Criss Angel
A goth-inspired illusionist who brought magic back to prime time with death-defying stunts and relentless self-promotion.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American magician, illusionist and musician·Birthday: December 19·Generation X
Biography
Criss Angel, born Christopher Sarantakos, didn't just perform magic; he built a multimedia brand around extreme illusion. Emerging from Long Island's magic club circuit with a brooding, rock-star aesthetic, he rejected tuxedos for leather and eyeliner. His breakthrough came with the television series 'Mindfreak', which ran for seasons on A&E and turned the Las Vegas strip into his personal playground. The show featured him walking on water, levitating over hotels, and being run over by a steamroller, blending magic with stunt spectacle. While traditionalists criticized his style as more showmanship than art, his residency shows in Vegas, like 'Believe' and 'Mindfreak Live!', became commercial juggernauts. Angel's impact lies in his understanding of modern media, creating a dark, persistent persona that made magic feel dangerous and relevant to a new generation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Criss was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Criss Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Criss's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Headlined multiple long-running stage shows on the Las Vegas Strip, including 'Criss Angel Believe'.
- Starred in and produced the hit TV series 'Criss Angel Mindfreak', which aired for over a decade.
- Won the Magician of the Year award from the Academy of Magical Arts multiple times.
- Performed a widely publicized illusion where he appeared to levitate between two buildings.
Did You Know?
He is a trained musician and was the lead vocalist for the industrial metal band AngelDust.
Angel holds a Guinness World Record for the longest continuous magic show marathon.
He is a dedicated philanthropist, supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation extensively.
His stage name 'Angel' is a shortened version of his original surname, Sarantakos.
“Magic is not about what you see, but what you don't see.”
