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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