Mike Gallo

Mike Gallo
Born	April 27, 1956
Died	October 10, 2024 (age 68)

Michael Gallo (04/27/1956 – 10/06/2024) lived a life that was full of magic. Born to Lou Gallo and Pauline in Buffalo, NY, Mike was one of six children. Lou was a well-known magician, and magic always filled their home. Sunday dinners were special, with friends like Eddie Fechter, Obie O’Brian, Bill Dunn, Mike Skinner at the family table to share magic and partake in Pauline’s wonderful meals. At a young age Mike honed his own magic skills, performing at the famed Forks Hotel under the guidance of both his dad, and Eddie Fechter. Mike performed all types of magic (his Ball and Vase routine is a classic), but really got into coins when he joined the Navy in 1974 and was stationed in Norfolk, Va. It was there that he met Harvey Rosenthal and Woody Landers. After watching them do some “serious stuff with coins”, he began to concentrate on honing his coin skills. Around 1981, Meir Yedid convinced Tony Spina, owner of Tannens magic shop, to hire Mike as a fellow demonstrator. Mike moved to New York City and began to hang out with Meir and Geoff Latta, who worked close to Tannens. Mike would also meet up with Eric DeCamps and Tim Connover, who lived in Westchester at that time. Eric says that one day Mike sat him down and told him to concentrate on the classics of magic. This single conversation changed Eric’s whole way of thinking about magic. Mike also got to meet all the other New York magicians, including David Roth, who along with Latta inspired him to keep at it and get better. After a few years Mike moved back to Buffalo.

Fast forward to 2003. At the Coinvention (a one-day Las Vegas convention organized by Curtis Kam and Danny Archer), Dr. Michael Rubinstein, David Roth, and Geoff Latta decided to put together their own one-day seminar in New York. Geoff suggested that Mike  be the special guest. Mike was such a hit at the seminar, that they decided to make him a permanent part of the group. Several additional seminars were held, most at Marc DeSouza’s magic theatre in Pennsylvania. The New York Coin Magic Seminar DVD sets  produced from those seminars (consisting of sixteen volumes with over 225 routines, moves, and discussions on all phases of coin magic) are considered to be the video Bobo for the 21st century. Mike has also released his own set of DVDs, and his work has appeared in countless magazines and books. Although known for his coin work, Mike was proficient in all aspects of close-up magic.

What set Mike apart from other performers was his casual and relaxing performing style. His technique was flawless, and the amount of original material he produced was boundless. When he performed, you were immediately put at ease by his friendly demeaner, then BAM, he hit you over the head with mind blowing magic you never saw coming. Mike passed away suddenly after a battle with heart disease and lung cancer, but his legacy and influence in the world of magic remains.

Videos

• VHS Siamese Coins (1996) + Book written by Stephen Hobbs
• DVD Siamese Coins (2003)
• New York Coin Magic Seminar DVD series volumes 1-16 (2004-2012)

References

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