in World News The Amazing Kreskin, beloved TV mentalist who mystified ‘Tonight Show’ audiences, dead at 89
By David Russell
The Amazing Kreskin, the beloved mentalist who found fame on television, died Tuesday at 89.
The only thing the Amazing Kreskin cared about was performing for all of you, it brought so much joy to his life,” his family said on social media. “The family asks you respect their privacy during this difficult time.
“As Kreskin would say at the end of every show. “This is not goodbye, but to be continued.”
He was a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show” and was also a regular on “The Mike Douglas Show” and “The Merv Griffin Show.”
Kreskin, born George Kresge in New Jersey, created his stage name by putting together the names of magicians Harry Kellar and Houdini.
Kreskin, who said he was not a psychic or a mind-reader, would tell audience members their social security number, license plate number or even the name of a street they lived on.
“Audiences of all ages and interests have found their way to me for generation to generation,” Kreskin said in 2015. “There’s no footlights between me and the audience who are not there just to see the show, subconsciously they wanted to be a part of the show. They’re telling me what’s in their minds and I’m reading them.”