We lost Norman last year.
Steve Baker is still with us, but in terrible physical shape and from what I hear he has suffered memory loss.
(Do not malign these people. It is my opinion I am expressing. If you need to do that... start your own thread)

Who does that make the current elder statesman of our art?
Mario Manzini? Hard working for a lot of years and still at it.
Kondini? (Same category as Mario)
Someone I have not thought of?

The reason I put Norman and Steve up as high as I did was not due to their skill or lack there of. It was their willingness to share their experiences and techniques. I would be curious to see what people think in this arena.

Randi is still Top Dog of Escapes - even though he's been away from it for decades (IMHO).

Yes, Mario is right up there also.

Dean Gunnarson & Mike Griffin are still full-time Pros, with many decades between them.

Some might even wish to include Steranko too.

I exchanged emails with Norm for a number of years, I don't think there have been many that have contributed to the "art" than him, I remember Norm once saying its easy to take an already know effect, polish it and call it your own... but very few can create an effect from scratch.

So anyone that is doing the same effect over and over again I don't think should be counted... yes they will cry "real" showmanship sells it etc... but that gets boring to listen to after a while.

What happened to Steve Santini ? He had a few publications out years ago which helped me quite a bit... albeit from a very different way from the performers..

and of course Ian McColl who I regard as a mechanical genius.

but what happens when their secrets are no longer passed down?

Hey All

Been gone for a while. Yes, still going and loving escapes.. I never thought I was old enough to be mentioned in this topic maybe technically speaking physically old enough however never even close to being mature LOL but, I guess I have been doing it for a while,,,Just doesn't seem like it BECAUSE I FREAKIN' LOVE IT!!