James Randi

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James Randi
Born
Randall James Hamilton Zwinge

(1928-08-07)August 7, 1928
DiedOctober 20, 2020(2020-10-20) (aged 92)
NationalityCanadian-American
Occupation(s)Magician, illusionist, writer, skeptic
Spouse
Deyvi Pena (m. 2013)
Websitewww.randi.org
Signature

James Randi (born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge; August 7, 1928 – October 20, 2020) was a Canadian-American magician and skeptic. He was known for performing ghost magic. He founded the James Randi Educational Foundation. He held two world records in the Guinness World Records. He was influenced by Harry Houdini and Harry Blackstone, Sr..

Randi was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1] He was openly gay.[2][3] He married his partner of 27 years, Deyvi Pena, in 2013.

Randi died on October 20, 2020 in Plantation, Florida at the age of 92.[4]

World records[change | change source]

The following are Guinness World Records:

  • Randi was in a sealed casket underwater for one hour and 44 minutes, breaking the previous record of one hour and 33 minutes set by Harry Houdini on August 5, 1926.
  • Randi was encased in a block of ice for 55 minutes.

References[change | change source]

  1. H.W. Wilson Company (1987). Current Biography Yearbook. Silverplatter International. p. 455.
  2. Randi, James. "How To Say It?", "Swift", March 21, 2010
  3. "James Randi – A Skeptic Comes Out at 81 (podcast)". For Good Reason. March 21, 2010. Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  4. "James Randi, magician and stage artist devoted to debunking the paranormal, dies at 92". The Washington Post. October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.

Other websites[change | change source]

Media related to James Randi at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related to James Randi at Wikiquote