The Characters of the Castle by Harry Evry he year is 1910. You have been invited to a gala celebration The Castle is a magical place. has been bringing fantasies in Hollywoodland at the home of the most magnificent to life now every night for 50 years. There are many in the wizard. Your host, an eccentric, world-renowned magician Castle today who are striving to continue to make it physically, hasT invited you and a group of the creatively, organizationally most elite, magical, brilliant, powerful and technically all the more and often quite amusing practitioners magical and amazing but, like of the magical arts to join him for any home, it is the occupants, dinner and an evening of fun, mystery the family members that make and imagination. it truly unique.

You enter through a secret door and As we begin our 50th year, let beyond it find a labyrinth full of the us stop and pay tribute to all most amazing sites and the most those amazing characters, those remarkable people. Imagine, if you people who night after night will, deep in the most creative and have helped make the Castle romantic recesses of your mind, the the most magical experience in amazing adventure awaits you there in the world. From Castle legends every room and around every corner. like Milt and William Larsen Jr., and Mark That is the promise of The Wilson to the contagious smile Castle. That is the challenge that Milt of Jack Goldfinger, the humble, Larsen and William Larsen Jr. have quiet brilliance of Howard offered and extended to each of us who Hamburg, the dark powerful make The our clubhouse, presence of , the our show place and our magical home odd, uneasy quirkiness of Rob away from home. We, every one of us, Zabrecky, and the sweet gentle are the players, the characters and the chuckle of El Ropo himself. All actors on this unique stage, bringing are certainly characters of the to life not just one amazing adventure, most wonderful, fascinating but an evolving ever-changing array and memorable kind. of magical moments and fantastic adventures for each other and the We could fill the next 20 pages constant parade of guests we invite and still not pay homage to nightly to join us. even a small sampling of the amazing men and women Whether we call ourselves members, performers, employees, whose characters have graced and in many ways defined The magicians, knights, volunteers or honored guests, we are all Magic Castle. I hope, throughout this 50th year, we will all charged every night with the opportunity, the privilege and the have the chance to look back and salute the Don Lawtons, John sacred mission to imagine, improvise and play our part. We have Shrums, Jay Oses, Cary Grants, Yale Gracees, Orson Welles, the power and the duty to help craft, define and bring more Johnny Carsons and so many, many more who have left and spark and new life to these magical adventures. continue to leave their magical stamp on the Castle.

We have the freedom to participate and enjoy the nightly Yet, as we look back at the amazing characters of our first 50 adventure ourselves, but with that freedom we should accept our years, let us all take this chance to examine our own unique own share of responsibility to enrich and enhance that magical character, our own equally powerful role that only we can play. journey for ourselves, our guests and for each other. Let us each for ourselves, define how today, here in the Castle’s Imagine yourself, again, back in 1910, in this remarkable, 50th year of magical dreams, we can make our own character, our mysterious, magical house, high on the Hollywoodland skyline. own captivating role, the most magical, memorable, enchanting Now imagine yourself not as the newly invited neophyte simply and delightful addition to this unique, ever-growing, ever- exploring and taking it all in, but as one of those remarkable, evolving marvel of experiential entertainment and interactive fascinating personalities, that powerful conjurer, fascinating theater, we lovingly call The Magic Castle. celebrity, mysterious sorcerer, crafty inventor or brilliant mage. Harry is a producer, technical director, designer, programmer, As Harry Anderson said so eloquently when he spoke on the author, editor, fx supervisor, composer, magician and imagineer. afternoon of his birthday in the Palace of Mystery this fall, “It is He currently serves as a member of the Innovation Committee, The not necessary that you make yourself into a character. Just know Media Committee and 50th Anniversary Committee. He has had that whether you plan it or not, you will be seen as a character. the privilege of contributing to many very well-known brands, So isn’t it far better for all of us to think about how we want to shows, parks and attractions but is proudest of his contributions be seen and remembered?” here at our world-famous Magic Castle. 48