Milt’s Sendoff to Valhalla

It was an appropriately magic moment when Magic Castle owner Milt Larsen, who moved to more heavenly pastures in May at the age of 92, was given an Aloha Milt! sendoff at Carpinteria State Beach in a 12-foot replica of a Viking longboat, which was blown up 500 feet offshore as 100 friends and guests, including his widow, Arlene, sporting two new hips.

“We’d always talked about him having a Viking funeral and it has finally come true,” says Arlene, who was married to the magical maestro 34 years, although they had lived together for 20 years before tying the knot.

Clark James, a special effects consultant, who has worked on innumerable films – including The Fifth Element, Die Hard and Titanic – came up with the longboat, which was eventually exploded using compressed air as city authorities in Carpinteria would not allow pyrotechnics.

On board the vessel was an urn with Milt’s ashes, made of sugar so it could easily decompose in the ocean, and an Old Fashioned, his favorite whiskey tipple.

The unusual ceremony, which was preceded by breakfast on the beach with a Hawaiian musical trio entertaining, was also watched by two diver jets skis, two local lifeguards and a drone, which was taking footage of the event for a documentary on Milt that is being made by his former assistant of 16 years, John Cannizzaro.

Among those attending Milt’s final farewell, many sporting Viking helmets, were Anne Towbes, Ginni Dreier, Brenda Blalock, Joyce Shaar, and Ralph and Diana MacFarlane.

Later in the day Arlene hosted a “Knowing and Loving Milt” celebration at the Magic Castle Cabaret, formerly the eatery Cafe del Sol, next to the Andree Clark Bird Refuge.

It was an absolute blast!