David Berglas

David Berglas was a British mentalist whose refined, prop-light approach made him one of the most influential figures in modern psychological magic. After wartime service in intelligence work, he turned to performance in the 1950s and quickly became known for demonstrations that seemed to rely on pure thought rather than apparatus.

He is best remembered for the 'Berglas Effect,' an any-card-at-any-number method that became a celebrated problem in the magic community, and for mentoring a generation of later performers, among them Derren Brown. Through his television work and teaching he shaped the course of British mentalism and is widely regarded as the father of the modern discipline. He died in 2023.