Stuntology – Sam Bartlett

Sam Bartlett Stuntologist

Sam Bartlett has spent 30 years collecting, performing, writing about, and illustrating the world’s greatest fun & easy stunts. These are the wonderful parlor tricks that have been passed on through the ages, the simple seeming maneuvers that are impossible, and the impossible tricks that anyone can do. A Stuntology show is a tour through this fantastic and yet accessible panoply. You get to watch and then it’s your turn to try!

Mr. Bartlett is the author of four widely selling books on his favorite topic, including his latest, 51 Impossible Stunts That Anyone Can Do, and The Best of Stuntology (Workman, 2008).

His cartoons have been translated into Finnish and German, as well as profiled by the BBC.

His mad-Stuntology persona has for years been a regular, short feature on Indiana PBS show, The Friday Zone.

"Mr. Bartlett brought his Stuntology program to our library as part of the “Be Creative at Your Library” Summer Reading program this year and it was a smash. One of our most popular programs of the summer! Both educational and entertaining, I cannot speak too highly of Mr. Bartlett’s presentation. We also have two copies of his book which are always checked out. Can’t wait until we can get him back again."

Harry Bryan, Buncombe County Public Library

Leicester, NC

"Sam is a talented performer. He is full of verve and respectful of the intelligence of his audience. Sam’s presentation is entertaining, laugh out loud funny and light hearted. He supports creative thinking by suggesting that children and adults make their own fun. Sam also encourages experimentation with the scientific process. He says – Try new things, it’s OK to fail, it is a part learning, practice long enough and you" will get better and figure stuff out."

Pat Acevedo

Madison County Public Library - Berea, KY

"Thank you so much for the wonderful Stuntology performances at our Middle School and the High School workshops for the English, Math and Art students. You managed to excite, engage, entertain, entrance and educate tweens and teens – never an easy feat! The feedback we have had for all the shows has been tremendous. The High School teachers also liked the way you were able to show how you can work with a passion of drawing and a desire to communicate ideas into an actual book."

Lisa Sussman, Director, Cultural Organization of the Arts

East Greenwich, RI

"What a great addition to our summer reading program! Mr. Bartlett’s Stuntology program, at six branches of the Sonoma County Library this summer, was just the right mix of education, silliness and entertainment to make it a wonderful family entertainment. Kids of all ages loved the familiar and not-so-familiar tricks and stunts that he demonstrated for them. After so many passive magic-show-type programs where we are amazed at the tricks that are done, it was refreshing to have the kids realize that most of these are things they can do themselves. Also, it was wonderful how he involved so many children in both the demonstration and the execution of the stunts.”

Kathy DeWeese, Coordinator of Children’s Services

Sonoma County Library - Santa Rosa, CA

Bring Stuntology to your community

In his very funny and popular show, Sam Bartlett demonstrates and teaches a wonderful assortment of parlor tricks that leave an audience clamoring for more. This is subversive science education at its best. Typical stunts include making a ping pong ball float in the air, balancing 13 nails on the head of one nail, and writing your name backwards and forwards simultaneously.

A Stuntology presentation is a dazzling array of physical impossibilities and absurdities that can be wrought with everyday objects. Sam coaxes horrible sounds out of straws, makes forks float, napkins balance, and paper expand. Sam demonstrates, then it’s your turn. You will be mystified and amazed by stunts that work brilliantly, and even more entertained when stunts fail miserably. It’s all part of the experiment! Explanations fly along with objects, and the audience becomes a little smarter and more motivated to understand the workings of the world around us.

Programs are usually 50 minutes long, and can be tailored to suit your needs or a particular age group.

Contact Sam for availability and schedule of fees.

Bring Stuntology to your community

Stuntology Videos

Friday Zone Stuntology