TV Mentalist the Amazing Kreskin Has Died at 89 — Details on His Cause of Death

Many television shows have memorable guests, and late-night TV is no different. Since the 1960s, TV mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, real name George Joseph Kresge, Jr., was a frequent guest on multiple shows, namely The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

On Dec. 10, 2024, The Amazing Kreskin's family announced that he died at 89. Many who grew up watching him over the years felt his loss. Here's what we know about his cause of death.

As of this writing, The Amazing Kreskin's cause of death is unknown. When his family broke the news that he had passed away, they didn't disclose what happened. However, his manager, Ryan Galway, confirmed he died in his home in Caldwell, N.J. Rather than focus on how he died, his family shared how the magician lived by using one of his famous lines in their tribute.

"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of The Amazing Kreskin, born George Kresge, at the age of 89," the family wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account. "Performing for all of you brought immense joy to his life, and it was something he deeply cherished. The family kindly asks for privacy during this difficult time."

The family added: "As Kreskin always said at the close of his shows, 'This is not goodbye, but to be continued."'

The Amazing Kreskin built a fanbase entertaining others with his supernatural skills throughout his career. After seeing Lee Falk’s comic strip “Mandrake the Magician,” which focuses on a crime-fighting stage magician, as a child, Kreskin knew he found his calling as a mentalist.

According to The New York Post, some of his routines included hiding his check from the audience and agreeing to do the show for free if he couldn't find it during his set. He apparently only failed a few times during his multiple appearances. Kreskin once said that those who attended his live shows were expected to have their inner thoughts exposed by him at some point.

“People who come because they’ve seen me on television inherently know they’re not coming just to watch,” he told the NJ Herald in 2012. “I’ll be reading their thoughts, coming down into the audience, and tuning in on what they’re thinking. The only people I ever saw go down into the audience were Al Jolson and strip teasers, so I guess I’m in good company.”

In addition to his late-night appearances on The Tonight Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Merv Griffin Show, Kreskin also had his own TV show, The Amazing World of Kreskin, which ended in 1975. His final appearance was in the 2020 film Mark & Clark World Adventures. According to his IMDb, he was working on a TV movie, The Amazing Kreskin: On Ultimate Fear, before he died.

Rest well, Kreskin.