Alan Robert Wakeling was an American magician and inventor who is known in the magic world for devising classic illusions and routines used by some of the top performers in the business.
10 Facts About Alan Wakeling
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Alan Wakeling took an interest in magic at an early age as the result of seeing travelling magicians who passed through the small town.
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Alan Wakeling's family returned to Los Angeles in 1938 and Wakeling later studied drama at the University of Southern California.
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Alan Wakeling worked as a demonstrator at two magic shops in Los Angeles, the Thayer Magic Company and the Magic House of Charles.
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Alan Wakeling was employed by magic inventor and manufacturer Merv Taylor.
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Alan Wakeling worked as a performing magician until 1966 when he began a behind-the-scenes job with Mark Wilson, who had recently become famous across America for transforming magic into a successful format for network television.
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Alan Wakeling was Wilson's creative director for many years, contributing to Wilson's television shows, including Magic Circus, as well as to live productions in Las Vegas and major venues around the world.
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However, while Alan Wakeling performed and perfected that variant of the effect, the origins of the so-called "Alan Wakeling Sawing" have been attributed to another magician Virgil Harris Mulkey, who first performed it in 1942.
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Alan Wakeling was responsible for Wilson's "Circus Act" routine, which involved the Gorilla crush illusion.
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Alan Wakeling died peacefully on 10 November 2004 in hospital in his hometown of Westlake Village, California and his memorial was held at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.