André Kole (born Robert J. Gurtler Jr.; September 30, 1936 – October 17, 2022) was an American
magician
Magician or The Magician may refer to:
Performers
* A practitioner of magic (supernatural)
* A practitioner of magic (illusion)
* Magician (fantasy), a character in a fictional fantasy context
Entertainment
Books
* ''The Magician'', an 18th-ce ...
and inventor of magical effects.
He was also a committed
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and a public speaker for the evangelical group
Campus Crusade for Christ
Cru (until 2011 known as Campus Crusade for Christ—informally "Campus Crusade" or simply "crusade"—or CCC) is an interdenominational Christian parachurch organization. It was founded in 1951 at the University of California, Los Angeles by B ...
. He was also known for using his magical knowledge to debunk frauds and hoaxes.
Biography
Robert Gurtler was inspired to take up magic at the age of seven after seeing a performance. By the time he was 20, now known as André Kole, he was performing his ''
Table of Death'' trick on the national network television show ''
You Asked for It
''You Asked for It'' is a human interest television show created and hosted by Art Baker. Initially titled ''The Art Baker Show'', the program originally aired on American television between 1950 and 1959. Later versions of the series were see ...
''.
Among the illusions Kole is credited with devising are the
Squeeze Box illusion (licensed to builder
John Gaughan John Gaughan (born 1940) is an American manufacturer of magic acts and equipment for magicians based in Los Angeles, California. His style of work is classic, not based heavily on machinery and technology.
Great illusionists have noted his work, su ...
), and the
Head Mover illusion (as performed by
David Copperfield
''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...
, Tim Kole and Kirby Van Birch).
He also used his magical knowledge and skills to debunk frauds and hoaxes. He was reported in 2003 as offering one million dollars to the Rev. Dr. Donald Stewart if Stewart could prove a statement made in the Jamaican newspaper, the
Jamaica Gleaner
''The Gleaner'' is an English-language, morning daily newspaper founded by two brothers, Jacob and Joshua de Cordova on 13 September 1834 in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally called the ''Daily Gleaner'', the name was changed on 7 December 1992 to ' ...
, that Satan gives supernatural powers.
Personal life
Kole's wife, Alice Jean Gurtler, died at age 38 from brain cancer. She was known by the stage name, Aljeana. He notes on his website that he does not perform the classic trick of
pulling a rabbit from a hat because he is allergic to rabbits. He is the father of illusionist Tim Kole.
Notable awards
In 1955 he received the annual Al Sharpe Award for Originality in Presentation from the Texas Association of Magicians.
Books
Andre Kole and AL Janssen, "MIRACLES OR MAGIC? ESP, Faith Healing, Fortune Telling, Hypnosis, UFO's, Astrology, MindReading, Levitation, Published: Harvest House Publisher (c.1984),
"André Kole with Jerry MacGregor, ''Mind Games: Exposing today's psychics, frauds and false spiritual phenomena'', pub. Harvest House (February 1998),
André Kole and Terry Holley, ''Astrology and psychic phenomena'', Published: Grand Rapids, Mich., Zondervan, (c.1998), (pbk.)
References
External links
Official website for André Kole the magician*
''Genii magazine forum'' pagedated December 2005 about a "walking on water" trick.
* Walking on water:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kole, Andre
1936 births
Living people
American magicians