Herbert L. Becker

Herbert Becker (Herbert L. Becker)
Herbert Becker (right)
Born	Hollywood, Florida
Occupation	magician, escapologist, stunt performer, writer, businessman
Website	Official website

Herbert Lawrence Becker is a former magician who also wrote a computer program described by him as "broadcasting analog signals over the internet in real time" in 2000. He is also the author of several books, an actor, and the creator/director of the Masked Magician TV specials for Fox TV.

Voted Best USA Magician in 1975 and 1976 by Houdini Magic Magazine, Becker performed under the name "The Kardeen Brothers" with Marc Nicols. Later, he worked solo as "The Great Kardeen". He helped open the first Guinness Museums, toured with Guinness on Parade and performed at the Steel Pier and Radio City Music Hall (1976) with the Guinness show.

As a magician, Becker toured worldwide until he retired in 1978. He was the opening act for such bands as Elton John and Genesis. Later bands which opened for him included Hall & Oates. He had long runs in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Becker appeared as himself (a magician) on the television programs "Bozo the Clown" (1975–1977 appearing weekly) and "The Maury Povich Show" (2001).

In his book All the Secrets of Magic Revealed: The Tricks and Illusions of the World's Greatest Magicians, Becker explained how magicians such as Harry Houdini, David Copperfield, Doug Henning, and Siegfried and Roy created some of their most famous illusions, to the consternation of his colleagues. Becker caused more unhappiness among magicians when he appeared on the television talk show of Maury Povich in March 1997 and exposed the secrets behind such well-known magic tricks as sawing a person in half. Becker was believed to be the anonymous Masked Magician, who, in a series of Fox TV specials, explained exactly what is behind the tricks of the magic trade. Becker has written Magic Secrets and So That's How They Do It.