TOM MULLICA
A TRUE ENTERTAINER
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Most magic fans today will be familiar with the name Tom Mullica . As both a magician and comedian , Mullica made his magic fun and approachable , inspiring awe and laughter from his audiences .
His signature trick , which involved him smoking a massive amount of cigarettes before making them disappear in his mouth , earned him a spot on many television shows . Arguably his most famous appearance was on Late Night with David Letterman , where Letterman and the audience reacted to his signature cigarette trick with a mixture of amusement and horror .
Mullica also ran his own nightclub – the famous “ Tom-foolery Magic Bar Theater ” in
Atlanta , Georgia . During his eleven year run at the club , he performed at over 3,000 soldout shows . Renowned comedian and artist Red Skelton visited the club in 1980 , and the two performers became good friends – a friendship which would hold huge influence over the rest of Mullica ’ s career .
In fact , Mullica is also well known for his tribute to Red Skelton , entitled RED ( A Performance Tribute ), which he wrote and performed himself . RED was a hit across the US and Canada for many years , and occupied most of Mullica ’ s later life .
It ’ s clear to everyone who followed his career that Tom Mullica had a great love for the art of magic , and he found great success because of this passion . But how did Mullica