Bio-Vlog

(Vernon is my best man, and he’s dressed in classic gambling dandy attire, replete with top hat and cane. The outfit has been furnished by MGM Studios and Jim Blowers, not surprisingly, is my best sidekick.) Professor and I have sequestered ourselves in the minister’s library. We can’t help but break out the cards, and…

To further improve the odds of this marriage succeeding, I purchase another home and rent out the others. It is a six bedroom, three bath home that includes a photographic dark room. It is entirely solar-heated, and the bathroom tiles heat up at an appropriate time to welcome bathers into the Jacuzzi. Additional physical trappings…

I’m minding my own business on the floor of a Vegas casino when I think I’m being kidnapped. I freeze with concern when four burly African-American men approach me. One says, “Richard Turner, you’re coming with us!”   I stiffen, ready to hold my ground thinking firmly, “I don’t think so!”  Then Siegfried and Roy’s manager…

Ricky Jay and I have sunk all of our balls and are fighting for the 8 ball for the win. The room is dead quiet. I can feel dozens of eyes watching my every move. It’s my shot. I circle the table about five times trying to get a picture in my mind of the…

It’s Dai Vernon’s 88th birthday and we are celebrating it at Bill Bower’s beautiful home.  We all start playing pool. I win the first two games, holding the table, and the next to play is Ricky Jay. (Jay has gained significant notoriety, appearing on many talk shows for throwing playing cards to record-setting distances.)  There…

At my table sharing with me their observations are again pick-pocket King Bob Arno, gaming protection expert Steve Forte and a new guest cardman Simon Lovell. Gentleman please carry on.” “Of course Jon.” Arno says, “I believe Richard’s drive to overcome every challenge, is a single-minded obsession which was probably already within him prior to…

Ali moves back to the dinner table where his wife Veronica places a bowl of soup before him.  Slydini is sitting at the head of the table saying, “Mr. Ali, Mr. Ali, please watch, I have six coins.”   Ali, however, is focused on slurping his soup. Regardless of what Slydini does to attract his attention,…

The next night Ali says graciously, “Richard, I would like to invite you to join me in my Presidential Suite.”  Along with Ali’s wife, Veronica, there are five other celebrated magicians, including John Cornelius and the misdirection artist, my slick friend Tony Slydini.  The Champ grabs me by the shoulder with one of his huge…

Ali says, “Come on Richard, let’s go see a show together without the women. My treat.” Ali gets us seats down front, just to the left of the stage. During the show, Ali keeps staring at me rather than the show. The fuzzy reflection from the stage lights reflect off his glaring eyes. I keep…

I am awestruck to be standing next to the greatest boxer of all time. And, to my shock, Ali is the fan at this moment: it turns out that The Greatest considers this little card guy from El Cajon the expert, and he wants to demonstrate some magic tricks that he has learned as an…

After the awards have been presented, the celebrity reverb starts. I meet the amazing illusionist David Copperfield. Then Dennis Marks says with an undertone of excitement, “There’s another spectator who wants to meet you personally.”  We enter the casino’s Presidential Suite. I walk through the door, I’m led toward the commotion in the middle of…

“And the first place winner of the ‘Golden Lion’ award from Siegfried and Roy is… Richard Turner!” When I hear my name called out, my stomach drops and my heart skips a beat. I take a breath and think, “That’s me!” Janalee lines me up, and to thunderous applause and a standing ovation I start…