The World's Greatest Magic was a series of American television specials showcasing magic acts.[1] The first of five shows was broadcast by NBC in 1994, and continued with annual editions through 1998. These shows were most often first telecast during the Thanksgiving holidays when special programming would occur.[2] These specials reran occasionally on ABC Family (then The Family Channel and Fox Family) from October 1996 to early 2002.
The first episode was hosted by Robert Urich, the second by Alan Thicke, and the final three episodes by John Ritter. Before each commercial break of every episode, in a segment known as the Mac King School of Magic, Mac King showed viewers a simple magic trick, and would break its steps down after the commercial break so that the audience could perform the same trick for family and friends.
Here's a list of the closing illusions for each of the five shows, and the magicians that performed them:
- World's Greatest Magic I: Franz Harary - Space Shuttle vanish
- World's Greatest Magic II: Penn and Teller - Magic bullet catch
- World's Greatest Magic III: The Pendragons - Disappearance of 25 Vegas showgirls and Charlotte Pendragon from a platform surrounded by spectators.
- World's Greatest Magic IV: Lance Burton - Jaws of Death escape (Lance was handcuffed and shackled inside a canvas mailbag, put in the back of a car, and dropped into a car crusher.)
- World's Greatest Magic V: Brett Daniels - Teleportation of actress Kelly Packard across the Grand Canyon
Featured magicians[]
- Penn and Teller
- Lance Burton
- Mac King
- Greg Frewin
- Max Maven
- Tom Mullica
- Melinda Saxe, better known as "Melinda, First Lady of Magic"
- The Amazing Johnathan
- Juan Tamariz
- Nathan Burton
- Steve Wyrick
- Brett Daniels
- Bill Malone
- Fielding West
- Franz Harary
- Jeff McBride
- Dirk Arthur
- Hans Klok & Sittah
- Ayala & Lilia
- David Williamson
- Juliana Chen
- Sheri Lucas
- The Hammners
- Topas
- Raymond Crowe
- Bob Arno
- Princess Tenko
- Galina
- Tabary
- Joseph Gabriel
- Peter Marvey
- Jean-Pierre Vallarino
- Magic Unlimited
See also[]
References[]
External links[]
- The World's Greatest Magic at the Internet Movie Database
- The World's Greatest Magic 2 at the Internet Movie Database
- The World's Greatest Magic 3 at the Internet Movie Database
- The World's Greatest Magic 4 at the Internet Movie Database
- The World's Greatest Magic 5 at the Internet Movie Database