Alex Elmsley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alex Elmsley
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| Born | 2 March 1929 |
| Died | 8 January 2006 (aged 76) |
| Occupation | Magician, Computer Programmer |
Alex Elmsley (born March 2, 1929 – died January 8, 2006) was a very clever Scottish magician and computer programmer. He was famous for inventing a special card trick move called the Elmsley Count. He also created many other amazing card tricks and studied the math behind shuffling playing cards.
Contents
Alex Elmsley: Master of Magic and Math
His Early Life and Clever Mind
Alex Elmsley started learning magic in 1946 when he was a teenager. He went to Cambridge University to study physics and mathematics. While he was there, he was also the secretary of a magic group called the Pentacle Club.
In his regular job, he first worked as a patent agent. Later, he became an expert in computers. Outside of his job, he was an amateur magician. He especially loved doing card tricks and close-up magic. In 1972, he received a special award from the Academy of Magical Arts for his creative magic.
Famous Magic Tricks
Alex Elmsley invented many well-known magic tricks that magicians still perform today. Some of his most famous creations include:
- The Four Card Trick
- Between Your Palms
- Point Of Departure
- Diamond Cut Diamond
The Dazzle Card Act
In 1975, Alex Elmsley went on a short tour in the United States. He gave a highly praised lecture called the "Dazzle Card Act." This act included a magic show followed by a detailed talk about how to plan and perform a magic routine. Notes from this lecture were later published in a book called Cardwork.
The Elmsley Count
One of Alex Elmsley's most important inventions was a special way to count cards. He first used this count in his famous Four Card Trick. He originally called it the ghost count. However, it soon became known as the Elmsley Count because he was the one who created it. This count is now a basic move that many magicians use in their card tricks.
His ideas and tricks were collected in a two-volume book series called The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley. The first volume came out in 1991, and the second in 1994.
See also
In Spanish: Alex Elmsley para niños
