Hello all, it has been a long time since I last lurked but it is time to balance my life and stop pouring it into my work. I live near Hollywood Magic and remember many enjoyable visits discussing magic with the staff behind the counter. However, I went back this weekend and it seemed like all new faces that I didn't remember and most of them didn't seem to be the magic professionals I remember.

Has the shop come under new management?

thanks,
paul

The shop is now being run by Greg (Louis' son). Ron is no longer managing the place. On Saturdays, there are some pretty good guys hanging out there. Any Saturday go in and ask for Luis. He does some very nice coin work. Every once in a while on Saturdays, Jonathan Neal Brown works there. Nothing like the old days though.

Best,

Dorian Rhodell

Alas, the old days were spectacular! It was a who's who on weekends with everyone from out of town coming in. I still like to think of the amount of talent that has worked there over the years. Jonathan and I still talk of the days! We both worked together on Mondays, got off at 6 pm and met Don Wayne and David C, across the street at Johnny's Steak House for our weekly round table. Usually just the 4 of us, sometimes joined by Jack Goldfinger and in later years Bob Dorian and Chris Hart. We would always have a great meal and a laugh, then head up to the Castle for Gong Show night. That was a great time in magic for me!

I went there last December when I was in town, and I liked the place. I don't know who is who, but one guy was doing a lot of demo-ing for non magician customers. I bought a couple of books, one great, one not so good. I really liked L.A. a lot. I'd like to live there. And I have no interest in being a movie star.
I went to the Magic Castle for the first time and I felt like I was on sacred ground, all the greats that have been in there.

I remember when it was called Bert Wheeler's Hollywood Magic back in the sixties. Behind the "pitch" counter was a guy named Irv who did Rattle Bars, Magic Mouse, Svengali. Mike Skinner and Jules Lenier were among the pro section workers, on Saturdays you might see Blackstone Sr. Orson Welles, Vernon, Charlie Miller, Milton Berle, and down the street at the upstairs Joe Berg shop you see the same guys along with Slydini, Francis Carlyle, Jay Ose, and all the early Castle members who had nowhere to go in the daytime.

Yes! Irv was a MASTER pitchman. His rattle bar routine was a classic. His handling was always a little sloppy but his psychological technique was great. If anyone caught a move or he flashed a gimmic, he would say, "Of course I'm showing you how to do it, you have to know the moves to do it well!" lol... Jonathan would just watch him in amazement!

I dragged my wife (then girlfriend) to Hollywood Magic way back in 1991. It was my first visit to L.A., and Hollywood Magic was an accidental discovery. I loved it. She didn't. I don''t remember who was behind the counter. I just remember walking in and thinking, ah, cool. A real magic shop.

I just heard that Hollywood Magic has closed. Can anyone confirm this?

You heard right. Gated up and shut down forever. ANother business bites the dust in this lousy economy.

Wow! I was just down there Oct 20th and it was shut without any sign saying closed. I had breakfast across the street to await its opening. I asked the waitress if it was closed like, for good? She thought not since they would often come for lunch. It must have closed that recently. All I could think was how terrible Hollywood Blvd. looked presently and how sad to have one's name emblazoned on the walk of fame gone down in flames.Many of rich people own those properties that are so run down now.
Sad to see the shop closed for good.

Doc

Word is business was off and then the brother and sister who inherited control of the shop didn't get along and that was it.

Another one bites the dust.

Darn.

I have recently been introduced to Bert Wheeler and his Magic Shop through my employer, Bert's cousin Bobbie Smith. I am writing a book with her, nothing to do with magic just her remeberances of her childhood. She just finished telling me about her summers away from Scottsdale, AZ in the late 30's and 40's to visit her Aunt Nora, Bert's mother, Bobbie would go to the magic shop and watch the shows and when she was old enough she worked behind the counter and waited on celebrities such as Mickey Rooney, Red Skelton, Edgar Bergman, and even met Bess Houdini. I have a great picture of Bert leaning against his car, but was hoping to find a picture of the magic shop. Any ideas?

That was Johnny Carson's shop he frequented ( met Doug Malloy who introduced him to Dean Dill ).

All things come to an end. The Carson Show, Hollywood magic...the list goes on.

Yeah, we finally came up with the byline, "Where the stars stop to shop!" as it was a stomping grounds for many celebrities. I remember a scruffy guy in a motorcycle jacket back in the 80's that was interested in coins, I showed up a lot of stuff and he loved it and got one of everything. He paid with a platinum AMEX, the name on the card? Nicholas Coppela Cage. Michaael Jackson stopped in regulary as did Orsen Welles, Johnny Carsen and so many others. They were superstars on the street but they were all kids when they came in there!

A great shop- in the early 50's( I was 16 ?) on a talent show with my Vent.. I won an elec plane - don't do planes -went to HW shop and asked if I could trade for some Magic, YES said a LARGE gentle Man -who was always a help and adviser - got a Die Box, Hat Loader and Large Imp Bottle -it started me on my way in Magic.

I know this is a really old thread but........

This is absolutely hillarious! I love it! 👍👍👈🏻.

a perfect out to keep everything moving along. 🙂. hahahaaa!