Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed is a United States television series of specials and episodes in which the methods behind magic tricks and stage illusions are revealed. The tricks and illusions were filmed inside a warehouse at 516 South Anderson Street in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, United States with the performances carried out by an anonymous “Masked Magician” described as a world‑class illusionist who remains silent and wears a mask to conceal his identity. He is assisted by female performers and magical stagehands who appear on camera but are not part of his regular stage crew. The Masked Magician in the original 1997–1998 specials was later publicly identified as American illusionist Val Valentino.
The franchise originally consisted of four specials broadcast in 1997–1998, followed by a standalone special, Escape From the Ice, in 2002, which featured a different masked magician. A street‑magic themed spinoff special, Secrets of Street Magic Revealed, aired in 2007 and also used a different performer in the role. The series was revived in 2008–2009 with thirteen new episodes, during which Valentino returned as the Masked Magician.
Background
Valentino was approached by Fox executives while performing in major Las Vegas showroom productions, including Viva Las Vegas and Splash. After initial hesitation due to concerns about backlash from the magic community, he agreed to participate in the series on the condition that only older, traditional illusions would be revealed. He argued that exposing outdated methods would encourage innovation among magicians and renew public interest in the art of illusion.
Born Leonard Montano on June 14, 1956, in East Los Angeles, Valentino began performing magic as a child after receiving his first magic kit at the age of eight. As a teenager, he performed at children’s parties before later establishing himself professionally in Las Vegas.
Fox developed the concept of a masked magician who would perform classic illusions and then reveal the methods behind them. Valentino took on the role after other magicians declined. His identity was revealed in the final episode of the original 1997–1998 run, which led to significant controversy, including blacklisting, threats, and the revocation of his Magic Castle membership.
Following the controversy in the United States, Valentino continued performing internationally and later achieved renewed popularity in Brazil under the name "Mister M", where he performed sold‑out shows and promoted magic education initiatives.
Cast
The Masked Magician The first four specials and the 2008–2009 revival series featured Val Valentino as the Masked Magician, performing large-scale illusions and select close-up magic tricks before revealing the secrets behind them. Although additional specials were produced in 2002 and 2007, Valentino did not appear as the Masked Magician in those productions, and the identities of the performers involved in those specific specials remain unconfirmed.
Magic assistants In Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed, magic assistants played a central role in the show's format. Unlike traditional magic shows, where assistants contribute to the narrative and presentation, the assistants in this series served primarily as functional participants in the “reveal” segments. They acted as “living props,” demonstrating the inner workings of the illusions and exposing the mechanics behind the apparatuses.
Assistants and Stage Crew Note: The following tables are based on the official production credits of the series.*
Original series (1997–1998) and Frozen in Ice Special (2002) Name Role E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 Sybil Azur Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ ✓ Michelle Berube Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Denise Holland Magic Assistant ✓ Jennifer Keyes Magic Assistant ✓ Diane Klimaszewski Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ ✓ Elaine Klimaszewski Magic Assistant ✓ Elizabeth Ramos Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ Marisa Gilliam Magic Assistant ✓ Kelly Danielle Jones Magic Assistant ✓ Kimmi Bateman Magic Assistant ✓ Kelly Cooper Magic Assistant ✓ Noelle Naone Magic Assistant ✓ Kadee Sweeney Magic Assistant ✓
Revival series (2008–2009) Name Role E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 E9 E10 E11 E12 E13 Allie Cohen Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Lyndsay Haldorson Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Samantha Faye Lee Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Lauren Melendez Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Paige Peterson Magic Assistant ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Eve Torres WWE Diva ✓ Maria Kanellis WWE Diva ✓ Sean Breathwaite Stagehand ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Danny Davalos Stagehand ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Frank Lacero Stagehand ✓ Jeff Manabat Stagehand ✓ Bryan Martin Stagehand ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Shawn Van Der Wilt Stagehand ✓ ✓ ✓ Laz Viciedo Stagehand ✓ Robson Vieira Stagehand ✓ Sean Flannery Stagehand ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Vladamir Bermudez Stagehand ✓ ✓ Jade Ramsey Stagehand ✓ Nikita Ramsey Stagehand ✓ Russell Glenka Stagehand ✓ Brian Setzer Magician's Double ✓ ✓ Dominic Valentino Magician's Double ✓
Episodes
Original Specials (1997–1998) The original 1997–1998 specials were filmed primarily inside the warehouse at 516 South Anderson Street in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. Although the series presents the location as a single “secret warehouse,” the exterior shown in the opening credits is actually the former Van de Kamp Bakery Building in Glassell Park. Once the camera transitions indoors, all interior footage was recorded at 516 South Anderson Street. Three of the larger outdoor illusions for the 1997–1998 specials, including Vanishing Tank, Buried Alive, and Death Trap, were filmed in the rear industrial yard of the Van de Kamp site, creating a visual contrast between the exterior presentation and the true interior filming location. Episode Air dates List of Illusions Revealed Episode One November 24, 1997 (US) Lady to Tiger; Chinese Lantern; Levitation; Exploding Packing Crate; Zig Zag Girl; Chinese Linking Rings; Metamorphosis; Sawing a Woman in Half; Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat; Sword Basket; Vanishing Elephant Episode Two March 3, 1998 (US) Crusher; Teleportation; Lady of Steel; Vanishing Scarves; Walking Through a Solid Brick Wall; Suit of Armor; Shooting an Arrow Through a Woman; Switching Places; Disappearing Doves; Box of Pain; Water Torture Escape Episode Three May 5, 1998 (US) Bed of Spikes; The Stretch; Daggers of Death; Disappearing Scarf; The Haunted House; Disappearing Radio; Bullet Catch; Turning Water Into Ice; Mismatch Girl; Vanishing Tank Episode Four – The Final Reveal October 29, 1998 (US) Car Crusher Escape; Cremation; Spike Torture; Guillotine; Buried Alive; Pincushion Thumb; Death Trap; The Cannon and the Crate
Escape From the Ice (2002 Special) The 2002 special also features exterior shots of the Van de Kamp Bakery Building, but all interior footage was recorded at 516 South Anderson Street in Boyle Heights, the same warehouse used for the original 1997–1998 specials. This special was not narrated by Mitch Pileggi, but was narrated fully by Mark Thompson and the Masked Magician was portrayed by a different performer whose identity has never been publicly revealed and was not Val Valentino. Episode Air dates List of Illusions Revealed Episode Five – Escape From the Ice May 15, 2002 (US) Sawing Through a Woman with a Buzz Saw; Making an Assistant Disappear; Broom Suspension; Going Through the Portal; Disappearing Dumptruck; Spike Torture Escape; Floating Table; Frozen Alive
Secrets of Street Magic Revealed (2007 Special) This special was produced by the same company responsible for the original series, this special was released as a standalone spin-off, titled Secrets of Street Magic Revealed (2007), rather than being branded under the Breaking the Magician’s Code title. Unlike previous installments that focused on grand stage illusions, this production concentrated exclusively on street-magic techniques and close-up performances.
The special featured several departures from the franchise's established format. Mitch Pileggi did not provide the narration, and the role of the Masked Magician was recast with a performer distinct from both Val Valentino and the unidentified magician who appeared in the 2002 special. Additionally, it is the only installment in the franchise in which the Masked Magician speaks on camera, utilizing a voice that appears to have been altered to conceal the performer's identity.
Special Air date List of Illusions Revealed Secrets of Street Magic Revealed September 2007 Ash in Palm; Vanishing Coin; Riffle Force; Arm Twist; Raising Card; Mind Reading; The Switch; Swami Prediction; Ash Reveal; Dead Fly Resurrection; Time Machine; Telekinesis; Cigarette Through Coin; Dove Decapitation; Street Levitation
Series Revival (2008–2009) The 2008–2009 revival did not reuse the Van de Kamp Bakery exterior shot seen in the earlier specials, likely because the warehouse structure behind the landmark had been demolished by that time. Val Valentino returned as the Masked Magician for this series, and the illusions revealed were larger, more elaborate, and more technically complex than those featured in the original 1997–1998 specials. Interior filming once again took place at 516 South Anderson Street in Boyle Heights, while several outdoor illusions were staged at alternate locations throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. For a full list of episodes, illusions revealed, and filming locations used throughout this series, see the List of Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed episodes page.