The Magic Castle
7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028
1-323-851-3313
The World Famous Magic Castle, A Magicians Hollywood Hideout
Magic Castle
Magic Castle, The Magicians Hollywood Hideout is the most famous magic club
in the world
The Magic Castle started out as a Victorian mansion, built by the Lane family in
Hollywood, California in 1907. In modern times you can't get in unless you know a
Magician or somebody in a similar Guild who is a Private member of this Private
Magicians Club. This is a Disneyland for adults in which there are secret rooms
and an exclusive magic shop for the conjure. Don't miss the séance room, which has
people, food and artifacts appearing and disappearing before your eyes.
This mansion which sits behind the Mann's Chinese Theater up in the Hollywood Hills
is a very exclusive Nightclub and Restaurant in which the Rich and Famous are awaiting
an invite to this Adult Magic Show where the who's who of Hollywood as well as Hip
young yuppies rub shoulders at this private Adult Venue.
Suit and tie are required, and if you don't have one you don't get in. Even if you
have these items and your exclusive numbered invite, you must know the magic in order
to open the bookcase which is actually a door way. If you don't know the password,
you don't get in. Once inside the mansion you go up and down corridors until you
find your way to the exclusive upstairs Prestidigitators and Illusionists Restaurant
and Bar which overlooks the Mann's Chinese theater and Hollywood Avenue. It is said
that when the mansion was first purchased in 1908, that you could see the Pacific
Ocean from this Hollywood Perch.
After dinner there is the option of seeing professional illusionists in the four
theaters throughout the mansion. There are also private shows seating up to seven
people within the below dungeon. The main three theatres are the following:
The Palace of Mystery, The Parlour of Prestidigitation and the tiny Close-Up Gallery.
This mansion is the rival of the one time classic Hollywood Brown Darby Restaurant
among others in which the elite of Hollywood would show up at a moments notice.
This private clubhouse Victorian mansion is full of surprises. Mysterious doors open
and close as well as a mysterious live haunted piano playing Irma, who plays your
favorite tunes on voice command. Watch out for a particular bar stool because you
might get a real shock as it descends after you have been sitting on it for five
minutes. All cameras and video devices are confiscated before one gets in the main
door to keep the magic secret. The Great Room which is called the Palace of Mystery
has seating up close to watch the famous Magician, Danny Cole.
Many famous people have been through the doors of this Victorian Mystery Palace.
The Magic Castle includes some famous guests such as Jay Ose, Senator Crandall,
Johnny Platt, Kuda Bux, and Billy McComb. Many "celebrity magic hobbyists" have
also performed at the Magic Castle, including Cary Grant, Steve Martin, Johnny Carson,
and recently Jason Alexander of Seinfeld. This is the best place to be "Discovered"
in the Magic world.
There are five bars for the thirsty who wish to see Magic Tricks up close while
intoxicated. This is also the place to get some insider information on such mysterious
slight of hand and other conjuring. All the beautiful people are here enjoying adult
humor along with the classic acts that have been handed down throughout the generations.
Alcohol can be found throughout the castle at the various stations. The Grand Salon,
decorated with colourised slides from the old Los Angeles Hippodrome Vaudeville; the
Palace of Mystery, the bar of which originally came from a 17th-century London pub;
the WC Fields, which contains his trick pool table; the Hat & Hare, and finally, the
tiny Owl Bar, where the walls and shelves are covered with owls of every kind.
The most lavish bar is just outside the Palace of the Mystery Theater. This is
an old English bar combined with an old church motif. The Palace Bar is the place
to mingle with professional and amatuer magicians.
This Hollywood Magic Home was the dream of William Larsen. The Larson brothers, Milt
and William (Bill), were given a star that is near the Magic Castle and across the
street from the star of Harry Houdini. The star was the 2,317th and is located on
the north side of Hollywood Boulevard, just west of Mann's Chinese Theater.
Harry Houdini - King of Cards
Their is a Harry Houdini Room in the castle, where séances are still held, with
original Houdini memorabilia such as handcuffs, chains, a giant milk can the
fabled escape artist used in his act. This room will bring a thousand thrills
and mysteries never seen before.
Hungarian born Erich Weiss reinvented himself as the Magician Harry Houdini and
was best known for his handcuff escape challenge and could get out of any straight
jacket. His Metamorphosis trick put him in the place of his wife and visa versa
spontaniously inside various trunked locked devices. The Water Torture cell was
the most famous escape issusion. Houdini died Halloween night of 1926.
Wilshir - It's Magic
The Magic Castle is headquarters for the Academy of Magical Arts and an exclusive
club for magicians and fans of magic. This labyrinth of hallways and mazes may bring
to mind a graceful Winchester mansion. There are low ceilings and stairs which seem
to go no place at all. Speaking of stairs this place has many levels so one must be
prepared to hike up and down these corridors. the Castle library houses a comprehensive
collection of books, magazines, and writings on the art. The Castle is a popular place
for magicians to simply hang out and swap stories and secrets in complete confidence
that these tricks will not be divulged to the general public.
Academy of Magical Arts - (AMA)
The AMA (Academy of Magical Arts) was incorporated in 1961 and "The Castle" opened
its doors on January 2nd, 1963. Since then it has become know as "The Mecca for
Magicians" and is known for being the most unique place in the magical world.
The motif on the walls are of Victorian artifacts as well as many photos of the
celebrities which has been through this castles doors as well as many posters
sponsoring magic shows thoughout the ‘golden age’ of conjuring.
Karlini - The Great Magician
The Magician's Oath
"As a magician I promise to never reveal the secret of any illusion to a non-magician,
without first swearing them to the Magician's Oath. I promise never to perform any
illusion for any non-magician, without first practicing the effect until I can perform
it well enough to maintain the illusion of magic".
Only simple magic tricks can be revealed to other Magicians at first until the New
Magicians becomes adept at that trick. Only at this time may a New Magician get more
information. If the above oath is broken, then said Magician will not receive any more
help from the masters and will be disavowed from the Secret Magic Society.
Herrman The Great
As for the highlights of this trip, it wasn't the magic tricks, the decor or the good
food or even the fancy stain glass windows that impressed me most nor was it the 50
years of history or the brushing up close to the celebrities, it was the beautiful
hostess who helped straighten out my tie of all things that I remember as having the
most fun with. So there you have it, in a nut shell, you never know what you are going
to get when you tryout a new venue!
The Legend of Invisible Irma at the Magic Castle
The Rollin B. Lane mansion was built in 1908. None of the original Lane family
members were musically inclined but it was considered socially correct to have a
piano available for entertaining guests. Irma was a frequent house guest of the family
and loved to play their piano. She played so often that it often irritated the
homes owner, Mr. Rollin B. Lane. So he had the piano removed from the main room
and put into the tower adjoining the guest rooms on the third floor. Irma took
this as a personal affront because she could no longer play in a spacious room
main room. When she died in 1932 she vowed she would return to haunt the house as
the revenge for the removal of the piano. When the Lane Mansion became the
Magic Castle in 1963, the piano was found in the attic. At this time it was put
back into the original music room and Irma's ghost, along with her invisible bird
came along with it.
Irma is now a very happy ghost because her playing is finally appreciated by
the magic members and their guests. Irma is invisible but she loves to play
requests even though she has been gone since 1932. She can play just about
any song you can think of, and please do not sit on Irma who presides over the
Piano as she is proper lady.
