Owen Magic Supreme

Owen Magic Supreme would like to thank all who have shared their condolences as well as fond memories. Leslie C. Smith was and will continue to be a great legend of his time.

Owen Magic Supreme will "Keep the Wheels Turning..."

Love,

All of us at Owen Magic Supreme.

It was my dad's wishes not to have a funeral service. Out of respect, we will be honoring his wishes. We have received hundreds of calls, cards, and emails and we graciously thank you all.

- Alan Zagorsky

From Alexia Zagorsky

On February 15, 2008 Owen Magic Supreme lost an inspiring, creative, loyal and loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and a true friend to many.

My Grandfather Leslie C. Smith was a man of great intellect. He was a great inventor, performer, joker, and of course a true craftsman. He was creative in many ways. His stories from the past were phenomenal; even if you heard the story many times he still had a way of telling it that held your interest every time. His creativity not only spread through his stories but also in his art of making the most beautiful and pristine magical props in the world. He had a language of his own, and to many customers that have come through Owen Magic Supreme through the years they would say, "What a weird character!" I think the most interesting people are a little weird and that is what makes them stand out. His unique personality and opinionated views made him who he was: a man who was no follower, but a leader in the magic world. He will live on in all of our many memories. Thank you Grandpa for being a true inspiration to all of us.

Love always and forever,
Your Granddaughter Alexia Zagorsky

From Michelle Zagorsky

Apple, apricot, peach, pumpkin, rhubarb, and boysenberry pie. This is what I think about when I think of my Grandpa Leslie. He absolutely loved pie. I am not sure what kind of pie was his favorite but he was able to make it disappear faster than any magician.

My Grandpa had a beautiful garden. When he was not creating magic at the shop he was at home growing magnificent fruits and vegetables. One of the things he always talked about was the "damn gophers" that ate all the vegetables.

My Grandpa was a passionate and dedicated soul. He spent hours and days making a little magic trick. It did not matter if it was nearly impossible to create. He would try many techniques before he was satisfied. When he finished the unique and special trick, he was so proud and could not wait to show it to the customer who ordered it.

My Grandfather loved his "Tonka," better known as Gertrude. She was his true love and favorite box jumper. He remembered her until his last curtain call.

Next time you are eating a piece of pie, please raise your fork to Leslie C. Smith. He would have loved to share a piece of pie, a cup of tea, and a good conversation with you.

Be good Grandpa. Do not cause too much trouble! Miss you lots.
Love always,
Michelle Zagorsky

From Bill McIlhany

I first met Les in March, 1972, when I visited Owen Magic Supreme in Alhambra. I was working on a research paper for college about magic as a business. I walked in and told Les about the paper and said I wanted to see all his books and financial records. It was the first time I saw him laugh. He then spent at least an hour kindly telling me about the unique aspects of Owen Magic as a business.

I will always remember many wonderful conversations with Les. Sitting at the table in the room off the shop, he would recall life in the rugged New England towns, his friendship with major magicians he respected, and how little tolerance he had for the phonies and con men who populate the magic world. I only wish I had been there to see him throw them out of the shop. His fondness for the late Carl Owen was particularly memorable to me.

The magic world is full of cliques and petty politicians. Les Smith was a dedicated craftsman who kept the Thayer-Owen tradition alive and made major contributions to our art. His importance will eventually be fully appreciated. He was an inspiring friend, a man of integrity, and a rare genuine individual who always charted his own course.

Godspeed, my dear friend.
Bill McIlhany

From Paul Fusco

Les Smith was a consummate craftsman. A perfectionist. I will always picture him working behind his wood lathe, covered from head to toe in a dusting of sawdust and wood chips. Secretly, I always worried that the cause of his demise would be from termite infestation. Thankfully, this was not the case.

He was a good friend. I shall miss him.
Paul Fusco (creator of ALF)

From Hap Korsen

Although I had many wonderful visits with Les at Owen Magic, one of my favorite memories was visiting Les at his home and seeing the parts of a new computer strewn across the floor. Even though it was under warranty, Les wanted to see if he could fix it himself — and he did. In taking it apart he voided the warranty, but he validated his confidence in his ability to tackle a problem and solve it. Engineer, machinist, master craftsman — in everything he did, he was always a magician.

Hap Korsen

From Bill Taylor, ASC (Illusion Arts)

I met Les Smith at the Alhambra shop in 1964, shortly after he had bought Owen Magic. I had been an Owen customer since the last days on South San Pedro Street. I did not know what to expect from the new guy from Willimantic, Connecticut, but I needed a Fred Rickard pull. A shortish man in shirtsleeves with sawdust in his hair came into the showroom, shook my hand, and said something like, "Yavaneh smoosh gamoosh." He soon brought out the pattern box to show me a near-complete pull so that I could understand what it was and if it could do the job I had in mind.

"Are you handy?" he asked. "I do not have any finished pulls, but if you think you can build a dozen for me, I will let you keep one." Since I had almost no money at the time, this sounded like a pretty good deal, and I had the opportunity to see the Owen workshop from the inside.

While I was discovering that I was not nearly so handy as I thought, I had the opportunity to meet Gertrude, Carl Owen, Fred Rickard, Grace Schwartz, and the rest of team as they worked to fill the nearly empty shelves Les had inherited. Les was incredibly patient with my first efforts to fabricate and solder the little brass pulley covers that were the heart of the pull. Thanks to Les, eventually I was able to turn out (very slowly) a saleable product. I was incredibly proud when the Owen stamp went on something I had made.

The visiting performers whose props were in progress all joined us for tea. Thanks to Les I met the leading lights of magic at the time: Marvyn Roy, Channing Pollock, Harry Blackstone Jr., Doug Henning, Frakson, Charlie Miller, Norm Nielsen, Siegfried and Roy, Andre Kole, Tihany; the list was endless. As time went on, thanks to Les I had the honor of seeing some of them perform routines I had created for Owen Magic. Les was generous with credit; he made sure his clients knew me and knew what my contributions were.

Les encouraged me to come up with new magic, or new wrinkles on old magic. His own creations were often incredibly bold and gutsy; he knew the difference between what an audience saw and what they thought they had seen. His ideal was the Harry Blackstone Sr. illusion show, full of bold steals and stage-size misdirection. Some of Les's illusions, like the Doorway to Nod, are so bold I could not imagine how they could be deceptive, but they were. Even when he has not been around to ask, I try to remember to ask myself, "What would Les do?" The answer is: use sophisticated mechanics only if necessary and appropriate.

Les expanded my horizons as a performer. He encouraged me to do bigger magic, to stand on my hind feet and talk to the back row. Eventually, thanks to Les, I began to do a small but genuine illusion show. My first performance was as far away from the L.A. magic orbit as I could get, at the Forest Theater in Carmel. Though it was a good day's drive from L.A. there in the front row were Les and Gert, cheering us on.

So here is Les in a sentence: a teacher, a mentor, an innovator, a cheering section, occasionally cantankerous, sometimes painfully honest. Irreplaceable.

Thanks to Les.
Bill Taylor ASC (Illusion Arts)