Abracadabra! Smith Mountain Lake’s “Great Arnoldo” is full of suprises
By Ferne Hale

Arnie Kropf’s boat name — “Magic” — says it all.

This Laker, a card-carrying magician and current vice-president of the Roanoke Magic Club, is a man full of surprises. How did a former Air Force “Top Gun” F- 4 Phantom fighter pilot, who retired as a full colonel, and former legislative liaison for the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington become a magician? Surprise! Though many start this hobby as youngsters, Arnie became interested in magic later in life. “My wife Dee bought me a small coin trick for a Christmas present about 15 years ago,” he said. “At the time, I was volunteering one night a week at a teen crisis shelter in D.C. When I did the trick for the teens, it was a big hit. I bought a few more simple tricks, and it snowballed from there.” “Teens can be a challenging audience, but they are also a lot of fun. It was a good way to start,” he added. At a D.C. magic store, Arnie learned about a magic club. He explained, “Most magicians are very generous and will spend a lot of time helping a beginner. They don’t reveal their signature tricks, but they enjoy helping others with technique.” Speaking of technique, most people think that good magic is all about ‘the trick’ and fooling people. “Surprise!” said Arnie. “Magic is really about entertaining people! You hope to fool them, of course, but entertainment is the most important ingredient. Two people might successfully perform the same trick. But if one is theatrical and amusing, he’ll be far better than the other, who’ll fall flat. A good magician is an actor playing the part of a magician.” Performing as “The Great Arnoldo” sounds like an interesting retirement career. But here’s another surprise: Arnie never earns a dime with his magic. “I decided right away that I would never do magic for money,” he said. “I do it only for fun or as a volunteer. That way I am never competing with my friends who do magic for a living.” Last year, The Great Arnoldo performed numerous times at Roanoke’s Ronald McDonald House. For five years, he and wife Dee donated a gourmet dinner for eight and a magic show for the local Rally for the Cure golf tournament and auction, which raised money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Great Arnoldo has also entertained at several other local events. Since Arnie is not a professional money-earning magician, his hobby must be small-scale, right? Surprise again! It’s an absolute passion, as one large closet in his home, neatly filled to overflowing with books and magic items, attests. Arnie explained, “I love magic! It’s endlessly fascinating, fun and challenging. I enjoy it by myself and also when I entertain others. There are so many types of magic and skill levels that you can go in a thousand different directions and never get bored.” “As my wife and I get older, we strongly believe in continuing to challenge our brains,” said Arnie, who especially enjoys coin, card, rope, and rubber band tricks. “We do crossword and sodoku puzzles; we volunteer. I teach English for the Literacy Volunteers of Roanoke Valley. I’m president of the SML Wine Tasters Club and The Waterfront Men’s Golf Association. But for me, magic is the ultimate challenge. With cards, I now do intricate routines requiring many steps in exactly the right order. With one step out of order, the trick won’t work, and I’ll look very foolish. I like that challenge.” A final surprise: You, too, can learn enough magic to delight family and friends. Arnie would like to start a magic club at the Lake. Having belonged to clubs in D.C., Maryland, Greensboro and Roanoke, he described them as “…great fun and a good way to learn and improve in magic.” Since gaining grandchildren, he’s especially interested in magic appealing to youngsters and would like to teach a class, “Magic for Your Grandchildren.” For more information, contact Arnie at 540.721.5055.