André Kole

David Kaye, who performs under the stage name Silly Billy, is an accomplished professional magician and author. He gained recognition for his long-running column in Magic magazine, titled "Turn it around: Magic for the family audience," which focused on magic for family audiences. Kaye has authored several books, including "Kid Show Kliff Notes: The Psychology of Performing Magic for Children," "Running Gags And How To Catch Them" (an ebook), "Seriously Silly: How to Entertain Children with Magic and Comedy" (published in 2005), and "Super Sized Silly" (published in 2016). A Spanish edition of "Seriously Silly" is also available.

Kaye is widely regarded as the foremost children's magician in the United States. In addition to his books and column work, he has also contributed to Genii magazine and created numerous marketed magic tricks. His stage name, Silly Billy, was adopted in the 1990s, partly because his birth name, David Friedman, was already registered by many other individuals with the SAG-AFTRA union. His family background includes his parents, Arnold and Elaine Friedman, and two younger brothers, Seth and Jesse. The family resided in Flushing, Queens, before moving to Great Neck, Long Island, during his teenage years. A significant event in his family's history involved his father and youngest brother being charged with and pleading guilty to child sexual abuse in the late 1980s, a matter later explored in the documentary "Capturing the Friedmans." The source material explicitly states there was no indication of Kaye's involvement or knowledge of these activities.

David Kaye, professionally known as Silly Billy, is a prominent figure in the world of magic, particularly for his work with children. He established a significant presence through his regular column in Magic magazine, "Turn it around: Magic for the family audience," where he shared insights and techniques for entertaining young audiences. His written contributions extend to several books, including "Kid Show Kliff Notes: The Psychology of Performing Magic for Children," offering practical advice on the art of children's magic. He also authored the ebook "Running Gags And How To Catch Them." His books "Seriously Silly: How to Entertain Children with Magic and Comedy" (2005) and "Super Sized Silly" (2016) have been well-received, with "Seriously Silly" also being published in Spanish as "Serio de Remate." Kaye is also recognized for his work in other magic publications, such as Genii magazine, and for developing a variety of popular magic tricks marketed to other performers.

Born David Friedman, Kaye grew up in Flushing, Queens, and later moved to Great Neck, Long Island, with his family. He is the eldest of three sons of Arnold and Elaine Friedman. The family experienced significant public scrutiny in the late 1980s when his father, Arnold, and his younger brother, Jesse, were charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse. These events were later documented in the 2003 film "Capturing the Friedmans," for which Kaye was interviewed. The source material emphasizes that Kaye himself was never implicated or suggested to have any knowledge of or involvement in these criminal activities. In the 1990s, Kaye officially adopted the surname Kaye. This change was partly motivated by professional considerations, as his birth name, David Friedman, was already registered by numerous other individuals with the SAG-AFTRA union, making it necessary to secure a unique name for his stage identity.