The World's Greatest Magic
Encyclopedia
The World's Greatest Magic was a series of American
television special
s showcasing magic
acts.
The first of five shows was broadcast by NBC
in 1994, and continued with annual editions through 1998. These shows were most often first telecast during the Thanksgiving holidays when special programming would occur. These specials reran occasionally on ABC Family
(then The Family Channel and Fox Family) from October 1996 to early 2002.
The first episode was hosted by Robert Urich
, the second by Alan Thicke
, and the final three episodes by John Ritter
. Before each commercial break of every episode, in a segment known as the Mac King School of Magic, Mac King
showed viewers a simple magic trick, and would break its steps down after the commercial break so that the audience could perform the same trick for family and friends.
Here's a list of the closing illusions for each of the five shows, and the magicians that performed them:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
s showcasing magic
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
acts.
The first of five shows was broadcast by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in 1994, and continued with annual editions through 1998. These shows were most often first telecast during the Thanksgiving holidays when special programming would occur. These specials reran occasionally on ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
(then The Family Channel and Fox Family) from October 1996 to early 2002.
The first episode was hosted by Robert Urich
Robert Urich
Robert Urich was an American actor. He played the starring roles in the television series Vega$ and Spenser: For Hire...
, the second by Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
, and the final three episodes by John Ritter
John Ritter
Jonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively...
. Before each commercial break of every episode, in a segment known as the Mac King School of Magic, Mac King
Mac King
Mac King is a comedy magician who has performed on television specials, often as a co-host. He has his own family-friendly show, "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show," at the Harrah's Las Vegas in the Clint Holmes Theater....
showed viewers a simple magic trick, and would break its steps down after the commercial break so that the audience could perform the same trick for family and friends.
Here's a list of the closing illusions for each of the five shows, and the magicians that performed them:
- World's Greatest Magic I: Franz HararyFranz HararyFranz Harary is an American magician and inventor who has appeared on television shows such as the first episode of NBC's The World's Greatest Magic, where Harary vanished the Space Shuttle....
- Space Shuttle vanish - World's Greatest Magic II: Penn and Teller - Magic bullet catch
- World's Greatest Magic III: The Pendragons - Disappearance of 25 Vegas showgirls
- World's Greatest Magic IV: Lance BurtonLance BurtonLance Burton is a stage illusionist. He has appeared on numerous television programs, and also performed for Queen Elizabeth and President Ronald Reagan...
- Jaws of Death escape (Lance was handcuffed and shackled inside a canvas mailbag, put in the back of a car, and dropped into a car crusher.) - World's Greatest Magic V: Brett Daniels - Teleportation of actress Kelly PackardKelly PackardKelly Chemane Packard is an American actress who has starred in TV shows such as Baywatch and California Dreams and has also hosted shows such as Ripley's Believe It or Not!....
across the Grand CanyonGrand CanyonThe Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...