Milt Larsen - The Magic Castle

The Magic Castle

The Larsen Brothers' father died in 1953, his dream of a place for magicians to gather and swap trade secrets over drinks unrealized. In 1961 Larsen met Tom Glover, the owner of the hillside property which included the Hollywood restaurant The Yamashiro.

Larsen told Glover about his father's idea of a clubhouse for magicians, and Glover agreed to Milt's proposal to transform the Lane mansion on Glover's property, below The Yamashiro, into The Magic Castle, a nightclub for magicians and home of the Academy of Magical Arts.

Larsen leased the property and restored the Victorian period mansion to house the club. His brother Bill, at the time a CBS television staff producer of The Danny Kaye Show and others, helped promote the club among his network show business connections, recruiting members. When The Magic Castle opened its doors in 1963, Bill came on board as President of the Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences, and was soon joined by Irene Larsen, in the promotions department.

He also created the Mayfair Music Hall in Santa Monica, California (a Victorian British music hall featuring live stage shows) (1973–1980), The Variety Arts Theatre - Los Angeles (1977–1990) and Caesars Magical Empire at Caesars Palace Las Vegas (1995–2004).