Magician
Dana Daniels
How Dana Got Started
Dana Daniels discovered magic when he was 11. While lying in the hospital after a car accident, watching a magician perform a simple handkerchief-to-cane transformation kindled a lifelong passion. Once he got home, Dana’s first stop was the magic shop, then a magic class, and ultimately, the local club Long Beach Mystics — where he began his journey performing and competing with fellow young magicians.
Fun Facts
- Dana performs with his psychic parrot, Luigi.
- He was the first magician to ever receive the “Comedy Magician of the Year” award from the Magic Castle — an honor that set the tone for his career.
Favorite Magic Trick
The $100 bill trick with Luigi. The bill disappears into Luigi’s beak, then reappears inside an egg the bird lays. It’s the perfect mix of absurdity, surprise, and audience delight — fun, unpredictable, and utterly unforgettable.
Influences
Dana’s act blends clean, rapid-fire comedy with clever audience participation — crafted to make corporate crowds and family audiences laugh effortlessly. He leans on the persona of a disarmingly mild-mannered magician paired with Luigi, his ever-psychic green parrot who steals the show as the “straight bird.”
Noteworthy Appearances
(TV, Media, Live)
- Dana has appeared on Evening at the Improv, CBS Morning Show, Masters of Illusions, Lance Burton’s Magic Special, Stand-up Live, News Radio, The Golden Girls, NBC’s Comedy Club, and the Thou Shalt Laugh clean comedy DVD series.
- He performed in Season 10’s Judge Cuts, with Luigi “hatching” Howie Mandel’s signed $20 from his beak into an egg.
- Dana has headlined at Maui’s top evening spot, Warren & Annabelle’s, starred in the Broadway and global touring production The Illusionist: Turn of the Century, and shared stages in Dubai, Australia’s Sydney Opera House, and more. He also performed in revue shows like Sugar Babies and Spellbound in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
Awards & Accolades
- The first-ever recipient of “Comedy Magician of the Year” from the Academy of Magical Arts.
- Two-time “Stage Magician of the Year” from the Magic Castle – Academy of Magical Arts.
- Awarded the Jimmy Durante Comedy Award.