Martin Gardner on TV, Film, and Video
Unlike Richard Feynman, Carl Sagan and Steve Jobs, who are closely identfied inthe public eye with physics, astronomy and computers, respectively, and whosefaces are well known to many people, Martin was a private man who shunned fameand attention. Has shy in front of a camera, and there seems to be little ofhim captured on film.
What is known to exist breaks up into four neat piles, starting with rarely seenTV clips:
MinitrixThese were two series of very short films from the early 1950s, made by Gerald A.Bartell and Associates. Each film came in two parts, the effect and the method,and they were shown on TV with commercials in beteeen. Excerpts areincluded in the Suzuki production listed below. In 2015, these three clipsbecame available once more:
Gardner Rising Card (30 sec video, 1950s)
Gardner Floating Table (30 sec video, 1950s)
Gardner Cigar and Rope (40 sec video, 1950s)
There's some interview footage shot at Martin's home in Hendersonville, NC, inJul 1994, upontheoccasion of his receiving that year'sJointPolicy Board for Mathematics Communications Award in person from Bob Fennellof Clemson University:
Martin Gardner Communications Award (14 min video, 1994)
There's footage shot in the spring of 1996 at the secondGathering 4 Gardner in Atlanta, for aDavid SuzukiCBCdocumentary:
The Nature of Things (46 min video, 1996)
TheNature of Things (excerpt) (2 min video, 1996)
Gérard P. Michonhas a guide to who (Maven, Conway, Rice, etc) appears when in this video.
Finally, there is privately shot amateur video, such as these interactions withAtlanta magicianJoe M. Turner:
The Wink Change (Jan 2007)
Unwedding Ring (Jan 2007)
Martin often cited "The Wink Change" as his proudest magic creation.