David Copperfield

While his peers were sawing women in half and pulling animals out of their sleeves, David Copperfield established himself as the most lucrative magician of all time by performing illusions on a scale never scene before, flying above his audiences, transporting himself to Hawaii, slicing up volunteers with lasers and, most famously, disappearing the Statue of Liberty. Copperfield’s television specials were popular throughout the ’80s and ’90, and the magician continues to tour behind a rotating mix of new and old tricks. In 2006 he made headlines when he thwarted a gun-wielding robber, hiding his valuables through simple sleight of hand.