Chavez Studio of Magic

05/20/2026

All I'm saying is that something great arrived in the mail here at the Chavez Studio of Magic!

05/17/2026

It was a beautiful spring-time morning while I was on the road looking for the final resting place of magician, showman, and illusion inventer, Lester Lake (1904-1977).

Lester “Marvelo” Lake was born in 1904 in the small town of New Trenton, Indiana, where his father owned a local dry goods store. It was in that store that Lake met a man who would change his life. The man remains unnamed in the story told to a reporter, but Lake recalled “Then came . . . an old timer that kindly showed me some tricks and very nicely ruined me forever.” Magic came to be not only a passion for the outgoing and entertaining young Hoosier. It would become his profession.

Lake’s magic career spanned from 1925 to 1960. He performed shows in theaters, parks, and nightclubs from California to Louisiana, as well as abroad in Europe and Cuba. The changes in his career reflected closely the changes in the entertainment industry. Early in his career, during the tail end of the “Golden Age of Amusement Parks,” Lake was contracted to perform multiple daily shows at Forest Park in Dayton, Ohio. As the Great Depression set in, Lake began travelling more frequently for work, going wherever he could get a gig – mostly in small theatres and nightclubs. However, Lake’s importance comes not from his performances but from his many inventions.

Lake is credited with either inventing or improving upon 300 tricks and illusions during his career. First independently, and later in conjunction with Abbott’s Magic Co. of Colon, Michigan, Lake invented and sold versions of popular illusions such as the Indian rope trick, 3-card monte, and a sword-box. Some of his most notable developments were his spectacular outdoor performance pieces – Boiled Alive and Burned Alive, as well as the Lester Lake Guillotine.

Lester Lake’s contributions to the world of magic are enduring. In the years after his 1977 death, magicians continued to perform and improve illusions pioneered by “Marvelo.”

04/22/2026

A magical surprise!

A heartfelt thank you to Cheryl Weiner Lekousi for her gracious generosity in sharing this wonderful work on her father, Mr. Fingers himself, the inspirational, the magical, Irv Weiner!

This is a special addition to the library at the Chavez Studio of Magic! Irv was one of the early graduates from the Chavez Studio. He incorporated his training along with personal challenges and triumphs to share the his approach to magical wonder with a meaningful message!

His daughter, Cheryl, continues the Weiner legacy of sharing the inspirational message of hope with those she shares the magical wonder!

I am looking forward to reading this almost 350 page work filled with history, illusions, and the magical fun of Irv Weiner!

04/22/2026

A magical surprise!

A heartfelt thank you to Cheryl Weiner Lekousi for her gracious generosity in sharing this wonderful work on her father, Mr. Fingers himself, the inspirational, the magical, Irv Weiner!

This is a special addition to the library at the Chavez Studio of Magic! Irv was one of the early graduates from the Chavez Studio. He incorporated his training along with personal challenges and triumphs to share the his approach to magical wonder with a meaningful message!

His daughter, Cheryl, continues the Weiner legacy of sharing the inspirational message of hope with those she shares the magical wonder!

I am looking forward to reading this almost 350 page work filled with history, illusions, and the magical fun of Irv Weiner!

04/21/2026

Remembering the magic, multiple talents, and legacy of excellence that is Norm Nielsen.

04/18/2026

Absolutly STUNNING!

I never thought in my life I would use such a description word as stunning to describe a licence plate - and here we are!

I came across this beauty while performing in North Carolina - this little gem is an awesome addition to the growing display of Magic themed license plates at the Chavez Studio of Magic!

04/07/2026

MAGIC in the mail!

This is the second license plate (out of 200+) with the dedicated word MAGIC on display at the Chavez Studio of Magic!

AND

This is the only representation of a Persons with Disabilities license plate in the collection.

03/30/2026

03/24/2026

Remembering Harry Houdini who was born this day on March 24, 1874.