Larry Betz grew up in Globeville Colorado. In those days Globeville was not mentioned very much, not like now that I-70 highway is being rebuilt. When Larry heard that Globeville was a city at one time he tried to get a book and information about Globeville. Since Globeville never had a newspaper not much could be found, so he took it upon himself to dig up old History and wrote a book, “Globeville, Part of Colorado’s History”.
When Larry was 12 years old in 1954 he was reading a Joe Palooka Comic Book. In the comic was information on how to do a card trick. He thought that it was great that he could do something with a deck of cards. Later his Uncle taught him the “21 Card trick”. Later he saved his allowance to buy a Mysto Magic A. C. Gilbert Magic Set. Years later he would give Mile Magicians talks about the talented A. C.Gilbert. The next great find was a Douglas Magic Land catalog.
Larry loved going to Chuck Major’s Magic and Camera Shop on 16th Street. Some young kid by the name Bruce Spangler worked there while he was going to college.
Larry won 3rd prize in the High School Talent Show. He thought that was good because he was completing against Rock & Roll bands that were the rage at the time. Then he was in a Talent Group that traveled around doing shows in Hospitals.
In 1960 he graduated from High School. The Senior Year Book had a large picture of Larry producing a Dove for his classmates.
Larry was doing Magic Shows for private parties and on December 17, 1961, The Chafee Park Merchants put on a Christmas Party for Denver’s Welfare Children. Larry was the Entertainment and the party was recorded and broadcast on KHOW on Christmas Day.
Larry has always enjoyed building and making up tricks. Arm through a large running fan was one that he had worked on. He noticed that the 35 mm containers of that time could be cut down and a cap from a different brand could be like an Okito Box, easy to make and carry. He wrote a Book ‘Tricks for the Okito Box‘ with 25 ideas and even using 3 Okito Boxes.
1964 he went into the US Army and was a Medic.
Larry was always going in to Steve Alrich’s Magic Shop. Seeing some tapes in a box he asked what the VCR’s were for? Steve said to lend out but you have to be a member of the MHMS to use them. So he invited him to join the club. Larry said that he worked in a Federal Prison and worked odd hours and would not have time to do much but will retire in a few years. He joined MHMS 1991, retired in 1994, and now has time to do a lot of magic. He even worked in NED’s Magic and More. Later, he became the caretaker of the tapes that he was so interested in.
In 1996 Member Lee Merilli got the idea of a Mentalist Group. Larry was one of the founding members of the PSI-clones. Larry was Sgt-at Arms of the PSI-clones and 2 term President.A favorite was PSYCHOKINESIS that Larry made from props. He did a Houdini Séance for a MHMS Halloween Meeting. All the props and gimmicks went off at the perfect time. It worked great.
Larry was Sgt-at-Arms for MHMS 11 times. He was the opening act for many MHMS Holiday Parties and even gave out gifts.
A favorite part of Larry’s life was when he was awarded a LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP in MHMS!!!!!
Larry has been married to Leatta for 45 years has 2 sons, 4 granddaughters and 1 grandson.