Ron Urban

Ron Urban
Cover of Genii (1957)
Born	Ron Urban ca 1935 Chicago, Illinois

Ron Urban (b.1935) performed for over 50 years, for presidents, a queen, entertainers, and celebritiesall over the world.

Biography

Urban honed his skills under magicians George Coon and Charlie Worpell at the Abbott Magic Company in Chicago.

While still in his teens, Urban hired an agent and began performing in nightclubs. He did his first professional solo show in 1957 at the Green's Crystal Terrace in Duluth, Minnesota.

The fist act of acclaim was called "Pastels" which employed 15 brightly color doves. Highlights included his producing a dove from inside a balloon and a continuous conjuring of colorful doves from his bare hands.

Urban toured all over the Midwest until he was inducted into the Army in 1958, in which he toured with an Army road show.

Urban's shows continued after he was discharged from the Army in 1960 and soon took his magic to Europe and became a supporting act for singer and songwriter Paul Anka.

After practicing for months on ice skates, he would later present "Pastels on Ice."

In the late 1970s, Urban performed for 10 days at The Calgary Stampede.

In December of 1980, he was invited to the White House to perform at President Carter's Christmas Party and again when President Bush was president-elect.

Urban has also produced ice shows throughout the United States and Europe.

At the 2011 Magic Collectors Weekend, Urban interviewed Jack Kodell who pioneered a multiplying colorful parakeet act, performed on ice skates.

References

• The New TOPS, Vol. 1, No. 10, October 1961, COVER PORTRAIT - Ron Urban, by Gene Tuttle, page 22
• The New Tops, Vol. 6, No 6, June 1966, Cover Portrait ... Ron & MONICA Urban, page 4
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 53, No. 5, May 1973, Our Cover, Ron Urban, by Frances Marshall, page 38
• Cover Genii 1960 August