November 1st 1999: Unconfirmed Cast List:

Gillian Anderson as Agent Dana Scully
David Duchovny as Agent Fox Mulder

August 28 1999: Credits:

Written By:

Frank Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan and John Shiban

Directed By:

Tom Wright

Air Date: January 9 2000

January 6 2000: From Elwood Blues:

"Scully believes Maleeni was murdered, Mulder thinks that it was a magic trick gone horribly wrong. Scully tells Mulder that if that's the case they have no crime to investigate. More evidence is found, a tourist taped video of Maleeni's show, shows all but Maleeni's face. History has it [according to Maleeni] that there have been three previous attempts recreating the Noachian feat, and all three ended in tragedy; Maleeni claims to be the fourth one trying it In one scene, M&S are looking at a photo of Maleeni's van, with his headless corpse behind the wheel and his head lying by the front tire. Later the body is gone."

January 4 2000: From TV Guide:

"Scully's autopsy contradicts her suspicion of murder in the case of a small-time magician who amazed his audience by doing a 360 with his head."

January 3 2000: From Autumn:

Q: Are either Mulder or Scully hurt in this episode?
A: No.
Q: Is a magician hurt?
A: Not really. There is a little shoving and Mulder does dump one guy out of a wheelchair. He dumps the guy out of the wheelchair on purpose. Because he suspects things are not as they seem...
Q: Is Mulder wrong about the guy not being handicapped?
A: No.
Q: Does anyone know how one would go about creating the illusion one can twist their wrist 360 degrees?
A: What's interesting about this trick, and it happens twice, (LaBonge does it once and Scully does it once) is that the script says it is to be shot without trick shots or cuts.
Q: Is it a tape of a crime?
A: Nope.
Q: Is it Mulder's camcorder?
A: No.
Q: Is it a tourist's camcorder that caught what was going on on tape?
A: Yes."

December 28 1999: From Magicboyla:

"The 2 main guest stars in this episode are LaBonge and Maleeni. It's been mentioned that Ricky Jay is playing Maleeni. LaBonge is being played by Jonathan Levit. He plays the other con. The story line mimicks 'The Sting.' In this vane, Maleeni is playing the Paul Newman character and LaBonge isplaying the Robert Redford character. Jonathan is very charming in the episode and has great scenes with David and Gillian. He actually does the magic trick with the hand before Gillian does it in the episode. He seems to really have fun putting one over on the two. He's great!"

December 23 1999: From Autumn:

Q: OK, does Ricky Jay have a large part?
A: If he is playing either Maleeni or LaBonge, yes.
Q: But is there an actual paranormal slant to the story in the end, even if it's small?
A: Hmm. Well, I want to say no, but there is something that is never explained.
Q: Does the thing that is never explained happen in the teaser?
A: It happens a number of times, including the teaser.
Q: Are there any references to previous episodes?
A: No.
Q: Is Skinner in it?
A: No.
Q: Is Scully 'right' in this episode? A: Sometimes.
Q: Is the trick that's never explained the fact that The Amazing Maleeni can turn his head all the way around?
A: Yes, in part.
Q: I heard Scully does an autopsy in this one -- do we see her in an autopsy bay?
A: Yes.
Q: We know that there's at least one scene were LaBonge (one of the magicians) takes an interest in Scully. Does the script give other hints of his interest in other scenes besides that one?
A: Yes.
Q: Does Scully ever respond positively to him?
A: She looks uncomfortable, but probably doesn't hate the attention.
Q: Is that the only mention in the script of Scully's response to LaBonge's interest in her?
A: No.
Q:Regarding this interest in her, does Scully seem to view that in a positive or negative light? Now, for the math geeks among us -- positive = Yes and negative = No.
A: Well then - yes and no.
Q: Okay, you said Scully's in the autopsy bay -- is Mulder ever in there with her?
A: Yes.
Q: Do the stage directions in subsequent scenes reference any more reactions from Mulder regarding LaBonge's interest in Scully?
A: No.
Q: Does either Mulder or Scully have to save the other one at the end of the episode?
A: No.

December 22 1999: From Autumn:

"Assistant Director Skinner is not in this episode."

December 11 1999: From Daniel Wood:

"Don't know how relevant this is, but I've been told to watch out for a reference back to a particular 'magician' scene in 'Humbug'."

December 10 1999: From Elwood Blues:

"Mulder & Scully are on the plane to Los Angeles, Scully´s head appears behind the open passenger´s side window. Mulder is talking about the ´neat trick´ he made. Scully is wondering, how Mulder convinced her to drop everything and jump on the very first plane to LA. Mulder says something like ´this isn´t intriguing enough for you?´ and asks her if she had seen the picture of the dead -and headless- magician from the pier. Scully declares, that she has seen the pic."

November 12 1999: From Autumn:

"This episode takes place in California. Some of it on the Santa Monica pier. [It] has to do with the mysterious death of a magician. One could say he loses his head. One of the magicians in it named LaBonge is named after the show's 2nd unit director of photography. LaBonge enjoys trying to flirt with Scully. I'm not sure she enjoys it."

November 8 1999: Daniel Wood :

"Actually, word has it that the Amazing Maleeni (the magician in this episode) will use his 'magic' to stage a bank robbery in broad daylight. Wasn't the original title 'Daybreak' or was that the Gibson/Maddox ep?"

November 7 1999: From GF2020:

"This episode is a lighter tale about (you guessed it!) magic. One Magician who makes an appearence is Ricky Jay. He has appeared in Mystery Men, Tommorow Never Dies, Boogie Nights, and , the new PTA film Magnolia."





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