BALLANTINE'S FINAL ACT

The LA Times has posted a outstanding obituary for Magician & Actor Carl Ballantine who passed away earlier this week.

Steve Martin:  "Carl Ballantine influenced not only myself but a generation of magicians and comedians," Martin said Wednesday in a statement to The Times. "His was also the most copied act by a host of amateurs and professionals."

David Copperfield:  "Basically, Carl Ballantine created comedy magic," he said. "The combination of magic and comedy had perhaps been done before, but he truly defined it and made it his own."

According to his daughter, there will be no funeral and, "He wanted to have his ashes scattered over Santa Anita racetrack," said Saratoga Ballantine, who was named after the racetrack in New York; her sister Molly's middle name is Caliente, after the track in Tijuana."

"I'll tell you the truth," she added. "I think my dad had a great life. He had such wonderful friends and a wonderful time. ... He didn't like being old. He used to say, 'I wish I was 45.' I'd say, 'Me, too.' "

Thanks to Kevin Conolly for pointing us to this article.