Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Danny Archer of Glenside, PA

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Danny Archer. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning Danny, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
I have found that the average person has never seen (in person) a professional magic show. They have seen magic on TV or in the movies, but to truley experience the Art of Magic it has to be seen live. Magic does not happen on stage or in my hands, it happens in the mind of the audience. If well done, the impact on the watcher can be extrodinary. When you see something that the mind knows can’t be, yet you just saw it to be true, that feeling is wonderful for a person to experience and that’s my goal everytime I perform.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Danny Archer and I am a magician and show producer at the House of Magic, in Glenside PA (a suburb of Philadelphia). For years, along with my buisiness partner Marty Martin, we ran the Smoke & MIrrors Magic Theater in Huntingdon Valley, PA.

The HOM is the only magic venue in Philly and we have a custom built 100 seat ampitheater where every seat is the best seat in the house. We also have a second 25 seat theater for intimate sleight of hand magic shows as well as a Magic Museum and an event space that can seat up to 80 people. Our goal is to bring in the best magicians and mentalists in the world and ket them experience the true Art of Magic.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I was in the school play as a child, and I clearly remember the feeling of fright being on stage, but also the joy of having the audience react to something I said or did. It was a wonderful feeling and while I didn’t act all the way through school, those feeling returned when I began to perform Magic while in my late twenties.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I was dating Rayetta (we later got married) and when she became pregnant, thought it would be best to give up the world of show biz and get a real job and try to be a regular person. I got a job selling computers and moved to Denver to be with her and our child. About a year later (Rayetta was pregnant again with our second child) when I had my first heart attack and realized that Magic was my true destiny. Rayetta encouraged me to follow my dreams and without her support I don’t know if I would have had the guts to give it a last chance. Happy to say it all worked out for the best.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
I’d have to say it being honest and truthful. On stage, most everything I say is a lie or an exaggeration. Offstage it’s a different story. Treating people with honesty and respect is so important to me. Sometimes, other magicians won[‘t tell you the truth when you ask them what they thought of your trick or show, because they don’t want to make you feel bad. I can take a bad comment because that I can learn from instead of them saying “You’ve never been better”. So I always try to be as honest as I can because the truth is the only thing I believe in.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days. 
I love being in the Magic Theater business. When the House of Magic opened on 4/4/25, I moved closer to the venue so I am less than a mile to the theater. I can’t wait to go to work, especially when I am performing. We work hard every day to present a great show for our audiences and I absolutely love my job!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
John Costello

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