Geoff Latta • Dead at 51 • Nice knowing you

I met Geoff 25 years ago in Manhattan. The year 1983, the place Ruben's Deli. I had dropped out of high school & moved to NYC to street perform.

I took the pic to the left during one of those famous Ruben's Deli Sessions. Great memories of a great time in my life. What I remember most about hanging with Geoff back in those days was his evolved sense of palming coins. He had these great shows, where you would swear his hand was empty. I also remember this wicked cool false explanation he used to give for Copper, Silver, Brass. He would ask the audience if they wanted to know how it was done. When they said yes, he would explain that he just juggled the coins very quickly to change which hands the coins were in. The he would proceed to perform 3 very quick muscle passes (two of them simultaneously) causing the two copper coins in his left hand to end up in his right, and the silver in his right to end up in his left hand. Back then he was a proof reader and was never without his trusty walkman blaring heavy metal music.

Our paths didn't cross again for another couple of decades. I saw him again at one of the Las Vegas Magic Invitationals, a few years back. We saw each other again at a World Magic Seminar a year or two later and spent a lot of time hanging, drinking and doing tricks at the bar at the Orleans Casino.

It was a tough time for us both. Both of us were being denied any visitation with our kids. It was hell on us both. We drowned our sorrows and discussed out situations. Not good.

Geoff was a good guy and a good magician. I'm sorry to see things end this way for him. I just hope to hell that he's having one hell of a session with Dingle, Vernon, T. Nelson Downs and Erdnase somewhere in the wild blue yonder. We'll all miss you Mr. Latta.