HALL OF FAME
Alisha Magnus, LA Tribune Chief strategy officer with Nick lewin accepting the Media excellence award for paul romhany & vanish magic magazine
NICK LEWIN REPORTS ON THE INAUGRUAL AWARDS NIGHT HELD IN LAS VEGAS Photos by Richard Faverty
The Los Angeles Tribune's Global Magic Hall of Fame Awards: A Celebration of Excellence.
On July 9th, a gathering of esteemed magicians and enthusiasts converged on Las Vegas for the inaugural Global Magic Hall of Fame Awards , sponsored by the Los Angeles Tribune. The event, expertly produced by Tim Wise with significant contributions from Connie Boyd, was a testament to the art of magic.
The evening commenced with a captivating card manipulation performance by Stephane Vanel, showcasing his remarkable skill and stage presence. Vanel's artistry left a lasting impression , and it's clear that his career is on the rise.
Diana zimmerman accepting Lynette Chappell's award for her Contribution to Community Philanthropy.
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Following Vanel's performance, host Tim Wise welcomed the audience and introduced the first award, the Media Excellence Award, which was presented to Paul Romhany for his outstanding work on Vanish International Magic Magazine. As someone who has had the pleasure of working with Romhany for nearly 14 years, I was delighted to accept the award on his behalf, acknowledging his tireless dedication and vision.
The Innovation Award was subsequently presented to Connie Boyd, recognizing her efforts in highlighting the contributions of female magicians to the industry. Margaret Steele received the Literary Award, expressing her gratitude through a heartfelt video message.
The evening's festivities continued with Steve Owens' mesmerizing shadow magic performance, which reimagined this delightful art form. Connie boyd receiving the innovation award by Editor and Chief of The LA Tribune ava Manuel
The awards ceremony proceeded with the Performance Achievement Award being presented to Jan Kramer, followed by the Rising Star Award, which was bestowed upon Jake Hofman by Diana Zimmerman and me. Other notable award recipients included Lynette Chappell, who received the Contribution to Community Philanthropy Award; Kevin James was recognized for his Inventive Performance.
Benjamin Barnes was honored for his Contribution to Magic Philanthropy. Mistie and Kyle Knight accepted the Influencing Social Media Award. This mega-talented couple also gave us a taste of their smooth and slick show. Next, Luna Shimada received the Adelaide Herrmann Award. She also performed part of her award-winning show. As always, Luna rocked the room!
In a pre-recorded message, Margaret Steele presented the Houdini Award to Dorothy Dietrich. Moe Rock, CEO of the Los Angeles Tribune, took the stage to share his vision behind creating the Global Magic Hall of Fame, followed by the presentation of the G.O.A.T. Award to Criss Angel.
MIKE HAMMER WITH HALL OF FAME ARTIST FIELDING WEST
JEN KRAMER RECEIVES THE PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM PRESENTER MIKE MICHAELS
Alan ackerman, howard hamburg and tim wise present hall of fame award.
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CRISS ANGEL RECEIVES THE GOAT AWARD WITH MOE ROCK , ALISHA MAGNUS AND TIM WISE
The evening culminated with the induction of the 2025 Hall of Fame recipients. Allan Ackerman presented the award to Howard Hamburg, the legendary card worker and highly deserving recipient of this recognition. Howard is the card man who has been a wonderful presence, and Ambassador in the world of magic. His sleight of hand is breathtaking, but his collection of stories and memories of the golden years, when Vernon, Miller, and Jennings might be sitting at the same table. jason antelek awarding the literacy award to margaret steel
Luna shimada with Tim wise
The next inductee to the Magic Hall of Fame was Gay Blackstone. Gay is a force of nature and knows magic inside and out. For many years, Gay toured with her esteemed husband and world-class magician, Harry Blackstone Jr. Gay went on to be the Executive Producer of the long-running Masters of Illusion television show on the CW Network.
Fielding West is a true legend in the world of comedy magic. Fielding has made me laugh on so many occasions that I
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couldn’t guess at the total. He is an original talent and creates the kind of material that can devastate audiences. Adding a new “bit” to his show, Fielding performed his Cut and Restored Oxygen tube that brought the house down
Our next inductee, Diana Zimmerman , is so special that she needed two introductions! Lance Burton kicked off with some stories and well-chosen words about Diana on a video direct from Kentucky. It was followed by my giving a live introduction and presenting the Award to Zimmerman. Diana has pivoted gracefully from her highly successful performing career, becoming a top-level corporate producer and then a #1 best-selling author. Always keeps up her commitment to the Magic Castle Junior Magician Program. I was honored and proud to present this Award.
kyle and mistie knight
Tim Wise returned to the stage and brought the evening to a close with a fun card trick, followed by a final bow from the entire cast. The Los Angeles Tribune's Global Magic Hall of Fame Awards was a resounding luna shimada
success, and anticipation is already building for the next installment in April 2026. steve owens
Colin Cloud presenTs the inventive performance award to leonardo bruno on behalf of kevin james
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