Father Cyprian

Father Cyprian
Born	John Harvey Murray December 13, 1938 New Rochelle, New York
Died	April 9, 2015 (age 76)
Categories	Books by Father Cyprian

Father Cyprian "Cyp" Murray (b.1938-d.2015), born John Harvey Murray in New Rochelle, New York, was a Catholic priest, a friar and past national president of The Society of American Magicians.

Biography

At age seven, young John Murray's interest in magic was sparked after seeing a Range Busters movie in which the Max Terhune did ventriloquism and magic. While in seminary, he and two other presented a magic show during the Christmas holidays of 1958.

He entered the Capuchin Franciscan Friars Novitiate in Milton, Massachusetts, and took the religious name Cyprian. During graduate school in Washington, D.C., Cyprian joined IBM Ring 50 and served as secretary for one year.

Cyprian began contributing to Karl Fulves' Pallbearers Review and Epilogue. In 1971, he wrote and published The Bottom Collectors, and Frank Garcia published several of Cyprian card effects in Super Subtle Card Magic, including "Fr. Cyprian's Wild Card." He has contributed tricks to Epilogue, Chronicles, Apocalypse, Kabbala, and M-U-M.

In 1978, Frank Garcia produced "Bullseye (New Stars of Magic, Vol. 1, no. 11)," based on a principle Cyprian had discovered and Fulves published Fr. Cyprian on the Hofzinser Card Problem. In 1979, he developed his routine "The Door to Door Card Sharp" and was performing at the National S.A.M. conventions and at Abbott's Get-Togethers.

Cyprian served as S.A.M. chaplain and their National President from 1989-1990.

Cyprian was an expert on magic in the movies.

Honors and awards

• Member of the Inner Magic Circle (MIMC) from Magic Circle (1988)

Books

• The Bottom Collectors (1971)
• Fr. Cyprian on the Hofzinser Card Problem (1978)
• The Elegant Card Magic of Father Cyprian, by Frank Garcia (1980)

References

• MUM February 1981 (cover)
• MUM August 1989 (cover)
• http://www.magicsam.com/news/226966/Broken-Wand-Father-Cyprian-Murray-1938--2015.htm