My great grandfather (although I did not know him) was and is the only family member who performed magic so I think it was my great grandfather who passed the 'magic bug' onto me.
As a child I was magic mad, I loved watching Paul Daniels on the television and as I feel that I have grown-up with magic. I, like Wendy, gave up for about 6 months as the guy I was seeing at the time hated magic but that's history and I'm back in full swing now. As I've got older I've also found myself getting interested in the history and philosophy which is like finding magic all over again,

Dizzy

And thank goodness you did, Dizzy! You're turning into a really good magician.

For me, 3 things happened in succession. It was Christmas and during the school holidays the main TV stations here in the UK would sometimes show some of the American magic specials. I had always watched magic, but this one year it really hit me that I wanted to be a magician.

First of all, I saw David Copperfield's 4th special - the one hosted by Jason Robards and ending with the Vanishing LearJet. Next, Christmas Day and Peter gets a Paul Daniels Magic Set - I was still playing with it a few days later. Finally, Doug Henning's World of Magic - the second special with the elephant, Henning's performance of Vernon's "Symphony of the Rings" and Ricky Jay.

I still watch both of those specials with enjoyment and cannot wait for a few years down the line when it is time to introduce my nephew to our world.

Best wishes

Peter
:)

For me it was seeing a magic show put on by a traveling magician at my elementary school. The magician would come around and perform a few tricks for the kids at lunchtime. Then he would send out flyers for a paid show later in the week. I got suckered in by the hippity hop rabbits which was performed at the evening show.....and I was hooked!

It wasn't quite as exciting as most of the storys here, just a simple old book. My sister used to work at a book store and I made her buy me a magic book with her store discounts. From there I always interested but never hooked untill early grade 10 when I joined the magic club at my school. Know I go every Wednesday and somtimes more. It also helps that Morrisey Magic is half an hour a way (one of Canada biggest magic stores), so know I spend all my money on that!

Daniel

I think it was something like TV Magic cards or some TV Magic set. The plastic Ball and Vase etc...I was always more curious about how it was done than LEARNING how it was done. Now that I'm trying to get sleights and flourishes down I have an even deeper appreciation and I'm in awe at how smooth magicians are. I can pretty much tell how tricks are done but the skill and presentation amaze me.
I also know how Barry Bonds hits a home run but I'm still in awe of his talent. Now if only there were steroids for magic.

I was always interested in magic but when I was 7 I started to get some small tricks, like the one where the stack of nickels turns into a stack of dimes. After a few years I became real interested in card magic and read Royal Road. Next came the coins and Bobo's book.
I guess that's how it started although not too interesting I know.

The Magical Land of Alakazaam with Mark Wilson. That and a local store carried the Adams stuff (ball & vase, paddle trick, coin box). My Grandpa used to show me tricks too. Now I do them for my Grand kids.

I was watching the "jewel of the nile" (michael douglas) and in one scene, there's this guy who takes a stone and closes his fist around it, opens it a butterfly flies out of it...wanted to that!!
and something that really inspires me is "dracula" with anthony hopkins, when the vampire (gary oldman) wipes the tears of Mina Murray/Elisabeta (wynona rider) and opens his fist and it turns to diamond! MAGIC!
any suggestions on how to do that would be appreciated too! hehe

For me it was getting a Blackstone Magic Set after seeing Doug Henning on the television when I was about 6 or 7. I was hooked. A few weeks later I put on my first magic show.

I wasn't at all intimadated to perform in front of a group back then.

For me it was my pediatrician. Whenever I had an appointment, after the visit he would do a magic trick. Always as kid I couldn't wait for my Doctor's appt. I never remember any unhappy feelings about going to my doctor(ie. needles), only that I couldn't wait for my next appointment to see a magic trick.

I wasn't really interested in becoming a magician. It just sort of happened. Some of my friends knew magic and one day I just asked if I could borrow a dvd. and now I'm better then all of them :-D

When I was a kid, I used to see a magic trick and how to perform the trick was printed on a local news paper. I used to wait for every sunday to see what will be the new trick. I tried to whatever tricks, I could as a small kid.

My uncle brought me to misdirections in san francisco and I became interested. what got me even more interested was watching world's greatest magic and david Copperfield specials. misdirections is a great magic shop.

When I was a kid, I used to see a magic trick and how to perform the trick was printed on a local news paper. I used to wait for every sunday to see what will be the new trick. I tried to whatever tricks, I could as a small kid.

I first fell in love w/ magic when my aunt bought my first magic kit at the age of 8. From that point I was bit w/ the magic bug.

My dad was a magician through high school, and paid his way through four years of college. He gave it up though- claiming that I know more than him. It's funny; he says he doesn't even remember any of it. But I caught him once performing some card flourishes. He refuses to perform anything, and doesn't wish to join IBM/SAM. It's really odd. But my grandfather got me a magic set when I was five. Then later on I got more and more sets for more Birthdays. Then I saw a group perform at a theatre in my hometown, "Mike Snyder & Donna"- now good friends of mine- and they were just amazing. I still remember their show. It was truly magical. To this day I discuss it with Mike. Then I saw Jonathan and Charlotte Pendragon; in my hometown. It was soo awesome. Then Copperfield, then the local IBM ring 20 miles from my house. Kapppinggg Kabooom- magic was born for me. I've loved every second!

Keep in touch!

Tomasko

I saw Rick Thomas perform magic in Las Vegas when I was about 6 or 7. After the show I went to one of those highly overpriced Houdini magic shops. and it all started there....

It must have been the magic kit my mom bought, it had a plastic hat with a secret compartment. I loved it. (And I still have it)

I was a juggler (nothing special, just for fun), walked into the mushy pea juggling shop (sadly long gone) to play, and saw a magician at the end. I thought why not learn a way to make my balls disappear (without surgery in thailand!), wandered over. The guy showed me a few tricks, then suggested rather than buy anything I go and get Mark Wilsons book...I kept going back to the shop and spending my money, but I was walking past the balls and clubs to buy magic.

I was facinated by the whole idea of magic as a child and even had a magic set , but I lacked the dedication and dicipline to practice and ended up thinking that it was all just to hard, Around November last year my 8 year old daughter showed me a card trick, nothing clever but it resparked an interest that has been long dormant, her desire to learn more made me realize that if I'd had some support I would have stuck with it, so now... I'm supporting my daughters interest in magic by learning myself! Well that's what I tell my girlfriend anyway!