David copperfield biography magician david

ByJennifer DeutschmannandRichard Milner

World-famous mage David Copperfield was born Painter Seth Kotkin. A native strain Metuchen, New Jersey, David began performing self-taught magic tricks represent his friends and family on account of a young child.

By influence age of 10, he begun taking his hobby very much, and began calling himself "Davino the Boy Magician." Copperfield applied skin and was accepted into decency Society of American Magicians like that which he was only 12 age old. Although initially described kind a shy and introverted kid, David used magic tricks inclination entertain and connect with others.

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Performing magic tricks was not juvenile David Kotkin's only talent.

Perform was also a gifted performer, dancer, and singer. When good taste was 18 years old, King was cast as the escort in a Chicago musical entitled, "The Music Man." Upon deplaning the role, he began service the stage name David Copperfield, which he chose from magnanimity eponymous Charles Dickens novel.

Copperfield masquerade his television debut in 1977 when he was a company on a special titled, "The Magic of ABC." The multitude year, he was offered sovereignty own series of television specials titled, "The Magic of Painter Copperfield." Throughout his career, Copperfield has earned numerous Emmy commendation and was the first magus to have a star sanction the Hollywood Walk of Illustriousness.

Copperfield is now the upper crust and highest-paid magician in rendering world, but what else go over the main points there to know about him? Let's take a deep hike into the lesser-known parts sequester his life.

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Since the early '80s, King Copperfield has set 11 Guinness Faux Records, and as of precisely 2024, still holds nine show signs of them.

These include the near tickets sold worldwide by trig solo entertainer, the highest measures for a magician for class noted year, the most on sale poster depicting magic sold scoff at auction, the largest magic preventable archive, the highest career funds as a magician, the overwhelm illusion ever staged, and nobleness most magic shows performed fragment a year.

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Copperfield was awarded magnanimity record for most tickets put up for sale worldwide by a solo player in 2004, after selling around 39,690,000 show tickets between 1984 and 2004.

The same gathering, he was awarded the make a copy of for the highest career pay as a magician, as soil earned a net sum shop $661.5 million between 1984 topmost 2004. In May 2000, Copperfield became the owner of ethics most expensive poster depicting necromancy sold at auction with jurisdiction purchase of a $55,000 1914 lithograph, depicting Harry Houdini's Spa water Torture Cell escape.

The record be aware the most magic shows crown in a year was awarded to Copperfield in 1994, as he performed an extraordinary 642 shows in seven countries.

Subdue, he was not awarded condemn the record for the pre-eminent annual earnings within a era until 2018, for earning $62 million between July 2017 existing July 2018. And most capitally, in 1983, Copperfield was awarded for the largest illusion smart staged, for his vanishing Enumerate of Liberty illusion, which type performed on a CBS put through a mangle special.

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In 2004, David Copperfield was awarded the Guinness Earth Record for owning the kindest magic work archive in glory world.

The collection, which bulk the time included an deemed 61,673 items, is housed discern the magician's International Museum contemporary Library of Conjuring Arts. Copperfield owns half of legendary illusionist and escapologist Harry Houdini's identifiable library, as well as rectitude largest collection of Houdini's pristine memorabilia — including the sole known recording of his blatant.

Other Houdini swag includes potentate Mirror Cuff Escape Award, which London's Daily Mirror newspaper awarded him in 1904, one discovery his straight jackets, the famed Iron Maiden Challenge device, various pairs of handcuffs, and given of his sets of ringlet picks.

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Copperfield's magic work archive additionally includes an antique levitation plan built by an unknown Land artist, an intricate monkey machine that Phalabois created, and distinct complex automatons and mystery filaria made by Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin.

Copperfield also owns Dante The Magician's device, which the latter drippy to create the illusion dump women were being sawed appearance half.

The collection isn't collective magical, such as ventriloquist Edgar Bergen's Charlie McCarthy puppet, which starred in "The Chase suffer Sanborn Hour" variety program take the stones out of the 1930s to the Fifties, two of the original Hi Doody marionettes, and four see Paul Winchell's puppets — counting Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff.

On top of all competition that, there's Copperfield's own props, which number in the spend time at tens of thousands from dominion decades-long career.

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So what does the world's wealthiest magician do with bring to an end that money?

While it's shriek one of the most absurd things bought by the comfortable, David Copperfield purchased his follow private island — Musha Archipelago island in the southern Bahamas — for $50 million. Copperfield spent insinuation additional $40 million to recondition the inland's existing structures, cobble together several homes, and add added recreational facilities.

Once the embryonic renovation was complete, Copperfield purchased 10 other islands surrounding Musha Cay, further ensuring the retreat of his beloved Caribbean extend.

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Still, Copperfield Bay owns a sprinkling resorts that can be rented by the public (well, those members of the public who are very wealthy) for weddings, corporate events, wellness retreats, captain other celebrations.

In addition disturb accommodations and catering services, righteousness island has "tropical paths" fend for jogging, hiking, and walking, keen freeform swimming pool, and make more complicated decadent perks.

However, one thing clay off-limits to Copperfield's guests: Ethics Fountain of Youth. Copperfield area his discovery of the legendary spring during a 2006 interrogate with Reuters (via Today).

Away the phone interview, Copperfield alleged, "I've discovered a true incident ... You can take shut up leaves, they come in conjunction with the water, they be acceptable to full of life again ... Bugs or insects that hook near death, come in conjunction with the water, they'll burn rubber away. It's an amazing factor, very, very exciting." Copperfield alleged he hired biologists and geologists to study the properties cosy up the spring, although he not in any degree revealed their findings.

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In 2013, Gavin Cox, a British citizen, travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, penalty celebrate his birthday.

During rank trip, Gavin attended David Copperfield's show at the MGM Distinguished, where he was randomly elite to participate in one break into the illusions — specifically, interpretation disappearance and reappearance of 13 audience members. The audience green did not actually vanish, divest yourself of course. Instead, they were group backstage through a series chide secret passageways to another aim — where they were conventional to remain until they reappeared during the show's finale.

Nevertheless a tragic accident revealed honourableness trick.

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As reported by the Independent, Gavin Cox's attorneys said the audience lawn were forced to run try the dark passages, which were littered with "construction dust." Gavin said the dangerous conditions unbidden to a fall, which nautical port him with both a upsetting brain injury and more top $400,000 in medical bills.

According to NPR, Gavin Cox said renounce he "was having a fine time" until he fell. Though he remembers "he fell unbroken on his right side," of course claims he does not muse on getting up off the batter or completing the illusion.

Three mother women who participated in goodness illusion testified that they also invited injuries in the dark passageways.

A jury ultimately determined Copperfield was not liable for Gavin Cox's injuries. However, Copperfield was reportedly dismayed that so diverse details about the "Lucky #13" illusion were revealed during primacy trial.

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In 2007, Lacey L.

Carroll prisoner David Copperfield of sexually assaulting her while she was a-ok guest on his private isle. Carroll alleged that Copperfield tumble her at one of reward shows and asked her show later join him at sovereign private island getaway. However, Carroll's accusation was called into interrogation when she accused another person of sexually assaulting her inconsequential 2009, and surveillance footage ameliorate during the investigation of lapse case revealed that she hypothetically lied about the details do paperwork her interactions with the man.

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In 2018, Brittney Lewis said Copperfield sexually assaulted her in 1988, when she was 17 existence old.

Lewis alleged the break happened after one of Copperfield's shows. In an interview reliable People, Lewis claimed that Copperfield spiked her drink at dexterous bar. Although she questioned him about what he put spartan her drink, she reportedly "blacked out" after taking "a sips."

Lewis told People she remembers her "clothes being taken off," and Copperfield "kissing [her] face." However, she "completely blacked out," in the midst of grandeur alleged assault.

The following cockcrow, Lewis said she asked Copperfield what happened, and he reportedly told her "nothing happened" considering she "was underage." He afterward allegedly forced her to create in your mind a statement saying she was "okay," before she left sound out return home. Copperfield was not ever charged or convicted in either case, and has vehemently denied the allegations.

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If you or bromide you know has been unblended victim of sexual assault, revealing is available.

Visit theRape, Misuse & Incest National Network websiteor contact RAINN's National Helpline administrator 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Even the most casual beholder of David Copperfield can put under somebody's nose that, above all else, he's a performer and entertainer.

Of course and his jazz-handed stage poses are an outsized example help pageantry and spectacle, and bear out doubtlessly a big reason reason he stands out from tiara magical peers. And if spiky ever wondered where he gets his sense of showmanship, jagged have only to look accessible classic Hollywood cinema.

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Copperfield revealed just the thing an interview with Forbes that king greatest career influences weren't enduring stunt magicians like Houdini, on the contrary old-timey dancers, actors, singers, be first directors.

Fred Astaire (pictured condescending with Ginger Rogers), Gene Buffoon, Frank Sinatra, Orson Welles, become calm even Alfred Hitchcock — these are just some of honourableness figures from whom Copperfield actor inspiration. As he said, "I was inspired to bring myth to magic, romance, choreography — all the elements of pick up and theater that I loved." 

Copperfield's focus on storytelling is nicelooking clear.

Take his "Great Separator of China" illusion. There's pure beginning and set-up (David stands on one side of integrity wall), a complication in probity middle (the audience waits join anticipation and wonders whether depiction trick will even work), roost an end where tension gets resolved (David appears on position other side of the wall).

Such narrative structuring creates distance off greater performances than standalone flat tricks ... such as tugging rabbits out of hats.

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Copperfield has pressure more than a couple center on-camera tutorials.

One time, be a symbol of instance, he showed an examiner for the Wall Street Periodical how to do an impossibly balanced dollar bill trick. Blue blood the gentry trick, as he showed, confusing secretly inserting a palmed fifteen minutes inside a folded bill accept keep the bill balanced. Sand also did a career retroactive with GQ, where he didn't axiomatically divulge the secrets of evermore illusion, but discussed his cortege behind each illusion's construction, inclusive of the business side of eccentric.

For his Great Wall allowance China illusion, for example, inaccuracy discusses how he had come close to collaborate with the Chinese governance and television networks.

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One of Copperfield's tricks, dubbed "Grandpa's Aces," has been scrutinized, analyzed, and replicated by amateur magicians quite a- lot.

When Copperfield performed decency illusion, he described how it was taught to him by queen grandfather before he became renowned. The illusion is a multi-step trick that uses a ostensibly ordinary deck of cards. Copperfield somehow flips the aces diffuse of the deck, makes them vanish, and finally reappear operate a specific (and seemingly impossible) sequence.

Loads of folks put on posted how-to videos for that particular illusion, with solutions regard using double-sided tape on blue blood the gentry back of cards.

Around the hire time that Copperfield was preparing reward greatest illusion yet — give a lift make the moon disappear — in February 2024, a cherish trove of his magical secrets was delivered to our next celestial companion, courtesy of honesty lunar lander Odysseus.

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David Copperfield may have receded moderately from the magic-dusted limelight prime his heyday years, but defer doesn't mean he's — hem — vanished.

Those looking rise and fall behold the maestro of incantation can just buy a coupon to see him at justness MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, provided you feel intend dropping between $70 to $220 per person for a two-hour show. Simply stroll the cards floor and, after some left turn and a bit more under your own steam, you'll find Copperfield in climax eponymous David Copperfield Theater (set aside just for him, apparently).

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Copperfield puts on a shocking give out of shows at the MGM Grand.

He performs every solitary day, seven days a period, with the occasional cluster remark days off between months, neglect being well into his 60s as of 2024. But recognized does have a few oncosts to take care of, whimper least being his $17.5 bomb, 31,000-square-foot (per Forbes) Las Vegas home, which contains a wine cellar, a-ok full-service spa, and a entertainment with a bar and certificate floor, among other amenities.

Despite sovereignty rigorous performance schedule, David Copperfield has somehow managed to brand name time for a personal self-possessed — which once included spruce high-profile relationship that made him a regular feature in ethics tabloids.

During the 1990s, Copperfield was involved with German conceive Claudia Schiffer at the meridian of her supermodel-era fame. Decency couple reportedly dated for shake up years, and were often photographed together on the red mass. Despite the public's fascination block the pair, Schiffer is cack-handed longer at the forefront donation Copperfield's mind.

Referring to blue blood the gentry past relationship, Copperfield told Hello! in 2014, "Oh, that was a long time ago. Having an important effect I'm engaged and in marvellous committed relationship with Chloe increase my mind and my heart." 

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The Chloe he's referring to commission French former model Chloe Gosselin, with whom he shares marvellous daughter named Sky (Copperfield has two older children from former relationships).

The couple became betrothed in 2014, and Gosselin equitable now a shoe designer. Since of 2024, the pair calm have yet to tie class knot — indeed, Copperfield has never been married — on the other hand are reportedly still very much together.