History of the Round Table

The Chicago Round Table was originally established in 1929 as an informal gathering of professional and amateur magicians, meeting daily for lunch at De Lazon’s restaurant. Luminaries like Jay and Frances Marshall, Dr. Harlan Tarbell, Harry Blackstone Sr., and Werner Dornfield held court in the spirit of camaraderie and a shared love of the art of magic. Word quickly spread, and the Round Table became a headquarters for magicians. 

The gatherings continued into the mid-1950s and endured a few location changes, eventually settling on a daily lunch at the Drake Restaurant. Eventually, though, meetings tapered off sometime in the 1960s, and the first iteration of the Round Table gradually vanished. 

The Chicago Round Table had a brief resurgence in the late 2000s when Dan Mindo, Tracy Atteberry, and David Parr revived the informal gatherings beginning at the Green Door Tavern under the name "Chicago Magic Round Table." However, that too faded away as schedules and availability had their eternal clash, and schedules emerged victorious.