Mark Wilson (magician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Wilson
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Wilson (center) as part of The Magic Land of Allakazam cast in 1960.
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| Born |
James Mark Wilson
April 11, 1929 |
| Died | January 19, 2021 (aged 91) |
| Alma mater | Southern Methodist University |
| Occupation | Magician |
| Spouse(s) | Nani Darnell |
James "Mark" Wilson (born April 11, 1929 – died January 19, 2021) was an American magician and author. He is famous for being the first major magician to bring magic shows to television. He helped make magic shows a popular type of TV program.
Early Life and Magic Beginnings
Mark Wilson's father was a salesman, so Mark traveled a lot with his parents when he was young. He said his interest in magic started when he was eight years old. He saw a magician named Tommy Martin perform at a hotel in Indianapolis.
Later, his family moved to Dallas, Texas. As a teenager, Wilson improved his magic skills. He worked as a clerk at the Douglas Magicland shop. As he got better, he started performing magic shows at small events.
He went to the School of Business Administration at Southern Methodist University. He studied marketing there. These skills helped him a lot in his future career.
Magic on Television
When television became popular, Mark Wilson started a show. It was called Time for Magic and aired on a local station in Dallas in 1955. He used his marketing training to get the Dr Pepper Bottling Company to sponsor his show. He then expanded his shows to other cities like Houston and San Antonio.
When videotape technology was created, Wilson made the first show to be videotaped. This show was also the first to be shown across the country. It was the original black and white The Magic Land of Allakazam. The show started on October 1, 1960, on CBS-TV. It aired every Saturday morning for four years.
His wife, Nani Darnell, helped him on the show. They were joined by Bev Bergeron, who helped write the shows. Bev also played the character Rebo the Clown. The show was sponsored by Kellogg's.
Wilson, Darnell, and Bergeron traveled to state fairs in the summer. They also appeared on other TV shows. The team that wrote the show grew at CBS. It included people like Bobby "Torchy" Towner and Bobby Fenton. Johnny Daniel and Carl Owen built the magic tricks for the first year. This group helped create new magic illusions that are still used today.
Magic Land of Allakazam moved from CBS-TV to ABC-TV in 1962. It did not miss a single week on air. In 1965, Magic Land of Allakazam left ABC. It was then shown in many countries around the world.
Wilson later created The Funny Face Magic Show. He also made Magic Circus in 1971, which was sponsored by the Pillsbury Company. He also set up the Hall of Magic at the 1964/65 World’s Fair in New York.
He and his team helped with the magic effects for many other TV shows. These included The Magician, Circus of the Stars, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Columbo.
Mark Wilson's last regular TV show was The Magic Of Mark Wilson. This series was shown across the country in 1981. His second son, Greg, helped him on this show, along with his longtime assistant Nani.
In 2015, Mark and Nani appeared on the show Penn & Teller: Fool Us. They were part of the reveal for Greg Wilson's magic act.
Books and Awards
In 1975, Mark Wilson published his famous book, Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic. This book is still being printed and sold in different forms around the world.
Mark Wilson received several awards for his magic:
- The Academy of Magical Arts Magician of the Year (1972, 1974)
- The Academy of Magical Arts Masters Fellowship (1987)
