David Copperfield is a world-renown illusionist, and his magic has captivated audiences worldwide. David Copperfield was born David S. Kotkin on August 17, 1956, in Metuchen New Jersey. Read on to discover how David went from being a shy young boy to becoming the World’s Greatest Magician.

Early Interest in Magic

David began performing magic at the age of nine. In his neighborhood, he was known as “Davino the Boy Magician”. At the age of 12, he became the youngest member admitted to the Society of American Magicians. At the age of 18, he joined The International Brotherhood Of Magicians as an apprentice member and changed his last name to Copperfield because it sounded more magical than “Kotkin”.

Personal Life

In 1994, David married Claudia Schiffer who he had met at a Celebrity Gala in Berlin. They had two sons together: Dylan and Aaron David.

David Copperfield was the first to admit that his relationship with Claudia, who he divorced in 1999, wasn’t perfect but he described their problems as nothing more than “normal”. David even took his wife on tour with him, she acted as his assistant in many of his 1990’s stage shows.

Professional Acheivements

David’s first major success was in 1981 when at the age of 18 he landed the lead role in “The Magic Man”, which ran at The Marquis Theatre in Chicago for almost two years.

David’s first television special David Copperfield – The Magic of David Copperfield TV Special premiered on May 16, 1983, on NBC-TV. David was paid $1 million for this first television special which has gone down in history as the highest fee ever paid to a single entertainer for a TV production.

David’s third television special David Copperfield’s Magic Underground was broadcast live on February 15, 1984, from the Mark Hellinger Theatre in New York City. David performed for an audience of 6,000 people at Grand Central Terminal that day and made history by performing in front of the highest paying audience that had ever watched a magic show (he raised $500,000 for the Variety Club).

David also pulled off his most challenging illusion yet by passing through the brick wall at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall. David described this performance as “the greatest challenge of my career”. David was then 28 years old.

Las Vegas Residency

David Copperfield has spent 29 years in Las Vegas at The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino since his David Copperfield Theater opened there on November 25, 1993. David’s theater show has broken all records for longevity at The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino that David made sure he would continue to break throughout the rest of his career.

David wanted to stay in one single location for “at least 10 years” to create the same sense of ‘home’ that David feels when he visits his family in New Jersey. David extended his contract with MGM Grand to stay at The David Copperfield Theater and is still there to this day. Prior to Covid-19, he was performing 15 shows a week.

David paid an undisclosed amount of money for the construction of his theater which is connected to his own luxury villa suite at The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

Captivating Audiences

David Copperfield credits his ability to captivate audiences to his goal of elevating his art form beyond simple tricks. He drew inspiration early in his career from entertainers like Fred Astaire, Orson Welles, and Walt Disney. These prodigies were known for showmanship and moving audiences by becoming masters in their field.

David is quick to point out that his show is a spectacle, not just a magic show. David Copperfield’s illusions are made possible through meticulous planning and rehearsing, and David has been practicing his craft since he was nine years old.

Unprecedented Earnings

David Copperfield holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s highest-paid magician. It is estimated that today David’s total career earnings exceed four billion dollars. Forbes’ Magazine reported that Copperfield is the tenth highest-paid performer in the world.

David Copperfield is one of the most successful magicians in history. He has headlined shows around the world, been featured on television and in movies, and earned more than one billion dollars. What drives David’s success? A love of magic and a dedication to his craft that is evident in everything he does. David also enjoys a very private personal life, which helps him maintain the mystique that surrounds magic. Thanks for following along with our blog post on David Copperfield.

If you enjoyed this article please check out the Institute of Magic Blog to learn about magic and magicians. Also, visit our online magic shop for the latest tricks. Also, check out David’s latest book “History of Magic” on our site.