David Copperfield: How He Became The World’s Most Successful Magician

There isn’t a doubt in the world that David Copperfield is one of the most successful illusionists ever to perform. He’s both the most acclaimed and the most financially successful, which is a feat to accomplish in this world. But how did he get to where he is now?

Below, we’ll discuss some of the early influences in David’s life that later lead to his displays being a storytelling experience as much as a magic one and what some of those displays that can only be explained as magic were.

Early Life & David’s Influences

David Copperfield was born in Metuchen, New Jersey, back in 1956, as David Kotkin, and since an early age has had an affiliation for both the stage and the mysteries of magic. His first performances date back to when he was just a kid, performing in his neighborhood as Davino the Boy Magician.

As years went on, and he moved on to bigger stages, he changed his stage name to David Copperfield, inspired by the Charles Dickens novel carrying that exact one.

He says that most of his early influences were not actually tied to magic but to showmanship and storytelling in general. He notes Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Alfred Hitchcock as some of the figures that influenced his style of performing the most.

The Path to Success

The path to David’s success began, of course, in his very early years, but it was actually given direction and a chance when he got the lead role in the musical “The Magic Man” where he both played the role and designed most of the actual illusions that were happening on stage. From there, he went on to create and perform in a magic show of his own creation, which he took on the road.

After that being a success, his career took off, in the sense of being invited to the first of many TV specials, which have later become a regular thing in Copperfields repertoire. Apart from TV specials, he also guest-starred on plenty of TV shows and some movies (usually as himself). Some of the most notable shows he’s been on include, The Simpsons, Scrubs, and Wizards of Waverly Place.

Achievements in the Industry

But, to get into the real meat of what David Copperfield has achieved, we have to talk about his illusions. According to him, there are staples in the magic world, like levitation, vanishing, and going through objects. He tries to find ways to push those staples to the limits and take them into extreme territory.

That’s why we were able to see him walk through The Great Wall of China, levitate over The Grand Canyon, and most famously of all, make The Statue of Liberty disappear and reappear. It sounds absolutely impossible when listed like this, but he has indeed performed all of those things.

Besides the fantastic illusions he can put together, his TV specials have garnered a whole of 38 Emmy nominations, 21 of which they actually got. David himself is also the holder of 11 Guinness World Records, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and most interestingly, a knighthood given to him by the French government.

Personal Life

Today, David Copperfield is the owner of a museum and an island resort, no less. To be more precise, Copperfield owns the International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts, which is reported to have the world’s largest collection of memorabilia, books, and artifacts related to magic.

The museum is actually off-limits to civilians and is said to be located somewhere in Las Vegas and can only be entered through a secret door.

Apart from that, David has founded and appeared in many charitable efforts and events. He has three children and is currently married to Chloe Gosselin, a French fashion model. The Forbes magazine has included him in their lists of most well-earning celebrities multiple times, and it is often said he is the most successful magician in the business.

In Conclusion

To be acclaimed both critically, publically, and financially is a rarity in the world of entertainment, but if anyone has achieved that symbiosis, it would be mister David Copperfield. A proper household name that has appeared on TV quite regularly in the 40 years of his career, and pulled off some genuinely extraordinary illusions, that people are today still trying to understand and unravel.

This was a quick summary of his life and achievements. Still, the real reason for his outstanding success is the charisma he naturally possesses and the ability to weave a breathtaking tale while tricking your mind into believing it to the letter.

Have you ever seen some of his famous tricks and illusions? If not, you should certainly find a way to do it.