Milt Larsen obit

Milt Larsen, Magic Castle Co-Founder and TV Game Show Writer, Dies at 92

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Milt Larsen, the magician and TV writer who co-founded Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle night spot, died May 28 in Los Angeles. He was 92.

Larsen had deep roots in the world of magic and in Los Angeles. His father, William Larsen Sr., was a prominent local defense attorney and a performing magician. His mother, Geraldine, made early appearances on TV as “The Magic Lady.” Milt Larsen worked as a writer for TV game shows including “Truth or Consequences” during 18 years of Bob Barker’s tenure as host in the 1950s, ’60s and early ’70s.

Larsen teamed with his older brother, William Larsen Jr., and William’s wife, Irene, in the early 1960s to transform a Gothic renaissance mansion on Franklin Avenue in the heart of Hollywood into a clubhouse designed to cater to working magicians. The trio created the Academy of Magical Arts, but the venue became known as the Magic Castle. The club opened its doors in 1963 and has become a world-renowed destination, despite its ups and downs over the past 60 years. The Larsen family leased the property from owned Thomas Glover until last year, when the site was acquired by videogame magnate Randy Pitchford, founder of Gearbox Entertainment.

Milt Larsen, co-founder of Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle club

“The Magic Castle is like bedrock — the center point of magic,” Pitchford said in a statement at the time. The people who think of the Castle as their home and the place itself seem to have magical properties that have created and inspired some of the world’s greatest entertainers. I’m proud to be trusted to both, give back to the place that made me to become the custodian of the Magic Castle, and to work with its members and the Larsen family to ensure our most incredible club house grows and thrives for decades to come.”

Magic Castle co-founder William Larsen Jr. died in 1993 at age 64. Irene Larsen died in 2016 at age 79.

Milt Larsen and his brother were saluted with the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006.

Larsen got his start as a writer in radio, working on audience participation shows for ABC Radio. In addition to “Truth or Consequences,” Larsen worked with Ralph Edwards Prods. on its signature unscripted series “This Is Your Life.” That gave Larsen exposure to legendary performers such as Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel, Ed Wynn, Mack Sennett, George Burns and Jack Benny. Those relationships spurred his passion as a showbiz historian and collector of memorabilia from the days of vaudeville as well as 78 RPM records produced in the 1920s through the early 1950s.

Larsen stayed active as a performer himself, producing the stage show “It’s Magic” for more than 50 years in the Los Angeles area. Larsen owned and operated the Mayfair Music Hall in Santa Monica, where he produced stage shows for 10 years. He also once owned downtown L.A.’s Variety Arts Theater.

Milt Larsen’s survivors include his wife, Arlene Larsen; nephew Dante Larsen, niece Erika Larsen, and great-nieces Jessica Hopkins and Liberty Larsen.

In 1956 Larsen produced his first all-star magic revue "It's Magic!", with a new edition playing West Coast performing arts centers annually. Still enjoying a continuous run, the revue is co-produced by Terry Hill. Various editions of the show play West Coast performing arts centers from Bellingham, Washington, to San Diego. In addition to the 2016 Spring season of the touring show a stellar celebration of the show's 60th years will be held in October at the theatre it all started, the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles. 

Along with Carol Marie, Milt has penned many books including: Milt Larsen's Magical Mystery Tour of Hollywood's Most Amazing Landmark: The Magic Castle; Hollywood Illusion: The Magic Castle; Hockmann, the Great Exposes Himself! and Other Phony Magicians and Vaudevillians; My Magical Journey – The First 30,000 Days; The 60th Anniversary: It's Magic!.

Larsen served as a creative consultant for the motion picture Bedknobs And Broomsticks (Disney Studios – 1971).

He has appeared as an actor on television's Hart To Hart (1981, "Murder Up Their Sleeve"), and had an uncredited cameo appearance as a spectator in Bedknobs And Broomsticks. He appeared as the back and hands of actor Raul Julia as Gomez Addams, performing his tablecloth yank at the end of Gomez and Morticia's Tango dance in Addams Family Values (Paramount Pictures – 1993). His table-cloth pulling gag has been seen in many TV shows and films.

Larsen hosts a weekend radio show on CRN Digital Talk Radio called Hear Them Again for the First Time, featuring rare antique personality recordings from his vast collection of 78 rpm recordings. (2006–present). www.crntalk.com 7–8 pm (pacific) Saturdays and 4–5 pm Sundays. Another CRN weekend show is "Hit Parade Cavalcade" featuring Larsen and Sherman saluting the songwriters of "TinPan Alley."

He is a well known theater historian and owns many important collections including extensive archives of Ed Wynn, Eddie Cantor, Earl Carroll and others. His collections include books, films, recordings, scripts, orchestrations and sheet music from the early days of the variety theater. He was the founder and President of the Society for the Preservation of Variety Arts, (1975–1990, Los Angeles).

He also wrote the Malibu U television series (1967) and audience participation shows starring Vin Scully and Jim Nabors.

Milt Larsen and collaborator Bobby Lauher wrote the book for the stage musical Victory Canteen starring Patty Andrews of the Andrews Sisters fame. Songs were written by prolific songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. (Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bag. It's a Small World After All) (Two Academy Awards – eight nominations)

Richard M. Sherman and Milt Larsen have been friends and collaborators for more than 60 years. They wrote the score for a proposed speakeasy nightclub revue in 1957 (Whoopee Kid); it was later produced as a staged radio show (Charlie Sent Me) with a new book by Sherman, Larsen and Roger Rittner and starred veteran actor Buddy Ebsen. Broadcast on NPR and released on LP by Glendale Record Company.

Richard Sherman and Larsen created a satirical record album which has since made the transition to CD: Smash Flops, featuring tongue-in-cheek songs like "Bon Voyage, Titanic", "General Custer", and features "Congratulations Tom Dewey", which was used for the theme song in the stage production Give 'Em Hell, Harry!, a one-man stage play about United States President Harry S. Truman starring James Whitmore, later made into an Emmy Award nominated TV Movie (1975). They also wrote the comedy classic LP, now a CD, Banned Barbershop Ballads (which includes tunes like "Watch World War Three on Pay TV"). Released new CD "Sherman & Larsen's Classic CompendeumSmash Flops. (Remaster classic songs plus "The Palin for President Polka" and "The Fracking Song.) Magic Castle Records – Hollywood)

Richard Sherman and Larsen wrote words and music for the comedy musical Pazzazz! (book by Larsen and Sherman). The musical had its world premiere as the first major musical at the multi-million dollar restoration of the Granada Center for the Performing Arts in Santa Barbara, California in June 2008. It was produced by Larsen and his wife Arlene. A capsulized version of the musical was presented at Walt Disney's El Capitan Theater in Hollywood (February 2010). The latest full production was presented at the historic Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara (March 2011).