I know there are excellent street magicians out there, but I don't know who they are. I'm going to go with David Blaine like most people. If there was more specials with many other street magicians, David Blaine would probably be on the bottom of the list.

It would be good if a special came on every friday with a few different street magicians each time.

Ok--forget DB and CA.

Harry Anderson was such a great street performer--he now travels everywhere and has 2 shops. I guess he would be my pick for favorite street magician...but then again, he's also my fav. magician in general!

Ellen

I'm even quoting myself... does anyone agree?? I've seen some very rare footage from a movie projector of Jeff doing card manipulation SURROUNDED!! I still think he's king...

My picks would have to be Bob Sheets and Allan Hayden both very funny.

Joe

Just my two cents...

The whole point of me getting into magic is to become a "street magician" or whatever you want to call it. I think that the idea of grabbing the unsuspecting attention of passersby who were otherwise going to get coffee or shopping for shoes and then suddenly finding themselves in the face of something that they don't understand and are amazed by, is a truly beautiful gift to the world.

Everyone needs a little brain candy every now and then, just to show people that their is more to life than sitcoms and things that stay crunchy in milk.

I like Blaine. I've read the countless debates and have come out clean on the other side. Laymen dig him. Plain and simple. Peoples' days are brighter after seeing him do something that we, who are in the art, know how to do but they have never even imagined. So, I salute him.

Chris Angel on the other hand just annoys me, and I can't even really put my finger on why. I think he just reminds me of that pseudo-gothy kid in high school who cuddles his Dungeons & Dragons user manuals a little to tightly. But, pardon my hypocrisy, he does have skills.

On a lighter note, I would sell my grandmother to gypsies as livestock to see Harry Anderson live. Much to my grandmother's chagrin, I'm sure.

I've yet to muster up the brass to get out there on the street (or sidewalk) and do it, but then again, I'm new to this scene. But I'm madly in love with it and can feel the time for me to test my mettle on the public turf, stalking me in the waving amber grasses, tensing itself to strike.

And once that happens... maybe then my opinions will be worth some salt.

Lance Burton.
That's all that I'm going to say.

I would have to go with Cellini.

The top Street Magician is considered to be Cellini, he has videos and lectures about street magic. The most popular or know street magician is Jeff Sheridan, who just released a DVD, http://www.hocus-pocus.com.

Gazzo is considered in the TOP 5 Street Magicians in the world, he also has videos out. I considered him the highest earner. He knows how to work the streets but his style is not for everyone.

If you can do a great show on the street you can do a great show anywhere.

G0THIKE

I'm not stuck on myself, however one does have to believe in himself or no one else will. So I have to agree with the fellow from England (gary a) who said his favorite street magician is, and I quote "Me." Thanks gary a for the vote of confidence.

p.s. I'm making a good living at magic. I enjoy it more than anger management, it's less stressful.
G.
G.

Cellini and Gazzo would have to be my choice!
I have never seen Gazzo perform live (just on tape) but I think what I saw was great.

What can I say for Cellini, I have seen him lecture twice, and the only thing I can say it GO SEE the lecture!

No a street magician is someone who busks using magic on the streets. Quite rare nowadays. David Blaine and Chris Angel are close-up T.V. magicians not street magicians.

My favorite are Gazzo & Robert Bloor.
And let me tell you, Bloor is absolutely unbelievable! I've never seen anyone like him!

Does Brad from ellusionist count?

One can only hope not.

Confusion is understandable, but magicians have very definite fields that various types of magic fall into.

A magician who sets himself up on a sidewalk or in a park and manages to gather an audience around him during his performance is considered a street magician. A magician who walks up to people and performs one or two tricks is considered a "strolling magician" no matter if he's strolling in a party or on a sidewalk.

I've never seen Gazzo. I saw Cellini in the threatre district once (and I think he was in Tannen's once and played a flute that was built into his staff.) I'd seen Jeff Sheridan several times, now [he] was great!

I would say David Blaine is a great street magician. Well it would be bold to say that he is the best out there but he is certainly one good street performer. Not only that he is able to break the barrier between his spectator and him. He is able to do so without jeopardizing his part as a real magician.

Jeff Sheridan, Cellini. Jeff Sheridan is my favorite. His card manipulation is amazing, I feel that he is technically a more sound performer at manipulations than Jeff McBride, but JM does stage magic, so...
David Blaine - close-up, NOT street. That's all I gotta say about it. But I enjoy watching him. But he is NOT classified under being a street magician, the name of his first special is misleading. Many people think he is a "street" magician because he does magic on the streets, while this isn't the definition of a street magician.

My vote goes to Cellini -- but mainly because I haven't seen the performances of some of the others who have been named here (e.g., though I've met Bob Sheets, and believe he's probably terrific on the street, I just haven't seen him in action there).

There's my two cents (and one dropped name).

Tim

Jeff Sheridan is awesome. I always thought David Blaine until I saw Jeff Sheridan. Get his DVDs and you'll see what im talking about.

Just saw this thread for the first time today and, wow, was I stunned to see *my* name among some of the greats (Cellini, Gazzo, and the like). Thanks, S2000!

I was lucky enough to work Philadelphia street for almost 15 years, as my sole source of income. (And, at the risk of bragging, I made a good income! Bought a house, cars, put my stepkids through college, etc.) In all that time, I saw a lot of other buskers work while passing through town. Some of my favorites not (yet) mentioned here:

- Will Soto, from Key West. Talk about a guy who invented a character, and lived it. I saw this guy gather and stun a crowd of 250 (yeah, I counted) with nothing more than a Needle-thru-Balloon and a poem he recited to himself. After the show, everyone dropped (paper) money into the hat; in my mind, there is no bettr measure of greatness.

- Fred Anderson, formerly of the Flying Mizmos out of SF. Hysterical, seemingly impromptu every show, maximum return on minimal investment. Any magician watching got a lesson in crowd management in every show. (I still delight in telling about his routine with a mylar tie wrapped around his forehead, and the ritual killing of a balloon doggie. Priceless!)

- Chris Capehart (another Philadelphian!). Simply The Best Linking Rings There Is. Period. (Plus, having a bunny who sports an Afro can't be bad!)

And, hey, these are just some magicians I've seen out there; there's "magic" in so many other art forms as well! I've seen puppeteers who can make an audience cry on command (yeah, Duke, I'm talking about you!), a "glass harp" player that produced the coolest music you've ever heard, and on, and on...

There are those in this thread who've said they've never seen a busker live ("I've only seen [insert famous name here] on TV/DVD/etc"). As I read those posts, I thought, "Shame on them! They're missing the juiciest parts!" Folks, do yourself a favor; put down the Book/DVD/TrickOf The Month right now, get your butt out of the magic shop or out of your basement, find some city streets where this stuff is really happening, and WATCH. If you keep your eyes open, you'll get a priceless education, and it'll only cost you a couple of bucks after the show. Money/effort well spent!

OK, I'm done. (For now, anyway!) Thanks for listening!