Sara tramiel/VIEWLance Burton smiles as he reminisces about his career.
Sara tramiel/VIEWLance Burton sits backstage in his theater at Monte Carlo. The magician?s first gig in town was in "Folies Bergere" at the Tropicana.
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Lance Burton's publicity materials bill him as the "premier classicist magician in the world," owing to a mantle passed to him from the great illusionist Lee Grabel. But, Burton said he thought the "classicist" bit was something his manager came up with.
The mantle itself, however, is not a creation of public relations. In 1908, the great Harry Kellar retired and named a successor in magician Howard Thurston. Thurston made it a tradition when he named the magician Dante (born Harry Jansen) in 1936, who named Grabel in 1955. The royal dynasty of magic, as it is called, was generations old when Grabel named Burton in 1994. Grabel followed Burton's career and bestowed the title on him while he was at the Hacienda.
Burton had read about the dynasty when he was teaching himself about magic as a young man and performed tricks that had been inspired by Grabel. Of being anointed by Grabel, he said "it was shocking."
As for why Grabel chose Burton, Burton said "you have to ask him."
It's been a full 25 years since Burton began entertaining in Las Vegas with his sleight of hand. He started in 1981 with a 12-minute act during "Folies Bergere" at the Tropicana before graduating to his own show at the Hacienda.
He worked for five years as a headliner at the Hacienda and said the show became successful through word of mouth. Then, he was approached by the creators of the Monte Carlo.
"They said 'We'll build you a theater,' " he said. And, he's been with them ever since.
Along the way, there have been too many television appearances and honors to count.
Burton has lived the past 20 years in the Sunrise Manor area. It was his second house in Las Vegas.
"When I moved out there, it was way out in the country," he said. His neighbors had horses.
"The city got built out around me," he said.
Burton built a house in Henderson and moved there this year.
"It's like what my old place used to be," he said.
The old house is still on the market. He said there have been some great parties at the house but, while he has fond memories of the place, "you have to make new memories."
He continues to make new memories for the people who come to see him levitate a sports car and make it disappear, among other dramatic stage illusions. It may be especially memorable for the kids he chooses from the audience to participate in the sorcery up close. Burton rearranges his tricks depending on his audience. There are certain tricks he likes to do if there are a lot of children in the audience who would make good magician's assistant. In one he produces more eggs from a hat than his helper's small hands can hold. He has other tricks that use adults, but the kids are fun and they love coming onstage, he said.
The gift shop adjacent to the theater carries instructional DVDs and magic props to get young people learning about the methods of stage magic. His Web site, www.lanceburton.com, has instructions for further illusions.
Burton participates each year in a luncheon for aspiring magicians at the annual magicians' convention in Las Vegas. Young people came from all over Europe and even South Africa last year. The luncheon is part of a seminar for young magicians; they show their stuff, and Burton gives awards. He was pleased to report that there are more young women participating than in the past. In fact, first place for stage magic went to a female this year.
"That's a different debate," he said, when asked whether magic was something children should be encouraged to do. But, it worked out well for Burton, who hasn't looked back since he the time he was 5 and a magician brought him up onstage and pulled coins from his ears. He even recalls he was wearing a red shirt -- and that he was convinced the conjuror truly had magic powers.
His early interest in magic worked out well for Burton's mother, as well.
"She never had to worry about me. She always knew where I was -- in the basement, practicing my magic show," he said.
Burton is reticent about having any unusual soft spot for kids, but he raises funds for and participates in an vast number of charitable organizations and events for kids. Proceeds from his gift shop fund handicapped accessible vans for the Shriners to transport patients to their pediatric hospitals, and he rode the elephant out in the Shriner's circus this year. He also donates to and performs at charity events for the Animal Foundation and the Variety Club of Southern Nevada and Tent 39, an organization that operates schools for special needs children.
He also appeared at a Barnes & Noble Booksellers for one of the popular midnight book release events for the "Harry Potter" series.
Burton said there must have been 1,000 young fans at the store and recounted the way they "went nuts" when he read them a note he said an owl gave him on the way over. It was warm regards from Dumbledore, one of the series' fictional wizard professors.
Burton said he is a fan of "Harry Potter," as are all the performers in his show. They read the books a chapter at a time so they can discuss them later at work.
"Someone gave me the first book, and now I'm hooked," he said.
But Hogwarts' faculty members aren't the only magic makers Burton has an in with.
The 47-year-old entertainer said he's known Penn and Teller for about as long as he's been in Las Vegas. Although not a true illusionist, his friend, comedy juggler Michael Goudeau, has been performing with Burton since the Hacienda days.
Comedian Mac King said he and Burton were probably each other's oldest friends. Burton said they met at a local magic club in their hometown of Louisville, Ky., when the two were just 14. King confirmed that it was Burton who convinced him to move to Las Vegas.
"I owe him," King said.
As for the "classicist" title, King said "(Lance Burton) was just doing what he thought was cool, and someone put a name to it."
In a final word on his adopted home, Burton said "when they throw me out, I guess I'll leave."
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