John Gaughan
Professional illusionists have noted his work, such as David Blaine, who has several times called him "a magical genius".[1] Jamy Ian Swiss called him "America's premiere illusion builder".[2] Gaughan has built illusions for magicians and other performers including Harry Blackstone Jr., Doug Henning, Alice Cooper, Michael Jackson,[2] Alan Wakeling, Mark Wilson, Criss Angel, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Simon Drake, and The Doors, and is responsible for the construction of dozens of major acts. He also has constructed a replica of the 18th century chess-playing machine, The Turk, which often tours chess conferences.
Gaughan created David Copperfield's flying illusion,[3] which is notable for its graceful motion and unencumbered appearance. Gaughan held a patent on a method for creating the illusion of flight.[4] Gaughan also created a "one-of-a-kind" prop for Mark Wilson Productions for a National Fire Prevention Week Event. Using a standard golf cart chassis, John and his team created "Snuffy". Snuffy was a "magical" boiler type fire engine that seemed to drive along without any visible driver.
References
- ^ Rosenbloom, Stephanie (May 18, 2008). "Magicians Ask: What's Up His Sleeve?". The New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
- ^ a b Swiss, Jamy Ian. "Take Two #53: John Gaughan". www.magicana.com. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
- ^ "David Copperfield Bio". yuddy.com. Archived from the original on November 22, 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
- ^ US patent 5354238, John Gaughan, "Levitation Apparatus", issued 1994-10-11
Further reading
- Tom Standage, The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous Eighteenth-Century Chess-Playing Machine. Walker and Company, ISBN 0-8027-1391-2
- Gerald M. Levitt, The Turk, Chess Automaton. McFarland and Company Inc. Publishers, Jefferson, North Carolina, 2000.
External links
- Official website
- John Gaughan at IMDb
- Dodd Vickers' Interview with John for MagicNewswire.com.
- Proprietary designs and Intellectual Property Imformation [sic] for new or used illusions.
- Magic Magazine Web Extra: Alan Wakeling.
- New York Times [1]
- Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 Magicana.com [2]
- Visit by Huell Howser,[3]
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
 | This article about an American businessperson born in the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article about a United States engineer, inventor or industrial designer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This magic-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |