What Happened to David Copperfield: Where is He Now?
Everything you need to know about illusionist and magician David Copperfield's long career: from TV specials to best-selling Las Vegas shows.
Is David Copperfield still performing? If you watched any magic in the 80s and 90s, you couldn’t escape seeing David Copperfield on his constant TV specials. His magic and storytelling dominated the magic world and redefined the way audiences across the world viewed magicians.
He’s the man who vanished the Statue of Liberty, walked through the Great Wall of China, floated over the Grand Canyon, and made a train disappear. Now, he plans to make the moon disappear. But who is David Copperfield, and what is he doing now? Read below to learn about magic’s only billionaire.
How did he become David Copperfield?
Like tech titans Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Copperfield dropped out of college. While Jobs and Gates each lasted at least a semester, Copperfield made it only three weeks at Fordham University. Before he left to star in the musical The Magic Man in Chicago, he was simply David Kotkin from Metuchen, New Jersey. Then, he took the lead in the musical, started performing, and never looked back.
What are David Copperfield's TV Specials?
While Copperfield is currently known for his prolific amount of stage performances, he rose to fame by doing 17 magic specials on CBS. He debuted on “The Magic of ABC” when he was only 21 years old in 1977.
Who does David Copperfield Work With?
Copperfield has collaborated with hundreds of magicians throughout his career, but he famously works with Chris Kenner and Homer Liwag. The three of them share a love of magic, but also movies, design, and aesthetics. Their multidisciplinary depth and breadth of knowledge allows them to constantly push the envelope of what’s possible in a magic show.
What is David Copperfield's Museum?
David Copperfield owns the greatest collection of magic in the world, and no one else comes close. Stored in a secret warehouse in Las Vegas, lucky visitors enter a true world of wonders. Calling the museum a passion project far undersells the time he’s put into it. It is a full-on museum, with lights, sound, and a dedicated route to walk through. You can access the museum on an invitation-only basis, and Copperfield is famous for taking magicians on late-night tours after his shows.
What is David Copperfield doing now?
Copperfield currently headlines in his own residency at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Unlike some magicians who do the same material for twenty years, Copperfield’s show famously evolves. His unparalleled work ethic is what makes him so successful.
Over the past decade, he’s pursued a more narrative route in his show. We don’t want to spoil it here at One Ahead, but it’s fairly common knowledge that he is the only working magician doing a set-piece with a talking alien. It’s a new kind of magic, one that resembles narrative storytelling.
How Often Does Copperfield Perform?
Copperfield is prolific–he performs more than 550 shows a year. He doesn’t need the money, nor a boost to his reputation. Copperfield could’ve died ten years ago and gone down as one of the greatest magicians of all time. But by all accounts, even at age 66, there’s nothing else he’d rather be doing–otherwise he’d be doing it.
When Will Copperfield Vanish the Moon?
Great question! David Copperfield recently announced he intends to vanish the moon in a collaboration with Save the Children. The event will be broadcast live and is said to be taking place in February 2024. Learn more about Copperfield's moon vanish.
