John Archer is a UK comedy magician.[1]
Archer was a police officer in Cleveland Constabulary for ten years, until 1996 when he was medically retired, after which he began entertaining. In 1998, Archer was awarded the Ken Dodd Presidents Trophy for Best New Magical Comedy Entertainer. In February 2000, he took part in the British magical Championships, and was awarded British Magical Champion of Comedy. In November 2002 at The Magic Circle Awards Banquet he was promoted to Member of the Inner Magic Circle – with gold star, and was also awarded The Carlton Comedy Award for outstanding use of comedy and magic. In 2003, he was awarded the Senator Crandall Award for Comedy at Abbot’s convention in the United States of America, and won The Magic Circle's Stage Magician of the Year competition in October 2008.[2]
He appeared on the hidden camera series Undercover Magic, broadcast in the UK on Sky. Archer was also involved in writing for television and has worked on several projects with comedian Tim Vine.
John Archer successfully starred in the ITV show 'Fool Us' on January 7, 2011 hosted by Jonathan Ross. 'Fool Us' is a programme where magicians from Great Britain attempt to trick the magic greats Penn & Teller; if they do, the prize is to open the Penn and Teller show at the Rio Casino in Las Vegas[3].
it saddens me that in leaving the fulltime professional world of television when I did, I forsook the opportunity to make John Archer into a star. Without doubt he represents for the new century what Paul Daniels did back in the eighties. Strong magic and great comedy seldom come in the same package. If Eric Morecambe - with an added touch of Les Dawson - had been born a magician, he would have been John Archer. His star must and will shine soon. Promoted carefully, he could even be as big as Tommy Cooper.
John Archer is so funny that it takes you a while to realise that he's also an outstandingly original and innovative magician. He is the outstanding magical entertainer of his generation