John Max Thompson (July 27, 1934 – March 9, 2019) was an American comedian and Las Vegasillusionist who performed under the stage name The Great Tomsoni with his wife, Pamela Hayes. They had a comedic slapstick act with the well-dressed Thompson and his gum-popping assistant, Pam, performing illusions while enduring a series of mishaps. Within the magician community, Tomsoni was considered a virtuoso, widely known as a mentor and teacher of magic, and a creator of tricks, as opposed to simply a performer. He worked behind the scenes with magicians such as Penn and Teller, Lance Burton, Criss Angel and Mat Franco.[1][2] In 1999, he was awarded one of the highest honors in the magician community, a Masters Fellowship with the Academy of Magical Arts.[3] January 30, 2020, Showtime released a documentary about Thompson written and directed by Emery Emery called Gambler's Ballad: The Legend of Johnny Thompson.[4]
Thompson, who was Polish-American,[5] was born in Chicago on July 27, 1934.[6] Along with his wife Pamela Hayes, he performed a slapstick comic magical act in which he played the role of a dapper but buffoonish vaudeville gentleman, with a gum-popping assistant, and they endured various mishaps during their performance. One of his trademarks was producing pure white doves on stage, which were trained to play along with the act once they had appeared.[7]
He had been featured on many episodes of Criss Angel's Mindfreak, the "Hair" episode of Penn and Teller's Bullshit!, and the film The Aristocrats. His wife and assistant, Pamela Hayes Thompson, was featured in the film Women in Boxes about magicians' assistants.[8]
He was the producer on the television program Penn & Teller: Fool Us. As part of that job, he was responsible for making the final call as to whether the performers were able to fool Penn & Teller.[9]
Deathedit
On February 25, 2019, Thompson collapsed during a rehearsal of Fool Us and was taken to Spring Valley Hospital in Las Vegas. He died in the hospital 12 days later, on March 9, at the age of 84 from complications of respiratory failure.[10][11][6] As tearfully reported by Penn Jillette on his podcast, "Penn's Sunday School" released March 10, 2019: "Johnny Thompson, many of you know, my hero, my mentor, my friend, my co-worker...who for over 20 years had been working with Penn and Teller, guiding us on everything; Johnny Thompson who was like a grandfather to my children, Johnny died today. He was working on "Penn and Teller 'Fool Us'", right after working with an act, he collapsed next to Mike Close. His heart stopped. There was CPR. The EMTs got his heart going again. He went in and was in the hospital from that Monday until today, so 10 days. He was conscious for a few moments...I spoke to him, but he couldn't answer back because he had a ventilator in his mouth, but he was clearly there. And he died. ...So I'm doing the show tonight...because Johnny would not have allowed me not to go on. ...The last words I said to him were "I love you," the last words he said to me were "I love you," ...I love you, Johnny."
Namesedit
Thompson's act has performed under the following names:
^Ernst, Jerry (February 20, 2005). "See what they've got up their sleeves - Magic shows, workshops to offer a look behind the scenes". Flushing Observer.
^Smith, Vicki (December 7, 2001). "Mystifying the magician". Press-Telegram.
^ abHunt, Luanne J. (October 12, 2001). "The Great Escape". Press-Telegram.
^"Gambler's Ballad". Showtime. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
^Hunt, Luanne (October 12, 2001). "The Great Escape". Press-Telegram.
^ abGenzlinger, Neil (2019-03-18). "Johnny Thompson, a Magician's Magician, Is Dead at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
^Einstein, Charles (July 16, 1995). "It's all smoke and mirrors as showrooms find audiences clamoring". Star-Ledger.
^Noyes, Phil; Pallenberg, Harry (2008). "Women in Boxes" (video). snagfilms.com.
^"Backstage with Penn & Teller: Fool Us". 14 July 2015.
^Katsilometes, John (March 9, 2019). "Johnny Thompson, a Las Vegas magic legend, dies at 84". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
^Weatherford, Mike (September 14, 2008). "Old-timer the mind behind the magic". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
^"When magicians convene, it's a night of illusions". The State. January 18, 2002.
^"Abbotts Magic Get Together - 1992 Award Winners". magicgettogether.com. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
External linksedit
Official webpage
December 11, 2023
johnny, thompson, irish, cricketer, cricketer, other, uses, john, thompson, john, thompson, july, 1934, march, 2019, american, comedian, vegas, illusionist, performed, under, stage, name, great, tomsoni, with, wife, pamela, hayes, they, comedic, slapstick, wit. For the Irish cricketer see Johnny Thompson cricketer For other uses see John Thompson John Max Thompson July 27 1934 March 9 2019 was an American comedian and Las Vegas illusionist who performed under the stage name The Great Tomsoni with his wife Pamela Hayes They had a comedic slapstick act with the well dressed Thompson and his gum popping assistant Pam performing illusions while enduring a series of mishaps Within the magician community Tomsoni was considered a virtuoso widely known as a mentor and teacher of magic and a creator of tricks as opposed to simply a performer He worked behind the scenes with magicians such as Penn and Teller Lance Burton Criss Angel and Mat Franco 1 2 In 1999 he was awarded one of the highest honors in the magician community a Masters Fellowship with the Academy of Magical Arts 3 January 30 2020 Showtime released a documentary about Thompson written and directed by Emery Emery called Gambler s Ballad The Legend of Johnny Thompson 4 Johnny ThompsonBornJohn Max Thompson 1934 07 27 July 27 1934Chicago Illinois U S DiedMarch 9 2019 2019 03 09 aged 84 Las Vegas Nevada U S NationalityPolish AmericanOther namesThe Great TomsoniOccupation s Illusionist comedianSpousePamela Hayes 1936 2021 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Death 2 Names 3 Awards 4 References 5 External linksBiography editThompson who was Polish American 5 was born in Chicago on July 27 1934 6 Along with his wife Pamela Hayes he performed a slapstick comic magical act in which he played the role of a dapper but buffoonish vaudeville gentleman with a gum popping assistant and they endured various mishaps during their performance One of his trademarks was producing pure white doves on stage which were trained to play along with the act once they had appeared 7 He had been featured on many episodes of Criss Angel s Mindfreak the Hair episode of Penn and Teller s Bullshit and the film The Aristocrats His wife and assistant Pamela Hayes Thompson was featured in the film Women in Boxes about magicians assistants 8 He was the producer on the television program Penn amp Teller Fool Us As part of that job he was responsible for making the final call as to whether the performers were able to fool Penn amp Teller 9 Death edit On February 25 2019 Thompson collapsed during a rehearsal of Fool Us and was taken to Spring Valley Hospital in Las Vegas He died in the hospital 12 days later on March 9 at the age of 84 from complications of respiratory failure 10 11 6 As tearfully reported by Penn Jillette on his podcast Penn s Sunday School released March 10 2019 Johnny Thompson many of you know my hero my mentor my friend my co worker who for over 20 years had been working with Penn and Teller guiding us on everything Johnny Thompson who was like a grandfather to my children Johnny died today He was working on Penn and Teller Fool Us right after working with an act he collapsed next to Mike Close His heart stopped There was CPR The EMTs got his heart going again He went in and was in the hospital from that Monday until today so 10 days He was conscious for a few moments I spoke to him but he couldn t answer back because he had a ventilator in his mouth but he was clearly there And he died So I m doing the show tonight because Johnny would not have allowed me not to go on The last words I said to him were I love you the last words he said to me were I love you I love you Johnny Names editThompson s act has performed under the following names The Great Tomsoni The Great Tomsoni amp Co The Great Tomsoni and Company The Great Tomsoni The Wizard of Warsaw 12 Tomsoni amp Co Tomsoni amp CompanyAwards editMagicians of the Year Johnny and Pam Thompson Allan Slaight Award Lifetime Achievement 2015 JOHNNY THOMPSON Clarke Senator Crandall Award For Comedy Abbott s Magic Get Together 1992 13 LOUIE award Tannen s Magic Jubilee 2000 Masters Fellowship Academy of Magical Arts 1999 3 References edit Ernst Jerry February 20 2005 See what they ve got up their sleeves Magic shows workshops to offer a look behind the scenes Flushing Observer Smith Vicki December 7 2001 Mystifying the magician Press Telegram a b Hunt Luanne J October 12 2001 The Great Escape Press Telegram Gambler s Ballad Showtime Retrieved 31 January 2020 Hunt Luanne October 12 2001 The Great Escape Press Telegram a b Genzlinger Neil 2019 03 18 Johnny Thompson a Magician s Magician Is Dead at 84 The New York Times Retrieved 2019 10 01 Einstein Charles July 16 1995 It s all smoke and mirrors as showrooms find audiences clamoring Star Ledger Noyes Phil Pallenberg Harry 2008 Women in Boxes video snagfilms com Backstage with Penn amp Teller Fool Us 14 July 2015 Katsilometes John March 9 2019 Johnny Thompson a Las Vegas magic legend dies at 84 Las Vegas Review Journal Retrieved 9 March 2019 Weatherford Mike September 14 2008 Old timer the mind behind the magic Las Vegas Review Journal Retrieved 22 January 2014 When magicians convene it s a night of illusions The State January 18 2002 Abbotts Magic Get Together 1992 Award Winners magicgettogether com Retrieved 2019 07 26 External links editOfficial webpage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Johnny Thompson amp oldid 1118883520, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
