He even performs a neat little “Out to Lunch” business card trick every now and then at his favorite luncheon counter. A book of original tricks he has on a shelf has never been published. He’s been on and written for every talk show since talk shows began. He’s made ropes and snakes rise in department store windows. 100,000 articles in too many languages to count. In India he was close friends with Sorcar Sr., and in Germany he spent time with Kalanag. Back in the US, he spent countless hours with one of his closest friends, Walter B. The publisher of the 1957 magnum opus was aggressive, and by the time Keel was living in Germany years later, he was famous. The author befriended many galli galli men, and those who performed feats no longer seen, such as the instantaneous appearance of many small birds from under a basket.

Keel is best known to magicians for his “autobiography” written at age 27: “Jadoo.” It is one of the first western books to tell the story of Indian street magic.

The Mothman Prophecies by John A. Keel