--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a guy named Ed Mishell. He was…" description: "\"There was a guy named Ed Mishell. He was this grandfatherly guy who did all the illustrations for the catalogs and reviewed magic effects for the magic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b08/david-copperfield-2966_basements_there-was-a-guy-named-ed-mishell-he-was_1460806.jpg" --- # There was a guy named Ed Mishell. He was this… ![“There was a guy named Ed Mishell. He was this grandfatherly guy who did all the illustrations for the catalogs and reviewed magic effects for the magic magazines, so all of the magic dealers would send him magic effects for free-it was a great deal. His basement was full of this stuff. He took me…” quote by David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b08/david-copperfield-2966_basements_there-was-a-guy-named-ed-mishell-he-was_1460806.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b08/david-copperfield-2966_basements_there-was-a-guy-named-ed-mishell-he-was_1460806.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b08/david-copperfield-2966_basements_there-was-a-guy-named-ed-mishell-he-was_1460806.jpg) > “There was a guy named Ed Mishell. He was this grandfatherly guy who did all the illustrations for the catalogs and reviewed magic effects for the magic magazines, so all of the magic dealers would send him magic effects for free-it was a great deal. His basement was full of this stuff. He took me under his wing, and he would sneak me into the Society of American Magicians meetings in New York. It's the world's oldest magic organization.” [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mentorship and community access can launch a career, turning passion into expertise through shared knowledge and opportunities. **In simple terms:** Guidance and networks help turn hobby into profession. Key Takeaway Seek mentors and give back. Themes learning community career creativity Mood grateful optimistic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - starting a craft - career change - skill development - industry entry Key Concepts mentorship networking skill transfer Questions to Reflect On - Who can you mentor today? - What networks can you join? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on a single mentor may limit diverse perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basements/) [Dealer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealer/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Illustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustration/) [Magazines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazines/) [Magazines Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazines-magic-5276458/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Magic Dealers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-dealers-5276457/) [Magic Magazines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-magazines-5276456/) [Magic Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-organization-5276454/) [Magician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magician/) [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Oldest Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oldest-magic-5276455/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Sneak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sneak/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Wings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wings/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [Off-the-rack solutions, like bargain basement dresses, never fit anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-giroud/off-the-rack-solutions-like-bargain-basement-dresses-never-fit-anymore/) [Francoise Giroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-giroud/) > [The massive corruption common in so many developing countries would be quite impossible if Western countries did not provide convenient opportunities to ship ill-gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/the-massive-corruption-common-in-so-many-developing-countries-would/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [After my grandfather died I went down to the basement of my family house where my family kept books, anthologies and things and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/after-my-grandfather-died-i-went-down-to-the-basement-of-my-family/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [We made basement practice songs.To have them presented in such a huge fashion today - like at Primavera, where it's thousands of people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pajo/we-made-basement-practice-songs-to-have-them-presented-in-such-a-huge/) [David Pajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pajo/) > [All the green-screen stuff - all the special effects stuff - I shot right there in my house, in the basement in my theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vickie-winans/all-the-green-screen-stuff-all-the-special-effects-stuff-i-shot-right/) [Vickie Winans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vickie-winans/) > [SM is an art. Doing it well requires more than a bag full of expensive whips and exotic electrical toys, a closet full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sm-is-an-art-doing-it-well-requires-more-than-a-bag-full-of-expensive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My husband is a musician. He cooks and he's a chef but he also, he makes basement recordings. So many people in my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-spiotta/my-husband-is-a-musician-he-cooks-and-he-s-a-chef-but-he-also-he/) [Dana Spiotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-spiotta/) > [I love getting into the basement of a courthouse, and all the dusty records - all that stuff makes me really happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-cameron/i-love-getting-into-the-basement-of-a-courthouse-and-all-the-dusty/) [Sharon Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-cameron/) > [The problem is that the internet IS some kid in a basement with an opinion. The fact that David Bowie and Elton John told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-hamilton/the-problem-is-that-the-internet-is-some-kid-in-a-basement-with-an/) [Page Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-hamilton/) > [I might be in the basement. I'll go upstairs and check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-might-be-in-the-basement-i-ll-go-upstairs-and-check/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [White Zombie was a bunch of kids with the worst equipment playing in a basement. But that is what is so great about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/white-zombie-was-a-bunch-of-kids-with-the-worst-equipment-playing-in/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Every time I get in an elevator, the operator says the same thing to me: 'Basement?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/every-time-i-get-in-an-elevator-the-operator-says-the-same-thing-to/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [If the watchdog doesn't bark, how do you know there's a burglar in the basement? And the press is supposed to be a watchdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/if-the-watchdog-doesn-t-bark-how-do-you-know-there-s-a-burglar-in-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [No matter what else you came up against, if you could smile and laugh while a monkey did you with chestnuts in a dank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/no-matter-what-else-you-came-up-against-if-you-could-smile-and-laugh/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) ## More by David Copperfield > [There is a safe spot within every tornado. My job is to find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/there-is-a-safe-spot-within-every-tornado-my-job-is-to-find-it/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [I'm inventing new principles. The audience has a point of view that no one can predict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-m-inventing-new-principles-the-audience-has-a-point-of-view-that-no/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [I love creating new things. It's kind of my job, it's what I do, and I really have fun with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-love-creating-new-things-it-s-kind-of-my-job-it-s-what-i-do-and-i/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [I was teaching magic at NYU when I was 16.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-was-teaching-magic-at-nyu-when-i-was-16/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [The real secret of magic lies in the performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/the-real-secret-of-magic-lies-in-the-performance/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [Everyone was talking about having airplanes disappear. And I said, "Wait, wait, wait. That's what you like? I'd tell you a story about something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/everyone-was-talking-about-having-airplanes-disappear-and-i-said-wait/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [For me, it's about risk taking, taking things in new directions. Because every single time, no matter how much you learn, you can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/for-me-it-s-about-risk-taking-taking-things-in-new-directions-because/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [It's okay for me to be gay, but God didn't make me that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/it-s-okay-for-me-to-be-gay-but-god-didn-t-make-me-that-way/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [Ride on! Rough-shod if need be, smooth-shod if that will do, but ride on! Ride on over all obstacles, and win the race!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/ride-on-rough-shod-if-need-be-smooth-shod-if-that-will-do-but-ride-on/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [Magicians are the people who began to use film as an illusion on stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/magicians-are-the-people-who-began-to-use-film-as-an-illusion-on-stage/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [I'm just waiting for people to start asking me to make the rain disappear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-m-just-waiting-for-people-to-start-asking-me-to-make-the-rain/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [Magicians lose the opportunity to experience a sense of wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/magicians-lose-the-opportunity-to-experience-a-sense-of-wonder/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [I am fortunate to have the resources to have many methods to do each of my illusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-am-fortunate-to-have-the-resources-to-have-many-methods-to-do-each/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [I'm the luckiest man in the world - performing 500 shows a year and loving what I do - illusion IS my day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-m-the-luckiest-man-in-the-world-performing-500-shows-a-year-and/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [From the very beginning, I studied acting, directing, lighting, dance and movement. I didn't rely on just the magic to take place. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/from-the-very-beginning-i-studied-acting-directing-lighting-dance-and/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) [Explore all 144 David Copperfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) ## More Basements quotes > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [If the watchdog doesn't bark, how do you know there's a burglar in the basement? And the press is supposed to be a watchdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/if-the-watchdog-doesn-t-bark-how-do-you-know-there-s-a-burglar-in-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Every time I get in an elevator, the operator says the same thing to me: 'Basement?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/every-time-i-get-in-an-elevator-the-operator-says-the-same-thing-to/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [White Zombie was a bunch of kids with the worst equipment playing in a basement. But that is what is so great about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/white-zombie-was-a-bunch-of-kids-with-the-worst-equipment-playing-in/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [I might be in the basement. I'll go upstairs and check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-might-be-in-the-basement-i-ll-go-upstairs-and-check/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [The problem is that the internet IS some kid in a basement with an opinion. The fact that David Bowie and Elton John told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-hamilton/the-problem-is-that-the-internet-is-some-kid-in-a-basement-with-an/) [Page Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-hamilton/) > [I love getting into the basement of a courthouse, and all the dusty records - all that stuff makes me really happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-cameron/i-love-getting-into-the-basement-of-a-courthouse-and-all-the-dusty/) [Sharon Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-cameron/) > [My husband is a musician. He cooks and he's a chef but he also, he makes basement recordings. So many people in my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-spiotta/my-husband-is-a-musician-he-cooks-and-he-s-a-chef-but-he-also-he/) [Dana Spiotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-spiotta/) > [SM is an art. Doing it well requires more than a bag full of expensive whips and exotic electrical toys, a closet full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sm-is-an-art-doing-it-well-requires-more-than-a-bag-full-of-expensive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All the green-screen stuff - all the special effects stuff - I shot right there in my house, in the basement in my theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vickie-winans/all-the-green-screen-stuff-all-the-special-effects-stuff-i-shot-right/) [Vickie Winans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vickie-winans/) > [We made basement practice songs.To have them presented in such a huge fashion today - like at Primavera, where it's thousands of people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pajo/we-made-basement-practice-songs-to-have-them-presented-in-such-a-huge/) [David Pajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pajo/) > [After my grandfather died I went down to the basement of my family house where my family kept books, anthologies and things and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/after-my-grandfather-died-i-went-down-to-the-basement-of-my-family/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [The massive corruption common in so many developing countries would be quite impossible if Western countries did not provide convenient opportunities to ship ill-gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/the-massive-corruption-common-in-so-many-developing-countries-would/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [Off-the-rack solutions, like bargain basement dresses, never fit anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-giroud/off-the-rack-solutions-like-bargain-basement-dresses-never-fit-anymore/) [Francoise Giroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-giroud/) > [No matter what else you came up against, if you could smile and laugh while a monkey did you with chestnuts in a dank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/no-matter-what-else-you-came-up-against-if-you-could-smile-and-laugh/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) [Browse all 243 Basements quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basements/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a guy named Ed Mishell. He was this grandfatherly guy who did all the illustrations for the catalogs and reviewed magic effects for the magic magazines, so all of the magic dealers would send him magic effects for free-it was a great deal. His basement was full of this stuff. He took me under his wing, and he would sneak me into the Society of American Magicians meetings in New York. 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