Page 36 - Allisons Magazine Issue #95

because he was like another father to How many decks of cards do
me, much like my other mentors. you own?
The term card mechanic goes back to before the invention of the There are probably 15,000 just in
automobile. A mechanic is someone who fixes something. A card What happened next? this house. Altogether, I’m down to
mechanic “fixes,” or controls the outcome of, a card game, which is a My first big gig as a card mechanic 100,000-something decks total. I’ve
thousand times more difficult to develop the techniques for than being a was on a riverboat and restaurant in been a consultant for a playing card
company for years, so they give me all
card magician. San Diego; I even dressed the part as a
nineteenth-century riverboat gambler the cards I want. I used to shuffle for
for my performances. My longest ten to twenty hours a day, but I’m only
run was 2,190 days in a row—that’s doing three to ten hours a day now; I
who fooled Houdini and was the top performing seven nights a week for six do a lot of motivational speaking and
card man in the world, at the Magic years straight. I also kept meeting with performing these days.
Castle, one of the most exclusive clubs Vernon and went on TV shows like
in the world for magicians. I started That’s Incredible! and Ripley’s Believe It or Have you been shuffling during this
showing him some of my work, but he Not, which made me more well-known. entire interview?
said that my actions were unnatural. For the past forty years, I’ve performed Yes, the whole time. I’m just lying here
He still took a liking to me, though, at various places across the globe for five practicing my shuffling.
and I became his protégé for the next to seven days a week.
seventeen years. You mentioned your motivational
How is a card mechanic different speaking. Are you a people person?
Because of my discipline and fanaticism, from a card magician? I love people. Everywhere I go, I make
and because I couldn’t see, I had a much The term card mechanic goes back to new friends, and I maintain those
finer touch with cards and did moves before the invention of the automobile. friendships. Being a motivational could ever dream of—and I’d give it all
from a much different premise. So A mechanic is someone who fixes speaker and talking about overcoming up, including my skills with cards, for
Vernon would describe ways he wished something. A card mechanic “fixes,” obstacles was something that I had her. My son, Asa Spades, has been my
moves could be done, but he couldn’t or controls the outcome of, a card game, to be dragged into, though. I’d done constant sidekick since he was young.
do them, nor could anyone else. I’d which is a thousand times more difficult thousands of shows, but I was afraid
spend thousands of hours—on average, to develop the techniques for than being of getting up and speaking in front of I’m in my sixties now. When I was
practicing fourteen hours a day, seven a card magician. That’s why there’s only people. Fortunately, my beautiful wife, thirty-eight, I decided I’d already had
days a week—trying to develop methods a half dozen world-class card mechanics Kim, who was a first-place debater in more than my fair share of blessings.
Who else helped to turn your at the actor. So he taught me to look for doing these different moves. worldwide, whereas there are thousands college, helped ease me into speaking. Everything since then has been the
life around? directly at people based on where their of good card magicians. Now it’s a blast. I especially love the cherry on top for me. I’ve been seen
I started karate training in 1971 at voices were coming from. To this day, Around 1980, I found a combination reactions I get from kids. on TV by over a billion people in 214
age sixteen. One of my first mentors I picture someone in front of me so it that would be the ultimate way of You’ve done karate for decades. countries. I’ve entertained legendary
was John Murphy, who had one of the looks like I’m looking at that person. controlling cards. But Vernon said Are you more cautious with your I talk about winning with the hand celebrities, and Muhammad Ali was a
toughest martial arts schools in the Terrell also noticed that I was always it was impossible: my brain couldn’t hands now? you were DEALT—dreams, excellence, personal friend. I could go on and on.
country. He not only helped me master shuffling cards in rehearsals. He told me, work that fast, my hands couldn’t be People have harassed me about that for analysis, loyalty, tenacity—and My life has just gotten better and better.
karate but also helped me to bulk up. “If you become the best card man in the that sensitive, and I’d break rhythm. forty-five years! [laughs] They always ask about taking possible out of the word For more info, visit richardturner52.com
world, you’ll earn the respect of others However, I realized that because of my why I’m fighting when my hands are my impossible. People are touched by it. For more on Richard’s documentary, Dealt,
I later met Steve Terrell, who was a and it will open doors for you.” I always enhanced sense of touch, I could do living. Well, I’m a six-degree black belt. visit dealtmovie.com
movie star back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and remembered that. it—and, since then, everyone who came I double-wrap my hands like a boxer Do you feel like you’re living
gave up my college scholarship to act in to the Magic Castle wanted to see how when I fight. Everything else gets beaten the dream?
his touring theater company. One day When did you catch your big break? I could always deal the winning hand. I up, but my hands are OK. I hate to even I cannot express how fortunate I am.
during rehearsal, I was looking off to I was living and working with another developed other new moves, and Vernon admit this, but I have had twenty-two Kim, who I’ve been married to for
the side because I couldn’t see straight of my mentors, Bob Yerkes, the top started telling everyone that I did things surgeries because of my high-impact almost thirty years, is my treasure of all
on. He told me that it looked odd to stuntman in Hollywood history. I was with cards that nobody else in the world living. I feel like the Six Million treasures. She’s gone all over the world
the audience and that I had to look invited to meet Dai Vernon, the man could do. That just tickled me to pieces Dollar Man! with me, and we have everything we

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