By Claudia Wallis

Ching Ling Foo, "Court Conjurer to the Empress of China," wowed Western audiences when he toured the U.S. at the turn of the century. Now American Magician Mark Wilson, whose thaumaturgical fame dates from his days as star of TV's The Magic Land of Alla Kazam in the '60s, is seeking to balance the trade in his trade by taking his bag of tricks to China. While visiting the People's Republic to arrange performances there next fall, Wilson conjured up big crowds with small, impromptu gigs in which he would make white penknives turn black and rubber balls multiply. His piece de resistance occurred at China's most magical setting: the Great Wall. There Wilson chose a young volunteer and, without so much as an abracadabra or its Mandarin equivalent, set her afloat in midair. "You don't need words to do magic," he says. "Magic itself is a universal language."

The taping session went into extra innings, but Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays still couldn't get to first base. Not as singers, not as sit-down comics, and certainly not as models. Looking quaint in dainty bonnets for a margarine commercial, the two ex-sluggers made like they were still on opposing teams in the World Series of 1951 and 1962, when Mickey was a Yankee and Willie a Giant. In between takes of the Blue Bonnet jingle, Mays needled Mantle: "You sing worse than I do." "You gotta be kidding," Mickey replied. "You call that singing what you do?" On-camera, Willie was best when he dug into the steak feast before him: "Man, this is good." Later he confessed, "I added those lines on my own. Hope they like 'em."

Kurt Herbert Adler, 75, is one veteran opera maestro whose tempos are non ritardando. Just six months ago he became a grandfather for the first time, courtesy of Son Ronald. Now the director of the San Francisco Opera has again become a father. Adler was conducting a concert in Iceland when word came that his second wife, Nancy, 35, had borne him the first child of their 15-year marriage. Sabrina Sif (after the Nordic fertility goddess) Miller Adler is already showing performing promise. "She's a camera ham, and her voice is strong and healthy," says Dad. Adds Mom, sotto voce: "Particularly at four in the morning."

"I am expecting the baby any day now," sighs Soraya Khashoggi, 39. Who is the father? The estranged, British-born wife of Billionaire Saudi Dealmaker Adnan Khashoggi, 44, and former mistress of British M.P. Winston Churchill, 39, refuses to say. She is, however, happy to discuss another private passion: photography. And in the seclusion of her Venice villa she has turned her Nikon on her favorite subject--herself. "I have been a professional photographer for 15 years," she confides. "My work has been published, but Adnan never let me use my name, so they gave me all kinds of crazy credits." Her credit should improve if she wins the $2.5 billion divorce settlement Palimony Lawyer Marvin Mitchelson is demanding on her behalf. Soraya also has other resources. "I'm almost finished with my autobiography," she says, "and it's fair to say it will be sensational. It's a total, truthful and unabridged version of my life." Self-illustrated?

--By Claudia Wallis

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