It is perhaps the most famous magic act of all time, David Copperfield wowing New Yorkers when he made the Statue of Liberty disappear on live TV back in April of 1983.

It left more than a few onlookers amazed, and helped catapult Copperfield to a level of stardom only enjoyed by movie- and rockstars.

Here’s a video showing you that footage, and a few dumbstruck Yanks for good measure.

Pretty impressive right, but just how did he manage to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes? Let’s go to StraightDope for their illusion shattering explanation:

Copperfield had a setup of two towers on a stage, supporting an arch to hold the huge curtain that would be used to conceal the statue. The TV cameras and the live audience only saw the monument through the arch. When the curtains closed, David waxed poetic while the stage was … slowly … and imperceptibly … turned. When the curtains opened, the statue was hidden behind one of the towers, and the audience was looking out to sea. Voila! The Statue of Liberty has disappeared!

Even if the stage hadn’t completely hidden the statue, the towers were so brightly lit that the audience would be nightblinded. Copperfield had also set up two rings of lights–one around Liberty, and another set up somewhere else. When the trick “happened,” his assistants simply turned off the lights around the statue and turned on the other set for the helicopters to circle around.

Oh–the radar blip? It was simply video game animation.

Secrets Explained offers the same explanation:

When the curtain goes up, the audience is turned so that they cannot see the statue…In this direction, there are lights set too, but without the statue in the middle. The helicopter moves to the new direction while it is hidden behind the curtain. Then the process is repeated and the platform is turned back so you can see the statue again.

Magic really isn’t as much fun when you know the tricks they’re using, now is it? That being said, if anyone wants to shed light on Dynamo’s tricks below feel free to drop us a mail.

[sources:straightdope&secretsexplained]