# Nani Darnell is still alive **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 15, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623 "2023-10-15T23:11:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623/1 "2023-10-15T23:11:49Z")
And Mark Wilson only died two years ago! To the rising chorus of you posters saying, “Who!?”, Nani was the assistant to TV magician Mark Wilson. The handsome and debonair namesake of one of my favorite tv shows as a child. Maybe I shouldn’t be too surprised but, man, that was a loooong time ago. It’s probably been 50 years since I’ve thought of them. Anyway, just thought I’d share. Anyone else remember his show? ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623/2 "2023-10-15T23:17:12Z")
Yep. I wasn’t _quite_ old enough to appreciate her properly, but she definitely succeeded in a magician’s assistant’s main function (distracting the audience). That said, he was a damn good magician. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623/3 "2023-10-15T23:30:26Z")
You’re not alone, Lucas. I remember “The Magic Land of Allakazam” fondly, Saturday mornings long long ago. Their son Greg also appeared on the show occasionally and became an illusionist himself. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623/4 "2023-10-16T02:21:38Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > It’s probably been 50 years since I’ve thought of them. Only 50? I remember when they were doing local TV in Dallas. And may I say that as a magician’s assistant, Nani did an excellent job of distracting the male members of the audience while Mark did his tricks. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623/5 "2023-10-16T03:14:57Z")
Well, I just pulled a number out of my ass without doing the math. I too, grew up in Dallas - which is where I saw them as well. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623/6 "2023-10-16T15:13:24Z")
Early Mark Wilson for those not familiar: > **[Mark Wilson's Sucker Egg Trick](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqEzvs6SnUA%2F)** > > Mark Wilson performs in TV show, The Magic Land of Allakazam 1960. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623/7 "2023-10-19T06:10:24Z")
I remember her being mentioned by Judge Stone on _Night Court_. I understood from the context that she was some kind of sidekick, but it was a throwaway line and I didn’t care to look into it further. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nani-darnell-is-still-alive/991623/8 "2023-10-19T17:34:10Z")
Wow, random! Sort of like Sky’s niece Penny being mentioned in Buffett’s Pencil Thin Mustache.