Larry Wilfong

LARRY WILFONG

Larry’s first encounter with magic happened when he was 7 years old. A friend at School showed him the multiplying billiard balls and wouldn’t show him the secret. This prompted him to visit Wayne’s Trick Shop in Hammond, Indiana where he began using his allowance to buy magic. At 9 he began working as a demonstrator at the trick shop, and soon began performing paid shows. He then joined the local youth magic club (Mystic Magic Club) and served as each of the officers (secretary, treasurer, Vice President and President).

As a teenager he became the on-stage assistant to professional magician Wayne Shumway; this is when he became a charter member of I.B.M. Ring # 173 in Indiana and eventually President. Larry also co-­sponsored the Nu-Mystic Magic Club a reincarnation of the organization from his youth. Wanting more magic in his life (because we all know every magician needs more magic) he became the founding President of the reorganized S.A.M. #64 in Indiana.

Larry joined the S.A.M. Assembly # 3 in Chicago where he became dealer chairman for the group’s first convention, and also served as President of the Magic Masters organization in Chicago. He also belonged to I.B.M. Ring # 43 in Chicago.
After moving to Arizona in 1984 he joined Ring 55. This is when he met and worked with Ed Rosenthal as dealer chairman for the last Ring # 55 convention. A regular contributor to the LOTA newsletter, Larry and his wife, Gail, sponsor the annual Christmas party and Larry serves as auctioneer at our annual auction.

Larry is a charter member of S.A.M. Assembly # 248 and was the original sponsor and instructor for the Phoenix Society of Young Magicians # 93. In 2013 he was awarded the Order of Merlin Excalibur for 50 years of dedication to the I.B.M. Larry’s passion for all things magic has not changed since his first encounter at age 7. He still looks forward to S.A.M. & IBM meetings, conventions and eagerly waits for the next package to be delivered.