Steve Dacri

Steve Dacri (1952–2011) was one of American magic’s most celebrated sleight-of-hand masters, widely heralded as "The Fastest Hands in the World." For over three decades, he championed pure, intimate deception—relying on flawless manipulation, misdirection, and conversational wit rather than oversized stage illusions.

Dacri was best known for his signature sponge ball routine, affectionately calling the props "Martians," and his razor-sharp comedic timing. A fixture of American television, he made over a dozen national guest appearances across The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Merv Griffin Show, Dinah Shore, and That's Incredible!.

In Las Vegas, Dacri became a legendary resident headliner, holding runs at Caesars Magical Empire, the Four Seasons at Mandalay Bay, and his long-running headline production at the Las Vegas Hilton’s Shimmer Cabaret. He logged nine documented headline weeks across the Close-Up Gallery, Parlour of Prestidigitation, and Palace of Mystery at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, authored Commercial Close-Up (1979), and was honored as a Member of The Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star (MIMC) by The Magic Circle in London.