Rob Zabrecky

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Rob Zabrecky
RobZabrecky.jpg
Zabrecky in 1992 at Al's Bar in Los Angeles
Born
Robert Zabrecky

(1968-06-02) June 2, 1968 (age 55)
Burbank, California, United States
Occupation(s)Actor, musician, magician, songwriter
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
SpouseTommi Zabrecky

Robert Zabrecky (born June 2, 1968, in Burbank, California) [1] is an American actor, author, magician, and songwriter. His career began as a musician while being the front man for the band Possum Dixon. In the later years of his career, he has found success as a magician, actor, and author. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Life and career

Zabrecky was born and raised in Burbank, California. From 1989 to 1999 he was the singer-songwriter and bassist for the Los Angeles group Possum Dixon. The band, originally hailing from Silver Lake, released three albums during the 1990s. [5]

During the mid-1990s, he began practicing magic and has since become a magician at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. In the mid-2000s he began a career in acting and has since landed roles in films and television programs. [6]

Actor

In 2017, Zabrecky landed a supporting role in the supernatural drama, A Ghost Story . His film credits also include a supporting role in Ryan Gosling's directorial debut Lost River , playing the master of ceremonies at an underground fetish nightclub, [7] and a starring role in the psychological thriller, Decay, portraying a troubled theme park groundskeeper who falls in love with a corpse. [8] As a television actor he has made several appearances in popular shows including GLOW , Strange Angel , Criminal Minds , CSI: NY , Comedy Bang! Bang! and Angie Tribeca . [9] [10] He has also appeared in several short films and a wide range of television commercials. [9] [11] [12]

He graduated from a two-year training program at Theatre West, where he appeared in theatrical adaptations of the television classic, The Twilight Zone and other productions.[ citation needed ]

In 2019, Zabrecky and his wife Tommi Zabrecky created the supernatural comedy series, The Other Side with Zabrecky. [13] In each episode, Zabrecky invites guests into his home to participate in a séance to contact a departed spirit of their choice. Guests have included Jack Black, Jason Sudeikis, Kate Flannery, Will Forte, and David Arquette. [14] The program is featured on the online visual arts magazine Night Flight. [15]

Author

In June 2019 Zabrecky released his memoir, Strange Cures (RothCo Press). [4]

Magician

Zabrecky is best known for an aberrant magician character he portrays by combining irreverent dark humor, mentalism and an artful use of elongated pauses in performances. [16] He was taught under the guidance of Robert Daven, another member of the Castle. In 2011 and 2012 he was voted "Stage Magician of the Year" by the Academy of Magical Arts at the Magic Castle. In 2014 and 2015 he was voted "Parlour Magician of the Year" by the same organization. [17] [18]

After his music career ended he has worked throughout the United States, Japan and Europe as a magician. [19] [20] Since 2002 he has been a regular performer at the Magic Castle, where he formed the magic trio, The Unholy Three in 2003. [21] He has also been the featured magician at annual magic conventions worldwide and appeared on the cover of magic-related journals and periodicals including Genii,Reel Magic and the Mandala. [22] [23]

The Zabrecky Hour, a one-man variety show, directed by John Lovick and Tommi Zabrecky, was premiered and developed at the Steve Allen Theater from 2010 to 2016. [24] The show featured highlights from his Magic Castle act, song & dance, conversations with the moon and audience interaction. [25]

After Zabrecky performed on Penn & Teller's Penn & Teller: Fool Us in August 2016, Penn Jillette said "We were trying to think if there's ever been a mentalist doing a mentalist act that was sincerely funny and sincerely good. You may be the first ever." [26]

Musician

As the frontman for Possum Dixon, Zabrecky became a notable figure in the emerging Silver Lake independent music community of the early 1990s. During those years, he wrote, recorded and performed with several musicians and producers, including Beck, Earle Mankey, Tom Rothrock, Pleasant Gehman, Carla Bozulich, Tim O'Heir and others. [27] Possum Dixon had a minor hit in 1993 with their first single, "Watch the Girl Destroy Me", [28] from their debut album Possum Dixon , produced by Mankey. [29] A second album, Star Maps , followed in 1996. [28] In 1998, they released New Sheets , which would be the last album by the band. The LP, produced by the Cars' Ric Ocasek, featured material co-written with Fred Schneider, Jane Wiedlin, Dave Stewart and others. [30]

Shortly after the breakup of Possum Dixon, Zabrecky spent time singing for the Los Angeles art rock band Human Hands and played bass in a Gun Club tribute band alongside original members Ward Dotson and Terry Graham. [31] [32]

In early 2010, he appeared on-stage with Maria McKee at a fundraiser in Hollywood. The pair sang a duet of Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love". [33] The pair performed the song again as part of a Night of Zabrecky performance at the Steve Allen Theater in 2012. [34]

Auctioneer

He is a skilled auctioneer, trained by Bonhams auction house (known then as Butterfield & Butterfield) during the late 1990s. For over a decade he has helped organizations such as the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Laguna Art Museum and many others with fundraising events. [35] [36] [37] [38]

Personal life

Zabrecky lives with his wife, Tommi Zabrecky, whom he married in 1998.

Works

Memoir

Publications

Interviews

Awards and nominations

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References

  1. ↑ "Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History – MyHeritage". Familytreelegends.com. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Possum Dixon Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic . Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Rob Zabrecky". IMDb . Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2006.
  4. 1 2 "Rob Zabrecky's memoir 'Strange Cures' is an ode to a forgotten L.A." Los Angeles Times . May 30, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Possum Dixon". TrouserPress.com. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Rob Zabrecky | Biography and Filmography | 1968". Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  7. ↑ dawnday9622 (April 10, 2015). "Lost River (2014)". IMDb.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ "Decay (2015)". IMDb. November 1, 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Rob Zabrecky". IMDb.
  10. ↑ "Criminal Minds - Episode 12.06 - Elliott's Pond - Promo, Sneak Peeks, Promotional Photos & Press Release". Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Echo & The Bunnymen, The Cult soundtrack Super Bowl commercials for Audi, Budweiser". Slicing Up Eyeballs . February 5, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Some Houses Are Just Not Well". Dread Central. February 27, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Other Side with Zabrecky". IMDb . January 16, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Jack Black and Rob Zabrecky contact Kurt Cobain". July 30, 2019.
  15. ↑ Other side with ZabreckyNight Flight Archived December 4, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Salwak, Dale. "MAGIC, The Magazine For Magicians". Magicmagazine.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  17. 1 2 "STRAY – An interview with Rob Zabrecky – Three Thousand". Thethousands.com.au. June 29, 2015. Archived from the original on August 29, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  18. ↑ "The World Famous Hollywood Magic Castle". Archived from the original on September 17, 2010. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
  19. ↑ http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2011/03/24/features/features04.txt [ dead link ]
  20. ↑ "Monday Night Magic". Travalanche. Archived from the original on August 31, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  21. ↑ John Albert. "Rock Magicians". L.A. Weekly.
  22. ↑ "Front Cover". Genii: 1. April 2013.
  23. ↑ "past issues – vol 1 » The Mandala". May 5, 2012. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012.
  24. ↑ Chris Nichols (October 19, 2012). "The Spooky Magic Of Night Of Zabrecky". Los Angeles Magazine.
  25. ↑ "Night Of Zabrecky! Eban Schletter! Janet Klein!". Trepanyhouse.org. July 23, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Penn & Teller Fool Us Here's Moxie". YouTube. August 31, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.[ dead YouTube link ]
  27. ↑ Tewksbury, Drew (April 8, 2010). "Spaceland Is the Place". LA Weekly . Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  28. 1 2 Thompson, Stephen (March 29, 2002). "Possum Dixon: New Sheets". The A.V. Club . Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  29. ↑ Jenkins, Mark (January 7, 1994). "Playing Possum: Use Your Allusion". The Washington Post . p. N10. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  30. ↑ Jenkins, Mark (October 2, 1998). "BETTER THAN EZRA". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  31. ↑ "The Band". Human Hands. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Gun Club Interviews and Articles Part 1". Archived from the original on September 9, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  33. ↑ Lecaro, Lina (January 21, 2010). "Empire Burlesque". LA Weekly .
  34. ↑ "Ticket Sales – Night of Zabrecky at Trepany House on Tuesday, October 23, 2012". Trepanyhouse.tix.com. October 23, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  35. ↑ Lina Lecaro. "Eddie Vedder, Mickey Avalon and Red Hot Chili Peppers at Hullabaloo". L.A. Weekly.
  36. ↑ "Kill the Microphone: Silverlake Conservatory of Music Celebrates 4th Annual "Hullabaloo" Benefit". killthemic.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Tickets for HULLABALOO 2007 : Benefit for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music with Red Hot Chili Peppers / Eddie Vedder / Charlie Haden / Ditty Bops / Mickey Avalon – Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre at TicketWeb". TicketWeb.
  38. ↑ "The World Famous Hollywood Magic Castle". www.magiccastle.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  39. ↑ Nelson, Mark. "MAGIC, The Magazine For Magicians". Magicmagazine.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  40. ↑ A Skeptical Prediction, page 59, October 2010
  41. ↑ "work: The Magician's TaleAMERICAN THEATRE MAGAZINE". Work.chloeveltman.com. December 1, 2011. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Rob Zabrecky article coming soon". The Genii Forum. Genii Magazine.
  43. ↑ "Astonishing Essays - Rob Zabrecky (Volume 2)". www.vanishingincmagic.com.
  44. ↑ "Ep#8 - Rob Zabrecky (Magician) - the Boo Crew".
  45. ↑ "Monster Party: MAGIC!!! With ROB ZABRECKY! On Apple Podcasts". October 27, 2023.
  46. ↑ "Hollywood Anonymous: Episode 142 - Rob Zabrecky is Magic on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts.
  47. ↑ "The Magic Newswire – Magic News – MNW #328 :: ROB ZABRECKY". Linkingpage.com. December 31, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  48. ↑ "Mercedes-Benz – International Corporate Website". Theavantgardediaries.com. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  49. ↑ "Rob Zabrecky, Stage Magician of the Year". dananddave.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  50. ↑ Marisa Demarco (November 22, 2012). "Illusion Noir: An interview with Rob Zabrecky". Alibi.com. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  51. ↑ "Magician Rob Zabrecky is the Odd Man in at Steve Allen Theater". Los Angeles Times . September 2, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  52. ↑ "Interview: Rob Zabrecky". Archived from the original on April 4, 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
  53. ↑ "Video – IMDb". IMDb.com. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  54. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Hall of Fame". The Academy of Magical Arts. July 2, 2014.
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