Uri Geller

Israeli psychic and telekinetic with an international reputation. His ability to read minds, bend metals and "see" through objects has been tested with odds at a trillion to one that his feats could be reproduced. He has demonstrated his ability on TV in 36 countries. The son of Itzaak, an Israeli guerilla of the Haganah Defense League who aided in protecting Jewish kibbutz's and Margarete, a homemaker, Geller grew up in Tel Aviv. His mother and absentee father divorced when Geller was two, and it was one year later that he had his first paranormal experience, on 12/25/1949. Wandering into a garden, he lay down and took a nap. Upon awakening, he saw a bowl-shaped object descend from the sky and land front of him. Suddenly a shadow-cloaked figure appeared and shot a light at the young boy that forcibly left him unconscious for hours. When he came to, the bowl-shaped object and figure were gone. Years later while under trance, Geller related these specific events on numerous occasions. Upon returning home, his mother, frantic with worry at her son's overlong disappearance, spanked him for telling such a ridiculous story as an excuse. Within days, Geller's psychic ability manifested, resulting in more punishment for playing "tricks." The spankings ended forever when Geller began correctly predicting how much his mother would win at her regular card games. In elementary school, the bored student wished the hands on his new wristwatch would move ahead in time so he could go to lunch. When he next glanced at his watch, he discovered to his astonishment that they had. This marked the beginning of Geller's ability to bend metals, but his kept this secret under wraps. At 18, Geller became a paratrooper for the Israeli army. His courage under pressure promoted him to the rank of sergeant at the outbreak of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War in 1967. He was wounded during the second day of fighting by Arab machine guns riveting his forearms, suffering severe flesh wounds but no permanent damage. When the war ended Geller worked as a youth counselor at a summer camp as part of his rehabilitation, where he once casually demonstrated his ability to turn hands on watches. One camper was so awed he later brought Geller to his school to repeat his performance. When camp ended, Geller worked in a textile plant and as a part-time model, yet word of his power spread like wildfire. By 1970 he was earning $2,000 a week working as a full-time "magician," and entertainer, demonstrating mind over matter feats in packed houses throughout Israel, despite frequent allegations of his charlatanism. Two years later he was brought to America by New York parapsychologist Dr. Andrija Puharich to be tested at the Stanford Research Institute, where, after extensive testing, the conclusion was reached that Geller's psi ability was so astonishing that the odds were a trillion to one that his feats could be reproduced. The results of the experiments, published in "Nature" in 1974, caused a tremendous stir. In 1973 Geller appeared on British television and became an overnight sensation. Skeptic James "The Amazing" Randi chronicled Geller's "fraudulent tricks" in "The Magic of Uri Geller" in 1975. During the same year Geller published "My Story." The established conclusion in scientific circles is that Geller is gifted with paranormal perception and could affect magnetic fields and move objects. He has also been known to be able to erase information on tapes using only his mind. Geller maintained a low profile during most of the '80s, when he parlayed his abilities into big business. Using only maps as a guide, Geller found coal in South Africa and minerals in Majorca, helping to pave the way for mining and trade. He has been shot twice from two assassination attempts, claiming that if everyone truly believed in the power he had he'd be dead by now. "People with such powers have an incredible weapon". . "but no one really knows if I am real or not." He thinks people are successful in what they do because they have some of what he possesses. "Fellini and St. Laurent and Pierre Cardin, they all have the power. I made it very, very, secret, without anyone knowing, and I think I am ready to come out and have my name known....I think we all have this power, and some day it's going to be explained." On 3/07/2001, Geller dealt with another type of power, that of love with his marriage to Hannah in London. Link to Wikipedia biography