Mat Franco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mat Franco
|
|
|---|---|
Franco in 2015
|
|
| Born | May 10, 1988 Johnston, Rhode Island, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | University of Rhode Island |
| Occupation | Magician |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Known for | America's Got Talent Season 9 winner
Mat Franco’s Got Magic NBC TV Specials Las Vegas Headliner at The LINQ |
Mat Franco (born May 10, 1988) is an American magician. He is famous for his amazing magic tricks, especially with cards. Mat became well-known as the first magician to win America's Got Talent. This was during the show's ninth season.
After winning, Franco created and starred in his own TV specials on NBC. These shows were called Mat Franco’s Got Magic. In 2015, he started his live stage show in Las Vegas. It is called Mat Franco - Magic Reinvented Nightly. He performs this show at The LINQ Hotel + Experience. His show has won "Best Magic Show" at the Best of Vegas Awards. It was also named the top magic show in Las Vegas by Billboard.com in 2021 and again in 2022.
Contents
Mat's Early Life and Magic
Mat Franco was born in Johnston, Rhode Island. When he was just four years old, he saw magic on TV. He loved it so much that he asked his parents for a magic set. Soon, he was performing tricks for his kindergarten class!
His grandmother was a big help and his first assistant. She would read magic instructions to Mat when he was too young to read them himself. One of Mat's favorite memories is trying to make cards appear from nowhere with his grandmother. They hung a black curtain in the living room and cut a hole in it. His grandmother would hide behind the curtain and pass cards through to Mat. His grandfather would watch and pretend he had no idea how the cards were appearing!
Mat kept learning magic as he grew up. He performed whenever he could. By the time he was 12, he had saved enough money from his local shows. He used it to fly to Las Vegas to learn from some of his favorite magicians, like Jeff McBride.
Mat finished Johnston High School in 2006. He was even the captain of the wrestling team in his last year. He then went to the University of Rhode Island. There, he studied Business Administration and Communication.
Starting His Magic Career
In 2003, when Mat was 15, he got to perform on stage in Las Vegas. This was at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. It was part of a show called "Stars of Tomorrow." This show was put on by the Society of American Magicians.
After college in 2010, Mat started touring the U.S. He performed his own magic show at colleges. He toured for six months a year for four years. In 2013, he was named "Best College Performer" by Campus Activities Magazine. He often went back to the University of Rhode Island to perform for new students.
His grandmother, Eleanor Campellone, always encouraged him. She once told an interviewer that she had "all the time in the world" to watch his tricks. She spent hours watching him practice.
America's Got Talent Journey
Mat Franco became very famous after winning America's Got Talent in 2014. He was the first magician ever to win the show!
Mat's AGT Performances
- Audition (June 17, 2014): Mat used card manipulation to tell a story about America's Got Talent. He impressed judges Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Mel B, and Howie Mandel. He even got a standing ovation!
- Judgment Week (July 22, 2014): Mat performed a cool card trick. He made a picture of Howie Mandel appear on the judges' desk using only cards. All four judges said "Yes" again.
- Quarterfinals (August 5, 2014): Mat used Heidi Klum as his assistant. He did tricks with fire and made cards disappear and reappear. He got more standing ovations.
- Semifinals (September 2, 2014): Mat asked Howie, Howard, and Heidi to pick three random cards. Then, he borrowed Mel B's phone, made it vanish, and found it inside a seat cushion in the audience at Radio City Music Hall!
- Top 12 (September 9, 2014): Mat did a trick with the live audience and even people watching at home. He had everyone pick a card. Then, using a cannon, he made the chosen card stick to the ceiling at Radio City Music Hall!
- Finals (September 16, 2014): Mat performed a new version of his audition trick. He also did a big trick with 52 audience members. They acted as a "human deck" of cards on stage.
- Finals Results (September 17, 2014): Mat was announced as the winner of America's Got Talent!
After winning, Mat returned to America's Got Talent many times. He was a guest performer in seasons 10, 15, and 16. He even taught Terry Crews some magic tricks! Most recently, he was a special guest on the AGT All-Stars finale in 2023.
Mat's Career After AGT
Mat Franco started headlining his own show in Las Vegas on August 5, 2015. His show, "Mat Franco: Magic Reinvented Nightly," is at the LINQ Hotel & Casino. By 2016, it was named the "Best Magic Show in Las Vegas."
Mat has also appeared on many TV talk shows. These include The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Access Hollywood, and The Today Show.
In 2015, Mat starred in his own two-hour TV magic special. It was called Mat Franco's Got Magic and aired on NBC. He also started posting his tricks on his YouTube channel. He now has over 200,000 subscribers!
In 2016, his Las Vegas show won "Best Show" on the Las Vegas Strip. In February 2017, Mat performed at his old college, the University of Rhode Island. This show celebrated the university's 125th anniversary.
On July 10, 2017, the LINQ Hotel officially renamed its theater the "Mat Franco Theater." The city of Las Vegas also gave Mat a key to the Las Vegas Strip. They even declared July 10 "Mat Franco Day"!
In 2020, Caesars Entertainment signed a new deal with Mat. This means his show, "Mat Franco - Magic Reinvented Nightly," will stay at the LINQ Hotel + Experience for five more years.
