Bruce Cervon (June 20, 1941 – May 24, 2007) was an American magician who was best known for his close-up magic, both through performance and invention.

[3] As he grew older, he began performing professionally at fairs and outdoor shows throughout Ohio and for various civic clubs throughout the Midwest.

As a teen, Bruce also played guitar and sang in a few doo-wop groups, including Jordan and the Fascinations and The Caps.

At the 1960 MagiFest he met Larry Jennings and the two became friends through a shared love of close-up sleight-of-hand magic.

[1] At the Columbus MagiFest in February 1964, Cervon and Jennings discussed The Magic Castle in Hollywood, California, where Dai Vernon had recently taken up residence.

"[1] Jennings introduced Cervon to Dai Vernon, which led to them discussing and practicing magic almost ceaselessly.

[1] The Magic Castle became the epicenter for the development of close-up magic in the 1960s and 1970s, with magicians such as Dai Vernon, Ricky Jay, Persi Diaconis, Doug Henning, Larry Jennings, Bruce Cervon, Michael Ammar and John Carney at its heart.

[4] Cervon also spent much time discussing magic and developing close friendships with Dai Vernon, Jim Patton, and Mike Perovich.

[1] Cervon understood the importance of audience management as well as technical skills,[7] and his performances were often praised by his peers.

[6] When asked to summarize what a performance of magic should do for the person watching it, Cervon replied, "It should blow them away.

"[1] Cervon was an in-demand entertainer for corporations such as the Creative Artists Agency, Baskin-Robbins, Nesbitt, ELP Communications, Crown Zellerbach, ARCO, Centinela Hospital Medical Center, Press-Telegram, Lockheed, Santa Monica Hospital, Bristol Corporation, UCLA, Gibraltar Savings and Loan, Century 21 Realty, UCSD, Orange County Register, American Legion, Haggar Co., Southern California Gas Company, Co. Salvation Army, Bekins, Allstate Savings & Loan, Blue Cross, Searle, Valvoline Oil Company, The Daily News, Schick, Macmillan Oil Company, Borg-Warner Chemicals, General Electric, 3M, Citizens Savings and Trust Company, The Tonight Show, Chempar, Downey Medical Center, KIIS-FM, and Sunkist.

He developed a relationship with Continental Airlines, with whom he introduced a long-running plan of featuring high profile magicians on flights back and forth from Los Angeles to Chicago.

He also consulted or performed in many commercials, including for Pontiac, Bank of America, Continental Airlines, Pepsi-Cola, Shell Oil, and Rolf's Wallets.

He performed frequently for such notables as Cary Grant, Orson Welles, Jack Benny, Bette Davis, Rosalind Russell, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart and Elvis Presley.

[11] Cervon was a collector; not just of magic books and memorabilia, but Golden Age comics, rockabilly and doo-wop and records, hard-boiled mystery books, vintage paperbacks, pulp magazines, radio show premiums, vintage cereal boxes, paper toys, and anything Disney from 1928 to 1955.