History

A Brief History and the Mission of the Oakland Magic Circle

The Oakland Magic Circle is the oldest Independent Magic Club in the western United States, continuously operating since 1925.

The OMC was formed for the purpose of bringing together people whose common bond is the love of Magic.

Along with others in the world-wide magic community, we are pledged to increase public awareness of – and interest in Magic as an Art and to discourage exposure whenever and wherever found.

We are dedicated to mutual aid in the improvement of our craft and the encouragement of Junior Magicians.

We cordially invite you to come to our meetings and, if you like what you see and experience, to apply for membership in our club. The primary requirement for membership is your sincere interest in Magic and the willingness to treat it as an Art, no matter whether you are a beginner or an experienced magician.

A Who’s Who of renowned magicians have been members, many getting their start at OMC or performed and lectured.

Here is a sampling.

Read about the 1932 Dinner Dance.

Harry Blackstone Jr., Goldfinger & Dove, Fred Casto & Manya, The Emerald City Jugglers and MC James Hamilton.

Johnny Thompson as The Great Tomsoni, Jade, Pamela Hayes, James Michael Ridner (SabreTooth), Pete Biro (in front)

OMC Past Presidents

1. Prof. El-Tab 1925
2. Arthur F. Bull 1926
3. Alfred Lamb 1927
4. Lewis Miller 1928
5. Claude Burke 1929
6. Lloyd E. Jones 1930
7. William D. Alstrand 1931
8. W. C. McCulloch 1932
9. Dr. L. J. Ennis 1933
10. R. S. Bailey 1934
11. James H. Muir 1935
12. Caro A. Miller 1936
13. Bert F. Hansen 1937
14. Clarence Cain 1938
15. R. S. Glover 1939
16. Robert J. Stull 1940
17. Lloyd E. Jones 1941
18. Ben R. Olsen 1942
19. Murray Rosenthal 1943
20. Jimmy Eyster 1944
21. Fred Braue 1945
22. Lawrence Hunter 1946
23. Almow A. Thompson 1947
24. John B. Lewis 1948
25. Larry C. Keller 1949
26. Larry C. Keller 1950
27. William Fleming 1951
28. Earl F. Wheeler 1952
29. William Fleming 1953
30. Bert F. Pratt 1954
31. Charles M. Chambers 1955
32. Charles C. Conrad 1956
33. Charles C. Conrad 1957
34. Marvin N. Burger 1958
35. Jimmy Embree 1959
36. Larry Oliveira 1960
37. Victor Merga 1961
38. Ralph M. Larion 1962
39. Price Burlingame 1963
40. Ralph J. Brown 1964
41. Lloyd E. Jones 1965
42. Kenneth B. Bull 1966
43. Kenneth B. Bull 1967
44. Roger Mycroft 1968
45. Peter A. Biro 1970
46. Peter A. Biro 1971
47. John P. Mac Namara 1972
48. Peter A. Biro 1973
49. Kenneth B. Bull 1974
50. Hal Dipboye 1975
51. Hal Dipboye/B. Huston 1976
52. Owen Barber 1977
53. Rene Castillo 1978
54. Richard Fleming 1979
55. Richard Fleming 1980
56. Lloyd E. Jones 1981
57. Mel Wittich 1982
58. Mike Palmer 1983
59. Cas Boxley/M. Palmer 1984
60. James Hamilton 1985
61. Larry Nelson 1986
62. Jeff Vines 1987
63. Dave Berry 1988
64. Dave Berry 1989
65. Fred Casto 1990
66. Fred Casto 1991
67. Tom Cutts 1992
68. Tom Cutts 1993
69. Tom Cutts 1994
70. Tom Cutts 1995
71. Dave Berry 1996
72. Dave Berry/Joe Green 1997
73. Tom Cutts 1998
74. Rich Stewman 1999
75. James Hamilton 2000
76. Dale Chung 2001
77. Dale Chung 2002
78. Dale Chung 2003
79. Peter Winch 2004
80. Bill Austen 2005
81. James Hamilton 2006
83. David F. Fry 2007
84. Scott Alcalay 2008
85. Scott Alcalay 2009
86. Scott Alcalay 2010
87. Michael Della Penna 2011
88.Scott Alcalay 2012
89. Scott Alcalay 2013
90. Byron Walker 2014
91. Michael Della Penna 2015
92. Mark Tarses 2016