Jerry Andrus was born in 1920 in Sheridan, Wyoming. At age 12 he saw a performance by a reformed “spiritual medium,” whereupon he was captivated by the art of illusion. At age 16, he joined the International Society of Junior Magicians, and rapidly became known in the trade as a “magician’s magician.”

His absolute honesty and integrity was never compromised. As he traveled the globe lecturing for enthusiastic magician’s groups and appearing on television, his message was always clear: don’t lie to your audience; deceive them only for purposes of entertainment.

Jerry was a magical mentor to Ray Hyman, Loren Pankratz, and many other performers. In 1954 he invented the Linking Pins, a classic close-up trick that is still to be seen in the repertoires of major artists. He wrote one book on his subject of expertise, “Andrus Deals You In,” and several booklets which he distributed at his lectures.

Some day, I’ll go into the many anecdotes that describe how Jerry and I interacted – and perhaps I’ll feel his presence, whispering to me, “That was an exaggeration,” or “You know it wasn’t that good,” as I may over-emphasize a detail or two.

Hail and farewell, Jerry. We loved you and you made a difference in our lives, my friend…

Please visit his web site and show your support for Mr. Andrus' relatives and friends during this difficult time