Rosini, Robert Houdin, Karl Germaine, Nate Leipzeig, Alexander the Man Who Knows, etc., you should just roll over and go back to sleep.

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Matthew Field
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Matthew Field » February 3rd, 2008, 3:46 am

I guess you never saw Tommy Wonder or Del Ray.

Matt Field

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Dave Klaiber
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Dave Klaiber » February 3rd, 2008, 4:03 am

I guess you never saw Tommy Wonder or Del Ray.
Amen!

Dave Klaiber
(omk)

Gordolini
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Gordolini » February 3rd, 2008, 4:37 am

I have fond memories of seeing, being blown away and entertained by Albert Goshman in the 70's...

Y\'s-guy
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Y\'s-guy » February 3rd, 2008, 5:01 am

Hi,
I want to add "The Spanish Master" Juan Tamariz for list.
Fortunately,I spend a week with him as a translater about 10 years ago.
I wached his own real miracles everyday. I was blown away completely and learned a lot from him.

He is a living miracle, a magical creature.

Sincerely,
Y

Adrian Kuiper
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Adrian Kuiper » February 3rd, 2008, 5:31 am

Like people, lists of anything are individual. So...here's my Top 10.

Vernon
Slydini
Bob Read
Al Goshman
Harry Lorayne
David Roth
Darwin Ortiz
Max Maven
Johnny Thompson
Mike Skinner


Adrian

EdAndres
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby EdAndres » February 3rd, 2008, 9:34 am

1 Dave
2 Tommy
3 Eddie
4 John
5 John
6 Derek
7 Jason
8 Mike
9 Bill
10 David

Eddy

Bermini
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Bermini » February 3rd, 2008, 10:20 am

I have had similar discussions concerning the "best" in other categories. As was discovered at that time it is impossible to determine the best in virtually any category. Rather let's call it our ten favorites. This eliminates any form of criticism. There have been many polls taken on this subject but does anyone know for example what is "considered" the greatest movie of all time? But even that is just a matter of opinion based on a variable criterion. To each his own.

Chris Aguilar
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Chris Aguilar » February 3rd, 2008, 11:38 am

Originally posted by castawaydave:
... and thus compelled to present a top 10 list as a conversation stimulator:
Welcome to the Cafe! ;)

Brad Henderson
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Brad Henderson » February 3rd, 2008, 12:53 pm

Good call, Chris.

(Brad and Chris agree - Armageddon is nigh.)

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Dustin Stinett » February 3rd, 2008, 1:26 pm

Not really. The difference is that Dave was admittedly "slightly plotzed" when he posted. He has an excuse.

Dustin

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Pete Biro
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Pete Biro » February 3rd, 2008, 2:40 pm

Fred Kaps - close up
Fred Kaps - stand up
Fred Kaps - illusions
Persi Diaconis - cards
Slydini - at the table
Goshman - at the table
Sara Kabugajina & Sultangali Shukoruv (duel act)
Pendragons
Robert Harbin
Carl Ballantine (laughs per minute)
Stay tooned.

David Alexander
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby David Alexander » February 3rd, 2008, 4:17 pm

Specific criteria would be nice such as stage, close-up, night club, professional, amateur, personally witnessed or seen on video, seen more than once, thought about sober, etc.

John LeBlanc
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby John LeBlanc » February 3rd, 2008, 6:59 pm

Originally posted by David Alexander:
thought about sober, etc.
Seen sober could be another. Like some wimmin, some performances are best seen through the bottom of a glass of George Dickle #12 (neat, thank you very much.) I have some video of my own work that proves my point nicely.

Chris Bailey
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Chris Bailey » February 4th, 2008, 7:55 am

Pete, you mention Fred Kaps a lot. When and where were you so lucky to have seen him? Were you friends with Fred?

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Pete Biro
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Pete Biro » February 4th, 2008, 11:49 am

I spent tons of time with Kaps, steered his yacht in the canals of Holland, been to his house, wrote his lecture notes, travelled with him, wrote material for him, etc. etc. One of my closest friends of all time.
Stay tooned.

castawaydave
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby castawaydave » February 4th, 2008, 1:44 pm

Hee hee--what's a little banter going to hurt?

I love the guys who log on and post that they are too cool to post.
:D

Magic Mike
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Magic Mike » February 4th, 2008, 2:37 pm

I would post something about that....but I'm too cool.

Chris Aguilar
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Chris Aguilar » February 4th, 2008, 2:41 pm

Originally posted by castawaydave:
Hee hee--what's a little banter going to hurt?

I love the guys who log on and post that they are too cool to post.
:D
Ah. The sweet sound of "Magicians Helping Magicians"... ;)

castawaydave
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby castawaydave » February 4th, 2008, 4:29 pm


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Pete Biro
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Pete Biro » February 4th, 2008, 4:47 pm

GREAT..I liked everything but his hair. :cool:
Stay tooned.

JBA Janson
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby JBA Janson » February 4th, 2008, 11:35 pm

In the 50's I had the opportunity to watch Kaps on stage - an eyeopner and I also saw him do close-up and cards. What an impression and an all time inspiration. So Kaps is one of my absolute favorites and I think he is the best all round magician ever.

In the same period I also watched my all time favorite grand stage show - Richiardi Jr!

Ian Kendall
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Ian Kendall » February 5th, 2008, 4:43 am

And I've just spent far too long watching Brian Setzer videos with noone in the house to dance with. Youtube is an evil remover of time...

Take care, Ian

Michael Edwards
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Michael Edwards » February 7th, 2008, 6:23 am

10. Harry Blackstone Jr.
9. Fred Kaps
8. Fu Manchu (David Bamberg)
7. Slydini
6. Rene Levand
5. Tommy Wonder
4. Doug Henning
3. Harry Blackstone Sr.
2. Richiardi

And #1 was the magician whose name I long ago forgot (if I ever knew it) who came to my sixth grade class and not only enchanted and mysified me...but so enthralled me that I have been hooked on magic ever since!

Sal Perrotta
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Sal Perrotta » February 7th, 2008, 7:06 am

I must say that the lists provided are indeed an impressive array of master magicians! But, the majority of them are DEAD! :eek:

I would be interested in reading what the GENII FORUM members think of that......Why do you all think there are not more living magicians on these lists?

magicalt
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby magicalt » February 7th, 2008, 7:29 am

Yes some of the greats have long been gone but there is still a quite a few living. My list has both living and those who have passed. In no particular order.
Norm Nielsen
Billy McComb
Jeff Mcbride
Mac King
Lance Burton
John Calvert
Falkenstien and Willard
Seigfried and Roy
Baltazar Fuentes
Larry Jennings

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Dustin Stinett » February 7th, 2008, 9:50 am

Spirit
Pink Floyd
The Moody Blues
Yes
Pat Travers
Rush
Tangerine Dream
Agent 22
Alice Cooper
Neil Diamond (yeah, Neil Diamond: You gotta problem with that?!)

Bill McFadden
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Bill McFadden » February 7th, 2008, 10:36 am

Sinatra
Duke Ellington
Miles Davis
Sun Ra
Thelonious Monk
Charles Mingus
Dizzy Gillespie
Gil Evans
Ella Fitzgerald
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (You gotta problem wit' DAT?)

Jonathan Townsend
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Jonathan Townsend » February 7th, 2008, 10:42 am

Originally posted by castawaydave:
...and how HIS list would totally whip my magic-list's ass!

Newsflash: Unless your list includes, at a minimum, Max Malini, Francis Carlyle, Paul Rosini, Robert Houdin, Karl Germaine, Nate Leipzeig, Alexander the Man Who Knows, etc., you should just roll over and go back to sleep.
Probably also have remarkable longevity to have seen Karl Germaine, J.E. Robert-Houdin and those guys work.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Gordolini
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Gordolini » February 7th, 2008, 10:45 am

Dixie Dregs
Yes
Who
Fourplay
Al Dimeola
Joni Mitchell LA Express
Doobie Brothers
INXS
Stones
Larry Coryell
No problems here!

Sal Perrotta
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Sal Perrotta » February 7th, 2008, 11:38 am

....A side note to Dustin Stinett....isn't it amazing how easily we are distracted... :D

...and now my choices....

Alvin and the Chipmonks
The Monkeys
The Partridge Family
Jose and the *****cats
The Spice Girls
The Backstreet Boys
Weird Al
Britney Spears
The Archies
Barbera Streisand (you got a problem with 'dat)

Disclaimer.....asterisks inserted automatically by the system(!) and not by me... :eek:

...its all just fun from Sal Perrotta...the Genii Forum member with the zip code instead of a member number. :D

Michael Edwards
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Michael Edwards » February 7th, 2008, 12:14 pm

Originally posted by Jonathan Townsend:
Probably also have remarkable longevity to have seen Karl Germaine, J.E. Robert-Houdin and those guys work.
Or we now know the answer to the question "Do the sprits return?" Robert-Houdin died in 1871.

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AJM
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby AJM » February 7th, 2008, 12:32 pm

1. Rush (many times over the last 30 years)
2. Teller
3. Queen
4. Bob Read
5. The Jam Tarts winning two Scottish Cups
6. Alex Elmsley
7. Brian Wilson
8. David Ben as The Conjurer
9. Thin Lizzy
10. Mac King (no problem at all with dat!)

Not only that having something in common with the DFO (is that good or bad??)

Cheers

Andrew

Gordolini
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Gordolini » February 7th, 2008, 1:05 pm

10. Budweiser Frogs (1995)
9. Xerox Monks (1977)
8. Tabasco Mosquito (1998)
7. Electronic Data Systems Herding Cats (2000)
6. McDonalds The Showdown (1993)
5. Monster.com When I Grow Up (1999)
4. Reebok Terry Tate: Office Linebacker (2003)
3. E*Trade Monkey (2000)
2. Coke Mean Joe Greene (1979)
1. Apple 1984 (1984)

Sal Perrotta
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Sal Perrotta » February 8th, 2008, 7:41 am

Good one Gordon! I am surprised you left out: "I heard it through the grapevine" by the M & M guys..... :D

Jim Maloney_dup1
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Jim Maloney_dup1 » February 8th, 2008, 7:57 am

Originally posted by Sal Perrotta:
Good one Gordon! I am surprised you left out: "I heard it through the grapevine" by the M & M guys..... :D
I think you mean the California Raisins. :)

-Jim

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Dustin Stinett » February 8th, 2008, 9:06 am

Yes, those creepy raisins. As Joon says, they are just humiliated grapes.

Sal Perrotta
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Sal Perrotta » February 8th, 2008, 9:07 am

Darn...you are indeed correct! ....

castawaydave
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby castawaydave » February 8th, 2008, 9:41 am

So--Noone was going to get ANY diversion at all, out of a thread like this because brainstorming and relating amusing anecdotes is SO Cafe. Hmm.

I think you dudes are wacky.

:p

P.S. 9:30 a.m., and currently stoned-cold sober. :cool:

Brandon Hall
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Re: 10 VERY best you've ever seen

Postby Brandon Hall » February 8th, 2008, 11:37 am

Originally posted by castawaydave:
P.S. 9:30 a.m., and currently stoned-cold sober. :cool:
So, which is it Dave, stoned or cold sober? You can't have it both ways...lol
"Hope I Die Before I Get Old"
P. Townshend


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