Although this was the first time I was impressed by Jay, there have been many times he has impressed me since. The most recent occasion was 03/06/04.
I was winding down a long day at the National Halloween & Costume Show in Chicago . The crowds were finally thinning out and I was taking much needed rest after working the Franco-American Novelty booth. Hearing my name, I looked up and was surprised to see Jay Marshall with my father. Jay and I always try to break away to the San Remo sushi bar in Las Vegas during the World Magic Seminar, only this year we didn’t get that chance. Jay remembered and graciously invited me to accompany him to the David Copperfield show – my fatigue melted away at the thought of spending time with Jay and I accepted.
One of the many posters from his long career.
Upon walking in the Rosemont Theatre (where David was performing), Jay was immediately thanked profusely for getting family tickets for a fellow magus whose daughters were in love with David Copperfield. The tickets by the way were first row. The show went well and closed powerfully with David’s beautiful flying illusion and then the vanishing of 12 volunteers from the audience.
After the show Jay made sure the girls and anyone else who knew him — including a fellow customer that was yelling out his name from way up in the stands — got to go back to meet David personally.
After waiting about 10 minutes, David came in the room. In the room were at least 25 people, a few movie and recording stars along with others. The first person David Copperfield looked toward and greeted was Jay Marshall. Jay quickly introduced all the people in his party (including myself), giving them the opportunity to meet David and thus sacrificed most of the personal time he could have had with David.
From the Walls of Magic Inc.
That’s the kind of guy Jay Marshall is. He can walk with kings and not loose the common touch.
