For decades, The Amazing Kreskin has continuously wowed audiences with his unique dramatizations of the powers of the human mind.
Using both wit and showmanship, Kreskin has won the hearts of many American families and has become a household name in his own right.
If you’re curious to see how this great mentalist started out and some of his best tricks, this article is for you!
Below we’ll be talking about The Amazing Kreskin and his mentalism story and tricks.
A Little History of The Amazing Kreskin
The Amazing Kreskin was born George Joseph Kresge Jr. in 1935, in New Jersey, to Polish and Italian parents. He became a very well-known mentalist in the 1970s and is now an integral part of pop culture – often invoked in comic strips, TV shows, comedy clubs, print stores, or national magazines.
His inspiration to become a mentalist came from the famous comic strip by Lee Frank called Mandrake the Magician, radio/television pioneer Arthur Godfrey, and magnetic televangelist Bishop Sheen.
Kreskin refuses to be associated with the occult and labels like psychic and medium. In fact, during one of his interviews he said;
“I am not a mind reader…I can perceive a single thought or a series of simple thoughts if the subjects are tuned to me and willing to open their imaginations to receive or project. I am totally helpless if they refuse.”
Kreskin’s contributions to parapsychology have made him the subject of articles in numerous scientific journals and magazines, as well as qualifying him for an honorary Doctorate of Letters awarded by the Seton Hall University, where he majored in psychology.
The Amazing Kreskin’s Influence and Appearances
Kreskin has performed for both royalty and presidential families. He also appeared in over 500 television shows, including 118 episodes of “Mike Douglas Shows,” 98 episodes of “Merv Griffin Shows” and a record 88 episodes of “Tonight Shows.”
Besides his TV appearances, Kreskin has also published dozens of literature over the years, being the talented and accomplished writer that he is.
Some of his most famous literary works are as follows:
- The Amazing World Of Kreskin, Random House (1973)
- Kreskin’s Mind Power Book, McGraw Hill (1977)
- Kreskin’s Fun Way To Mind Expansion, Doubleday (1984)
- Secrets Of The Amazing Kreskin, Prometheus Books (1991)
- How To Be A Fake Kreskin, St. Martin’s Press (1996)
- The Pendulum & Lifelong Enrichment Response Advertising (2000)
- The Amazing Kreskin’s Future With The Stars, Meyerbooks (2001)
- Mental Power Is Real, Fitness Factory (2006)
- In Real-Time, Thane & Prime (2015)
The Amazing Kreskin’s Tricks and Techniques
Kreskin’s specialty is predictions and mind-reading. To be sure, though, he has also done plenty of other tricks in the decades he’s been working as a mentalist.
Typically, he warms up to his audience with a deft display of sleight-of-hand, to prepare them for the mind-reading or mind-controlling to come.
Here’s a video of Kreskin in action:
In all of his shows, Kreskin likes to focus on technique and showmanship.
Below, we’ll be uncovering three of Kreskin’s techniques and see how you can use them in your own displays of mentalism.
Finger Power
For this technique, balance is everything. What you’ll want to do is have your subject — an audience or a friend — sit on a chair with his arms folds, legs stretched, and body leaned on the backrest.
Now, add some drama by saying this:
“First, you must relax. Lean back and make yourself comfortable, keeping your arms folded. Now drop your head back and look up at the ceiling.”
Using your fingers, search his forehead for his “paralytic zone.” Once you find it, firmly press your forefinger on this spot. Take a few moments to “concentrate” before asking your subject to stand.
Say ”Keep your arms folded and get up from the chair. You can’t”
And indeed he can’t, as your finger continues to press firmly against his forehead.
After eight or ten seconds tell your subject to let all the tension drain from their body. Remove your forefinger from his forehead and once again ask him to stand. This time, he will.
If you adequately planted the suggestion that you were in contact with his “paralytic zone” and rendered him helpless, he’ll never suspect what really happened — which was simply that you kept him off balance using one little finger.
Pro Tip: Requiring your subject to keep his arms folded makes it a bit easier for you to perform the trick since it prevents him from shifting his weight forward.
The Confetti Race
For this trick, you’ll need 2 participants and 2 of each of the following materials:
- spoons
- paper bags
- bowls of confetti or paper shavings
- good blindfolds
Have your participants sit opposite each other at a table. Give each of them a spoon and a bowl of confetti. Draw a line two-thirds up from the bottom of the paper bags and show these to your subjects.
Explain that you will blindfold the competitors and that they will be required to fill the bags to the line, testing their skills in judging weight. Whoever is closes to the line wins.
Once a player believes they have reached the line, they are to announce it and then wait for the other player to do the same — all while keeping the blindfold on.
After you’ve secured the blindfolds, open the bags to start the game. The audience will then discover that the bags have no bottoms. Make sure to signal to them not to say anything to give away the trick.
Pro Tip: As this is going on, reassure your subjects that they’re “almost there.” This will encourage them to keep going.
Later in the game, when blindfolds are removed, your subjects will discover how uncritically they accepted your suggestion that the weight was increasing in the bags.
Matched Thoughts
This trick is perfect for beginner mentalists or those who are just dabbling into the trade. To do this trick, you’ll need three coins: a penny, a nickel, and a dime.
Lay all three coins on a table before your subject. From your pocket, pull out another nickel, but don’t let anyone see it.
Now, tell your subject:
“The coin I have in my hand matches one of those on the table. I’ll be guiding your thoughts in choosing the right one.”
Using a thoroughly rehearsed script, instruct your subject on what to do. Of course, since there are three coins, there are three ways this trick can go. The secret is to prepare for any of the following scenarios.
First Scenario
Let’s assume your friend picks the penny. Say: “Good! Now, take a second coin.”
He takes the dime. Say: “Wonderful. Do you see what coin you’ve left?”
He’ll tell you, yes, it’s the nickel. You then open your hand and show your subject the matching nickel.
Second Scenario
If your subject picks up the dime, have him choose another coin. If it’s the nickel that he chooses, do this.
Extend your empty hand toward him and say: “Good, now think about your choice. Try to concentrate. Give me one of those coins.”
If he gives you the nickel, exclaim, “Wonderful! you’ve done it. You matched the coin!”
Now, reveal the nickel you have held all along.
If he chooses to keep the nickel say: “Extend your fist with the coin in it. Now open your fist.” You do the same. “We’ve matched thoughts and chosen the same coin.”
Third Scenario
If your subject chooses the nickel on the first try, then great! You may really have matched thoughts.
Wrap Up
The Amazing Kreskin has made large and impactful influences on the current mentalism landscape. Studying his life and work can certainly help you better your art and improve your techniques.
We hope you enjoyed this article! And don’t forget to share it with friends and family that you think may benefit from reading it, too.
Have a magical day!