Bruce Cervon

Bruce Cervon
Cover of Genii (1972)
Born	Andrew Bruce Cernava June 20, 1941 Akron, Ohio
Died	May 24, 2007 (age 65) Ventura, California
Categories	Books by Bruce Cervon

Bruce Cervon (b.1941-d.2007) was raised in Akron Ohio. In 1965 he made magic his profession and continued to earn a living for nearly four decades.

Biography

Pronounced "SIR-von", he migrated west to study with Dai Vernon when theMagic Castle opened in Hollywood in 1963. Cervon became an in-demand entertainer for top corporations and high profile celebrity parties. He performed frequently for such notables as Cary Grant, Orson Welles, Jack Benny, Bette Davis, Rosalind Russell, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart and Elvis Presley. He became known as the "Beverly Hills Magician." He was Johnny Carson's personal selection for the annual "Tonight Show" party. Bruce also appeared on every major talk show on television during the 1960s and 70s, and consulted or performed in many commercials.

He was a member of The Academy of Magical Arts (The Magic Castle) and served on it's Board of Directors. He was nominated seven times for "Best Close-Up Performer" and won it twice. He also won "Best Lecturer" and in 2000 was honored with the "Performing Fellowship".

He was a court appointed expert witness on gambling of the California Superior Court and served as an expert consultant in the famous Los Angeles "Chinatown Bribery Case."

Cervon was well known for his careful recording of everything he learned with Dai Vernon at the Magic Castle. His notes grew to fill fourteen binders. These volumes became known as the legendary "Castle Notebooks." Later with Dai Vernon's permission the "Castle Notebooks" aided in the creation of "The Vernon Chronicles." A wealth of magical lore can be found in these books.

Here's Bruce showing his "Cervon Monte" to Ron Bauer.

Books

• Card Secrets of Bruce Cervon (1976)
• The Cervon File (1988)
• Bruce Cervon's The Black & White Trick (1989) with Mike Maxwell
• Ultra Cervon (1990)
• The Vernon Chronicles, Vol. 4: He Fooled Houdini - Dai Vernon A Magical Life (1992) with Keith Burns
• Bruce Cervon Hard-Boiled Mysteries by Stephen Minch (1998)

References

• Cover, Genii Magazine, Vol. 36, No. 5, May 1972, Our Cover, Bruce Cervon, by Eric Lewis, page 219
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 67, 12, December 1987, Memoirs Of A Magician's Ghost, by John Booth, CHAPTER 216 – Another Noted Disciple of Dai Vernon, page 51
• Cover, Genii Magazine, Vol. 53, No. 11, May 1990
• Cover, Genii Magazine, Vol. 67, No. 10, October 2004, Bruce Cervon, A Live in Magic, Intervew by David Regal, page 44
• Obit Genii 2007 July
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 87, No. 7, July 2007, Down the Road, Bruce Cervon: The King of Cool, by Nick Lewin, page 65; Broken Wand, Bruce Cervon, page 119
• M-U-M, Vol. 97, No. 3, August 2007, Three Young Lions: Mike Skinner, Larry Jennings, and Bruce Cervon, by Michael A. Perovich, page 60
• http://www.brucecervon.com/