Penn & Teller: Making Magic Since 1977 | TheRichest.com
One was a high school Latin teacher who enjoyed performing magic in his spare time. The other, became a juggler straight out of Clown College. The unlikely pair found each other and formed the longest running Las Vegas magic show to date.
Penn Jillette and Teller (born Raymond Teller but legally changed his name to Teller years ago) have been performing for nearly 50 years. What began as a small comedy/magic team, created a legacy as the two continually give audiences something unexpected; making their show, one like no other.
They’re success is perhaps linked to the unique angle the pair take on magic, education and sharing their thoughts on a host of issues.
In 1975 the two met and joined forces with Wier Chrisimer, responsible for a few of the magicians long-running tricks. Chisimer left the group in 1981 but Penn & Teller continued performing at small clubs and fairs across the country.
In 1985 the Penn & Teller off-Broadway show broke box office records according to PennandTeller.com and launched the duo into stardom. Saturday Night Live, David Letterman, Jay Leno and others began calling. The name Penn & Teller became a household name, and the two toured across the United States through the early 90’s, winning critical acclaim.
Ironically, the two couldn’t be more different. Penn is tall, outspoken and energetic. Teller is short, quiet and even mimes throughout their act – rarely uttering a word. They don’t consider themselves friends. “We never had a cuddly friendship,” Penn told CBSNews. In fact, they don’t spend time together outside of work, they just realize with a respect and admiration for the others’ craft, two are better than one.
They also approach magic tricks differently than most magicians in the business.
The men have said they are insulted by magicians that insult their audience by claiming to have powers, versus an expertise in magic and illusion. They’ve even worked to demystify magic, never sharing other magician secrets but openly exposing their own to live audiences.
When everyone in the room agrees the magic is simply well-timed tricks, Penn says, the tricks have got to be better than average to be entertaining. With that concept in mind, the magicians are forced to become more creative and more entertaining with each performance.
Both Penn and Teller have seen their career blossom from star magicians to branching out to other avenues. The pair have been seen in several guest roles ranging from Sabrina the Teenage Witch to The West Wing. They’ve appeared in music videos from RUN DMC to Katy Perry.
The men starred in Showtime’s BS!, in which they shared their opinions on everything from conspiracy theories to religion. The show earned 13 Emmy nominations and was the longest-running show in the history of the network. They’ve been open about their libertarian views in subjects throughout the show and often addressed political segments from the war on drugs to gun control according to Totally History.
Penn was a game show host on NBC’s Identity game show for one year. Teller co-wrote and directed an acclaimed Off-Broadway thriller “Play Dead’ in 2010. Both Penn and Teller have written successful books over the years, most recently, “When I’m Dead All This Will Be Yours!” (2000) and “Presto” (2017), respectively.
Penn has been seen wearing his dancing shoes for a stint on “Dancing With the Stars” as well as a contestant on “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice”. Teller united with Penn for another series through Discovery’s Tell a Lie. They were also included on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.
In 2001, Penn and Teller began their residency at The Rio hotel and casino in Las Vegas, which continues today. Each show is filled with comedy and the latest magic tricks, rehearsing and perfecting new tricks every week, the two say some tricks take years to perfect but it’s important to them, that each act is perfect and uses as few extra hands as possible.
They’ve received eight “Las Vegas Magicians of the Year” awards in the past 18 years and currently host CW’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us! a show in which new and veteran magicians try to fool the pros and land a spot as an opener at the two’s hit Vegas show.
Fans love their openness and respectful way of presenting the art of magic. Not only do thousands flock to Vegas to catch an updated show, but they stay after the show for photos and autographs and Penn and Teller love every second of it.
The two have said they plan to perform magic well into old age, with no plans to retire.
Sources: PennandTeller.com, CBSNews, TotallyHistory
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