George J. Kresge, famously known as the Amazing Kreskin, whose mind-bending performances captivated audiences on late-night television throughout the 1970s, has sadly passed away at the age of 89. He died on Tuesday at an assisted living facility in Wayne, New Jersey, due to complications related to dementia, as confirmed by his close friend Meir Yedid.

Kreskin was renowned for his astounding mentalist feats, including revealing personal details about strangers and selecting the right card from a shuffled deck. One of his signature live acts involved entrusting audience members with his paycheck, hiding it somewhere in the venue, and relying solely on his mental abilities to locate it—if he failed, he would leave empty-handed for the evening.

Born on January 12, 1935, in Montclair, New Jersey, Kreskin was drawn to magic and psychology from a young age, quickly developing his mentalism skills as a teenager. He rose to prominence in the 1970s and early 1980s through numerous appearances on popular talk shows, including "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," on which he was featured an impressive 88 times, as well as "The Mike Douglas Show" and "Late Night with David Letterman." His charisma and unique style held audiences spellbound, even leading to a resurgence of interest in mentalism on modern platforms like "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon.

In 1966, Kreskin’s talents extended into the toy industry with the launch of "Kreskin’s ESP," a board game that claimed to help players tap into their extrasensory perception, selling over a million copies. His live performances around the globe involved no illusions or hidden assistants; he claimed to be only an expert in the art of observation and suggestion.

Kreskin was candid about his abilities, consistently stating that he did not possess psychic powers. Instead, he emphasized his skill in interpreting subtle cues and influencing human behavior. Nevertheless, he occasionally made predictions about future events. In 2015, he hinted at the outcome of the presidential elections, causing a stir among political enthusiasts. His comments appeared prescient when he referenced an emerging candidate who seemed to fit a loud, attention-seeking persona, speculated to be Donald Trump at the time.

Despite such bold predictions, Kreskin's accuracy was sometimes called into question. In 2002, he declared an expectation of mass UFO sightings over Las Vegas, promising to donate $50,000 to charity if he was mistaken. While reported sightings that night were scant, he defended his claim by saying it was meant to demonstrate the vulnerability of human belief.

Though Kreskin continued to perform into the spring of this year, he had faced a decline in visibility since his heyday in the 70s, a trend mirrored in the film "The Great Buck Howard" (2008), loosely inspired by Kreskin's life and starring John Malkovich as a fading mentalist. Kreskin himself acknowledged that the changing landscape of technology and entertainment was challenging his craft, lamenting the erosion of traditional human interactions.

In a poignant reflection on his career, Kreskin once quipped that he would keep performing even after death – stating he would retire "exactly 10 days after I drop dead." This playful yet profound statement encapsulated his passion for the art, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire mentalists and performers for years to come.

The Amazing Kreskin's passing marks the end of an era for mentalism, but his innovative approach to entertainment, along with his unwavering belief in the power of the human mind, will remain a significant chapter in the history of performance art.