one of the greatest magical brains to ever walk the Earth, Charles Reynolds, has died.
below is sad news, as reported by George Schindler, Via the magic new zealand news letter....
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Broken Wand - Charles Reynolds (Raymond), MIMC
Message from George Schindler
The Society of American Magician mourns the passing of it's honored member Charles Reynolds.
November 4. 2010
Charles Reynolds
In Toledo, Ohio some years ago, no one knew or suspected a magical genius had been born. During his high school and college years, on summer vacations, Charles Reynolds worked for a magic shop and on a touring illusion and spook show. He credits the usual
magic set and seeing Blackstone, Sr., as influencing him.
Majoring in theatre he received Bachelor and Masters degrees at the University of Michigan. His first twenty years in New York he was a freelance photographer for Time, Playboy, etc. Then he became picture editor for many publications. Charles met Regina,
his wife, while editing aa magazine for which she was the executive director. They are married over thirty years and collaborated on many projects, including books on magic posters and the Blackstone Book of Magic and Illusion. They have done books on their own and Regina edits a monthly newsletter for a professional photography organization.
His magic creations have been seen in Broadway, Off-Broadway shows, films, operas, TV commercials and rock concerts. He was magic consultant for Doug Henning on all eight TV shows, a feature film a Broadway musical, Merlin. In 1980 he was magic director for Blackstone! On Broadway and with Regina, producer of a PBS TV special. Too numerous to mention are the other Broadway shows, industrial and TV shows such as Hart to Hart, Saturday Night Live and the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Much of Charles Reynolds's has been spent in England where he has been employed by Thames Television and others.
He has investigated Psychic and Paranormal phenomena and reporting on same. He has contributed articles on magic to national and international publications as well as numerous newspapers. A guest lecturer at the Smithsonian Institution. He taught a class on Magic as Theatre and was a creative consultant for the off-Broadway show
"Mind Games," starting mentalist, Mark Salem.
He has always been he is actively engaged in creating the magic for Broadway shows. This quiet but extremely forceful, knowledgeable man, has made his mark in the field of magic, almost every aspect of it. He has received awards from the Magic Castle, was
nominated for a New York Drama Desk Award for his magic creations in 'Merlin. Mr. Reynolds was elected a Gold Star member of London's Inner Magic Circle, the highest honor bestowed by the British Magic community.
In the year 2000 he was magic consultant to the Broadway production of The Green Bird, the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Pippin. In the current year he has been involved as consultant to Radio City Music Hall and the upcoming Broadway show The
Magician.
In July of , 2002, on the occasion of the centenary of the Society of American Magicians, he was the first recipient of the Milbourne Christopher foundation Masters Award for Significant and Outstanding Contributions to Magic. He was the 2004 Society of American Magicians "Magician of the Year" in NYC. and d has been a member for 48 years,. Other details will follow.
Charles Reynolds was an icon in the world of magic and will be missed.
Everything Magic: Charles Reynolds Tribute at Fantasma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyCZ8rEglZc
