Wikinews interviews magician and illusion builder Bruce Chadwick for National Magic Week

2025, November 10

United States

The last week of October was National Magic Week in the U.S. Wikinews recently caught up with Bruce Chadwick, of Fort Worth, Texas. Bruce is a professional magician and illusion builder, as well as a magic dealer. A prolific performer for several decades, Bruce has produced several written works on magic.

Interview

WN When did you first become interested in magic?

BC: A couple of weeks before my 8th birthday, my dad ordered some simple magic tricks from the Johnson Smith Company. When the tricks arrived, my dad demonstrated the Ball and Vase trick. I was shocked, awed, and literally flabbergasted. On my birthday, dad reached up and grabbed the small box of tricks from on top of the refrigerator and gave them to me as an additional part of my birthday presents. It was one of the greatest moments of my life.

WN Did any particular performer influence you?

BC: In my early teen years, Charles W. Dodson and his wife Gwen opened Dodson's Fun'n Party Shop in Midland, Texas. Located way out on the outskirts of the town, the facility was a house with a storefront. Charlie was a magician himself and gradually took me under wing and guided me somewhat in magic. Later I saw the large touring illusion shows of Fred and Ann Story, Vince Carmen, and they helped instill the love of stage magic and illusions.

WN I know you attended Baylor University -- did you perform much during those years?

BC:I attended Odessa Junior College for my freshman and sophomore years of college. I took many hours of theatre and transferred to Baylor as a Junior. I earned my BA degree in Religion and my MA degree in Theatre Arts at Baylor. I performed heavily throughout my college years and basically paid my way through college. WN I know you build illusions. How did you learn to design and construct such things?

BC: Both my father and grandfather were adept at woodworking and other industrial arts, and both had backyard workshop buildings. I learned a lot through those interactions. In school I took shop in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. From about sixth grade onward, I built a lot of my own magic tricks because I couldn't afford to buy them. I fell in love with stage illusions while seeing the shows of Story and Carmen as referenced above. After Baylor, I moved from Waco to Fort Worth where I attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and earned my Master of Divinity degree. During that time I built a workshop in the backyard of my home and began to build stage illusions for myself. That blossomed in 1985 when I finished my second master's degree. With the drive to take care of a wife and baby boy, I began building custom illusions for other magicians. Most of my training building stage illusions has come from reading books, buying illusion plans, and a lot of trial and error.

WN I know you've been involved in many large magic conventions. Any special memories come to mind from those?

BC: I was stage manager for the SAM national magic conventions for many years. I have also stage managed many TAOM and several IBM conventions. There are a hundreds of stories. Of all the conventions, I have always tried to attend the TAOM conventions and have only missed three conventions since the age of 14. I even became the president of the Texas Association of Magicians in 1988 and was instrumental in planning and executing the convention that year. That was a memorable experience.

WN Along those lines, can you explain for our readers what a magic convention actually consists of?

BC: A magic convention is a gathering of magicians who usually meet for several consecutive days, usually at a hotel. There are lectures, performance contests, shows, and usually a large dealer's room where magic distributors offer their wares for sale.

WN If you feel comfortable answering, have you built any props or illusions for any noted performers?

BC: My work has made its way into the repertoires of many different magicians including Doug Henning, David Copperfield, John Calvert, Jeff McBride, and others. I have also worked for Warner Brothers Germany as a special effect consultant and designer.

WN In terms of retail sales, I know there aren't many magic dealers left in Texas -- how long have you been involved in retail pertaining to magic?

BC: I purchased the 4000 square foot Illusion Warehouse building in south Fort worth in 1996. The facility is dedicated to magic with a retail store front, a party room for magic performances, my so-called "museum room" that houses my magic collection and offices, and of course workshop facilities. WN Any fun memories you might share from a performance?

BC: After performing magic now for almost 60 years, I have hundreds of stories both good and bad. I have had the opportunity to entertain many different extremely wealthy people, huge audiences, and even do some television work. I have traveled throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia with my performances. I have engaged witch doctors in Africa, performed street magic on "Walking Street" in Pattaya, Thailand, and entertained thousands on the 50 yard line of football stadiums. I have had a lot of many good shows and a few not so good shows. Unfortunately on three different occasions, individuals have even passed away during my shows. I guess you have to say, "I was knocking them dead."

WN As a performing art form, what are your thoughts about the future of magic?

BC: Like all art forms, magic continues to evolve. The performers who are innovative, trained in the theatre arts, and know how to market themselves are the most prosperous. Many magicians continually fail to realize that magic props are nothing more than that, theatrical props. Owning magic tricks does not make one a magician. The future of magic rests upon the individuals who can take magic props, entertain audiences, and carry them away into the land of make believe and magic.