Magic Towne House
Encyclopedia
The Magic Towne House was a well known magic show spot on three floors at 1026 Third Avenue, north of 60th Street, New York City
, in the 1970s and 1980s. It was in the posh area of the Upper East Side
of Manhattan
on Third Avenue and 61st Street next to Bloomingdale's
Department Store. It was a venue for adults in the cabaret as well as having a children's theater for patrons of all ages to see and enjoy magic.
and John Bravo" (AKA Dick Brooks (entertainer)
and Ray Carter)."
According to William Dorfliinger's book The Magic Catalogue:
John Bravo (AKA Dick Brooks (entertainer)
and Ray Carter) and Dorothy Dietrich
were "involved in the management and direction of all its activities.
and Dorothy Dietrich
. They encouraged new and unknown performers by allowing them to perform after the main acts had gone on. Some of the magicians who got their early start at The Magic Towne House includes Robert Baxt, Michael Chaut, Devlin, Eric DeCamps, Imam, Jeff Justice, Peter Kougasian, Landis & Company, Levent, Jeff McBride
, Charlie Mount, Otto and George, Johnny Ace Palmer
, Joeseph Pepitone, Joe Raven, David Regal, Rocco Silano
, Peter Samelson, and Meir Yedid. Along with these great entertainers behind the scenes was Pedro Flores who at the time a High School student in New York, helped with children's parties and other events serving the buffet items and setting up and cleaning afterward. He was a student of Dick Brooks when Brooks taught at the Frank Garcia's School of Magic in New York City. He was from time to time a performer as well.
, Milbourne Christopher
, Daryl, Fantasio, Frank Garcia, Walter B. Gibson
, Earl Presto Johnson, Lou Lancaster
, Jack London, Bill McQueen, Max Mavin (Phil Goldstein), Ben Robinson, James Randi
,, Wesley James, David Roth
, Darwin Ortiz
George Schindler, Slydini and countless others. Imam would, after several years, break away and form his own competing club downtown in Greenwich Village
.
and Doug Henning
. This was finally accomplished with the efforts of Eddie Davis, Dorothy Dietrich
and Dick Brooks (entertainer)
and the help of many who worked this venue. Dick Brooks also searched out Brother Theodore
, whose career had waned, to do several seasons of midnight shows, and helped to bring him back to prominence. After that Theodore appeared on The Tom Snyder Tomorrow Show and a long series of TV and movie appearances. Magic Towne House advertisements appeared in local New York newspapers such as the Village Voice and The New York Post.
After the closing of the Magic Towne House, Michael Chaut and Peter Samelson went on to develop "Monday Night Magic" along with Frank Brents, Todd Robbins
, and Jamy Ian Swiss
, which still runs successfully in New York City.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, in the 1970s and 1980s. It was in the posh area of the Upper East Side
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
on Third Avenue and 61st Street next to Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
Department Store. It was a venue for adults in the cabaret as well as having a children's theater for patrons of all ages to see and enjoy magic.
Importance
The Magic Towne House became a popular magic show spot in New York City, with the longest continuously running magic shows in New York City's history. For fifteen years it showcased both new and established magicians to the general public.Operation
It was headed up by world class magicians Dorothy DietrichDorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich is an American stage magician and escapologist, and the first and only woman to have performed the bullet catch in mouth. She was also the first woman to perform a straitjacket escape while suspended hundreds of feet in the air from a burning rope Dorothy Dietrich is an American...
and John Bravo" (AKA Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks, considered a magician of renown has been a professional performer since leaving school, was born in New York City. As a teenager he joined a Department of Parks magic club headed up by the official magician of New York City, Abe Hurwitz , who was also the father of the soon to be...
and Ray Carter)."
According to William Dorfliinger's book The Magic Catalogue:
John Bravo (AKA Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks, considered a magician of renown has been a professional performer since leaving school, was born in New York City. As a teenager he joined a Department of Parks magic club headed up by the official magician of New York City, Abe Hurwitz , who was also the father of the soon to be...
and Ray Carter) and Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich is an American stage magician and escapologist, and the first and only woman to have performed the bullet catch in mouth. She was also the first woman to perform a straitjacket escape while suspended hundreds of feet in the air from a burning rope Dorothy Dietrich is an American...
were "involved in the management and direction of all its activities.
Incubator for young magicians
One of the goals of the establishment was to develop future generations of magicians. Originally opened by Eddie Davis, it was taken over by two professional performers, Dick Brooks (entertainer)Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks, considered a magician of renown has been a professional performer since leaving school, was born in New York City. As a teenager he joined a Department of Parks magic club headed up by the official magician of New York City, Abe Hurwitz , who was also the father of the soon to be...
and Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich is an American stage magician and escapologist, and the first and only woman to have performed the bullet catch in mouth. She was also the first woman to perform a straitjacket escape while suspended hundreds of feet in the air from a burning rope Dorothy Dietrich is an American...
. They encouraged new and unknown performers by allowing them to perform after the main acts had gone on. Some of the magicians who got their early start at The Magic Towne House includes Robert Baxt, Michael Chaut, Devlin, Eric DeCamps, Imam, Jeff Justice, Peter Kougasian, Landis & Company, Levent, Jeff McBride
Jeff McBride
Jeff McBride is an American magician from Monticello New York. He is known for his sleight of hand skills and specializes in the manipulation of playing cards, coins, and other small objects. His stage performances blend elements of kabuki, a Japanese theater form, with traditional conjuring...
, Charlie Mount, Otto and George, Johnny Ace Palmer
Johnny Ace Palmer
Johnny Ace Palmer is an award-winning American close-up magician. He is famous within the worldwide magical community for his prodigious sleight-of-hand abilities.-Early life:...
, Joeseph Pepitone, Joe Raven, David Regal, Rocco Silano
Rocco Silano
- Biography :Silano was born June 12, 1962, in Paterson, New Jersey. Early on in his career, Rocco studied with and was managed by sleight-of-hand expert and Tony Slydini protege Bill Wisch. Later, Rocco was introduced to Slydini by Bill and Rocco took lessons with Slydini as well...
, Peter Samelson, and Meir Yedid. Along with these great entertainers behind the scenes was Pedro Flores who at the time a High School student in New York, helped with children's parties and other events serving the buffet items and setting up and cleaning afterward. He was a student of Dick Brooks when Brooks taught at the Frank Garcia's School of Magic in New York City. He was from time to time a performer as well.
Venue for established magicians
Established performers of the era also performed there such as Bobby Baxter, Harry Blackstone, Jr.Harry Blackstone, Jr.
Harry Blackstone, Jr. was an American stage magician, author, and television performer.-Career and life:Blackstone was born in Three Rivers, Michigan, the son of noted stage magician Harry Blackstone, Sr. .As an infant, he was used as a prop in his father's act...
, Milbourne Christopher
Milbourne Christopher
Milbourne Christopher was an American illusionist.President of the Society of American Magicians, an honorary vice-president to the Magic Circle, and one of the founding members of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Christopher authored several books, including a biography of Harry Houdini, and...
, Daryl, Fantasio, Frank Garcia, Walter B. Gibson
Walter B. Gibson
Walter Brown Gibson was an American author and professional magician, best known for his work on the pulp fiction character The Shadow...
, Earl Presto Johnson, Lou Lancaster
Lou Lancaster
Lou Lancaster was an American magician and author.His 1984 book Tricks Of The Trade: A Professional Looks at Commercial Closeup Magic OCLC 12995877 [edited by Phyllis Guggenheim; photos by Lancaster & Guggenheim] explained many techniques of close-up magic, and he appeared in several instructional...
, Jack London, Bill McQueen, Max Mavin (Phil Goldstein), Ben Robinson, James Randi
James Randi
James Randi is a Canadian-American stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. Randi is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation...
,, Wesley James, David Roth
David Roth
David Roth is an American magician.Roth is widely regarded as one of the world's greatest living coin magicians. Roth is known both for tremendous technical mastery and for playful and surrealistic formal performance pieces...
, Darwin Ortiz
Darwin Ortiz
Darwin Ortiz is a magician, who is an authority on gambling and card manipulation.Ortiz was born and raised in New York City where he had a keen interest in card tricks since childhood. In 1974, he dropped out of NYU Law School and pursued card magic full-time...
George Schindler, Slydini and countless others. Imam would, after several years, break away and form his own competing club downtown in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
.
Legacy
Opening a magic show venue in New York City had been a dream of many famous magicians, such as Houdini, ThurstonThurston
-People:*Rev. Asa Thurston , Hawaiian missionary*Baratunde Thurston , American Comedian*Curt Thurston , European activist & businessman*Darren Thurston , Canadian animal rights activist...
and Doug Henning
Doug Henning
Douglas James Henning was a Canadian magician, illusionist, escape artist and politician.-Early life:...
. This was finally accomplished with the efforts of Eddie Davis, Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich is an American stage magician and escapologist, and the first and only woman to have performed the bullet catch in mouth. She was also the first woman to perform a straitjacket escape while suspended hundreds of feet in the air from a burning rope Dorothy Dietrich is an American...
and Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks, considered a magician of renown has been a professional performer since leaving school, was born in New York City. As a teenager he joined a Department of Parks magic club headed up by the official magician of New York City, Abe Hurwitz , who was also the father of the soon to be...
and the help of many who worked this venue. Dick Brooks also searched out Brother Theodore
Brother Theodore
Brother Theodore , born Theodore Gottlieb, was a German-American monologuist and comedian known for rambling, stream-of-consciousness dialogues which he called "stand-up tragedy".-Early years:...
, whose career had waned, to do several seasons of midnight shows, and helped to bring him back to prominence. After that Theodore appeared on The Tom Snyder Tomorrow Show and a long series of TV and movie appearances. Magic Towne House advertisements appeared in local New York newspapers such as the Village Voice and The New York Post.
After the closing of the Magic Towne House, Michael Chaut and Peter Samelson went on to develop "Monday Night Magic" along with Frank Brents, Todd Robbins
Todd Robbins
Todd Robbins is an American magician, lecturer, actor, and author.-Biography:He was born in Long Beach, California, the son of soap executive and a schoolteacher. In 1980 he moved to New York City to pursue a career in theater...
, and Jamy Ian Swiss
Jamy Ian Swiss
Jamy Ian Swiss is an American close-up magician who works primarily with cards.-Career as a Magician:Jamy Ian Swiss is world renowned as a sleight of hand performer specializing in close-up card magic....
, which still runs successfully in New York City.