The question often arises, who is the greatest magician of all time. Like all subjective questions, it’s difficult to answer. But if you amend the question to, who is the most successful magician of all time? Then the question becomes very easy to answer. No doubt about it is David Copperfield.
Hailing from Metuchen, New Jersey, at age 12, David Copperfield became the youngest person admitted to the Society of American Magicians, and he was teaching a course in magic at New York University before he’d graduated from High School. He began his career in the late 1970s, and within a few years he became a household name; he has never slowed down since.
But by what measure can we say he’s the most successful magician in history? By whatever measure you want. Take a look at these facts:
• He’s worked at the highest levels of show business for over 40 years.
• So far in his career he has sold 33 million tickets and grossed over $4 billion, more than any other solo entertainer in history—not any other magician, any other entertainer.
• His 1996 Broadway show Dreams & Nightmares broke box office records in New York that still stand.
• Hundreds of millions of people have watched his 18 network television specials which have won 21 Emmy Award, with 38 nominations.
• His $18 million mansion in Las Vegas is the largest private residence in the state of Nevada.
• He has been named a Living Legend by the US Library of Congress and was given the Chevalier of Arts and Letters by the French government, the first magician so honored.
• He was the first living magician to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• He has 11 Guinness World Records including:
-Most magic shows performed in a year
-Most tickets sold worldwide by a solo entertainer
-Highest career earnings as a magician
-Largest international television audience for a magician
-Largest Broadway attendance in a week
-Largest magic work archive
You can’t argue with success.