Kreskin (1935-)
Kreskin (1935-)
The mentalist magician Kreskin was born George Joseph Kresge, Jr., on January 12, 1935, in Montclair, New Jersey. He was educated at Seton Hall University (B.A., 1963). He worked for eight years as consultant to a psychologist. He disclaims supernatural powers but appears to use some form of ESP in such stage tricks as "influencing" a member of his audience to select a name (previously placed by Kreskin in an envelope) from a pile of telephone directories. He has described telepathy as "just a heightening of the senses," and he has suggested that "ESP" should read "PSE"—phenomena scientifically explainable.
In addition to his book The Amazing World of Kreskin (1973), he has also published Use Your Head to Get Ahead! With Kreskin's Mind Power Book (1977). Although he says he uses telepathy in conjunction with conventional stage magic, he also claims that his methods are purely scientific. According to Kreskin, "Everything I do is inherent in everyone. But what I have done is to learn to sensitize myself to the reactions and attitudes of people around me. Under certain conditions I can sense their thoughts as well as influence their thoughts."
Sources:
Berger, Arthur S., and Joyce Berger. The Encyclopedia of Parapsychology and Psychical Research. New York: Paragon House, 1991.
Kreskin [George J. Kresge, Jr.]. The Amazing World of Kreskin. New York: Random House, 1973.