36 Facts About David Ben

David Gordon Ben is a Canadian stage magician, sleight of hand artist, illusionist, author, publisher, keynote speaker, magic historian, magic consultant, magic collector and former tax lawyer.

David Ben has been a professional magician, performer, entertainer and keynote speaker since 1990.

David Ben is the sole protege of a fellow Canadian, twentieth century sleight-of-hand artist, Ross Bertram, and biographer of celebrated magician, Dai Vernon.

David Ben was born March 5,1961, and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

David Ben became a frequent visitor to the Arcade Magic and Novelty Company in Toronto, and then Morrissey Magic Ltd.

In 1978, David Ben acquired the book The Magic and Methods of Ross Bertram and in 1979, through Morrissey, Msgr.

David Ben studied magic with Bertram for six years and became Bertram's sole protege.

David Ben graduated with a BA from University College of the University of Toronto, an LLB from the University of Western Ontario and an LLM from the London School of Economics.

However, in 1990, after producing a series of conventions, lectures and magic shows, David Ben abandoned the conventional lawyer's life to pursue the art of magic.

In 2019, David Ben was a featured alumni by the University of Toronto in a video that highlights a summary of his work and contributions to magic.

When Howlett died on July 14,2013, from complications due to brain cancer, David Ben assumed the role of director for the Howlett Academy.

In 2004, David Ben developed My Magic Hands, an outreach program designed to teach creativity and develop self-confidence and self-esteem in disadvantaged youth through the medium of magic.

In 2005, inspired by his friend the late Tom Kneebone and the Smile Theatre Company, David Ben created Senior Sorcery, a program designed to bring magic shows to immobile seniors, the goal being to create intergenerational opportunities for the old to invite the young to share the experience of magic.

In 2009, David Ben acquired the collection of late Canadian magic icon, Sid Lorraine, adding it to his already considerable magic holdings.

The Conjuror's Suite received critical acclaim, and David Ben was invited to restage the work by Curtis Barlow at the Charlottetown Festival in Prince Edward Island for the summer of 2000.

In 2011, David Ben mounted a new show, Natural Magick which was produced by Magicana in collaboration with the Luminato Festival.

David Ben presented new sleight-of-hand pieces from his repertoire and received critical acclaim for his work.

In 2014, David Ben wrote, performed and directed, Card Table Artifice which was produced by Magicana in collaboration with the Luminato Festival.

The 2014 presentation was a performance art piece with three areas of the stage occupied with David Ben performing live, sleight-of-hand gambling technique, Bryars leading a string quartet and a narrator, Canadian actor, RH Thompson, reading passages which described the technique displayed by David Ben on a large video screen behind the performers.

In 2016, David Ben wrote, performed and directed, Hocus Pocus which was produced by Magicana in collaboration with Soulpepper Theatre.

David Ben produced a number of magic conventions, lectures and magic shows including NYCAN '83, a gathering of 300 magicians.

In 2003, David Ben started producing through Magicana, and in association with Allan Slaight, a conference called 31 Faces North in which he and Slaight invited thirty-one of the world's foremost experts and practitioners of magic and promising young magicians to participate in a four-day think-tank of magic.

In 2009 David Ben became Director of the Magic Collectors Association, publisher and editor of its journal, Magicol and the convention chair for the annual gathering, the Magic Collectors Weekend.

David Ben served as producer and Convention Chair of that event through 2017.

In 2010, David Ben was invited to program and produce the Masters of Magic series for Luminato, a festival of creativity and the arts held in Toronto.

In 2011 David Ben was again called upon by Luminato to curate magic for the Festival.

David Ben produced three shows: Toast of the Town, Natural Magick and Vodvil.

In 2012 David Ben produced, in association with Magicana, three new programs for Luminato.

For 2014, David Ben again produced, two programs for Luminato themed as Transgressive Magic.

The second was Card Table Artifice written by David Ben and composed by Gavin Bryars and presented as a performance art piece with the simultaneous presentation of Ben performing card table artistry, Bryars leading a string quartet and narration by Canadian actor, RH Thomson.

David Ben served as the Magic Consultant in a number of areas including:.

In 1990, in addition to performing magic at corporate functions, David Ben started speaking about creativity, innovation and problem-solving using the metaphor of magic to a wide range of businesses and associations in Canada and the United States.

David Ben has been a keynote speaker for the magic community providing lectures for private groups and conventions since 1985.

David Ben has been sought out to speak as an expert on sleight-of-hand magic and as a historian of magic, including unique lecture topics for The Ibidem Event ; the Society of American Magicians 100th Anniversary Convention in New York City ; the combined Society of American Magicians and International Brotherhood of Magicians conference in Louisville ; and multiple appearances in Hakone, Japan.

David Ben has received numerous awards and recognition for his achievements in magic including:.

David Ben was the publisher and editor of Magicol from 2010 to 2022, a journal on magic history and collectibles that has been published since 1950.