An Early Attraction To Magic
Larry Anderson has spent most of his years on the planet in show business.
He was just eleven when he delved into the art of magic after seeing a magician perform at a Cub Scout function. No
other creative endeavor could have provided such a solid foundation for his eventual
career path as an actor. A keen understanding of the "psychology" of magic and
misdirection, as well as the mechanics of sleight-of-hand, stage presence and timing took
root in those early years. By the time he was fourteen he was a member of the
International Brotherhood of Magicians and performing magic professionally. Over the next
six years he developed a reputation as one of the top young entertainers in Minneapolis
and St. Paul.
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Basic Training In Entertainment
Before moving to California, Larry
attended two years at the University of Minnesota as a theatre arts major, and then at
Brown Institute where he studied television production. Upon completing his studies and
earning his First Class Engineers License, he worked for a year as a cameraman and sound
engineer at the PBS and ABC affiliates in the Twin Cities. But, fame and fortune beckoned
so Larry headed West.
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Developing National Shows With Mark Wilson
He quickly landed a job with
nationally-known magician and president of an emerging entertainment company, Mark Wilson.
The next three years afforded Larry opportunities he couldn't have dreamed of. He became
part of team that created and developed full-scale magic shows for amusement parks
throughout the country. It was his job to audition and hire the performers, teach them the
magic, then direct and fine-tune the show until it could run on its own for the season.
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Production Coordinator For Mark Wilson's Classic Course In Magic
Another project he oversaw was the
production of one of the most acclaimed written courses of study on the
subject—"The Mark Wilson Course in Magic". Larry coordinated all
departments of the Course and developed a keen talent for technical writing—making magic
easy to learn and understand. In addition to writing much of the text, he also supervised
the photography of thousands of pictures which were then transformed into line drawings.
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Bringing Magic To Bill Bixby's "The Magician"
A turning point in Larry's career
occurred when Paramount Television engaged Mark Wilson Productions as Technical Advisor
for their upcoming dramatic series "The Magician" starring Bill Bixby. One of
Larry's tasks was to work with the show's writers—developing unique and clever ways
to incorporate magic tricks and principles into the storylines—which Bixby (who
played a detective/magician) would then use in the course of solving a crime and
outwitting the bad guys.
Since much of the show's appeal was
that the magic was "real" and not trick photography, Larry spent each day on the
set teaching Bill how to perform the various tricks. He also worked closely with the
directors—choosing camera angles, framing shots, and designing ways to eliminate
camera cuts which would undermine the credibility of the magic. Larry also appeared
in over half of the twenty-three episodes, securing his Screen Actors Guild card and
opening his eyes to a whole new career as an actor.
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Teaching And Entertaining Celebrities
Over the years, Larry has taught
magic to numerous celebrities including Lucille Ball, John Denver, Dick Van Dyke,
Cat Stevens, Jack Cassidy and performed at professional engagements for Stevie Wonder and
Paul and Linda McCartney. Another "Beatle" moment occurred one afternoon at
Paramount Studios when John Lennon brought his young son Julian to the set of his favorite TV show to
meet Bill Bixby. Bill summoned Larry to a small corner of the sound stage where Larry
proceeded to vanish and materialize coins and cards from the ears of John and
Julian for fifteen minutes!
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Starring role in "The Magic Show"
When Doug Henning took Broadway by
storm with his smash musical hit "The Magic Show", Larry was chosen to perform
the lead role in the Australian production of the show, which opened to rave reviews
and enjoyed a successful run.
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From "The Tonight Show" to "Truth or Consequences"
In the late 80's, Larry appeared on
The Tonight Show and bantered with Johnny Carson about magic—each trying to out-do
one another with coin and card tricks. It was this eight-minute segment that Ralph Edwards
watched at home that night, convincing him that he had just found the new host for his
upcoming revival of "Truth or Consequences". As host of that
show (and other shows since), Larry has frequently incorporated magic wherever possible to
add that "special something" that only magic can do.
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Host To The World Of Magic
A member of Hollywood's famous Magic
Castle since 1972, Larry can always be counted on to invite his friends, business
acquaintances and out-of-town visitors to this one-of-a-kind private club for an
unforgettable evening of great dining and incredible magic.
And now,
through the development of the
, Larry invites you to experience the power and
pleasure of magic from two exciting perspectives...as the person being entertained
and as the entertainer.
Enjoy!
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