He lectured in Grand Rapids a number of months ago. I think he still makes some of the props featured in his lecture.

Dick Oslund is alive and living back in Michigan's Upper Peninsula after a long stretch in New Orleans. With the help of his friend Jon Racherbaumer Dick is writing his life story. He says he's got 30,000 words on paper. He may have more school shows to his credit than any other living magician. Worked for every school bureau for years and years and generally did between between 300 and 400 shows a year. He has a great version of the Miser's Dream for kid shows and he is going to share it in the book. Dick has a vast knowledge of magic... he was up there with Jay Marshall and Pat Page in that regard.

I've known Dick for all of my life and he certainly was my "mentor" in the early days. He taught me so much... I doubt if I'd have had a career as a working magician if it had not been for him.

To Marshall Thornside... Dick did not steal the bottle or TIP-CEE trick from your Dad. (I believe the proper name is the Hydrostatic Bottle.) Dick and Louie were good friends and Louie taught Dick how to make the bottle and also gave him permission to use Loo's routine. In fact, Dick modified the design of the bottle in one important detail and it give you more control over the "flow." Dick is as honest as they come and does not swipe other performer's material. If you watched or listened closely you should have noticed that Dick has many new lines and bits of business of his own in that routine.

If anyone wants to contact Dick, you can do so through me.

Dennis Loomis
deloomis@mindspring.com
925-429-5201
http://www.dennisloomis.com
http://www.loomismagic.com

Dennis,

This is great news.

It's somewhat sad, though, when the current crop of kid show magicians don't even know who he is. This certainly isn't a reflection upon Dick Oslund. However, it speaks volumes about how uneducated these so-called kid show experts really are about their craft.

I know I've said all of this before, but it's still worth repeating.

Gerry

Dennis Loomis:

Could you please PM me Dick's contact information?

And, for everyone else, let me share a tip I got from Dick many, many years ago, regarding "making a buck in Magic"..

Once Dick and I got to know each other, he suggested that I try performing The Nemo 1500 Wallet Trick....and that when I did it...to "Over-Do" the trick, by putting $1,000 in cash on the card,,,,for those who know this trick, you will know what I mean...

The reason he told me this is that Dick said..."If you want to get people's undivided attention, putting out $1,000 in cash will do it"...

Secondly, Dick told me that after doing the trick, when someone asks you how much you charge to do a show, you can answer "Just enough to do the trick."

It's worked for me every time.........

Dick taught me more about ENTERTAINING and MAKING MONEY DOING MAGIC than any other magician I've ever known......

What a guy!

If you are on Facebook, you can find Dick.
I've been in conversation with him lately.

Marshall Thornside:

Thank you......

Not a Facebook user here...

Dick Oslund lives in an RV last I seen him at a Kansas Convention, years ago. He is always on the move, and that is why no one can contact him. He is not a very sharing person unless he is doing a lecture. A real "loner" in the industry, a man who goes his own way. I did not find him very personable to be around. Just my observation when I was around him.

He was doing the Hydrostatic Milk Bottle back then, I only heard the audience reaction to the trick. So I missed what he was doing. Later when I asked him, was that the new milk jug on the market, he turned his nose up, put a grin on his face, and walked a way.

That was my experience, I was very disappointed, because I heard what a great person and magician he was. As I heard it, he mainly did school shows and not having a residence was more of a cost move to make the school show profitable for a living.

Saw Dick a couple months back .. he stopped by the shop and we had a nice conversation. Here is a wealth of information - everything you need to know about kid show magic and then some! He tells me a book is in the offing! About time!

Rick Fisher:

Just out of curiosity, did Dick indicate whether he was going to be in Colon for the Get-Together in August?

I'd really like to see him......it's been too long......maybe you can PM me his telephone number?

For everyone else........here's an interesting Dick Oslund story.....

Per wmhegbli's post above, yes, Dick both lives in and travels extensively throughout the US in his RV. Dick did REALLY WELL as America's premiere school assembly performer....so well, in fact, that when he went to go buy his RV, and the RV dealer asked him how he wanted to finance it, Dick pulled out a big box of CASH.

Cash for an RV!

As I said, Dick did pretty darn well for himself!!!

Wow:

I see that this post is almost 2 years old....so..

After 2 years, finally, a friend from the Houdini Club gave me Dick's current contact information...

I just got off the phone with him, and Dick is in Escanaba, Michigan, doing well, and retired.

Hopefully I'll drive up to see him soon and have lunch with him. Meanwhile Dick's sending me an E-Mail, so I can hook him up with Johnny Thompson, who asked me about Dick Last Labor Day when we both performed at the Houdini Club Convention here in Green Bay. Meanwhile Dick tells me that he's got about 55,000 words written for his upcoming book by John Racherbaumer, and Dick expects to have the finished manuscript done and to John Racherbaumer by the end of the year.

This is great news for all Dick Oslund fans!!!

Mr Oslund used to stop into a magic shop I used to work at. I agree with what many have said about him being a wealth of knowledge and information.
In one of his lectures I attended, he did a cards to pocket... such a simple method and so darn entertaining, I still use it today.

When I talked to Dick Oslund a month ago, he was going to E-Mail me so I could have his E-Mail address because there are some people out there who want to stay in touch with him, including Johnny Thompson.

I guess he didn't get it right so, I called Dick again today and left a message for him to E-Mail me.........I also told Dick that he should join the Magic Café...if for no other reason than to see what people are saying about him...HA!

I hope to run up and see Dick soon...I miss him and always enjoy "picking his brain" so to speak........

FINALLY...

Dick E-Mailed me!

Now we can stay in touch.

Dick Oslund is here~~!!!

YAY!!!

Welcome to The Magic Café, Dick!!!

Yes he is here and I have been reading his posts. I hope the Café will give him a spot in the Buffet forums where he can let go with whatever he wants. The nice thing I like about his posts, they are without the arrogance I read from some of the older members. He is gentle with newcomers and has a wealth of information for them. I want newcomers to feel welcome and be interested in magic, I sense the same in Mr. Oslund posts.

Spartacus:

Dick's a treasure!

And you have a great idea!!!!

One of the best lectures I ever attended. (That would have been in about '85, in Dick Snavely's basement.) Mr. Oslund was a fun and funny guy.

I will definitely be one to read his autobiography. He must have a ton of anecdotes, routines, advice, and marketing ideas to tip. We'll soon see!

Who?