Difference between revisions of "Gene Maze"

Revision as of 19:37, 16 May 2011

Gene Alfred Maze (October 24, 1928 - March 13, 2006) was a highly skilled and creative magician who specialized in card magic.

His first career was as a boxer. He fought under many different names but the one that he was best known for was "Dancing Bill Daily." He left the boxing industry to enlisted in the army during the Korean War. He was a decorated member of the 511th airborne signal company. After the war he became a railway inspector. His final profession was that of a carpenter and he built libraries and magic rooms for many of his friends.

His interest in magic was sparked when New York magician Max Williams showed him a few tricks. Although many of the routines Gene created had a gambling theme, he never gambled. Gene was also not a performing magician. He received his pleasure from practicing and creating magic. His brand of card magic was considered difficult by many.

He influenced many of the New York City magicians who attended the weekly meetings at the "cafeteria" during the 1960s through the 1990s, before moving out to California in the late 1990s.

He first came to the attention to other card magicians in the 1970s when Karl Fulves published his "Packet Switches" series (Volume 4 and 5). Later Richard Kaufman wrote and published "The Gene Maze Card Book" (1980) and published "Gene Maze And The Art Of Bottom Dealing" by Stephen Hobbs.

In 1992 Meir Yedid released a two volume video set "The Magic Of Gene Maze" that featured Gene performing and explaining many of his trademark routines and techniques.

He died of prostate cancer when it was not caught time.

Books

• The Gene Maze Card Book by Richard Kaufman (1980)
• Gene Maze And The Art of Bottom Dealing by Stephen Hobbs (1994).

References

• Meir Yedid Tribute
• Obit Genii 2006 May