Magicland

Magicland
Created by	Dick Williams
Starring	Dick Williams
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of episodes	c.1,200
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Release
Original network	WMC-TV
Picture format	NTSC
Original release	1966 – 1989

Magicland was a television magic show for children that ran for 23 years on the Memphis, Tennessee, station WMC-TV. It holds the Guinness World Record for the longest continuously running television magic series in the world.^[1][2]

The show was created by presenter Dick Williams, who was recruited to WMC-TV in 1965 as a staff announcer and weatherman. Williams was a magician in his spare time and had started a magic show under the title Magicland for his previous station KGNC in Amarillo, Texas. Management at WMC-TV liked the sound of that show and persuaded Williams to create something similar for them. He agreed, but thought the series would only last for about a year. Instead it eventually ran for 23 years and nearly 1,200 episodes.^[3]

Magicland was a weekly half-hour live-audience show aimed at children and aired at 10am on Sunday mornings. Dick "Mr. Magic" Williams performed tricks and illusions, juggled clubs and scarves, and is often remembered for his signature magician's finger exercises (photos at MagiclandTV.com). He was assisted by his wife Virginia, who, in addition to her onscreen role, sewed costumes, organized props, arranged music and directed other assistants.

References

1. "Magic & Illusions", Guinness Book Of Records (Guinness World Records), 2005: 182
2. "Magic & Illusions", Guinness Book Of Records (Guinness World Records), 2006: 154
3. "About Mr. Magic". Dick Williams and MagiclandTV.com. Retrieved 2008-05-27.