Magic Shows
D'llusion
Greeting Mr. Daniels, I was wondering is there any chance of your 80's TV series being played again on TV or released on DVD!?
Have you any intention on gracing our screens with more magical shows!?
Paul Daniels
In all these answers please forgive me for not using html and the like as I want to answer as many as possible as fast as possible.
I get asked more about going back on TV than anything else and as that would appear to be a compliment... thank you.
It is not, of course, down to me to 'get back on TV'. The TV companies have got to want you to go back. At the moment I am turning down a couple of production companies a day because all they want to do is interview me about the past and I am bored with that.
I have never been a yesterday man and always looking for NEW projects.
As for the old shows going out on DVD; I have been in negotiation for the last 12 months with a department of the BBC that is tracing old contracts and licenses to allow them to either reproduce them or sell the rights to me. One day.....
Future of Magic
Nezza
Hi Paul, thanks for taking the time to visit, we appreciate your insight and experience into the art of magic.
Recently, several of us have been discussing the future of magic - where do you think magic will go in the future? In terms of general trends and style?
Incidentally what do you think of Derren Brown?
Paul Daniels
Recently, several of us have been discussing the future of magic - where do you think magic will go in the future? In terms of general trends and style?
Re the future of magic... I promise that I will never be rude on this site but sometimes emails appear abrupt. Think this answer through and you will, perhaps, agree with it. Do you think that comedians sit around and discuss the future of comedy, or singers about music? Magic has been around for thousands of years and there have been hundreds of thousands of magicians. Occasionally one comes to the forefront and the 'magic' is, essentially, the same. Things appear, vanish, levitate and so on. It is the PRESENTER that is different; it is the PRESENTER that is loved; the magic is secondary.
Re Derren Brown…As I am usually working and haven't time to look at the recordings... I have seen Derren but rarely. When I have met him I like the guy. If you are young then you will not, perhaps, be aware of similar, previous entertainers to compare him with, like the Piddingtons, Al Koran, Chan Canasta, David Berglas and so on. For me the greatest in that section of our art was Maurice Fogel. Derren is working and packing them in. I think that's great.
Accountancy to Magician?
John Doe
I understand back in civilian life you were an accountant. What made you take the plunge and become a full time magician? Was it a gradual change or did you just wake up one morning and say "Hey I want to do something more interesting?"
Paul Daniels
I started to learn about magic when I was 11 and read every book I could get my hands on. When I got the age of 30 my first marriage was not a happy one and I decided that if I didn't do it at that age I would never do it, so I turned pro. For the full story get a copy of 'Under No Illusion'... it's my autobiography and the easiest place to get a copy is from my internet magic shop. Sorry, it's not a plug, it's the real answer!
In a Black Hole
Shaun David
This was personally my favourite out of all your shows. It confirmed something that I'd known for a long time but others doubted. That you are in fact, a great worker. A lot of people take a dim view of yourself (god knows why) and I loved this program because you got out there, earned a crust and proved them all wrong! What did you take away with you from this program? Did it encourage you to get back to your roots and do the smaller shows for the "smaller" people? Did you look at Debby in a new light when you saw how vital she was, or did you know this already?
Thanks for taking time out to visit the site.
Paul Daniels
By doing so many different shows of so many different types I find that different people like/admire/hate all/some/one of them. I have always believed that magicians can always make a living, known or unknown and when this was offered to me I thought it was a good chance to find out for myself. I should have known that the TV producers would distort the programme because now-a-days they don't seem to want to let entertainers get on with their jobs. I used my knowledge and skills but the show was presented as if I was trying to be a STAR in the USA whereas my initial contract was to see if I could make a living!
Example... when I was in Los Angeles they insisted that I do NOT try to get jobs and stuff and then on air the voice over said 'Sadly in Los Angeles, Paul could not get a job'... and so on.
All my working life I have done large and small jobs. The smaller ones are usually private, or for charities and therefore you don't find out about them. Debbie and I have always worked 'together' and for each other, so that was nothing new to me.
|