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MARCH 2011

eric jones Page 44

MARCH 2011

M-U-M • Volume 100 • Number 10 S.A.M. NEWS 6 8 11 22 23 83

From the Editor’s Desk From the President’s Desk M-U-M Assembly News Broken Wands Good Cheer List Our Advertisers

ERIC JONES PAGE 44

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Cover Photo by Najee Williams

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THIS MONTH'S FEATURE ARTICLES 28 38 42 44 50 54 57 74 76

A Magician Prepares • by Dennis Loomis Counterpoint • by Lee Asher Illusions of Grandeur • by David Seebach COVER STORY • by Bruce Kalver Impossible Coins Across • by Eric Jones 7 Steps to a Successful Publicity Campaign • by Rick Allen Tech Tricks • by Bruce Kalver Unlimited Possibilities • by Roger Blakiston Mental Breakdown • by Christian Painter

REGULAR FEATURES 24 I Left My Cards at Home - John Ekin • by Steve Marshall 34 DIY Gaffed Cards • by Chris Wasshuber 40 Under Over • by Joshua Jay 58 Basic Training: Stack ‘Em and Pack ‘Em • by Ian Kendall 63 Informed Opinion • New Product Reviews 72 Nielsen Gallery: The Great Raymond • by Tom Ewing 78 Theory & Art of Magic • by Larry Hass 80 The Kran-Zone • by Nathan Kranzo 82 Anytime, Anyplace – Any Deck • by Aldo Colombini 84 The Dean’s Diary • by George Schindler 84 Basil the Baffling • by Alan Wassilak 85 The Tax Magician • by Steve Snyder 31 Confessions of a Paid 26 48 86 Amateur • by Rod Danilewicz

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M-U-M (ISSN 00475300 USPS 323580) is published monthly for $40 per year by The Society of American Magicians, 11086 S. Dartmoor Place, Parker, CO 80138 . Periodical postage paid at Parker, CO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to M-U-M, c/o Manon Rodriguez, P.O. Box 505, Parker, CO 80138.

MAGIC - UNITY - MIGHT Editor Michael Close Editor Emeritus David Goodsell Associate Editor W.S. Duncan Proofreader & Copy Editor Lindsay Smith Art Director Lisa Close Publisher

Society of American Magicians, 11086 S. Dartmoor Place Parker, CO 80138 Copyright © 2011 Subscription is through membership in the Society and annual dues of $65, of which $40 is for 12 issues of M-U-M. All inquiries concerning membership, change of address, and missing or replacement issues should be addressed to: Manon Rodriguez, National Administrator P.O. Box 505, Parker, CO 80134 [email protected] Skype: manonadmin Phone: 303-362-0575 Fax: 303-362-0424 Send assembly reports to: [email protected] For advertising information, reservations, and placement contact: Mona S. Morrison, M-U-M Advertising Manager 645 Darien Court, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 Email: [email protected] Telephone/fax: (847) 519-9201 Editorial contributions and correspondence concerning all content and advertising should be addressed to the editor: Michael Close - Email: [email protected] Phone: 702-355-0794 Fax: 866-591-7392

Submissions for the magazine will only be accepted by email or fax. VISIT THE S.A.M. WEB SITE www.magicsam.com To access “Members Only” pages: Enter your Name and Membership number exactly as it appears on your membership card. MARCH 2011 5

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK MICHAEL CLOSE

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the cover this month, looking cooler than anyone has a right to look, is Eric Jones, whom some of you may have seen at the S.A.M. convention in Atlanta last year. Eric has maintained a high profile lately, with performances and lectures around the world and the release of a three-DVD set titled An Extension of Me. After his appearance in Atlanta, I received several emails suggesting that he would be an excellent candidate for a cover story, and I certainly concurred. As you’ll find out in the article by Bruce Kalver, Eric’s life has had some ups and downs, which have forced him to be both resourceful and creative. Immediately following the cover story, you’ll find one of Eric’s favorite routines, Impossible Coins Across, from his lecture notes Fingertips Part 1. If you own the necessary gaffed coins, you’ll happily discover that the routine is not too difficult. Be warned, however, Eric is left-handed, and the routine is described as he performs it. Right-handed performers will have to make the necessary adjustments. Things Change. One of my goals for the new year was to change up the content of M-U-M a bit. Doing so has involved changing the frequency of some of our regular columnists. Nathan Kranzo’s Kran-zone and Norman Beck’s I’ve Been Thinkin’ will appear in alternate months. Roger Blakiston’s Unlimited Possibilities was squeezed out of last month’s issue; that column appears this month. In this issue, Dennis Loomis devotes his A Magician Prepares column to his Balloon Show. He not only offers practical, real-world solutions for the problems that arise when balloon sculptures are part of your kid’s show, he also gives you his entire script. This information is easily worth the price of a year’s membership in the S.A.M. for anyone doing kid’s shows. Because Dennis’s article is long, I thought it best to move the next contribution by the Balloon Guys to next month. Counterpoint. In addition to personality profiles, theory essays, historical articles, reminiscences, and tricks, M-U-M also offers opinion, and not just opinion on current products in the marketplace. I have generally given my writers free reign to discuss whatever topics interest them, with the assumption that readers will recognize that comments such as “brick-and-mortar magic shops are better than Internet magic shops” or “books are better than video” are opinions and not facts. Lee Asher (through Nathan Kranzo) asked for the opportunity to respond to Norman Beck’s column on using Twitter during magic lectures and performances (December 2010). I’m happy to let Lee express his opinion; you’ll find it on page 38, in a new section called Counterpoint. If you’d like to respond to an opinion that has appeared in this magazine, please drop me an email. I’d like to make Counterpoint a semi-regular feature. M-U-M on the Kindle. Compeer Tom Sobotka wrote me to ask if it is possible to read the M-U-M on the Kindle. It is possible, but you’ll have to do a small amount of fiddling. First, download an issue from the S.A.M. Web site; it will be a PDF file. Attach he gentleman on

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the Kindle to your computer with its USB cable. Open the folder called Documents on the Kindle and copy the PDF file to it. Disconnect the Kindle from your computer. Now, when you turn on the Kindle and press Home, you’ll see the PDF file among your list of books and audio books. You open the PDF file as you would open any file on the Kindle. The main difference in reading a PDF file is that the Kindle displays each page of the PDF file; it doesn’t display raw text the way the standard Kindle ebooks look. That means you’ll have to make use of the text sizing button [A A]. This lets you choose how much of the page is displayed within the Kindle screen. You’ll have to experiment with this to find out what setting works best for you. You’ll also need to make use of holding down the shift key (an upward pointing arrow) while you use the five-way controller in order to encompass all the text you need to see in a particular column. It’s not that hard to get used to, and it certainly is convenient to have the current issue (or any of the available issues, for that matter) in an easily accessible format. Corrections. Last month I managed to mangle Byron Walker’s first name twice in my editor’s column. I also made Troy Hooser into a resident of Indiana (Hoosier) by missing the misspelling of his last name in one of the Informed Opinion reviews. Mark Lewis’s Web site was incorrectly typed in the Quick Look Book Nook excerpt. It is www.marklewisentertainment.com. Contacting the Editor. The Close family will be moving in late spring. My contact phone number and mailing address will change. Consequently, it is best that you communicate with me via the Internet at my [email protected] address, which will not change. Please do not mail any submissions to me; attach files as Microsoft Word docs, JPEGs, or Adobe PDF files. I know that some of our members still love the U.S. Post Office, but in the 21st century electronic communication is the way to go. Thanks. Sad Goodbyes. In just a few days in early February, magic lost three of its most valuable practitioners. Pavel, one of the cleverest magic creators, died of cancer. His two-rope trick (popularized by Daryl as The Jumping Knot of Pakistan) has been part of my stand-up repertoire for many years. His moving knot trick (used by many professionals) is one of magic’s great foolers. Steve Dacri died of colon cancer on February 11, 2011. I met Steve in 1976, when we both performed at the I.B.M. convention in Evansville, Indiana. Steve moved to Las Vegas in 2003 and spent a great deal of energy trying to do something that is very difficult in present-day Vegas – establishing a permanent close-up magic venue. It is a testament to Steve’s business acumen and perseverance that he was able to establish himself in several hotels. Finally, I was hit very hard by the news that Tim Conover had taken his own life on February 2, 2011. I met Tim in 1980, when we both competed in the very first Siegfried & Roy Golden Lion Award close-up contest. Tim’s closing trick was to turn his close-up mat into a ferret. Tim was simply one of the best magicians on the planet and his drive to work out every detail in every trick he performed was unmatched. As a mentalist, his energy and enthusiasm made him one-of-kind. He was just great, and I’m really going to miss him. 

S.A.M. National Officers Dean: George Schindler, 1735 East 26th St., Brooklyn, NY 11229, (718) 336-0605, Fax (718) 627-1397, [email protected] President: Mark Weidhaas, 15225 Pleasant View Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921 (719) 637-9965 Skype: mweidhaas, [email protected] President Elect: Vinny Grosso, 114 High Bridge Road, West Coxsackie, NY 12192 (518) 756-1891 [email protected] First Vice President: J. Christopher Bontjes, 2313 Atwood Ct., Danville, IL 61834 (217)431-4791 [email protected] Second Vice President: Dal Sanders, 3316 Northaven Rd, Dallas, TX 75229 (214) 902-9200, [email protected] Secretary: Marlene Clark, 435 Main Street, Durham, CT 06422, (860) 349-8149, Skype: marlene.clark, [email protected] Treasurer: Mary Ann Blowers, 3 Christopher Bluffs Court, St. Louis, MO 63129 (314) 846-8468 [email protected] Skype: maryan.blowers

Regional Vice Presidents New England: CT MA RI NH ME VT Tucker B. Goodman, 7 Evans Road, #2, Marblehead, MA 01945, (617) 901-5187, [email protected] North Atlantic: NY NJ Pat Colby, [email protected] Mid Atlantic: PA DE MD VAWV DC David W. Bowers, 169 Tobin Dr., Chambersburg, PA 17201(717) 414-7574, [email protected] South Atlantic: FL AL GA MS NC SC Rick Hinze, (770)471-7558, [email protected] Central Plains: KY TN OH IN MI Jania Taylor, (231)242-8242, [email protected] Midwest: IL MN WI MO ND NE KS SD IA Jeff Sikora, 13023 Crown Point Ave., Omaha, NE 68164 (402)-339-6726, [email protected] South Cental States: TX AR OK NM LA Jeff Lanes, (713)850-1770, [email protected] Southwest: CA AZ NV HI Kenrick “Ice” McDonald, PO Box 341034, Los Angeles, CA 90034 (310)-559-8968, [email protected] Northwest: WA OR UT ID CO AK WY MT Michael Roth, (503)493-8316, [email protected] Canada Shawn Farquhar, (604)936-1234, [email protected] Society of Young Magicians Director Jann Wherry Goodsell, 329 West 1750 North, Orem, Utah 84057 (801) 376-0353. [email protected]

Living Past National Presidents Bradley M. Jacobs, Richard L. Gustafson, Roy A. Snyder, Bruce W. Fletcher, James E. Zachary, Henry L. Moorehouse, Frank W. Dailey, Cesareo Pelaez, David R. Goodsell, William E. Andrews, Robert A. Steiner, Fr. Cyprian Murray, Michael D. Douglass, George Schindler, Dan Rodriguez, Dan Garrett, Donald F. Oltz Jr., Craig Dickson, Loren C. Lind, Gary D. Hughes, Harry Monti, Jann Wherry Goodsell, Warren J. Kaps, Ed Thomas, Jay Gorham, John Apperson, Richard M. Dooley, Andy Dallas, Maria Ibáñez, Bruce Kalver, Mike Miller.

MARCH 2011 7

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK MARK WEIDHAAS

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with fun holidays, like St. Patrick’s Day, the first day of spring, and the Ides of March. Five out of every three people surveyed celebrate Multiple Personalities Day. But we all should celebrate March 24, Chocolate Covered Raisin Day, not because we enjoy Raisinets®, but because it is also Harry Houdini’s 137th birthday. This potpourri of information reminds me of the title of my good friend George Schindler’s presidential columns: Flotsam and Jetsam. Literally, these terms refer to maritime wreckage, but metaphorically, they refer to bits and pieces or odds and ends. Buckle up as we disembark; the cruise may be bumpy. arch is filled

 January Presidential Travels. I installed the new officers of Denver Assembly 37; lectured and greeted members at Lincoln, Nebraska, Assembly 293; performed and greeted members at the Wizards Banquet of Omaha, Nebraska, Assembly 7; and lectured and greeted members at the annual Stan Kramien Stage Contest for Portland, Oregon, Assembly  59. I also visited with many members at the 80th Columbus, Ohio, Magi-Fest. I saw one recurring theme at these successful groups: good friends working together in harmony for all to enjoy. It’s supposed to be fun, and I had a blast. Special thanks to RVPs Jeff Sikora and Michael Roth, and to Jep Hostetler. Convention Update. The S.A.M. convention is busting at the seams, and can’t be contained in four days! There have been some special activities added on Tuesday, July 12. These include an opportunity to be the first to see the international lineup of dealers, a special late-night lecture, a welcome/mixer program to introduce and inform members who have never been to an S.A.M. convention, and a once-in-a-lifetime publicity spectacle. Plan to arrive early. Check www.magicsam.com for the latest information. The Magic Center is sponsoring the first ever Magical Antique Roadshow program in Pittsburgh. Bring some of your old pieces of magic, and the S.A.M. will have experts on hand to tell you all about your treasures. Think of it as an Antiques Roadshow for magicians. At Magi-Fest, President-elect Vinny Grosso and I got to spend some time with our Pittsburgh convention local liaison, Doug Ries. He told us that the local magicians are really supporting the S.A.M. and will offer a shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. This will save you some big bucks! All they ask in return is a tip to cover the gas expense. And most important: Get your registrations in before the deadline of March 7 when the registration rate increases. Do it now at www.magicsam.com or call Anne Weidhaas (or me) at 719-637-9965. Military Membership. In January, I mentioned a new reduced membership rate for our active U.S. military members. I had the pleasure of announcing this new program at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and to sweeten the pot, we reduced it further to $35 for the paperless membership. Scott Hollingsworth is the program liaison, and is planning a special Web page devoted to the military, including magic downloads made available courtesy of

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Bev Bergeron. Dean Schindler reminded me that during WWII, the S.A.M. allowed servicemen to continue their membership at no cost. Houdini often provided free benefit shows for WWI veterans. I am not aware of any other magic organization that supports its troops like the S.A.M. Sharing Awareness Mentoring. In February, I introduced you to this new program. The Wiki site is up and many members are already adding to it. Although in its infancy, with your help, it will grow into a thriving community for school educational performers. Check it out at www.magicsam.com/SAMSAM. Gifts and Insignia. Craig Schwarz, the chair of this committee, is working hard to get some new products that you can use to show you’re a proud S.A.M. member. I just received the new S.A.M. official performance/ceremonial wands. These are handsome dark stained wood wands with brass tips and “Society of American Magicians” engraved into the wand (see photo). They come in two sizes, one for close-up and the other for stage. For more specifics and pricing, go to www.samgifts.org. While you’re there, look at our beautiful polo shirts and the DVD of M-U-M volume 99 (all 12 issues). M-U-M Volume 101, Number 1. The June 2011 issue will mark the beginning of our 101st year of publishing the house organ of the Society, M-U-M. Last year was the first time in a long time that many assemblies and members advertised in the M-U-M to offer their well-wishes. The M-U-M is your magazine, so let’s keep it special again. I have asked Mona Morrison, our M-U-M ad manager, to set aside space in the June issue for you. She will be contacting all the assemblies to see how they can participate again this year. Write her directly at [email protected] for more information. Thank you in advance for your support! A Free Gift. Expect an email (or letter) from me about two months before your membership is up for renewal. I’ll explain that your renewal form will be inside the plastic wrapper of your next M-U-M. However, if you act quickly and renew, we’ll include with your new membership card a twenty-five-year-old collector’s coin specially minted for the 1986 S.A.M. convention (see photo above). We want to reward you for your continued membership and support of the S.A.M. By registering promptly, you will also save us the expense of sending further reminders. Update Your Contact Information. We are in the midst of creating a new Web site that will be organized and much easier to navigate. It will link to our national administrator’s database of member information. You can log in and revise your own mailing and email information. If you spend summers in New England and winters in Arizona, you will be in control of where your M-U-M is shipped each month. To register, please send your name, full birthday, email address, and membership number to the national administrator, Manon Rodriguez ([email protected] or PO Box 505, Parker, CO 80134). You will then receive the easy instructions to access the new site.

 March Council Meeting. You are invited to attend the Spring National Council Meeting in Orlando, Florida, on March 12 and an “Evening of Magic and Dinner” on March 11. You must RSVP for the show, because tickets will not be available at the door. More information can be found at www.magicsam.com.   March Presidential Travels. A week before his birthday, I plan to pay homage to Houdini with a solemn visit to his resting place at Machpelah Cemetery in Queens. I will be accompanied by the Dean and his Dame, George and Nina Schindler. Then I’m off to the S.A.M. Japan Cup close-up competition in Tokyo with Japan International Deputy Shigeru Tashiro, President-elect Vinny Grosso, and your M-U-M Editor Michael Close.   You have a friend in the S.A.M.

[Editor’s Note: In preparation for Mark Weidhaas’s cover story in the July, 2010, issue of M-U-M, several of Mark’s friends wrote a few words of support. Unfortunately, not all of the material could fit. Since Mark mentions George Schindler this month, it seems appropriate to present what he originally had to say last year. And he shares a great magic trick, too.] “It was in July, 2006; magicians were running up the steps and into the lobby of the Kentucky Center Theater in Louisville in the pouring rain. Although within “walking distance” from our convention hotel, there was no choice but to run through the storm, arriving drenched. While people were shaking out their wet hairdos, I noticed one man near the doorway, calmly doing card tricks for small bands of kids and other wet onlookers. Although I had heard his name, I had never met Mark Weidhaas before. I joined his audience and watched a very entertaining and quiet performer at work. “We spoke very briefly and Mark invited me to come to Colorado. He promised to book a few lectures for me, and being a man of his word did so some time later. Mark and Anne were wonderful hosts, and at our first dinner together, Nina and I established a rapport with them that still exists. I watched the ‘Inspector’ as he developed a true love for the S.A.M. and have followed his succession from RVP up through the chairs; at each step devoting his energy to the betterment of the organization.”

CALL ME Here is a trick by Deej Johnson from his forthcoming book Magic by Phone (used here by the kind permission of Magico Publishing). Program your cell phone’s voicemail with a message that says you’re not available but are happy to reveal that the chosen card is the Six of Hearts. Make sure your phone is off before forcing that card on the participant. Have him call your number. Watch the great reaction. And remember to reprogram the phone for a regular message or different force card.

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SPOTLIGHT ON... Ross Wasielke Ross the Mentalist is one of the very few working magicians who is legally blind. He suffers from a rare eye condition that gives him corrected vision that is less than twenty percent of a normal person’s; yet, Ross has performed over four hundred benefit and charity shows since 2000. Ross helps raise money for “groups in need” by doing these free shows, be it the local animal shelter, Rotary or Lions Club. In 2007, his favorite charity, The Center For Vision Loss, awarded him their Helen Keller – Knight In Shining Armor Award, in recognition of the dozens of shows he has performed on their behalf. A member of the S.A.M. for more than ten years, and a member of PA 1 and Assembly 277 in Pennsylvania, Ross also entertains at veteran’s homes, simply to “say thanks and to give back to others.” Ross sums up his life with a simple adage: “One can be bitter or better about going blind; I choose to be better.” Ross cannot remember a time when he did not perform magic, but his interest was sparked by the revolution Doug Henning created in the ‘70s. His material is derived mostly from the teachings of Lee Earle, Larry Becker, Max Maven, and Richard Osterlind. You can read more about Ross and contact him through his Web site, www.RossTheMentalist.com.

Darlene Bull Darlene is a tireless contributor to magic in the Chicago area. A librarian with the Joliet Public Library, she is the single most important email touch point for anyone who wants to contact this portion of the magical community, with an email list containing hundreds of local performers and enthusiasts. A dedicated member of the S.A.M., she is the secretary for two assemblies: Assembly 3 in Chicago and Assembly 106 in Joliet. And she’s done this for years – writing the monthly reports, sending out newsletters electronically and through the post, attending meetings, and tirelessly participating in events for both groups. For example, although there are few members of Assembly 3 who commute farther, she has not missed contributing to a performance of its Houdini Séance since 2001. 10 M-U-M Magazine

ASSEMBLY NEWS Society of American Magicians Monthly News

MARCH 2011

Volume 100, Number 10

Send your reportS to:

[email protected]

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PA 1 Swears in Four New Members   

New York, NY— PA 1 Dean Eric DeCamps and Jordan Linker could be found trading moves at the S.A.M. Magic Table this month.  They joined the regulars, PP Isaac Rodriguez, 2nd VP Bob Friedhoffer, PP Jerry Oppenheimer, myself, Secretary Pat Colby, and board members Rene Clement and Richard Bossong. Jerry and Lee Oppenheimer celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary (which was actually Sunday the 23rd) at the Table on Friday Jan 21. The Table meets Fridays from 12:30 on for lunch at the Edison Hotel Café on 47th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue in Times Square.  Our monthly meeting was held on January 7 at Mount Sinai. President Ken Ferst started the meeting at 7:30. The first order of business was the swearing in of four new members by President Ferst. They were Dr. David Adamonvich (The Great Throwdini), PNP Mike Miller, Dr. Kedar Sankholkar, and Gary Willner, who preformed so beautifully at our 100th Salute to Magic. They were welcomed by the assembly. 1st VP Margaret Steele, producer of this year’s Salute, then gave the Salute Committee report announcing that the contracts were

President Ken Ferst swearing in “The Great Throwdini” (Dr. David Adamonvich), Past NP Mike Miller, Dr. Kedar Sankholkar and Gary Willner

being signed and the Salute would be on Saturday May 14. She reported that the Ticket Chairman would be President Ken Ferst. Other committee reports were given. PA 1 Dean Eric DeCamps announced the East Coast Memorial for Bob Elliot in L.I., which many of our members attended. They had over 250 people attend. I was honored to represent the PA 1 in the broken wand ceremony. Then after an email from PA 1 member Per Eklund of Sweden was read, National Dean George Schindler closed the meeting with ritual.  The after meeting event was a lecture by Magick Balay. It started with a film recently made on magic that gave us all a look into the life of this performer. It was terrific and a great way for the assembly members to get to know more about Magick before the lecture. He then gave a great lecture covering among other things pen through bill, Bob Elliott’s salt vanish, and amazing effects using an ITR. It was a wonderful lecture.  —Tom Klem Parent Assembly Number One meets the first Friday of the month at 7:15 on the Mount Sinai Campus in the Goldwurn Auditorium, 1425 Madison Avenue, NYC www.sampa1.com 

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COINS

SAN FRANCISCO, CA— The sound of coins was apparent during our January meeting. The teaching this month was devoted to coin magic with Corky LeValee leading the discussion, which concentrated on coin vanishes. Tamaka showed his special shiny manipulating coins and how he used them in his coin act and the Miser’s Dream. Rich Seguine, Ed Arce, and Walt Johnson all contributed to the enrichment. 

The magic theme was also coins and Corky led with a color-changing coin then followed with a silver to gold and back to silver and finally a matrix effect. Jack Langdell did a Miser’s Dream using a tin cup from Alcatraz (which he humorously said was used by Al Capone, as were the hundred others for sale in the gift shop!). Bill Langdell followed by tossing invisible coins into the air and catching real coins in a plastic bucket. Hippo Lau, John Caris, Bob Kuhn, Tamaka, and Brett Langdell all demonstrated their proficiency with coins.   Cynthia Yee followed Rich Sequine’s instructions in a unique card shuffling and dealing sequence that lived up to Rich’s written prediction. Mike Toy found Joe Holt’s selected card in his pocket. Using a story about a surgeon doing an operation, Walt Johnson made a borrowed ring link on a rope that Brett and Ed were holding. Nathan Ng turned ink into water then drank the water to prove it really was water and finally Safire showed linking and unlinking rubber bands and ended with one rubber band becoming the shape of a rabbit. —Stu Bacon Golden Gate Assembly 2 meets first Wednesday at 7:30 PM at Community Room of Taraval Police Station. 2345 24th Ave. San Francisco. Contact: Tamaka, 415 531-9332, [email protected]

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brief business meeting during which National Magic Week Coordinator Michael Bonacci presented all thirty-eight National Magic Week participants with certificates of appreciation. Michael thanked Robert Lamphere and David Alvord who also participated, but whose names were not forwarded in time for inclusion in last month’s column. Many thanks to Michael and everyone who made Assembly 4 the most active S.A.M. assembly during National Magic Week in 2010. We also celebrated PNP Dick Gustafson’s 80th Birthday by singing Happy Birthday before partaking in a delicious cake made by his lovely wife Joan. After the business meeting, Arlen Solomon, who is a delight to watch, started the program off by performing a highly interactive and entertaining Crystal Silk Tube routine, which he then explained. He then demonstrated a very nice silk vanish utilizing a thumb tip geared toward extremely young children. After Arlen, Bill Brown, whose smile and laugh are infectious, took to the stage and enlisted the aid of audience members George Hample, Ruth Hample, and Jane Armstrong to perform a miraculous double silk vanish and reappearance utilizing a change bag, the Twentieth Century Silks, and a Clatter Box. With the assistance of

CHILDREN’S MAGIC NIGHT

PHILADELPHIA, PA— Our January meeting featured four excellent mini-lectures on the art of children’s magic. Prior to the mini-lectures, which were given by Arlen Solomon, Bill Brown, Dennis Michael Dowhy,and Dennis Eleuteri, President Ed Hanisco held a

Arlen Solomon, performing a very entertaining Crystal Silk Tube routine.

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ASSEMBLY NEWS Phyllis Cuddihy, Bill then proceeded to demonstrate his collection of approximately one-hundred different wands, which culminated with the hysterical production of Creative Magic’s Bigger Wands, which he placed in Phyllis’s arms, and the use of a vintage rabbit wand to turn her into a rabbit. Following Bill, Dennis Michael Dowhy demonstrated a wonderful egg bag routine that had everyone shouting out at him like small children. Dennis then demonstrated his most effective use of Axtell’s Off the Meter. Dennis Eleuteri then ended the evening with a very funny sponge ball routine with the assistance of Rich Pressel. Finally, Dennis explained how one can end such a routine in a most surprising manner by transforming all of the balls into a sponge rabbit in the spectator’s hand. Everyone in attendance had a great time and learned some practical tips and routines. —Peter Cuddihy James Wobensmith Assembly 4 meets third Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at the Bustleton Memorial Post, 810 (American Legion) 9151 Old Newtown Road. Information: www.sam4.org/

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Making 2011 a magical year

Baltimore, MD— First to report one of our own members, Dr. Ira Kolman, had recent surgery and fully recovered and made it to our January meeting. We welcome him back. Also the November and December meetings were both well attended and some great magic was performed. Thanks again to our wonderful assembly president, Jeff Eline; he keeps us informed and strong in magic. We started out with the magic of Joe Harsanyi doing a wonderful mentalism routine. Using four volunteers was able to have them write down their  thoughts and have them sent to Joe. Next up was Oneil Banks. He used a deck of cards, mixing, and displaying nine cards. A volunteer was able to match a face-down selected card that was already inside a prediction envelope. Ralph Fowler did a beautiful 4-D surprise. Showing an empty box, and using a light shinning inside, he was able to produce a Statue of Liberty figure. Joe Bruno did a Baffled

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Farmer routine using two props and seven balls of tissue. Joe was able to make the balls of tissue go from one prop to the other, just like magic. Howard Katz did a Harry Houdini water escape trick. Using a small prop as Houdini and a long water tube, he was able to have Houdini escape from the water tube unharmed. Alton Knight, a new member, using two different color decks, had a volunteer select a card from one deck. After several moves, it was determined the selected card was also matched with the color deck not chosen. Closing out was Jeff Eline, doing a fantastic card routine using two different volunteers with two different selected cards, called the Delia Miracle. —Rudy Jackson We are always looking for visitors and new members in the greater Baltimore area. The Kellar-Thruston Assembly #6 meets every first Thursday @ 8:00 p.m. each month. We are at The Magic Warehouse - 11419 Cronridge Drive, suite #10 in Owings Mills, Md. 21117. 410-561-0777

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Starting the year off with a Bang(quet)

Omaha, Ne— A few years ago the Omaha Magical Society decided to start a new tradition. Since then the Wizard’s Banquet has always opened the year with a festive mood, and good food to boot. It was also decided that an award would be created in the memory of David P. Abbott, a magician who performed most of his magic right here in Omaha, in a house that is still here. Among his invited guests were the biggest names in magic. To qualify for this award one must meet some stringent requirements; I should note that this award might not be presented every year. This year Joe Cole brought his magic to our event and his credentials are numerous, including winning the S.A.M. Close-up contest in 2001 and a special award for originality that was presented the following year at the convention. He is one of Omaha’s full-time professional entertainers. To commemorate this special event the Most Illustrious Mark Weidhass, President of S.A.M., and Chris Bontjes, our first Vice President,

attended the event. Mark opened the show by mystifying the audience. Tom Neddo and Daniel Rasmussen continued this special program with their own brand of prestidigitation, and then Joe Cole closed the show bringing it to an exciting climax. It took a lot of work to produce this event, including pre-show strolling entertainers

Mark Weidhaas and Joe Cole

Walt Graham, Gavin Plowman, Denny Rourke, and Jered Schaugaard, plus the folks who produced the show,m including the lighting and audio, reservations, decorations, name tags, menu, and other details that led to a perfect warm celebration on a cold night. Thanks to all for a job well done! A special thank you to Jeff Quinn for the reception held the day before the banquet and The Wizard for keeping things under control. (If you want to know who he is, you’ll have to come to a banquet.) —Jerry Golmanavich Omaha Magical Society S.A.M. Assembly #7 meets the third Monday of each month at the Southwest Church of Christ 125th and W. Center Rd. Right across from Hooters.

8

Holiday Magic

St. Louis, MO— No meeting for the fourth Thursday of December, so happy holidays to all! We also did not meet on the second Thursday of January, but then we did have plenty of snow in St. Louis. We were all busy with our individual magic

Tom Westerheide Performing at Shriner’s Hospital

shows and charity shows. One show was for the Children’s homes and Foster Care in St. Louis, Missouri. It was held at the old American Theater downtown. On the lineup: Brian Boyd, Steve Finkelstein, Mike Hendrichs, Jeff Lefton, Laurence “Chuck” Levy, The Great Todd, and George Van Dyke. Another was at Shriner’s Hospital where Tom Westerheide and The Great Todd performed for patents and their families. The Great Todd also performed at several HDC Community Action Agency Christmas Parties. Others Assembly 8 magicians performed for charity too, but I don’t have specifics. Thanks to all magicians who made the holidays even more magical for others. We will have our next meeting with Magic 101 on January 27, and I’ll tell you all about it next time. —Dan Todd Assembly 8 meets on the 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM at Mount Tabor United Church of Christ, 6520 Arsenal, St. Louis MO 63139 Visit www.assembly8. com for pictures.

11

Magic With a Story

Cincinnati, OH— President Don Hinton opened the meeting and noted that S.A.M. Assembly 11 had received a memento from the patients at Children’s Hospital in appreciation for the members providing entertainment throughout the year. The following members were presented with certificates of appreciation: Larry Payne, Joe Papania, Ron Calhoun, Rick Gaffney, Leland Pennington, Bill Pryor, and Don Hinton. The theme for magician of the month was “magic with a story.” Chuck Arkin told the story of a Paul a pretty tall guy (bully) and Mort the short guy. Mort was stretched tall and Paul was feeling very small after all. Joe Papania told the story of St. Peter’s cross. The spirit woke Scrooge up and gave him a ticket with a stub. He tore the stub into pieces that spelled Hell, but the ticket itself unfolded into a cross. Ken Klosterman told a story of a magician travelling through Cincinnati a long time ago. He and several others met with

ASSEMBLY NEWS him at the Sinton Hotel and the magician showed them how to disappear from a stage using a handkerchief, which Ken then taught how to do. Larry Payne told the story of a teacher who brought an old box that contained the mother of all diamonds, which the teacher would show at the end of the school year. One student couldn’t wait and knocked over it and pieces of coal fell out. The teacher showed how time and pressure changed the coal into diamonds proving that patience is a virtue. Don Hinton told a story about Santa Claus wrapping presents and the colorful paper magically transformed into colorful confetti. Charlie Cadabra told the story of the emperor’s new clothes. He humorously had a spectator participate and magically had the emperor’s beautiful robe appear. The meeting ended with refreshments and fond memories of another successful year for S.A.M. Assembly 11. —John Martini Queen City Mystics, SAM Assembly 11 generally meets on the 2nd Friday of the month at Haines House of Cards in Cincinnati, Ohio.

16

Two Fifty Year Members Honored at Assembly No. 16

WORCESTER, MA— Today, January 10th, 2011, was a day for celebration for Assembly 16. We honored two of our own special members for long-term service in our society and our assembly: Arthur Mayou, with fifty-five years of membership and C. Parker Swan III with fifty years of membership. Special guests included: National Dean George Schindler, Past National President, Most Illustrious Bruce Kalver, Regional Vice President Tucker Goodman, Deputy of Western, MA, Thomas Gentile, and two-time Gold Award winner, George Saterial. Members and guests were treated to a potluck dinner provided by our members and two special cakes with edible photographs of Parker and Arthur on each one. Members were then allowed to “Walk Down Memory Lane with Parker Swan” as they shared funny and interesting stories about Parker from their memories as they were recorded on video. Several members also took many pho-

tographs to record the activities. DVDs of Parker Swan entertained us while we watched him in a 2001 interview with Bruce Kalver and another of Arthur Mayou performing his dove act from his early career were shown on the big screen in the upstairs of the Magic Barn. Afterwards, Parker and Arthur were presented with awards of recognition from Dean George Schindler, Vice President Tucker Goodman, and Deputy Thomas Gentile. The guests of honor were also presented $50 gift certificates to their favorite restaurants. Fran Flynn acted as the emcee for the evening. Ken Maynard had created special portraits of Parker and Arthur and everyone was invited to sign the surrounding mats, then the portraits were framed and presented to the guests of honor. A big thank you goes to

From left: Arthur Mayou, Dean George Schindler, C. Parker Swan III and MC Fran Flynn during an awards ceremony.

Darlene and John Chumsae for having the special cakes made and to all those who worked behind the scenes to make this a memorable evening. Thank you also to Peter Lentros for providing the Magic Barn for this special event. We are always grateful to you! —Ken Maynard Willard S. Smith Assembly No. 16 meets the first Monday of the month except for July and August at 6:00 p.m. At the Magic Barn, Ashland, MA  

19

Living Magic Day to Day

Houston, TX— Scott Wells led our January teach-in as he discussed magic goals and plans for not only 2011, but as a way of living our magic day to day. He started by sharing a piece from Wayne Kawamoto’s Magic New Year’s Resolutions for 2011. This is well worth looking up and has some very practical ideas. A nice looking

database from Bob Miller, MagicBase Pro3, looked to be very comprehensive and Scott said he had been using it for quite some time with good results. You can track all of your performances and everything that goes along with it, from effects, fees, contact, etc., to include just about everything. Also, a database in which to keep up with your magic library was also shown. This was easy to use and a is useful tool to help keep up with the books in your library. Overall, a nice presentation packed into his allotted thirty minutes. The annual Holiday Party hosted by Gene and Betty Protas was a great success. With a maxed out attendance, great food, and camaraderie, it’s a great event every year. We want to thank our performers for this month. They include Scott Wells, Rick Hebert, and Bill Palmer, who shared a couple of new additions from his outstanding Cups and Balls Museum. You can visit Bill’s museum at cupsandballsmuseum.com. We have some great lectures coming up, including Justin Miller and B Smith, followed by Michael Ammar in February. Check out the exact dates and times at houstonmagic.com. We also have our annual officer’s inauguration banquet on February 20. This is always a well-attended event and we are expecting another large turnout. Of course, the magic will be great. On a final note, it’s great to have Chris Williams back with us again. After several months of not doing so well, Chris is up and around and looking just fine. —Miles Root SAM 19 meets the first Monday of every month at the IATSE Local 51 Meeting Hall, 3030 North Freeway, Houston, TX. A teaching lecture begins at 7:30 pm with the meeting beginning at 8:00 pm.

21

Brian Miller Lectures

Hartford, CT— The club was treated to a lecture by our newest member and former Buffalonian, Brian Miller. He is taking this lecture on tour and we were honored to see its debut. He began with an introductory Sponge Ball routine done for two spectators. He then presented an essay dealing with “tricks” vs. “magic” and judging your success as

Brian Miller emphasizes a point in his lecture.

a magician. It had some very thought-provoking ideas. He then explained the sponges: only three, plus a toy squeaker. The third phase of the routine is a variation of Coins Across. Other highlights were: Experimental Imagination, a trick in which a card is signed and lost, then found, and found, and found, and found again – finally in the card box; Copper/ Silver Simple, which used multiple Bobo Switches; and Chicken Bones, which used a gimmicked deck that pretends to be marked cards. A splendid lecture that delved into the psychology of tricks and into the thought behind them. Recommended to all our compeers. —Dana Ring Bill Greenough Assembly #21 meets 2nd Monday (except December) at Angelo’s on Main in West Hartford, CT. www.sam21.org

22

GLENN PARKER OPEN IN LOS ANGELES

Los Angeles, CA— The January 17 meeting of Assembly 22 was a unique and special event for the Southern California Assembly: the “Glenn Parker Open.” Before the program started, a number of magic activity announcements were made by members regarding their upcoming performances. A second reading was also conducted for Henry Springer, who was then unanimously elected into Assembly 22 membership. Congratulations, Henry. Glenn and Linda Parker performed magic professionally throughout Europe and in Las Vegas and Southern California during the late 1960s1970s. After Glenn settled

MARCH 2011 13

ASSEMBLY NEWS in Southern California, he became close friends with our Assembly vice president, Jim Callen. When Glenn Parker passed away recently, Jim helped Linda dispose of the very large amount of magic that Glenn possessed. During several assembly meetings last fall, most Assembly 22 members purchased some of Glenn’s magic with all of the proceeds going to Linda.  For the “Glenn Parker Open,” ten assembly members performed magic that came from the Glenn Parker estate.

of guests and members in attendance. As always, Corrine Murphy provided a large array of foods and desserts. The eighth performer was Jim Milatello, who performed a series of card effects including a full deck to blank deck change. Michael Perovich, always with unique magic to present, did Okito’s Elusive (vanishing) Lifesaver Roll and the Takagi Blank Card Trick. Closing the show was assembly president Bill Yamane with a Dai Vernon card effect, Taking It Easy. —Steven L. Jennings Southern California Assembly 22 meets the 3rd Monday each month at 8:00 P.M., St. Thomas Moore Parish Hall, 2510 So. Fremont Ave., Alhambra, CA, Information: 213/382-8504

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Assembly 22 VP, Jim Callen and Linda Parker holding a 1970 publicity photo of her and Glenn Parker.

Attending this performance were Linda Parker and her two daughters and their families. Jim Callen began the program with a short biography about the Parkers and their magic career. Opening the show was the Dean of our Assembly, Robert Rodriguez. Robert displayed his skills at card manipulation and then performed a card rise of three selected cards. John Engman next performed Mississippi Poker. Jim Callen used a jumbo 52-on-1 card gag and then presented the six-card repeat. Toni Perrine presented a cute routine with a milkvanishing pitcher and paper cone. Don Hallinger was the fifth act and presented Make the Cards Match. Doug Slater did a split deck card trick and an effect using picture cards to tell the story of Harry Lime, The Third Man. Our newest member, Henry Springer, did several card tricks from a book he acquired: Paul Harris’s Las Vegas Split, Reset, and a revelation of seven selected cards. Intermission was enjoyed by the exceptionally large number

14 M-U-M Magazine

A Variety of Magic

Latham, NY— Our January meetings brought us into a new year, and with it, the election of our new officers. Congratulations to Joe Goode (President), David MacDonald (Vice-President), Bob Connors (Treasurer), and Cory Haines (Secretary). We are certainly prepared for a bright future! Once the elections were done, it was time for the entertainment, and our performers did not disappoint. David MacDonald opened the show with an energetic rendition of the Hip-pity-Hop Rabbits. Roger Morgan was next with a grand money mystery based on the classic vanishing $2.00. (I noticed a review of a new book discussing this very principle in the January M-U-M.) Next up, Joe Goode showed us his new work on a retention coin vanish with tremendous potential uses. Cory Haines then performed his rendition of the classic Silas and the City Slickers. Next, Eric James, our resident stand-up comedian, made us laugh with some new material. David Clements wowed everyone with a new nesting boxes coin routine. Norb Kosinski played with our heads (and tails) as he predicted not only a coin someone would select, but whether it would be heads or tails. Slydini then astounded our eyes with a beautiful visual silk dying routine. Bob Connors shared some history with us from items he got from the New England Magic Collector’s Association. Pete Beebles closed the show with some amazing

coin manipulations. Everyone had a great time. Jay Gorham Assembly 24 meets 2nd Tuesday at the SW Pitts Hose Company, Latham NY at 7:30pm, www.sam24.org.

26

Lecture City

Providence, RI— As snow moves into Rhode Island, we are reminded of the flurry of lectures that have recently occurred at the club. In a mini lecture, Cameron Ramsay taught the Vanishing Fire Truck. Not to be outdone, Zach Ivins demonstrated a great four-Ace trick from Mark Wilson. Nathan Kranzo was kind enough to stop by and present his current lecture to the club. With a warm smile and a great sense of humor, Nathan opened with his hilarious Thumb Tip Silk Vanish. He followed with a three coin effect, and Voodoo card with the Haunted Pack. Nate’s lecture was well paced, allowing everyone in attendance to follow along. Next, a very strange ESP trick was presented, in which a thought-of card appeared in Nate’s, um, fly. He explained the method, and brought out the Mene Tekel deck. Nate has done a lot of research about this forgotten trick deck, and presented numerous effects that utilize it. Levent stopped by the club as well, and presented his Fundamental Rules of Stage Magic lecture. Having studied many of the great stage performers, Levent has compiled this extremely useful list. To start, Levent offered a short story and some important words. You are the magician, not the apparatus. Levent is very well versed in the history of magic, and was more than happy to share his knowledge of the art. His presentations of Diminishing Cards and Long

Salt Pour were great. Following these effects, Levent gave a fantastic performance with billiard balls. The reactions from members and guests were priceless. Levent was nice enough to pass along the secret location of the rules on his Web site. Many thanks to Nathan and Levent for their great lectures. —Chris Natale C. Foster Fenner, Assembly 26 meets first Tuesday each month from September to June at 7 pm. American Legion Auburn Post 20, 7 Legion Way, Cranston RI

31

UN-GIMMICKED DECKS

Indianapolis, IN— January’s theme was card magic, using un-gimmicked decks. President Steve Spence asked, “If the public doesn’t see, why do we care?” Responses included one-up-manship, the ability to do it with any deck, on the fly, working with what you have. The ability to be spontaneous when you are asked to do something was mentioned. If you have the capability, the audience can tell, with multiple examples cited. Barry Rice did a difficult card trick, because usually the performer either knows what the card is, or where it is. Taylor picked an unknown card and revealed it to the group. Joe Scott then selected three cards from the face-up deck, from which Barry discerned how to find the chosen card. Jay Newby had made a prediction this morning. Mike Engle told him when to stop cutting the deck he was shuffling. The card on top was the Seven of Hearts. Jay opened his prediction envelope, sharing a photo of him from the back, including the back of a card. Then he showed a second picture, of him smiling and holding the Seven of Hearts! Robert Higgins had a card picked and replaced, shuffled the desk, lost the card, and then found it. Excellent handling by a young practitioner. Steve then asked the card sharps how much time they spend working Members of Assembly 26

ASSEMBLY NEWS on card tricks. Barry has decks on his desk, and practices on and off all day long. Taylor’s wife didn’t have cards in the house growing up, nor did Steve Spence. SYM’ers seem to gravitate to cards, possibly because of poker tournaments on TV. Barry shared his selected card from mouth trick and Taylor transposed the Aces with the Jacks. After that, everyone shuffled off to go home! Meets on the first Monday of every month at 7pm at the Irvington United Methodist Church at 30 North Audubon Road, Indianapolis. About once a quarter we have been meeting at The Forum at the Crossing, 8505 Westfield Crossing Blvd, Indianapolis, IN.

35

THERE’S GOLD IN THEM THAR MAGAZINES

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY— After a few big meetings over the last few months, it was nice to have a more intimate gathering focused on magazine magic. Some may have expected a lukewarm response to the evening’s theme, but it definitely ended up becoming an inspirational evening. Our meeting began with Joe Que showing us a few of his nifty acquisitions from Wolf’s Magic and giving all attendees a set of vintage lecture notes passed along by Zelig Hammer. Derrin Berger showed us an amazing false shuffle that came from the pages of Genii magazine as well as a few other nifty things. We saw a great variation on a Nick Trost effect presented by Frank Monaco. Andy Weintraub showed us a great ring on string effect. Steve Johnson brought an illusion he built decades ago that still had a tremendous impact on attendees (partly because we couldn’t believe he kept it that long). We heard about Ed Fitchett’s adventures at an S.A.M. convention in Cuba – a tale inspired by a recent article in M-U-M about Del Ray. Les Muldorf displayed a great variation on Out of This World with a story line linked to the Titanic. After a few hours passed, we came to the same conclusion – there is an incredible amount of great magic available the pages of old (and recent) magazines. All we need to do is spend time thinking about how to make the effect our own and create some

jaw-dropping magic. Thanks to all of our members who shared something this month – it was certainly a great evening of magic. —Craig Kunaschk Al Baker Assembly No. 35 (usually) meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at the Milanese Italian Restaurant, 115 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, NY. Check out our website at compumagic. com/sam35 to confirm time and meeting location.

37

70th Anniversary

Denver, CO— Newly installed President Connie Elstun acted as emcee, first leading the club in a moment of silence for recently departed Past President Earl Reum. After a very funny video that featured the newly installed board of directors dancing the Can-Can, we watched a video from Past President Brad Montgomery, who is currently living in Mexico. Poker chips miraculously jumped from hand to hand and Brad didn’t use camera tricks… I think? After sharing some of their memories, Bruce and Kitty Spangler brought up the men from the Wake clan to divide great wealth in jewels as an inheritance. I’m not sure how it worked but all left fabulously wealthy. See it does pay to be a magic club member! Dave Elstun remembered joining the club in the early ‘70s when there was a strong representation of members

if it weren’t enough to have the sitting president of the S.A.M. at our meeting, past Mile High and S.A.M. President Dan Rodriguez wrapped up the first part of the evening demonstrating how we could learn to tear up and restore a napkin… sort of! Then it was time for a 70th anniversary cake. Magic has existed in an organized form in Denver since 1941, a fact of which we are very proud. Bob Larue was not able to attend due to an obligation to perform at a magic fundraiser, so he too sent a video dazzling us with card manipulation. Jerry Stoll, our long time treasurer, is also a past president; he gave a rare but memorable performance, turning very large ones into very large twenties. Chris Manos was in grave danger of destroying his wife’s watch, but with the help of a young lady from the audience the (Rolex?) watch was restored and harmony was restored to his marriage. Sharon Nuanes tried to influence the decision of her young assistant, but didn’t succeed until she used magic. She then wowed us with a teacup and a ball. Past President Gene Gordon, one of our FFFF participants, fooled me by turning a napkin into an egg and cracking it open. How did that happen? Then he demonstrated how coins could travel up his sleeve and into a shot glass. Our incoming vice president, who has also served in our club’s top office, wrapped things up with a surprising demonstration with rather large cards. Mile High Magicians meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:00PM  Riverpointe Senior Center  5225 South Prince St., Littleton, CO 80123-7772

50 SAM Past National President Dan Rodriguez who just recently moved back to the Denver area.

from Boulder. Then Past President Steve Aldrich (one of the Boulder group) wowed us with a miracle involving selfuntying handkerchiefs. This too was presented via video as Steve now lives in Montana. As

Workshop Time

Nashville, TN— Great news: two of our members, Shank Kothare and our president Wayne Clemons, won first place for the stage competition at the Magi-Fest in Columbus, Ohio. They have been working on this act at our club’s meetings for several months. The best part is that our clubs works off the Bob Fitch workshop theory. It is safe to bring a trick or even an act and work on it there. The whole club then workshops it, adding and taking out, etc. The performers have the

right to ask for help, or just to perform it without the worry of someone taking your ideas. If we see this happening, the club will quickly get the party that is in the wrong to change their ways or find another club to join. We have yet to run into this problem. We feel proud of Wayne and Shank in that they have a great idea and we helped mold it into a winning act. If I know Wayne and Shank, I am sure they are not yet finished working on it. Congrats to both of them. Mike Pyle, who has been out for several months fighting his own battle with cancer and seems to be winning, attended our club. It was great seeing Mike even though no one could touch him. Not like there is a lot of touching at our meeting anyway. Justin Legend worked on something, as did Tom Novelly. Frank Deville, a new member, showed up and not only workshoped something, but was also a great help to all that did workshop. Jason Michael and Stephen Bargatze were also there as a panel to help workshop material. Kevin King from Nashville was also a guest and he did his new version of Hippity-Hop Rabbits. Kevin makes all of his props at his parent’s house with the help of his father. We know that Kevin is over fifty, but it great seeing him and his family still working on magic together. Kevin has plans to get his own place soon with a room he said,  in the back to do his birthday party shows. We wish him all the best of luck. Assembly 50 meets third Tuesday of each month. President is Wayne Clemons 616-418-4635. We meet at Woodmont Hills, Church of Christ, on 3710 Franklin road, Nashville, TN 37204.

52

What I Got For My Magical Christmas

SAN ANTONIO, TX— January 7, 2011, Brother John Hamman Assembly 52 held its monthly meeting at La Madeleine Restaurant. President Don Moravits called the meeting to order. We had eleven members present tonight, along with three wives and seven guests. Welcome to guests Dan Nicolella, Nick Nicolella, Joyce Stewart, Parker Cevallos, Jennifer Webb, David Pitts, and Chuck Neubert. Tonight’s theme was What I got For

MARCH 2011 15

ASSEMBLY NEWS My Magical Christmas. Don Moravits started off by performing Daryl’s Hole Card, followed by guest Chuck Neubert and Rocky Raccoon impersonating the University of Texas Football Team. Rocky Raccoon made a second appearance when Ray Adams enlisted Rocky to find a spectator’s selected card. Joe Libby entertained us with his version of the Insurance Policy, and Doug Gorman performed the card effect WOW by Masuda. Michael Tallon closed the open performances tonight by entertaining us with Sammy the Snake. Brother John Hamman Assembly 52 meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at La Madeleine Restaurant, located at 722 N.W. Loop 410. The restaurant is inside Loop 410 on the access road between Blanco Rd. and San Pedro. For more information, contact [email protected].

holidays January, frankly, can seem pretty dull, but not among the members of Assembly 59 in Portland, Oregon. The first month of the year is when we hold our annual banquet, introduce new officers, present awards, and conduct the Stan Kramien  Excellence in Stage Magic Contest. The Annual Banquet is a stylish affair and on this occasion was graced by the presence of the Most Illustrious Mark Weidhaas. This  year’s

56

menu was catered by member Kim Cramer, who, with a spell from her magic cookbook, conjured a culinary feast. Mark Weidhaas presented presidential citations to Michael Roth for  current efforts to better the northwest region of S.A.M.,  Duane Duvall for  fifty-seven years of continuous, unbending service and support of SAM, and Tom Waldrop for  extraordinary support and  service to Assembly 59 and local S.Y.M. assemblies. Next were the Assembly 59 awards. Gregg Jacot received a plaque for Outstanding Service as Treasurer (10 years), and Tom Waldrop received a plaque for Outstanding Service as Secretary (5 years). Tom also received the Sorrells Service Award. David Lemberg (The Magician Who Cares) was presented the Entertainer of the Year Award and Glen Bledsoe the Most Improved Performer. This was the ninth year of Stan Kramien’s Excellence in Stage Magic Contest and the audience witnessed a wide range of miracles – everything from floating wands to a lady (in fact, this reporter’s wife) being sawn in half. Grey Lerner came in second place with an act that  included manipulation of golf balls. The winner, however, was newly elected vice-president Danny Schreiber aka Professor D.R.  Schreiber. The Professor

Catching Up

Dayton, OH— Our October meeting’s them was “Anything That Will Bum-Squabble.” The assembly was entertained with performances by Mike Herrick, Scott Miller, Oran Dent, and Craig Morgan. Jeff Porges caught us up on his China trip, his girlfriend, and his future China trip.  The theme for our November meeting was “Being Thankful.” We all shared what we are thankful for this year. Dave Davis, Carl Day, Oran Dent, Scott Miller, and Craig Morgan also treated us to some fine magic.  Assembly 56 and Ring 5 cosponsored a show and lecture by John Calvert on Saturday, December 11. I was unable to attend, but I hear it was a fantastic time! What else could we expect from John Calvert?  Our annual Christmas banquet was held at the beautiful home of Jim and Pam Rawlins. Mark Comley put on a great show for our compeers and guests! —Paul D. Burnham Dayton, Ohio, Assembly 56 meets third Friday at 7:30 p.m. Location varies, so call Barb Pfeifer for information: (937) 433-8604.

59

Portland Packs Post-holiday Punch

Portland, OR— After the

16 M-U-M Magazine

Professor D.R. Schreiber accepts the Stan Kramien Excellence in Stage Magic Award.

and his lovely assistant Nicole, dressed in full Regency costumes, performed magic as it would have been  witnessed in 18th century Europe. Other acts included Mel Anderson, Tom Waldrop, Eartha Green, Larry Seymore, and Dave and Helen Emery. The  emcees for the evening were Tom Cramer and David Lemberg. Donna Krewson stood in for Stan Kramien, who was unable to attend. I’d say everybody went home dazzled, full, and tired, and they slept well. On the 26th, Assembly 59 met at our usual digs in the Friendship Masonic Lodge, where after a  stimulating lecture by VP Professor D.R. Schreiber and ShowTime Parlor/Living Room magic presentations by Art Manning, Danny  Schreiber, Mel Anderson, Tom Waldrop, Randy Stumman, and Tom Cramer, we welcomed two new members to our ranks: Neen  Fitzwalter and Brian Brooks. —Glen Bledsoe SAM 59 meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month except Jul/Aug/ Dec at Friendship Masonic Lodge, 5626 Alameida Street, Portland, OR. Details at www.sam59portland.org 

88  

Impromptu Magic

Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, MI — Another new year! It looks like a busy start for the Ann Arbor Magic Club.   We’ll have a lecture on February 9 by Bobby Maveric; on March 20 we have our annual banquet; and then on March 26 our club has a paid show for the Allen Park High School.   This month’s meeting was on impromptu magic. Our treasurer, Marvin Mathena, brought in a box of everyday objects. There were poker chips, safety pins, beads, play coins, strings, etc. All we had to do was look over the objects and do a magic trick with whatever we had chosen. I started out with a couple rope tricks, using string. Tyler Sousa found a lot of the objects to use, from vanishing coins to card flourishes. Ken Magee did a color change with some white and red balls, in which the white ball ended up in his cap, then into a member’s jacket pocket. Marvin Mathena had a nice poker chip routine and a good three-color-beads-on-

safety-pins trick. There were a few more tries that didn’t work out, but still just for fun. All in all, a great way to start off the year! —Randy A. Smith Assembly 88 Meets second Wednesday at 7PM at the Faith Luthern Church, 1255 E Forest Ave, Ypsilanti, MI. Randy A. Smith, Phone: 313-562-3875 Email randy.remarkable@ g mail.com mailto:[email protected] or visit www.aamagic.org for more details.

94

Out with the Old, In with the Old

Palo Alto, CA— Our last meeting of 2010 featured a viewing of selected videos. We watched performances of Chris Capehart’s Miser’s Dream, Richard Osterlind’s Radar Deck and Thought Scan, and Six-Card Repeat, Professor’s Nightmare, and Card on Forehead by Michael Finney. Then John Jones started the performances with a Triumph type of effect. Ken Gielow had spectators select pairs of envelopes with ESP cards in them; each pair of envelopes contained a pair of matching cards. Len Hallendorf performed a three-phase Book Test with The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Kim Silverman showed a card routine in which a chosen, signed card was found repeatedly by two other cards; to finish, the signed card was shown to have been stuck on the wall since the beginning. Arthur Hastings had a card, a number, and a person’s name chosen by spectators, then used the cards to spell the name to arrive at the chosen card. Steven Austin ended the night for us with a magical, musical piano effect.  We kicked off 2011 with Old School Magic, performances of effects at least ten years old. Kim performed the second phase of Tarbell’s Egg Bag routine, using a Tarbell-style bag. Stan Sieler performed Grandmother’s Necklace, which can be traced back to The Discoverie of Witchcraft. John Signa performed a card routine based on Simon Aronson’s Shuffle-Bored. John Jones presented Catching Five Coins from T. Nelson Downs. Arthur Hastings showed how he uses the Kick Cut in an “explanation” of how magicians can find cards. Ken Gielow presented an effect by Larry Becker and Lee Earle. Kent

ASSEMBLY NEWS Gunn showed “the first real card trick I ever saw,” a Cutting the Aces routine. Phil Ackerly showed us Post-Card Prediction, an effect he had published in Genii in January 1992, based on the McCombical Deck. Phil also performed a new presentation for a Ring and Rope routine from Earl Nelson’s Variations.   In the second half, Kim Silverman performed the Bow Knot, sliding and removing the knot. Then he did Pavel’s Jumping Knot (with additional moves by Daryl). Alan Leeds did Silk to Egg as a Do As I Do routine. Perry Yan did Crazy Man’s Handcuffs, linked one blue and one white band instantly, and created various shapes with the bands. Phil Hensler performed Sleeve Aces from Variations, a production of the four aces. Mike Toy made a selected card disappear from the deck. —Joe Caffall, Secretary Assembly 94 meets at 7:30 PM on the second Monday of each month. We are currently seeking a new meeting place for 2011. Email jocaff@ pacbell.net for info. Meetings are preceded by a Learners’ Workshop at 6:30.

95

Vanishes and Productions 

Vancouver, Canada— The January, 2011 meeting was held at the condo common room of Juan and Marcia Garcia in Vancouver, BC. Due to a surprise snowfall, the turnout for this evening was particularly low. However, after some nice hot snacks prepared by Marcia, the brief evening of magic involving vanishes and productions began. Lon Mandrake started off with

a thought-of card by Marcia that vanished from one packet of cards and was produced by Lon from another packet at a different location. Dennis Hewson vanished a normal penny, and produced a jumbo penny that he then transformed into a medium penny. Henry Tom vanished a rubber band by melding two bands into one and then performed a broken and restored rubber band. Juan Garcia placed paper clips into a chick pan that vanished at the same he produced a long steel chain from the pan. Rod Chow finished by producing a chocolate bar from a silk and then vanished it back into the silk. —Rod Chow The Carl Hemeon Assembly No. 95 meets the first Tuesday of each month at members’ homes. 

112

AWARDS BANQUET

Concord, CA— We had a good turnout of forty-three guests in January for our annual awards banquet (this year at the Walnut Creek Elks Lodge), with a theme of White Wizards Ball. Our special guests were Alex Ramon, the magical ringmaster for Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, and Jay Alexander, the emcee of our Rock and Roll Magic Show II. We received and gave out over $1500 worth of raffle prizes, which were generously donated by Paul Gross

Majinga, assisted by Magic Genii, produces a chicken.

Juan Garcia and his own built custom table producing a chain from the chick pan.

of Hocus Pocus, Ric and Kara Ewing, Dan Del Bonta, Lee Grabel, Jay Alexander, and Stevens Magic Emporium. After recognizing our two special guests, we inducted Stan Riddle (posthumously), Loren Lind, Leroy Goodenough, and Bob Steiner as the first members of our newly in-

stituted Wall of Fame. (More information is available on the assembly Web site.) Then President Doug Kovacich presented a Rock & Roll Magic Show I & II thank you to Ric Ewing. Other Rock & Roll Magic Show II acknowledgments went to Joe Biernacki, Scott Alcalay, Dave Anderson, and Kara Ewing. Roy Porfido was recognized for coordinating the First Annual Labor Day Magicians’ Picnic. And Bob Holdridge and Rudy Adamek were recognized for their work with our Trick of the Month. And then we found out who had won Magician of the Year. It was a tie this time between Rick Allen and Dave Anderson. The newly instituted Magic Chalice award for participation and performances at meetings went to Doug Kovacich and Bob Holdridge in another tie. Performers who had won Wizard trophies during our annual competitions received those trophies at the banquet. At that point, Mike Stroud, assisted by Magic Genii and Alela, entertained us with spectacular magic. He started out performing a wonderful face-mask-changing routine as Majinga, his Chinese-style magical persona. He also performed a variety of egg productions, culminating in the production of one large egg that hatched into a very large chicken. Other routines included a very impressive medley of card flourishes, his version of the Indian basket trick, the swordthrough-the-neck trick, and the production of a myriad of flags from a small trunk. All in all, the banquet was a very fun event as the result of the hard work of many members, terrific raffle prizes, great decorations, and a topnotch show by Mike Stroud, the prospective emcee for our upcoming 2011 Rock & Roll Magic Show III. —Dave Anderson Diablo Assembly No. 112 meets third Wednesdays at the Round Table Pizza 2960 Treat Blvd., Concord, CA 94518.

the tale of Duke Verona, whose compassion was so great it survived across the ages. Then, Lady BlackSword (Kathy Caulfield)  demonstrated the preternatural abilities of  her Incredible Mind-reading Dog, Baxter (Baxter) who, even when blindfolded found the card with a  picture of a bone, from among the other cards held high by the children in the audience.  Bob Bodman shared the difficulties a piece of rope presented and exactly how those spots multiply on that card. Don Sanborn demonstrated his psychic abilities  with cards  and then taught several magic effects to the audience with the hope that they would continue their learning by joining the S.A.M. A contest was then held for the amateur magicians  in the audience with cash prizes being awarded  the winners. —Ken Wilson Walter Gibson Assembly #118 meets the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Nashua Church of Christ, 97 Farley Road, Nashua, NH. http://sam118.com

120

Snowy Meeting

Champaign, IL— The December meeting found us at the beginning of a snowstorm, but that couldn’t dampen the spirits of those made it in. This is always a lot of fun and they really appreciate our coming over After the VA show, we will head east to Covington, Indiana, for lunch at the Beef House with the Indianapolis group. I imagine that will be a load of fun as well as very tasty. Pedro did our DVD review this month giving Armstrong – Card Magic two thumb tips up. It is a three-DVD set. In Tales from the Trenches, Andy discussed his concept of a False Start to a show. This is a bit of show before the show to change the dynamics of the performer/audience relationship. This brought about a lot Open House in of interesting ideas, comments, Nashua and questions. Andy also discussed NASHUA, NH— On January Close-Up Card Magic by 9, 2011, members of Assembly Harry Lorraine. A great read 118 held an open house at with some great tricks in it. the Nashua Public Library. Chris showed us a program Lord BlackSword (Joseph he bought called Magic Caulfield, Esq.)  recounted  Database, which catalogs ev-

118

MARCH 2011 17

ASSEMBLY NEWS erything you have. He is very happy with it. In the magic portion of the evening, Paul discussed his Card in the Balloon routine and some problems that may arise. He also did his version of Color Monte. Pedro did a nice version of a selected card turning face down in the deck. The idea was brought up that at each meeting, a card move be taught and practiced with variations. This would allow us to improve or increase our skills and techniques. —Ken Barham Assembly 120, Champaign, IL – The Andy Dallas Assembly meets the third Wed. 7pm, (except Nov. and Dec.) For location call Chris at 217-4314791 or Ken Barham , 2318 Winchester Dr, Champaign, IL 61821 - 217-841-5616 email: [email protected]

129

January Meeting

Pensacola, FL— The January meeting got off to a great start with member Gene Burrell conducting a teach-in and sharing with us some of his seventy-eight years of knowledge. The business meeting was called to order with thirtythree members and guests, welcoming our newest member, Noelle Paige, and our new youth co-coordinators, Nathan Nickerson and Beau Broomall. The club made another purchase of raffle items from David Ginn. Thanks, David. February’s theme is Work in Progress (tricks you are currently working on), March is our annual open house (all are welcome). Bill Mikulas will be doing mini lecture on a date to be announced. The Round Table has returned to Oscars on Saturdays at noon. Charles Moody donated magazines to the members. Al Grimm suggested we start planning for this year’s Christmas Party. Tony Miller gave out a few magic gizmo prototypes to a few members to try. Beau Broomall volunteered for the teach-in for February. We held our raffle with about fifty-five items; the winners got some cool stuff. Thanks to all who brought the refreshments! After the break we had a creative magic show. Six members volunteered and were given a bag with various items and were told to come up with a routine with the items. Nathan

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Nickerson, Beau Broomall, Brian Drake, Al Grimm, and Parry Vath all came up and performed wonderfully creative acts. Wow, what imaginations. Up next, the theme of the night will be Gadgets and Gizmos. Isaac Brady, Bruce Walstad, Al Grimm, Gene Burrell, and Nathan Nickerson all shared some strange items. —Bill Metsch  The Gulf Coast Magicians Guild Assembly 129 meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at the Bay View Senior Center, Pensacola, Florida. At 6:45 pm. Contact: Secretary Bill Metsch- [email protected]

131

FOOD, FUN, FELLOWSHIP

DANBURY, CT— 2011 starts with the annual  January holiday dinner party at the local Steak House with spouses, friends, and other guests. December is such a busy season for our working performers that the new year provides the perfect welcome to our partying. The stellar entertainers for the evening were presented by our genial emcee, Assembly 131 President Walter Burrows. Bob Able (in full evening attire) opened with a showy production from his top hat, vanished his pet dove, produced a melody of colored silk hanks from an empty wooden box, and vanished a pitcher of water in the Telegraph and brought it back in an instant. With the help of Kellie Mohan he presented the Houdini needlestringing miracle as his finale. Past President Dick Kohfield brought us a gem of a card effect starring Gale Alexander as the spectator who tagged the missing King in a merry case of deuces wild. Des Desmond presented a trio of effects, including an appearing wand, Blackstone’s Vanishing Horse (solid state anecdote), and Herkimer the invisible church mouse, who not only untied the hanks, but tied one on. Russ Strasburger brought us the exploding wooden piggybank box direct from his workshop. Mo the Magician (Kevin Mohan), returning to the club spotlight after a near decade of wandering wizardry, brought us open flames, a clever signed card to water glass (from his restaurant repertoire?), and following a few deft flourishes with the deck of cards, moved into a golf ball

manipulation routine. Kevin was welcomed home to 131 with much appreciation for his skillful artistry. More suave dexterity was the mark for Tony Spero as he wove a magical mystery with two solid silver rings which linked and unlinked at his wish, with ringing tones, as well as in complete silence. We loved it. In an abrupt change of pace,  Gale Alexander, our resident “mind freak,” took us on a tour to the edges of belief and psycho science as he presented magical applications of Las Vegas Pulse Reading. Gale was able to identify truth from fiction using only a deck of cards and the human pulse. Gale concluded his stint, and our holiday magic party by reading in thoughtful succession a handful of freely chosen cards (15 or 20) held by Kellie. A fine time was had by all. Food, fun, and friends – ingredients of our holiday in January. Danbury Top Hatters Assembly #131 meets the third Monday, 7:30 p.m.; United Methodist Church (downstairs at the back), Clapboard Ridge Rd. (North at Exit 5 off Rt 84), Danbury, CT President: Walter Burrows, 4 Hawking Ave., S. Norwalk, CT 06855. 203-8389808.

138

Bizzaro Lectures

Fort Worth, TX— Our January, 2011, meeting featured a lecture by Bizzaro. There were thirty-eight people in attendance. Sergeant at Arms Logan Stadtman started off by introducing our guests. President Bill Irwin made several announcements including talking about a special show put on in Roanoke that featured John Hatzenbuhler, Hal Hudgins, and several other members of the Fort Worth and Dallas magic clubs. Ash Adams made announcements regarding the Lone Star Magic Auction on February 19. Aaron Stone shared his experience of going on the road with a traveling illusion show. We had several new members perform their qualification acts including Michael Rubino, Brendan Hartman, and Tommy Garbin. Ash Adams shared a book and told the interesting story of Stewart James. Dallas’s own Bizzaro was in town and shared his

fantastic lecture. Most of his show involves comedy and his lecture was just as funny. He showed a quick gag using a sixth finger. He performed Foiled Again, in which he peels back a foil wrapper off of a metal jumbo coin and the coin looks like chocolate. The wrapper is sealed back in place and the metal coin can be handed out. He showed us a card effect he calls Baby’s Got All-backs, that is a logical All-backs card trick. Part of this trick is an original move to spin a card around to reveal a chosen card. Next Bizzaro shared his original Color Changing Sponge Ball routine. This is a must-have gimmick if you perform sponge balls. He showed us another card trick with some great Sharpie gimmicks, an original spring move, and a card control. Next was Non-Toxic, which is a glue bottle that looks like you are pouring glue out of the bottle, but is completely safe and “non-toxic.” Last for the performance part, Bizzaro showed us his appearing and vanishing bottle that is very inexpensive to make and totally fooled us all. This uses a regular glass bottle, but you would swear it’s a Nielsen! The second part of his lecture was a talk on creativity and character that was very inspirational. Much thanks to Bizzaro for sharing his time and years of experience with us! —Albert Fox Bruce Chadwick SAM Assembly 138 meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 P.M. at the Tarrant County College River Campus. See fortworthmagiciansclub.org for more information.

146  Chesapeake/Norfolk, VA— September’s meeting

ALAIN NU LECTURES

was devoted to Alain Nu’s new mentalism lecture. Using subtle techniques rather than apparatus or sleights, Alain seemed like he really was reading minds, divining words selected from a book, and making spoons bend mysteriously. Going beyond the mechanics of his magic, he made sure we understood the performing conditions for each effect and its place in a show (closer, etc.). No wonder the lecture drew Ed Fowler (who, as E. Raymond Carlyle opened the Séance Room at the Magic Castle) and other members of

ASSEMBLY NEWS Assembly 146 meets 3rd THURSDAY 7:00 p.m., Hyatt Place Hotel. 709 Eden Way, Chesapeake VA 23320. Contact: President Paul Creecy [email protected] 757-724-5483 www.sam146. com 

Alain Nu lectures

157

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Beaver, PA— The Mystic Magicians of Beaver Valley Elders East to see Alain lecture (Assembly 157) had several on first-rate material, much of items to develop and take care which is in his current act. .  of. David Bowers, Regional The following months Vice President of Mid-Atlantic featured magic with Dave States for the S.A.M., visited Rosado, Ney Austin, Wayne the meeting, detailing 2011 Taylor, and Paul Creecy per- convention plans and suggestforming spooky magic in ing a shuttle service to/from October and  general magic the airport for conventioneers. in November. Both of these New jackets were distributed. sessions quickly became GPMN banquet reservation teach-ins for our youngest forms were available. Dismember, Caleb Cherry. With cussion was done on badges coaching on everything from for local members for the how to improve performance of convention and getting the sleights to how to connect with club brochure printed. The the audience, these sessions Riverside HS fundraiser is provided invaluable lessons for coming together. 2010 Awards Caleb and demonstrated the were presented. The Morrison value of coming to assembly Award (most points for a meetings.  member’s participation): 3rd – Although December’s  snow Doug Ries, 2nd – Don Moody, cancelled that meeting, 1st – Eric Davis. Bert Pickard, January witnessed a warm Jr. Award (extra effort award): welcome back for Christopher Judy Steed. Sharp and his fiancé, Mandy. Tom Chidester emceed Paul’s story of twins (Queens) the performances. Don using only four cards and his Moody presented two handling of a transposition things he put together. Quad that David Blaine presented Penetration has a book, two in his first TV special were rings, and two ropes that all amazing. Even more amazing, become entwined when ropes he taught us his unique top are pulled. His other effect was change and gave tips on how the Ghost Catcher, which is a to present this miracle. Wayne box in which marshmallows baffled us with an Oil-and-Wa- are placed and when opened ter effect with the four Aces, has a cage with a ghost inside. a Triumph effect, two egg bag Rich Howard did a packet “quickies,” and he showed new trick with five cards in which decks from his collection of he had a participant chose the playing cards. Ney discussed cards, remember one, and Rich some Valentine routines for found the chosen one. Doug the egg bag, and demonstrat- Ries presented a gospel trick ed how spirits turned an old with twelve cards depicting key placed in Mandy’s hand. various religion idols. Jim Tate Dave’s use of a Jim Page pulled sponges from the ear Portable Stage sparked a dis- of a participant, causing them cussion of the clip-on device. to disappear and appear in Chris performed Dr. Daly’s various ways. He then showed Last Trick. Now that he is a card with a top hat that returning to magic, we also kept producing bunnies. His discussed the sorts of magic magical Elmer’s glue helped he might choose, not only him keep his teeth in and his in terms of his likely target hat on his head. Eric Davis audience but, as Dave stressed, showed a set of blank cards to developing a likeable magic a participant. In his movements character, a piece of advice with the cards a bear appears Dave has already taken to heart and disappears. At the end it in his weekly performances ends up on the back of the parat a nearby Chili’s restaurant.  ticipant’s hand. Frank Kietzke —“Dr. Bob” Albertson had a participant place three

scarves into a velvet bag. When they pulled one out, it was a mismatched flag. He did it again and it was the real flag. —Judy Steed The Mystic Magicians of Beaver Valley (#157) meet the second Thursday of every month at the Towne Square Restaurant in Beaver, PA.

170

The Show Went On 

Colorado Springs, CO— VP Jamie Doyle started the meeting with a vote to hold the Club’s flea market in the following month. We also introduced a Member’s Matrix, where each month different members will share their insights in a variety of magical subjects (newest magic trick, favorite magic book, teach a trick, magic magazine article, explain a gimmick, a magical memory, and a master of ceremonies for the sharing). The show had each of the past officers performing a short routine while Jamie, as emcee, kept the show on track. Dick Bowman described a magician’s competition in which rings jumped onto ropes in increasing difficulty. Dave Wintermute donned a wizard’s cap and cape to perform his Book of Spells, in which the spelling of words created startling effects. Frank Klein performed an Enveloped Card Prediction and Tamariz’s Rabbits, a packet trick, for our young guest from S.Y.M. Chris Faria did church mentalism, in which a volunteer was told which religious object he was thinking of. Chris followed this with a quadruple card prediction. After the show, the learning began. Each of the presenters taught the rest of us how to perform a few tricks from their show. Dick described a few of the ring on rope moves, such as how to get the ring into a loose knot and then a tight knot that is already in the rope. Dick also taught us his Poor Man’s Hundi-500 approach, in which various small bills are substituted for the $100 bills. The cost is reduced from over $500 to less than $200. Dave taught his Pick Sticks effect in which a chosen number from four different Popsicle sticks (each with eight numbers on them) can be correctly discerned. Frank taught us how the Enveloped Prediction Card could always match a freely chosen card.

Chris taught the Tri-Mental Effect (read this in your past M-U-M) in which three people have their cards discerned in successively difficult manners and then a prediction at the end that matched all three chosen cards. Our emcee, Jamie, also explained some of his betweenpresentation effects such as his Magician’s Challenge, in which a silk-in-the-fist routine is twisted into a silk in a pill bottle routine. He also explained Colombini’s Rope Puzzle effect to our S.Y.M. visitor.  SAM Magical Assembly 170 is the Pikes Peak Prestidigitators and meets 4th Tuesday monthly in the Community Room at Sand Creek Police Dept - 4125 Center. Park Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80916.

172

Science in Magic

Port St. Lucie, FL— After our usual business and our “50/50” deal, we welcomed and inducted our newest member, Robert (Bob) Wheeler. Always a pleasant job!! Our president Ed (Edmund Malinowski) was first up with his fine presentation  (of the announced subject) “science in magic, and vice versa.” Ed spent a large part of his working career in a northern university studying and teaching chemistry and electronics as applied to things nuclear. He achieved the title of Professor, which we are sure is no small task for anyone. I will not even attempt to cover any part of his presentation, except that he was a research associate in the magnetic resonance laboratory. He brought several interesting things to  show us, all related to his knowledge of this subject. He started a small metal top spinning on top of a small plastic box that contained an electro-magnet; the top kept spinning all during his presentation. He also demonstrated the effect of static electricity by holding a small light bulb in his bare hand, which lit up as he shuffled his feet across the carpet. Danny Eisen was our first performer after Ed’s lecture, doing what he does best – a card effect. He was able to pick out the two cards chosen by a spectator from a  number of cards laid  out.  Then new member Bob Wheeler, using his “mental powers,” picked out a card chosen by a spectator from sixteen cards placed on

MARCH 2011 19

ASSEMBLY NEWS the table. We’ll have to watch what we think in front of that guy! I was next up showing Chinese Sticks, two sticks with a cord running through each end. But when one of the cords was cut in the middle between the two and touched with a “magic wand,” it was magically restored! That particular device was invented by and made by Al Letize, a former member of our assembly, but now deceased. Following the usual after-meeting discussions and the friendly camaraderie, plus the announcement of a heavy storm approaching from the west, we called it quits for the night and hurried home. — Alan Greenwood Come see us!! We meet on the fourth Tuesday of every month at St. Lucie Lanes--on U.S. 1 in Port St. Lucie--at 7:00 p.m Contact: [email protected]

181

Jim Straub Lecture

Hightstown, NJ— Greetings from snow bound New Jersey! Our January meeting was well attended as members and a few new faces turned out for an excellent close-up lecture by Jim Straub. Jim is one of the best, unsung, close-up guys on the East Coast. His rapid-fire delivery, timing, and steady patter keeps him one ahead (or better) of the spectators. His humor covers his misdirection and he is a delight to behold. In his lecture he teaches a lot of non-complex tricks, largely cards. He did touch on some coin work as well as a routine using cups. There are no complicated moves or sleights, but he does show how patter, timing, and misdirection are used to create magic. Unlike a lot of card guys, Jim is very entertaining. As he stated at the beginning of the lecture, “everything he shows can be easily learned by everyone in the audience.” He sells an $8 homemade DVD that serves as lecture notes, which people can use to learn the tricks. Between a full-time job, family, and magic gigs, Jim is a very busy guy, but if you can get him for a lecture; do it!   Rich Westcott, former member and President of SAM 181, attended and had more magic “stuff” to sell/give away. Rich is retiring to Ecuador to practice his double lift and sip screwdrivers on the beach.

20 M-U-M Magazine

  We signed up two new members: Harry Anderson (no, not the Night Court guy from Ashville, NC) and Luba Dziubas, mother of “Magic Mike.” We have our laugh track back! Before Magic Mike was old enough to drive in NJ, Luba would bring Mike to our meetings. Luba loves to laugh, and of course, magicians love to get laughs. Welcome back Luba; we hope we see a lot of you.   Assembly 181 meets on the first Thursday of the month, September thru June,  at the Hightstown United Methodist Church, 154 Stockton Street, Hightstown, NJ. For more information or directions, visit our web site: magicsam181.com

184

January Meeting

ISRAEL— The joint monthly meeting of the Holy Land Assembly 184 and the Israeli magic society took place on January 11 in Tel Aviv Mofhet hall. The meeting was opened by Izyk, who performed a mental routine, finding a chosen watch and a chosen city name. Yaron Frezi gave a most interesting lecture on presentation. Molik did a comedy mental  exam show; he found the volunteer’s chosen juice and gave him the orange juice bottle. Our guest, John Woolfson from NY, performed a family show. John performed a splendid  routine with an egg and a chicken, a silk to a vodka bottle, and finding and cutting chosen cards from a newspaper. After good food and dealer shopping, we finished a very lovely magic meeting. —Yosi Notkowitz

188

Colorful Magic

Orem, UT— The January 2011  meeting was called to order by Assembly Secretary Al Lampkin, who explained President Kerry Summers was held over. The theme was color, but since Al Lampkin was sick in November, he insisted on doing the routine he wrote for that month when Thanksgiving was the theme. He is such a turkey. Brian Daniels showed us his latest creation from Creative Magic, Invisible Paint. It is a

Square-Circle with endless possibilities; it comes with a DVD packed with ideas for a phantom paint can and/or the square circle, specially printed silks for a few of the routines, and a custom carrying bag. Definitely true to the theme of the evening. Curtis Hickman also stayed true to the theme by doing a color change routine with cards. The thing that blew us

is invited to bring an unusual effect or routine and explain how it works to the assembled multitude.  The assembly meets every second Thursday, except July, at 7:00pm at The Courtyard at Jamestown, 3352 North 100 East, Provo, Utah. Guests are welcome.For additional information contact Kerry Summers at 801/3727776 or go to our website at www.utahmagicclub.org

200

Bob Christensen demonstrates a Mel Babcock Mirror Box.

away was that the backs of the cards changed color. What a guy. We were pleased to have sixteen-year-old Benjamin Jones, along with his mother, Erin, join us. Benjamin did a ring on a chain effect, twice. He did it once from the Utah side and then turned and showed us the same trick from the California side. Bob Christianson pulled a bunch of stuff from a little box he said Mel Bobcock built. The items he produced included sausages, silks, a fire hydrant, a door knob, a bread box, and a live dog, or something like that. He also showed us a magic frog that gave ESP ability to whoever was holding it. It also gave them a wart. Dave “Magical” Johnson showed us a Harry Potterthemed routine plus used a mirror box with a Five Keys to Baldpate twist. Dave Goodsell showed us a bunch of bags, unfortunately somebody stole his zipper banana, so he couldn’t eat from his lunch bag, but he did have his old bag. Hmmm. Sounds suspicious. He finally produced a beautiful bunch of ribbons from his red bag. He said it was a Supreme creation. Very nice. Always creative, funny, and clever (and I hate him for it), Steve Dawson told us about a big drug bust and then showed us a prediction routine using colors that was extremely creative. The next meeting is a workshop-type meeting. Everyone

A Variety of Magic

Seattle, WA— The club was pleased to welcome Ron Olmsted, a visiting magician from Miami. Ron was in Seattle visiting his daughter Angela and they both attended the meeting. Ron and Angela presented a wonderful mindreading routine, with Angela blindfolded and revealing various chosen cards from the audience. When asked about the method, Angela revealed that they had come up with it when she was seven years old. J.R. Russell seemed to be the magician of the evening! He presented a wonderful array of packet tricks that were very entertaining. J.R. had a very amusing presentation featuring a New Year’s resolution to lose weight by lifting cards. Joe Toles presented a routine in which he was able to stop his pulse, while another visitor to the meeting, Joe’s friend Cameron, performed a baffling two-card revelation in which he correctly identified two cards a spectator placed in his pockets. Mark Paulson performed a couple of nice mentalism effects including a revelation of book pages selected by spectators with a twist, as well as a great revelation routine built around an invisible deck. Bill Murray did a nice presentation of Richard Sander’s  Supercards routine. Bill had only been working on it for a while, but already had a good handling. George Zuk performed a couple of variations of ring on straws that were different in approach and took the time to teach the members one of the versions. It was a good impromptu trick to learn. Jim Earnshaw continued to develop his coin work and presented various coin routines including a one-handed copper/ silver transposition based on the recent Earl “Presto”

ASSEMBLY NEWS Johnson article in Genii. John Cameron performed a funny “fake” invisible deck routine, leading the magicians to believe that he was going to use an invisible deck when he really crumpled up the “deck” and threw it away. The thought-of card was actually in his pocket the entire time. The Emerald City Wizards Assembly 200 meets at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Bellevue Branch of the King County Library, Bellevue, WA. www.emeraldcitywizards.org 

210

Recap of 2010

Puerto Rico— Hello magic friends all over the world. Here in Puerto Rico we have had a very busy year. In a little summary I want to present what has happened here – a lot, in a few sentences – starting on September 9, 2010, with our stage competition Fantasía Mágica 2010 at the University of Puerto Rico in Bayamon. Congratulations to the winners: Gold Medal, Rudy Andrews; Silver Meda, Jorge Noda; Bronze Medal, Mago Hansel; and Special Mention, Mago Albert. Then came October’s extraordinary meeting. We chose our new assembly officials: President, Reynold Alexander; Vice President, Jose Delgado; Treasurer, Bary Rosa; and Secretary, Marcos Puchols. Then, on the last Wednesday in October, we had a very cool meeting during which magician teams chose an envelope and performed the effect in the envelope, which was easier said than done. We had a great meeting in November with a similar topic, but with different props. Lastly in 2010 we had the December meeting/holiday dinner, with great food and awesome magic. We had dinner and a magic show performed by some of our members: Reynold, Bary, Angel, Karlo, and John Morillo.

Members of Assembly 210

On to our January meeting: an auction. Keep posted for what happens on the auction. On a last note we also want to congratulate our friend Jorge Noda on being a reality show semi-finalist on Quiero Ser Estrella on Univision. Goodbye for now. – Markos. CLUB DE MAGOS DE PUERTO RICO - We meet the last Wednesday of every month at 8:00 pm, at the house of Assembly Past President Professor Lulu in Calle Cristobal Real EG-18, 6ta Seccion, Levittown, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, 00949. Email: [email protected]

266

A NEW YEAR OF MAGIC

Lakeland, FL— The first meeting of 2011 picked up right where we left off, with loads of entertaining magic for all. After a record-breaking business meeting helmed by president Ed McGowan, we were off and running. First up was Dean Bob Macey, who wowed us with black and red Aces that switched places in Elmo Bennett’s hand before changing to Kings. Al D’Alfonso followed by showing off the parlor-size Phoenix cards that were included in this month’s Genii magazine. The simple Find-the-Ace routine flowed well with the larger sized cards. Elmo expanded upon Bob’s effect by showing Kings that switched places with spot cards over and over again. The final surprise was a perfect demonstration of misdirection by an expert. Next was a “play session”  with one of Al’s Christmas gifts. We broke open Al’s  “as seen on TV” Wanderama. The toy uses static electricity to suspend lightweight pieces of foil above it, making it appear they are floating by the magic of Wanderama. In the most entertaining session we have had in ages, a group of magicians with close to 300 years total experience between them tried to make a children’s toy work. As a group, we spun our wheels for thirty minutes with no results except plenty of laughter. Undaunted, Ed continued well into the night but was still unable to make things float, but the entertainment value was pretty magical. While the Wanderama attention was dying off,

Elmo cranked up his laptop and we made contact with Steve Marshall via Skype. We discussed Steve’s new M-U-M column and Ed demonstrated a possible contribution. The room was filled with magicians trying to duplicate the rubber band trickery shown by Ed. Even though Steve was still waking up in Japan, he was able to finally get his fingers to join up with ours during this international teach-in session. Another great year of magic has begun in Central Florida; make sure to join in the fun when visiting the area. —Al D’Alfonso  Jim Zachary Assembly 266 meets the second Monday of the month at 7PM at the Lakeland I-HOP, I-4 & US 98. For more info contact Al D’Alfonso at [email protected]

274

PACKET AND POCKET TRICKS

  BOCA RATON, FL— On Jan. 3, 2011, the Sam Schwartz Assembly 274 featured an evening of packet and pocket tricks. Also an auction was held of the magic of our late president, Paul Sifen. Emcee Sheila Rubin opened the show with a bill production from cards. Next, President Mel Panzer showed the classic Color Monte followed by a “card turnover” effect. The versatile Billy Byron brought his own music and showed us a giant wand effect, a color-changing truck, and a vanishing coin routine. Barry Rubin performed a handkerchief production and topped it off by showing a piece of cheese followed by a mouse production. Dan Sterling did a mentalism effect with cards. Mel Baskin did a nice ESP effect. Simon Carmel wowed us with an excellent cigarette production routine. VP Arnie Rosen performed a mental effect involving one hundred countries. Henry Epstein performed a Color Monte-type effect using cards with shells, ending with an “8 ball.” He was followed by Fred Apel, who caused Jokers to change places. A classic effect of McDonald’s Aces was peformed by Herb Cohen.

Marshall Johnson showed a nice packet effect, Gamble Amble, involving a series of card changes. Phil Labush turned to mentalism involving teleportation and disintegration (what no money?). A most unusual effect was shown by Ronnie Reckseit. His effect involved covering his eyes with spoons; he could still identify the number of fingers held up by a spectator. Ronnie then offered members special spoons. Manny Riskin demonstrated how to reveal cards merely thought of by spectators. Manny then told us how the system works – very clever! The show was closed by emcee Sheila Rubin. She showed us picture cards of famous magicians. Guess whose picture was chosen! —Marshall Johnson The Sam Schwartz Assembly 274 meets at the JCC in Boca Raton, FL the first Monday of each month. President, Mel Panzer (561) 304-7091

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Striving for Deception

Greeley, CO— As I sat in earnest, waiting for the lecture to begin, I quickly remembered how great the previous lecture by Mark Strivings was. Just three months earlier, he brought great material, but what impressed me the most was his honesty and willingness to explain the workings behind his effects. Mark was gracious enough to bring an entirely new lecture to the wizards of SAM 292, but was still willing to help us with the effects from his previous lecture. It was nice to have the option to get one-on-one help, something I am extremely appreciative for. Beyond the great effects, Mark shared his wisdom about the concept of layers within an effect by using

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ASSEMBLY NEWS mixed methods for deception. He also talked about the assumptions that spectators bring when viewing a magician. While most people think there is only one solution for an effect, by bringing in multiple methods their train of thought becomes distorted. After a collection of great mentalism effects, Mark also shared some children’s magic, which was an interesting contrast. The Rubber Chicken Monte was hilarious. I was also pleased to see a lot of new faces at our club, as the lecture was wellattended, with over twenty magicians of all levels. Mark is a real working professional and both of his lectures have been phenomenal. It’s great to walk away from a lecture with so much practical material, in the hope of striving for deception. —Chris Kobayashi Assembly 292 meets Second Saturday 2:00 PM at Kenny’s Steak House, 3502 W. 10th Street.

Greeley, CO 80634 Contact information – Chris Kobayashi ([email protected])

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Mark Weidhaas Lecture

LINCOLN, NE— We were honored to be visited by a contingent of national officers from The Society of American Magicians. National President Mark Weidhaas was here, along with First National Vice President Christopher Bontjes, Midwest Regional Vice President Jeff Sikora, and State Deputy for Missouri and Kansas Shaun Rivera. Mark gave us his lecture, which he calls “Anatomy of a Kid’s Show.”Mark performs under the name of Inspector Magic. He taught us about the warm-up by doing a bit about the magic word; he then performed a Rigid Hank. He talked about doing effects for various age groups. He did a

Mark Weidhaas Lecture

Buddha Screen as something fun or silly. He talked about callbacks and moving from effect to effect. He taught us to show our talent with the two-rope magic trick. Next he performed “The World’s Worst Trick.” He also did Gene Anderson’s Newspaper tear and Mike Bornstein’s Parlor Polaroid Money. He suggested that we get carpet squares with painted feet on them. This tells the child assistant

exactly where to stand. The squares can also be used as a barrier, telling the children where not to go. He discussed the value of writing down our routines and changing them as time goes on. He demonstrated Monster Mash Mix-up, the Amazing Rising Card Trick, and the Mis-made Flag. He cut Gus Schaeffer in two with the Cords of Fantasia. He did some puppet work as his closer. Assembly 293 heartily thanks Mark for his wonderful lecture and highly recommends him to any assembly. —Bob Katz The Lincoln Magic Club, Assembly 293 meets the first Saturday of each month at 1:00pm at MagicKits. com at 1125 N. 10th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. [email protected] 

BROKEN WANDS Jim Baker James W. “Jim” Baker passed away on Feb. 7, 2011. He was born in 1926 near Emporia, Virginia, to the late Hazel and Otis Baker, and grew up in Portsmouth, Virginia. He joined the Marine Corps at age seventeen, and served two years, including a year in Tientsin, China. He enrolled at the College of William and Mary after World War II, graduating in 1951 with a degree in Government. While at William and Mary, he met his future wife, Elaine Campton. They were married in the college chapel on Dec. 15, 1951.

recipient of several meritorious honor awards, and was the first recipient of the USIA Director’s Award for Outstanding Creativity in 1972. Baker retired from USIA in 1983 and moved to Williamsburg, Virginia. In retirement, he worked part-time for the Virginia Gazette, writing hundreds of feature stories, 150 columns about life in the foreign service, and more than 200 Gazette editorial page columns called Baker’s Dozen.

His lifelong interest in magic led him to perform magic shows in hospitals, orphanages, and other venues around the world. He also performed professionally and wrote thirteen how-to magic books for children. He was a member of the Order of Merlin of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and co-founder of Baker-Temple Assembly 226 of In 1963, Baker resigned from the News Leader and The Society of American Magicians. At one time joined the foreign service of the U.S. Information or another he served as president, secretary, and Agency, then headed by Edward R. Murrow. He historian of the assembly, and the members considremained with the USIA for twenty years, serving ered him the soul of the club. He was loved by all. three years in Washington, D.C., and seventeen years Jim had a special gift for making friends; he was the overseas in India, Turkey, Pakistan, the Philippines, and special kind of friend who comes along just once in Tunisia. Most of his work involved editing magazines a lifetime. –—Phil Thorp distributed abroad by USIA. He was the Baker joined the staff of The Richmond News Leader as a reporter after graduation and remained on the newspaper for twelve years. At the News Leader, Baker was the recipient of several journalism awards from the Virginia Press Association.

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GOOD CHEER LIST Please take a minute and spread a few words of cheer with a card or note to one of our less fortunate members. Ben “Benjalini” Ankri 3111 Aurelia Ct. Brooklyn, NY 11210

Dan A. Dorsey 98 Woodvalley Dr. Fayetteville, GA 30215

Peter Anthony 5100 O’Bannon Dr. Apt 72 Las Vegas, NV 89146

Joe DuPerry 1947 North Soldier Trail Tucson, AZ 85749

Roger Barr 883 B Leverpool Circle, Manchester, NJ 08759

Joseph H. (Ben) Grant 400 Commonwealth Ave, Unit 9 Warwick, RI 02886

William H. Brewe 1698 Montrose Cincinnati, OH 45214

Jerry M. Grey P.O. Box 25245 Houston, TX 77265

John Clark 603 W Country Club Rd. Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215

Charlie Gross 16745 Gertrude Street, Omaha, NE 60136-3023

Lawrence Clark 204 Hazelwood Ave Buffalo, NY 14215

Roy Horn c/o Siegfried & Roy 1639 N Valley Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89108

Daniel Cudennec “Dany Trick” 225, Stang-ar-Veild’an-Traon, Mellac-29300, Quimperle, France John “Kermit” Dickerson 10809 Balentine, Denton, TX 76207

Stanley R. Kramien 11205 SW Summerfield Dr. Apt 161 Tigard, OR 97224-3391

Cesareo Pelaez The Cabot St. Theatre 286 Cabot St. Beverly, MA 01918

Richard Laneau 4020 55th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL 33709

Larry Poague 34221 West 90 Circle Desota, KS 66108

Grant Schofield (The Great Granzini) 9303 Quailbrook Ct. Bakersfield, CA 93312

Joan Lehr 4324 Woodbuff Dr Mesquite, TX 75150

Jim Relyea 241 W. Lakeshore Rockaway, NJ 07866

Sybill Simons 65 West 95 St. Apt 3A New York, NY 10025

George Gilbert Lott 1725 Great Hill Rd. Guilford, CT 06437

Harry Riser 8505 Woodfield Crossing The Forum Indianapolis, IN 46240

Sam Stecher 1000 Loring Ave Apt. C-23 Salem, MA 01970- 4253

Frank J. McNaughton, Sr 1926 Apple Street, Williamsport, PA 17701 James J. Morrisey 24 Grove St. Wayland, MA 01788

Edward Kelly 224-15 64 Avenue, Bayside, NY 11364

Anthony Murphy 11 Angel Rd., North Reading, MA 01864

Bob King 304 Suburban Court, Rochester, NY 14620

Nahmen Nissen PO Box 1856 Colfax, CA 95713-1856

Robert D. Knigge PO Box 5, Jones Borough, TN 3765

Irwin Royes 907 N. Hullen St. Metairie, LA 70001 Dale Rumsmoke 430 Perrymont Ave Lynchburg, VA 24502 Pat Ryan 43 Fairbanks Rd. Churchville, NY 14428 Matt Savin P.O. Box 7693 Alhambra, CA 91802-7533

Helene Schad 2440 Viginia Ave. Bensalem, PA 19020

Mario Susi 6 Bristol Rd. W. Peabody, MA 01960 Larry Taverner 805 LaPaz Ct. Bakersfield, CA 93312 Jack White 4288 Arguello St. San Diego, CA 92103 Jimmy Yoshida 3644 Puu Mauka Dr. Honolulu, HI 96819

Send additions, changes, or deletions to: Anthony Antonelly, Chairman, Sick and Convalescent Committee, (215) 820-3192 ext. 1512. Email: [email protected]

MARCH 2011 23

i left my cards at John Ekin

One of the perks of writing a monthly column for a magazine is that sometimes you get to write about your good friends. This is the case this month; John Ekin is one of my best friends in the world. By the way, if you want to learn even more about John please look for the November 2008 issue of M-U-M; John was featured on the cover with an eight-page story written by yours truly. John has been practicing and performing magic for almost forty years. He is a consummate professional who is always thinking not only about what he should do in his show but also why he should do it. Over the years, John and I have had a lot of conversations about magic and “show biz” in general, and most of those conversations center around what needs to be done to entertain an audience, not just about what magic tricks we should do. To understand John’s thinking we need to look back at his magic upbringing. John was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. When he was eleven years old his mom took him downtown to the Yogi Magic Mart to gather some tricks to perform for his Boy Scout troop’s magic month event. John says that he was hooked on magic after that event and started skipping lunch at school so he could save his lunch money to buy more tricks and books from the magic shop. Phil Thomas, then owner of the Yogi Magic Mart, became John’s mentor and at an early age impressed upon him the importance of studying magic books. “With any large purchase of magic props that I would buy, Phil would usually insist that I buy a magic book as part of the purchase.” John went on to become a demonstrator and eventually wound up running the Yogi Magic Mart before it was sold in later years. John also became a regular performer at the White House; he has made thirty-six appearances there. These days John enjoys performing on cruise ships all over the world. “I really love meeting the people when I’m not performing. We have coffee chats and game shows that I can be involved in and I really love the travel. It has given me the opportunity to see so much of the world.” When asked if there were any challenges to performing on a cruise ship, here’s what John had to say: “It doesn’t happen that often, but the seas can get rough at times. I remember one ship where the stage was all the way forward on the ship, where it moves up and down more than in the center of the ship. I wasn’t feeling good to begin with, and then I made the mistake of spending the time between shows in my dressing room, which was forward of the theater. By the

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time it was getting close to my show I wasn’t sure if I was going to be okay or not. I put a bucket offstage and told the sound operator four times, ‘If you see me run offstage during my show, make sure you turn my headset mic off!’” John says that he made it through that show without having to run offstage, but he now spends his time between shows closer to the center of the ship if the seas are rough. Another challenge these days is that airlines have reduced the maximum weight for suitcases, so he has to bring fewer props. “Sure it can be a challenge,” John said, “but I keep thinking about how stand-up comedians can go onstage with nothing but a microphone and entertain people for two hours. For me it just emphasizes the importance of your character and your personality. That’s what you’re really selling; you’re not selling a bag full of tricks. That’s what I’m trying to concentrate on these days.” This thinking has paid off. John has become a popular host at Walt Disney World’s Epcot theme park for their annual Food and Wine Festival. For this event, world-renowned chefs are brought in to give cooking presentations; John is there to keep the presentations moving along and entertaining. “It’s amazing how magic has taught me about pacing a show and keeping it running within the allotted time. This has really helped me out here, even when I wasn’t doing any tricks.” When asked if he had any advice to give from all his years of performing, John said, “Make sure you involve your spectators in whatever you do. Don’t just do magic at them. Involve them in what you are doing, and they will enjoy it more.”

Silver/Copper Surprise Contributed by John Ekin The first time I went to the Yogi Magic Mart in Baltimore I was just eleven years old; the owner, Phil Thomas, showed me this trick. It really surprised me. Years later he taught it to me and it’s something I use to this day. Effect: The performer shows a U.S. copper penny and an old U.S. silver dollar. The dollar is placed into a spectator’s hand to hold and the penny is held in the performer’s hand. After some byplay, the performer states that the two coins have changed places and that he now holds the silver dollar and the spectator holds the penny. The spectator disagrees, because she can feel that she’s still holding the larger coin. The performer opens his hand to reveal that he is indeed holding the silver dollar. When the spectator opens her hand, she discovers that her penny has magically grown to the size of a silver dollar! Props: One ungimmicked silver dollar, one ungimmicked penny, and a good quality jumbo penny. The jumbo penny should be silver-dollar sized, not the larger, five-inch size

(Photo 1). Presentation: This is a great effect and, like the Sponge Bunnies, it is one of the few effects that will often elicit a scream of amazement from the spectator who discovers the jumbo coin in her hand. Guests are amazed by the jumbo penny and love to pass it around among their friends after the trick is over. It requires minimal sleight of hand and is instantly reset and always ready to go, which makes it perfect for table-hopping. I prefer to use a lady to help me with this; my experience is that ladies will give you a louder, more honest reaction. Start with the jumbo penny secretly classic palmed in the right hand as you show, and talk about, the other two coins. It’s good to mention the size of the coins, of course; the silver dollar is the largest U.S. coin and the penny is one of the smallest. Patter about the dollar with a couple of gags if you can, while you casually toss the dollar from the right fingertips into the palm of your left hand, closing the left hand around the dollar with each toss. On the third or fourth toss, execute a Bobo switch. This simple sleight is well described in Bobo’s New Modern Coin Magic. Basically, after several real tosses of the dollar (which cause the audience to relax its attention), you retain the silver dollar as you relax your grip on the classic-palmed jumbo penny, tossing it into the left hand on the down stroke of the toss. As your right hand comes back up after the toss, you move the silver dollar from the fingers into classic palm or finger palm position in the right hand. Of course, your left hand immediately closes around the jumbo coin as it catches it. The audience believes you’ve simply tossed the silver dollar into your left hand. Be careful that the coins don’t hit each other, making a noise, as you do the switch. This, as they say, would not be a good thing. Ask your spectator to hold one hand palm down, about a foot above the table, or at waist level if you’re standing. Gently hold her fingertips with your right hand. Bring your closed left hand, holding the jumbo penny, under her outstretched hand. Once her hand covers yours, push the jumbo penny from your hand into her palm and then gently close her fingers into a fist around the coin as you ask her to please hold the “dollar” tightly (Photos 2-4). She keeps her fist closed, palm down. This is a really simple move but one I use anytime I have to put something into a spectator’s hand. I don’t know why it’s not standard, but doing it this way, using her hand as cover, prevents the jumbo penny (or rabbits, or whatever) from flashing as you put it into her hand. If she holds her hand palm up as you put the object in her hand, there’s a good chance the object being placed will flash. Also, this gives you the opportunity to make sure her hand is really closed before you let go with your hands, preventing premature disclosure. Finally, if she starts to open her hand, she has to turn it over to look, giving you a split second to stop her. (Note that in Photo 4, John places his right index finger on the back of the spectators hand to make doubly sure that the hand will not be turned over and opened prematurely.) Now pick up the real penny with your right hand and begin tossing it into your left hand just as you did with the silver dollar. Again, perform the Bobo switch so you wind up with the silver dollar in your left hand. The spectator believes

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you should be holding a penny and that she’s holding a silver dollar. An old, but good, gag is to declare that you’re going to make the coins switch places between your hands, but warn the spectator not to open her hand until told to do so. After proclaiming that the coins have switched, state that the “real challenge” is to make them go back! It’s a groaner, but it still plays. Finally, declare that you’ve actually done it and that you now hold the silver dollar and she has the penny. Open your hand to reveal the dollar in your hand (Photo 5); when she opens her hand she’ll be amazed to find the jumbo penny. Final Thought: Magic that happens in the spectator’s hand is great, but the danger is always that she may open her hand before you’re ready. One ruse is to place some “magic object” such as a business card or a lighter on the back of her hand to keep her from ruining your finale. Whatever you do, make a big deal of how she must be holding the penny and focus all the attention on her hand before revealing the change and you’ll get the strongest reaction.

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Steve’s Stuff: John did this effect for me a few years ago and it really surprised me; I was sure I was still holding the silver dollar when he said the coins had changed places. I’ve remembered this trick over the years, and I knew that it would be great for this column. Pay attention to John’s tips about how to place an object that you don’t want the audience to see right away into a person’s hand. I started using this technique and it makes things a lot easier and safer! Thanks for contributing this John. I owe you one!  Photos courtesy of John Ekin

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A Magician Prepares...

by Dennis Loomis

The Balloon Show While I was still in high school, I had the opportunity to work with the late Donald “Monk” Watson at a show I produced in my hometown. While chatting, he asked me what I charged for a show; I told him $25. He asked, “What else?” I didn’t know what he meant. It turns out he was asking for my “other” price, and he explained the salesman’s psychology. Simply put, if you have one price for a show, the potential client will be choosing between hiring you and not hiring you. But, if you have two prices, they will be choosing between the $25 show and the $40 show (1960 prices for birthday parties). Ever since, I have had two or more prices for a client to select from. Of course, you need to justify the different prices. Salesmen call this the “up-sale.” You sell the $25 show first, and once they agree to that, you can introduce the idea that you have a “special” show that is $40 (“Only $15 more!”). This up-sale can be as simple as the running time of the performance, perhaps a thirtyminute show and a forty-five-minute show. Or, you can include something “special” in the higher priced show like rabbits and doves. For children’s birthday parties the added content can be making balloon sculptures for the youngsters after the magic show is over. In those days, I used the live animals because I didn’t know how to do balloons. A few years later, my friend Dick Oslund showed me how to make a one-balloon poodle dog and shortly thereafter Gene Anderson taught me how to make a little yellow mouse. I was surprised to see how easy it was to twist these simple balloons. You can also point out to the potential client that some people hire both a magician and a balloon sculptor. You can save them money by doing both. But, there are problems that balloons can create if you make them for children in a party situation. If the kids are given the balloons early in the party you could run into the following problems. Little kids pull them apart, and the children or their parents come to you to fix or replace them. Bigger kids break the balloons by fighting with them; sometimes they break them intentionally and come to you for replacements. The kids put the balloons down while they do something else and then get into fights about which balloon is theirs. The kids see a different balloon and they then want that one instead. It can take a long time to get away if you get sucked into making more balloons until everyone is happy; often you have another show or an appointment following the party. I’ll share the methods I’ve developed over the years to solve these problems. The basic solution is to delay handing out the balloon sculptures until the end of the party, when the kids are actually on their way out the door. This also means that the kids are much more likely to get home with their sculpture intact. Of course, it also means that by the time the kids have their balloons, you are gone. This is easy to set up, requiring only three plastic bags and the cooperation of one or two of the adults at the party. You must set this up in advance with the client who hires you, usually the birthday child’s mom or dad. I explain this briefly when I book the party over the phone. When I arrive at the party, I locate the client and talk this over. It’s important that they understand why handling

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the balloons your way is vital to a successful party. I start by pointing out to them that it’s very difficult for the youngsters to hold their balloon in their hands throughout the party. They get in the way during games, while a meal is served, and when the kids jump in the backyard in the jumping house. Also, if each balloon is handed out to a child as it’s made, the kids who get the first balloon do not know what else they might have gotten. And so you ask for an adult to assist with the passing out of the balloons. It’s often better to get an aunt, uncle, or a grandparent so that mom and dad are free to supervise the party. I ask to speak to the person who will assist right away so that I can explain the simple duties. I tell the person that I am going to bag up the balloons as I go, and that when I am done there will be two black bags of balloons that will be closed with a balloon or a twist tie. I’ve brought to the party one such bag to show her. I explain that it’s very important that the bags not be opened until the end of the party when the guests are beginning to leave. I ask her to station herself by the exit door with the two bags of balloons, allowing each child to select a sculpture just before going out the door. I also ask the adult to please watch the part of the show when I make the balloons so that she will know which balloon is which. I also have magic trick booklets for the youngsters and ask her to see to it that each child gets one of those at the same time. If the client has goodie bags for the children, the magic trick booklets can be put into them. When I finish the show, the very first thing I do is to close the tops of the balloon bags with twist ties or un-inflated or broken balloons and put them where I can keep an eye on them. I pack my props as quickly as possible and load my van. If I have any reason at all to suspect that some of the children might open the balloon bags, I may take the bags of balloons out to the van on my first trip and leave them there. After everything else is loaded I will take them back inside and say my goodbyes and leave. I use three plastic bags for each show. Two of these are the large black lawn and trash bags that are forty-five gallons each. One of them is brought along empty; I clip it to my balloon case with two clips. I will put balloons I make at the party into this bag (Figure 1). The third bag is a smaller, white garbage-can-liner bag with a drawstring closure system. As I pre-make balloons for the party, there will be two kinds: duplicates of the balloons that the children will see me make at the party, and the somewhat slower-to-make ones not made during the party. The first kind goes into the remaining big black trash bag, which is left open for a moment. The “fancier”

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balloons go into the white plastic bag and the top is closed with the drawstring. The closed white bag goes into the black bag (Figure 2) on top of the balloon sculptures that are inside and the top of the black bag is closed. The actual sculptures I’m using for this right now are: horse (Figure 3), unicorn (Figure 4), flowers (Figures 5 and 6), teddy bear (Figure 7), rabbit (Figure 8), Spiderman (Figure 9), turtle (Figure 10), Weeble (Figure 11), and mouse (Figure 12). The Weeble is a toy that you are going to present to the birthday child as the grand finale of the show. Its action is very surprising and both kids and adults are intrigued by it. How to make the Weeble is explained in the book Balls ‘N Balloons by Tom Myers.

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My full balloon act requires that I take along my balloon case with un-inflated balloons, my pump (Figure 13), the plastic bag with the pre-made sculptures in it, and one empty black plastic bag, which I will use during the show. The pump I use is a large size hand model; the nozzle is removable. I keep the nozzle and one or two spares in my balloon case, because dropping the pump can damage the nozzle. One of my show preparations is to screw the nozzle onto the pump. I’m capable of blowing up balloons without the pump, but I speak a lot during the balloon show and I don’t want to have to stop talking while I inflate the balloons.

13 Some kids have seen twisters online who can make any animal asked for. I can’t, so I need a way to deal with requests for things I don’t do. Sometimes older children want to play the game of “stump the balloon guy.” They will ask for some exotic or rare animals or toys just to see if you can do it. Watching someone twist balloon after balloon is only interesting for a couple of minutes and then attention fades. I avoid this problem by turning the balloon sculpture into a performance. I have lines, bits of business, and gags to say and do. I always make the same balloons in the same order using the same colors. I have a script for this show, just as I have a script for the magic show, and I’m always on the lookout for new gags, lines, and bits. The basic premise is that I give the kids a hint about what I’m making and then they get to guess. Often, they guess right and I always compliment them, particularly when it’s the birthday child. I never, ever, ask a child what balloon he would like, and I definitely do not pass out any balloons at this time. As I start the balloon show, I clip the empty black bag to my table so that the mouth of the bag is held open (Figure 14). Each time I finish a sculpture it goes right into the bag. If a child

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A MAGICIAN PREPARES

by Dennis Loomis

asks to be given the balloon, I simply don’t hear him. As I put the finished sculptures into the bag, I occasionally comment that someone will get to take that balloon home at the end of the party. The balloon show takes about fifteen minutes.

14 Here are the sculptures I make during the show: a snail that becomes a swan (Figure 15), poodle (Figure 16), sunglasses (Figure 17), a dachshund (Figure 18) that becomes a giraffe (Figure 19), two different simple hats (Figures 20 and 21), light saber (we used to call these swords, Figure 22), parrot on a perch (Figure 23), and hummingbird (Figure 24). The kids see eleven different sculptures, but there are only nine in the bag since the snail becomes the swan and the dachshund becomes the giraffe. After I make these, I open the big black plastic bag that I brought with me and take out the closed white plastic bag. I open it and show the children the balloons that are inside so they can see the choices they have, using any of the lines or gags I have. After each sculpture is displayed, I put it into one of the open black plastic

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bags with the exception of the final one, the Weeble. I show the Weeble and how to make it “go.” Then I present it to the birthday child and let him play with it. I get a big round of applause for him and that’s the end of my show, unless I will be getting out the rabbit and letting the kids pet him. What follows is an outline of the bits of business, gags, and the patter for the balloon show. Swan: As I inflate the balloon I ask the kids, “Do you remember the story of the Ugly Duckling? Who can tell me what the Ugly Duckling became when he grew up?” Usually one of the kids will know and will say, “A swan.” I congratulate them on being so smart and by that time the body of the swan is done. I say, “A swan needs a graceful, curved neck.” I hold up my right hand and arm in the shape of a swan’s neck, and I get some chuckles by having the head (actually my hand) look around at me and at the kids. Then I roll up the balloon, holding the “beak” of the swan and curling it around itself until it reaches the body. At this point it looks very much like a snail, and I point this out to the spectators. Then, by releasing my grip, the spiral “shell” of the snail becomes the swan’s head and neck. I hold up the completed swan and say, “A beautiful white swan, which one of you will get to take home after the show.” I drop the swan in the black plastic bag. This is the point where one of the kids who has not listened carefully will expect that you are going to give the swan to someone. He or she may ask for it, which is fine. If someone does, I look surprised and say, “Well, you are going to have a lot more choices, so why don’t you wait and think about which one you’d like. You’ll get to choose your balloon at the end of the party.” The next balloon is usually the poodle, but sometimes I make a poodle for the birthday child during the show. I usually use a pink balloon for girls and a blue one for boys. The poodle patter is based on getting the kids to guess what I’m making; I twist the animal very quickly. I leave the fairly long un-inflated tail and do

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the old gag of having the birthday child blow on the end of the tail as I’m holding the balloon. As she does so, the pom-pom on the end of the tail suddenly inflates as if she did it. Old as this gag is, it gets a big response from both the kids and the adults. Next I’m going to make a pair of sunglasses. I get out a red balloon and inflate it as I ask the kids, “How many of you go to the beach in the summertime?” Throughout the following exchange, my hands stay busy finishing up the sunglasses as quickly as possible. “What do you take with you when you go to the beach?”

There will be a variety of responses from the kids, and you congratulate them. “You might get hungry while you’re at the beach, so what would you take?” Again, acknowledge the responses. “If it’s a very hot day, what would you rub on your skin to protect it?” They will say sunscreen or suntan lotion. “And, if the sun was really bright, it might hurt your eyes, so what would you wear?” At this point the sunglasses should be finished, but I hold the sculpture so they can’t really see what it is. Quickly I put them onto my head and say, “Right…a pair of sunglasses.” They are put into the black plastic bag, and I may again comment about someone taking the sunglasses home at the end of the party. As I get out an orange balloon and inflate it I say, “I’m going to make another dog. Can you guess what kind? The orange color is a hint.” Occasionally someone says, “A golden retriever.” I tell them no, but it’s a good guess. Then someone might say, “A hotdog.” I respond by saying, “That’s right, a hotdog, or a wiener hound. Does anyone know the official German name for this dog?” Only rarely does someone get it right and say dachshund. By this time I’ve usually finished the head and the front legs, leaving a lot of balloon left. I say, “Here’s the part that usually gives it away, the body goes all the way over here.” I grasp the balloon next to the front legs with my index finger and thumb and pull it along the balloon making a squeaking sound until I get close to the end. Then I quickly twist the rear legs, leaving a short tail. I hold it right side up; either a kid guesses correctly, or I tell them what it is. Then I say, “I’ll show you something magical, if I turn the nose around like this, so it could be a tail. And, if I turn the tail around like this, so it could be a nose, we have a completely different animal. It’s a longneck giraffe from the zoo.” As I put it away in the black plastic bag, I comment, “I’ll leave it as a giraffe, because I already have another hotdog in the other bag.” Next, while getting out and inflating a yellow balloon, I say, “I’m going to do something different now; I’m going to make something you can wear. I bet you can all guess what it is if I tell you that you wear it on your head.” Most everybody yells, “Hat!” I say, “Yes, it’s a hat. But it can be worn many different ways.” This hat is very simple, but you get some time out of it by showing all the ways you can wear it. Hat #1 is simple, but it can be worn four ways. Look at Figures 25 – 28 to see how it’s worn. I say, “If you wear it like this, you have a Davy Crockett hat with a raccoon tail going down your back.” I turn it in a circle so they can see the tail. “If you wear it like this, you have an Indian headdress with an eagle feather sticking up. If you wear it like this, it’s a drum major’s hat from a marching band with a big plume sticking up.” I grab my magic wand and hold it like a baton and march in place a few steps as I say this. “Finally, you can wear it like this and pretend you’re an elephant and this is your trunk.” As I put the hat away, I get out another yellow balloon and say, “I’d like to do another hat for you, just so you can see the choices. I need to measure my head.” I wrap the balloon and gauge where to

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twist it for the well known helmet-style of hat. I complete the helmet, put it on top of my head, and say, “If you wear it like this it’s an Admiral’s hat. Some people call it Napoleon’s hat (Figure 29).” As I say that, I put my hand partially into my coat in the traditional Napoleon pose. Then I move the helmet in front of my face and say, “If you’re a baseball player, it’s a catcher’s mask (Figure 30).” Then I take it off and get ready to give it a little toss, like passing a football, and say, “If you’re a football player, it can be your football. It just takes a good imagination. Do you all have good imaginations? Don’t worry if you don’t…just imagine that you do!” The helmet is put away, and I get out a blue balloon.

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I’m now going to make a light saber. There are many different versions of this. They are all very easy and fast to make. Boys from six to ten years old love these, so when I’ve booked a party for a boy in this age range, and I’m pre-making sculptures, I will include at least four light sabers (even more for larger groups). Here’s my patter as I twist the light saber, “And now I’m going to do something different…not an animal, or something to wear… this will be a toy – a toy from the movies. The movies where you see these are called Star Wars.” By the time I’ve said this, the sculpture is done and usually the kids are yelling out, “Light saber.” I compliment them and say, “Yes, it’s a Luke Skywalker light saber.” Usually I am greeted with cries of “I want that” from some of the boys. I’ll say, “Don’t worry guys; I’ve already made a whole bunch of light sabers in the other bag.” As I put the light saber in the bag, I again mention that several people will be going home with these when the party ends. I’m getting close to the end of the sculpturing part of the balloon show; I have just two figures left to make. Both are birds: the parrot on a perch and the hummingbird. The parrot is actually the more interesting figure, but I have a stronger ending for the hummingbird so I close with it. As I get out a purple balloon and inflate it I say, “And now, I’d like to make a bird for you…a bird that can talk. Can you guess what kind of bird it is?” Generally, a lot of kids respond with parrot or parakeet. By this time the parrot is almost complete and I say, “You’re right; it’s a parrot on a perch.”

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A MAGICIAN PREPARES

by Dennis Loomis

I bag up the parrot and get out two more balloons, a purple one and a bee-body balloon, which is the Qualatex 321Q. I am careful to hide the nozzle end on the bee balloon; I put it down on my tabletop as I inflate the purple balloon, which will become the wings of the hummingbird. After the balloon is inflated, I tie the ends together. Here’s my patter for the Hummingbird. “I almost forgot; did I tell you the magic show was brought to you by the letter ‘O’?” Once I tie the ends of the balloon together I hold it up, covering the knot, and it looks like the letter O. Still holding it in this shape I say, “Or a Steering Wheel.” I turn the balloon just as you would turn a steering wheel. I continue, “Or a figure eight, but it’s not going to be a figure eight (Figure 31).” I quickly twist the balloon into the figure eight. I then hold it and move it appropriately as I say, “Or a butterfly, but it’s not going to be a butterfly. Or a hair ribbon… but I have no hair to tie it to. No, the purple balloon is going to be the wings of our hummingbird. But I need one more balloon.” I pick up the bee-body balloon and get ready to inflate it with my mouth. I keep the nozzle or tip of the balloon hidden for my finale. As I twist the sections of the balloon I keep the tip folded against the side of the balloon, hidden by my fingers. “This balloon will become the body and the head of our hummingbird (Figure 32). It will also become his beak (Figure 33).” As I say the word beak, I release the tip and it springs into view. To finish the sculpture I say, “I just twist the wings in and adjust it a bit and there’s our hummingbird.” Sometimes a child will comment that it’s a bee or a dragonfly. I agree with them and say, “It can be whatever you want; it depends on your imagination.”

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After I bag up the bee, I get the small white bag of balloons, open it, and say, “I want to show you a bunch of other balloons you can choose from. Watch closely; I’m going to go fast.” I then take the balloons from the bag in no particular order, since they are all tangled up. I save the Spiderman and Weeble for the last. I hold up each sculpture and slowly turn it so they get a good look at it as I tell them what it is. I usually say the name of the sculpture just before I pull it from the bag and then I pull it into view. Spiderman is probably the best looking of the sculptures that I do for kid’s parties and I take the time (at home) when I make it to draw on it with black and silver Sharpie markers. I close with the Weeble, which gets a round of applause for the birthday child. If I’m going to let the kids pet the bunny, I go immediately into that. The sculptures I use could easily be changed. The balloons that are not made in front of the spectators can be as complex as you like. But the longer each one takes, the more preparation time you will need. When I am really pressed for time I may leave out the Spiderman balloon. The balloons I use, other than the bee body, are all Qualatex 260Qs. The colors I use come in the standard assortment. I buy

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them in bulk from a Web site, but you can find these balloons in many party stores. I said that I always make the sculptures with the same colors, but if I find that I have an excess of a color, I will use that color to make light sabers and the wings for the hummingbird. Here’s an example of how I calculate the number of balloons I need to make for a party. I start with the upper limit of the mom’s estimate and add six. So, if a mom tells me there will be twenty to thirty children, I want to leave the party with thirty-six balloons bagged up and ready to be passed out. The extra six make up for the fact that occasionally one of the bagged up balloons may pop from changes in temperature or humidity. It also means that the last child will have several balloons to pick from. The number thirty-six does not include the Weeble that you give to the birthday child or the poodle (if you made it during the magic show and gave it to the birthday child). During the balloon show itself I will make nine sculptures, so I have to pre-make twenty-seven. Of these, eight are the more complex ones for the small white bag. I make nineteen sculptures for the large yard and garden black plastic bag (these are all duplicates of the ones they see me make during the balloon show). Years ago I was friends with Don Burda, who worked as Homer the Clown. Most of the sculptures I do are from his book Homer’s Rubber Bubbles. I still have my inscribed copy, which is falling apart from use. If you can’t find a copy of this book, the simple sculptures I do are in many balloon books, and most of them can be deduced from the pictures or drawings in this article. When I book the occasional fair or festival where I have a line in front of me, I never ask the kids what they want. Nor do I listen when they tell me. I make whatever I wish, I hold it up, and then I say, “Who would like a parrot on a perch (or whatever model I’ve made)?” The kids near the front soon catch on that the game is not “Can you stump the balloon guy?” If they want to get a balloon, they have to take one I offer. This may sound harsh or mean, but I’m a very friendly guy and have smiles and little jokes for everybody; this is just how I operate. This works better, of course, where the event is paying me and I am not selling the balloons. They are presents to the kids, so their parents don’t expect to be able to specify what I do. Only once or twice in my life have I gotten into a situation where I sell balloons. I don’t like it. However, I know that there are many balloon sculptors who do this and enjoy it. It’s just not my thing. When the line is very short, I will make some of the more complicated and beautiful sculptures, but when the line is long I churn out the one balloon creations as fast as I can to minimize the time the people have to wait. A problem with fairs and festivals is getting away when your time is up. If the event is still going on, you can never get rid of the line in front of you. This idea probably has been shared before, but I’ll mention it for those who haven’t tried it. It works beautifully. About five to ten minutes before your time is up, grab a handful of balloons and put them all into one side of a Change Bag. Close up your regular balloon case so that no balloons are showing; make the last few balloons by taking them out of the Change Bag. When your time is up, and if there are still people in line, say that you are out of balloons and turn the Change Bag inside out. No one can beg for more sculptures if you are out of balloons. If there is another sculptor working, give the people who remain directions on how to find the other balloon guy. You can, and probably should, let the people in line know that you are going to quit soon, but this method is the only surefire way I’ve found to get you away on time.  Text and Photos Copyright 2011 Dennis Loomis

Part 2: Designing Cards As I mentioned last time, I worked on the designing of cards after I had finished the printing, coating, and cutting process. However, since it is the first step you must take to actually print your own cards I want to cover it before we get into the other things. Actually, before you can design your cards, you must have an idea of what you want to do. Do you want to create a completely new design for a deck and design every card face as well as the back yourself? Or do you only want to create a few gaffed cards to match an existing deck? Or perhaps you want to print your own business cards that look like playing cards. Or maybe you want to reproduce an old collectible deck. Or print a small packet trick. Or prepare custom cards for your corporate client. Or design a deck for a special anniversary or commemorative purpose. There are many ideas and many reasons why you might want to print your own cards. Once you know what you want to do, you can start to look for solutions to make a printable design. Of course, you could hire a designer who can wield Photoshop and splash some digital paint on a digital canvas to create pretty much anything you want – but for what price? Since this series is aimed at DIY (Do It Yourself), I will show you how to create professional-looking card designs without the need for a design degree. I have no formal education or experience in design. I am not good at drawing or painting. But I know a thing or two when it comes to computers. So we will make use of the computer and I will share a few tips and resources along the way.

This will bring you to the screen shown below. We do not need to do anything on this screen for the time being. We simply click on the card we want to design. Go ahead click on any one of the nine cards.

Free Online Card Design Tool If your goal is to create gaffed cards, then I have already done all the hard work for you. I’ve created a free online design tool; with a bit of clicking, you can create pretty much any gaffed card you can dream up. You want a diagonally split face showing the Queen of Hearts and the Two of Spades and a horizontally split back with a red and blue back? Or do you want a mis-indexed card with a standard back? Or do you want to upload your own image and incorporate it into your card design? Follow along and I will show you how to do all of that and much more. If you want to dive into using the online card designer right now, then surf to www.lybrary.com/card_designer/ and get started. If you need a bit of hand-holding, then follow along. The starting screen is shown below. It allows you to choose how you would like to print your cards on a sheet. Do you want to print nine cards in a 3x3 layout, with or without bleed, or do you want to print eight cards in a 2x4 layout? I typically use the 3x3 layout without bleed. So let’s select that one.

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This will bring up the following design environment:

This card designer, I hope, is pretty much self-explanatory. You see the front and back of your card, which starts out as a blank canvas. The basic design concept is that you have two layers to work with, a light gray and a darker gray layer. For each layer, you can select a card face or a card back. You can then mix these layers in different ways. The ten mixing patterns are shown on the left and right sides. On the left side, they apply to the front of the card, and on the right side they are for the back of the card. You see the standard split cards: split horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. There is also a non-centered horizontal split. You can mis-index a card or overlay two designs. If you do not want to mix two designs, then choose the pattern in the lower right, which will only show the dark gray layer. Once you have chosen the mixing pattern, select the faces or backs you want to apply to the layers. For example, I chose the diagonal split mixing pattern and I chose the Jack of Spades for the light gray layer, and a red Bicycle back for the dark gray layer. If you do the same, you should see the following:

It is best to play around with the various mixing patterns to see how they affect your design. The little double arrow button allows you to quickly swap your selected cards. What was first in the light gray layer is now in the dark gray layer and vice versa. Mixing two designs together is just the start. There is a lot more you can do with this tool. For example, if you click on the “T” button you can add text over your entire design. Use empty lines to position the text vertically. You can choose font, size, color, orientation, and justification of the text. Below I have written the

word DEMO in yellow diagonally over the card. It is easy to see that this allows you to design all kind of cards with text for various small packet tricks or gags. Even a simple business card is possible. However, the text editor is quite limited and is not meant for much more than a few lines of text in one uniform style. You can also upload your own raster image and use it in one of the two layers. You can now design the back of the card in the same manner. Or leave it blank if that is what you want to do. In my example I choose to make it simply a blue Bicycle back. Once you are happy with your design you save it. Clicking “Save” will save the front and back design and will take you back to the sheet overview. “Save for all” will save the identical design to all the cards on the sheet. This is useful if you want to print several cards of the same design on one sheet. If you are unhappy with your design, you simply click again on the card and you can again edit it as you wish. Or click on another card on the sheet and design that one. This way you can design all nine cards. In the sheet view, you only see one side of the sheet. Clicking on “Show Backs” turns the sheet over and presents the back. When you are happy with the entire sheet, it is time to export your design. You can export front and back as a JPEG file at three resolution settings: 75dpi, 150dpi and 240dpi. Exporting a design takes time. The higher the resolution the longer it takes. At 240dpi it will take somewhere around eight minutes. Why does it take that long? Because there are several steps the tool has to do for each of the nine cards. Information has to be sent to our servers and back to your browser. I would rather not bore you with the technical details, but know that several smart software designers worked very hard to make this as fast as possible. We had to work within the limitations set by current Internet technologies. After all, it is a free tool and waiting a few minutes for the final export should not be a big burden. However, you don’t necessarily have to always export at 240dpi. To give the tool a spin and see how everything works you should use 75dpi. For a test print 150dpi is good enough. And only once you are ready for your production run do I suggest you go with 240dpi. What you do with the exported JPEG files will be the subject of part three next month. I am working on version two of this free online card designer. For example, it will allow designing of cards larger or smaller than a poker-sized card as well as expand on some of the design features.

Other Ways to Design Your Cards If this online card designer does not satisfy your needs, I have a few other suggestions for you. You can subsequently modify the exported JPEG files with any image editing tool. Any digital camera today comes with simple image editing software or you can invest in a Photoshop license if you want to use a professional tool. But be warned, it is quite expensive and it requires time to learn. If a raster image is not good enough for you and you want

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DIY GAFFED CARDS

CONTINUED

to design with vector graphics, you will first need to get a tool that can deal with vector graphics. My suggestion is Inkscape, which is free and quite capable of handling the job. However, there is a learning curve with this type of tool. It is not a simple click-and-play utility. You will have to spend at least a few hours to understand the basics of how these tools behave and what can be done with them. The advantage is that a vector graphic can be easily blown up without loss of quality. For example, if you want to print a jumbo card or if you want to squeeze out the last bit of resolution from your printer, then a vector graphic will allow you to do that. The basic process to design a gaffed card would then look something like this. Start with a raster image. You could use the raster images from the online design tool or scan in a card yourself, or perhaps even find something useful online. Then with Inkscape, you can convert a raster image to a vector graphic. There are a lot of settings to play with, depending on what you want to do. You can then modify and combine these vector graphics as you please. Inkscape exports to a number of formats and can also send a design directly to your printer. If you do not want to do all this work yourself, but still want to use vector images, then you can purchase the vector designs for all 52 standard American card faces from Lybrary.com for $15. For details see www.lybrary.com/33036.html. I also offer a collection of other designs: ESP, numbers, letters, etc.

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Resources You might find the following resources very helpful in your card making projects: DeLand’s marked and gaffed card creations, New Conjurors’ Magazine Vol. 1, issues 2-12; Vol. 2, issues 1-4. These articles written by Walter Gibson are a good place to get ideas as to what type of gaffed cards you could be making. Also know that Richard Kaufman is working on a book on DeLand, which will be required reading for any card maker. You can find New Conjurors’ Magazine as a PDF download product on Lybrary. com. 36 Tricks With Fa-Ko Cards by is Ronald Haines. This is a book on tricks with gaffed cards that is also available as a PDF ebook. Antique Playing Card Designs CD-ROM and Book, Dover. This is an interesting collection of historic playing card images. If you want to design your own cards then this could be a starting point. 

Feedback Please send your questions and comments directly to [email protected]. Next time we will tackle the essential part of printing and on what cardboard to print.

S.A.M. National Convention Updates Comedy mentalist/magicians Christian and Katalina have been added to the great talent lineup at the S.A.M. convention in Pittsburgh. Watch M-U-M columnist Christian Painter and Katalina perform and you’ll find yourself in a bizarre, carnival-like world where they twist and change the laws of physics. At one moment you will sit in jaw-dropping amazement as this powerful duo predicts your every decision and then laugh out loud as Christian tickles your brain. The act will appear at the traditional International Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, July 16. Don’t miss this event: a dinner, a show, and the prestigious Christopher Foundation awards presentations. The Stars of Tomorrow Show is among the most anticipated events of the S.A.M. annual convention. This year will be no exception. Performing in it allows young magicians to showcase their talent, experience the magic of a convention, achieve international exposure, and earn a fee. The Society of American Magicians is seeking young performers for the Stars of Tomorrow Show, a professional stage show that features magicians ages seven through seventeen. All the details are available at www.magicsym.com/sot.asp or contact Marlene Clark at 860-349-8149 or [email protected]. The deadline for applications is April 20, 2011. Hank Moorehouse, the 2011 honoree of the S.A.M.  convention, is not only an honorary member, a Past National President, a producer, and a fine magician, he is also a magic dealer. Dealers are really great performers, and often the most colorful attendees at any convention. Why not get an early-bird treat in Pittsburgh? The dealers will be open the night before (July 12) for people at the convention. More than twenty dealers from around the world will be there. See the list and register early at www.magicsam.com.

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Radical Notions Editorial by Lee Asher In the December 2010 issue of M-U-M, Norman Beck wrote about an encounter with a “reporter” who, he was told, tweeted during live magic shows. He goes on at length about how disrespectful this practice is and how it has the potential to ruin a live theatrical experience. According to Norman’s M-U-M article, if he ever found someone tweeting during his show, he would feel it prudent to break his or her arm. Admittedly though, he believes that that “causes problems.” While I appreciate Norman’s point of view, a charitable analysis would find it shortsighted – almost myopic. He does a barely adequate job of pointing out the uncouth behavior of some tweeters and texters, but in his mad rush to appear like a shining knight of orthodoxy, he fails to seriously consider the underlying question he’s posing: why tweeters are moved to tweet in real time, during actual live performances. Here’s a news flash: I’m the “reporter” he was writing about. It’s no secret that I’ve been using Twitter quite a bit, and I have seen what a valuable tool it can be for both audiences and the artists we support. As an M-U-M reader and member of The Society of American Magicians, you need more than a bitter diatribe against the unknown. You deserve to understand what this new technology can do for you and how it can empower all of us to support the art that we love. Here’s my firsthand perspective on this subject and Norman’s rant. What is Twitter, Really? For those of us over the age of thirty-five, Twitter at first seems like something to distract us – another media conceit designed to waste our time. Many think of Twitter as a way for someone to brag to the world about the size of his latte. If that’s what you think it’s for, get ready to expand your mind. At the core, Twitter facilitates open communication and conversation. It’s a tool that helps us connect. It’s about living vicariously through those you admire, have interest in, and have a real dialogue with. It’s about interaction, plain and simple. For the purpose of clarifying our topic, let’s look for a moment at how, over forty years ago, performing artists used concepts we now associate with new media, like Twitter, long before the Internet ever existed For over one-third of a century, the most successful touring act in the world was the Grateful Dead, and they achieved their success by using social networking strategies – years before anyone had ever conceived of that term. During Grateful Dead shows, at any time, you could use your recording device and capture a bit of the unique experience to share with your friends later. The band not only allowed it, but encouraged it. They put a special

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“tapers” section behind the sound booth, where any fan could bring in the best sound recording equipment he could afford, plug in directly to the mixing board, and share the music as he pleased for the rest of his life. The Dead still allows this. For amateurs who enjoy performing before friends and family, the sanctity of the theater remains supreme. Anyone trying to sell tickets in the current market understands, however, that without people in the seats, there is no show. For this reason, artists all over the world are coming to understand that these new media tools are far from the enemy. Quite the opposite, they are the equalizing tools that allow performing artists, including magicians, to connect and create fans and supporters around the world. This brings us back to Twitter – a way for people to glean information of interest in real time. It’s such a powerful way for people to share in the moment. Even Broadway has seen fit to break from orthodoxy, and put special “tweet” seats in every house, where audiences are encouraged to share with the world in a way that’s respectful and, what’s more, truly beneficial to the production. Many venues even go so far as to offer free Wi-Fi, just to ensure you share your experience with the world before, during, and after the show. Like the Deadhead tapers of old, these fans are not only supporting the production, they’re promoting, reviewing, and sharing it with fans and potential ticket buyers all over the world. Twitter allows us to come together and support what we love. This isn’t Rock and Roll – It’s Magic! If this concept still makes you uncomfortable, that’s completely understandable. After all, there’s a difference between tweeting images of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in a 20,000-seat arena surrounded by screaming fans and a smaller theatrical production, or the even smaller and more privileged air that fills a magic performance. After all, the rules can’t possibly be the same in every situation. Just like any new form of interaction, Twitter users are slowly, but surely, developing the etiquette required to ensure that Twitter is part of the solution, not part of the problem. Here are the two most sacred rules which must never be broken while attending a live show: You cannot disrupt the performer(s) with your electronic device. You cannot distract the audience with your electronic device. This is exactly why ringing cell phones are socially unacceptable during live theatre; it breaks both rules. On the other hand, what if you could somehow capture a part of your amazing experience and share it with the world, all without annoying a single soul?

You can. When used appropriately, Twitter can support the work of an artist without bothering anyone on stage or in the house. Staunch critics, like the esteemed Mr. Beck, will surely demand proof if they are to reconsider their first opinions. A real world example from last year immediately springs to mind. In July 2010, with less than one hundred in attendance, the Golden Gate Gathering held its fourth annual magic convention. This get-together has garnished a reputation for having small venues and intimate performance situations. It just so happened that one of the performers on the bill was none other than Norman Beck. Unbeknownst to Norman or the audience, I tweeted three separate times during the course of his fifteen-minute act. Each of my tweets was accompanied with live photos of him in midperformance. At the time, my tweets (see below) went out to over one thousand five hundred (1,500) magicians and magic enthusiasts.

Norman Beck teaches his magic and theory at the 2010 Golden Gate Gathering.

Norman Beck leading us down the garden path at this year’s 2010 Golden Gate Gathering.

right here and now Norman is learning for the first time about my tweeting during his show. Smile Norm, you’re on Twitter! If anything, my tweets were healthy for Norman Beck. He was exposed, in a positive light, to fifteen times the amount of people actually sitting in his live audience. Other magicians from around the world felt as if they were present, virtually, experiencing him in real time. When used properly, Twitter offers a genuine feeling of unification. In my opinion, humankind deserves as much of this as possible right now. Keep this in mind; the next time you’re on stage and someone is tweeting without disturbing anyone, to make sure you give the best performance of your life. You never know, he might be sharing his unique experience with the entire world! I’d now like to end this article in the exact manner Norman Beck began his. He kindly asked everyone to call him both old-fashioned and a curmudgeon. Done. But I forgive you and still love you for who you are, Norman. Sincerely, Lee Asher @LeeAsherMagic P.S. Note to the reader: Go see what all the fuss is about. Spend some time playing around on Twitter.com. Trust me, it’s magical. Six Neat Twitter Facts

Is this your card? Says Norman Beck at the 2010 Golden Gate Gathering.

Would Norman Beck’s case against Twitter be stronger if he had been distracted by my actions that day? Of course. But the simple truth is, Norman (and everyone else) was oblivious to my tweeting because it was done in a very unobtrusive way. There’s a decent chance that

• Twitter is free for everyone to use. • A tweet is defined as a post or status update on Twitter. • 140 characters is the maximum length of a single tweet. • As of April 2010, Twitter has over 106 million users. • As of April 2010, Twitter has 55 million tweets per day. • As of April 2010, the Library of Congress acquired the ability to archive ALL Twitter messages for historical record.  Text and photographs copyright 2011 by Lee Asher

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over UNDER: What should I talk about? “Your tricks, and the manner in which you perform them, should be an expression of your life, not a substitute for it.” — Michael Close “So,” you ask yourself, sitting on the floor surrounded by all your magic props, “what am I going to say while I’m doing these tricks?” I would ask the following questions first. What are your other interests? What do you hate? What do you love? What is the most memorable vacation you have ever taken? If you could make anything in the world disappear, what would it be? Every answer is a trick waiting be discovered. Any time you can use a prop or tell a story that conveys something about yourself, you become an artist! At its best, magic is a form of self-expression. It sounds silly – and it’s hard to come up with examples because most adult magicians never learned this. But magic tailored to you is automatically tailored to your age. Most magic tricks are invented by adult magicians (hereafter referred to as “old people”). Old people buy most of the tricks. And since old people invent most of the tricks and old people buy most of the tricks, old people write most of the instructions. That means that when you buy a trick, you have an extra step to carry out. You have to adapt your magic. A perfect example is the Cigarette through Coin effect, mentioned last month. You and your friends aren’t allowed to smoke…so you have to adapt. What small round object can you find in the places you hang out in? A pencil? A crayon? A paintbrush? (I published a handling of a paintbrush through coin in Joshua Jay’s Magic Atlas. The unique feature of a paintbrush is that since the bristles of the brush are soft, the trapdoor in the standard gaff closes smoothly around the bristles. As you pull the brush through the coin, the hole visibly gets smaller and smaller and closes without a sound. I performed the trick on national television on Lance Burton’s Young Magicians Showcase and got a great reaction during the phase of pulling the brush from the coin.) What about a shoelace? A French fry? These solutions may seem ridiculous, but part of being a magician is being able to adapt to your surroundings.

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by Joshua Jay

I developed an interest in gambling material long before I was allowed in casinos. I loved that most people were familiar with poker and blackjack, and most were interested in demonstrations of cheating. But I couldn’t claim to be a cheater or even an expert at a game my audiences knew I wasn’t allowed to play. This is an example of how, at seventeen, I tailored an “old people” trick to fit my age and personality. (See Paradise Aces Plus from my lecture notes, A Teen’s Routines: Updated and Expanded, 2003 or Volume Three of my DVD series, Close-up. Up Close.) “People always ask me the same thing. They don’t ask, ‘How do you do that?’ They don’t ask me to teach them a card trick. What people want to know is: ‘How would you do in a game of poker?’ “Well, to be honest…I have no idea! I’m only seventeen! I can’t even get inside a casino, let alone cheat! But I got to thinking one day, and so I developed a game that I could practice in my room to ‘test’ my cheating abilities. Here’s the idea: I’m going to try to locate the best poker hand I can possibly find in one shuffle and four cuts…” I adapted lots of classic tricks to fit my style. I sometimes used cookies instead of coins and baseball cards instead of playing cards. My script was more fanciful than older magicians’. The stories I told with my tricks were not about outsmarting a cheater or swindling a guy on the street; they were about outsmarting my parents or making my homework disappear.

Getting into magic How did you get into magic? My dad was the one who introduced me to magic, but for many, it all started with a magic set. I was already interested in magic when I got my first magic set – it was a crummy one with plastic tricks and instructions I couldn’t understand. But magic sets have been inspiring kids for hundreds of years, and I have developed a fascination with older sets, from a time when more care was put into the packages. Many

An Inside Guide for Young Magicians and their Parents magicians who grew up in the first part of the 20th century were given Gilbert’s Mysto Magic sets. These boxes were filled with wooden and metal props: linking rings, springs, gaffed coins, specialty cards, and a beautiful wooden wand. They even came with posters. The child would fill in his own name and the date of his performance, and he could advertise himself to other neighborhood kids. Even though I am more than fifty years too young to have been given a Mysto set, I collect them now and marvel at how fun it must have been to build a show with these charming props.

OVER: How will my child get shows? Hat #3: Manager You’re not expected to have a degree in marketing, but you are expected to know more than your child about the subject. Marketing magic is a learned skill, just like the performance of magic. And right now, the performance of magic should be your child’s priority. Marketing magic should be your priority. First, you must determine what type of magic interests your child. If your child wants to be a children’s magician, cater to this demographic. Go to all the grade schools, after-school centers, and kid-gyms and ask if you can provide entertainment for events and display promotional materials. Call all your friends and ask if they need entertainment for their child’s next party. And be on the lookout for charity events, church and scout functions, and block parties. You aren’t responsible for your child’s continuing performance success. His good magic will increase his business. But the first few shows don’t appear like magic; you have to do the sleight-of-hand.

Who will be my child’s agent? Hat #4: Agent You. By serving as your child’s agent, you’ll be able to secure fairer, higher prices. When work starts coming his way, your child will be in an unfair position. Never having dealt with money or negotiation, he won’t know what to charge. Never having driven a car, he won’t know how to write down directions. Never having done a show, he won’t know what questions to ask the client. You can help. You will take the calls. Stealing candy from a baby is easy for an adult, and so is cheating a young magician. As your child’s agent, you’ll be able to conduct a level-headed conversation with your

child’s clients and make sure a fair transaction occurs. For some reason, even ethical adults have a hard time taking a child seriously when it comes to money. When a fourteenyear-old quotes a three-digit number, the inclination for some adults is to move immediately into barter-mode. Some adults think that since the magician is half the age of last year’s entertainer, he should be half the cost. Some adults think that a child’s performance means an amateur performance, and the price should reflect this. Some adults feel that they are doing your child a favor by giving him an outlet in which to perform. Clients will be far less likely to try to negotiate a price with you, and so you should make a point to confirm bookings for your child. Sometimes you can work together on the phone. The client can talk to your child about the show, and then pass the phone to mom or dad for pricing. My father set up an excellent system. He kept a neat stack of carbon contracts by each phone in our house. When he wasn’t home to help, I had a cue sheet on what to ask and what to say. No matter who booked the show or took the call, we had all the basics (in triplicate): directions, pricing, audience size, etc.

Who drives? Hat #5: Chauffeur While the limousine and British accent aren’t required, time and patience are. Unless you’re in Los Angeles or Las Vegas, your area is likely deficient in magicians. That keeps all the working professionals busy on the weekends. Sometimes you have to accept shows outside the city lines, and sometimes a high-paying performance will entice you to travel farther than usual. Before your child accepts a show, you have to make sure you or someone trustworthy can transport him. Gas money adds up. One Christmas season, I had almost twenty shows in the month of December. That’s a lot of shows and a lot of driving! My dad and I agreed that the next Christmas season, I would reimburse him for his gas mileage. When I booked shows in Cleveland, I anticipated another two hours of driving. I always cleared this with my parents to make sure someone could take an afternoon off. I also built in the added cost of a half-tank of gas. In the beginning, it’s fun to watch your child perform magic. But like any frequent repetition, it gets tedious. My mom and dad often alternated taking me to shows. If I had two shows on a Saturday, sometimes I would have a different driver for each one. That said, both my parents told me in my college years that they missed the times we spent together, driving to shows. 

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It’s Impossible!

The Illusion You’ll Likely Never See Once again, our topic this month was suggested by Florida’s Dan Stapleton. Dan wrote me about an illusion I alluded to several months ago. Apparently it piqued his curiosity, because I intimated how very difficult it was to do. As you are about to discover, that is a gross understatement. By the way, Dan will be performing this August at Abbott’s Magic Get-Together in Michigan. Besides appearing onstage, he will be doing a blindfold drive in downtown Colon. I’ll predict it will be a very short drive, not because Dan is not up to the task, but because it’s downtown Colon, Michigan! This could be the shortest metropolitan blindfold drive ever! And, odds are, I will be there to witness it. The difficult illusion is a unique offering from California’s Owen Magic Supreme. It’s their Tea for an Oriental Potentate.

When I was a teenager, I “discovered” this effect in their classy purple-and-gold-bound catalog. The description featured an illustration of a prop that vaguely resembled a Costume Trunk Illusion with shallow trays of tea stacked up on a deceptive base. Here’s what the audience sees: On a decorative base is a chest of tea destined for the ruler. The tea chest is brightly decorated. Assistants enter carrying three additional tea chests. These chests, however, are for the common citizens. They are less colorful. The common tea chests are stacked atop the chest of royal tea, a grave insult to the ruler. With royalty approaching, and no time to fix their faux pas, the assistants lift a cloth banner to hide the stack of tea chests from view. The ruler, however, demands to see what the banner obscures. When it is lowered, it is seen that the royal tea chest is now atop the stack in its rightful position. The ruler nods happily and the banner is raised again. When it is lowered, all of the tea chests are gone. In their place is an elaborate throne with a beautiful princess sitting on it. I recall this fanciful illusion was priced at $750 back then (mid 1960s), a princely sum. I learned it was the creation of Owen Magic’s loveable curmud-

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by David Seebach geon owner, the late Leslie Smith. He had built this for himself, but the prop was lost in a fire. It had never been rebuilt. It appealed to me because it was so different from the sawing/stabbing/dividing effects and was so much more than a simple production. During my frequent visits to Owen’s I would often ask about this item and I’d be told that if I ever wanted one that they would be happy to build one for me. Then, in the early 1980s, I learned that one had been completed. It was built by Les and his crew “on spec” in the hope that someone would buy it. I made hasty plans to fly to southern California and see firsthand the illusion I had dreamed about for more than a decade. What I discovered, though, was something very different than that line drawing in their catalog. The prop did not resemble a Costume Trunk Illusion. What it looked like was a Stack of Boxes or the well-known Owen Mis-Made Girl. The tea chests were cube shaped. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that at all; it was an attractive piece of illusion apparatus in the classic style that Owen Magic is famous for. The beautiful assistant begins concealed within the deceptive base and the lowest tea chest, just like the Stack of Boxes. The other individual chests are introduced and placed in position. When the banner goes up, the hidden assistant operates some spring-loaded releases from inside at both the very top and very bottom of the stacked chests. Half panels on the front of the illusion flip down, causing the change of royal-to-common or common-to-royal tea. It worked well and could be easily done. The next maneuver, however, stretched all my credibility. The top tea chest was constructed of extremely lightweight plywood; it was hinged to fold absolutely flat. The assistant had to do this from within the stack and somehow had to slip the flattened chest all the way down into the base. Then, she had to operate a dizzying number of catches and releases that caused the remaining tea chests to behave like one of those Transformers toys. These mechanisms, which had to be operated in a specific sequence, would have made Rube Goldberg smile. The budget for spring-loaded hinges must have been terrific. But, piece by piece, the tea chests rotated, spun, collapsed, and revolved, and the elements of the elaborate throne sprung up and out. The assistant had to figure out how to get perched on the throne as she worked all the releases. All of this took time – lots of time. It was many things to behold, but silent was not one of them. Bang! Snap! Pop! Clunk! Thud! I’m sure you get the idea. All of this disappointed me greatly. I had wanted to love this illusion. Instead I immediately decided, “This isn’t for me.” Apparently, Harry Blackstone Jr. felt differently. He bought the prop. I know he used it, but I’ve found

This photo shows all the wear from the Blackstone show. few people who actually witnessed it. However, those who did, like Abb Dickson, said it was something less than effective…or even impressive. Even Alan Zagorsky, who now owns Owen Magic, admits it was a dud. “It took forever and you heard all this noise. By the time the banner was dropped, it just was not impressive.” Owen has never built another one and Alan hopes he never has to. After Harry’s death, this item came up for auction; I had to admit that it still cast a spell over me. I thought if I could get it at a reasonable cost it would be a challenge and a dream fulfilled. I made several bids, but buyers with deeper pockets quickly steamrolled over me. I wondered if any actually knew what they would be getting. A day or two later Alan called me. “Did you see who won the auction for the Tea illusion?” he asked. I told him I had no idea. “It’s your friend!” he announced. He mentioned a local home builder who had briefly been an onstage assistant for me in the 1970s. He was someone whom I had told all about this illusion and how I coveted it. He lived only a few miles from me! I contacted him and local comedian/magician Glen Gerard and I drove over to see it and all the other swag in this rich collector’s possession. The illusion, somewhat beat-up from Harry’s road show, was just as I remembered it. It still wasn’t for me. Enter Mary A year or two later I told a new assistant, Mary, about this illusion that had so captivated my imagination. I thought it was absolutely “Seebach style.” I’m the one guy (well, perhaps not the only one) who relished acts like this, with brightly-painted, old fashioned props that are enhanced by captivating introductory patter, colorful costuming, scene-setting music, and so forth. She saw it as a challenge. Mary and I discussed it at Abbott’s Magic Get-Together. She wanted to learn more about it. Well, Gay Blackstone was not hard to find, so we sat down with her and she told us about her experiences with the illusion. It just served to whet Mary’s appetite. A month later I contacted my ex-assistant and he quickly agreed to loan the prop to me. “It should be yours and in your show,” he admitted. “You’re the guy who can pull off acts like this.” We trucked it home and set it up. It needed some minor repairs and adjustments. It needed cosmetic work where paint had chipped off. A local sign company produced a great adhesive appliqué with my name SEEBACH in Oriental lettering. It’s subtle on the throne’s back. That collapsing top chest was a major issue. Mary was short and this one aspect of the transformation was problematic. I decided to change the script; after the royal tea chest travels to the top of the stack magically, it would be openly removed. Thus, only three tea chests changed into the throne. This cut the transformation time down.

But, it was still l-o-n-g. And the noise was considerable. I solved this problem with proper scripting. “Sound the drum,” became a line; I had a costumed Oriental character onstage pound on a ceremonial drum I obtained. Two female assistants crisscrossed the stage with poles that had ribbons on them like those seen during rhythmic gymnastics. We also set up the entire Abbott’s Spectacular Finale prop. It features two stylish pagodas that erupt in colorful parasols, silk streamers, and folded paper displays. It also features twelve banners, about eighteen inches wide and eighteen feet long, that all fly down at once. If you’ve ever attended the opening night show at Abbott’s GetTogether, you’ve seen the ones decorated with the WELCOME MAGICIANS lettering. We made a new set of banners of shiny black fabric, thirty-six inches wide and eighteen feet long. They unrolled in front of a flame-red eyelash curtain that had a giant Oriental dragon hanging in front of it. My long-time assistant, Peggy, had painted the black banners with shimmering glitter to suggest exploding fireworks. We added an audio cue of fireworks that played over the music I selected for this illusion. Does this all sound like a little much? Well, nothing succeeds like excess! If we hadn’t been using our pyro system and confetti cannons at the end of the entire show, I probably would have added them too! So, as the three chests were covered for the surprise transformation, the drummer began pounding. The girls waved their poles and crossed the stage. The two pagodas sprung open and then the fireworks banners fell, accompanied by the audio track. It ate up all the time required and covered all the noise. Without assistant Mary, I would never have attempted this illusion. She applied herself to this as a personal challenge and lived with the prop in her tiny studio apartment so she could rehearse on her own time. Mary’s speed was exceptional; seeing the backstage view of everything operating was very interesting and entertaining. This was much like Abbott’s Hole in One, a remarkably clever prop that is amazing when you see exactly how it’s done. How Effective was It? This illusion is not going to replace Asrah or the Modern Cabinet in audience impact. We crossed our fingers for Mary at each performance, but it worked perfectly every time. I told the audience that it was a unique illusion; I think it was safe to say that no one had seen it before…nor is likely to ever see it again. I am glad that we have a broadcast-quality TV recording of the act. It’s now preserved for all time. I sent a DVD copy to both Alan and Gay. Alan said he was surprised we got it to the point we did. The illusion is safely stored in my warehouse, where it will likely stay for awhile. I couldn’t do it without Mary, a full stage, two costumed assistants to tote the chests, a Chinese drummer, two young women with poles and ribbons, overhead scenery pipes for rigging the Spectacular Finale, an audio engineer for both the music and audio effects cues, and the time to rehearse it all back up to speed. The illusion remains in Owen’s catalog. I bet you could buy one…for about $15,000.  If you have an idea for a future column, please feel free to contact me – just as Dan Stapleton has. David Seebach’s Wonders of Magic [email protected]

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The Perpetual Reinventing of Eric Jones by Bruce Kalver, PNP

Photo by Mark R. Morris

hen you think of coin magic, a few names come to mind: T. Nelson Downs, J.B. Bobo, and David Roth. Sure, Dai Vernon had some coin stuff and Dean Dill has been known to flip a few silver pieces in his barber shop, but for the most part, coin magic was pretty much covered. Then about ten years ago, a chance viewing on television changed a college student’s life and rejuvenated miracles with the change in your pocket. The magic community is at the dawn of adding a new name to the change purse: Eric Jones. Eric burst onto the magic scene in the past few years, creating a great impression on young magicians as well as seasoned professionals. His technique is flawless. His teaching skills are special. He makes the difficult easier to understand. Eric is instantly likable; his charm wins over any audience. Think about the first time you saw Doug Henning or Michael Ammar perform. Eric emits those same good vibes. It is surprising that he is so accomplished, because he has only been studying magic for ten years. His performances, lectures, and advice on Internet bulletin boards are shaking up the close-up scene. But even with all the buzz, very little is known about this future superstar’s past. Although there have

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been many highs in his life, Eric Jones has encountered many bumps that caused him to reevaluate his future and reinvent himself.

EARLY YEARS Born in Richmond, Virginia, Eric spent his childhood in East Orange, New Jersey. His father was a corrections officer; his mom was an administrative assistant. Rounding out the family was his younger brother Jerrod. Eric’s formative years were not terrible, but family circumstances made it necessary for him to grow up quickly. The turning point in his life occurred while Eric was unwrapping his presents at his thirteenth birthday party celebration. During this party, his mom packed up, got in her car, and moved back to Virginia. His parents were now separated. Eric and his brother ended up staying with his father. School was always a good experience and Eric was a good student. During this time, Eric was what he called “a social introvert.” He was studious and joined a lot of clubs. He was very happy to be in the FBLA – Future Business Leaders of America. “While at the Governor’s School, which is an honors school, I was in the National Honor Society.” Eric also joined

the “geek clubs” like chess club and the debating team, and was art editor for the yearbook. Planning for the future, he also joined the ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps). “I became a battalion commander and a lieutenant colonel. I was the youngest battalion commander in the history of our ROTC.” Eric was very interested in ROTC because he expected to join the service after he graduated. “Unfortunately I had a problem. I was severely overweight, weighing 320 pounds. On top of that, I have flat feet. My recruiter tried very hard to get me in. With his help, I lost fifteen pounds, trying all kinds of diets, including a water diet, a soup diet, and fasting. They did this thing where they wrapped my entire midsection with Saran Wrap. They really tried everything.” He scored very high on the admission tests, and could have gone into military intelligence, but alas, he was way too big. The Army was important to him. He had several family members who served in the Army and Marines. “I thought I would serve in the military for a few years to get the money I needed to get to college.” When that didn’t work out, he was granted a couple of partial scholarships and ended up going to Ithaca College in New York, where he studied drama. Ithaca is in the middle of nowhere, and seemed small and quaint enough for an introvert like Eric. His first semester was fine, and he actually made a few friends. Still overweight, he worked hard to lose the pounds so he could again try to get into the Army.

THE BUG STRIKES In 2000, Eric was studying for midterms and turned on the television for a break. There was David Blaine doing his first special. He was fascinated by what Blaine did. “He did the Coin Bite; that was the trick that got me hooked. After the special, there was a quick ad for the Ellusionist Web site, so I went to the library and got on a computer to check them out. Truthfully, I didn’t like what I saw. It seemed like a weird site, so I checked the library for some magic books. I don’t remember which books I found, but I know they were filled with a lot of history and at the end they gave a few simple trick explanations.” These books showed tricks like a shoebox Tip-over Box and a Square Circle made out of an oatmeal tin; they taught how to make a silk vanish up a person’s sleeve with a holdout. After reading these books, Eric left magic alone. “If this is what magic was, I was not interested.”

and the baby was definitely not mine. We had been together for two years. The relationship didn’t last much longer.” When Eric found out the truth, he sent his girlfriend packing to the real father and he moved to Buckingham County, Virginia, looking for work so he could make some money to go back to school. “That’s when my father became ill with three reoccurring brain tumors, two heart attacks, and a stroke. I ended up moving back in with him.” Eric’s father passed away in 2005. “I never went back to college. I became complacent and once again began looking for some good paying jobs.”

THE BUG STRIKES AGAIN Around Thanksgiving, Eric turned on the television to find another magic special, The World’s Greatest Magic, and watched René Lavand do It Can’t Be Done Any Slower, Michael Ammar’s Cups and Balls routine, and Jeff McBride’s masks act. After seeing this, Eric thought, “I need to try this again.” Going back to the library for more magic books, he discovered that you could buy magic props at a magic shop. “I had never even heard of a magic shop, so I looked in the phone book and found one in Richmond, Virginia – Divine Magic and Novelties. I drove out there and met a guy named Hun Woo. He did an interesting Photo by presentation Dale Farris

REINVENTION To help with the finances of staying in school, Eric got a job at McDonald’s, and while there met a girl. They hit it off and became a couple. One day she announced that she was pregnant and Eric was the father. Shocked, but ready to take on his responsibilities, he decided to get married. “I dropped out of school before completing my second year and took a job in a factory for $17 an hour. I got a place for us to live, planned for our wedding, and plotted out my future taking on the responsibility of being a father.” After the baby was born, Eric was looking for something in a desk when he found some medical papers with the baby’s blood type. Mom was type AB; Eric was type O. The baby was not his. “She told me that the hospital made a mistake. We tested again,

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REINVENTION 2

Eric with Wayne Dobson

Eric with David Blaine of the Dime and Penny. He had a jelly jar and showed me a dime and a penny. He asked me how much was in there and I said eleven cents. He shook them up and showed me two dimes. He shook them up again and now there were two pennies. The total kept changing inside the sealed jar. All he did was put two Dimeand-Penny gaffs in there and shook them up until they changed. “I was amazed at the shop and the fact that he was doing magic with just a couple of coins and a jar. I didn’t have any money on me. I just wanted to check out the magic shop. The Dime and Penny trick stuck with me, so when I got home, I tried to replicate what I saw and came up with a way to do it. In my method, I was clipping and switching real dimes and pennies. I didn’t know that Hun Woo was using gimmicks.” When Eric went back to the store, he showed Hun what he had come up with, and Hun was impressed. As a prize for his hard work, Hun gave him a Dime and Penny trick. “I was disappointed that he used a gimmicked coin,” Eric recalls. That incident started Eric’s love affair with sleight of hand. He bought Michael Ammar’s The Complete Introduction to Coin Magic DVD along with a few sleight-of-hand books.

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Eric was driving with a distant cousin late at night on a dark road that had no lines in the road or any kind of safety reflectors or lights. Without warning, an oxygen truck coming from the other direction hit Eric’s car head on at full speed. His cousin took immediate action by jumping from the car, leaving Eric. His cousin jokingly stated later that he was afraid that the oxygen was going to explode, and “there was no need for both of us to die.” “Of course, he had no thought about helping or saving me,” said Eric. “I was pinned in the car with no way to move.” He fractured several vertebrae in his back; when his teeth hit the steering wheel, it pushed them back on a forty-five-degree angle. When the firemen finally removed him from the vehicle, he had them grab the book from his back seat. It was Troy Hooser’s DesTROYers. Eric was now held up in the hospital with a long recovery ahead. While in the hospital bed, he watched the World Trade Center towers fall. During this time, the pounds started to shed; after years of trying, he finally lost the excess weight. “I went from 300 pounds to 240.” Over the course of about a year and a half, he went from a hospital bed to a wheelchair to a walker to crutches and then to a cane. “When they brought me to the hospital, I made them put the book in the bed with me because I knew that I would need something to occupy my mind. DesTROYers was the book that got me started in card magic. I’m left-handed, so this advanced book was even harder because I had to learn everything right-handed.” Leaving the hospital, Eric moved in with his Aunt Maureen, who took care of him for the next three months while he was unable to move or work. “I spent my days reading diligently. I devoted the next six years to coin magic. I used Bobo’s New Modern Coin Magic as a text book and made meticulous notes in it. I then used Michael Ammar’s tape as a visual reference to see what things looked like. It took me about a year and a half to develop a decent classic palm; I ended up performing every single trick in the book with the exception of the things with special props such as the Coin Wand and T. Nelson Downs’s Miser’s Dream.” Eric was submerged in learning everything he could about coin magic. The recovering magician kept moving around from one relative to another. When the settlement check came from the insurance company, he bought a car and found a place to live. “Now that I had the weight off of me, I tried again to sign up for the military. Unfortunately, the injuries put a stop to that forever. I would have to have the metal rod taken out of my leg and that involved additional operations that I wanted no part of. I would have to learn how to walk again. No way. It was evident that the military was never going to be in my future.”

THE FIRST SHOW In 2005, Eric Jones did his first magic show. “It was a half-hour show...all coin magic. I will never do that again. It was a kid’s birthday party and it sucked. I soon realized that I was doing something wrong.” From this show he realized he had to branch out if he was ever going to perform again. In came the sponges and assorted card magic. “That birthday party woke me up. I was cool for the first ten minutes and then the kids’ attention span went right out the window.”

It wasn’t entirely Eric’s fault. One of his first sleight-of-hand books was Sleight of Hand by Edwin Sachs. It stated that a beginning magician should learn coin tricks first to learn naturalness, how to hold things, and how to palm. Card magic follows, teaching how to tell a story. Finally, the student moves on to stand-up magic. “I felt I was doing the right thing and naturally progressing because that’s what Sachs said to do. I guess I took the coin thing to an extreme. At my rate, I would be an old man before I did my first show!”

REINVENTION 3

Photo by Mark R. Morris

Eric was again trying to figure out how to get back to college when he got a job selling Electrolux vacuum cleaners door to door. “I was really good at it. I used magic to sell them and sold a lot! They gave us really big steel balls to demonstrate the suction power, and I did Chink-a-Chink, making it appear that the balls were being sucked towards the vacuum cleaner. It was a sales pitch that the customers loved. I gave my business cards out a la the UFO spinning card.” The pitch using magic got him many sales as well as invitations to a lot of cocktail parties. At one party, he met Boyd Tinsley (a member of the Dave Matthews Band). “Boyd asked me how I liked selling vacuum cleaners; I told him that it was paying the bills. He asked me about my other performing experience.” There was an opening in a company called Music Today, which was owned by the Matthews Band’s manager Coran Capshaw. They needed someone at their fan club who could talk to the fans and take care of customer complaints. “I was happy selling vacuums, but I took the contact info anyway.” Soon after, Eric had a falling out with his Electrolux manager because he wouldn’t pay him for a vacuum cleaner that he had sold, depriving Eric of about $1,700. “I couldn’t trust him anymore, so I left that job.” Eric tried to find work elsewhere, but nothing came through. Then he remembered Boyd’s offer. “I called him up and asked if the job was still available. I went in for the interview and instantly got the job.” He worked customer service for a year and a half and then was promoted to Client Contest Services. “I was the guy who flew to concerts to present prizes to fans. I got to randomly select the winners.” Since this company managed over a hundred artists, Eric got to give prizes away at concerts for not only the Dave Matthews Band, but also for Shania Twain, Carlos Santana, Britney Spears, Kanye West, and John Legend. He made about fifty flights during the three-and-a-half years he worked for them. Then the company was sold and he was once again out of work. “During this time, I performed magic at two restaurants: a Hibachi Grill and an International House of Pancakes. I used a lot of flash paper at the Hibachi Grill.” Following the advice in one of Eugene Burger’s books, Eric took the approach that he would never go to a table unless asked. The wait staff asked the customers if they would like to have the magician come by. “If they said yes, the waiter would come and get me. I would do five to seven minutes of magic. It was phenomenal and great practice. IHOP was guerilla performing.” In 2006, magician Vinny Marini had what he thought was a good idea. He wanted to put out a homemade DVD called La Familia; he asked people to send him videos of tricks that he would then compile on a disc. “I sent him my Three-Fly routine and was surprised to see that he included it on the disc.” According to the few who saw it, the disc was poorly produced

MARCH 2011 47

Photo by Mark R. Morris

because it had seven different video and sound qualities. It was a flop. After that, Gene Taylor, in his magazine, Antimony, published Eric’s Flash Coin routine. It was this contribution to the magazine that made people aware of Eric Jones.

REINVENTION 4 Things were beginning to look up for Eric. He had a girlfriend, a place to live, and prospects for the future. “I was dating a girl named Paula; after three months I discovered that she had a pretty bad cocaine addiction. I caught her in my bathroom taking cocaine and I realized where all her money was going. She had a better job than me, yet she was always asking to borrow money. We talked and I ended up helping her shake the habit. It was important that we were not apart, so I held on to all her money. I helped her get into a program to wean her off cocaine. I stayed with her and after about a year, she kicked the habit.” During her recovery, Paula replaced her craving for cocaine by eating all the time. Late one night she was in the kitchen cooking Tater Tots® by heating up some vegetable oil on the stove top. She forgot about it and left the oil burning. The pan flared up and the fire hit the walls. She threw water on the fire, trying to put it out, but this only made it spread. The cabinets were now on fire (including the one that had the fire extinguisher). By the time she ran for Eric, the whole kitchen was engulfed. Smoke was everywhere in the apartment. “I grabbed my insulin, her purse, my cell phone, and an extra shirt.” Now that the door was open, more oxygen came in and the fire consumed the whole place. Eric lost everything.

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“The next day, I wrote to Steve Brooks at The Magic Cafe. I sent him pictures of the fire and told him that I was in a hotel room with nothing. I had lost everything.” Eric asked if he could advertise his lecture notes to help get some money, because at this point he was desperate. Steve said that he would take care of it. That day, Steve sent out a letter to everyone on the board telling them about Eric’s fire and that he needed some help. Steve mentioned Eric’s PayPal account. By the next morning, Eric discovered that lots of people had donated; there were considerable contributions and they just kept coming in. “I cried for two hours and didn’t go to work for two days. My boss didn’t ask about my well being, only when I was coming back to work. My employers didn’t do anything to help me, but perfect strangers sent me money out of the kindness of their hearts. I am forever grateful.” So was anything saved from the disaster? The books were severely smoke damaged. All the DVDs and three six-foot bookcases filled with Eric’s worldly possessions were destroyed. “All of my early photographs are gone. I lost my entire history.” Eric had to start from scratch. And the girlfriend? She never apologized and thought it was Eric’s fault for not being there quick enough. “Three days later we broke up. She moved back to her home and I jumped from one friend’s couch to another for six months before I was able to get another place. The new apartment was small, but since I didn’t have anything, it was big enough for me.” The problem was that the apartment complex sued Eric for the damages, not only to his apartment, but also to the apartments above and below. “They won the case and I had to pay $50,000, which I continue to pay to this day. My ex-girlfriend was not part of the lawsuit because her name was not on the lease. She refused pay anything. I will be paid up in 2027.” Eric considers it “the school loan he never had.” In 2007, Eric was once again out of work and took a job restocking shelves overnight in a supermarket. He also did part-time work as a bouncer in hip-hop clubs and Latino clubs for $100 a night. “It wasn’t too bad, I only got shot at once... but I did get cut twice.” Eric’s new girlfriend suggested that he accompany her to a job fair. After visiting the various booths, Eric ended up getting hired by State Farm as an insurance adjuster for auto claims.

Eric performing at the S.C.A.M. convention. It was around this time that Eric was asked to lecture for the local magic club. “I didn’t feel qualified, because I had only been doing it for seven years.” He finally said okay, but

Photo byDale Ferris

felt funny about charging them for the lecture. Rather than charging for the lecture, he put some notes together that the attendees could buy. Eric dedicated the notes to his music idol, Stevie Wonder. His first lecture in Richmond, Virginia, was for I.B.M. Ring 180; seventy-five people showed up. People came from Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. Eric printed fifty copies of the notes and sold out immediately. The attendees went wild over the material. Eric was stunned. The next day, word of Eric’s lecture was all over The Magic Cafe. “The lectures really took off. I would do one and from that came five more. That turned to twenty.” Many magicians suggested that Eric put out a DVD of his routines. He was only selling lecture notes and realized that he did need some products to survive. “A magic distributor told me that if I hadn’t had the word ‘lecture’ on my notes, they would have been good enough to sell as a book. They wanted me to change the cover and they would buy it. I turned them down because I didn’t think it was worthy, and after all, I hadn’t been in the game very long.” Tim Trono from Murphy’s Magic Supplies suggested that Eric talk to Kozmo about putting the material on DVD. As Kozmo remembers, “The first time I learned about Eric was from Tim Trono. He called me and said that there was this guy down in Virginia who was very, very smooth and he wanted me to work with him. So I called Eric and talked to him, but he didn’t feel he was ready. We kept in touch and agreed to meet at Magiwhirl in Washington, D.C. I hadn’t seen his stuff, but was committed to doing a project on Tim Trono’s recommendation.” Eric will never forget that meeting. “Kozmo and I went to the bar and I showed him thirty-five routines. He agreed that we should do a project, but I still wasn’t sure. He explained all the benefits of putting this out. I finally agreed.” It took three years to get the three-DVD set out. In the meantime, Eric put out Mirage et Trois (a Three-Fly routine). “Kozmo is a great guy, and thanks to him I finally had a product to sell.” In 2010 they put out the DVD set An Extension of Me. The DVDs were shot at Eric’s old stomping grounds at Ithaca College and around Cornell University. Kozmo describes the experience of working with Eric: “When he showed me his stuff, I was just blown away. His coin and card work was fantastic. He is so smooth and had a way about him – so confident and articulate. In my opinion, Eric Jones is one of the top five or ten pure sleight-of-hand magicians in the world. He’s a creative genius and continues to amaze me every second that we are together. His products are best sellers around the world and I think we have just scratched the surface of his creativity.” Two of Eric’s goals in life were to be able to work at The Magic Castle and to be invited to FFFF (Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic). This past December, Eric made his second appearance at the Castle’s Close-up Room. In 2009, Mark DeSouza and Dave Neighbors sponsored Eric at 4F, where Stephen Bargatze snipped off a piece of his hair for his murderous knife routine. Tim Trono also helped Eric fulfill another dream; he initiated a lunch with David Blaine at Magic-Con 2010 in California. David had seen the trailer for Eric’s three-DVD set and wanted to meet him. “David asked me to show him something, so I did a coin routine and a card routine. David was blown away and asked if I would teach them to him.” This affected Eric very deeply; after all, if he hadn’t seen David’s TV special, he wouldn’t be in magic. “David is a very funny, outgoing, outspoken individual, whom I now consider to be a friend.

Eric performing at Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic. Whenever I am in New York City, we try to connect.” In May of 2010, Eric Jones decided to go full-time and leave State Farm. “Melissa, (who is still his girlfriend) and I discussed it, and we decided that even in this recession, I could make money selling my products and performing full time. My girlfriend does not watch my magic. I rarely show her anything. To me, magic is my job, and you don’t bring work home. Magic stays in my office and doesn’t come out to the rest of the apartment.” So far, Eric feels that he has made the right decision; his calendar is filled four months in advance. What if it doesn’t work out? “If the datebook clears out, I’ll look for another job. Chris Capehart warned me that if I wait too long, I won’t be employable.” For a summer, Eric tried busking, with Chris Capehart helping him out. Eric remembers it as a great time; he learned a lot about himself while working the streets of Philadelphia. “What Chris taught me was how to take my close-up routines and turn them into parlor routines. He taught me to project my voice and to make eye contact with people in the crowd. He taught me how to stop doing magic at waist level. He taught me that the smallest close-up trick can be played bigger for crowds.” Eric feels very fortunate that the magic community has embraced him and encouraged him. He also thanks the Internet for speeding up the process. No matter what happens in his future, he has proven, many times, that he can pick himself up and start again. If you have the opportunity, be sure to catch Eric Jones. He’s a legend in the making. 

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I m po s s i b le Co i n s ac ro s s Effect: With his sleeves rolled back, the conjuror produces four coins, one at a time, showing the hands empty during each production. He then causes the coins to travel from place to place under test conditions. The coins visibly travel in and out of the spectator’s hands, giving the impression that real magic is taking place. Commentary: I’m a technician. I admit it. I seek out new, cleaner methods to existing plots. I try to solve problems to make the magic I perform seem more impossible. While the process often involves taking several steps backward to make a single step of progress, I can say with confidence that the construction in Impossible Coins Across is far ahead of most “standard” linear Coins Across effects. This routine personifies the word “fairness.” The problem with most Coins Across routines is that there is entirely too much repetition; the structures of such effects are mostly the same. This routine breaks the mold, in that the magic gets progressively more impressive as the routine continues. There is no set rhythm to the magic, meaning that you can take your time so that your audience can really appreciate each and every peregrination. You can utilize several spectators during the course of the routine, which, when performing in an intimate setting, gets everyone involved. Props: Three regular coins (in my case I use Walking Liberty halves); a gravity flipper coin (that matches the regular coins); an expanded shell (that matches the other coins); a coin clip (optional). (See Figure 1.)

Distribution: Begin with the three regular coins and the flipper coin classic palmed in the left hand. The flipper coin is closest to the palm. It doesn’t matter which side of the flipper coin is nearest the palm. The expanded shell is in your left front pants pocket or on a clip on your jacket on the left side. 50 M-U-M Magazine

By E r i c J o n e s

I m possi ble Production The routine begins with the production of four coins into a spectator’s hand or onto a table. As you patter, bring the hands together and allow one of the coins to fall from classic palm in the left hand into finger palm in the right hand. The hands separate, and your attention focuses on your left sleeve. Your right hand (with the coin finger palmed) approaches the left sleeve and produces the coin from the fabric of the sleeve. This move was originally published by David Williamson in his Money Talks routine. Move the right hand back to the right, displaying the coin, as you drop one coin to fingertip rest position in the left hand. This happens as your left hand rests naturally by the side of your body. Reach forward a bit to place the first coin on the table or in a spectator’s hand. Your left hand reaches to the right sleeve to produce its coin from the cloth of the right sleeve. As you produce the coin, use the Malini/Kaps subtlety to imply that the left hand is otherwise empty. The next action will appear as if you place the left hand’s coin on the spectator’s hand (or on the table) as the right hand reaches up to the left sleeve to produce another coin. In this larger action, a coin will be loaded from left classic palm, through the right-hand “thumb hole” and into right-hand finger palm. To accomplish this, you lean forward to place the left-hand coin onto the hand/table as the right hand comes back toward the sleeve. The hands approach each other, the left hand above the right. As they approach, the left hand releases one of its palmed coins; it passes through the curled right hand and into right finger palm position. The hands never stop their individual movements. The right hand continues up toward the left sleeve and produces the just-loaded coin as the left hand drops its coin on top of the coin already on the spectator’s hand. Show that the right hand is empty except for the visible coin it holds; place that coin onto the other two. Your left hand drops the flipper coin to fingertip rest, and then the left hand reaches up to the right sleeve to produce this coin, showing that the hand is otherwise empty. Place the fourth coin with the other three and show both hands empty.

I m possi ble Coi ns Across Pick up the four coins, forming them into a stack; the flipper coin is the top coin of the stack, with the seam of the insert face up. Spread the coins a bit so

diately close the right hand over them. At about the same time, close the left hand. Open the left hand first to show that a coin has traveled across. Hand out the coin for examination, and then open the right hand to reveal only three coins. Take advantage of your spectator’s examination of the first coin to prepare for the next coin’s transit. Show the three coins in a vertical fan at the tips of the left fingers. The top coin should be the flipper coin and the insert side of the coin should be facing you. Place the three coins onto the right fingers, again performing the Clip Placement as explained above. The right hand is palm up, ostensibly displaying that they are in Spellbound position; all four coins three coins. can be seen in your right hand (Figure 2). You then Pick up one of the regular coins from the right hand adjust the flipper coin so that the lip of the flipper (the and give it a flip in the left hand, as the right hand part of the insert that doesn’t move) can be contacted retrieves the insert of the flipper. The right hand curls by the left index finger as all four coins are taken by in so that spectators can’t see how many coins are the left hand. in the hand. Perform any false transfer from left to In my routine Flash Coins Re-Lit (Antimony #4), I right, and open the right hand again to show three published a move I called the Clip Placement, which coins (one real half and the open flipper coin). Classic is a concealment/half-move for the flipper coin. With palm the half-dollar in the left hand as you take back all four coins held by the left index finger and thumb, the first coin from the spectator (or from the table). the left hand turns palm down to place the coins on The Second Coin Travels. You will apparently the palm-up right hand. As it does this, the left hand place three coins into the spectator’s hand. In fact, flicks at the wrist, opening the flipper coin (Figure you place the single real coin and the open flipper 3). The insert slides in between the middle and ring coin. (Make sure the flipper coin is beneath the real fingers of the right hand; the left hand releases the coin.) Instruct the spectator to use her other hand other three coins and they fall on top of the flipper to cover the coins, cupping her hands together. You coin. demonstrate by example, in a quick sequence that drives home what you’re asking your spectator to do, while at the same time concealing the second coin in the left hand. As you initially cup your hands together, drop the coin palmed in the left hand into finger palm in the palm-up right hand. Turn the body toward the left, allowing the spectator to see the coin inside your cupped hands. As you turn, the right fingertips wiggle the coin to the back of the left hand so the hands can separate; the concealed coin is held by the right ring finger (Figure 4). As you cup your hands together again, allow the coin to fall back into the Openly take one of the real coins from the right hand and display it in the left as you patter about the premise of the trick. Flip the coin in the air a couple of times. Use the left hand’s action as misdirection to retrieve the insert so that it looks as if you have four coins resting on the right hand. Pretend to toss the left hand coin back into the right hand, but retain it in classic palm in the left. Make sure that you actually tap the left-hand coin against the coins in the right, reinforcing the illusion that the coin actually arrived in the other hand. Show four coins in the right hand. The First Coin Travels: Toss the “four” coins on the right palm upward a couple of inches and immeMARCH 2011 51

right finger palm. Instruct the spectator to give her hands a few gentle shakes to mix the coins around. She should not pay attention to the sounds she hears in her hands, but should focus her attention on your hands. As you both shake your hands, you release the finger-palmed coin onto the coin in the palm-up right hand. After your spectator reacts to hearing the coin arrive, open your hands first to show that a second coin has gone across. Then instruct her to open her hands (Figure 5). She will freak to find one coin has vanished. This is the point when the most heat is on the gimmick, but a well-constructed gimmick will be able to withstand the momentary scrutiny of the most skeptical spectator. I know this may seem unnerving, but allowing the spectator to briefly look over the coins is a nice bit of reverse psychology, leading the spectator into thinking, “The coins must be legit. Why else would he let me look at them?”

Place your right hand beneath her left hand and your left hand above her right hand. She apparently holds two coins above your hand; you apparently hold two above hers (Figure 7). This is a very convincing display.

Take the two coins from the spectator and hand her your two coins to examine while you set up the two coins into Clip Placement, for a third time, showing two coins on the palm-up right hand. Once the spectator has examined the other two coins, take them back and drop them onto the two coins already on the right hand. Ask your spectator to extend both hands in preparation for the third transit. The Third Coin Travels. Status check: You appear to have four coins on the palm-up right hand. The bottom coin is the flipper coin (insert clipped between middle and ring fingers) and the three regular coins are above it, stepped toward the fingertips. Allow your right thumb to contact the topmost coin, sliding it toward the palm until it completely covers the third coin (the coin second from the bottom). Once in this position, the left-hand middle finger and thumb grasp all three coins (as two) by their edges, showing them to the spectator (Figure 6). The right hand curls in and retrieves the insert during this action. Ask the spectator to take the two coins in your right hand (really the open flipper coin) and hold them between her middle finger and thumb.

On the count of three, you will both allow your coins to fall into the other’s awaiting hands and still one coin will travel. When you let go, your coins will spread as they hit her hand, revealing three; the spectator’s flipper will nest, vanishing one as it hits your hand. Immediately place the flipper coin back into the spectator’s left hand and allow her to examine everything again. As she does, steal your expanded shell from the clip or from your pocket and move it into left-hand finger palm, with the mouth of the shell away from the fingers. The Fourth Coin Travels. Take the flipper coin back with the left hand. Nest the flipper coin into the shell as you take the other three coins back with the right hand. Place the three regular coins on the left hand’s coin as you turn the left hand palm up. Spread to show all four coins, and nothing else. Ask the spectator to open her right hand. As you count the coins openly into her hand, the shelled flipper will go on top of the stack, mouth down. Show your hands empty and ask the spectator to hand you one of the coins. She will hand you the shell. As

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she does so, you instruct her to close her hand over the other three (actually four) coins (Figure 8). This move is credited to Robert Bengal and can be found in his notes. You are now holding the shell; she holds four coins, while she believes she has only three. Perform any complete vanish in your repertoire. Depending on my situation, I will perform either a top pocket vanish, a pocket vanish from Bobo’s New Modern Coin Magic, or my Imagination Production/Vanish. While those vanishes are worth your research if you’ve never used them, I’ll describe a slightly more novel approach.

her shoulder until she begins opening her hand. This gives you plenty of physical misdirection to palm off the coin. You can either ditch the shell or you can finger palm it and add it to the spectator’s coins when she hands them back to you.

Th i ngs to Make You Go H m m m

You won’t have to worry about the spectators wanting to examine the props, because they have been looking closely at them throughout the routine. Place everything in your left pants pocket and you’re reset. Here you get two routines for the price of one. The first is a slick production sequence that gives the audience the impression that your hands are empty before and after every production of a coin. The Coins Across, while not particularly difficult to perform, will require a bit of timing to effectively transition between phases. The last coin vanish I’ve dubbed the GODHAND move. It stands for Grand Open Deception and Handling of Apollo’s Nefarious Ditch. The basic concept (as the name would imply) came from the Apollo Robbins technique of producing a coin on the shoulder. I thought that if you can leave it there to produce, surely you can retrieve it after showing the Place the shell on the palm of your left hand, in hands empty. I use it to switch coins in and out of play, open classic palm position, as you show that both for color change sequences, body load sequences, hands are otherwise empty. Perform a classic palm and for complete vanishes. Later I noticed that a very false transfer, retaining the coin in the left hand. similar technique was employed by Max Malini as Allow the left hand to drop by the side as you bring described in Malini and His Magic by Dai Vernon. attention to the closed right fist. Quickly drop the Lastly, I’d like to thank Dan Watkins, Ron Jaxon, shell into fingertip rest position, and use the thumb to and Mike Powers. While this routine was indepenflip the shell over, mouth down. Re-classic palm the dently conceived while experimenting with the shell as you reach up to the spectator’s right shoulder. various props, there are antecedents. Ron Jaxon, (an Make eye contact with her as you ask her to watch excellent conjuror in Michigan) published an ebook very closely. called Flip-M-Out that featured a trick in which four The moment you make eye contact, deposit the shell coins are placed into a spectator’s hands, covered, on the widest portion of her shoulder. Then bring the and one coin travels to the performer’s hands. Mike left hand into her line of vision, snapping the fingers Powers published two phases of Ron’s routine in his over the clenched book Power Plays in a routine called Flipped Out. right fist (Figure 9). While the premise of the three is the same, Flip-MSlowly open your Out, Flipped Out, and Impossible Coins Across are right hand to reveal completely different. Dan Watkins has an excellent that the coin has routine called Four Coins, Your Hands in which four vanished. Ask the coins travel between the spectator’s hands; it also spectator to guess utilizes a Gravity Flipper Coin. All these effects are where the coin worth your consideration.  could have gone. Point to her fist as Editor’s Note: Eric Jones is left-handed. The above you place the palm routine is described for a left-handed performer. of your left hand directly over the Text and photos copyright 2011 Eric Jones shell. Prepare to re-classic palm it. Keep the hand on MARCH 2011 53

Steps to a Successful Publicity Campaign

By Rick Allen

M

y name is Rick Allen; I’ve been a full-time professional magician for over twenty years. Before that I was sales/advertising planning manager and PR head for the second largest publishing company in the U.S.A. After that I owned my own PR firm and direct-mail advertising company. I mention this to establish my credentials as a successful businessperson. I have been a member of The Society of American Magicians for almost thirty years. Being a member of Assembly 112 (Concord/San Francisco area), I watched the membership struggle to put together a yearly fundraising show; usually it broke even or lost money each year. About four or five years ago, I helped them with media coverage, and they made money each of those years. Over the years, I’ve discussed how to garner free publicity for their yearly show with my fellow compeers, but many seemed not to get it (or they didn’t want to get it). They almost always have had a “good show,” but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was building a paying audience, which is the key to bringing in the money! “Show Business” is two words, and the emphasis is on the larger word. It’s also the most important word if you are doing it, as I do, for a living. I’ve realized for some time that the vast majority of our members had little or no business experience; almost none of them had ever run their own business and most of them had never worked for any

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professional sales organization. Everyone knows different things about different subjects. There is no reason why they should know about promoting a show. The following won’t make you an expert on promotion, but it will give you tools to set you on the right path. All publicity is very similar to advertising. The difference is that advertising costs money. Publicity is often free, except for the work of putting it together and the work (a lot more) of getting the media to pay attention. You better have a good “hook” and a solid foundation (such as a really excellent show). All media will work with you if you can give them lively, interesting, and legitimate news and you can explain how this news can benefit their readers, viewers, or customers. Your hook for a magic show could tie in with Halloween. Houdini is always a good door-opener. Create a tie-in with a highly thought-of charity or hospital in your area. Charities that work with children are always a good possibility; the show helps raise funds for the charity, and the charity helps your group sell tickets. Your publicity needs good strong graphics and/or photos. There are a few photos in magic that are almost guaranteed to get space. Number one is a levitation photo or danger shot, such as sawing a person in half. You may think that viewers of your photos on TV, in print, or on Web sites may find this old hat. This is only old hat to magicians; the media and lay people are fascinated.

Here’s some advice on how not to get space on TV or other media. Every year prior to my getting heavily involved with the PR for our assembly show, the people in charge chose to use email to get information to all media. The results were zip. Before you start sending out information, get to know your local editors and segment producers; you can then use email once they know who you are. Call your local TV station or network affiliate and say, “We are doing a magic show several months down the road and we want to make sure we send the right material to your channel. Could I meet with one of your segment producers and make sure we are doing this right?” All TV stations and major newspapers in metro areas get as many as four hundred emails a day for stories or TV time for “worthy causes.” If they don’t know you, your group, or your worthy cause, they won’t even read your email message. And forget about sending photos via attachment. TV, radio, and newspaper personnel have orders not to open unsolicited attachments. So there goes your great idea of depending on email. I don’t have the figures on the number of people reached through our radio, TV, and Internet presence, but I know for a fact that our print photos reached over one-and-a-half million paid subscribers. We filled the venue, produced a financial success for Assembly 112, and brought positive attention to The Society of American Magicians in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

7 Steps to a Successful Publicity Campaign for a Major Local Magic Show 1. Introduce yourself to media people. Months before your event, make friends with your local editor of the strongest newspaper in your area. Call your national affiliate TV channel (Fox, ABC, CBS, and NBC) and your most popular local TV channel and find out how they operate. Find out who the segment producers are and what their deadlines are. Find out who the feature editors are and when the best time to see them is. Stay away from their deadline times when calling or making appointments. Plan your Internet presence. Have all your ducks in a row for easy ticket

A small sampling of the print media coverage

sales. Keep it simple. Offer group sales, for example, five tickets for a reduced price (this is currently quite popular). Folks need a financial incentive to part with their money during the current financial slowdown. 2. Read some books and do some research on how to write a simple press release. (See the example on page 46). It’s not that hard to do. WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHO, WHY and HOW are the key points to cover. 3. Get the best photos and graphics from your performers; having good photos makes designing a good poster a lot easier. Make sure the photos look professional; bringing in photos that are not professional immediately marks you as an amateur and will hurt your recognition factor. Editors are looking for excitement, fun, and/or possible danger. Don’t use or submit photos that are too clever; sometimes those are hard to understand.

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[Logo or banner of your organization goes here] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: RICK ALLEN (Phone number) (Email address) or JAY WEISBERG (Phone number) (Email address) Rock & Roll Family Fun, Magic Show El Campanil Theatre in Antioch Antioch, CA – The Rock & Roll Magic Show II is presented by The Society of American Magicians. This is a professional magic and illusion show for the whole family. In its second annual show, this one-night-only show features seven of the area’s best, award-winning, professional magicians, backed by classical rock band Biernacki and the Illusion. The 2010 Rock & Roll Magic Show II will star the amazing magic of Ric & Kara, Douglass the Magic Man, Magic by Danielle, Roy Portido, the comedy of Jerry and Reggie, illusionist Gerald Joseph, and rock band Biernacki and the Illusion. Special guest this year will be Jay Alexander. Jay is a master magician and mentalist who has done command performances for rock and roll stars like Bono of U2, David Crosby, the Rolling Stones, and comedians Robin Williams and John Cleese. This year’s Rock & Roll Magic Show is a tribute to Harry Houdini, “October is Magic Month,” and “Antioch is Magic.” Here’s good clean family fun with stunning music effects and hilarious, eye-popping magical illusions. This special, one-night event, happens Saturday, October 21st. It will appeal to all ages from 5 to 105. Bring the whole family. The show is sponsored by The Society of Magicians, Contra Costa Chapter. This worldwide fraternal organization was established in 1902. Its first president for nine years was Harry Houdini. The Rock & Roll Magic Show II, El Campanil Theatre, Saturday, October 21st at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 - $25 and can be ordered through the El Campanil Box Office at (925) 757-9500. Web site: www.elcampaniltheatre.com

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Above: Poster from the Rock and Roll Magic show. Left :Sample Press Release

4. Photos that catch the editor’s eye: levitation; a well-dressed or well-costumed magician with rabbit (yes, it’s corny but it works!); a dangerous-looking illusion – sawing in half, sword through neck, or an escape. Make sure you do not use anything dated like the Razor Blades in an ad or a story. The blades don’t show up and the public doesn’t get it. Please don’t take in a photo of the assembly board of directors making a decision to have a magic show. This is boring! 5. Photos with spectators reacting to the magic are excellent to submit; shoot photo over the shoulder of the magician amazing some folks on the street or in some other casual crowd scene. David Blaine and Criss Angel originally built their careers on this. It was the expressions on the spectators’ faces that sold the effect! If your show is “family friendly” (and I hope it is), use kids as your subjects. Stay away from “posed” photos with this idea. Professional photographers or camera staff know how to do this. Listen to them. 6. Set a timetable; be organized and professional.

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Put yourself in the shoes of the editor, feature reporter, and/or segment producer. 7. Finally, do not think that everything is fine just because you had a good interview with the right media person. Hard news (that is, real news: fires, crimes, disasters, etc.) can bump you off the schedule. One time we had stories ready for a big show coming up. Some of our publicity was supposed to break on the same day as the big Loma Prieta earthquake that hit in the San Francisco area and brought down a section of the Bay Bridge. Talk about bad timing. This disaster hit about ten days prior to our show, so it all worked out. Good press agents never give up!  Rick Allen lives in the San Francisco Bay area. He performs 200 shows a year. Send any questions to his secretarial service at: [email protected] or call him at 707-745-0100.

Tech Material Sewing some new costumes? Need a specialized backdrop? Sure, you could get an artist to paint your logo. Better yet, try out a new Internet company called Fabric on Demand. They will be a lifesaver for you. Upload your design and they will blow it up to any size that will fit on the fabric. You can also upload a design and they will repeat it all over the fabric. They then print out the fabric by the yard. The price for a yard of fabric averages around $16 and there are no minimums. They offer unlimited continuous yardage, permanent color, and the fabric is washable. They print on cotton, fleece, micro-suede, Lycra/spandex, and polyester/satin, which is ideal for decorative scarves. Learn all about their services at www.fabricondemand.com. Bookmark this Web site; you’ll probably have a need for it.

Paranormal Prank Barry and Stewart are very clever U.K. magicians. Their popular television show is now available to view here in the States if you subscribe to Hulu Plus. As an April Fool’s Day stunt for the BBC, the duo set up a great scam for people to trick their friends. Your friends will actually think that they have psychic powers. This link takes you to the scam: http://tinyurl.com/bbc-esptest33. Before you go there, point your browser to YouTube at: http://tinyurl.com/bbc-esptest33-explanation. Watch the explanation first; it shows hidden camera reactions from laymen and then an explanation on how to use the first link. Essentially, your friends will watch a grainy Russian ESP experiment from the mid 1960s. They will find that they are amazingly accurate in guessing ESP signs. Try it out.

Who Needs a Wallet? Card to Wallet is a standard in my close-up repertoire; now your iPhone can take the place of the wallet. Although, there have been other similar apps, this one is very clean with no excess baggage. Essentially, the folded signed card ends up in the window of your iPhone or iPod Touch. Wiggle it around and then pull it out of the phone. Hand it to the spectator; it’s

the signed card that they selected moments ago. This app is well written with lots of choices, including many back designs, face-up folded cards, and coins from various countries. There is also a deluxe version with other objects, including Sweet and Low packets, Oreo cookies, matches, and more. Watch Jakob Halskov demonstrate this app and see his “flip move” to throw a card or coin into the phone. His Web site is www.cards2phone.halskov.com. Cards2Phone is $3.99 at the iTunes app store.

Pop Goes the Balloon This app is a real fooler and I’ve been having a lot of fun with it. Remember the old trick where you have four differentcolored silks tied on a ribbon? The spectator names a color and that silk falls off the ribbon. Balloons Magic app uses four different-colored balloons. A spectator names a color. All you do is clap your hands and the selected balloon pops. Do it over and over again. I thought this would be great for kids, but adults are also amazed at the effect. It looks great on the iPad but also works on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Balloons Magic is available at the Apple iTunes store for 99 cents.

Butterfly in a Jar Remember when you were a child and you ran around fields with a glass jar catching butterflies? I never did that either, but a company called Gemmy has come out with a really neat novelty item that looks great on stage or on your desk. It’s a glass jar containing a butterfly. Tap the lid and the butterfly flies around the jar. Tap it three times and it flutters its wings. No it’s not real, but it sure looks it. It’s mesmerizing, magical, and has lots of possibilities for your act. You can see it in action at www.gemmy.com. Butterfly in a Jar sells for $16 to $20 and is available at Amazon.com, Thinkgeek. com, or possibly your local toy store.  Bruce is always on the lookout for computer magic, iPhone/ iPod Touch apps, and tech toys that can be used in magic applications. If you have any suggestions for future columns, write to Bruce at [email protected] or call him on Skype. His Skype name is revlak.

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BASIC TRAINING BY IAN KENDALL

STACK ‘EM AND PACK ‘EM Hello again. This month I want to have a look at one of the stepping stones of magic, and by that I mean a skill that, once mastered, makes further progress to a slightly more advanced technique all the more enjoyable. We are going to be working with stacked decks – cards that are prearranged into a known order that enable us to know, relatively easily, the values of the cards in the immediate vicinity. There are many stacks out there, but today we are going to look at two of the more famous, the Eight Kings and the Si Stebbins stacks.

arrange the cards into another order, one that is easy to remember yet does not scream out, “Hey, I’m a stack.” Ideally, we should be able to tell, by knowing the value of the top or the face card, the value of the next couple of cards quickly and efficiently. Finally, the stacks should be cyclical, so that if the deck is given straight cuts, and no matter how many times it is cut, the order is preserved (if a little offset).

A Distinction

The first stack we are going to look at is called the Eight Kings stack. It’s old – originally described in the book The Expositor by a magician called Pinchback in 1805 – but is one of those things that has passed the test of time. Although I learned the stack when I first came into magic, I was not convinced of its deceptiveness until I saw Pat Page demolish a roomful of magicians with it at a mini convention in Edinburgh in the late ‘80s. That persuaded me to work on the stack, and I used it on stage in the early ‘90s. The stack is described by a short poem: “Eight Kings threatened to save ninety-five ladies from one sick knave.” (There is another version – nine fine ladies – but that wasn’t the one I learned, so we will stick with the former, if it’s all the same with you.) The values of the cards, therefore, are 8, K, 3, 10 (three-ten/threaten – see?), 2, 7 (seven/save), 9, 5, Q, 4 (four/from), A, 6 (six/sick), J. The suits can be in any order that alternates, the most common (and the one I use) is CHaSeD – Clubs, Hearts, Spades, and Diamonds. This means the start of the stack is 8C, KH, 3S, 10D, 2C, 7H, 9S, 5D, QC, 4H, AS, 6D, JC, 8H (see Photo 1). You can see that after the last card in the poem – the Jack of Clubs – we go back to the start with the Eight of Hearts (because Hearts follow Clubs in the CHaSeD order). No matter how many times the deck is given straight cuts, internal order of the cards is maintained.

First off, let’s clear up one important point: There is a real difference between working with a stacked deck and working with a memorized deck. With a stack we can calculate the position of a particular card in a deck, but this takes time (depending on your mental faculties) and for many people these calculations are accompanied by some interesting facial contortions. With a memorized deck, when one has achieved the required ability, the position of the selected card is known in an instant. With practice you can then know the relative position of another card – the calculation aspect fades into the darker reaches of the mind. This is not what we are talking about here, but that skill is attainable with a stack; it will just take longer. For now, we will be sticking with the simple calculations. (If you want to explore memdeck work, there are several essential texts – Mnemonica by Juan Tamariz, Workers 5 by Michael Close, Tangled Web by Eric Mead, and pretty much anything by Simon Aronson).

So What is a Stack, Then?

Good question. Imagine you take a new deck of cards from its box. The cards are in a known order – we call it “new deck” order, and it’s a run from Ace to King twice, then King to Ace twice. This is, for all intents and purposes, a stack – albeit a fairly useless one. (There’s a fun thing you can do with a new deck if you can throw in a casual false shuffle; have a card selected in the fairest manner possible. Have it returned in the extra fairest way you can. Show your fellow magicians that you are holding no breaks or crimps. Fan the cards towards you; the selected card is the only one out of sequence. Concentrate for as long as your acting classes will allow, then remove the card, ask for the name from the spectator, and display. Don’t be put off by the simplicity of the method. This works due to Editor Mike’s notion of Unconscious Assumptions: magicians would not expect you to have a deck in new order, and will be looking for fancy peeks or controls. Trust me on this one…) So, new deck order is not that useful to us, and we need to

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How Many Kings?

Photo 1

Here’s a wee tip for getting the deck into stack order without stress. Take your deck and sort it into suits, and then into the Eight Kings order within each suit. Lay these cards out in four rows on your table and then, moving from left to right in the CHaSeD order, recite the poem as you collect the cards into a deck. It may seem long winded, but it’s a heck of a lot faster than searching through a shuffled deck.

Using the Stack

Now that we have our deck in Eight Kings order (from here on I’ll just say 8K) we can practice using it. Cut the deck a few times, completing the cuts, and then turn over the top card. I see the Seven of Diamonds. If I run through the poem, I know that the value of the next card has to be a Nine (because we Saved Ninety Five ladies, remember?). The next suit after Diamonds is Clubs, so I know that the next card is the Nine of Clubs. Going the other way, I know that the face card is a Two (because we threatened to save) and it is a Spade, the suit before Diamonds. See how that works? Let’s try it with another card: my top card is the Ten of Clubs, so the next card will be the Two of Hearts, and the face card is the Three of Diamonds. When you start out there will be a short pause as you work out the values back and forth. This pause will diminish with practice, until you will be able to name the cards on either side in a split second. Spend some time at this point cutting to cards and naming the two cards on either side of it. Don’t cheat; make sure that you name the card before you look. When you can hit the cards rapidly every time (and this could take anything from a couple of hours to a couple of days) try determining two cards on either side. Remember that the faster you can know the card, preferably without frowning, the more deceptive you will be. Having said that, the tricks that we will be looking at later do have some built in time misdirection, which gives you more breathing, and thinking, time.

Maintaining the Stack

Sometimes it’s nice to know that the top card of the deck is the first card in your stack. Certainly this comes in very handy when you make the jump to memdeck work, so it’s a good habit to learn at this stage. Basically, we need a way to reliably cut the Eight of Clubs to the top of the deck, and have a method for being able to tell the value of the face card without looking. To do this we borrow a couple of techniques from the gambling world (believe it or not) – the scalloped short card and the punch. To make a scallop short we need to slightly hollow out the short ends of the Eight – the easiest way to do this is by scraping the edge of the card with a fingernail and then smoothing things out with a fine fingernail buffing stick. The amount that needs to come off is relatively tiny – around a sixteenth of an inch would be on the large side – but this is enough that if you cut the deck at the short end you will naturally cut at the break and the card above the short card – the Jack of Diamonds – will be cut to the face. (For more information on the scallop short, see Dennis Loomis’s column in the January 2011 issue of M-U-M.) So that we know that we hit the cut at the right place, we punch, or peg, the face of the Jack. To do this, you can buy a proper card punch, but these can be expensive, and we can do the same thing by pushing a sewing needle into a bottle cork. Then, with the blunt end of the needle, press down on the outer right corner of the back of the Jack, around the vicinity of the angel on a Bike deck. You don’t want to go through the card,

and the card should be on something soft like a close-up mat, but if you practice on a Joker or a spare card you will be able to gauge how much pressure you need to use so that the bump is noticeable by touch on the face of the card. Trial and error is the key here, and if you can position it so that the bump is on the blue line that goes around the Jack, then so much the better. Do this at both ends of the card and you will be able to tell, just by running your finger over the index corner of the face card whether you have the Jack or not.

False Shuffles

It’s always useful to have a casual false shuffle that you can use before anything has started, to give the impression of mixing the cards. It’s important – but not essential – that you do not draw attention to the shuffle. Remember, you are just shuffling cards, another of those innocuous acts that does not require any particular concentration to do, and so you need not concentrate (at least, on the outside) when you do it. I am aware that I say that so many times that the column should be renamed “It’s Innocuous, Ignore It,” but it is a very important point if we are still striving for naturalness. There is a very useful false overhand shuffle in the December 2009 column – if you joined us late for the party you can still look this up on the S.A.M. Web site. When you want to start using your stacked deck, take it out of the box (again, this takes no effort) and run through a couple of loose overhand shuffles (false, of course) as you address your audience. Since you are just talking and shuffling the cards, they will “tune out” the shuffling and concentrate their attention on the important thing, which is what you are saying.

The Other White-bordered Cards

Let’s take a look at the other stack for the day – the Si Stebbins stack. This is a numerically incremental cyclical stack, which is a long way of saying the cards go up in value as they go through the deck. Si Stebbins (or William Coffrin to his mother) was a circus clown who performed at the end of the 19th century. He learned a cyclical stack from a Syrian magician named Selim Cid and published it, albeit in a slightly different form, as the Si Stebbins stack. If we start with the Ace of Clubs – the suits are in CHaSeD order as before, so it’s a good place to start – the value of the next card will be three higher, in this case a Four, and the suit will be Hearts, so the second card is the Four of Hearts. Following this is the Seven (4+3, math fans) and a Spade, and then the Ten of Diamonds. Photo 2 shows the first thirteen cards of the Si Stebbins stack.

Photo 2

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BASIC TRAINING To get familiar with the stack, we can play the same game as we did with the 8K stack – set up the deck and cut several times. Turn over the top card and then calculate the cards either side of it. For example, I turn over the Ace of Hearts; I know that the next card down is the Four of Spades and the card at the face is the Jack of Clubs. Spend some time working through the calculations. One happy coincidence – the face card of both the 8K and SS stacks is the Jack of Diamonds, so if you punched the card for the 8K stack, it will still work for the SS (although you’ll need a different short card, of course).

looking ahead; take your time and make a decision before you look at the solution.

Adding an Extra Layer of Sneaky

There is one other thing to consider before we look at some routines to learn, and it’s an extra level of deviousness that takes a powerful tool and makes it even better – marking the cards. If we put some effective marks on the backs of the cards, we don’t even need to glimpse the top or face card to know where we are in the stack – the information is there to see on the back of the deck! There are almost as many ways to mark a card as there are magicians (give or take a couple), but for beginners there are few better than the Ted Lesley method, or one of the variations that are out there. The Lesley marking method involves tiny transfers that are put on the back of the card to indicate its value; if you think that would be obvious, I can tell you that the first time I encountered one of these decks the marks flew right past me, and I knew about the system! Boris Wild also markets a version of this system in which the marks are printed onto the cards. Since the USPCC has decreed that no one can mess with the back design of the 808 deck anymore, now would be a good time to stock up on these decks while they are still available. If you don’t want to buy your decks ready marked, you should definitely pick up a book called Marked for Life by Kirk Charles, which goes into many different marking systems for cards.

I Learned the Stack, Now What?

Let’s look at some of the things we can do with a stack. The worst thing you can do is simply to have a card selected and then announce its value to the world. This is not the most deceptive thing we can do with a stacked deck, so please put that idea out of your head. What we can do, however, is use our acting skills to dress up the revelation and make it into a miracle. At the start of the column I described a silly thing with a new deck; luckily, this works well with a stack, although you will need to think a bit more! Have a card selected, and make sure that you do not see the face card; you don’t want anyone suspecting that you are using a key card in this trick. Have the card remembered and replaced in the deck. You want to make sure it does not go back too near its original position; if by fluke it goes back in the same spot it came from, you won’t be able to find it. Be extra fair in how you take back the cards. At this stage you don’t want to do anything that could be construed as sneaky. Look through the cards with the faces towards you, being mindful of roughly where the selection came from, and you should be able to spot the break in the sequence quite easily. This tells you the card; either it will not be where it should be (there is a gap in the sequence) or it is where it should not be (the selection is an interloper). Have a look at Photo 3 and see if you can spot the selections. Don’t cheat by

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Photo 3 Once you spot the gap, cut the cards at this point to bring the card that follows the selection in the sequence to the top of the deck. Again spread the cards with the faces toward you. Find the selection, up-jog it, take it out, think a moment, close the deck into an open position, think some more, and then, with the card well away from the deck, ask for the name of the card. Show the card for the miracle. Because we cut the deck before the revelation, placing the selection on the top of the deck resets the stack. As for the problem in Photo 3, the top cards are in 8K, and if you look, the Ace of Spades is missing, so that must be the selection. In the lower cards, which are in Si Stebbins, the Eight of Hearts is not where it should be, and so that must be the selection.

A Bit of Marked Mind Reading

This is a fun experiment if you have marked your stacked deck. Place the deck on the table, and address your three spectators. Ask spectator one to cut the deck and complete the cut. This effectively provides us with a new face card of the deck, but make sure that no one sees this card yet. Ask spectator two to cut the cards again, but to carry his packet over to the side of the deck so we have two piles. It’s not essential, but you want the cut-off packet to be a bit more than half the deck. Now ask spectator number three to cut this second packet in half, so that we have three piles of cards on the table. I’m going to assume that the cards were cut from right to left from your point of view; as long as you keep tabs on the order, it’s not that big a deal. Because the cards are marked, we know instantly the values of the face cards of each packet, but we are not going to say anything just yet. Reading from the right, the top card tells us the value of the middle packet’s face card; it’s the card above it in the stack. The top of the middle packet tells us the value for the left packet, and the top of the left packet tells us the right-hand packet’s face card. Look at Photo 4 for a visual aid. Reading the marks, I know that the card on top of the left-hand packet is the Five of Spades. Since I am using 8K here, I know that the face card of the right-hand packet is the Nine of Hearts (since that is the card before the Five in the sequence). Moving on to the

STACK ‘EM AND PACK ‘EM remember their cards. Now you can go into a “poker tell” demonstration as you whittle down the options to their card, getting them to lie or tell the truth to whatever bizarre questions you can think of. Reveal their cards with all the gravitas you can muster and watch the reaction. Another good thing about this method is that by invoking the idea of Unconscious Assumptions again the suspicion of marked cards is negated, because they are looking at the face of the packets. If you ask them to look at the top cards, the effect is not nearly so strong, because one probable solution is marked cards. By burying the cards at the bottom of the packets we get to be extra sneaky, which is a good thing.

Thoughts Photo 4 right-hand packet, I see that it is the Three of Clubs. This tells me that the middle face card is the King of Diamonds. Finally, the middle top card is the Six of Diamonds, so I know that spectator three cut to the Ace of Spades. Now that I have worked out the three face cards, all that remains to do is dress it up with a little cold reading; I talk about personalities and how I can tell where someone is going to cut the cards. Another fun presentation is to get the three spectators to look at the faces of their packets and

It’s worth spending some time with the stacks to get comfortable with them. The time spent now will go a long way to making your transition to memorized deck work a good deal easier. Choose the stack you find the easiest to work with and practice with it, but it’s certainly a good idea to try both at first so you can make an informed decision. It’s also a very good thing to download StackView, which is a free PC program that lets you practice and learn many different stacks (www.stackview.com). Last week I got back from my first trip to the Magic Castle, and I’d like to thank everyone in L.A. who made my trip so enjoyable. I hope to be back some day. 

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INFORMED OPINION Latest Product Reviews Compiled and Edited by W. S. Duncan

Secret Agenda Book By Roberto Giobbi

Available from Hermetic Press: www.HermeticPress.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $55.00 Review by Antonio M. Cabral One of the great pleasures of magic as a social engine is the opportunity to spend time with the people in the craft whom you admire. I don’t mean just attending lectures, or the occasional handshake and “thank you” at a meet-and-greet. I mean actually sitting down, having a meal or a drink, having conversations about a shared passion, and just…spending some time. It could be an evening, a weekend, or years of your life. Maybe you’re lucky enough that it’s with some of the people whose books are on your shelves, or maybe it’s someone in your area or at your local club who’s a well-kept secret – the person who just seems to know everything from the right way to load the fruit at the end of your Chop Cup routine, to which effects are the real foolers in The Royal Road to Card Magic, to the proper way to tie a full Windsor knot. It’s easy to simply name-check these people for the social cache, thinking it somehow makes you better (the school of “I Spent Time With So-and-So and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt”), but when you reach the point where you open up, relax, and find yourself really learning, you find yourself actually getting better. That’s a singular, wonderful feeling and there’s nothing like it. Secret Agenda comes close. Giobbi calls Secret Agenda a “notebook,” comparing it to other collections like The Jacob Daley Notebooks, or the recently released Castle Notebooks of Bruce Cervon. And like any other notebook, it’s not 100%, top-to-bottom gold. However, the stuff in there that I consider gold might not be the same stuff you consider gold. It’s simply a collection, at worst an accumulation, and at best a treasure trove. What sets Secret Agenda apart is the day book structure, encouraging the reader to take just a thought or idea a day and…spend some time. It’s like being a year-long houseguest and every day hearing something from your host that sticks with you, or piques your curiosity, or just makes you think. I’m a little sad that I had to read the whole book in one go for the purpose of this review; it actually feels like cheating. If you’re familiar with Giobbi’s other works, then you’re a little familiar with his personality, tastes, and preferences. He’s just as likely to discuss Anatole France and Chef Paul Bocuse as he is to describe the proper way to handle a double-undercut. And it should surprise no one that the author of Card College tends to focus on card tricks, moves, and subtleties. But there are also a number of non-card items in Secret Agenda, as well as thoughts on note-taking, organization, productivity, stage fright,

marketing, and how to dress for a show. My favorite “trivial” item might be the advice on the proper way to place one’s hand in one’s pocket so as not to draw unnecessary attention to one’s waistline. My least favorite items are the ones of the “puzzle” variety, little brainteasers and bits of logical gobbledygook that allow you to demonstrate how you have eleven fingers on your hands or how logically a ham sandwich is better than amazing sex. Okay, I like that last one, but the rest just aren’t my cup of tea. And yet, I don’t mind them as part of the whole because I see them as part and parcel of the kind of conversation Giobbi wants to have with the reader, and advocates having with one’s audiences. Granted, it speaks to a much more relaxed atmosphere than we might find here in the United States, but who knows? Maybe those items are just the sort of thing you could find useful at your next restaurant gig. I suppose Secret Agenda is what you’d get if you were a graduate assistant after Card College. It’s a beautifully produced book, well-written, and contains some terrifically stimulating ideas. My only complaint is that the structure doesn’t make it easy to dive back in if you’re looking for a specific item. Then again, maybe I should try to look up some of the tips on note-taking and organize my own notes a little better (right after I make the list of my own preferred approaches to different card plots). I very much recommend this book.

Bulletproof Book By Andy Nyman

Hardcover with dust jacket, 287 pages Available from The Miracle Factory: www.MiracleFactory.net Price: $250.00 Review by Christian Painter As I was handed this hefty tome to review, I was told the price was $250. Noticing the wrinkling of my brow and the instant flash of skepticism, this person told me, “…but it includes a bunch of gaffs, a DVD, and a CD.” Upon hearing that, and knowing that Todd Karr published the book, it did alleviate my immediate apprehension. As I skimmed through the book, the first thing I noticed was that it is a high quality book: the paper, the layout, the print, and the feel are all top notch. Attached to the back cover are two discs, and interspersed throughout the book are various gaffs/props. The book is professionally done; there is no question about that. The first 145 pages are Andy Nyman’s lecture notes from 1997, 1999, and 2002. You can buy these lecture notes for around $60. It is true that they have been updated when necessary (for instance VHS is no longer used, so DVDs have been substituted) and the addition of photos and clearer illustrations have made understand-

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ing the tricks much easier. But if you have these lecture notes, then half of the book is redundant. I have mixed feelings about the effects from these lecture notes. The first trick in the book, Deep Red Prediction, is a movie prediction. It reads as a fun romp; however, it works because of a preshow force. I am not a big fan of preshow forcing for many reasons, one being that it is not very clever. I can make many of the tricks in my show look like miracles if I carry out some sort of clandestine before-the-show-magic. It will only take a few people to ask the volunteer about the miracle after the show to learn that some kind of extra work had taken place. The result for the audience will be disappointment. Another effect called Magician’s Graphology is a simple reworking of Larry Becker’s Sneak Thief, without adding much to the effect. Witness for the Prosecution is Mr. Nyman’s work on an Annemann effect. Whenever I read about someone’s reworking of someone else’s effect, I look for one of two things: That the method has been reworked to make it simpler or more deceptive. Or, that a very entertaining presentation has been added to make it something you will want to perform. I did not feel that Mr. Nyman accomplished either with Witness for the Prosecution. He wants us to “mark” our targets/people with a rather large and obvious device, but does not explain how we will accomplish this surreptitiously. Nor does he explain how the medium will observe the markings without arousing suspicion, nor how to get the device back after the effect. Before you think that I don’t like anything in the book, there are flashes of brilliance. I can see Mr. Saturday Night getting overlooked for its simplicity of method. The strength of this routine is the presentation and how it will play to laymen. It is three pages in the book that could easily be the highlight of the right show. Con Air is diabolical. It is a living-and-dead test with billets that makes sense. The blocking and moves are all logical and well thought out. As I read Mr. Nyman’s newer material, I felt it to be the same quality as his older material. Mazeltov is a trick that Mr. Nyman challenges you to come up with your own presentation for; however, the trick is very similar to Joseph Curchillo’s Time is of the Essence. What made Mazeltov interesting was the script, which Mr. Nyman does not want you to use. So all you are left with is a method and premise that is fairly well known in mentalism. The Stalking of Marie Ambrose is a very good script with some clever ideas. It is a séance piece. Mr. Nyman strives to make this piece as gruesomely realistic as possible. The story alone will send shivers down the spine of many audience members. As you read the book you get a peek inside the mind of Andy Nyman. You get the feeling that he is the type of guy you would like to have as a next-door neighbor. His depiction of how to change your pants in a bathroom stall will have hobbyists laughing and professionals knowingly nodding. Mr. Nyman cites references and inspirations for his tricks. He also supplies many, but not all, of the gaffs for his effects throughout the pages. I like Andy Nyman. He comes across as a very humble person, passionate about mentalism and about acting. The DVD that comes with the book is a look behind the scenes of one of his movies. You will watch him go through all the make-up and special effects that need to happen in order for him to be devoured by zombies. Although it is interesting, I would much rather have had a DVD of him performing some of the tricks within the pages of this very expensive book. The CD is a forty-seven minute interview between Todd Karr and Andy Nyman. The interview meanders along and only occasionally captures Mr. Nyman’s deeper ideas or philosophies

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of performing. The ideas and thoughts seemed unfocused and scattered. As I read this book it is evident that Mr. Nyman’s strengths are in his presentational ideas and most likely his acting skills. The book is a fun read; if you are a fan of Mr. Nyman, I am sure you will be more than happy. While I was writing this review, I was told that only one hundred copies of the book remain. By the time this review sees print, I am sure the book will be sold out. I am also sure this book will hit the auction sites very soon at inflated prices. Why do I say this? Because people who have purchased the book have already stated this on some of the magic forums on the Internet. This is what happens to “limited” run books. Their scarcity becomes more valuable than the information within the pages. So, if your goal is to purchase the book for the material, then I would suggest you purchase Andy Nyman’s lecture notes first to see if these are the types of effects that would interest you.

Mock Up Volume One: Shattered Reality Book By Lance Richardson Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $35.00

Review by Payne Fifield   I normally like to try out the effects I review before putting (virtual) pen to paper. I’ll either inflict them upon my wife, my magic club, or present them in front of a lay audience. I’m a regular performer at a free monthly magic show at a neighborhood bookstore here in Seattle, which is a perfect venue to try out many of the effects I am given to evaluate. However, since this illusion requires more time and money to construct than I was willing to shell out, I can only imagine how it would play. The effect is this: The magician enters the stage carrying a large 21 by 28 inch framed mirror. This is placed in a contemporarylooking stand and then covered with a piece of cloth. A hammer is then brought out and used to smash the mirror. The audience hears the glass breaking and sees shards of shattered mirror falling to the stage floor. The cloth is then removed and the frame that formerly held the mirror is seen to be empty. The frame is recovered, the shattered shards vanished, and the mirror revealed to be miraculously restored. I would really like to see this trick performed. Seriously, before writing this review I looked online for a video demo. None was to be found. One would think that this would be Marketing 101 when releasing an item of this nature to the magic community. The lack of an online demo video raises suspicion of the validity of this effect. So does the wishful Photoshopped image that is not only used to promote this effect but also adorns its cover. At no time during the presentation of this illusion can you show the mirror cracked or broken in its frame. To repeat: You show the mirror, cover it with a cloth, and smash the cloth-covered mirror with a hammer. The audience sees the fractured mirror fragments fall to the floor; you uncover the frame to show it empty save for a single shard hanging from the top of the frame. The image of the performer standing next to a broken mirror with a beautiful spider’s web pattern is wishful thinking. Other drawbacks to this effect are that it can really only be

performed on stage, and you will need the use of a sound system if you want to have the sound of breaking glass accompany the actions of you smashing a mirror. You will also need to record the sound of breaking and falling glass yourself, because no link to an appropriate sound effect file is included. It seems to me that the drawbacks outnumber the benefits of this illusion. It looks as if there are still a number of bugs to be worked out before it will become a workable and truly deceptive piece of magic.

Magical Things I Really Do Lecture Notes By Christopher Manos

Available from Christopher Manos: www.safetymagicshows.com Price $20.00 Review by Norman Beck These notes came in a brown envelope, and were somewhat nondescript. The tricks are not pipe dreams, or new fancy sleight-of-hand moves, or crazy routines. If that is what you are looking for, just move on down the line. On the other hand, if you want routines that get the money, tricks that Mr. Manos uses in the real world, then this product is for you. One of the best routines is Rub-a-DubDub, a Cups and Balls routine that was originally done by Jack Bateman. Phil Willmarth, who holds the copyright on the original Bateman routine, gave permission for this to be in the notes. It is a great routine. Fred and Other Folks is a very bold card trick in which you predict the name of a card. My favorite routine is titled Vegas 21. This is a magic square that has a gambling theme to it, and it is just great. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. If you want commercial magic that gets the money, you have come the right place. 

When Thurston Came To Town DVD By William V. R auscher and Rory Feldman Available from Rory Feldman Productions: www.whenthurstoncametotown.com Price $100.00 Review by Marc DeSouza I enjoy the history of magic, so I was eager to view this DVD. Bill Rauscher and I have been friends for many years and I have always enjoyed his performances and lectures. This package is no exception. This is a very classy production. The packaging is beautiful, and includes a thirty-two-page booklet, which is a biography excerpted from Thurston’s 1928 manuscript. The DVD itself is beautifully produced, and runs for over two and a half hours. This was truly a labor of love for Feldman, who has amassed the largest Thurston collection in the world. The music throughout is provided by the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and is authentic to the period. It is a wonderful addition to the production. The DVD is advertised as a part of the William V. Rauscher Lecture Series, but this is far more than just a lecture. Bill serves

more as a host for this DVD, and his lecture was totally rewritten for this project. His presentation is perfect for the purpose. He often reads from letters or articles about Thurston written by a number of magicians. The text is also superimposed on the screen for further clarity during Rauscher’s commentary, as well as during historical audio clips, which may be a bit muddled due to age. There are audio and video interviews, and commentary by John Booth, John Calvert, George Goebel, Walter Gibson, Dorny, Maureen Christopher, Tom Ewing, Ray Goulet, Rev. Robert E. Olson, Charles Reynolds, James Wobensmith, and many others. There are over ten video clips of Thurston himself as well as additional audio clips of him. There are hundreds of images of Thurston throughout the disc. The final piece is a wonderful recording by Jane Thurston Sheppard, who toured with her father’s show for many years. This is not so much a history of Howard Thurston as it is an homage. There is not a lot of new information given from an historical perspective, but it becomes very apparent that Thurston was most influential on aspiring magicians of the time. Everyone involved refers to him as The World’s Greatest Magician, and idolized him. Performers such as Blackstone, Birch, Milbourne Christopher, and John Calvert state that they felt Thurston was the best they ever saw, and all felt he deserved the title far more than Houdini. I came away from viewing this DVD wishing I had had the opportunity to see Thurston perform in person. I guess this is the closest I will ever come to that. The one thing that seems to be missing is Rory Feldman’s story. Although he does speak on screen about Thurston, I would have liked to hear him talk about how his interest in Thurston began and some of his own history. He began to collect the materials at a very young age, and has an amazingly extensive archive of this fantastic performer. He has expended a lot of time, effort, and money pursuing his interest and sharing it with the magic world, which is something to be commended. This is an absolutely sumptuous product. If you love the history of magic and learning about the past masters, you will enjoy this immensely. I feel that every magician should watch this DVD. We should all learn for our past masters. My only hesitation in highly recommending this product is the price. At $100 for a single disc, it is no bargain. I am certain Mr. Feldman had to look at the considerable costs involved in producing this marvelous project and analyzed how many people would likely purchase such a niche product. There are no tricks taught, and this is priced higher than the typical multiple-disc sets currently on the market. I personally feel, given these factors, that the price is justified. It is a joy to watch and to be inspired by. Given all of that, I do recommend this product, especially for those with a love for magic’s history.

Project Zero DVD By Dave Forrest

Available from Full 52: www.Full52.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Suppliers Price $40.00 Review by Danny Archer The prolific Mr. Dave Forrest is back with Project Zero, a double-disc set featuring fifteen effects involving holes punched in playing and business cards. Dave has obsessed over the movinghole plot for years, and this compilation brings together the best from his notebooks. You will find holes that move, jump, slide, multiply, appear, and disappear. Dave shows you a number of routines with holes in cards

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and envelopes. There are too many effects to cover each one in detail, but I will mention a few of my favorites. In Void Voyage a selected card is held in between a spectator’s palms. The performer introduces a blank card with a large hole in the middle. The hole is removed and ends up in the card that the spectator has been holding. Holy Ambition marries a hole in the card case to an Ambitious Card finale. A signed card placed in the middle of the deck, is seen to appear on top of the deck through the hole cut in the case. In Shadow Zone (created by Peter Duffie), the hole is in a manila envelope. The black Jacks are placed inside and stapled together, while the signed selection is between the red Jacks. The selection ends up inside the envelope, stapled to one of the black Jacks. This is a serious fooler. The DVD also includes contributions from Cameron Francis, Liam Montier, and James Went. The camera work, sound, and DVD navigation are all up to par. The use of holes in playing cards and business cards is by now an established plot in modern close-up magic. With business cards, M-U-M editor Michael Close created the seminal routine The Pothole Trick over twenty years ago. Mike Powers and Paul Wilson have also created moving-hole effects with playing cards that have stood the test of time. This is not an encyclopedia of the whole art of hole routines, but Project Zero is a good place to start exploring this type of effect.

World XCM Champions Vol. 1 DVD

Available from Handlordz: www.Handlordz.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $39.95 Review by Danny Archer On this two-DVD set, two former world champions in the art of extreme card manipulation teach you a slew of eye-popping extreme card manipulations. Over fifty different moves are explained. First up, on Disc One, is J.S. Lin (the 2006 and 2007 World Champion) who starts off by teaching his BF Grip, the basic grip on which all his work is based. The format is that first the move is performed several times accompanied by music, and then explained in silence, followed by the performer giving the viewer words of advice on how to accomplish the moves. Mr. Lin demonstrates various cuts, flips, fans, and card productions, which have to be seen to be believed. He shows over a dozen moves that range in difficulty from “I think I could do that,” to “How can anyone do that?” The camerawork, sound, and menu navigation are uniformly excellent on this production. Next up is Max Vlassenko (also a World Champion, while still a teenager) who begins by spreading two halves of the deck on one arm and then throwing the cards up and catching both halves with two hands. Max goes on to show and teach thirteen different,

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seemingly impossible catches, spreads, spin-outs, and tosses. The format is the same, as he shows and explains his moves. Disc One concludes with bloopers and credits. Here we also see Jerry Cestkowski – The Flourishman (from my home town of Denver) – who is one of the early pioneers of this art form. Disc Two is mostly Max with some Jerry. The moves here are fans, juggling, L-cuts, pressure cuts, shuffles, and more. Once again the skill level is off the charts; these moves are not for the faint of heart. In one sequence, Max shuffles the cards by holding the deck between his forearm and bicep! Some magicians like this type of manipulation and some don’t. I think that what these guys can do is fascinating to watch, and I loved seeing the crazy and impossible things that they do. This is not magic, but it has its own charm and place in the entertainment world. For anyone interested in this unique art form, these DVDs are a must-have. And for anyone looking to see what is possible (and seemingly impossible) with a deck of cards, you may want to take a look at what these talented card handlers can do.

Dupes DVD By Gary Jones and Chris Congreave

Available from Big Blind Media: www.bigblindmedia.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $32.00 Review by Norman Beck I don’t know Gary Jones or Chris Congreave, but I wish I did. I like them both, and I liked the project Dupes. So, you might ask, what is it? This is a DVD full of card tricks in which every trick uses at least one duplicate card. In all there are twelve tricks, and while they are not what I would call self-working, all are within the reach of most magicians. I could tell you what the effects are and which ones I liked the best. Or, I could just tell you that I have watched the DVD twice, and that I plan on doing so again. And I will predict that I will enjoy it the third time as much as the first. Did I love all twelve effects? No. Was there anything that I will actually do? Yes. Is there more than one effect I will add to my bag of tricks? Yes. Is this uncommon for a DVD? Yes. Will I go out of my way to meet these clever guys? Yes. Should you buy the DVD? An emphatic yes! The best part of Dupes, for me, was not the tricks as much as that it made me think about this type of card magic. I liked this DVD a bunch.

Cosmo’s Card Box Trick By Cosmo Solano

Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $20.00 Review by Antonio M. Cabral Cosmo’s Card Box is a simple, clever idea – a simple, clever idea that works. The problem with it is that it’s too simple, and not clever enough for its price tag. Cosmo Solano came up with a way to switch cards isolated inside an ordinary card case with a very simple gaff. It’s a handy,

casual-looking alternative to something like a Himber wallet or the flap card box many of us had in our early magic kit days. The box you receive is pre-gaffed, but once you get the idea, it’s very easy to make yourself. And it’s not a one-trick wonder; it doesn’t “himber” (HAH!) the case’s utility for other things. In other words, you could very easily gaff any and every fresh deck you open and have this useful utility at your fingertips ready to go as part of your regular arsenal. The only problem I experienced with it is that a “fresh” gaff is going to require a little breaking in; otherwise, when you close the card case the gaff tends to stick in the “on” position. But otherwise, this has the makings of a pretty good utility device. The bad news is that this isn’t a $20 idea. In the preface to the instructions, Cosmo openly admits that you’re paying not so much for the pre-made gaffed case supplied as for the idea itself. The gaff is easily made, so you’re obviously not paying for craftsmanship. The suggested tricks using the case are very basic applications, so there’s no added value there. Plus, you receive a handful of gaffed cards for the accompanying tricks: a duplicate card, an extra Joker and a set of McDonald’s Aces gaffs (i.e. double-faced cards) – stuff you likely already own. If you don’t, here’s your shopping list: one regular deck of cards ($3), one deck of double-facers ($7). That’s dozens more “refills” for half the price of this whole product. So, all that’s left is the idea. Here’s a hint to anyone else attempting to put their idea out in the marketplace: If you feel like you have to include readily available gaffs or objects in order to provide extra “value,” your idea isn’t worth the price you’re thinking of asking. It’s a shame, because this would’ve been a terrific little idea to stumble across in a magazine column like Josh Jay’s Talk about Tricks in MAGIC, or David Acer’s Magicana in Genii. Or in the very magazine you’re holding. A $20 offering, it’s not.

DeLorian Trick By Dave Forrest

Available from Full 52 Productions: www.Full52.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $30.00 Review by Danny Archer The camerawork, sound, and menu navigation are well done, as we have come to expect from Full 52, on this seventyminute DVD. On this DVD (with an accompanying something extra), Dave Forrest takes you through his signed card under cellophane routine. Using time travel patter, the effect starts off as an Ambitious Card routine with several steps leading up to the climax in which the signed card vanishes from the deck and is found folded in quarters beneath the cellophane on the card box. The cellophane is removed, the card extracted, and it is the signed card. You end clean and all can be examined.

Next, Dave shows you how to make the DeLorian gimmick using a regular playing card. This is very easy to do and takes just a few minutes to prepare. He then explains the full routine he performs, but of course you can adapt this ending to practically any signed-card routine. The effect can be performed at any point in your act. The basic sleights he uses (shuffles, double lift, etc.) are all explained, with the hardest move being the venerable Mercury Card Fold. You probably already figured that part out. DeLorian Deluxe uses the accompanying something extra to make an alternate version of the gimmick. The deluxe version makes the handling a bit easier to clean up and makes the initial show of the folded card a bit cleaner. The downside is that the card box is gaffed, but even so it should withstand casual examination. Dave shares some other ideas he came up with while creating the routine. One idea allows you to show the box all around before starting the effect. It uses another gimmick and while it would make resetting a bit longer, it improves the overall effect. Another idea changes the presentation into a prediction in which the folded card beneath the cellophane is shown at the start. Using an oddbacked folded card and having them sign the face of a matching odd-backed card yields another interesting effect. There are many, many ideas, gimmicks, and presentations for ending a signed card routine by having the card found in an impossible location (either folded or unfolded). I think the handlings in which the folded card is shown in advance are stronger than having the card appear there without foreshadowing. DeLorian is a worthwhile routine and addition to this classic magic plot.

The Wild Deck By Jim Kleefeld and Mark Wood

Available from Jim Kleefeld: www.jimkleefeld.com Price $30.00 Review by David Goodsell Many performers feel a bit awkward using regular poker- or bridge-sized playing cards when performing for children, feeling that they run the risk of offending parents with props associated with gambling. And while it is possible to use game cards, such as Old Maid or Snap, those cards seldom slide easily over one another and don’t handle well. Kid-show master Jim Kleefeld and Mark Wood have designed a lovely deck of playing cards for the family audience. Yes, they have indices for the traditional numbers and suits, but each card has attractive, kid-friendly artwork on the face depicting wild animals of the world – fifty-five different ones, counting three Jokers, with their names printed beneath the artwork. Since each card is different, the child can just remember the animal, and not worry about the suit and number. The original images are by U.K. artist Peter Wood. The back design follows the Wild Deck theme, showing a giraffe, a tiger, and a scarlet macaw peering through the window of a bamboo cage. Above them, amidst bright green foliage, is a sign that reads “WILD.” While the poker-sized deck does not have the feel of Bicycles, they are of excellent quality and handle well. You will have no

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trouble with double lifts or slip forces with these cards. The backs and faces are one-way. Painted into the artwork of each spot card are markings that match the value and suit of that card, although some are more subtle than others, and almost each painting includes a hidden snail or two – yes, snail – which is a kind of trademark for these cards. To summarize, these handsome playing cards are designed to attract and keep the attention of kids and adults alike, and enable you to perform any number of clever tricks in a close-up or parlor setting. Yes, certainly they can be used on stage, but the attractive nature of the cards would be lost there. With the cards comes a colorful thirty-page, saddle-stitched booklet printed on quality paper, explaining the nature of The Wild Deck and how to perform eight simple routines. These are fairly standard card tricks that have simply been adapted for use with The Wild Deck. You will quickly see many more possibilities. In addition there are six pages of jokes and witty lines to use when using this deck and naming selected cards. Every kid-show performer knows the value of these! Finally, the booklet contains animal name strips for use with one of the tricks and a colorful chart showing twelve of the animals for use in another of the tricks. While I didn’t read the text with a blue pencil, I did note one instance where the number 14 should have been 12. Without this warning you might scratch your head for five minutes before figuring it out. If you work library shows, kid’s parties of any kind, close-up strolling magic at family restaurants, or any similar venue, you will want The Wild Deck. Be aware, only one hundred book and deck sets have been manufactured. Don’t miss out!

K artis Visible Bill Change DVD and Gimmicked Bill By Tango Magic and K artis Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $30.00 Review by Jim Kleefeld If you are interested in money or street magic, you might consider the Kartis Visible Bill Change. You receive an American one-dollar bill, pre-folded and gimmicked for a very quick and visible change from a blank piece of paper to a bill. You also receive a ten-minute (yes, ten) DVD showing the simple handling from several angles. The video is very convincing. You simply hold a blank piece of paper at your fingertips, show it on both sides, and instantly change it to a real dollar. You can show the bill on both sides before you pocket it and walk away. Pluses: The change is instantaneous and startling. The paper is completely blank on both sides. The bill is real. The trick works either way, changing blank paper to a dollar bill or changing a bill to paper. The instructions are in both English and Spanish. Minuses: You cannot hand the bill for examination. There is no semblance of patter or routine given. Both the bill and the paper show similar creases or folds. You cannot use a different denomination of bill. Yes, you made money, but geez, it’s only a dollar. Overall Kleefeld Meta-critic Rating: 78.43 out of 100. Kartis Visible Bill Change is interesting and workable. It is

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flashy and magical. It shows what magic should look like. One instant you hold a blank piece of paper; the next instant it has turned into money. What keeps it from getting a higher rating is the utter lack of routining. The trailer video shows a guy walking up to some kids on the street, changing white paper to a bill and walking away. No dialogue, no prep, no story, no explanation, no transition, no climax. While the bill change is fascinating (you can watch this in a mirror and fool yourself), it is simply too quick to be useful without something more. You could change the money back to paper, but who would do that? You could buy two and make a transposition routine in which a bill and a paper switch places instantly, but then you’ve spent $60. If you choose to segue into another bill routine, you’ll have to switch out this bill for another one. It’s not a bad prop and it does exactly what the name implies, but before you plunk down your cash to learn the very clever secret, you should figure out a way to use the trick in a routine.

Impossible Envelope DVD and Gimmicks By Paul Stockman Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $28.00 Review by Jim Kleefeld The Impossible Envelope can provide you with a worker routine if you do shows. It is ridiculously underpriced, not for the contents, but for the concept. This could have been held in reserve and sold at high prices to a select few high-end mentalists. The premise is that any free selection is predicted and found inside a nest of sealed envelopes. The Impossible Envelope is a utility device that allows you to do many routines. One is performed and described: You distribute several different newspapers to audience members. A random spectator chooses any newspaper, another spectator calls out a page number, and the spectator who has the newspaper turns to that page number. He calls out any word he sees on that page. You hand out a large manila envelope. It is opened and inside is a smaller envelope, and another, and another. The spectator opens the smallest sealed envelope and removes a piece of newspaper with the freely chosen word and page number circled. Yes, it is that clean and that impossible. When you buy this (and you should), stop the DVD after the performance and try to work out the method. I’ll bet you won’t be able to fathom the working. The DVD is set up and filmed in a straightforward way: it shows you a routine and then describes how you can make the props and set it up to perform it yourself. The camera work and explanations are clear and very easy to follow. Peter Nardi joins Stockman in helping to explain the nuances of using and working with the Impossible Envelope. After you learn how to construct the props and set up the routine, you will easily see how you can adapt the materials and concept to many other routines. If you have any need at any time for a prediction effect, this would probably suit you well. You do not need pre-show work, an assistant, or a stooge. And let me remind you that there is no force involved. Any word, number, or picture can be found inside the sealed predic-

tion envelope, which is opened by the spectator. You can predict a string of lottery numbers, a newspaper headline, a compiled shopping list, or seven words chosen by seven different spectators from seven different ungimmicked books. I will surely be using it in one or more of my shows. I love Stockman’s thinking. The trick premise is very clear and looks impossible. Don’t let the fact that there is “construction” involved scare you. You simply need to find a few different-sized envelopes and spend a few moments with tape and scissors. If there is any caveat to the product, it is regarding the intended audience. It’s for people who do shows. This plays well as a stage routine, and can be adapted to close-up routines, but to make the most of the product, you need to be performing a show. That is, the premise feels like it would work best in a more formal setting with at least a few people in audience mode. It’s not the kind of routine you can, say, pull out of your pocket and launch into as an impromptu feat on the street. Also, the magic seems to me to be too “impossible” for a comedy act. Then again, the Impossible Envelope is utilitarian; I can see some performers working out a use for it in either of those settings. Besides the DVD, you get a couple of gimmicks and a nice PDF that replicates the video instructions in clear and simple step-by-step photographs. This is really one of the best new magic products I have come across in a long time. It’s a worker. Even if you end up not using the routine, you get a valuable lesson in magical thinking for a meager price.

Memento Trick By David Regal

Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $55.00 Review by Jim Kleefeld Regal fans will love this, and so will a lot of card guys. A spectator freely selects any card as their “favorite card.” Then you take a solid block of acrylic from a card box, and a card exactly matching the spectator’s card is found embedded in the block with the words ”My Favorite Card” written across the face in black marker. I’ve only had this for a few days and only performed it a few times, but it has delivered a big impact each time. The video is sharp and clear. It shows a live performance followed by David’s concise explanation. His moves are streamlined and easy. Anyone can do this with just a little practice. You can use any deck, and any card can be selected (really). The routine and movements he teaches have been honed in both substance and psychology. The explanation is not the only bit about Memento that is thorough. Regal has provided you with duplicate card gimmicks to use, two different printed prediction cards, a template, and a Sharpie so you can write a personalized message. He even supplies alcohol wipes should you later decide to erase and change the message. Kudos to Mr. Regal for completeness and value. Memento is an excellent example of a good commercial card trick. There are some nuances, though, that you may want to consider before you buy this. In 1980, Michael Ammar gave his Command Performance lecture tour in which he taught The Iceman Cometh, a routine in which a selected playing card was discovered frozen inside a

solid block of ice. (Jamy Ian Swiss recently performed a version of this trick on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.) Everybody loved the trick. Few performed it, though, because of the complicated preparation requirements. Memento has some of the same look and feel as that trick. How does the right card end up sealed inside a solid block of acrylic? There is, however, a significant difference between the two solutions. In Ammar’s preparation, he describes how to have the card appear to be encompassed in the center of a block of ice. The card in ice can be shown all around and even left with the spectator. There is clear ice above and below the card, and surrounding it on all six sides. The Memento gimmick cannot display the card in the same way – that is, showing clear plastic on all six sides. The block, in fact, is similar to photo frames that are heavy clear acrylic slabs. These crystal clear, halfinch-thick blocks stand upright on the mantle and you slip a photo into a slot on the back. Similar items, such as glass paperweights, have been around since 1845. Many had elaborate colored-glass designs worked into the interior, but they have also been sold as clear rectangular “blank blocks,” with a recessed section wherein the buyer could place a family photograph. To give you an idea of their provenance, Oscar Wilde and Truman Capote were both avid paperweight collectors. So the block in Memento resembles a familiar item. And therein lies the rub. If the spectator recognizes Memento as a familiar picture frame or paperweight, then she will likely conclude that the card is not “in” the block, but rather simply being held behind it. This does not diminish the fact that it is her card. You have still magically located a specific freely selected card and caused that exact card to appear. In addition, she sees that the card she selected and that is now in the block has a message (such as “My Favorite Card”) written across its face. So take David’s advice concerning what to emphasize and what to downplay. If you follow his script and suggestions, your audience will love this. If your presentation wanders and you try to change the premise, you may find the effect called into question.

The Annihilation Deck DVD By Cameron Francis

Available from Big Blind Media: www.bigblindmedia.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $30.00 Review by Marc DeSouza About eight months ago my friend Jim Sisti asked, “You want to see something cool?” When Jim pulls a David Blaine on me, I’m curious. He performed the Annihilation Deck for me. And I loved it. I contacted the creator, Cameron Francis to obtain the ebook and was told it had been taken off the market, pending the release of the DVD. He sent me a copy anyway. I made up the required deck and tried it out a few times. The reaction was really good, so I continued to perform it, and it has now become a piece in my regular working repertoire. That’s something that doesn’t happen all that often. When the DVD came out, I bought it immediately, and was even more pleasant-

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ly surprised. It not only contained the original work and lots of variations, but a number of bonus effects that make this product a must-have. Here’s the basic effect: A deck of cards is shown front and back as the performer states that it contains two predictions. The deck is spread face down and a card is freely selected and tabled without anyone looking at it. The performer now removes two cards from the deck that will reveal the selection when combined. Let’s say the cards are the Five of Spades and the Queen of Diamonds; therefore, the selection could be either the Five of Diamonds or the Queen of Spades. The selection is turned face up and it is the Eight of Clubs. Bummer. But wait, there is a third possibility. The prediction cards are turned face down. One has an 8 drawn on the back, while the other has a Club drawn on it. This is a novel card revelation. A regular Bicycle deck is included to make your own deck. There are no gaffs per se, but it will take thirty minutes or less for the one-time setup. It can be performed in a strolling situation. It is instantly reset. There are no sleights. There is no memory work involved; the deck does all of the work for you. There are several variations, including one in which the predictions are “seen” when spreading through the face-down deck and another in which the prediction cards are from a different color deck. Although clever, I don’t think either of the variations add anything appreciable to the effect except making the showing of the deck a bit more problematic. Among the bonus routines are two real winners that could easily have been released on their own. The first, Convergence, is an Any Card at Any Number effect. A blue deck is placed in front of a participant. A red deck is removed from its case and shown to have a number written on the back of each card. A second participant is asked to name any card, which is removed from the pack. Another card is randomly selected and the number on its back is noted. The first participant is asked to remove the blue deck and count down to the number. The card at that number is the card freely named. There are no gimmicks involved and everything can be fully examined. Again, there are no sleights, no memorization, no complicated calculations, no cribs, and the pack is instantly reset. This is a great solution to a neo classical plot. The second great bonus is Do as I Do Predict. It is based on a Stephen Tucker idea. Two blue cards are tabled. A deck is shuffled by a participant who then cuts it in half. Both halves are spread on the table. The performer chooses one card from his half and the participant does the same. The selections are shown to be mates and the predictions are shown to match them. The effect is far more dynamic than it reads. It is extremely fair looking and very simple; there is just one move involved. This is a real worker. The production values are what we’ve come to expect from Big Blind Media: well shot and fun. Cameron Francis is a very engaging performer and an excellent teacher. This gets my highest recommendation. It’s my favorite trick of the year.

Hot & Cold DVD By Nefesch

and booklets on the subject of mentalism. I will confine my review to the product at hand. The first “routine,” Heads or Tails, is a threephase routine in which you predict not only the outcome of a coin toss, but the participant’s own thoughts relating to the toss. Nefesch uses three different methods, all of which have been used before, but not necessarily in this combination. The first phase is the weakest, and would likely not be performed by most, as it is a risky psychological “force.” He attempts to explain it, but doesn’t do a very good job. Nefesch then uses a method that involves a controlled toss – more about this later in the review. His final method requires a gimmick that is easily found and used. The concept is sound, but its application I find a little questionable. As a bonus, he teaches a controlled coin spin on a table and an idea using two coins. The second part of the DVD teaches more coin tosses. This is the most valuable part of the product. Nefesch executes these tosses perfectly. The basic toss allows you to hold a coin on your fingertips and toss it up. It looks like it is spinning, yet you control the outcome. In the advanced handling, he holds the coin in the more traditional manner, on top of the fist. It looks like he is spinning the coin in the air, yet it is under full control. He also describes how to toss a coin to your participant, still keeping it under control. This is a far riskier proposition, and I wouldn’t want to depend on someone else catching the coin in the proper manner. I had seen several of these techniques before, but was not able to duplicate them. Despite what I thought were minimal descriptions, I was able to execute all of the techniques successfully and fairly consistently with the information put forth on this DVD. I guess you really can’t ask for more than that. Now for the negatives. I really don’t care for Nefesch as a performer. He comes off as pushy and arrogant. That aside, this DVD is horribly produced. The audio on this disc is about the worst I’ve experienced and the video is almost as bad. When you are trying to show a coin toss, the least you can do is make certain that the viewer knows if the coin is heads up or tails up. If they are going for urban and gritty, they should look at products by Ellusionist, Theory 11, or Dan & Dave. Concerning the value of the material, as mentalism, it is mediocre. If you have a touch of larceny in your blood and want to use this to win drinks (or something else), this DVD will pay for itself many times over. What I’m saying is, if you want to be a cheat, this one is for you, despite the really high price tag.

Freefall DVD By Andrew Mayne

Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $39.00

Available from Shock Magic: www.andrewmayne.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $14.95

Review by Marc DeSouza

Review by Payne Fifield

Hot & Cold (Heads or Tails Control over Long Distance) is sort of a one-trick DVD, but it’s really not. The effects and techniques taught on this disc are related and allow you to predict or control the toss of a coin. Nefesch has marketed a number DVDs

Of all the single-trick DVDs Mr. Mayne has extracted from his earlier Shock FX video, this is perhaps the best and most justifiable for a solo production. Unlike Hook and Brain Damage, where the changes and modifications made to the original concepts were

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minor and not worth re-releasing on their own, the improvements and variations made to the Freefall effect since its inception are well worth reevaluating. The effect was perhaps my favorite on the original Shock FX tape. An open paper grocery bag is seen sitting on the ground or on a table. The magician lifts it up and turns it upside down. He rattles the bag and holds it up to look inside. Though the audience is never shown the interior of the sack, the way the magician effortlessly handles the bag clearly implies that it is quite empty. The magician then holds the bag upside down well away from his body and, to the amazement of one and all, a bowling ball falls from the interior of the bag. It is essentially a poor man’s version of the bowling ball from the briefcase trick. The angles are remarkably good, the setup nearly instantaneous, and the cost of construction minimal. All that’s needed is a grocery bag and a bowling ball. Several variations on the basic effect are shown on the DVD. Instead of a bowling ball, a fish bowl full of water and living goldfish can be produced. This is an especially clever use of the method as no rubber cover of any kind needs to be used. There is also a clever brick from lunch sack and a mug full of coffee from bag production as well. The brick from lunch bag is versatile enough that you could use it in a table-hopping or even walkaround situation (if you watched your angles). Not that you’d really want to do walk-around carrying a brick all night, but you never know when you might need such an effect for an office party at a construction company. This is a fun and versatile effect, and if Mr. Mayne continues to put this much thought into variations and improvements on the other effects that he will undoubtedly re-release from his Shock FX tape, I am confident that the reviews will be kinder.

(with the picture of the eight ball vanishing). Sports comes with a very short DVD that clearly explains everything you need to know. If you have a spot in your close-up repertoire for a sportthemed packet trick, you don’t mind the weight of carrying around a pool ball in your pocket, and you don’t mind spending $45, this could be for you. 

If you wish to have your product reviewed please send it to: Bill Duncan P.O. Box 50562 Bellevue, WA 98015-0562

Sports Trick By Dean Dill

Available from Dean Dill: www.DeanDill.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $45.00 Review by Norman Beck What is Sports?  It is a small packet card trick that revolves around games using a ball (baseball, football, pool, tennis, and basketball); it concludes with the production of a real eight ball from a billiard table. John Bannon had a similar effect (Trick Shot Production, Smoke and Mirrors) in which you produced the eight ball to reveal a forced selection (a black eight). In Dean’s routine you receive cards that have five different balls from five different sports. The spectator selects one (via a clever force), and you produce the eight ball from the card

MARCH 2011 71

The Nielsen Gallery The Great Raymond: Weird Witches Cabinet

Dimensions: Half-sheet 22” x 32” • Lithographer: Alf Cooke Ltd., Leeds, London, and Glasgow. • Date: Circa 1915 Nielsen Rating: Rare “Not all great people are famous and not all famous people are great. However, in the case of Morris Saunders, who became Maurice François Raymond – The Great Raymond – there seems to be enough evidence to support the use of both ‘great’ and ‘famous.’” So writes historian and biographer William V. Rauscher in his book, The Great Raymond. Rauscher notes, “He had an enormous show, tons of baggage, numerous assistants, a farmyard of animals, excellent reviews, trunks of scrapbooks and photos, exciting personal experiences, and a track record that shows him to have been a ‘heavyweight’ of his era. From all reports he had a bright personality, a winning smile, a wonderful sense of humor, and a sensitive temper. These attributes were to serve him well in a career that resulted in his being billed not only as ‘The Man Who Made the World Laugh,’ but ‘King of Entertainers and Entertainer of Kings.’” He was born in Akron, Ohio, on May 30, 1877, and, according to his publicity, received his early exposure to magic by assisting an uncle. He reportedly knocked about with several circuses, played the small-time in the U.S. for many years, offered a handcuff escape act along the lines of Houdini, and really didn’t come to the attention of the theatrical world until 1907 when he began his third world tour. By the time of his seventh record-breaking world tour he had played all the principal theaters in Egypt, India, West Indies, Africa, Australia, China, Japan, North and South America, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, and everywhere in between. He appeared before King Edward VIII and King George V, King Albert of Belgium, the King of Italy, the Mikado of Japan, the Czar of Russia, and the Empress of China. He was appointed Court Illusionist to King Alphonso XIII of Spain. For a full account of his travels and achievements I suggest you acquire a copy of Rauscher’s wonderful book. The poster at the right features one of Raymond’s most popular illusions, titled Weird Witches Cabinet. This was better known as A Trip to Spookville. Noted magician and collector Dr. Richard O. Mossey saw the Raymond show at a Milwaukee theater as a teenager in 1938. He describes the effect as follows: A curtained, cabinet-like enclosure was let down from the flies, its size about six by six feet. With several men from the audience seated on stage, Raymond explained that the greatest challenge to professed spirit mediums was the use of a restraint consisting of a securely tied length of bias tape. This, he maintained, was far more restraining than ropes or shackles, since it could be bound more tightly, did not stretch, and did not slip. Accordingly, he allowed himself to be restrained at the wrists with his hands behind his back and his legs, secured to the chair on which he was seated, all enclosed within the cabinet. No sooner were the curtains closed than strange manifestations became apparent; the curtains shook and objects were cast asunder. The enclosure was immediately opened to reveal Raymond securely tied as before; this verified by the committee, who ensured that the tapes still indented the flesh of his wrists with the same pressure they had been encouraged to apply in making the ties. Several repeated closings of the curtains brought forth equally baffling and often humorous manifestations, ranging from the beating of drums, the

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sounding of horns, and the clash of tambourines, to the discarding of objects over the top of the enclosure, including the magician’s divested tailcoat. Each time, inspection revealed the magician to be securely tied. Finally, Raymond invited one man to accompany him into the cabinet; to protect him from the spirits the man was quickly blindfolded. Within five seconds of the curtain being closed, it was whipped open to reveal a disheveled volunteer still seated beside the smiling entertainer, but with his coat removed, necktie askew, trouser legs rolled up, and metal pail inverted over his head. This led to the finale of the show, Metempsychosis, and involved the same committee of volunteers on the stage. Mossey continues: A large theatrical trunk, slightly scarred and dented and covered with express labels and steamship stencils, was brought forth. Raymond explained that it was his custom to utilize a fancy trunk with chromed hardware and ornate décor for this next featured trick. The original had been damaged in shipping, however, and had been sent for repair and refinishing. With apologies, he explained that he was substituting this old property trunk since it was about the size and shape necessary for what he was about to present. The trunk was examined inside and out by the committee; the sides and bottom were thumped to prove their solidity, and a set of padlocks and keys entrusted to the gentlemen. Also examined was a large cloth bag. One of the men was asked to doff his suit coat so it might be temporarily worn by Litzka (Raymond’s wife and assistant). Upon donning the oversized garment, she proceeded to hand the man the contents of his pockets, consisting of a baby’s bottle, lady’s hosiery, and other ludicrous but inoffensive artifacts. She was then handcuffed by Raymond and placed in the black bag. Its top was tied with cord and the knots secured with sealing wax; then it was placed into the trunk, which was locked, roped, and put into the opened cabinet. Raymond removed his coat, stepped into the cabinet, drew the curtain with only his head and neck exposed, and alerted the audience to a surprise to be anticipated on the count of three. Raymond pronounced the words, “One…two,” and retracted his head into the cabinet as Litzka’s face instantly appeared to say, “Three!” The cabinet was flung open; Raymond was not in evidence. Immediately the ropes about the trunk were untied, the locks released, and the trunk top thrown open. A figure within the black bag stood upright. The sealed knots were identified and untied and the top of the bag allowed to fall open. A smiling Raymond was seen standing within the trunk, securely handcuffed and wearing the borrowed coat. The committee was graciously dismissed and a beautiful evening of mystery was brought to a close. This wonderful globe-trotting magician survived two World Wars and several revolutions. A bullet went through his hat during a street skirmish in Portugal; another penetrated a Mexican theater wall and struck the tip of his bow tie. He died in New York on January 27, 1948. Litzka went on to marry Walter Gibson, ghost writer for Houdini, Thurston, Blackstone, and Dunninger and creator of The Shadow. She died in 1996.  —Tom Ewing

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UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES

ROGER BLAKISTON (AKA JOLLY ROGER)

Secrets to Growth

I

have no doubt that the excitement is mounting and you are hungry to know what Jolly Roger has tucked up his magical sleeve for this month’s feast! I am going to attempt to go deeper into the psyche and uncover, what I feel, is one of the secrets to what makes a good children’s entertainer. I will also discuss the problems that many entertainers have with “ego” and the limitations and obstacles that this can create.

“Look at each day as a chance to invest life into life. A chance to share your experience and deposit it into someone else’s conscience. Each day is a chance to work miracles in the lives of others.” – Jim Rohn While speaking to one of the attendees on the last day of a convention for entertainers, he mentioned to me that he found that many of the magicians present would gather into exclusive groups. His perception was that if you were not part of one of these groups, you felt a bit isolated and possibly missed out on some valuable experiences. The result

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was that he did not enjoy what would have otherwise been a good convention. I found this so unfortunate. This got me thinking that maybe this is more common than I realize in the world of magic. Because of my outgoing personality, I have always found it easy to make friends quickly, and I feel comfy in a room full of people, even if I do not know any of them. However, I am aware that even at local S.A.M. meetings I attend there are some members around the room who may not be as outgoing and could indeed feel that they were not welcome. It has been my experience that generally the magicians at the top of our profession are willing to talk and share their experience with anyone who approaches them. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can somehow become great.” – Mark Twain Last year I attended a fabulous convention called “Innovention” in Las Vegas, put on by my old friend Paul Stone. There were many big names attending like Criss Angel, Teller, Mac King, Siegfried & Roy, and Johnny Thompson. They all came across as delightful, genuine people, and willing to share. I generally find the true “stars” of magic do not have a problem with ego. They are at the top of their profession, and are willing to elevate others. A problem lies with those who are not at the top and who are full of their own

ill-conceived importance. I am going to suggest that the next time you attend a club meeting or convention you go out of your way to speak to some of those people on the sidelines, who may not be as outgoing. I should also mention that if you are the one feeling left out, try being more assertive and open yourself up to new people. Include yourself in conversations and do not worry about “feeling like you belong.” You will probably be quite surprised at how welcoming the group will be. You will be amazed how quickly you will gain new friendships, and you may find yourself an ambassador for enriching the lives of others. Each of us has something to share, something to give. “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them make them.” – George Bernard Shaw It is likely that the children we entertain have not yet discovered the negative aspects of ego. So, to find out what makes a good children’s entertainer, it may be necessary to go back to your own childhood. It is my experience that adults generally take themselves and life too seriously. Children are full of fun and laughter. Have you ever observed a young child in his or her own little creative world? They are oblivious to anyone or anything around them, lost in their own imaginative land of make-believe. They might be singing to themselves, or scribbling without thought on a scrap of paper, or playing imagination games, or maybe creating towers in their room out of their toys. Often a child’s toy, a toy that to us adults is quite simple, is the toy the child will play with the most. They enjoy toys such as simple building blocks, where all the pieces are of about the same size, shape, and consistency. Out of this simplicity they can create magnificent structures – boats, airplanes, castles. With this knowledge, how does this affect the way you interact with children in your performances? Many children are likely to think that

grown-ups such as their moms, dads, or teachers could be quite boring. So I believe it is important in your role as an entertainer to have a childlike quality in your performance. The children will in essence be meeting someone who is an adult, but is more like them. Also, just like these children make towers from building blocks, as performers you can take the simplest of props and turn them into a masterpiece. Can you can recall the kind of things that made you laugh as a child, but upset the adults? It might have been when your sister spilled gravy at the dinner table. It could have been when you saw the cat eating out of the fridge, because your mom had left the door open. It may have been the time that you witnessed a mouse running across the living room floor. Children find it funny when accidents happen, or the unexpected occurs. Translate this into your children’s shows, and you will be on the right track. There have been many occasions when I have done my show for children, and the kids have laughed hysterically throughout the show. At the same time, the grown-ups have stood at the back with very little reaction. They are delighted to see that the kids are laughing and having fun, but inwardly there is a degree of bewilderment, because they are puzzled as to why the little ones are finding me so funny. This is why it is so important that you think about your own childhood and you try to see life the way a child sees life; transcribe this information into the way you structure your performance. This is one of the secrets to being a great children’s entertainer. Many of you may believe you are the best in your field. I am hoping it is not ego that is making you draw this conclusion, because the truth is that none of us are perfect. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is to believe that they can never improve. However much praise you get after all your shows does not mean that you can never be better. Siegfried and Roy are good examples. Siegfried thought small, and Roy thought big. Siegfried liked the idea of using a dove in the act, and Roy suggested a tiger and an elephant might be more interesting. From a small act touring minor clubs in post-war Germany, they became the most famous magic act of all time, performing for years at top resorts in Las Vegas. What made them legendary and successful was that Roy never stopped

pushing himself to the limits. The act was a constant work in progress through the years. I am going to suggest you adopt this same approach in your children’s shows. Allow me to summarize this month’s offering. I invite all of you, whether or not you are children’s entertainers, to show as much respect to this branch of magic as any other. Take a long hard look at yourself and decide whether your ego is keeping you from exploring new avenues of magic. This is likely to be the case if you think you are brilliant, and that you have no room for improvement. If you are honest with yourself while evaluating whether or not you do have a problem with ego, and you conclude that you have, I would urge you to keep it in check. Do not go around telling everyone how wonderful you are. If you are wonderful, others will discover that for themselves. Without ego you will be more likeable both as a person and as a performer. Try to reach out in a positive way to all in this great art; the rewards will be plentiful. The next time you go out to perform at a birthday party, try to be aware of your ego. If the client tells you that you were much better than the magician they booked last year, simply thank them without further comment. Do not be tempted to put down your competitors; that is negative and destructive. Even with a new client on the telephone, never badmouth other entertainers or it will come back to haunt you. On a sad note, a dear friend and member of our local Assembly 248 in Scottsdale died on November 17, 2010. His name was Al Garvey, and he was eighty-seven years old. He was run over by a drunk driver while crossing the street near his Phoenix home. Al was a part-time children’s entertainer and a wonderful man. He was possibly the most popular and well-liked member of our assembly. He was a great example of an egoless man. All the members knew him, and everyone loved Al. He had an infectious sense of humor, and a heart of gold. What made Al so special was that he was always true to himself, and never cared what anyone else thought of his little eccentricities. Each time my article in M-U-M was published, he was the first person to call me up and talk about it. I shall miss him terribly. I am now into my second year of writing for M-U-M, and I would like to thank you all for your nice comments and support. If there is any topic that is related to

Roger and Criss Angel at the Innovention 2010

children’s entertainment that you would like me to cover, please drop me an email and I shall look into including my thoughts on the subject in a forthcoming column ([email protected]). I leave you with these positive words by Christian D. Larson:

Promise Yourself To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words but great deeds. To live in faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you. 

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MENTAL BREAKDOWN CHRISTIAN PAINTER

A

years ago Joe Stevens showed me Katsuya Masuda’s Wow card trick. You take a playing card and place it into an interesting transparent plastic sleeve. The spectator watches as it visibly changes into another card. You now take this new card out of the sleeve and hand it to the spectator. I was floored when Joe demonstrated this to me. It looked like pure magic. I purchased the effect and played with it on and off for many months. I was searching for just the right presentation for this little gem. The major problem was that the plastic sleeve looked like nothing anyone has ever seen; if you perform this effect, it is almost a certainty that many of your spectators will want to touch or look at this funny device. I believed that if I could overcome this problem, I would have quite a stunner. While sitting in Baltimore, I was discussing my dilemma with Denny Haney of Denny and Lee Magic Studios. He stopped puffing on his ever-present cigarette, laughed out loud, and told me that Masuda was now selling an ungimmicked sleeve as well – one that could be handed out to spectators to examine all they wanted. With that problem solved, I came up with a clever presentation: “Recently, I was at a convention for psychological advertising. They gave us these expensive name tags to wear.” (I show the gimmick with a double-blank playing card inside. The blank playing card has my name written on it with a black Sharpie.) “The interesting feature about this name tag is that if you were to put your name in backwards, because of the blurry design, you could still read it; however, it is a bit more difficult.” This action is performed for the audience. “I have additionally found that if the word you are trying to read is a little fuzzy and just the right thought is introduced into your subconscious, your mind can be manipulated to see something that is not there. Let me couple of

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demonstrate.” I take out a pack of playing cards and have a card selected (actually forced). The audience does not know what card has been selected. It is taken out of the deck face down. For my gimmick and presentation the selected/forced card is the Three of Hearts. “I do not want you to know what card this is just yet. I will divide all of you into two groups. We will call these people group A and those people group B. I would like group A to clear their minds and simply count from one to ten over and over again. Only concentrate on counting. “For group B, I want you to add one plus one. Then I want you to add two plus two, and then three plus three, and so on until you have added all the numbers up to ten. So you will be thinking, ‘One plus one is two. Two plus two is four. Three plus three is six,’ and so on.” Both groups begin doing this while I slide the playing card into the name tag. I slide the Three of Hearts into the name tag face down. My Masuda gimmick has the image of the Six of Hearts on it. Once inserted, you will look up at group A. “Have you counted through all the numbers more than once? Good. I now want you to look at this name tag and remember the card you see.” I flash the Three of Hearts to the group for a second. I now look at group B. “Have you all performed your mental exercise? Good. I want you to look at the name tag and remember the card you see.” As I prepare to show the name tag to group B, I engage the gimmick to show the Six of Hearts. I show this to them for only a second. I then repeat the above procedure again, and then I pull the card out from the gimmick and place it face down on the table. I look at group A. “What card did all of you see?” They will state that they saw the Three of Hearts. Group B will be surprised to hear this. I show no emotion at this point (this is important). I ask group B what they saw. They will state that they saw the Six of Hearts. During this time I casually pocket the Masuda gimmick. The heat from the audience will be on the card sitting on the table and on the other group. I try to have a little fun with them. I ask each group if they are absolutely sure; most of the time

they will respond in the affirmative to these questions. After playing with them a bit I will say, “Before I turn over this card to see which group is correct, are you sure you could see clearly enough through the blurry part of this name tag to make out the card? It didn’t look funny or bizarre did it?” As I say this, I casually take the ungimmicked Masuda sleeve out of my pocket. I show the blurry side and I drop it on the table next to the playing card. At this point everyone is usually foaming at the mouth to turn over the card to see who is correct. I wait for that moment of anticipation, and then I reach down and turn over the card. It is the Three of Hearts. Pandemonium will ensue. People (especially from group B) will grab both the card and the name tag and examine them. And…I can let them. Finally, they will look to me for an answer. I say, “Group A merely counted. However, group B doubled each number from one to ten and they did this a number of times. Since I only let you see the card for a moment, the cognitive part of group B’s brain doubled the number. They couldn’t see it clearly, and they saw it only for a second. Had I let them see it a bit longer, they would have seen the actual number. You’ll notice this cognitive hiccup only occurred with the number and not the suit. It is a very specific hitch in the cognitive thinking.” After I say this, people are amazed; many times they will ask me to do it again. I tell them that I can’t, because I have made them aware of this thinking hiccup. Bummer. When I move the gimmick from one group to the other, I hold the gimmick horizontal to the floor as I engage and disengage the gimmick. This is important. I hope you have fun with this little gem; drop me an email and let me know how you are using it in your presentations.  [email protected]

MARCH 2011 77

THEORY & ART OF MAGIC LARRY HASS

Magic in the Funhouse

T

weeks I have been deeply immersed in a study of the great Don Alan. This was entirely unplanned; in passing, I started reading a few pages of Jon Racherbaumer’s excellent book on Alan, In a Class by Himself (L&L, 2000), but quickly I found myself hooked and I plunged into all the Alan books and DVDs. My head is buzzing about Don Alan these days, so I thought I would share some of the lessons and inspirations I am taking away from this detailed study. I believe there is great value in this kind of analysis of the masters because it is easy to get stuck at the level of surface impressions about them, or their “tricks.” My goal in this column is to articulate what I see as five deep, essential features of Don Alan’s magic with an eye toward seeing what they suggest for improving our own performances. 1. Pace - Don Alan’s magic moves. You will find one or two pieces that stretch toward four minutes, for example, Ranch Bird Deluxe, but most of Don’s material clocks in at two minutes or less. This includes his legendary presentation for the Chop Cup (99 seconds). How did Don do it? Well, he did it the old-fashioned way. As Jon Racherbaumer says, he used a timer and trimmed the fat. Relentlessly. As though his life depended on it. But objective clock-time is only half of the pace issue. As Jon shows, Don Alan also was concerned about the subjective feel of it. Alan understood that introducing props, having cards selected, and putting things away all feel slower than they are because they are so pedestrian. Jon underscores how Alan used questions and quick jokes to keep the mind moving during these establishing acts. Also observe, for example, how briskly Don shuffles and how precisely he handles his props. There is no waste and no waiting. It is a beautiful thing to behold. And so, honestly, I have been losing hese past two

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some sleep these days. How sluggish is my magic? How sluggish is a lot of magic we see? Probably too sluggish: too many words, too much set-up, too long before any magic happens. Studying Don Alan, it occurs to me the problem may be less that “attention-spans are getting shorter” than the simple fact that magicians have gotten slower. All the way back from 1961, Don Alan opens up a forward path. I am inspired. 2. Timing - When you study Don Alan’s handling of even well-known tricks and techniques, frequently you will be fooled. That’s because Don’s timing for these things is extraordinary. Sometimes, the technique is handled so quickly that even the pre-conscious mind can’t register it. (For just one example, try to catch either of the Chop Cup loads on the Stevens video shoot, filmed in 1988.) More often, it is that Alan creates both objective and subjective gaps between a sleight or a load and its payoff. An objective “gap,” again, means clocktime; Alan typically composes his pieces so maximal time passes between the secret technique and the magical moment. For example, there are seventy seconds between the load of the twelve-pound nut and its revelation – 110 seconds between the vanish of the finger ring and its appearance on the keychain. Wow! Subjective gaps are created by the way Alan changes gears with off-beat questions, novel props, or sudden requests for audience participation. Decades before Ascanio articulated his “parenthesis of forgetfulness” concept, Don Alan was a master of its practice. 3. Whimsy - When you study Don Alan’s magic, once piece after another, you will quickly discern “The Alan Touch.” Some of this special quality is Don’s talent for selecting first-rate, deeply deceptive material. (If these tricks hadn’t been so widely disseminated by imitators, dealers, and manufacturers, I suspect we would remain utterly fooled by most of Don Alan’s material.) Some of the “touch,” too, is how invisible he keeps the technical level of his work, including all those loads. But above all, there is Don’s incredible sense of play. Don Alan doesn’t simply use the common props of magic (cards, coins, rope); he cross-pollinates them with strange and funny toys, gags and shtick, stuff from the

funhouse: a wind-up bird who finds the selected card, a lunch bag with a toy worm inside, a charming monkey hand-puppet named Stanley who does a card trick, a joke wallet made out of paper, little cards and big cards, tennis balls (not fruit) for final loads. Studying Alan’s repertoire, it is clear that the driving force in his artistic decisions and selections is the fun he could make with a trick. 4. Banter - Here is where we get to a problem, don’t we? I doubt we can watch Don Alan today and feel entirely comfortable with some of what he says and does with his participants. Alan offers a barrage of banter (quips, jokes, and lines) and asks lots of questions, yes, but he doesn’t seem interested in any genuine reactions or answers. And in the Stevens shoot, the act is peppered with innuendo and “edge” in a way that many people today, and especially women, would find distinctly off-putting. (For example, just try using a switchblade like that today.) Now, to be sure, times change and so too do the standards of humor; Don’s heyday was the “roarin’ ‘60s and ‘70s.” But some of the problems are caused by Alan’s flogging the pace and yucks no matter who gets in the way. In this regard, I think, Don Alan’s work may pose for us a different kind of inspiration: how can we maintain the pace of our show while, at the same time, building relationships? After all, that is how you get hired and hired back these days, at least by educated, successful people, prestige companies, and universities. 5. Compelling. Even so, watching Don Alan perform magic is intoxicating. His magic is high fun and funny, fast-paced, technically brilliant, visually compelling, utterly astonishing. How could you get enough of this particular funhouse? Who wouldn’t want to come back, week after week? It is easy to understand how an entire generation of close-up magicians wanted to be Don Alan. It is easy to understand how so many close-up magicians started performing his material, doing his lines, and adopting his style that eventually they could forget who they were all channeling. Such is the compelling presence and power of Don Alan and his magic. He truly was “in a class by himself.” 

THE KRAN-ZONE NATHAN KRANZO

Have you ever played

with a Mene-Tekel Deck?

T

he mene-tekel deck

is essentially a deck of cards that has random duplicate pairs of cards from top to bottom. The order of the cards does not matter, just that they run in duplicate pairs. For example: Ace of Clubs, Ace of Clubs, Queen of Hearts, Queen of Hearts, Two of Diamonds, Two of Diamonds, etc., until you have assembled fifty-two cards. The basic concept and set-up was created by Frederich Willheim Conradi in the late 1800s. Burling Hull marketed it and popularized it in the early 1900s. For the last few years I have been addicted to the deck and researching its use. I must thank Reinhard Mueller for his great research on the deck. Bravo, Reinhard. Eugene Gloye has also researched the deck and its uses. He was kind enough to give me permission to use one of his ideas. Gloye wrote a long-running column in The Linking Ring. I highly recommend you read Eugene’s old columns. One of Gloye’s columns had the fantastic idea of having a half-and-half pack – part normal and part Mene-Tekel. A dozen or so cards at the top and bottom were normal; only the center stock of cards was in pairs. If you are using roughed pairs, this deck is much more deceptive for close-up work. Later, I combined Gloye’s idea with the idea of using a pseudo duplicate – a dummy signature on a card that looks like it could be anybody’s signature. The idea of the pseudo duplicate is very old; Billy McComb used it with a signature on a bill for years. The pseudo duplicate can create a dual reality, sometimes referred to as the Rashomon effect, basically creating two different perceived truths at once. One truth is perceived by the audience and one is perceived by the spectator on stage. In the case of this card effect, the

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audience believes they are seeing the signature of the volunteer, but they aren’t. The volunteer believes the audience is looking at his signed card, because everyone near the card confirms it is signed. A brilliant ploy! (Guy Hollingworth uses this ploy to great effect in several routines in Drawing Room Deceptions.) Another great use of the Mene-Tekel Deck combined with the dual reality principle is Kiss and Tell by Dell O’Dell and Jimmy Herpick, which was published in Bruce Elliott’s Phoenix #17. It is a very well constructed routine that is nearly self working. A woman cuts the deck to a random card. She gives it a kiss, and the card is shown to the audience with the lipstick impression on it. This card is caused to vanish and it appears on her chair under her bottom. It really is the same card she just marked with a kiss. It’s great; look it up. The dual reality idea as applied to the Mene-Tekel Deck goes back to Burling Hull who did the same thing by tearing a corner off the chosen card while secretly tearing a corner off the duplicate. Burling’s effect is also very well constructed and worth seeking out. (See Burling Hull’s Sealed Mysteries.) And now I offer you my effect; you will be using my version of the Gloye Deck. This is thirteen normal cards on top, thirteen normal cards on the bottom, and the paired set of thirteen duplicate pairs in the middle. The center stock of paired cards is also prepared with roughing fluid so that each pair handles like a single card. The back of one card and the face of its duplicate must be treated. These cards can also be purchased from me if you need them. The face of the rear card of each roughed pair has a pseudo (dummy) signature. I just take a Sharpie marker and scribble a signature that is not really legible. There will be thirteen of these dummy signed cards; the face of each of these is roughed. The roughed back of each duplicate is paired up and your deck is ready to go. Have one of the cards in the center stock (the roughed pairs) either touched or named. It’s very easy to remove the pair, or you can just cut the pair to the top. Turn it (actually two cards) face up and have the

card signed. You can hold the deck for this or you can deal it off, hiding the duplicate with a wrist kill. Have the card signed nice and big. (Avoid having the spectator initial it the size of a dime.) Receive the signed card and place it back, face up, onto the face-up duplicate taking care not to flash the duplicate’s presence. Turn the double over face down and deal the top card off into your free hand. Hand the spectator the face-down deck and ask him to pocket it; make sure he puts it in his pocket and not somewhere else. You now tear up the card. You can very openly flash the torn pieces face up; everyone will believe it’s the signed card. All you have to do now is vanish the pieces using your favorite method. You can eat them, use a Devil’s Hank, a utility pull, a clip on a reel, a gimmicked box, or a tip-over trunk – whatever floats your boat. I usually take the pieces and pretend to place them in my left hand. I then pull up my left sleeve and in the process ditch the pieces in my left side jacket pocket. This is an old ditch of Max Malini’s. Okay, let’s say the card has now vanished. Ask the spectator to reach into his pocket and quickly pull out a card. He will usually go for the path of least resistance and pull out the top card. This has a double kick. Not only is the card restored, but he just produced his own card. The signed card vanishes and appears in his own pocket. This idea of reaching in and grabbing the card is very old and it kills when it hits. If the spectator doesn’t go for the top card, but digs into the deck and brings out some other card, I just say, “Well, that would have been cool!” I ask him to take out the deck and turn over the top card…voila.  If you enjoy reading this column, take a peek at Kranzo’s Newsletter. Stop by www.KranzoMagic.com to sign up. That’s all for this month. Thanks for reading.

ANYTIME, ANYPLACE — ANY DECK ALDO COLOMBINI

Riddle

I

mpromptu tricks are always welcome and this goes into that category. You need just a deck and you can amaze your audience with this routine.

Effect: The shuffled deck is cut into two piles. From one half a spectator selects a card. From the other half you produce two cards: one indicates the suit and the other indicates the value of the selection! Performance: Take back a shuffled deck and spread it with the faces of the cards toward you. Glimpse the top card (at the left of the spread). Let’s assume it is the Six of Diamonds. In the middle of the deck you look for any Six and any Diamond that are next to each other. If there are none close to each other, simply move cards around to reach the needed situation. You now cut the deck into two face-down piles; on top of one pile is the glimpsed card (in this example the Six of Diamonds), and on top of the other pile are the Six and the Diamond in any order. (For the benefit of this description, let’s assume that the Six of Clubs is on top followed by the Ten of Diamonds). Pick up the pile with the Six of Diamonds on top. Hold it face down and with a double-undercut bring the Six of Diamonds to the bottom. Force it on a spectator using

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Jerry Sadowitz’s slip jog as follows: Hold the deck face down from above in your right hand (Biddle grip). Slightly buckle the bottom card with your left forefinger and secure a break above the bottom card with the right thumb. With the left thumb start peeling off cards one at the time from the top of the right-hand packet into the left hand, requesting a spectator to say stop. When he says stop, you appear to peel off the next card, out-jogging it over the left-hand portion. In reality, the left fingertips contact the right side of the forced card and quickly pull it over to the left, as the right hand moves quickly to the right. The left thumb simulates pulling the top card of the right-hand packet but really takes nothing. It is quite impossible to tell where the card comes from. (Rocking the two hands downward, almost like bomb-bay doors opening, aids in the deception. It is also important that no fumbling occurs as you do the fake take.) Allow the spectator to take this card. Assemble the two piles (the one in your right hand and the cards in your left hand) and place these cards aside. Pick up the other pile and hold it face down in left-hand dealing position. Perform any simple, inthe-hands false cut. (For example: The right forefinger swing cuts the top half into the left hand. The right hand drops its portion face down on top of the left-hand cards but the little finger of the left hand keeps a break between the two piles. Double-undercut to the break, bringing the deck back to its original order). Perform a double turnover showing the Ten of Diamonds. Leave the double face up on top of the pile. Grip the packet from above in the right hand. Your right forefinger swing cuts the top half of that pile

into the left hand. The right-hand cards are brought over the left-hand cards and the middle finger of the right hand is placed onto the face-up Ten of Diamonds. Square the right-hand cards with the left-hand packet, but in so doing the middle finger of the right hand pushes the Ten of Diamonds forward, forcing it to be out-jogged. The Six of Clubs remains face up between the two packets. The left forefinger pushes all the cards below the Ten of Diamonds backward (toward you) so that the Six of Clubs appears in-jogged on top of that portion of the packet. Remove both face-up cards and drop them on the table. One reveals the value of the selection, the other reveals the suit. Note: Instead of the in-the-hands false cut and double turnover described above, a simple revelation of J.K. Hartman can be used. Obtain a break under the top two cards of the pile in the left hand. Grip the packet from above with the right hand and take over the break with the right thumb. Undercut half the packet with the left hand and flip this portion face up onto the righthand cards. The right thumb maintains the break. The left hand come under the cards to hold them as the right hand out-jogs all the cards above the break. The right hand then retakes the out-jogged packet at the front end and turns it over, end for end, revealing the Ten of Diamonds. This little production of the Ten puts you in the same position as before, with the Ten face up on top and the Six face up underneath. Proceed as explained above. Until next time, best always, Aldo Colombini [email protected]

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MARCH 2011 83

THE DEAN’S DIARY GEORGE SCHINDLER

Vent-o-Rama

E

I look forward to visiting the Abbott’s Get-Together in Colon, Michigan. One of the enjoyable events is the Vent-o-Rama, where magicians, would-be ventriloquists, and real vents join a jam session of adlib fun. It used to be held under an open tent on the grass outside of the elementary school, but nowadays the Abbott showroom is the venue and I am the moderator. Like three degrees of separation, I was amazed to look back at the chain of events that led to my doing this, so read on. In 1939, a Democratic candidate running for the governor of Kentucky got 143 write-in votes – not bad for a vent doll who called himself Winn D. Higgins. That wasn’t his real name of course, which was Windy Higgins. He had been carved back in 1913 by the Charlie Mack Company. In 1938, magician/ventriloquist Paul Stadelman had traded up from a smaller puppet to a molded Shaw figure and later ordered a wooden head from Pinxy. He then named him after his hometown judge, Henry Higgins, who dubbed him a “windy little so and so.” Windy Higgins resided with magician Stadelman for thirty-two more years. This had all started back when ach summer

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Stadelman, once known as “Sandu,” a working magician in Kentucky, was asked to perform a “dummy act.” He had never seen a ventriloquist, but listened to Edgar Bergen on the radio. His friend Percy Abbott fixed him up with a small puppet and his new career was born. By the early ‘40s he had moved to Chicago; his penchant for honest publicity got him loads of work. In 1944 he took Windy to a blood bank and offered to donate a pint of sap for the war effort. The story was a great one, with a four-column photo of Paul giving blood while Windy sat on a nurse’s lap. He then had Windy sitting in a barber chair getting a haircut for his new wig (another great photo op). In 1949 Paul Stadelman, in his magician’s hat, won the originality award at the I.B.M. convention in Chicago for his new effect called Polka Dot Paint. It was later marketed by Mazda Magic and was one of the greatest selling effects that year. A board is shown blank on both sides. The magician dips his brush into a can of polka dot paint, and paints one side with polka dots. He then turns the board over, and using striped paint, continues to paint stripes on the board. The trick sold for only ten dollars. Years later, in 1967, Paul lectured on vent at the Abbott’s Get-Together. The lecture was so successful they decided to do it every year since. And that was the birth of Vent-o-Rama. I am sorry that I never met Paul in person, but I did have some business dealings with him in 1968 and 1969. I arranged to market his ventriloquism audio tapes and books. As a comedy writer who also wrote scripts for ventriloquists, I was often asked about getting vent figures, and Paul became my

supplier. I advertised and sold his books and puppets. When he died in 1971, his wife Trudy, who was also a vent, suggested I contact Paul’s figure maker directly. That is how I met Howard Olson of Madison, Wisconsin. We worked together for many years, and through my Show-Biz company I became his wholesaler. Howard, the son of the Great Chesterfield, took over the Vent-o-Rama after Paul died, and ran it very well, both teaching and demonstrating the art. One year, Howie couldn’t make the event and I was his substitute. After Olson passed, Bob Jepson filled the spot, and after his demise I inherited it. It is so great to see the young people and “not so young” people learning and having fun at the event. I enjoy the fun performers who show up, such as Romaine, whose character Woody amazingly sounds the same each time we give him a new figure to work with. Vent-o-Rama has traveled full circle, and I invite you to bring your puppets and talents and spend an hour talking to yourself. 

The Ta x Magic ian

by St e ve Snyde r

B us i n e s s a n d Ta x A dvi c e fo r t h e S e l f-E mp l o y e d E n t e r t a i n e r

Are You Covered? I’m curious. By a show of hands, how many of you have ever spilled your OOM? How many of you have ever had your rabbit or other working animal bite or scratch a child? Or maybe your bird got away and pooped on something or someone? Or perhaps you’ve selected a child volunteer (who maybe wasn’t a volunteer in the first place) who was so nervous they wet themselves (don’t laugh – it happened to a friend of mine). Okay, you can put your hands down; I can’t see them anyway. What many of you may fail to realize is that you have just created a liability situation. And if you’re lucky enough to have avoided those situations, you’re an accident waiting to happen. Let’s look at the most horrific situation I can think of – all of which is made up, of course. You’re performing at a five-year-old’s birthday party. One of the children, thinking he’s cute, bursts a balloon. The noise startles you and you drop your milk pitcher, spilling the contents all over a rug and sending shards of glass everywhere. In an effort to contain the spill, you knock over your rabbit cage, and your cute bunny gets out creating a panic among the children as it scampers around the room. In her panic to either get to your bunny, or away from it, one child falls and cuts her lip. Want to guess who’s responsible? I’ll give you a hint: it wasn’t the cute child who broke the balloon and created this entire situation. You, my friend, are about to be sued. It’s okay, you say to yourself, you have homeowner’s insurance. It should cover this. But it won’t.

And you have just put everything you own, your home, your car, and all your belongings at risk. If you are a regular performer, whether as a hobbyist or a professional, you need liability insurance. And you needed it yesterday. Liability insurance is available from many establishments – some advertise right here in this magazine. Prices vary, and so do the limitations. Some will cover your animals, others won’t. You need to do your homework. And prices will vary. When I lived in Chicago and worked for about thirty park districts, many of them wanted to be named as additional insured on my policy. My insurance company charged extra for that; other insurance companies don’t. Some companies work on a calendar year; others work on a fiscal year; but none that I researched pro-rated their fees. That means you pay a full year’s fee regardless of when you make your purchase, even if it’s only one month until renewal. So you may be tempted to wait until that month. If you think that’s a smart move, maybe you need to re-read that awful scenario above. Is it worth not paying the fee and putting everything you own at risk? It wasn’t for me. And I am pleased to say I never had to put in a claim – and I hope you never will, either.  Steve Snyder has a BS in Accounting and an MBA. Let him put his knowledge to work for you. Send your business or tax questions to him at: [email protected]. Please put “M-U-M question” in the subject line. Steve is also the author of several books, all of which are available at: www.thetaxmagician.com.

MARCH 2011 85

CONFESSIONS OF A PAID AMATEUR ROD DANILEWICZ

I

n my opinion,

books are superior to electronic media as a means of learning magic. I can see how a move is done on screen but to learn how to do it myself, I need to read the book. Hidden within the word “learn” is the word “earn.” If you are serious about attaining knowledge, you have to work at it. The last three issues of M-U-M contained favorable comments about books from Eugene Burger, Joshua Jay, and Byron Walker. My emails confirm Mr. Burger’s belief that a preference for books is based on generational differences. Like him, I am a radio person. Those who grew up on radio learned to develop the theater within the mind. You can get comfortable inside a book. That’s not possible while watching someone else perform. A visual medium does your thinking for you. You cannot inject your own creative input while your brain is on hold. Years ago, I was the traffic helicopter reporter at my hometown radio station. When the listener used his mind to visualize what he was hearing, the illusion was perfect. Had he seen me beating my chest while speaking into the microphone the effect would have been lost. In my lifetime, books have been around forever. On the flip side, I have gone through vinyl records, eight-tracks, cassette tapes, VHS, CDs, Walkmen, and MP3 players. I am beginning to question the value in buying something that will be obsolete next week. In theory, a book or a DVD serves the same purpose. Both describe moves created by someone else. With a book, you become personally involved. You must handle the cards or coins. When you sit back and watch you become the audience. You absorb the performer’s routine and persona. That is my primary problem with “watching” magic lessons. I had a video devoted to a single effect. The performer appeared to be proud of his work but every routine began with the same flaw – a move

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that made no sense to get the gimmick into position. If everyone who watches this DVD mimics the teacher, we are perpetuating bad magic. I occasionally buy an instructional video. Most often they are forced on me with the trick in lieu of written instructions. Mostly, I end up disappointed. I only have three videos that have merit as “keepers.” The rest have been palmed off to our club library. Books, however, become old friends. You can go to them anytime for sound advice. Everyone will have their own opinion as to what books are must-haves. Card men will not collect the same books a children’s performer finds essential. I doubt that any two of us part-time magicians would come up with the same titles.

Books become old friends. You can go to them anytime for sound advice. Everyone will have their own opinion as to what books are must-haves. My current library consists of thirtyone books. If I pare that down to those I consider mandatory reading, the list is reduced to just twenty-four individual books. If you classify the sets as one continuous work, then I only have nine books that I feel every part-time magician should have on the shelf. From these few volumes anyone can develop an act that could earn him a good living. Almost everything being created today is a variation of something that appears in one of these books. Should I find myself marooned on that island in the Pacific, besides a Lota Bowl full of good scotch, I would take the

following books: Tarbell, my hardbound set of Apocalypse, Fitzkee’s Trilogy, and S.H. Sharpe’s four-volume set of secrets. Individual books would include; The Mark Wilson Course, Bobo’s Coin Magic, The Royal Road to Card Magic, and Expert at the Card Table. I have several other volumes that everyone considers classics, but they wouldn’t make it onto the raft. A value should be placed on a book commensurate with the knowledge it imparts to further your particular endeavors. The more information a book contains that I can use, the more valuable that book is to me. If I am interested in Cups and Balls, I buy everything I can find on the topic. I walk past autographed collectors’ editions on fire eating or driving a railroad spike up your nose. Of the seven magic books I read this winter, two made my keeper list: Sleights of Mind by Macknik and Conde and Magus by Thomas Chilton Meseroll. Most part-timers are prop driven. We seek tricks, not knowledge. When I first started I was the worst offender. Books are not high on the list of any neophyte. The situation is worse today, since the written word has been reduced to abbreviations on a one-inch screen (LOL). I shy away from electronic teaching methods. There is a danger in absorbing the inane patter and bad technique along with “the work.” Not only are you setting yourself up to perpetuate bad magic, you are subliminally stealing someone else’s act. When I encounter a serious youngster, I give them the hard sell about buying books. When they ask how a trick is done, I tell them in which book they can find the secret. Those raised on computer generated special effects think creating a virtual helicopter with your bare hands is way cool. I tell them I found that in a book as well. By the way, I lived on an island in the Pacific for several years and it wasn’t all that great. Alcatraz is cold even in the summer months. But that’s another story. Let me know which books you find essential and why. If you prefer videos, I’ll share your viewpoint. I realize there is a place in magic for both mediums. In fact I know people with learning disabilities who rely totally on visual learning. It just does not work for me.  [email protected]