René Lavand
Encyclopedia
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
), is a magician
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
from Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
specialising in close-up performance. He has appeared in Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...
's and 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...
's television shows as well as shows at Hollywood's Magic Castle
The Magic Castle
The Magic Castle, located at 7001 Franklin Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, is a nightclub for magicians and magic enthusiasts, as well as the clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts. It bills itself as "the most unusual private club in the world."-Nightclub:The Magic...
.
After losing a hand at the age of 9 in a car crash, Lavand endured a gradual entry into the magic world, self-taught because, in his own words, all books and techniques are for two-handed magicians. After working as a cashier in a bank, at the age of 32 he appeared in Buenos Aires' Tabarís Theater, following which his career took off, leading to world tours. The catchphrase he uses to close several of his tricks is "No se puede hacer más lento" (Spanish for "it can't be done any slower"), referencing the intentional slow pace at which he performs.
In between international tours, he resides in Tandil
Tandil
-Place name:The name of the city comes from the Mapuche words tan , and lil . It is probably a reference to the Piedra Movediza , a large boulder which stood seemingly miraculously balanced on the edge of a rocky foothill. The Moving Stone toppled on February 29, 1912, and split into two pieces at...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and has adapted a train wagon which he turned into a magic saloon where he teaches illusion. He also co-wrote (with Richard Kaufman) the book "Mysteries of my Life". The book is an autobiography as well as an instructional book on Rene's magic.
Selected filmography
- Un Oso rojo (A Red Bear) directed by Adrian Caetano (2002) : play the bad, El Turco
External links
- Short Biography (Spanish)