Tony Picasso

Tony "The Cardfather" Picasso is a Los Angeles-based close up magician. He is best known for his playing card manipulation, sleight-of-hand, and mastery of the dark arts.

Picasso is a member of The Magic Castle and was a performer in the long-running Magic Castle All-Star Jam. In 2006 and 2007, he was selected as a member of the "Blue Ribbon Committee" nominating The Academy of Magical Arts annual awards in all performance categories including, Close-up, Parlor, Palace, Bar, and Lecturer of the Year.

Picasso was a judge for the "Day of Magic", a magic competition held on June 12, 1999, in Hollywood, California.

In 1992, the Hollywood Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians awarded Picasso the Close-up Performer of the Year.

In 2007 he consulted magician David Malek's performance segment on a Japanese Television magic special. Picasso was also a consultant on magician Cyril Takayama's appearances on the Japanese television series "Magic Revolutions". Picasso also served as a con and card cheat consultant for Damian Nieman's 2003 feature film "Shade”.

Picasso has been mentioned in articles by magic magazines Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine. and The Linking Ring. He was also the subject of a 2008 feature in Mob Candy magazine. On-line magazine Daily Candy wrote about his close-up show in 2006 and 2009.

In 2009 Picasso produced, wrote, directed and performed the one-man plays, "The Dark Side of Right" and "Straight Edge {19.15.3.9.15.16.1.20.8}".

In October 2009 Picasso became a spokesperson for the Arcane brand of playing cards produced and sold by magic company Ellusionist.

On October 28, 2010 Picasso was honored at the Magic Castle with David Gabbay's parody act "Phony Picasso: How to be a GangSTAR".