Lance Burton
Encyclopedia
Lance Burton is a stage illusionist. He has appeared on numerous television programs, and also performed for Queen Elizabeth
and President Ronald Reagan
. He has also appeared on the 2006 Labor Day Weekend Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
.
Collins, a full-time magician, noticed the interest, and became his mentor when Burton was in his teens, teaching him the fundamentals of the trade. In 1977, as a teenager, Burton entered his first magic competition and won first prize. In 1980, shortly after his 20th birthday, he was awarded a "Gold Medal of Excellence" from the International Brotherhood of Magicians
. After that, he moved to Southern California, where within a week he appeared on The Tonight Show
. Host Johnny Carson
watched him in rehearsal, and allowed him to do an unprecedented 12-minute routine. Through the course of Burton's career he was invited back for a total of ten performances while Johnny Carson was host, and another ten performances during Jay Leno
's tenure. Burton has also appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
.
He performed an initial eight-week trial at the Folies Bergère show in Las Vegas, and this was then extended for a record-breaking nine years. In 1982, he competed at the international Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques
(FISM) competition in Lausanne, Switzerland, and won the "Grande Prix" prize, (the main event of the FISM competition) the youngest person to ever win the main event, and the first American to do so.
In 1985, he guest starred on Knight Rider in the Season 4 episode entitled "Deadly Knightshade" as the mastermind behind the murder of a Foundation trustee.
In 1986, he appeared in Nickelodeon
's Halloween Special Mystery Magical Special
.
In 1991, he produced, directed, and wrote his own show, which opened at the Hacienda Hotel
and ran for five years.
He had a brief marriage to magician Melinda Saxe
in August 1993, but they divorced shortly after.
For his Top Secret special that first aired on February 24, 1999, at Buffalo Bill's Hotel & Casino
in Primm, Nevada
, Lance Burton staged an illusion in which he appeared to escape the path of a speeding roller coaster while on the tracks of "The Desperado
". The Desperado is one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the United States - taking one minute to climb, and 3.5 seconds to descend to where he was on the tracks. He appeared to avoid the coaster by a mere tenth of a second, the trick having apparently gone wrong. After the "narrow escape", he looked at the camera and said "I was stupid... That was really stupid."
In August 1994, Burton signed a 13-year contract (the longest contract given to any entertainer in Las Vegas history) with the Monte Carlo Resort in Las Vegas. The 1,274-seat Lance Burton Theater was built to Burton's specifications for his show, cost $27 million US, and opened on June 21, 1996. Entertainment Today magazine lists it as the #1 family magic act, during the 13-year run Burton earned an estimated $110 million USD.
Burton has had four network television specials, his last one being Lance Burton: On The Road with guest stars Ali Landry
and Dylan Ace
.
In 2004, Lance Burton celebrated his tenth anniversary at the Monte Carlo by introducing an illusion entitled "Solid Gold Lady," for which he utilizes $10 million in gold.
On July 1, 2009, Lance Burton re-signed an extended 6 year contract with the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino (where he had performed since 1994) which would continue until 2015. The contract ended 5 years earlier than planned, and the final show was performed on September 4, 2010.
Burton appeared on an episode of the History channel series American Restoration, televised November 1, 2010, in which the Rick's Restoration crew repair a lightpole at Burton's residence that was destroyed in a windstorm.
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. He has also appeared on the 2006 Labor Day Weekend Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The MDA Labor Day Telethon is an annual telethon in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association . The first MDA telethon was during the Thanksgiving Day weekend of 1952 and titled Party for MDA. It has been held annually since 1966...
.
History
Born in Columbia, Kentucky, and raised in Louisville, Burton first became interested in magic at the age of 5, when he was one of the volunteers at a magic show of Magician Harry Collins during a Christmas party at the Frito-Lay plant where his mother worked. The trick was The Miser's Dream, where Collins "pulled silver dollars out of the sky" and Burton's ears. The young Burton was fascinated, and a neighbor, hearing of his interest, gave him a book, Magic Made Easy, which her own (then-grown) children had used. It contained ten tricks, all of which young Burton quickly learned. His first performances were for neighborhood children, charging them a nickel each.Collins, a full-time magician, noticed the interest, and became his mentor when Burton was in his teens, teaching him the fundamentals of the trade. In 1977, as a teenager, Burton entered his first magic competition and won first prize. In 1980, shortly after his 20th birthday, he was awarded a "Gold Medal of Excellence" from the International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians is the world's largest organization for professional and amateur magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St...
. After that, he moved to Southern California, where within a week he appeared on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
. Host Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
watched him in rehearsal, and allowed him to do an unprecedented 12-minute routine. Through the course of Burton's career he was invited back for a total of ten performances while Johnny Carson was host, and another ten performances during Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
's tenure. Burton has also appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
.
He performed an initial eight-week trial at the Folies Bergère show in Las Vegas, and this was then extended for a record-breaking nine years. In 1982, he competed at the international Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques
Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques
The International Federation of Magic Societies was founded in 1948, and is one of the most respected organizations in the magician community. It is an international body coordinating dozens of national and international clubs and federations around the world, representing approximately 50,000...
(FISM) competition in Lausanne, Switzerland, and won the "Grande Prix" prize, (the main event of the FISM competition) the youngest person to ever win the main event, and the first American to do so.
In 1985, he guest starred on Knight Rider in the Season 4 episode entitled "Deadly Knightshade" as the mastermind behind the murder of a Foundation trustee.
In 1986, he appeared in Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
's Halloween Special Mystery Magical Special
Mystery Magical Special
Mystery Magical Special is an American television special aired on the Nickelodeon television network. Advertised as a Halloween-themed program, the special was originally produced in 1986, but continued air, often multiple times, every October for several years afterward.Primarily, the special was...
.
In 1991, he produced, directed, and wrote his own show, which opened at the Hacienda Hotel
Hacienda (resort)
The Hacienda was a Paradise, Nevada hotel/casino that operated on the Las Vegas Strip from 1956 to 1996. It was one of four Hacienda properties owned by Standard Motels, Inc., with the other three being located in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Indio, California. The other Haciendas also featured the...
and ran for five years.
He had a brief marriage to magician Melinda Saxe
Melinda Saxe
Melinda Saxe is a magician from Las Vegas, Nevada, best known for network television performances and Las Vegas stage shows in which she was billed as "The First Lady of Magic". She is often associated with the "Drill of Death" illusion which was a signature trick developed for her by Andre Kole...
in August 1993, but they divorced shortly after.
For his Top Secret special that first aired on February 24, 1999, at Buffalo Bill's Hotel & Casino
Buffalo Bill's
Buffalo Bill's is a hotel and casino located in Primm, Nevada, USA, at the California stateline. It has 1,242 guest rooms and suites. The hotel is home to the Desperado roller coaster, one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the world, as well as a pool in the shape of a buffalo...
in Primm, Nevada
Primm, Nevada
Primm is a tiny community in Clark County, Nevada, United States, primarily notable for its position straddling Interstate 15 where it crosses the border between California and Nevada...
, Lance Burton staged an illusion in which he appeared to escape the path of a speeding roller coaster while on the tracks of "The Desperado
Desperado (roller coaster)
Desperado is a hypercoaster located in Primm, Nevada at the Buffalo Bill's Hotel and Casino a part of the Primm Valley Resorts complex.According to the roller coaster database, Desperado was one of the tallest roller coasters in the world at the time of being built. It features a 60-degree, drop;...
". The Desperado is one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the United States - taking one minute to climb, and 3.5 seconds to descend to where he was on the tracks. He appeared to avoid the coaster by a mere tenth of a second, the trick having apparently gone wrong. After the "narrow escape", he looked at the camera and said "I was stupid... That was really stupid."
In August 1994, Burton signed a 13-year contract (the longest contract given to any entertainer in Las Vegas history) with the Monte Carlo Resort in Las Vegas. The 1,274-seat Lance Burton Theater was built to Burton's specifications for his show, cost $27 million US, and opened on June 21, 1996. Entertainment Today magazine lists it as the #1 family magic act, during the 13-year run Burton earned an estimated $110 million USD.
Burton has had four network television specials, his last one being Lance Burton: On The Road with guest stars Ali Landry
Ali Landry
Ali Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
and Dylan Ace
Dylan Ace
Dylan Ace to Cuban Native parents, is a World Renowned Latin American magician and escape artist. He was discovered at age 18 by Lance Burton, who invited him to appear as a guest artist on the television special “Lance Burton: On the Road”, which premiered on Fox...
.
In 2004, Lance Burton celebrated his tenth anniversary at the Monte Carlo by introducing an illusion entitled "Solid Gold Lady," for which he utilizes $10 million in gold.
On July 1, 2009, Lance Burton re-signed an extended 6 year contract with the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino (where he had performed since 1994) which would continue until 2015. The contract ended 5 years earlier than planned, and the final show was performed on September 4, 2010.
Burton appeared on an episode of the History channel series American Restoration, televised November 1, 2010, in which the Rick's Restoration crew repair a lightpole at Burton's residence that was destroyed in a windstorm.
Awards
- Most recently won the Masters Fellowship from the Academy of Magical ArtsAcademy of Magical ArtsThe Academy of Magical Arts is a California non profit mutual benefit corporation organized and devoted to the promotion and development of the art of magic.Although begun in 1952 as a loose association of magicians by William Larsen, Sr...
. - He has twice been awarded "Magician of the Year" by the Academy of Magical ArtsAcademy of Magical ArtsThe Academy of Magical Arts is a California non profit mutual benefit corporation organized and devoted to the promotion and development of the art of magic.Although begun in 1952 as a loose association of magicians by William Larsen, Sr...
. - He won the Grand Prix Award at FISMFédération Internationale des Sociétés MagiquesThe International Federation of Magic Societies was founded in 1948, and is one of the most respected organizations in the magician community. It is an international body coordinating dozens of national and international clubs and federations around the world, representing approximately 50,000...
in 1982 for his performance, where Burton stood in a street scene in traditional top hat and tails and spectacularly produced dovesDovesDoves are an English alternative indie rock band, originating from Wilmslow, Cheshire. The band comprises brothers Jez Williams and Andy Williams , and Jimi Goodwin . The members started working seriously together after meeting at The Haçienda in Manchester. Doves' unofficial fourth member is...
, candles and gentleman's walking canes, seemingly from nowhere. - 1998 Blackstone Theatre Award.
External links
- Lance Burton's website
- TV.com biography
- FISM Grand Prix winners
- Lance Burton review & video
- "Interview with Lance Burton", January 10, 2004, CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
- USA Weekend, June 27, 2004, "This magic man soars"
- Lance Burton at the Internet Movie Database