966: Bill Malone - Bill Malone

Everyone’s favorite close-up comedy magician, Bill Malone, joins us this week. He gives us his all including his career, his starring role on a TV show (NCIS Los Angeles) his first magic bar work, learning from a comedian, working trade shows around the world for years, training executives, his relationship with Ed Marlo, opening Malone’s Magic Bar in Boca Raton, Florida, his health scare that nearly ended his life, and he tells us about his forthcoming book that will hopefully be released in 2027.

Bill doesn’t hold back anything from our candid discussion this week. He talks about his initial reticence in approaching tables as he was getting started, learning how to draw and hold a crowd at a trade show, how he “found” his comedic character, people who influenced his life and career, the development of Malone’s Magic Bar in Boca Raton, Florida, his health scare that nearly cost him his life, and his new book. Lots of stuff packed into this episode.

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Visit the website for tickets and more information: https://www.pa1magicclub.org/

965: Doug Scheer - Scheer Sharing

Doug Scheer has been performing thousands of school assembly shows since 1987. He has a proven formula that he fine tunes every year as he returns to many of the same schools year after year because of his entertaining and educational programs. There is more to school shows than just considering them as an oversized birthday party show. It involves a lot more business acumen in booking the shows and keeping clients happy.

I am not a children’s entertainer, but I know a lot of listeners specialize in that field, so I think it’s important to bring you experts in this field to help share their experience and perhaps encourage you to pursue such a lucrative career. In this week’s episode, Doug shares a lot of the secrets behind his success, including how he has franchised his magic show to allow others to perform his routines in their school assembly shows. He has been a featured speaker/lecturer at kid show conventions where he has opened his books to anyone willing to make the effort.

964: Dan Stapleton - On Cruise Control

Dan Stapleton is one of those magicians who has seen it all and now in his 60’s could easily set his remaining days on “cruise control” for the rest of his life; however, that is not who he is. He was a cruise magician for 23 years and served as a cruise director, too. Early in his career, he performed in Circus World where he got his chops at performing illusions. But his passion and goal was always to work on Main Street in Disney World as a demonstrator in the magic shop. That opportunity came to him and he loved his days doing it. He also appeared on America’s Got Talent [sic] where he was summarily dismissed, but he has a good story about that. In his semi-retirement he has managed a resort hotel in Orlando and now coordinates the Florida State Magic Collectors conferences.

Dan has so many stories that they would fill a book. He has recounted many of them in VANISH Magazine over the years in his column. But this week he shares some of those stories, and more, as he opens up about his experience being voted off of AGT yet how even today, it still helps him book shows. He chats about the status of magic on cruise ships, magic conventions, and more.

966: Bill Malone - Bill Malone

965: Doug Scheer - Scheer Sharing

964: Dan Stapleton - On Cruise Control

The Magic Word