I've been doing magic and interested in magic since I was about 5 years old (I'm now 15). What me started in magic was a little magic set I got for christmas. Then I would always watch those World Greatest Magicain specails with people like Ammar and Mac King (even though I didn't know who they were at the time). Then a few years later I discovered a magic shop in my area. There I would by some cheap tricks to amuse me with. I also got my very first magic video there, The Exciting World Of Magic with MICHEAL AMMAR. Now I still love doing magic. I have gotten books like Tarbell Course in Magic and DVD's like Phycokinetic Silverware. But the magicain that influenced me the most was the one in my first video, the one and only Micheal Ammar. I have a bunch of his dvd's including the complete cups and balls and he is just an amazing magicain as well as THE BEST TEACHER IN MAGIC in my opinion. If you don't have any of his material I suggest picking some up now.

Micheal ammar is a big insaration in my magic.

I'm kinda like Godiva.
I got a kids magic set for my birthday and a beginners book. Then I woudl watch all the specials they had on TV like the Masked Magician and eventually David Blaine.

Tisk tisk tisk. Joking so did I . I loved them.

I got into magic from Criss Angel, I'm surprised he isn't one of the choices.

Blackstone Jr., and Copperfield were the main inspirations I had for magic. Copperfield would have been my first exposure to magic. I remember as a young child, watching him with my mom. She loved catching his specials. I must have shown interest in it too because before I could read or anything, I remember getting my first little trinkets of magic tricks in my stockings. Never did find out how they worked though (couldn't read the instructions.) Heh.

Then there was Blackstone Jr. He was popping up on all sorts of kids programming in the early 80's. Wasn't as popular as Copperfield, and fit the "classic" magician image. But certainly performed some nice magic.

There's many many many reasons for that.

By the way, why isn't Mark Wilson on the list?

Shouldn't the title of this thread be who got you into magic?

I wasn't inspired by anyone, I just needed something to do. Then when I got into it I lovedit.

i wasnt surprised blaine has the biggest vote count. He was the first to do street magic in that sense. As for houdini, some of the older magicians would of got into magic through him.
Im glad you didnt put criss angel up there, he gives out the wrong message for magic.

I always loved magic. David Blaine once the one who influenced me to learn. The one who made me think..."I can do that". Why? Because it was street magic...I had never seen that style before David. Even though I know David did not create it and everything he did in his first special (with the exception of the levitation) was something anyone can learn/buy at their local magic shop. David brought it in the spotlight in a really big way. Love him or hate him...he needs to be given props for putting it back on the map and influencing allot of people to get involved. David also made it cool to be a close up magician.

My favorite performers on the other hand...are completely different.

How I got into magic was..............I was serving time in Federal Prison, there was a guy doing time that had been a professional magician before he got himself in trouble. He showed me some card tricks that amazed me, and then started teaching me some card sleights. When I got released, I started buying books and videos on magic, and I just keep improving my abilities.

nonoe of the above....my uncle

Mark Wilson and his CBS show of the '60s "The Magic Land of Alakazam" is what got me into magic & I've been into it for over 4 decades...
Olmagi52