Criss Angel continues his ascent to stardom. His latest projects include a one-hour Halloween edition of Mindfreak that will tape segments in Los Angeles beginning on Oct. 5 and feature performances at the Magic Castle. The main stunt titled "In-Pieces" will have him shackled and nailed in a casket and put through a chipper/shredder. Criss will also be making his acting debut in the hit NBC-TV series "Las Vegas" in an episode that was written around him. A&E Home Video has also announced that a two disc DVD set of "Criss Angel: Mindfreak - Complete Season One" will be released on November 29. The DVDs will contain all 16 episodes and include around six hours of material and special features.(10/3)
--To pre-order the Mindfreak DVD set click: HERE.

Curtis Adams who just finished a run in Atlantic City with his show "Adrenaline: Magic that Rocks" will begin a six-month run in Las Vegas. A Las Vegas Sun article reported "The 22-year-old magician begins a six-month engagement at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Plaza aimed at the younger fans." To read the Sep. 30 article by Jerry Fink titled "Tranz embraces brand X" click: HERE.(10/3)

David Acer who stars as Doubting Dave (a magician/scientist/skeptic) in the hit children's show "Mystery Hunters" told MagicTimes that the show has been renewed for a third and final season. Acer also got promoted to Executive Story Editor in addition to his contributing writer and star credits. The show continues to be one of the most popular series on Discovery Kids and YTV in Canada for it's demographic.(10/3)

"John Tudor's Magic Theatre" a video magic show/documentary will premiere at the Sumter Opera House in Sumter, South Carolina on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7pm as part of the Next Wave Arts Festival. Magicians appearing in the film include: John Tudor, Glenn Strange, Dave Tanner, Tim Sonefelt, Sarah Straney, and Robert Moreland.(10/3)

Steve Cohen is profiled in The Forbes 400 Special Issue which describes his show Chamber Magic and reported, "Cohen made $1 million last year turning tricks like this at the homes and corporate events of America's richest people… His fee: $10,000 to $25,000." The article also reported, "Cohen is putting together a new show that highlights some of the custom tricks he has performed privately for the ultrarich and powerful." To read the Oct. 10 article by Matthew Miller titled "Magician to the Rich" click: HERE.(10/3)

World class boxers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko are amateur magicians. An Eastside Boxing interview quotes Wladimir, "Actually both of us, Vitali and myself, we did some magic tricks on the major shows in Germany, and we were working in a circus for two days as magicians, and it's like, a special show in Germany… Muhammad Ali is a big magician as well and when we met in Los Angeles we were showing tricks to each other. Were amateurs, were not professionals but we exchanges some tricks to each other. (Laughs) It was really fun?" To read the Sep. 29 interview by Geoff McKay titled "East Side Boxing Speaks With Wladimir Klitschko" click: HERE.(10/3)

"Spellgame" is a new comic book by Dan Mishkin that takes place in Las Vegas and whose main character, John Dodge, is a "con artists/stage magician." A Comic Book Resources quotes Mishkin about the character, "…even though he'd prefer to steer clear of the world of magic, that world won't leave him alone, and he's got to figure out where he's going to stand in a war that's brewing between magical good and magical evil." To read the Sep. 30 article by Jonah Weiland titled "Sleight Of Hand: Mishkin Casts A Spellgame" click: HERE.(10/3)

We just heard that Oscar Weigle died sometime around August (he was around 86). Weigel has written and edited a number magic books over the years and also wrote many children's books for the general public. He was one of the ghostwriters for John Scarne's magic books. Many of his creations appear in magic books and magazines where he contributed them. Weigle was an active, long time member of the New York City magic community.(10/3)

Lou Taylor Pucci who recently won "best-actor" at the Sundance and Berlin International film festivals for his starring roll in "Thumbsucker" is profiled in a San Francisco Chronicle story which reported, "He's an award-winning magician who attended magic camp when he was 14." Pucci explained, "But I never became a true magician… I never told my own stories with the cards. I always told everyone else's stories. So it's exactly like acting. Your goal is to make something out of all the things everybody else has already done." To read the Sep. 20 article by Daniel King titled "No, he doesn't still suck his thumb. But Lou Pucci tapped into his teen angst to play a troubled youth" click: HERE.(10/3)

Ben Robinson will once again open for the acclaimed singing act October Project on Oct. 14-15 in their "Live at the Loft" series. The shows are limited to 75 people and cost $50 per person. For tickets and information click: HERE.(10/3)

Lance Burton taped a segment for Jenny McCarthy's show "Party @ The Palms" where she will be levitated during his show and will fly off-stage. There will also be a close-up magic segment and an interview. The show is scheduled to air in November on E!-TV.(10/3)

The Houdini Museum (1433 N. Main Ave) in Scranton, Pennsylvania will be offering a number of Houdini and Halloween events throughout October. A Houdini Tour And Magic Show will be presented on Oct. 8-10 at 1pm, their Magic Spook-Tacular! family show will run throughout the month a 1pm and 4:40pm and the continuously running "Haunted" show will run through December. For information and reservations phone: 570-383-9297.(10/3)

Integrating magic into a live play is the subject of a Broadway World article that quoted J. Todd Adams who recently learned magic for a show, "It was hard to know what to focus on during rehearsal… If I tried to do the trick right, the acting would go to hell. So for a while I had to focus on the magic and forget the acting, which was frustrating. I sort of felt like an observer watching myself sometimes." Christian Cagigal explained, "Acting is about being open, honest, present in the moment, not hiding… Magic is about deceit for your entertainment pleasure. It's about the illusion of honesty." Also mentioned in the article were KenSonkin and Ian Saville. To read the Sep. 27 article by Jean Schiffman titled "Sleight Fantastic" click: HERE.(10/3)

The annual magic auction at Swann Galleries in New York City takes place this year on Oct. 27 at 1:30pm. Titled "The Christian Fechner Collection Of American & English Magic, Part I" it features 350 lots of posters, books, letters, programs, autographs, photos and related ephemera. The highlights will most likely be the many Houdini items that have rarely been available before and a nice selection of Soo posters. The three items with the highest estimates are very scarce Houdini posters with a range of $9,000-$18,0000 each. At a glance many of the estimates appear to be under priced and the auction should produce many surprise bidding wars. The 160+ page catalog for the auction is by far the best and most attractive ever produced. It is oversized and full of beautiful color photographs. To view the items online or purchase a catalog click: HERE.(10/3)

Jocelyn and Logan Tingley have recently raised $5,000 for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. According to a Lima News article "The girls, who perform magic shows in area nursing homes, retirement centers, children's hospitals and Shriners hospitals, selected Shriners as the charity they wanted to have the money." To read the Sep. 18 article by Heather Rutz titled "Magician sisters earn $5,000 for Shriners" click: HERE.(10/3)

Dennis Regling discusses what are the public perceptions of magic in a Bella Online article, "All magic, whether it be the stage magician, the phony psychic (isn't that a redundant phrase?), the hypnotist or the so-called practitioner of the occult, depends on the observer setting aside the truth, either by choice or deception, to be effective." To read the Sep. 19 article by Dennis Regling titled "What Is Magic?" click: HERE.(10/3)