Lance Burton

William Lance Burton was born on March 10, 1960, in Louisville, Kentucky. His interest in magic began at age five after witnessing a performance by magician Harry Collins. A neighbor provided him with a book, “Magic Made Easy,” which contained ten tricks that Burton quickly learned, leading to early neighborhood performances for a small fee. Collins later became Burton’s mentor during his teenage years, teaching him foundational magic techniques. Another significant influence was Channing Pollock, who helped shape Burton’s card manipulation and use of doves. Burton entered his first magic competition in 1977 as a teenager, winning first prize. In 1980, he was awarded a “Gold Medal of Excellence” from the International Brotherhood of Magicians shortly after his 20th birthday.

Burton moved to Southern California and within a week, made his debut on “The Tonight Show” on October 28, 1981, marking the beginning of numerous national television appearances, including ten under Johnny Carson and ten under Jay Leno’s tenure. His career progressed with an eight-week trial at the “Folies Bergère” show in Las Vegas, which was extended to a nine-year contract. In 1982, he won the “Grand Prix” prize at the FISM competition in Lausanne, Switzerland, becoming the youngest and first American to achieve this honor. He twice received the “Magician of the Year” award from the Academy of Magical Arts, in 1985 and 1991. In 1991, Burton produced, directed, and wrote his own show that ran for five years at the Hacienda Hotel.

A significant turning point occurred in August 1994 when Burton signed a 13-year contract with the Monte Carlo Resort in Las Vegas, the longest contract ever given to an entertainer in Las Vegas at that time. The 1,274-seat Lance Burton Theater, built to his specifications, opened on June 21, 1996. The show was listed as the #1 family magic act by Entertainment Today magazine and generated an estimated $110 million during its run. In 2004, he celebrated his tenth anniversary at the Monte Carlo with an illusion involving $10 million in gold, titled “Solid Gold Lady.” Although he signed a six-year contract extension in 2009, his final show at the Monte Carlo was on September 4, 2010. In 2016, The Magic Circle awarded him the David Devant Award for his significant contributions to magic. He has appeared in films such as “Oz the Great and Powerful” (2013) as an additional crew member and acted in “Knight Rider” (1986) and “Billy Topit” (2015). He also served as a judge on “Criss Angel’s Magic with the Stars” in 2022.