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Bill Larsen
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Bill Larsen
William Walter Larsen Jr. (May 8, 1928 – February 11, 1993) was an American magician and president of the Academy of Magical Arts. He was born in Pasadena, California to attorney William Larsen Sr. and TV host Geraldine Jaffe Larsen. His younger brother was Milt Larsen. After their father's death in 1953, the brothers took over publication of Genii magazine, leased the Hollywood Victorian home "Holly Chateau" and with his future wife Irene Larsen built it into the private performance venue and restaurant now called the Magic Castle where the Academy of Magical Arts is headquartered. Larsen served as president of the academy until his death in 1993. Bill and brother Milt share a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Larsen was born in Pasadena to Los Angeles defense attorney and magician William W. Larson Sr. and Geraldine Jaffe Larsen "Gerri Larsen" who was an early TV pioneer children's entertainer known as "The Magic Lady".
The family toured as the Larsen Family of Magicians until WWII made traveling difficult. The family settled down and opened up a magic shop in Pasadena. Larsen Sr. founded Genii magazine in 1936, a publication for magic and magicians. At William Sr.'s death in 1953 Bill Jr. and family members took over publication of the magazine.
In 1956, Bill and Milt put on their first "It's Magic!" stage event at the "Wilshire Ebell Theatre, then at the Variety Arts Center in Los Angeles" that continued as an annual event till 1984.
The brothers promised each other after their father's death at age 41 that they would fulfil their dads dream to open an exclusive venue for magicians. The brothers worked in television, Bill Jr. an executive producer for CBS and Milt for NBC who also wrote jokes for the TV show Truth or Consequences.
Milt discovered the three-story Victorian building "Holly Chateau" that would eventually become the Magic Castle. Bill ran the business side of things while Milt renovated the building which started out as a small close-up room and bar. The Academy of Magical Arts was run out of the Castle and Bill Larsen quit his TV job in order to manage the club and Genii magazine. The academy was overseen by an elected board which included the actor Cary Grant. Bill remained in the role of president until his death in 1993. He was affectionally called "The Prez" by his friends.
According to illusionist Peter Reveen who wrote Larsen's 1993 obituary in Genii, "Bill and Irene together, became the roving ambassadors of magic, travelling to magical events all over the world". He was "made an honorary member of every major international magical society".
A Spanish-style mansion built in 1937 by high-end magic builder, Floyd Thayer, Brookledge is located in Hancock Park a neighborhood in the Wilshire area of Los Angeles. In 1942 Thayer traded houses with William Larsen Sr., father of Bill and Milt Larsen. Brookledge was home to Thayer's Studio of Magic whose stage was used to test illusions by magicians including Harry Blackstone Sr. and Dante the Magician. Orsen Welles used the Thayer state to rehearse for his USO shows. Live magic continued at the home until the 1950s.
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Bill Larsen
William Walter Larsen Jr. (May 8, 1928 – February 11, 1993) was an American magician and president of the Academy of Magical Arts. He was born in Pasadena, California to attorney William Larsen Sr. and TV host Geraldine Jaffe Larsen. His younger brother was Milt Larsen. After their father's death in 1953, the brothers took over publication of Genii magazine, leased the Hollywood Victorian home "Holly Chateau" and with his future wife Irene Larsen built it into the private performance venue and restaurant now called the Magic Castle where the Academy of Magical Arts is headquartered. Larsen served as president of the academy until his death in 1993. Bill and brother Milt share a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Larsen was born in Pasadena to Los Angeles defense attorney and magician William W. Larson Sr. and Geraldine Jaffe Larsen "Gerri Larsen" who was an early TV pioneer children's entertainer known as "The Magic Lady".
The family toured as the Larsen Family of Magicians until WWII made traveling difficult. The family settled down and opened up a magic shop in Pasadena. Larsen Sr. founded Genii magazine in 1936, a publication for magic and magicians. At William Sr.'s death in 1953 Bill Jr. and family members took over publication of the magazine.
In 1956, Bill and Milt put on their first "It's Magic!" stage event at the "Wilshire Ebell Theatre, then at the Variety Arts Center in Los Angeles" that continued as an annual event till 1984.
The brothers promised each other after their father's death at age 41 that they would fulfil their dads dream to open an exclusive venue for magicians. The brothers worked in television, Bill Jr. an executive producer for CBS and Milt for NBC who also wrote jokes for the TV show Truth or Consequences.
Milt discovered the three-story Victorian building "Holly Chateau" that would eventually become the Magic Castle. Bill ran the business side of things while Milt renovated the building which started out as a small close-up room and bar. The Academy of Magical Arts was run out of the Castle and Bill Larsen quit his TV job in order to manage the club and Genii magazine. The academy was overseen by an elected board which included the actor Cary Grant. Bill remained in the role of president until his death in 1993. He was affectionally called "The Prez" by his friends.
According to illusionist Peter Reveen who wrote Larsen's 1993 obituary in Genii, "Bill and Irene together, became the roving ambassadors of magic, travelling to magical events all over the world". He was "made an honorary member of every major international magical society".
A Spanish-style mansion built in 1937 by high-end magic builder, Floyd Thayer, Brookledge is located in Hancock Park a neighborhood in the Wilshire area of Los Angeles. In 1942 Thayer traded houses with William Larsen Sr., father of Bill and Milt Larsen. Brookledge was home to Thayer's Studio of Magic whose stage was used to test illusions by magicians including Harry Blackstone Sr. and Dante the Magician. Orsen Welles used the Thayer state to rehearse for his USO shows. Live magic continued at the home until the 1950s.