High above Hollywood Boulevard, behind the walls of a fairy-tale Victorian mansion, beats the heart of magic worldwide. The Magic Castle is the clubhouse of the Academy of Magical Arts: an exclusive, mythical place that magicians all over the world dream of. This is the story of how one family made that dream come true.
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The Larsen family: a magical dynasty
The story begins with William W. Larsen Sr., a magician and a Los Angeles lawyer, and his wife Geraldine, an early television pioneer who performed as children's entertainer 'The Magic Lady'. In 1936 they began publishing Genii, the Conjurors' Magazine — a trade journal still in print to this day.
Larsen gave up his law practice to tour with the family as 'The Larsen Family of Magicians'. His lifelong dream was a clubhouse of his own for magicians. That dream would ultimately be realised by his sons, Bill Jr. and Milt.
The 1909 mansion
The building itself dates back to 1909, when banker Rollin B. Lane had a lavish Victorian mansion built there as a private residence. The ornate three-storey structure then stood among orange groves, long before Hollywood grew up around it.
When the house fell into disrepair mid-century, the brothers Milt and Bill Larsen convinced the owner of the time to transform the property into a private club for magicians — exactly their father's dream.
The Academy of Magical Arts
The Academy of Magical Arts was first announced in 1952 via Genii, with all subscribers automatically becoming members. After the death of William Larsen Sr. in 1953, however, the organisation lay dormant for a while.
In 1961 Milt Larsen — then a television writer — revived the idea. Together with his brother Bill he renovated the mansion, and in 1963 The Magic Castle officially opened its doors as the home of the Academy of Magical Arts.
A clubhouse full of secrets
The Magic Castle is strictly a private club: you only get in as a member or as the guest of a member, and there is a formal dress code. Entry is through a secret doorway that only opens after a magic password.
Inside, several stages await, each with its own atmosphere: from close-up magic at the table to grand illusions in the theatre hall. A beloved detail is Irma, the invisible 'ghost pianist' who plays any song on request. For magicians worldwide, performing at The Magic Castle is considered a true honour.
The Magic Castle shows how magic has brought people together around wonder and craftsmanship for generations. It is precisely that love for the craft that Sudesh Roman brings to every performance in the Netherlands and Belgium.