Frank Garcia (magician)

The son of Spanish immigrants, he decided to become a magician after seeing a performance of David "Fu Manchu" Bamberg.[1]

As "The Gambling Investigator" he demonstrated and exposed cheating methods at trade shows and to law enforcement organizations throughout the United States and on television shows. Frank Garcia wrote and lectured about the subject throughout his life.[2]

Garcia made "close-up" work his domain. His repertory of card manipulations, sponge-ball magic, cups and balls, and sleight-of-hand was highly regarded by his peers.[3]

Frank was a frequent guest on TV talk shows including The Dick Cavett Show, and David Suskind, sometimes performing magic and sometimes revealing the scams of crooked gamblers such as three card monte players on the streets of New York.

In the course of his life, Garcia wrote 22 books, covering topics such as card cheating, gambling, and especially close-up card magic. Some of his magic books are considered collectors items. His most notable books are:

• Encyclopedia of Sponge Ball Magic (1976)
• Million Dollar Card Secrets (1972)
• Super Subtle Card Miracles (1973)
• Exclusive Card Secrets (1980)
• Exclusive Card Miracles (1980)
• The Close Up Card Magic of Frank Garcia, Part I (1982)
• The Close Up Card Magic of Frank Garcia, Part II (1982)
• Marked Cards And Loaded Dice (1962) which was later released as How To Detect Crooked Gambling (1977)
• All In A Nutshell (1974)
• Don't Bet On It! (1978)
• Magic With Cards (1974) (co-authored with George Schindler)
• Amedeo's Continental Magic (co-authored with George Schindler)

Frank Garcia died at age 66 from natural causes at his home in Manhattan on July 15, 1993. He is survived by his wife, Betty Moss, and a son Frank.[3]

• Frank Garcia MagicPedia entry
• Frank Garcia performing the Three Shell game
• Who's who in magic history