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Tommy Wonder
From MagicPedia
Tamed Cards
Tommy Wonder (November 29, 1953 - June 26, 2006) was the stage name of Jacobus Maria Bemelman (a.k.a. Jos Bema), a Dutch magician who performed both close-up and stage magic. Wonder performed in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo and on Fox television.
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Biography
Tommy Wonder developed an interest in conjuring at an early age. He studied acting, dancing and singing for three years at the Academie voor Podiumvorming (Performance Academy) in The Hague and subsequently toured for two years with De Haagsche Comedie.
Because Wonder designed and developed all of his own repertoire, he was held in high esteem amongst his colleagues in magic. Wonder's 1996 two-volume The Books of Wonder are highly acclaimed.
Tommy Wonder died after a brief battle with lung cancer.
Awards and honors
- He took second prize at the World Championships of Magic in 1979.
- He took second prize at the World Championships of Magic again in 1988.
- In 1998 he also received the Performer Fellowship Award from the Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood.
- In 1999, he was awarded Best Sleight of Hand Performer from the World Magic Awards.
- On 5 August 2006 Tommy Wonder posthumously received the Theory & Philosophy Award at the FISM World Championships of Magic in Stockholm.
Books
- Original Magic from Holland (1977)
- Wonder Material (1982)
- Tommy Wonder Entertains (1983), written by Gene Matsuura.
- The Books of Wonder Vol. 1 (1996) with Stephen Minch
- The Books of Wonder Vol. 2 (1996) with Stephen Minch
- Misdirection Does Not Exist (2002)
- Building an Act (2005)
Videos
- Tommy Wonder at British Close-Up Magic Symposium (1991)
- Tommy Wonder's Visions of Wonder Vol 1 (DVD)
- Tommy Wonder's Visions of Wonder Vol 2 (DVD)
- Tommy Wonder's Visions of Wonder Vol 3 (DVD)
References
on Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia.
- Tommy Wonder's homepage (Now managed by the Tommy Wonder estate)
- The Wonder Years by Max Maven, originally published in the May 1994 issue of MAGIC.
