Who is the no 1 mentalist in the world?
· Joseph Dunninger
· Derren Brown
· Uri Geller
· Jon Finch
· Gerry McCambridge
· Max Maven
· Theodore Annemann
Born in New York City in 1892, Joseph Dunninger, better known by his stage name “The Amazing Dunninger”, is one of the best mentalists of all time. A master of mentalism from mind reading to telepathy and divination, Dunninger pioneered ways for the visual art of mentalism and magic to be represented on television and radio.
One of the most controversial members of this list, Uri Geller is an Israeli and British mentalist who burst onto the scene in the 1970s with appearances on national television shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where Geller displayed supposedly authentic psychic powers such as bending spoons with his mind.
However, it was eventually claimed by James Randi that Geller was using sleight of hand to simulate psychokinesis and telepathic remote viewing. Uri Geller has since enjoyed a career spanning more than 4 decades as a mentalist, illusionist, magician and television personality.
Named by MAGIC magazine as one of the “most influential magicians of the 20th century”, Max Maven is an American mentalist known for his intelligent mind reading tricks, as well as his cold reading skills.
Max Maven has an ability to captivate audiences with his mental magic. Phil Goldstein was born, but the master mentalist finally legally changed his name to Max Maven. While he had an incredible career as a stage magician and mentalist under the stage name The Amazing Randi, James Randi is best known for his continued efforts to expose the use of pseudoscience by fake psychics and mediums such as John Edwards, Sylvia Browne and, yes, even the aforementioned Uri Geller. Born Steven Shaw, English mentalist and thought reader Banachek began as a teenager when he enlisted to support James Randi’s Project Alpha experiment, which secretly used mentalism tricks to discredit parapsychology research.
Now under the legal name Banachek, he continues to perform regularly around the world and is currently the president of the James Randi Education Foundation. Banachek is also the author of Psychological Sutileties, a series of books that are often touted as some of the best books for mentalists. Kreskin is a mentalist who rose to fame in the 1970s when his television show “The Amazing World of Kreskin” aired in Canada and the United States. Then he had another show called “The New Kreskin Show”.
One of his most famous tricks was to hide his paycheck for the day among the audience of his shows. If you don’t locate your paycheck, you won’t be paid that day. There were only about 10 or 11 cases where you weren’t able to locate your paycheck. Marc Salem is a successful and well-known cold-minded reader, mentalist and nonverbal communicator.
Marc Salem is also a research professor. In Developmental Psychology and is working on the Kinesis study. Travel around the round to explore the mind and its potential. Gerry McCambridge is a famous New York stage mentalist.
Ever since he was a child, he was always fascinated by magic. He began performing magic shows at parties when he was 12 years old and called himself “Gerard the Great”. At 18, his stage name became Gerry Cambridge. It was in 1988 when he stopped performing magic tricks completely and focused on being a mentalist.
Who is the no 1 mentalist in the world?
The No 1 Mentalist title worldwide has gone to Jon Finch. Rankings vary by source, popularity, competition wins, and performance style as of February 2026.
What Makes a Top Mentalist?
Top mentalists excel in mind reading, psychological illusion, and audience engagement. Lior Suchard leads many lists for celebrity performances. Derren Brown ranks high for psychological shows blending suggestion and manipulation.
Popular Rankings
Lists highlight consistent names across sources.
| Rank | Mentalist | Key Achievements | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lior Suchard | Tops professional charts; performs globally for VIPs | |
| 2 | Derren Brown | Revolutionized mentalism with TV specials on perception control | |
| 3 | Max Maven | Influential performer blending psychology and theater | |
| 4 | The Amazing Kreskin | Six-decade career; hosted TV shows | |
| 5 | Oz Pearlman | AGT finalist; Emmy winner with viral mind-reading | |
Jon Finch and Banachek appear frequently for street illusions and subtleties.
Mentalist competition winners
FISM World Championships award technical excellence. Mind2Mind won the 2025 FISM Mentalism title in Turin, Italy, with an electrifying act sparking standing ovations. Anca & Lucca hold the 2022-2025 Mental Magic crown. Suhani Shah earned Best Magic Creator at FISM 2025, boosting India’s profile with 4.5 million YouTube subscribers.
Current popularity leaders
Lior Suchard claims “world’s best” status in 2026 promotions for NYC shows. Oz Pearlman gains traction via Instagram and TV like AGT. Regional lists favor Sumit Kharbanda in India. No universal poll crowns one No 1; fame depends on exposure in events, TV, and social media.
