For his Top Secret special that first aired on February 24, 1999, magician Lance Burton staged a death-defying escape in a stunt where he was tied to the roller coaster's track and had to break out of handcuffs in order to escape. 3 Preceded by Magnum XL-200: World's Tallest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Location | Primm Valley Resorts |
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Park section | Old Western Times |
Type | Steel - Hypercoaster |
Status | Operating |
Opened | May 14, 1994 |
Manufacturer | ArrowDynamics |
Designer | Ron Toomer |
Model | Hypercoaster |
Track layout | Ron Toomer |
Lift/launch system | Chain |
Height | 209 ft (64 m) |
Drop | 225 ft (69 m) |
Length | 5,843 ft (1,781 m) |
Max speed | 80 mph (130 km/h) |
Inversions | 0 |
Duration | 2:43 |
Max vertical angle | 60° |
Capacity | 1700 riders per hour |
Cost | $30,000,000 |
Max Gforce | 4 |
Height restriction | 4 ft 0 in (122 cm) |
Desperado at RCDB Pictures of Desperado at RCDB |
Desperado is a hypercoaster located in Primm, Nevada at the Buffalo Bill'sHotel and Casino a part of the Primm Valley Resorts complex.
According to the roller coaster database, Desperado is one ofthe tallest rollercoasters in the world at the time of being built. It features a60-degree, 225 foot drop; a 209 foot lift hill; and top speedsaround 80 mph. On the 2 minute, 43 second ride, riders willexperience almost 4 Gs.[1] Aportion of the ride runs through the interior of the casino. Thecoaster was listed by the Guinness Bookof Records as the world's tallest roller coaster in 1996.[2]
History
At opening, the coaster was tied for the longest dropping andsteepest roller coaster. However, the top speed of 80 mph wasslightly slower than the Steel Phantom at Kennywood which had a topspeed of 82 mph. There was much discussion when the ride openedthat questioned if it's 209' lift height was higher than The Pepsi Max BigOne at BlackpoolPleasure Beach in England. The Big One opened in May 1994, with atop speed of 75 mph and an advertised height of 235', but manyclaimed that number was above sea level which was 34' lower than The BigOne's base. Later measurements showed The Big One as being 213'high.
For his Top Secret special that first aired on February24, 1999, magician Lance Burton staged a death-defying escapein a stunt where he was tied to the roller coaster's track and hadto break out of handcuffs in order to escape.[3]
Preceded by MagnumXL-200 | World's Tallest Complete Circuit RollerCoaster May 1994 | Succeeded by Pepsi Max Big One |
References
- ^Desperado's page on www.rcdb.com
- ^'Desperado Roller CoasterFact Sheet' (in English). Press release. August 13, 2001
. http://www.primmvalleyresorts.com/pages/pressroom_pressrelease.asp?PressID=8 . Retrieved2007-03-13. - ^'Lance Burton's Escape On TheDesperado To Air Next Wednesday'. http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/february99/news_feb99.shtml. Retrieved2007-04-18.
Externallinks
- Desperado rollercoaster
Coordinates: type:landmark source:dewiki35°36′51″N 115°23′04″W / 35.61417°N115.38444°W
William Lance Burton (born March 10, 1960 in Columbia, Kentucky) is an American stage magician.[1] He performed more than 15,000 shows in Las Vegas for over 5,000,000 people.[2] In 2010 he ended his 31-year Vegas show.[2]
Lance Burton | |
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Lance Burton's headlining sign at the former Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas | |
Born | March 10, 1960 (age 59) Columbia, Kentucky USA |
Occupation | Magician |
Years active | 1979–2010 |
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
Professional history
Burton first became interested in magic at the age of 5, when he was one of the volunteers at a magic show of Magician Harry Collins during a Christmas party at the Frito-Lay plant where his mother worked. The trick was The Miser's Dream, where Collins 'pulled silver dollars out of the sky' and Burton's ears. The young Burton was fascinated, and a neighbor, hearing of his interest, gave him a book, Magic Made Easy, which her own (then-grown) children had used. It contained ten tricks, all of which young Burton quickly learned. His first performances were for neighborhood children, charging them a nickel each.
Collins, a full-time magician, noticed the interest, and became his mentor when Burton was in his teens, teaching him the fundamentals of the trade. In 1977, as a teenager, Burton entered his first magic competition and won first prize. In 1980, shortly after his 20th birthday, he was awarded a 'Gold Medal of Excellence' from the International Brotherhood of Magicians.[3] Soon after, Burton moved to Southern California, where within a week he appeared on The Tonight Show (on October 28, 1981).[4] Through the course of Burton's career he was invited back for a total of ten performances while Johnny Carson was host, and another ten performances during Jay Leno's tenure.[4] Burton has also appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.[5]
He performed an initial eight-week trial at the Folies Bergère show in Las Vegas, and then had his contract extended for a record-breaking nine years. In 1982, he competed at the international Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques (FISM) competition in Lausanne, Switzerland, and won the 'Grand Prix' prize, (the main event of the FISM competition). He was the youngest person to ever win the main event, and the first American to do so.[6]
Television appearances
In 1986, he guest starred in a fourth season episode Knight Rider titled 'Deadly Knightshade' as the mastermind magician behind the murder of a Foundation trustee.
In 1986, he appeared in Nickelodeon's Halloween special Mystery Magical Special.
In 1991, he produced, directed, and wrote his own show, which opened at the Hacienda Hotel and ran for five years.
He had a brief marriage to magician Melinda Saxe in August 1993, but they divorced shortly after.
For his Top Secret special that first aired on February 24, 1999, at Buffalo Bill's Hotel & Casino in Primm, Nevada, Burton staged an illusion in which he appeared to escape the path of a speeding roller coaster while on the tracks of 'The Desperado'. The Desperado is one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the United States – taking one minute to climb, and 3.5 seconds to descend to where he was on the tracks. He appeared to avoid the coaster by a mere tenth of a second, the trick having apparently gone wrong. After the 'narrow escape', he looked at the camera and said 'I was stupid...I was really stupid.'[7]
In August 1994, Burton signed a 13-year contract (the longest contract given, at that point, to any entertainer in Las Vegas history) with the Monte Carlo Resort in Las Vegas. The 1,274-seat Lance Burton Theater was built to Burton's specifications for his show, cost $27 million, and opened on June 21, 1996. Entertainment Today magazine listed it as the #1 family magic act, and during its 13-year run Burton earned an estimated $110 million.[8]
Burton has had four network television specials, his last one being Lance Burton: On The Road with guest stars Ali Landry and Dylan Ace.
In 2004, Burton celebrated his tenth anniversary at the Monte Carlo by introducing an illusion entitled 'Solid Gold Lad', for which he used $10 million in gold.
In 2006, he appeared on the Labor Day Weekend Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.
On July 1, 2009, Burton signed a six-year contract extension with the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino (where he had performed since 1994), which would continue his contract until 2015. However, the contract was ended five years earlier than planned, and the final show was performed on September 4, 2010.[9]
Burton appeared on an episode of the History channel series American Restoration, televised November 1, 2010, in which the Rick's Restorations crew repaired a lightpole at Burton's residence that had been destroyed in a windstorm.
Awards
- The Academy of Magical Arts has twice awarded him 'Magician of the Year' (1985, 1991), and also given him a Masters Fellowship (2010).'Hall of Fame'. The Academy of Magical Arts.
- 1982 Grand Prix Award at FISM for a performance in which he stood in a street scene in traditional top hat and tails and produced doves, candles and gentleman's walking canes.
- 1997 Blackstone Theatre Award.[10]
- 2016 David Devant Award from The Magic Circle, given 'to those who have made a significant contribution in advancing the art of magic.'[11]
References
- ^Randi, James. Conjuring.(St. Martin's Press, 1992) ISBN 0-312-09771-9 page 284
- ^ abLance Burton: 'I've worked nonstop for 31 years. ... I'm a free man!', Las Vegas Weekly, September 10, 2010.
- ^'Monte Carlo replaces Lance Burton with dance crew'. msnbc.com. 2010-09-07. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ^ ab'Lance Burton Revisits Magic Of Johnny Carson's 'Tonight Show''. Hidden Remote. 2016-10-21. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ^'Lance Burton, Monte Carlo splitting after 14 years'. Twin Cities. 2010-04-05. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
- ^Parallelus. 'FISM - Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques'.
- ^'Las Vegas Shows: Lance Burton Escapes The Desperado Rollercoaster'. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
- ^Nash, Alanna (June 27, 2004). 'This magic man soars'. USA Weekend. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
- ^Leach, Robin (April 4, 2010). 'Lance Burton to end his Strip run five years earlier than planned - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper'. Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^'Hall of Fame'. The Academy of Magical Arts.
- ^'The Magic Circle Awards 2016'. The Magic Circle. September 22, 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
External links
- 'Interview with Lance Burton', January 10, 2004, CNN
- Lance Burton on IMDb
50 Greatest Magic Tricks is a one-off list show that was produced by Objective Productions for Channel 4. The programme counted down the fifty greatest magic tricks, as voted for by members of The Magic Circle. The illusion at number one was Death Saw by David Copperfield. The show was presented by British comedy duo Adam and Joe, who also wrote and narrated the programme. The show was first broadcast on Channel 4 on 6 May 2002.The list was noted for including Ishamuddin Khan, an Indian street magician, with his Indian rope trick. Khan's illusion was ranked at number 20 on the list.
American RestorationAmerican Restoration is an American reality television series airing on the History channel. Produced by Leftfield Pictures, the first six seasons were recorded in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicled the daily activities at Rick's Restorations, an antique restoration shop, with its owner Rick Dale, his staff, and teenage son, as they restore various vintage items to their original condition.For season 7, History rebooted the program with a new concept and cast, with the series now following five American restoration shops.The show is the first spin-off of Pawn Stars, in which Dale has appeared several times as an on-camera expert and restored various items. The series has featured cameo appearances by the cast of Pawn Stars, American Pickers, Counting Cars, magician/illusionist Lance Burton & David Copperfield, NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, and musicians Sammy Hagar, Billy Joel, and Jason Mraz.
Ariann BlackAriann Black (also spelled Arian Black earlier in her career) is a professional magician who is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has headlined her own show in Vegas and appeared on a number of national and international television shows. She is known in the magic world for her efforts to encourage and promote other female performers. She was voted Female Magician of the Year in 2004 and International Female Magician of the Year in 2008 & 2009. most recently Ariann was awarded 'Magician of the Year by the International Conclave of Illusionists.
Black was born in Canada and began doing magic when she was five years old. She turned professional when she was 19 and moved to New York, where she ended up working at the Trump Plaza and Trump's Castle in Atlantic City. That led to various international work and after several years she settled in Las Vegas.In Vegas she has headlined her own magic show Secrets, which first played at the Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino. A new larger version of Secrets opened at the Westin Hotel Casino in 2010. Ariann has also appeared in a number of other shows in major venues, such as Splash at the Riveria Hotel and Casino. In 2008 she was the opening act for The Amazing Jonathan. In addition she does a large amount of corporate work.
On television she has been seen in two episodes of Steve Harvey's Big Time on the WB network. She has also appeared on an Animal Planet special with Lance Burton. She has appeared in BBC shows, and series for French and Italian networks and for the Canadian network CBC.
She made her last TV appearance on Pawn Stars in 2014.
Black studied with the late Doug Henning. She also has a qualification in magic having studied with Dale Salwack at the Chavez School of Magic.
Curtis Adams (magician)Alan Curtis Adams is an American magician who, when 16 years old, appeared on The Young Magicians Showcase produced by magician Lance Burton and Fox Television.
Adams was born in Long Beach, California. In his teens he began his own production company and became one of the youngest magicians to perform in Reno, Nevada casinos. He graduated from high school a year early, at the age of 17, to pursue his career with Creative Director Don Wayne, best known for creating and producing material for David Copperfield's TV specials.
In 2006 Curtis Adams was the headliner in the main showroom of The Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. In 2007 he launched a national tour of his Las Vegas production 'Curtis Adams - Magic That Rocks'.
Adams' shows incorporate hip hop dance, pop music, comedy and motorcycle stunts.
Hacienda (resort)The Hacienda Resort Hotel and Casino was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, that operated from 1956 to 1996. It was one of a chain of four Hacienda properties, with the other three being located in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Indio, California. Each Hacienda featured a distinctive horse and rider sign; the Las Vegas sign is now prominently displayed at the Neon Museum.
Located by itself on the far south end of the Las Vegas Strip, it was the first resort seen by tourists driving up from California. Since it was so far from the other resorts at the time, many people who stayed at the Hacienda would not go elsewhere. The Hacienda was also located close to McCarran International Airport, and at one point they had their own airline, Hacienda Airlines, to fly in gamblers from all over the US. The Hacienda was known for their inexpensive, all-inclusive junkets marketed to American Midwestern retirees.
Harry Collins (magician)Harry Leon Collins (April 27, 1920 – May 3, 1985) was the official corporate magician for the Frito-Lay company from 1970 until his death. He was also a Marine during World War II. Known as both 'Mr. Magic' and 'The Frito-Lay Magician', Collins entertained across the globe while promoting Frito-Lay products.
Jim SteinmeyerJim Steinmeyer (born November 1, 1958) is an American author, inventor, and designer of magical illusions and theatrical special effects. He holds four U.S patents in the field of illusion apparatus, including a modern version of the Pepper's Ghost illusion. Steinmeyer has consulted for many famous magicians, including David Copperfield, Doug Henning, Siegfried and Roy, and Lance Burton.
Steinmeyer is also known for his work on Broadway, and received two Drama Desk nominations for his effects in Merlin and Into the Woods. He has also designed illusions for Disney's stage productions of Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and Mary Poppins.
Steinmeyer has written multiple books on the history of magic, including the Los Angeles Times bestseller Hiding the Elephant.
Joel Ward (magician)Joel Ward (born September 27, 1983) is an American magician, actor, comedian, and TV personality. Ward has been a guest on 'The Tonight Show' and 'The Bonnie Hunt Show'. He also tours regularly with a comedy & magic show.
He lives in Hollywood, CA.
Johnny ThompsonJohn Max Thompson (July 27, 1934 – March 9, 2019) was an American comedian and Las Vegas illusionist who performed under the stage name The Great Tomsoni with his wife, Pamela Hayes. They had a comedic slapstick act with the well-dressed Thompson and his gum-popping assistant, Pam, performing illusions while enduring a series of mishaps. Within the magician community, Tomsoni was considered a virtuoso, widely known as a mentor and teacher of magic, and a creator of tricks, as opposed to simply a performer. He worked behind the scenes with magicians such as Penn and Teller, Lance Burton, Criss Angel and Mat Franco. In 1999, he was awarded one of the highest honors in the magician community, a Masters Fellowship with the Academy of Magical Arts.
Lance Burton TheatreThe Lance Burton Theatre is located in the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. Its 1,274 seats are arranged in three main sections: the main floor, the mezzanine, and the balcony. The theatre was specially built for Lance Burton's magic show and until 2010 hosted Lance Burton: Master Magician.
On October 22, 2001, the theater was the host site for the release of the USPS Harry Houdini stamp.
Magic (American magazine)MAGIC, also known as The Magazine for Magicians, was an independent magazine for magicians that was based in Las Vegas, Nevada. A creation of Stan Allen, it debuted in September 1991, with its first issue featuring Lance Burton on the cover, and over the years it also featured David Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, Penn & Teller, Mike Caveney, and Mac King. Its final issue was #301, November 2016.
Writers for the magazine have included Joshua Jay, Gabe Fajuri, John Lovick, Alan Howard, Max Maven, Peter Duffie, Andi Gladwin, Mark Nelson, Rory Johnston, Timothy Hyde and Shawn McMaster.
In 2005 MAGIC Magazine was deemed the world's largest-selling publication for magicians by Guinness World Records.In 2007 MAGIC Magazine was also listed as one of the Chicago Tribune's 50 favorite magazines in their annual summer list.
Marty PollioMarty Pollio (born February 22, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He appeared twice on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and once in a skit on the show with Jay Leno. He also guest starred on several network sitcoms, including Night Court, Empty Nest and Blossom, in addition to co-starring in a CBS pilot produced by Dan Aykroyd, Mars Base One.
Born Martin Polio, he legally changed his last name to its original ethnic Italian spelling of Pollio. Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Pollio is the son of the former Julia Tino, a homemaker and religious zealot, and Joseph Polio, a bookmaker and local racketeer who ran an after-hours gambling operation. As a teenager, his weekend job was delivering the 'gifts' to cops and judges for his father.After graduating from St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Pollio was in his third year of a four-year apprenticeship as an electrician when he quit on a whim to become an actor. While attending theatre classes at the University of Louisville, he studied movement theatre and mime with Avner Eisenberg (Avner the Eccentric) and later in Los Angeles with Israeli mime, Yaakov Noy. His performing career began in 1977 as a roving entertainer at the theme park, Opryland USA, in Nashville, TN. Once his act became choreographed to music, he started doing what he called, 'bar mime.' He performed his act, along with impressionist Bill Sacra, and magicians Mac King and Lance Burton in a Louisville landmark strip club named the Merry Go Round. Once the proliferation of comedy clubs began in the U.S., he adapted his show accordingly, but is still known more for his physical comedy than his stand-up.
Among other credits, Pollio was a movement instructor for the Tony Award winning company of National Theatre of the Deaf. He performed his one-man show Prisoners of Cheese at the Montreal Fringe Festival, and released a comedy/instructional video, How To Juggle and Other Cheap Tricks, which is widely distributed by View Video.
Michael BouradaMichael Bourada is a professional, headlining illusionist born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
He travels all across Canada with his very own theatrical production. The show contains over 5000 lbs in equipment, has a full showcast/crew and transforms into a full 90 minute production. The show features exotic birds and grand illusions where he makes his assistants appear, disappear, levitate in the air and more; it's all choreographed to contemporary hit music, intelligent lighting and outstanding special effects.
His inspiration comes from fellow magicians such as Lance Burton, David Copperfield and Doug Henning.
Michael GoudeauMichael Carey Goudeau (born May 11, 1959) is a juggler and an ex-circus clown who graduated from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He is a writer and was an executive producer for the Showtime series Penn & Teller: Bullshit!.Goudeau juggled for the Lance Burton Show at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.Goudeau served as co-host of Penn Radio with Penn Jillette which aired weekdays on Free FM until March 2, 2007. He currently serves as co-host of Jillette's weekly podcast, Penn's Sunday School, with Matt Donnelly.
Goudeau is married to Theresa Goudeau and is the father of two adopted children, Joe and Emily. Goudeau divorced and remarried his wife. Their second wedding ceremony was performed in a Vegas drive-thru church. Goudeau says 'I got married in a drive thru. My mother-in-law and my mom were in the backseat of my Suburban. We had classical music on the radio. My wife had a Subway napkin taped to her head as a veil. As crazy as all that was, we turned around to our mothers and they were still crying.'
Goudeau also designs and sells decorative barbecue covers. He has a patent application related to his novelty barbecue covers filed with the US Patent office.
Mystery Magical SpecialMystery Magical Special (also known on screen as Marc Summers' Mystery Magical Tour) is an American television special aired on Nickelodeon. Advertised as a Halloween-themed program, the special was originally produced in 1988, but continued air, often multiple times, every October for several years afterward, ceasing after 1996.
Primarily, the special was designed to show off the talents of stage magicians Lance Burton and Tina Lenert, as well as capitalize on Marc Summers' then-newfound popularity as the host of the game show Double Dare. Actors Shiri Appleby, Jonathan Brandis and Trenton Teigen also appear, with John Astin makes a cameo appearance. Filming took place at The Magic Castle in Los Angeles, CA.
Park MGMPark MGM, formerly Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, is a megaresort hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel, with a height of 360 ft (110 m), has 32 floors, featuring a 102,000-square-foot (9,500 m2) casino floor with 1,400 slot machines, 60 table games, and 15 poker tables. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. The hotel offers 2,992 guest rooms, including 259 luxury suites. The Monte Carlo was converted into Park MGM between late 2016 and 2018, with the upper floors being converted into a boutique hotel, NoMad Las Vegas.The hotel, formerly named to invoke the Place du Casino in Monte Carlo, featured chandelier domes, marble floors, neoclassical arches, ornate fountains, and gas-lit promenades. As of 2010, Monte Carlo had a AAA-Four-Diamond rating.
Stage illusionsStage illusions are large-scale magic tricks. As the name implies, stage illusions are distinct from all other types of magic in that they are performed a considerable distance away from the audience, usually on a stage, in order to maintain the illusion. Examples of stage illusions include sawing a woman in half and Lady-to-Tiger.
Stage illusions usually use large props and may involve the use of assistants or large animals. As this form of magic performance is very common on television, members of the public will report that this is the only form of magic with which they are familiar. In actuality, only a small percentage of professional magicians are stage illusionists. Most choose to specialize in close-up magic and perform in more intimate settings. Grand illusions are usually very costly and, due to their size, are difficult to ship, which would explain the paucity of professional stage illusionists.
The World's Greatest MagicThe World's Greatest Magic was a series of American television specials showcasing magic acts.
The first of five shows was broadcast by NBC in 1994, and continued with annual editions through 1998. These shows were most often first telecast during the Thanksgiving holidays when special programming would occur. These specials reran occasionally on ABC Family (then The Family Channel and Fox Family) from October 1996 to early 2002.
The first episode was hosted by Robert Urich, the second by Alan Thicke, and the final three episodes by John Ritter. All of the specials were narrated by Don LaFontaine. During specials II, III, IV, and V, before each commercial break of every episode, in a segment known as the Mac King School of Magic, Mac King showed viewers a simple magic trick, and would break its steps down after the commercial break so that the audience could perform the same trick for family and friends. The first special featured the same teach-a-trick segments which involved some of the various magicians featured in the special, along with a special guest celebrity.
Below is a list of the closing illusions for each of the five shows, and the magicians who performed them:
World's Greatest Magic I: Franz Harary - Space Shuttle vanish
World's Greatest Magic II: Penn and Teller - Magic bullet catch
World's Greatest Magic III: The Pendragons - Disappearance of 25 Vegas showgirls
World's Greatest Magic IV: Lance Burton - Jaws of Death escape (Lance was handcuffed and shackled inside a canvas mailbag, put in the back of a car, and dropped into a car crusher.)
World's Greatest Magic V: Brett Daniels - Teleportation of actress Kelly Packard across the Grand Canyon
Timeline of magicThis timeline of magic is a history of the performing art from B.C. to the present.
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Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.