Tom Mullica

Thomas Blaine Mullica (August 19, 1948 – February 18, 2016), was an American comedy magician and impressionist who performed on television specials, and appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, The World's Greatest Magic, Viva Variety and Penn & Teller's Sin City.

Mullica appeared on the Late Night with David Letterman, where he performed his signature effect of the manipulation and vanishing of several cigarettes in his mouth.

In 1984 Mullica won the Siegfried & Roy Golden Lion Award at the Magic Desert Seminar in Las Vegas.

He also performed at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and toured the US and Canada with RED – A Performance Tribute, a Red Skelton Tribute show which Mullica wrote and starred in as Skelton and his characters. RED is the only Skelton tribute show authorized by the Skelton Estate.

In July 2013 Mullica helped dedicate the Red Skelton Museum & Education Center.

Personal life
He was born Thomas Blaine Mullica in Waupun, Wisconsin on August 19, 1948. When Mullica was five years old, he wanted to be a clown. On his seventh birthday his mother bought him a "Sneaky Pete Magic Kit" for Christmas.

In 1966 he graduated from Waupun High School, after which he enlisted in the Army at age 18. He served 3 years in Korea and Germany. Once he had finished his military service he moved to Colon, Michigan, where he built illusions and demonstrated magic for Abbott's Magic Company.

Mullica then moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he attended bartending school. In 1976 he opened his own nightclub called The Tom-Foolery Magic Bar Theater.

The entertainer Red Skelton visited the Tom-foolery in 1980 and they became fast friends. The Tom-Foolery closed in 1987. Mullica asked Skelton for his advice after the closure, and Skelton suggested that he take his best material and perform it as a pantomime, with music. This would eliminate any language barrier and could be performed anywhere in the world. Mullica took Skelton's advice and rehearsed for six months. He then moved to Paris, France where he worked at the Crazy Horse Saloon.

In 1991, Mullica returned to the United States to continue his comedy magic career. He began writing RED (A Performance Tribute) in 1996, which he performed in theatres throughout the US and Canada.

In 2010, Mullica was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia. He passed away in 2016 of complications following surgery.

Death
On February 15, 2016, Mullica was placed in an induced coma following complications stemming from a routine hernia operation, which caused him to have several strokes. He subsequently suffered from organ and liver failure. On February 18, it was decided to take Mullica off life support. He was 67 years of age when he died.

Notable areas of expertise
While Mullica performed an array of magic styles and effects, he received significant accolades for his eating cigarettes routine.

Awards

 * Siegfried & Roy Golden Lion Award, Magic Desert Seminar (1984 in Las Vegas, USA)
 * Baird/Foster Award for Manipulation, Abbott's Magic Get Together (1992 in Colon, USA)