Meet Magic Mike Stilwell: Professional Magician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Magic Mike Stilwell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Magic Mike, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I’ve been a professional Entertainer since 1980. There are 2 words that I believe in, both personal and professional “Givers Gain” Special events don’t always start on time. You need to be flexible. The # 1 one thing that I feel that has made me the sucess I am today is my reputation for always arriving early and staying longer than contracted. I’m not fond of entertainer’s that walk in 5 minutes before they start and are looking at their watch just before they leave. In our world of entertainment all acts should arrive and check in with the client 15 to 30 minutes before they perform.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I made a huge mistake. If there was ever a silver lining of the Coronavirus, it has forced me into a major slow down. I was more concerned about my entertainment than I was about my family. I took evey opportunity to work. We had challenges already with 2 special needs children. I made it worse by not being there very much for many of those years. I specialize in walk-around sleight of hand magic. I worked mostly as a restaurant magician , going table to table, as well as I did corporate events, Sales Meetings, Trade shows, Kids birthday parties, School assemblies, Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s and Wedding receptions.. Somewhere in the middle of this crazy schedule I owned a Magic Manufacturing business where I made props that sold in Magic shops all over the world. The most important lesson I’ve leaned is to spend more time with your family. I hope it’s not to late…

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
BEACH!!! Ocean Beach, Mission Bay, have a picnic with some of our friends, rent a motor boat and troll the bay. Take a harbor cruise, visit The U.S.S. Midway, visit The Sd Zoo.. Go for lunch to The Corvette Diner for a Rory hamburger (Peanut butter burger!) and a Root Beer float. Go to Dave and Buster’s for dinner and play the arcade games Drive up to Los Angeles and go have dinner and see the shows at The World Famous Magic Castle. (I’ve been a member for over 30 years) Go to Disneyland and Universal studios, Old town Mexican Cafe for authenic food of Mexico and enjoy the park as well..

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My #1 support system has been my family.. I went to my parents when I graduated high school and I said I wanted to be a professional comedy magician. My Father said, I think you should go to college, get a degree and you could do your magic part time. So, I joined the Navy from 1972 to 1979, did magic part time , mostly charity work, in 1977 I was working part time as a magic bartender and when I got out of the Navy I was a full time Magic Bartender at The Magic Lounge where I met my wife in 1980. Donna, I have to say, has been there for every hair brained idea and business venture. she’s a major support system as an entertainer and as a husband that any man could want. We were married for 16 years, divorsed for 19 years and are back together for the last two years and all we have been through as a couple she has been a wonder suppoort. A lot of entertainers would ask me questions about my sucess and my Mother sugested I keep notes on the questions and answers, she suggested I write a book about it so with her and her boyfriend John’s help they helped me publish my book, which is in The San Diego Library, Entertainer’s Hand book, How to be a success in The Entertainment Industry, available through Amazon. I wrote this book because there were no self help books that I could locate when I was trying to fiqure out how to be a professional entertainer..

Website: MagicMikeStilwell.com
Other: I use to have a really great website with 6 video feeds and personal interaction… But when the flash died, 2 years ago when I got back together with Donna, I desided not to redue the website… I’m still working, but due to Covid, not so much… I’m available for zoom magic shows, but it’s hard as I feel its like performing in front of a mirror and the audience is on a 3 second delay..So you have to really slow the show down which throws off your timing and misdirection. It’s got a leaning curve that will take time to learn..I just prefer entertaining at live shos for small groups of people at a time or on Stage doing my 20 minute stade up comedy magic show.