Who was The Amazing Kreskin? Real name and all about the popular mentalist in the wake of his death at 89

Well-known mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, whose real name was George Joseph Kresge Jr., recently passed away on December 10, 2024, at the age of 89. He rose to fame by performing his acts on shows such as The Mike Douglas Show.

Kreskin gained further recognition after launching his TV show, titled The Amazing World of Kreskin, during the early 70s. He was also described as the "most dangerous person in the world with a deck of cards" in John Romero's book, Las Vegas The Untold Story, as per George's official website.

According to The New York Times' December 12 report, George died of dementia, as revealed by his friend Meir Yedid. The news of The Amazing Kreskin's demise was announced on his official page on X a day after his death. George's family shared a statement along with a photo, writing:

"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of The Amazing Kreskin... Performing for all of you brought immense joy to his life, and it was something he deeply cherished. The family kindly asks for privacy during this difficult time."

In another statement posted on The Amazing Kreskin's Facebook page, his family mentioned that Christmas was his favorite time of the year, and he used to love it when the house was decorated with Christmas trees and other kinds of decorations. They further wrote:

"The highlight of Christmas for Kreskin was the annual Christmas parties at his house. Kreskin had so much joy playing the piano as everyone would sing Christmas carols. Kreskin would end the musical performance with Ava Maria, his Mother's favorite song. Kreskin loved performing his show effects, every year new effects were performed for his guests."

George's family concluded by writing that he always prioritized performing for everyone. The statement also added a line that he used to say at the end of his shows, "This is not goodbye, but to be continued."

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The Amazing Kreskin was a part of various TV shows throughout his career

The Montclair, New Jersey native most often appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He was also a part of other shows like The Merv Griffin Show and Regis and Kathie Lee Live, as per The Hollywood Reporter's December 10 article.

The outlet reported that he was influenced by a comic book about Mandrake the Magician during his childhood days and started using his mental ability when he was a third-grade student. Back in 1991, The Amazing Kreskin addressed his performances while speaking to the Chicago Tribune, stating that they are not associated with occult philosophies.

"I think this silent communication is within the capability of many people, once they're properly trained and self-sensitized. I'm not a mind reader, because that implies I could totally penetrate the process of the human brain, but I am able, on my occasions, to perceive a single thought or a series of simple thoughts, if the subject is tuned to me and willing to open up their imagination," George said about his abilities.

Furthermore, George was the author of a few books, such as Kreskin's Mind Power Book, How to Be a Fake Kreskin, and The Pendulum & Lifelong Enrichment. He also voiced a character, The Magic Tree, in the animated show The Adventures of Little Billy: In Search of the Magic Tree. Kreskin additionally became an inspiration for a character in the 2008 film The Great Buck Howard.

The Amazing Kreskin became a widely popular face after being featured multiple times on Late Night with David Letterman and The Howard Stern Show.

He even made headlines with his predictions, specifically during elections. According to his official website, Kreskin had predicted the deciding quarter of a game at the Super Bowl 2016, along with the winning team and the final score.

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Detailed information on Kreskin's survivors remains unknown since he never got married, as per ABC News on December 11.