Wow, did I have fun reading through this post. So many wonderful stories. I really like Dan Harlan's about Copperfield. Nice.

I've met Copperfield a few times. Nice guy to quick chat with, but never had the change to really sit down and talk with him. I'm sure he has a lot to share if someone could snag his time. Along with David I met Chris Kenner. What a nice (crazy) guy. Not to mention Homer Liwag too.

I could go on and on with a list, but my most memorable meeting was with Marshall Brodien. I was invited to his house for a Sunday afternoon. It was amazing. Not only because I grew up watching him on the Bozo show, but I also remember when he performed the Temple of Benares on the show. That was one of the first illusions I saw, which made the magic bug bite me even more. So, image my surprise when Marshall gave me a tour of his basement based museum and there is Jack Gwynne's Temple! I had to touch it

After looking through the old Houdini artifacts, and collectibles he has, he told a lot of stories about Bozo, growing up in Chicago, and how he started TV Magic Cards. It was one of the most memorable magic meetings of my life.

Lance Burton
Mac King
Martin Lewis
Darwin Ortiz
James Randi
Peter Kane
Terry Seabrooke
Michael Ammar
Daryl
Davide Costi
Aldo Colombini
Paul Wilson
David Berglas
Max Maven
Dan Garrett
David Acer
Richard Kaufman
Jeff McBride
David Roth
Alex Elmsley
Bob Fitch
Chris Korn

Hiya, Magi:

The Ring to which I belong (313) has had some incredible lecturers over the last couple of years, including Martin Lewis, Kevin James, Jeff Martin, Whit Haydn, and Losander. (Lennart Green, though not officially lecturing, was present one evening as well.)

Witty, charming, engaging...in a word, Magical, the lot of 'em (to see Losander work the Zombie is simply to believe in Magic again). But what struck me the most about these guests was their incredible warmth and graciousness towards even a Magical fumbler...me, for instance!

Leland Edward Stone

I'll update my list now:
Who I've Met:
Barry Mitchell
Steve Varro
Chad Long
Rocco
Adrian Van Vactor

Who I"ve Seen Seen:
David Copperfield
Gazzo

Most Genuine guy who couldn't do enough for you

-Michael Finney

Also very Impressed meeting-A true Gentlemen & very witty

-Michael Ammar

Best Childrens show advice & meeting-

David Ginn

Shawn Farquhar
Me- I'll have to travel a heck of a lot more.

Not in any order:

Scott Interrante
Seth Kramer
Eric DeCamps
Johnny Thomson
Banacheck
Criss Angel
Chris Capehart
David Kaye (Silly Billy)
Marc Desousa
David Roth
Paul Harris
John Farrentino
Bob Freidhoffer
Ken Kranzel
Doug Edwards
Penn and Teller
The Amazing Jonathan
Lance Burton
Bob Elliot
Bob Dorian

Some of these guys I see on a regular basis. Some I have met once or a twice and had some interesting conversations.

Oh I left off a couple:
Aldo Colombini
Todd Robbins
Jaimmy Ian Swiss
Michael Chuat
Paul Wilson
Meir Yedid
Oz Perlman
David Oliver
Duldini
and a bunch more...

I'm pretty yound so I've only met 1 magician, David Copperfield. I met him at the end of a live performance, he came out into the crowd at the end of his show and went from person to person and talked with me and my family for a while.I hope I'll get to meet some others.

Chrix

Hey, How come nobody listed any female magicians? Like Juliana Chin, Arian Black, Luna Shimada. They are really good magicians too.
smagic

Timothy Drake
Ryan Joyce
Greg Frewin
Captin Corbin
Sam Pearce
Claude Haggerty
Joan Ceasar
Kevin Skipski
_________________
Not very many tho

Timothy Drake
Ryan Joyce
Greg Frewin
Captin Corbin
Sam Pearce
Claude Haggerty
Joan Ceasar
Kevin Skipski
Mr.Bill
_________________
Not very many tho

But at least you met them twice!

- entity

Any one else?

I haven't met any famous magicians unless you count waving to David Blaine in his box.

Juliana Chen is really good, and very beautiful.

OK, Michael Ammar is from the same town as my father. It is a small town on the VA/WV line, and I have met Hannah and him a few times. He also lectured for our ring.

I met Dan Harlan at SCAM a couple of years ago. Dan is a brilliant thinker, and a brilliant performer as well.

I met Joe Givan & Carol Massie at our convention here in east Tennessee. Another brilliant mind in Joe, and both wonderful performers. I also met Gene Anderson, Jeff McBride, Abbi Spinner, Ardan James, Ayala & Tonia, Steve Bargatze, Aldo Columbini, Bill Pryor, General Grant, Simon Lovell, Tom Jones & Rachel Wild, Joe Mogar, Paul Gertner, Michael Finney, Tom Craven, Scott Hitchcock, Fukai & Kimika, Steve Beam, Tony Chapek, Michael Eaton, Bob Bengal, John Tudor, Matthew David Stanley, Jessica, Shayna & Mandy Reed, Yegal Mesika, JC Doty, Joe Turner, Barry Mitchell, and some others at our convention as well.

I know Terry Evanswood, an absolutely brilliant performer and world class illusionist who performs locally (for me) in Pigeon Forge, TN.

From other conventions I have met Losander, Tommy Curtain, Eugene Burger, Charlie Frye, David Williamson, John Carney, Tim Conover, Yumi, Lu Chen, John Born, Dan Sperry, Dakota Rose, Jeb Hostetler (1973 IBM closeup champ), Tim Sonefelt, Robbie Moreland, Roger Louvin, Bob Sanders, Steve Bender, Jason Michaels, John Pica (AKA Big Daddy Cool), Lance Johnson, Harry Allen, Lee Asher, Bev Bergeron, Junge Junge, Fantasio, Mick Ayers, and some more, I am sure.

From my local rings I know Scott Cantrell, Tom Vorjahan, Mike Messing, Bob Knigge, Dave Vaught, and former IBM President Michael Stratman.

I have emailed dozens of others.

But my greatest meeting was with Johnny and Pam Thompson. My son and I were their personal assistants for a weekend, and I worked backstage with Pam during their act, loading and unloading doves and props. During Johnny's closeup act he called me up to be the volunteer for his Vernon impersonation. After the shows, he was generous with his time, teaching me whatever I asked. As a result, I have 2 lifetime friends that I will always cherish. My son stayed with them when he was in Vegas for McBride's class.....he slept in the spare bedroom. Johnny is truly the greatest card magician alive, and I consider him my biggest mentor, and they are the kindest people that I have ever met. That is the real magic....

Scott Compton

Oh yeah, I met Copperfield 18 years ago after a show in Richmond, VA.

And Dave Mann is my local magic dealer, and a legend with the dancing cane.

Scott

I met Brad Christian at a David Blaine book signing.

He signed Brad's boob.


Rob

One of the great things about living here in the S.F. Bay Area is the California Magic Dinner Theater in Martinez Ca. they bring in some of the best and most entertaining acts from all over the world for weekend Dinner Shows, and I have met many of my favorite performers and spent some quality time getting to know them as people and not just performers I look up to. those include Losander, John Carney, Dana Daniels, Aldo Columbini, Martin Lewis, Mike Caveney & Tina Lenert, Dan Sylvester, Raphael Benitar, Daryl, and this is just a few of the over 50 different performers who have performed there. I have been able to spend time with getting to know them and pick their brain a little and it has been very rewarding.
If you are in the Bay Area and don't take advantage of this great oppotunity to see and meet these leaders in our industry then you should have your head examined.
IMHO Rich

Lance Burton - met twice at a magic meeting in Las Vegas. One of the nicest people in the business.
Chris Capeheart - bumped into him while he was doing street magic in Chicago on the day he was to do a lecture at Magic, Inc. A really nice guy!
Nathan Kranzo - met at his lecture at Magic, Inc. A creative and funny fellow.
Michael Ammar - met twice at lectures in Chicago and tried to work out a couple of other things regarding some shows that I needed some people for as well. One of magic's greatest teachers and a genuinely kind and giving person.
Charlie Schulein - a master of bar and table magic if ever there was one.
Jimmy "Cards" Molinari* - we worked together at Mr. C's Magic Lounge in Berwyn, IL for about a year. One of the BEST card mechanics I've ever seen.
Bill Malone* - Worked with him, though we only met a couple of fleeting times while I was there, at Little Bit of Magic on Chicago's SouthWest Side. THE MAN!
Jeff McBride* - An old and dear friend, I MC'd for him at a festival and... well, ask him about it...
Moondaka - we met at several of the Invocationals. A VERY arresting performer.
Tony Andruzzi*^ - Maskelyn ye Mage, Editor of the New Invocation Magazine and Sorcerer Supreme - and a man I am proud to call my friend and mentor in bizarre magick. He is sorely missed. We did a number of shows together, including a couple of, believe it or not, SCA events!
Allan Ackerman - met him at a Magic, Inc lecture. Very informative and a nice fellow.
Jay Marshall- I did business with Jay for almost 40 years an had the honor of leading the congregation in his last standing ovation at his funeral. What can you say about the Dean and his sidekick, Lefty? I miss you, Jay.
Marshall Brodien* - I worked at his magic shop at the Old Chicago Mall for about a year after leaving the Treasure Chest in Chicago.
Billy Bishop* - He was the manager of the shop and in Member Glenn Bishop's late father. A kind and gentle man who was one fantastic mage.
Terry Veckey - a friend and sometimes mentor in cards and close up, Terry used to come into the Treasure Chest regularly and share what he knew. A great guy!
Max Maven - the Maestro of the Mind! The most published magician in history and a superb teacher as well. I've met him several times at Magic, Inc and his genius level intellect, rapier-sharp wit and dazzling style is beyond compare.
Bruce Bernstein - longtime aquaintance.
Eugene Burger* - After knowing each other in passing for years, we finally worked a gig ealier this year. A wonderful performer and gentleman in every sense of the word.
Dai Vernon - I attended the legendary $1,000 lecture ans watched him, at 80, blow the socks off the best posted magicians in Chicago. Don't believe those who slam this legend - he had the moves and the style. I was there.
Richard Kaufman - we met briefly at a magic convention.
John Mendoza - we met at a Michigan Magic Day. Paul Huffaker and I took him to lunch. After we ordered, he stated, simply, "I don't talk magic at lunch." 'Nuff said.
Jay Sankey - I met this manic whacko at a Magic, Inc lecture and was stunned by his energy, humor and skill. When he steps out of his performance persona, he is a humble, kind and very easy going likeable man.
Tom Mullica - I met him first at an Abbotts, where he performed, then at a convention in Chicago. Skill doesn't begin to cover this guy, nor does the term gentleman.
David Roth - the coinmaster! I took his master class in Chicago a few years ago and learned a lot! He doesn't hold back the important stuff.
Michael Close - I men Mr. Close briefly at a magic convention in Chicago about 20 years ago wher he was selling his first book. His demonstration of the Pothole trick still sends shivers down my back.
Simon Aronson - I've met Mr. Aronson several times at Magic, Inc lectures and club meetings. He's a quiet, easy-going man who really, really knows what he's talking about.
Steve Dacri - another Magic, Inc lecturer.
Max Toth - I've met Max several times at the National Guild of Hypnotists conventions.
Kardor the Grate - The hysterical mentalist/comedian who had us all in stitches at the Invocationals. Robin DeWitt is a genius and a very, very funny man.
Johnny Platt - the first person I ever saw do the large load finale to the cups and balls at the Gaslight Club in chicago, when I was a kid. It blew me away and helped cement my life's direction.
Karrel Fox - I met him while working at Max Ettinger's magic shop at Telegraph and 10 Mile in Southfield, MI. a class act the whole way.
Dennis Loomis - I met Mr. Loomis several times through IBM Ring 210 when I was a member, and later President (though I was ill through most of my tenure in office, I admit). A very solid performer and member.
Franz Harary - Franz was also a member of Ring 210 and, at 13, won 2nd place at Abbotts that year with a COMEDY routine, producing rubber chickens! We were all on the floor over the routine, too!
Hank Moorehouse - Hank ran a small, 2nd floor walkup magic shop above Campus Bike & Toy where I would later run a roll playing shop. a wonderful kid's performer and organizer.
Jules Lanier - I met Jules when he was on the committee that reviewed my audition to join the Magic Castle back in the mid 1970's... along with Vernon, I might add... he introduced me to something called "Apache Coffee that night... take my advice - avoid this stuff!!! A VERY nice guy... but don't play darts with him for money, either...
Dorney - the chairman of the Chicago Round Table was a fixture when I was first showing up at Ring 43 meetings at the chicago YMCA.
Jose de la Torre - translator of the Ascanio book on the color changing knives, he came into the Treasure chest one afternoon, looking to sell us some of the books for the shop. While waiting for the owner, he was kind enough to give me a 2 HOUR FREE magic lesson in manipulation! I am still deeply in his debt for that!
Arnold Furst - also came into the shop, for the same reason, to sell us copies of his book for our stock. A stage hypnotist and magician of some note.
Joe Palen - A Chicago trade show specialist from back in the days (the 60's and 70's). I met him several times at Magic, Inc.
Eddie Tullock* - Mr. Tullock and I shared a lunch break at a COMDEX trade show where we were both working at the time. He was VERY kind to me as the "new kid" as he put it.
Milbourne Christopher - stopped in the Treasure Chest for some flash paper. My back was to him as I was stocking a shelf at the time, balanced on a ladder and asked if he was a professional, as the policy was that we only sold flash paper to pros. His reply was, "Well, I'd better be, I'm Milbourne Christopher!" followed by a chuckle, sent me careening into the shelves, dumping product all over the place!

* indicates that I worked with or at a show with this person at one time or another. The others I either met briefly of, like Jay Marshall, knew pretty well over a long period.

^ indicates that this person actually published my stuff at oe time or another.

Thee are LOTS of others, but it's late, I'm tired and I have a gig tomorrow and then a VERY early flight on Thursday...

Lee Darrow, C.H.