Magician

Donald M. Cohen, a retired credit manager and magician who was known as "Magic Don," died May 1 from a heart attack at his Edgewood home. He was 87. The son of a bar owner and a homemaker, Donald Martin Cohen was born in Baltimore and raised in the city's Pimlico neighborhood. He was a graduate of city public schools. After serving in the Army during World War II, Mr. Cohen returned to Baltimore. He worked as a credit and collections manager for Farber's Inc., a North Eutaw Street furniture store, for 20 years until retiring in 1992.

Donald M. Cohen, a retired credit manager and magician who was known as "Magic Don," died May 1 from a heart attack at his Edgewood home. He was 87. The son of a bar owner and a homemaker, Donald Martin Cohen was born in Baltimore and raised in the city's Pimlico neighborhood. He was a graduate of city public schools. After serving in the Army during World War II, Mr. Cohen returned to Baltimore. He worked as a credit and collections manager for Farber's Inc., a North Eutaw Street furniture store, for 20 years until retiring in 1992.

Magician Eric Henning , of Laurel, will perform for VIPs during the ceremony to mark the lighting of the National Christmas Tree Dec. 1 on the Ellipse in Washington. Henning, a full-time professional magician and speaker, has performed at two pre-Inaugural candlelight dinners for President George W. Bush and at two Easter egg rolls for Laura Bush. Last year, he performed for the family of President Barack Obama at the White House Halloween party.

Magician Eric Henning , of Laurel, will perform for VIPs during the ceremony to mark the lighting of the National Christmas Tree Dec. 1 on the Ellipse in Washington. Henning, a full-time professional magician and speaker, has performed at two pre-Inaugural candlelight dinners for President George W. Bush and at two Easter egg rolls for Laura Bush. Last year, he performed for the family of President Barack Obama at the White House Halloween party.

James "The Amazing" Randi has spent most of his 69 years insisting that the only thing psychics are expert at is fooling the gullible and taking advantage of the bereaved.James Van Praagh, Randi insists, has shown him nothing he hasn't seen before."These are all people who have lost someone dear to them, and they're hoping to hear something from him that will comfort them," says Randi, a frequent guest on TV talk shows and news programs. "People need that kind of thing."The Fort Lauderdale-based debunker says the spiritualists' best trick is to ask a lot of questions, preferably broad ones, then turn whatever the answer is to their advantage.

A federal jury ruled yesterday that "The Amazing Randi," a magician, defamed a Finksburg scientist by calling him a child molester but the panel did not award any monetary damages.The jury in U.S. District Court in Baltimore found that Eldon Byrd, 53, the scientist, suffered humiliation, mental anguish, suffering and damage to his reputation because of the false statements. But the panel found that he was not entitled to any monetary damages after hearing testimony that he had sexually molested -- and later married -- his sister-in-law.

My object is to mystify and entertain. I wouldn't deceive you for the world. — Howard Thurston If Central Casting were looking for an archetypical prestidigitator, it could do no better than George Goebel, the veteran Baltimore magician and Houdini expert who also owns A.T. Jones & Sons, the Howard Street costume shop. "In our day, magicians looked like magicians. Today, they wear jeans and other outfits," Goebel said in an interview the other day. "A magician should wear a full dress suit, pique vest, turban and have a beard.

A 47-year-old attorney and magician who runs a children's entertainment company in Baltimore County was arrested Monday and charged with flying to Florida to have sex with a 14-year-old boy, who turned out to be an undercover detective, according to police. Howard Scott Kalin, who lives in the 1700 block of Anne Ave. in Essex, was being held without bail by the Lake County, Fla., Sheriff's Office. Police said he runs "Funhouse Entertainment," in the 2200 block of York Road in Lutherville.

"The Magician's Wife," by Brian Moore. Dutton. 230 pages. $23.95.It was the merest of historical footnotes: In 1856, Napoleon III sent Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin, Europe's most famous magician, to Algeria to help France subdue the Arab population there. But that fact was all the spark Brian Moore needed to ignite this exquisitely crafted novel, a fast-paced story of psychological, romantic and geo-political intrigue.In "The Magician's Wife," the real Robert-Houdin (a name later exploited by Houdini)

In Jim Conner's mind, war is a tricky thing indeed.Tricky as in six cards, 13 steps and some nimble maneuvering of hand and eye.That's the gist of his recently created magic trick "Desert Victory," in which a would-be magician puts U.S. troops (represented on cards by American flags) through several moves in the Saudi desert (blank beige-colored cards), eventually taking the desert by storm and achieving victory.For the 63-year-old magician who lives in Catonsville, the inspiration for the trick came while hearing Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf on the radio.

Stuart L. Buchwald, a former Baltimore professional prestidigitator who performed under the name of "Stuartini the Magnificent," died Oct. 21 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer at his home in Hollywood, Fla. He was 67. Mr. Buchwald was born in Baltimore and raised in Forest Park. After graduating in 1962 from City College, he earned a degree in psychology in 1966 from the University of Baltimore. "Stuart and I have been friends since we were 9 years old. He lived at 4021 Cold Spring Lane, and when my family moved into a home around the corner on Garrison Boulevard, he was the first friend I made, and we've stayed friends for 57 years," said Stuart J. Snyder, a Baltimore lawyer.

Magician Michael Cantor's studio is a cheerful, open space, on the top floor of a clean white building not far from Television Hill in Woodberry. It's not some sorcerer's cave or spooky, spider-webbed warehouse, but a bright, airy workman's office, with sprightly melodies streaming in from a classical music station and an array of nuts and bolts organized and ready, like brushes for an artist. This is where Cantor makes his magic, whether he's practicing routines or creating props and tricks with wood and metal.

Tonight's special entertainment on DWTS was geared toward the tween crowd. Justin Bieber. Live. Ouch. As Randy Jackson would say, it was a bit pitchy. And he topped off the whole mess by wearing a shiny, bedazzled purple jacket. He fared better during his second song -- a Christmas song (wait, wasn't yesterday Halloween?) -- but that could have been because he partnered with Boyz II Men. There's not much more to share about Bieber. But here are a few other things we learned tonight: * Judge Bruno Tonioli gave Rob Kardashian pointers on how to tuck his toosh in while dancing.

When his sons were little, Howard Scott Kalin liked to give elaborate Halloween parties for the children of their riverside neighborhood in Essex, using the woods nearby as a backdrop for spooky scenarios that even the grown-ups found fun. Kalin would drive a tractor, towing the partygoers around. "Everybody loved him, and they all looked forward to it," Irene Sewell, one of Kalin's neighbors on Anne Avenue, said Tuesday. "It was a big thing every Halloween. " Sewell's nostalgic recollection was tinged with shock at the news that Kalin, a 47-year-old lawyer who doubles as a magician and "professional entertainer," had been arrested Monday in Florida and accused of arranging a rendezvous with a person he assumed was a 14-year-old boy for the purpose of having sex with him. Kalin — who uses his middle name, Scott — was being held in Florida at the Lake County Detention Center in lieu of $400,000 bail.

A 47-year-old attorney and magician who runs a children's entertainment company in Baltimore County was arrested Monday and charged with flying to Florida to have sex with a 14-year-old boy, who turned out to be an undercover detective, according to police. Howard Scott Kalin, who lives in the 1700 block of Anne Ave. in Essex, was being held without bail by the Lake County, Fla., Sheriff's Office. Police said he runs "Funhouse Entertainment," in the 2200 block of York Road in Lutherville.

My object is to mystify and entertain. I wouldn't deceive you for the world. — Howard Thurston If Central Casting were looking for an archetypical prestidigitator, it could do no better than George Goebel, the veteran Baltimore magician and Houdini expert who also owns A.T. Jones & Sons, the Howard Street costume shop. "In our day, magicians looked like magicians. Today, they wear jeans and other outfits," Goebel said in an interview the other day. "A magician should wear a full dress suit, pique vest, turban and have a beard.

Michael the Magician is back at 11 a.m, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. today at the Odenton Branch Library and 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Provinces Branch Library.This magician has plenty of new comedy magic tricks up his sleeves, with lots of audience participation. This event is for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade.During the presentation at Odenton, "Kindermusik" will be held simultaneously for preschoolers to grade three. "Kindermusik" is a program of interactive songs and rhythm games to help kids gain an appreciation for music at an early age.The Odenton Branch Library is at 1270 Odenton Road, (410)

MANOZiii the magician died doing what he loved most: making people laugh.The former West Baltimore resident, whose real name was Emanuel Valentine Hackett, collapsed and died of a heart attack in the early hours of New Year's Day after he had completed a performance at the Stairway to Heaven music-cafe in Utrecht, the Netherlands.Mr. Hackett, who had lived in the Netherlands since 1990, was 58.With his trademark Cyrano de Bergerac nose, top hat tilted over one eye, black walking stick, cutaway coat with fresh boutonniere and doves perching on his shoulders, MANOZiii was a familiar figure for more than a decade in Baltimore hospitals and senior citizen and recreation centers.

Buck Showalter may not be a magician, but according to many local baseball fans, he probably should be. The Orioles new manager is the focal point in the team's turnaround. His astute attention to detail and a passion for the game has many Birds fans salivating for more good baseball next season, when Mr. Showalter will truly put his stamp on the team. There is a way we as fans can show our appreciation for what Mr. Showalter has done these past few months for a previously lame ball team.