Tim Ellis

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Tim Ellis

Born May 8, 1963 (1963-05-08) (age 45)
Melbourne, Australia
Occupation magician, illusionist, publisher, Producer
Religious beliefs Christian
Spouse Sue-Anne Webster
Website
www.magicunlimited.com

Tim Ellis is an internationally known Australian performer, author and lecturer in the world of magic and illusion. Tim is most famous for his FISM award-winning acts The Six Card Rap and Runaround Sue (his 1950's themed variation on the classic cups and balls effect) as well as popularising Healed & Sealed during his 2002 world lecture tour.

Contents

[edit] Biography

He began performing magic at the age of 10 after his grandfather gave him a magic set as a gift[1]. At the age of 14 he was the youngest magician ever admitted to The Magic Circle of Victoria and two years later won four out of their five annual awards. In 1980 he won the title 'Teenage Champion Magician of Australia'[2].

In 1986 he created and produced 'National Magic Week'[3], a ten day festival of the magical arts which was presented annually for the next nine years. During that year Tim was approached by the Australian Skeptics to speak to Zanex Mining Company director Peter Sterling, who was employing Uri Geller to help them locate new mineral sources[4].

He was named by Harper's Bazaar magazine "one of the top ten faces of '88" [5] and he was buried alive on national television. The following year he made national news headlines when he escaped from a wooden crate in Melbourne's Yarra River. He produced and edited 'Australian Magic Monthly'[6], a national publication for magicians which came out monthly for 100 issues. He also wrote regular columns for Genii Magazine and contributed to many other international publications including Magic Magazine, Aladin & Innovator, and Revue de la Prestidigitation.

In an effort to inspire fellow magicians and stimulate their creativity, Tim created 'MagicSports'[7] (profiled in Magic Magazine, December 1992) a form of improvised magic games based on Keith Johnstone's 'Theatre Sports'. MagicSports games are now played internationally. He also won 'Special Prize of the Jury' at the 1991 FISM World Championship in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In 1992 he purchased Australia's oldest magic shop, 'Bernard's'[8], which he owned for five years, and instituted a ‘Junior Magicians Club’ and a ‘Magic School’ for adult performers. In 1994 he won second prize in 'Micro Magic' at the FISM World Magic Championship in Yokohama, Japan. In 1996 Tim headed the committee which produced the largest magic convention ever staged in Australia[9]. At the same time he co-ordinated the Australian side of the television special 'Magical Mystery Tour in Australia' for the Japanese NHK TV Network.

Tim met Sue-Anne Webster at a magic convention in Sydney in 1997, and within a year they were married. He also became the first Australian ever to perform as a guest artist at the FISM World Championship of Magic, performing in the Close Up Gala with artists including David Williamson, Eugene Burger and Paul Gertner. Shortly after Tim & Sue-Anne were profiled in the top selling book 'The Two Of Us' and together they co-edited 12 more issues of 'Australian Magic Monthly'. In 2001 they were voted 'Most Valuable Performers' by their peers at the invitation-only close up magic convention 'Fechter's Finger Flicking Frolic' in Batavia, New York. The only Australians, and the only duo, to ever receive such an honour.

Tim became the first Australian ever to sit on the Jury at the FISM World Championship of Magic in 2003 at Den Haag, and a year later Tim & Sue-Anne produced three top-selling magic teaching DVDs[10] [11] [12], and together with a team of Melbourne magicians they a new Guinness World Record for the world's longest magic show by performing non-stop for 75 hours at Luna Park, Melbourne, Australia[13]. [14]. The previous record was 24 hours [15].

Ellis & Webster were nominated 'Lecturers of the Year' by the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California in 2006, and a year later were listed individually in the magic history book 'Dictionnaire de la Prestidigition' published in France. They were the only living Australian magicians profiled in the book. Tim & Sue-Anne were interviewed in a 6 page feature[16]. in the September 2007 issue of the American Magic Magazine where he revealed that he had Aspergers Syndrome. Tim is also well known as an advocate of ethics in the magic community and created the popular resource blog ‘Magic Fakers’[17]. to help give magic creators recognition.

After the critical success of his 2007 show Poker in the Face[18] [19], Tim presented two new shows for the 2008 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Illusionarium with Ellis & Webster[20] and Something About Needles & Razorblades, which garnered a lot of free publicity from a false story originating with the Melbourne Herald-Sun newspaper [21].

He continues to work extensively in the Australian corporate entertainment field with Sue-Anne Webster.

[edit] Awards & Honours

  • Nominated Lecturers of the Year (with Sue-Anne Webster) - The Magic Castle, Hollywood (2005)
  • Guinness World Record (with team of Melbourne magicians) - World's Longest Magic Show, 75 hours (2004)
  • Most Valuable Participants (with Sue-Anne Webster) - Fechter's Finger Flicking Frolic, New York (2001)
  • Silver Medal, Close Up Magic - FISM World Magic Championships - Yokohama, Japan (1994)
  • Special Jury Prize - FISM World Magic Championships - Lausanne, Switzerland (1991)
  • Champion Stage Magic of Australia - National Australian Magic Convention (1990)
  • Best Trick - National Australian Magic Convention (1986 & 1990)
  • Champion Close Up Magician of Australia - National Australian Magic Convention (1986)
  • Best Close Up Magician - Ballarat, Newcastle, and Adelaide Magic Conventions
  • Best Card Magician - Ballarat, Newcastle, and Adelaide Magic Conventions
  • Teenage Champion Magician of Australia - National Australian Magic Convention (1980)
  • Harmony Trophy - Magic Circle of Victoria (1979)
  • Ron Kreyt's Shield for Close Up Magic - Magic Circle of Victoria (1979)
  • Improver's Trophy - Magic Circle of Victoria (1979)
  • Librarian's Trophy - Magic Circle of Victoria (1979)


[edit] Published Works

  • Australian Magic Monthly - Monthly National Magazine, Editor and publisher (1989-1998)
  • The Magic Circular - Monthly publication of 'The Magic Circle of Victoria', Editor (from 1992)
  • The Secret Diary of Tim Ellis - Lecture Notes (1992)
  • AMM 2000 - Monthly National Magazine, Co Editor with Sue-Anne Webster (2000)
  • Ellis in Wonderland - Lecture Notes (2000)
  • 24 Years of Living Next Door to Ellis (2001)
  • Runaround Sue - Lecture Notes (2001)
  • The Tim Card Poker Deal (2005) [22]

[edit] Videos & DVDs

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1] Magic Magazine article, published September 2007
  2. ^ [2] 'www.MagicUnlimited.com' Tim Ellis History
  3. ^ [3] 'www.MagicUnlimited.com' National Magic Week
  4. ^ [4] The Skeptic Zanex pays Geller
  5. ^ [5] 'Heidelberg Leader' Proper Job is Bag Full of Tricks by Julia Kennard
  6. ^ [6] 'www.MagicUnlimited.com' Australian Magic Monthly
  7. ^ [7] 'www.MagicUnlimited.com' MagicSports History & Rules
  8. ^ [8] 'Heidelberg Leader' Proper Job is Bag Full of Tricks by Julia Kennard
  9. ^ [9] 'Australian Magic Conventions Blog' 1996
  10. ^ [10] About.com Ellis in Wonderland DVD review by Wayne Kawamoto, Five Stars
  11. ^ [11] Inside Magic 24 Years of Living Next Door to Ellis DVD review by Tim Quinlan, Five Stars
  12. ^ [12] Runaround Sue DVD review by Online Visions, 10 out of 10
  13. ^ [13] The Age Magicians conjure Record Attempt, April 2004
  14. ^ [14] Inside Magic News Report by Tim Quinlan
  15. ^ [15] 'Hindu on net' Casting a Magic Spell, published May 2007
  16. ^ [16] Magic Magazine article, published September 2007
  17. ^ [17] Magic Magazine article, published September 2007
  18. ^ [18] The Age Poker in the Face, Four Stars, reviewed by Helen Razer
  19. ^ [19] The Age Poker in the Face, Reader Reviews
  20. ^ [20] The Groggy Squirrel Illusionarium with Ellis & Webster, reviewed by Caitlin Crowley
  21. ^ [21] The Herald-Sun Audience silenced when beer bottle trick goes wrong, by Megan McNaught
  22. ^ [22] About.com Tim Card Poker Deal, Reviewed by Wayne Kawamoto

[edit] External Links

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