Chan Canasta
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Chan Canasta (born Kraków, Poland on 9 January 1920) was a pioneer of mental magic in the 1950s and 60s. Born Chananel Mifelew, Canasta moved to Britain following a stint in the Royal Air Force during World War II.
Starting as a card magician, Canasta became a well known stage magician performing feats of memory during the late 1940s. In 1951 he recorded his first television show for the BBC - a sparse affair with few props that concentrated on mental effects. Throughout his career Canasta made over 350 television appearances, including the Ed Sullivan and Jack Paar shows.
Among magicians, Canasta is revered for the invention of a principle that eschewed perfection, believing that making an occasional error made his other effects stronger and more entertaining.
His final TV appearance was in 1971, on the BBC's Parkinson show. In his later years Canasta established a second career as a painter, with successful shows in London and New York.
British mentalist Derren Brown cites Canasta as a prime influence.
Canasta died in London on the 22nd of April, 1999.
[edit] Further reading
- David Britland, Chan Canasta - A Remarkable Man, pub. by Martin Breese
[edit] External links
- A review of Chan Canasta - A Remarkable Man at Magic Week. Retrieved on 2007-03-05.
- Chan Canasta audio and PDF booklets at the Lybrary.
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