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David Copperfield (born September 16, 1956 as David Seth Kotkin) is a renowned American magician and illusionist best known for his combination of spectacular illusions and storytelling. His most famous feats include making the Statue of Liberty disappear, flying, levitating over the Grand Canyon, and walking through the Great Wall of China.
Biography
Copperfield was born in Metuchen, New Jersey, to Jewish immigrants from Russia. He began performing magic professionally at the age of 12, and became the youngest person ever admitted to the Society of American Magicians. By age 16, he was teaching a course in magic at New York University. At age 18, he enrolled at Fordham University, but was cast in the lead role of the Chicago-based musical The Magic Man three weeks into his freshman year. At age 19, he was headlining at the Pagoda Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii.
His name is taken from the 1850 Charles Dickens novel.
In 1982, Copperfield founded Project Magic, a rehabilitation program to help disabled patients regain lost or damaged dexterity skills. The program has been accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association, and is in use in over 1,000 hospitals worldwide.
Copperfield has also attempted to preserve the history of the art of magic for present and future generations by providing a safe, permanent home for antiquarian props, books, and other historical ephemera related to conjuring. His vast collection, known as the International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts, is housed in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Forbes Magazine reported that Copperfield earned Dollar|$" target="_blank" >*57 million in 2003, making him the tenth highest paid celebrity in the world. It also estimated that he made $57 million in 2004 (35th) and $57 million in 2005 (41st) in merchandise and tour revenue.Forbes.com 2005 listing and 2004 Copperfield performs over 500 shows per year throughout the world. *
Copperfield was engaged to the supermodel Claudia Schiffer, but the couple parted ways in 1999 after a six year relationship. There was speculation that Schiffer was not actually Copperfield's girlfriend, but was instead a contractor working for him. The popular German tabloid Bild published a fax from Copperfield's management to Schiffer, informing her of Copperfield's itinerary, where she should appear with Copperfield, and her fees. Copperfield labeled the fax a forgery. Richard Jeffries, the father of Schiffer's next boyfriend, art dealer Tim Jeffries, stirred up the controversy further when he publicly stated that Copperfield never had sexual relations with Schiffer.'Nothing Personal' by Amy Reiter Copperfield's retort was that since Jeffries was never in their bedroom, he couldn't know. Schiffer also denied the accusations by Jeffries. Copperfield Uses Web To Rebut Rumors
In April 2006, Copperfield and two of his female assistants were robbed at gunpoint after a performance in West Palm Beach, Florida. His assistants gave the robbers their money, passports, and a cell phone. However, according to his police statement, Copperfield did not hand over anything. (He later claimed to have used sleight-of-hand to hide his possessions.Copperfield's sleight of hand keeps wallet from robbers) One of Copperfield's assistants wrote down most of the license plate number, and the suspects were later arrested. David Copperfield Robbed At Gunpoint.
Television specials
The Magic of ABC Starring David Copperfield (1977)
The Magic of David Copperfield (1978)
The Magic of David Copperfield II (1979)
The Magic of David Copperfield III: Levitating Ferrari (1980)
The Magic of David Copperfield IV: The Vanishing Airplane (1981)
The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue Of Liberty (1983)
The Magic of David Copperfield VI: Floating Over the Grand Canyon (1984)
The Magic of David Copperfield VII (1985)
The Magic of David Copperfield VIII: Walking Through the Great Wall of China (1986)
The Magic of David Copperfield IX: Escape From Alcatraz (1987)
The Magic of David Copperfield X: The Bermuda Triangle (1988)
The Magic of David Copperfield XI: Explosive Encounter (1989)
The Magic of David Copperfield XII: The Niagra Falls Challenge (1990)
The Magic of David Copperfield XIII: Mystery On The Orient Express (1991)
The Magic of David Copperfield XIV: Flying - Live The Dream (1992)
David Copperfield: 15 Years of Magic (1994)
The Magic of David Copperfield XV: Fires Of Passion (1993)
The Magic of David Copperfield XVI: Unexplained Forces (1995)
The Magic of David Copperfield XVII: Tornado Of Fire (2001)
See also
References
External links
1956 births | Living people | American magicians | Jewish American actors | People from New Jersey | Scrubs actors | Television personalities
David Copperfield (Magier) | David Copperfield | David Copperfield | David Copperfield (illusionniste) | 데이비드 코퍼필드 (마술사) | David Copperfield (illusionist) | デビッド・カッパーフィールド | David Copperfield (iluzjonista) | David Copperfield (ilusionista) | Копперфильд, Дэвид Сет | David Copperfield | David Copperfield (illusionist)
"David Copperfield (illusionist)"