James Freedman (magician)

James Freedman is a British Magician and Pickpocket entertainer, also known as 'The Man of Steal'.

He has performed for the Royal Family and acted as a Magical Advisor inventing magic tricks and illusions for feature films and television shows. [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1844201/ Source: IMDb] Time Out magazine wrote that he is "possibly the world's best pickpocket".

Formerly a Director of The London Magic Circle , Freedman was awarded Gold Star Membership of The Inner Magic Circle in recognition of his outstanding abilities as a performer and was the Magic Circle Close Up Magician of the Year in 1992. [http://www.themagiccircle.co.uk/main_nav/advertDetail.php?adverts_id=31 The Magic Circle Official Site]

Freedman was asked by Roman Polanski to teach Sir Ben Kingsley and other actors the art of picking pockets for the movie Oliver Twist (2005) and is listed in the credits as a Pickpocket Consultant. He was also Magic Consultant for the movie The Illusionist (2006) starring Edward Norton, whom he taught sleight of hand and stage illusions [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443543/fullcredits] . Norton said that "James is one of the ultimate all-stars in his field today".

In 2007 he worked on location in Serbia on The Brothers Bloom a movie directed by Rian Johnson. The movie stars Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz who learned sleight of hand magic from Freedman. [http://www.magicweek.co.uk/ Original Report]

In 2004 and 2005 Freedman was consultant for the BBC One drama Hustle, for which he trained the principal actors, notably Robert Vaughn and Adrian Lester, how to cheat at poker. He is also credited [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0791615/ here] as consultant for the spin-off series The Real Hustle.

Freedman is CEO of the Magic Management Group of companies which owns Magic Management, a company that uses magicians' psychological techniques in business communication [http://www.exhibitingshow.com/page.cfm/Action=Seminars/SeminarID=9 Speaker Profile] and which markets The Magic Circle Headquarters, London's most magical venue. [http://www.magiccirclevenue.co.uk Official Site] and [http://www.dynamicfx.co.uk Dynamic FX] , a company that hires magicians, illusionists and magic consultants.

Trivia

*Freedman's hands were insured with UK insurers Royal and Sun Alliance for UK£1 million. (References needed)

External links

* [http://www.pickpocket.co.uk Official Site]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1844201/ IMDb Entry]
* [http://www.magicweek.co.uk/magic_profiles/magicprofile_0037_james_freedman.htm An Interview 2003]
* [http://www.magicweek.co.uk/magic_reviews/review_lecture_james_freedman.htm The Magic Circle Lecture Mar 2004]
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14931-1812362,00.html News article 'The Times Newspaper' Oct 05]
* [http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/leisure/filmreviews/display.var.1229102.0.norton_is_simply_magic.php News article 'The Guardian Newspaper' March 07]