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Terry Nosek - Dr. Sigmund Fraud

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Terry Nosek Terry Nosek {July 17, 1936-April 2, 2005} was a magician, comedy mentalist, designer of award winning effects, convention entertainer, author of magic books, magic store manager/demonstrator, member of the IBM, member of the SAM, member and president of the PEA

Early interest in magic Like many eventual magicians, Terry’s interest was piqued by an uncle who was a kind of classic parlor magician. He fanned that interest by reading all the library books he could find on the subject, and even as a teenager had developed an act that was booked for paying jobs in the Chicago area. While still at home, sister Joyce became his “first magic assistant.” She recalls a performance for some family friends when he was levitating one of her dolls and she was under the table with the bent hanger. Hearing the applause, she “grew quite angry, not enjoying the fact that I really did the trick and I had to stay hidden from the guests!” During his early adult years Terry became a children’s magician, “Swami Salami,” and Colleen was conscripted into the assistant gig. Terry would say to her, “Now we’ve never met, right?”, and she would say, “No dad”. Unlike many magicians, though, after performing the children’s shows and also straight magic for adults, he discovered comedy mentalism. And as “Dr. Sigmund Fraud” this would become the niche where he would excel. His creative, sideways style of thinking was particularly suited to this specialized realm of the art, and he found the audience reaction more rewarding. And also because “I can put all my props in a briefcase!”

Career as a performer Terry’s popularity and success as a magician and mentalist is evidenced in the volume and diversity of his bookings over the decades . . . His resume overflows with appearances for private clients, club luncheons, banquets, seminars, organization meetings, and benefits, including one for Easter Seals. Also for major corporations, Sunbeam, General Electric, Honeywell, Osco Drug, Subaru, and Southland among them. The fraternal organizations that booked him included American Legion, VFW, Moose, Elks, Knights of Columbus, Masonic Lodges, and more. And Loyala University, Northern Illinois University, Joliet Junior College, George Williams College and Elgin Community College were among the campuses that were treated to his magical talents. His act was also welcomed at such renowned night clubs as Ratso’s, Kingston Mines, Big John’s Distillery, the Comedy College at the Maroon Racoon, Pickle Barrel, Catch A Rising Star, Comedy Womb, Comedy Cottage, and Mister Kelly’s. Terry performed onstage at the Woods Theater in Chicago for the movie premiere of “The Premonition.” Longer gigs found him at Old Chicago indoor theme park in Bolingbrook IL, at Beef ‘n; Barrel in Lombard I, for a year, and in a recurring engagement at MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park in Las Vegas. Trade Shows, Conventions Entertainers who’ve had these jobs know that this is a whole different world of performing, one that requires an essential extra gear. Nobody is likely there especially to see you! So beyond the magic skills the presenter has to reach out into the aisles and bring the folks in, and then fold in enough of that sponsor’s offerings to keep them at the booth afterward – and then do it all over again and again. Terry’s ability to incorporate all of this into his act made him a convention favorite for the likes of National Association of Home Builders, the Housewares Show and others including the granddaddy of them all, at least in its heyday, COMDEX where he was invited back to perform year after year. In fact the president of the company that hired him said after the first year, “I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for your excellent and entertaining performance at COMDEX.”

Designer of magical effects Most of Terry’s repertoire resulted in great part from his own ideas or others that he so dramatically customized that they became his own. He received top recognition from the International Brotherhood of Magicians {see Awards & Honors}. Less formal were comments he garnered along the way. “Terry’s work with the {PEA} allowed the other members to fully appreciate just how razor sharp his mind was at constructing mindreading effects.” “Terry is highly regarded by so many in the field, as a performer and creator, and more importantly, as a fine man!”

Author of magic books & more Terry’s writing talents took shape as articles in various magazines and newsletters, a column in the PEA’s “Vibrations,” and 10+ books on mentalism and magic. The apex of this aspect of his career was “The Collected Works of Sigmund Fraud,” subtitled “Entertaining Mentalism from the Laughable to the Incredible,” a compilation of 26 of his best works. It was born when, as he notes in his “Green Room” intro, “One day I took a count and was surprised to discover just how many effects I had developed.” A seller of this book writes, “Effective? Famous mentalists and magicians from around the world would say – Yes!”

Other magical endeavors Terry’s magical powers were put into play in a lively variety of ways. At the Chicago Tribune, he designed and used magic in newspaper advertising for the Promotion Department. In Chicago he worked for Jay and Frances Marshall’s Magic Inc. In Las Vegas he managed a couple of Houdini’s Magic Shops for Geno Munari. He was also a lecturer/instructor for the Junior Magicians Circle. We can imagine that much of what he imparted parallels some of the advice in the “Backstage” epilog of his “Collected Works”: “Most important are the hard earned, subtle improvements that emerge after you perform an effect time and again . . . Those nuances are worked on, worked over and worked into the act time after time until they’re polished to sparkling perfection.” Another highlight of his career was the radio show, co-hosted with Barbara, called “Magic Moments” that played in Las Vegas and in nationwide syndication. It was actually part of an overall show called “Lifestyles Las Vegas,” hosted by chef/wine guru/cooking instructor Les Kincaid. Guests included Nick Lewin, Lance Burton, Siegfried, John Calvert, Jay Marshall, Billy McComb, Johnny Thompson, Melinda, Rick Thomas, Jeff McBride, The Amazing Johnathon, Harry Houdini’s niece Marie Blood, so many others. They also featured magic news that would be of interest to the general public, and then of course every now and then Terry would do a “magic trick on the radio.”

Awards & Honors International Brotherhood of Magicians trophy for Best Mentalism Presentation Award of Special Merit from the IBM for “Star Wars” published in the “Linking Ring” November 1978 Cover story, August 2003, in “Linking Ring,” the official publication of the IBM Recognized and honored in The American Museum of Magic Listed in MagicPedia Profiled in Dr. Bart Whaley’s “Who is Who in Magic” Given the highest honor upon his passing, The Broken Wand Ceremony Magic affiliations Terry was a longtime member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians {Order of Merlin}, Society of American Magicians, and one of the original members of the Psychic Entertainers Association. He also served as president of the latter organization in the 1980s. He was among those selected to perform at the conventions of both the IBM and SAM, as well as at an IBM/SAM public magic show. As noted above he was also an ongoing columnist for the PEA’s “Vibratiions” newsletter.

Publicity Radio Dick & Doug {4 times}, WCFL, Chicago Ted Weber, WLTD, Chicago Scott Wallace, WROC, Rockford IL Bob Berry, WOKY, Milwaukee J.J. Stone, KFH, Wichita KS Barry Chase, Atlanta GA Al & Bob, WSLI, Jackson MS Eric Tracy, WWL, New Orleans LA Jay Stone, KCBQ, San Diego CA Wayne Berry, CHEC, Alberta, Canada Focus:Northwest, broadcast on four Chicago area stations

Newspapers Chicago Tribune Chicago Daily News Chicago Sun Times The National Observer Las Vegas Sun Various local community papers

Other The afore-mentioned “Linking Ring” story Other magician’s publications Various online newsletters

Personal Terry was born in Chicago and raised in the Chicago area, growing up in Elmwood Park with his parents and a sister.. He graduated from Loyola in Chicago with a degree in marketing and went on to become a respected marketing researcher for a major downtown ad agency as well as the global CNA Insurance, the Chicago Tribune, and Container Corporation of America in Carol Stream IL. In 1960 he married Mary Jo and became dad to 3 children, Michael, Marie and Colleen.. When they divorced in 1973, Terry received custody of all three children. In 1981 he married Barbara Raack, also a Chicago area native, Even as Terry worked in the 9-5 world, he was regularly performing in various venues. While he found the research work a good challenge, sometimes taking on almost a “Sherlock” investigative vibe, his heart was always in magic. In 1988, when Terry and Barbara {and two cats and a dog} made a move to a place that had already evolved from a favored vacation spot to a second home. And that was Las Vegas, where Terry established his own marketing research business and continued to perform, and Barbara launched her writing career.

Death In 2005, Terry, at age 68, suffered a stroke that took his life in less than a week. In a way that was in accord with his wishes of “squaring the curve.” That meant – enjoying a good run throughout your life, and then when it’s time, say, Good night folks, and leave the stage. He had specified no services, sharing that sentiment with fellow entertainer Johnny Carson who “didn’t want a funeral because he believed that after your final exit, you just put on your hat and go out the door.” His passing brought condolences, remembrances and acclaim from around the world. They ranged from the serious, “A good friend and a wonderful magician/mentalist . . . His wealth of magical knowledge and great sense of humor will be missed by all who knew him.” To this, by a chef friend who was also Polish and also originally from Elmwood Park, and noted that Pope John Paul died on the same day: “Terry will be in wonderful company with our Polish Pope. They can have pierogis in heaven!” On August 1, 2018, the first day of Abbott’s 81st Magic Get Together, Terry was interred as Karrell Fox’s next door neighbor at Lakeside Cemetery, the final resting place for high profile magicians, in Colon MI, where he had attended the annual Abbott’s Get Together for over 30 years. Many of his other friends and peers are here as well and one can only imagine the shadowy shenanigans in those bewitching hours.

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