David Copperfield (born David Seth Kotkin in Metuchen New Jersey on September 16, 1956) is a renowned magician and illusionist best known for his combination of spectacular illusions with storytelling. His most famous feats include making the Statue of Liberty disappear, levitating over the Grand Canyon, and walking through the Great Wall of China.
David began performing magic professionally at the age of 12, and became the youngest person ever admitted to the Society of American Magicians . By age 16, he was teaching a course in magic at New York University.
In 1982, David Copperfield founded Project Magic , a rehabilitation program to help disabled patients regain lost or damaged dexterity skills. The program has been accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association , and is in use in over 1,000 hospitals worldwide.
Copperfield has also attempted to preserve the history of the art of magic for present and future generations by providing a safe, permanent home for antiquarian props, books, and other historical ephemera related to conjuring. His vast collection, known as the International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts , is housed in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Forbes Magazine reported that Copperfield earned $57 million in 2003, making him the 10th highest paid celebrity in the world.
He was engaged to the supermodel Claudia Schiffer. The couple parted ways in 1999, after a six year relationship.
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