PaGeller,Uri231

GELLER, Uri

(Investigator #231, 2026 November))

Regardless of whether one believes in the miraculous or not, in the 1970s, the name Uri Geller certainly conjured up visions of one who possessed paranormal powers, his performances astounded people world-wide.

Born in Tel Aviv in 1946, it was apparent early in his life that there was something "different" about him. His watch would run erratically, in restaurants forks and spoons would bend for no apparent reason, and at home he was able on occasions to read his mother's mind. In 1967, while working in a youth camp, he met an enterprising youngster by the name of Shipi Shtrang who arranged for Geller to demonstrate his psychic powers in a Tel Aviv school hall. In less than a year Geller became one of the most sought after entertainers in Israel.

In 1971, Dr Andrija Puharich a researcher with impeccable scientific qualifications who had previously studied unusually gifted people such as Eileen Garrett, Peter Hurkos and the Brazilian psychic surgeon Arigo, arranged for Geller to visit America and undergo a series of scientific tests. At the Stanford Research Institute in California, physicists Dr Harold Puthoff and Russell Targ carried out extensive tests in l972-3, and Dr Wilbur Franklin, chairman of the physics department of the Kent State University carried out the first study of Geller's metal bending abilities. All through l974-5, Geller was tested time and time again by physics professors, research scientists and even magicians, all of whom rendered positive reports in favour of psychic powers.

Geller travelled all over the world, his standard repertoire of stopping and starting watches and cutlery bending astounding millions of TV viewers and audiences, and generally demonstrating what became known as the "Geller Effect." He has been credited with such feats as bringing an escalator in a department store to a stop, halting a cable car in mid air, receiving and transmitting drawings by telepathy, wiping out computer disks, and successfully psychically divining for precious metals. The publicity was such that Gellermania replaced Beatlemania.

Then almost as suddenly as he had started Uri Geller disappeared from public view to engage in more mundane business activities.

Comment:

Geller is/was a magician who perfected the art of distracting his audiences while he used sleight of hand to accomplish his tricks. The methods used have been documented by other magicians and the "psychically" bent spoon trick through which he became famous has been replicated by schoolboys around the world. So called "scientific" investigations into Geller's "psychic" ability have been found to have been flawed and only the positive data made public.

Geller's popularity appears to have waned, whereas on his first visit to Australia two decades ago he played to a packed Opera House, attendances at the Parramatta Stadium and the Willoughby Town Hall in l993 were meagre in comparison. His proposed appearance in Melbourne was cancelled.