Background
Herbert Lawrence was born on August 12, 1955 in Hollywood, Florida, United States. Son of Jack and Lorraine (Abrams) Becker.
Actor historian magician author Businessperson
Herbert Lawrence was born on August 12, 1955 in Hollywood, Florida, United States. Son of Jack and Lorraine (Abrams) Becker.
Bachelor of Business Administration, Roosevelt University, Belgium, 1983. Master of Business Administration, Roosevelt University, Belgium, 1984. Doctor of Business Administration, Columbia University, 1997.
He is also the author of several books, an actor, and the creator/director of the Masked ian TV specials for Fox TV. Voted Best USA ian in 1975 and 1976 by Houdini Magazine, Becker performed under the name "The Kardeen Brothers" with Marc Nicols. Later, he worked solo as "The Great Kardeen". He helped open the first Guinness Museums, toured with Guinness on Parade and performed at the Steel Pier and Radio City Music Hall (1976) with the Guinness show.
As a magician, Becker toured worldwide until he retired in 1978. He was the opening act for such bands as Elton John and Genesis. Later bands which opened for him included Hall & Oates.
He had long runs in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Becker appeared as himself (a magician) on the television programs "Bozo the Clown" (1975-1977 appearing weekly) and "The Maury Povich Show" (2001). Becker caused more unhappiness among magicians when he appeared on the television talk show of Maury Povich in March 1997 and exposed the secrets behind such well-known magic tricks as sawing a person in half.
Becker was believed to be the anonymous Masked ian, who, in a series of Fox TV specials, explained exactly what is behind the tricks of the magic trade. Becker has written Secrets and So That's How They Do It. Becker replaced Harry Houdini as the world's fastest escape artist from a regulation straitjacket in the 1976 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
Becker has been involved in legal disputes with David Copperfield. Copperfield sued Becker in an attempt to prevent publication of All the Secrets of Revealed: The Tricks and Illusions of the World's Greatest ians (Lifetime , Inc. ) which Copperfield maintained revealed some of Copperfield's secrets.
Copperfield lost and the book was published. Becker then sued his publisher, Lifetime , for purportedly colluding with Copperfield to remove details of Copperfield's illusions. Becker was CEO of boutique book publishing house Barclay Road, retiring on July 2, 2008 but continuing as an advisor until the company ceased operations.
(The Tricks and Illusions of the World's Greatest Magicians.)
1994(All the Secrets of Magic Revealed. )
Married Malka Gasner, January 1, 1977 (divorced January 1990). Children: Randi, Adam, Brian. Married Shelly Basser, November 8, 1992. Children: Gillah, Dovid, Nehemiah, Ezra.