Philemon Vanderbeck

"I will always treasure the day we spent with our beloved NLT+++ in his dusty apartment in L.A. We kept him up far past his bedtime, but he didn't seem to mind, as he entertained us for hours regaling us with stories from his past.

I take comfort in the fact that he will be with us always; in our thoughts and our memories. And that his legacy will live on, through his words and his books. Gene was a believer in reincarnation, so I can safely presume that he has chosen to trade in his tired broken old body for a brand new model...And he will be back.

I eagerly await the time in the not too distant future when I hear about some young uprising performer, who has a unique take on the old magical craft, and tells wonderful stories to accompany the simplest of tricks. And I know that this young person will visit me in my dusty house in the Pacific Northwest, where I will regale them with stories of my past, especially the time I had the pleasure of knowing a likable curmudgeon named Gene.

And thus we will have come full circle once more, knowing the wheel turns ever on..."

Steven Kingsley

"The news of Gene's passing is obviously a sad moment. Having had the pleasure and privilege of getting to know Gene over the past two years and I know that somewhere, that life force is still laughing, saying something like, 'well I still know more than you guys'. The sadness of loss is always greatest in those left behind. Certainly the Shadow Digest pages will be less rich for his departure. The best thing we can do is to remember this creative genius who gave so much to everyone on the Shadow Digest and to honor those gifts by remembering what he has taught us and try
to put into practice every time we step before an audience, be it a crowd of a thousand or of just one."

Steve A. Glaser.

In actuality, Gene Poinc was an acquaintance. We'd exchanged quips and comments online and I spoke to him once on the phone during his hospital stay. None the less, I feel like I've lost an old and dear friend.

I "discovered" Gene late, on the SAM email list, less than two years ago. At first I found him a funny and delightful eccentric. As I learned more about him and his work, he rapidly became an influence and then a hero. There are many I admire in this art, but I have yet to see his like for the ability to chill the blood, touch the heart and tickle the funnybone -- often simultaneously.

There is much Gene should be remembered for. One accomplishment alone, however, is enough to earn him a permanent place in any Magic Hall of Fame. In my mind, he is forever enshrined as the man who created the A-Number-One very most bestest dove pan effect the world has ever seen, or is ever likely to see: "Fly, Phoenix Bird, Fly!"

Like Philemon -- and Gene himself -- I believe he'll be back. I only hope that when he returns he'll discover that he's not done with magic yet and, perhaps influenced by the work of his past life, share more of his twisted brilliance and deep humanity with the rest of us. But, if next time around he decides that his passion will be Mathematics, or Archeology, or even Mime, I'm certain he will still produce plenty to dazzle, amaze and inspire us. If it's architecture, I want to live in one of his buildings!

Our magical world is a far less interesting place without him. But it is a vastly more interesting place for his having been here. 

Thanks, Gene!