Jeff McBride (born September 11, 1959), also known as "Magnus", is an American magician and magic instructor. He is known for his

sleight of hand Sleight of hand (also known as prestidigitation or ''legerdemain'' ()) refers to fine motor skills when used by performing artists in different art forms to entertain or manipulate. It is closely associated with close-up magic, card magic, card ...

skills and specializes in the manipulation of playing cards,

coins A coin is a small, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order t ...

, and other small objects. His stage performances blend elements of

kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance- drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought ...

, a Japanese theater form, with traditional

conjuring Conjuration or Conjuring may refer to: __NOTOC__ Concepts * Conjuration (summoning), the evocation of spirits or other supernatural entities ** Conjuration, a school of magic in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' * Conjuration (illusion), the performance of ...

. He has been recognized by the

Academy of Magical Arts The Magic Castle is a clubhouse for magicians and magic enthusiasts, as well as the clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts. It is in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California and it bills itself as "the most unusual private club in ...

, the

Society of American Magicians The Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.) is the oldest fraternal magic organization in the world. Its purpose is "to advance, elevate, and preserve magic as a performing art, to promote harmonious fellowship throughout the world of magic, and ...

, and the

International Federation of Magic Societies International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * International (Kevin Michael album), ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * International (New Order album), ' ...

. He has also has set several

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

. In 1991, he established the McBride Magic & Mystery SchoolMcBride Magic and Mystery School website
to teach the art of stage magic.

Magician

McBride is based in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...

. He established the McBride Magic & Mystery School to teach the art of stage magic. McBride's Magic & Mystery School is world-renowned and is recognized as the foremost magical teaching institution available today.

Eugene Burger Eugene Burger (June 1, 1939 – August 8, 2017) was an American magician. He was born in 1939 and was based in Chicago, Illinois. He was reputed for his close-up skills and his work in mentalism and bizarre magic. Burger was also a philosop ...

was the Dean of the School until his death in 2017. Guest faculty have included Teller,

Lance Burton William Lance Burton (born March 10, 1960) is an American stage magician. He performed more than 15,000 shows in Las Vegas for over 5,000,000 people until retiring after 31 years in 2010. Professional history Burton first became interested in ma ...

, Johnny Thompson and other magicians from all over the world. McBride was a star performer for years in

Caesars Palace Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel is situated on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and The Mirage. It is one of Las Vegas's largest and best known landmarks. Caesar ...

's Magical Empire. He created and performed at the World Magic Festival at Brushwood Folklore Center in

Sherman, New York Sherman is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It is an interior town in the county, west of Chautauqua Lake. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 1,618. The town contains the village of Sherman. History The area ...

in 1993 and 1994. He performs worldwide, and has produced several instructional books and videos on the subjects of coin and card manipulation, and has presented lectures on magic and theater for such groups as the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Found ...

, the

, and the

International Brotherhood of Magicians International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) is an organization for both professional and amateur close-up and stage magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St. Charles, Missouri. There are over 300 ...

. In 1994, he appeared on the cover of

The Linking Ring ''The Linking Ring'' is a monthly print magic magazine published by the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) for its members since 1922. It is based in Bluffton, Ohio. In 2007, Samuel Patrick Smith, a magician, author and publisher based ...

magazine.

Television

In 1994, McBride appeared in the

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (abbreviated as ''DS9'') is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. The fourth series in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise, it originally aired in syndication from ...

episode 'Equilibrium' as Joran Belar. In 1995, McBride was a featured performer on "World's Greatest Magic II" on NBC, hosted by Alan Thicke. He was featured in a one-hour documentary entitled ''A Magickal Life: Jeff McBride'', produced and broadcast by Canada's VisionTV, as an episode of their series ''Enigma True-Life Stories'' in January 2006. The documentary soundtrack featured music by Vegas Vortex event production collaborators

Zingaia Zingaia is a musical group in the genres of contemporary world music, new-age music and Ethnic electronica. They have released three albums and have appeared on six compilations, including the Billboard charting album ''Buddha-Lounge 3''. Their mu ...

and

Gary Stadler Gary Stadler is an American new-age pianist, composer, songwriter and producer, specializing in contemporary Celtic-influenced themes and atmospheres. Stadler's six albums generally focus on imaginative concepts loosely based in Celtic mythology, ...

, as well as McBride's wife (married 2001) and partner, Abbi Spinner. McBride has appeared twice on

Criss Angel Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos ( el, Χριστόφορος Νικόλαος Σαραντάκος; born December 19, 1967), known professionally as Criss Angel, is an American magician, illusionist and musician. Angel began his career in Ne ...

's show ''MindFreak''. He was one of the celebrity judges on the 2008 reality celebrity-magic show

Celebracadabra ''Celebracadabra'' is an American reality television series on VH1 that premiered on April 27, 2008. The series involves celebrities attempting to learn and perform magic. Magician/actor Jonathan Levit serves as the host. On Thursday, June 12, 20 ...

, produced by VH-1. He appeared on the show '' Penn & Teller: Fool Us'' in September 2017, where he successfully fooled the hosts using an original water bowls effect.

Neopaganism

McBride is active in the American

Neopagan Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...

movement and he has organized events based on his research into "''Alchemical Fire Rituals''", such as Mysterium and Fires Rising. He has been instrumental in the development of the eclectic Neopagan organization in Las Vegas known as the Vegas Vortex, which is described as a "thriving magical community, dedicated to creating events which celebrate and educate in the sacred arts of magic, theater, music and dance." He has appeared as a speaker, performer, and ritual leader at several Neopagan festivals and events.

Awards

McBride has won several awards, including recognition by the Academy of Magical Arts, the Society of American

Magicians 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 the International Grand Prix of Magic as "Magician of the Year." In 2008, he won The Magic Woods Award for Best Magician, and was also named "Lecturer of the Year" by the Academy of Magical Arts (at the

Magic Castle The Magic Castle is a clubhouse for magicians and magic enthusiasts, as well as the clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts. It is in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California and it bills itself as "the most unusual private club in t ...

). McBride has set several records in the

Discography

* ''Songs from the Center of the Sacred Circle'' – Jeff "Magnus" McBride & Abbi Spinner (

ACE An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...

/ Llewellyn Collection) * ''Dancers of Twilight'' –

(2000) Sequoia Records * ''Soles on Earth'' –

(2004) Sequoia Records

References

Sources

* Bond, Lawrence &

Ellen Evert Hopman Ellen Evert Hopman (born July 31, 1952, in Salzburg, Austria) is an author of both fiction and non-fiction, an herbalist, a lay homeopath, a lecturer, and a Mental Health Counselor who lives and works in Western Massachusetts. She is the author of s ...

(1996) ''People of the Earth: The New Pagans Speak Out'' (reissued as ''Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans & Witches Today'' in 2002 Destiny Books ) Interview. * Cohen, Andy (2006) '' Follow the Other Hand: A Remarkable Fable That Will Energize Your Business, Profits, and Life''. St. Martin's Press , * Miller, Scott L. & David Morey (2004) ''The Underdog Advantage: Using the Power of Insurgent Strategy to Put Your Business on To''. (Page 6)

McGraw-Hill McGraw Hill is an American educational publishing company and one of the "big three" educational publishers that publishes educational content, software, and services for pre-K through postgraduate education. The company also publishes refere ...

, * Pike, Sarah (2001). ''Earthly Bodies, Magical Selves: Contemporary Pagans and the Search for Community''.

University of California Press The University of California Press, otherwise known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish scholarly and scientific works by facul ...

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:McBride, Jeff 1959 births Living people American magicians Card magic Sleight of hand American modern pagans Academy of Magical Arts Lecturer of the Year winners Academy of Magical Arts Magician of the Year winners