George Kresge Jr., Renowned as The Amazing Kreskin, Passes Away at 89

December 12, 2024 TruthUSA

NEW YORK—George Joseph Kresge Jr., widely recognized by countless television viewers as the captivating entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, has passed away at the age of 89.

Ryan Galway, a friend and former road manager of Kreskin, informed The Associated Press that he died on Tuesday at his residence in Caldwell, New Jersey, where he lived for most of his life. Galway mentioned that Kreskin had been unwell in recent weeks but did not disclose the cause of death.

Inspired by the comic book character Mandrake the Magician, Kreskin began his television journey in the 1960s and maintained his popularity for many years, making appearances on various talk shows from Merv Griffin to Johnny Carson to Jimmy Fallon.

Fans were often intrigued by his signature mind tricks—ranging from accurately guessing a randomly selected playing card to his most famous stunt of discovering where his paycheck was hidden among the audience. He also hosted his own television show in the 1970s, performed live across the country, and authored numerous books, including “Secrets of the Amazing Kreskin” and “Mental Power Is Real.”

While he was a regular on talk shows, Kreskin’s antics occasionally elicited displeasure from hosts. In 2002, he predicted a UFO sighting over Las Vegas on June 2nd, offering to donate $50,000 to charity if he was incorrect. Hundreds gathered in the desert for the event in vain. Kreskin later confessed to radio host Art Bell that the prediction was a hoax intended to illustrate how the September 11th attacks had made individuals more open to manipulation. Bell criticized the stunt as “lame, lame, lame” and banned Kreskin from his program.

Galway noted that Kreskin actively performed live shows into his 80s, only ceasing earlier this year after sustaining an injury from a fall. Kreskin remained unmarried and did not leave behind any immediate survivors.