MUM,03-2014.pdf

MARCH 2014

BILLY SCADLOCK Page 36

MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 3

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, 6838 N. Alpine Dr. Parker, CO 80134 Copyright © 2012 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: Cinde Sanders M-U-M Advertising Manager Email: [email protected] Telephone: 214-902-9200 Editorial contributions and correspondence concerning all content and advertising should be addressed to the editor: Michael Close - Email: [email protected] Phone: 317-456-7234

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. 4 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

M-U-M

MARCH 2014

MAGAZINE

Volume 103 • Number 10

S.A.M. NEWS 6 8 11 22 23 23 69

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

68

cover story page

36

50 Photo by Andy Eubanks

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THIS MONTH’S FEATURES 24 29 30 32 34 36 44 46 50 50 54 57 58 60 68 69 70 70

Stage 101 Practicum • by Levent Tech Tricks • Bruce Kalver Hit the Road • by Scott Alexander Not Just Kid Stuff • Jim Kleefeld For Your Consideration • by George Parker COVER STORY • by Steve Marshall Nielsen Gallery • by Tom Ewing Mental Breakdown • by Christian Painter The High Road • by Mick Ayres El Roberto Enigmatico • by R.D. Michaels Ebook Nook: Impossibilia Paranormal Happenings • Charles Siebert, MD Cheats and Deceptions • Antonio M. Cabral Informed Opinion • New Product Reviews Salon de Magie • by Ken Klosterman Inside Straight • by Norman Beck Basil the Baffling • Alan Wassilak The Dean’s Diary • by George Schindler

Cover Photo by Andy Eubanks

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M-U-M (ISSN 00475300 USPS 323580) is published monthly for $40 per year by The Society of American Magicians, 6838 N. Alpine Dr., Parker, CO 80134 . 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 80134. MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 5

Photo by fivebyphotography.com

Editor’s Desk Michael Close If you attended the S.A.M. convention in Washington, D.C., last year, it is likely that you saw Billy Scadlock, for he was there in many guises: as a stilt-walking Uncle Sam, as The Great Scadini (in an act with Steve Marshall), and as the character he has portrayed around the world, Charlie Chaplin’s “The Little Tramp.” Billy has had a full and varied career in the variety arts, from magician to circus clown to mime to celebrity impersonator. Steve Marshall wrote the cover story on Billy, which you’ll find on page 36. Many readers, myself included, lamented the ending of Levent’s Stage 101 column in December of 2013. Levent has an extremely busy performing schedule (as anyone who is his Facebook friend will attest), and his constant traveling made it increasingly difficult to maintain a monthly column. However, I’m happy to report that Levent has not left M-U-M permanently. He will be offering a quarterly column titled Stage 101 Practicum, which will focus on the specifics of a particular stage effect. This month Levent discusses the venerable Vanishing Cane. You will learn a lot; I know I did. This month is the final installment of Christian Painter’s Mental Breakdown column. Christian’s columns contained valuable information, not just for mentalists, but for all performing magicians. I’m sorry to see his column come to an end, but the good news is that Christian will be back in alternate months with a different column; a new contributor will take over the mentalism column responsibilities. Stay tuned. Don Theo III submitted a long, very interesting column for this month, but with the addition of Levent’s column it turned out that space was tight this issue. Rather than break up Don’s column into two parts, I’m saving the whole thing for next month. At the end of January, Lisa, Ava, and I braved the weather and headed down to Columbus, Ohio, to attend the Magi-Fest convention. The line-up of booked talent was remarkable; even more remarkable were the attendees. If you had a question about any contemporary (and perhaps not so contemporary) book, DVD, or trick, the odds were pretty good that the creator was there. The hot action was late at night when Juan Tamariz held court in the lobby, but I am the old father of a seven-year-old, so I missed all that. There was great magic to be seen and purchased and everyone had a fine time. Congratulations to Joshua Jay, Andi Gladwin, and Tim Moore. Interested in placing an ad in the 2014 Combined Convention Souvenir Program? Contact Becki Wells at Publicity@ ibmsam.com to request the Ad Rate and Specification Sheet. The souvenir program is an opportunity for you to advertise your magic business, show, convention or service, promote your assembly, drive traffic to your dealer booth, and send greetings of praise or congratulations. Your ad or message will reach 1,400 people! Previous convention programs, like the 2008 combined convention program from Louisville, are now collector items and this year’s program will be no different. Be a part of magic history and place your ad now. 6 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

The Society of American Magicians Magic Endowment Fund is offering a full tuition scholarship to attend the Jeff McBride Extended Magic Class being held from August 17-23, 2014. The scholarship is offered to any magician, regardless of age; you do not have to be a member of any magic organization. The McBride Mystery School has been recognized as one of the premier magic educational experiences. In addition, the Magic Endowment Fund is providing scholarships to youngsters between the ages of twelve to eighteen to attend magic camp. Applications are now being accepted for the 2014 summer season for full tuition scholarships plus travel expenses to attend the magic camp at either Tannen’s Magic Camp at their location in Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania, for the week of July 12-19, 2014, or the Sorcerers Safari located in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada, for the week of August 15-20, 2014. Both camps are wonderful places for youngsters to learn new skills, improve their performance abilities, and make new friends with similar interests. The campers study under some of the leading professionals, receive helpful critiques of their performance ability, and attend classes. All candidates must demonstrate existing talent and dedication to achieve improved magical performances and skills. Applications may be obtained by either writing to Trudy Monti, S.A.M. Magic Endowment Fund, 803 Sherwick Terrace, Manchester, MO 63021, or by email (stating your mailing address) to [email protected]. A copy of the application and instructions may also be downloaded from the S.A.M. website (www.magicsam.com). This has been a long, tough winter for most of North America, and the days were made a little colder by the news that my old friend, and longtime M-U-M contributor, Aldo Colombini had died from complications of a stroke on February 12, 2014. This event was unexpected and was hard to accept. Aldo and I had been friends for thirty years. I dedicated a chapter to him in my book That Reminds Me. I led off that chapter with the following: “Aldo is from Bologna, Italy, and came to the United States in 1993. In a short time, he has managed to accomplish something very difficult – he has learned to be funny in a second language. Comedy is not just about words; it is also about the rhythm of a language, the speed of delivery, the cultural references and sensibilities, and the pacing of a punch line. This varies from country to country. Aldo has not only improved his vocabulary skills to the point where he can deliver (and understand) American jokes, he has also absorbed the rhythm of American humor. He favors short, direct jokes, and he gets big, genuine laughs from his audiences.” Laughter was important to Aldo; he loved to laugh and he loved to make people laugh. Over the years, we spent many happy occasions together laughing. Aldo was a prolific creator of close-up magic, and he loved performing and lecturing for magicians. He and his wife and partner, Rachel Wild Colombini, traveled the world, sharing magic and laughter with magicians. I’m sure I express the sentiments of thousands of magicians when I say that I am going to miss him very much. Addio, Aldo. And thanks for the laughs. 


President’s Desk Dal Sanders I don’t know about you, but I am ready for winter to be over! I’ll admit, I’m a little wimpy, but give me a break! I grew up in Miami Beach, the furthest north I’ve ever lived was Atlanta, Georgia, and now I live in Dallas, Texas. I’m not used to cold weather, and so far this year, I’ve seen plenty. It’s not that this is the coldest winter we’ve had in Texas in many years (it is), but I’ve been traveling, visiting assemblies and conventions in places that are always cold this time of year. Of course, this has given our compeers something to laugh about. In New England I got to perform my magic lecture for Assembly 21 and Assembly 16 and install the officers of Assembly 17. While there I also got to visit Ray and Ann Goulet and tour their Magic Art Studio and the New England Mini Museum of Magic. This was certainly a thrill; it is something that any lover of magic should add to their bucket list. I also got a short tour of The Magic Barn, but because of extensive water damage, I only got to experience a few of the treasures there. Upon leaving New England, I went home for one day, washed my clothes, and headed to Columbus, Ohio, for more cold weather, snow, and the Eighty-seventh Annual Magi-Fest. Joshua Jay, Andi Gladwin, and Tim Moore did an amazing job with this convention. There were about 850 people there; 100 of them were juniors. The talent was top notch too, with Juan Tamariz, Michael Weber, Eric Mead, David Williamson, and Roberto Giobbi. I really appreciate Josh, Andi, and Tim’s efforts to keep this magic tradition alive. In fact, I appreciate them so much that I presented them with Presidential Citations.

of columnists have been doing. M-U-M is more than just a collection of tricks or fanzine articles. M-U-M is one of the ways that the local assemblies communicate with each other. The reports join us together and are part of our ethos. The magazine is also full of information on being a better magician. If you travel at all, you will want to read Scott Alexander’s Hit The Road column. We all need to support the M-U-M by supporting the advertisers. If you are online, it’s easy; all ads have links to the advertisers’ websites. Always let them know that you saw their ad in M-U-M. Of course, our website is also a huge benefit of membership. I’ll admit that there have been issues over the past couple of years, but the fact remains that the magicsam.com website is miles ahead of others. It’s full of news, articles, information, and even videos. Speaking of videos, the S.A.M. Media Library is a vast library that features magicians through the years performing, lecturing, and having fun. The video and audio clips are available to all S.A.M. members, and we’ve made it easier to view them, because the entire library is being added to a special area in the Members Home section of our website. The Society of American Magicians is also active in various social networks. SAMtalk is an email newsgroup that allows members to ask questions, share ideas, and get magic-related information. Of course the S.A.M. also has social presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Plus. Members also help to preserve the art of magic by supporting the S.A.M. Hall of Fame and Magic Museum Inc. and the Magic Center Foundation Inc. Both work towards preserving and promoting the art of magic and the history of The Society of American Magicians. Finally, through the Magic Endowment Fund, The Society of American Magicians offers various scholarships and funds to help promote the art of magic. Magicians who have fallen ill or have been injured may be helped through the Houdini Fund, an integral part of the S.A.M. Magic Endowment Foundation. The Fund will assist any magician or allied artist who is in financial need with extra expenses normally not covered by insurance, such as nurses, oxygen, wheelchairs, and other similar medical requirements. Funds are granted for comfort assistance, outpatient aides, and additional drug assistance. The Fund has paid for transportation to and from medical facilities. These are grants and not loans. Payments are kept confidential. There are many other benefits of being a member of the S.A.M. There are also other grants available to magicians and allied artists who have suffered loss through natural disasters.

ALDO COLOMBINI Joshua Jay, Tim Moore, Dal Sanders, and Andi Gladwin at Magi-Fest

I have really enjoyed the discussions that I have been having with magicians recently, especially those magicians who are not currently part of the S.A.M. I keep hearing the same questions from non-members; “Why do I need to be a member of The Society of American Magicians? What are the benefits?” We can start with the magazine you are reading right now. I can’t begin to tell you how many people who read the other magic magazines have complimented what Michael Close and his band 8 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

I had this article wrapped up but then I got the sad news that Aldo Colombini had passed away. I felt I must say something about this great magician and friend. Aldo was one of the kindest people I have ever met. He was charming, funny, and incredibly talented. Aldo Dal & Aldo was a F.I.S.M.-winning magician with a huge following, and yet he always made time for

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: Dal Sanders, 3316 Northaven Rd, Dallas, TX 75229 (214) 902-9200, [email protected] President Elect: Kenrick “ICE” McDonald, P.O. Box 341034, Los Angeles, CA 90034, (310) 559-8968, [email protected] First Vice President: David Bowers, (717) 414-7574, [email protected] Second Vice President: Jeffrey Sikora, (402) 339-6726 [email protected] Secretary: Marlene Clark, 274 Church Street, #6B, Guilford, CT 06437, (203) 689-5730, Skype: marlene.clark, [email protected] Treasurer: Eric Lampert, (215) 939-5555, [email protected]

Regional Vice Presidents New England: CT MA RI NH ME VT Joseph Caulfield (603) 654-6022, [email protected] North Atlantic: NY NJ Eric DeCamps, (718) 896-5861, [email protected] Mid Atlantic: PA DE MD VAWV DC Phil Milstead, (703) 481-5271, [email protected] South Atlantic: FL AL GA MS NC SC Debbie Leifer (404) 630-1120 [email protected] Central Plains: KY TN OH IN MI Steven A. Spence, (317) 722-0429 [email protected] Midwest: IL MN WI MO ND NE KS SD IA Shaun Rivera, (618) 781-8621 [email protected] South Central States: TX AR OK NM LA Michael Tallon, (210) 341-6959 [email protected] Southwest: CA AZ NV HI Ron Ishimaru, (808) 428-6019, [email protected] Northwest: WA OR UT ID CO AK WY MT James Russell, (360) 682-6648 [email protected] Canada: Rod Chow (604) 669-7777 [email protected] Society of Young Magicians Director: Jann Wherry Goodsell, 329 West 1750 North, Orem, Utah 84057 (801) 376-0353. [email protected]

his friends. When Cinde threw me a surprise fiftieth birthday party, he was one of out-of town guests who came to help me celebrate. I will miss his magic and I will miss his jokes, but most of all I will miss that booming, gentle voice saying hello just before being engulfed in a bear hug. I am confident that he has merely gone ahead to preset the room and get things ready for our arrival to whatever is next. Aloha Aldo. 

Living Past National Presidents Bradley M. Jacobs, Richard L. Gustafson, Roy A. Snyder, Bruce W. Fletcher, James E. Zachary, David R. Goodsell, 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, Mark Weidhaas, Vinny Grosso, J. Christopher Bontjes


ASSEMBLY NEWS

MARCH 2014

Volume 103, Number 10

Society of American Magicians Monthly News GO TO: WWW.MUM-MAGAZINE.COM and use the easy submission form to file your report

1 CAMARADERIE REIGNS AT PA 1

NEW YORK, NY— The Magic Table was a little slow this month; holidays and weather in NYC were a factor. On different Fridays, regulars Richard Bossong, Scott Mero, Rene Clement, and Lee and Jerry Oppenheimer joined me. We meet for lunch and to share magic at The Edison Café in the Hotel Edison. It’s on 47th Street off 7th Avenue in Times Square. We meet after 12:30 on Fridays. On Saturdays the magicians gather at the “Pizza Place,” which has lots of action. Our monthly meeting of the Parent Assembly was on Thursday January 9, 2014. President Throwdini could not run the meeting because he was performing at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for several weeks in January. So at the normal 7:15 start time we only had eighteen members in attendance, two short of a quorum for the PA. At 8:45 we called the meeting; general announcements were given. One was of the “Danny Reilly Roast” by our brother organization the IBM on January 31st at the Musician’s Meeting Hall. Like me, many magicians in the city are members of both. Then we went to the after-meeting event at which others joined us. In January for the past few years the Parent Assembly has had an auction. We had lots of donated materials, including a sword chest for the head. Second VP Richie Magic provided this and it went to the SYM. We had a great time, and camaraderie reigned this night at the PA 1. Sal Perrotta and I purchase material we donated to the SYM. Kamaar had a lot of great stuff he donated. Doug Edward, Steve Horn, and Lenny Greenfader’s daughter got some wonderful buys. Many remarked it was the best monthly gathering of the PA 1 this year. Some of the money went to the assembly’s programs and the rest went for new efforts by the SAM PA 1 Gravesite Restoration Committees.

Our workshop was on January 17th at the Gemini Diner. We had sixteen people and Doug Edwards was in rare form. He has a new book coming out. He did Rolling off a Log by Charles Jordan, some self-working tricks, and some Marlo and Derrick Dingle material. He patiently taught all those attending how to do the effects and performed many flawless routines. We had a blast. —Tom Klem The Parent Assembly meets on the first Friday of the month at Mount Sinai Hospital on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Meetings start at 7:15 PM Contact Tom Klem [email protected] (212) 7255258 www.sampa1.com for more details.

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WILL FERN LECTURES

PHILADELPHIA, PA— Our January meeting featured an excellent Lecture by Will Fern. Prior to the lecture, we mourned the loss of our good friend and Past President, Jim Straub, who passed away at the age of sixty-one on January 10, 2014, after a courageous six-month battle with brain cancer. Jim, whose laugh and smile were infectious, was a superb coin and card manipulator who was beloved by our membership. President Brian Hurlburt and Secretary Arlen Solomon presided over the Broken Wand Ceremony, which Jim’s widow Pat attended. Jim’s full length obituary will appear in the Obituary section of the magazine.

Will Fern Lectures

Following the Broken Wand Ceremony, we were treated to a superb whirlwind lecture by Will Fern, who is nothing short of a human dynamo. Will, who is a full time “general practitioner,” has been a fixture in Northern New Jersey and New York City for over twenty years. Having performed walk-around magic over threethousand nights in various restaurants in addition to private and corporate affairs, trade shows, cruise ships, nursing homes, and children’s shows, Will came equipped with a vast knowledge of real-world experience which he was eager to share with our members. Will’s lecture included a wide mix of close-up magic with several routines geared specifically toward children. His very funny six-phase sponge bunny routine, which included a lot of audience interaction, was one of the highlights of the evening. He also delighted everyone with his I.B.M.-winning memorized deck routine during which he demonstrated several lightening fast card location effects. Another highlight of the evening, which astounded everyone, was Will’s exceptionally clean Any Card at Any Number. Will taught so many excellent effects during his twoand-a-half-hour lecture that many members commented afterward that his lecture was one of the best they had seen in years. Although Will did not have enough time to cover several stage pieces that were featured in his lecture notes, he was more than happy to stick around after the lecture to discuss his methods for those effects, including a very practical Ring in Nest of Boxes routine utilizing ungimmicked boxes. All in all, Will’s lecture was one of the best we have ever had. Any assembly looking for an excellent lecture need look no further than Will Fern. It was a fantastic night of magic for all. —Peter Cuddihy The James Wobensmith Assembly 4 meets third Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at the Bustleton Memorial Post, 810 (American Legion) 9151 Old Newtown Road. Contact Information: www.sam4.org/ for more details.

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HOT MAGIC ON A FRIGID NIGHT

BALTIMORE, MD— Our scheduled meeting having been snowed out, we skipped a week only to face super-frigid temperatures. But the turnout was large and included six guests. Prez Andy London announced the sad news of the passing of member Dr. Richard Schindler on December 28th. After the usual raffle of used magi, Dean Joe Bruno (74 yrs in magic) led off with an intriguing face up/face down reversal of a fan of cards, which he then tipped. He followed with Longfellow the Magician’s Take Ten, handing out mini decks of cards and instructions so we could all follow along. Mentalist Oneil Banks found a selected card under a coin moved by a spectator. Guest Jason Leh performed a nice

Eric Hoffman performing Dr. Schindler’s vintage production box as a memorial to this fine gentleman and magician 8-Card Brainwave followed by two versions of card-back color change. Craig Feinstein’s fascination with coin magic continues: he did a copper-silver effect using his Boston Box, David Roth’s Coins through Table, and a fine coin assembly. Guest Trevor Plumer found a selected card when it appeared on a stick of gum (!) from a randomly selected sealed package. Guest Ronann Carrero performed a Four


Assembly News Robbers effect with Jacks followed by Aces; he’s polishing the patter. Both guests are students at Johns Hopkins. Eric Hoffman brought the late Dr. Schindler’s vintage production box and performed it as a memorial to this fine gentleman and magician. Guest Dennis Hasson did a smooth version of the ever-popular Professor’s Nightmare. Guest Jefferson Rose had matches burnt, torn, restored, and moving back and forth in mysterious ways. Guest Jared Raitzyk performed two card tricks, including a cardin-shoe. First time we’ve ever heard the line, “Pick a shoe!” Howard Katz had a spectator fairly select from four envelopes, each containing money. The spectator ended up with an envelope containing a $1 million bill and a wry note. Jay Silverman had a spectator cut the pack randomly into thirds, and then dealt to four Kings and four Aces. Announcing “I want to do a [card] prediction in the fairest possible manner,” Andy London proceeded to do so, leaving most of us stumped. Our other cardician, Jeff Eline, said “the regulars will be amazed” to see him do something without cards and then performed a fine Cups and Balls with four limes as the final loads. Of course he had to follow with a card trick, a “group trick” that had us all tearing packets of cards in half only to find that they mysteriously matched. —Eric Hoffman The Kellar/Thurston Assembly 6 meets every first Thursday at 8:00 pm at the Magic Warehouse, 11419 Cronridge Drive suite #10 in Owings Mills, Maryland. 410561-0777. Contact Andy London [email protected] www. baltimoresam.com for more details.

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THE WIZARD STRIKES AGAIN

OMAHA, NE— This year’s Wizard’s banquet promised to be a real treat! We were honored by the presence of National S.A.M. President Dal Sanders, National 2nd V.P. Jeff Sikora, and Midwest Regional V.P. Shaun Rivera. And one of the past presidents of Assembly 7, Bob Schmill, reacquainted himself after an extended absence. To start it should be noted that one of our performers “took a knee,” relinquishing his time slot to the rest of the group. Prior to the wizardry, Most Illustrious Dal Sanders presented a Presidential Citation to Jerry Golmanavich for his efforts with Assembly 7, and then Assembly President Tom Zepf presented Larry Brodahl the first ever Top

Larry Brodahl wins the 2014 Top Hat Award Hat Award for his contributions in making the assembly successful. Then the fun began with Bob Schmill putting on his Scottisch regalia and “kilting” the audience, followed by Travis Newcombe with his bag (or guitar case) of tricks. Midwest Regional Vice President Shaun Rivera brought out the Linking Rings and brought volunteers up onto the stage, and Dal Sanders provided the grand finale comprising a bouquet of effects to keep the audience’s attention. Dean Walter Graham did a great job as emcee, doing double duty as the Humorous Trickster between acts. The weather was record-setting and the audience of almost one hundred seemed captivated by the festivities. Of course, the meal was a highlight and the package was well prepared by the banquet committee that included Chairman Jeff Quinn, Larry Brodahl, Bob Gehringer, Donna Roth, Denny Rourke, Walter Graham, Ann Rourke, Ron Gerard, and Jeff Sikora. For 2014 the Officers of the Omaha Magical Society are: President, Professor Emeritus Tom Zepf; Vice President, Jerry Golmanavich; Secretary, Scott Klinger; Treasurer & Dean, Walter Graham; and Sergeantat-Arms, Bob Gehringer. We have high hopes for another banner year with the help of all of the board members and continued growth of the assembly. —Jerry Golmanavich The Omaha Magical Society meets generally on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Southwest Church of Christ near 124th St. and West Center Road, right across from where Hooters used to be. Contact jerry golmanavich [email protected] (402) 390-9834 omahamagicalsociety.com for more details.

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MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS, MO — December 12th was our last meeting in 2013

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and it was a magical evening. After a brief meeting, Columbus Smith performed Liquid Metal, to help support Morgan Strebler’s lecture, which will be here in February. Greg Green performed the classic Cups and Balls. It was not exactly a party, but refreshments for all and for all a good night! Jan 23rd was a lecture by Karl Hein. Karl packed the hall will magicians eager to learn from a professional. Included in the lecture were Go with the Flow, Heinstein’s Dream, and Heinsight. We all enjoyed Hein’s Catch Up. All in all, it was a great night for everyone! Thanks Karl. Our assembly has been blessed with some great magicians. Many

for the evening, Eric Evans. Eric is a very talented street performer who trained under a number of excellent mentors, including Cellini. Eric’s most recent publication is 53 Friends: Card Tricks for Everywhere. Eric’s lecture covered many topics, including cards, coins, Slydini silks, rope, and wand moves. There were no performances from members this meeting, allowing Eric as much time as possible. Additional activities in January included a lecture by Karl Hein on January 26, 2014. The Dallas Magic Clubs meet the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM at Theatre 166, Crosspointe Community Center (see www. dallasmagic.org for directions). Contact Reade Quinton reade. [email protected] (972) 400-0195 www.dallasmagic.org for more details.

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COLD EVENING – WARM FRIENDS

Meet Us in St. Louis of them have been written up over the years in M-U-M. Lots of our compeers turned professional and we have a couple of past national presidents among us now. Here’s to a Happy New Year – 2014! We are off to a great start with PNP Harry Monty in the January issue of MAGIC magazine, but that’s not all. July brings the IBM/SAM convention here too! Come meet us all when you get here. May great magic continue to thrive, right here in St. Louis. —Dan Todd Assembly 8 meets at Mount Tabor United Church of Christ located at 6520 Arsenal in Saint Louis, MO 63139. Contact Dick Blowers [email protected] (213) 846-8468 http://Assembly8.com for more details.

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ERIC EVANS LECTURE

DALLAS, TX— Welcome to 2014! President Derrel Allen welcomed the members of the Dallas Magic Clubs to the first meeting of the year. Guests for the night included Mike Kanlet and Ernie Werbiski. After a brief introduction, Derrel handed the meeting off to VP Frank Seltzer who had a few brief announcements. After announcements, Frank introduced the guest lecturer

SPRINGFIELD , MA— It was a dark and stormy night. Windy. Zero degrees! Many inches of snow had fallen and some had thought that the idea of a meeting on such a night had fallen also, but the members braved the New England weather to come out for the January meeting and the theme, “What is in your case?” One may feature an effect that is in the case that may be used whenever. Business meeting was kept short. The 50/50 raffle prize was won by Jeff Pzyocha and generously donated to the treasury for our After the Holiday Get Together dinner to be visited by Most Illustrious Dal Sanders and scheduled to install our new officers. Dean, Tom Gentile presented some foldable creations and related them to Springfield’s City of Homes and another to the upcoming possible gambling casino to be built in Springfield Sergeant-at-Arms, Ed Kazar performed his rendition of Predictalopes using 3 envelopes with cards with numbers and properly predicted a number and card. Francis“Butch” Papianou brought out his version of Max Maven’s Pick-a-lope using three volunteers with numbers and cards with “Mine” and “Yours” and after a few random selections ended up with his, er, “MINE.” Magic Dealer and shop owner Rich Pinsonnault quickly got our attention with a Four-D Printing effect with another set of magic cards. He then exhibited a new Tenyo effect and exhibited his expertise of placing an item behind a steel plate and totally unseen matched

Assembly News

Summer Sizzler performers Dennis and Janet Pimenta what was showed. Then Rich produced a card selected later to be between two Jokers in a deck. Jeff Pzychoa brought some warmth to the evening with his HotWire, a cool effect of a heated wire held between his hands. Next he showed us his HoverCard with a card that seemingly floated and spun free of any “strings, wires, or cables” between his outstretched hands. Then he brought us on a tour of his case with many compartments and capabilities of packing and his reasons for picking the style case he uses. Last, newest member Kyle Barbacki showed his case and explained some history behind the items within. We all hope that when you are in the area the first Friday of the month you will come by and “visit for a spell!” —Tom Gentile We meet at the Moto-X and Magic Shop, 69 East Street, Ludlow Massachusetts Contact Rich Gilbert-President [email protected] (413) 210-5725 www.assembly17.org for more details.

19

A NEW YEAR OF MAGIC STARTS IN HOUSTON

HOUSTON, TX— Our January meeting started off the New Year on the magical side. Our teach-in session was on clowns and clown magic. Don Billings and David Hinken, both veteran professional performers, presented a fine overview of clowns and their magic. Don has extensive service with the Shriner’s and has received many awards for his face and costume designs. David’s Ronald McDonald work is extensive as well. Both Don and David presented magic routines

that would be appropriate for clowns. It was just great! Jamie Salinas performed a very nice Coins Across routine using only his hands and four Morgan silver dollars. This was all done in Jamie’s very professional style. Jaden Rhodes had Shane Wilson select a card, which was then lost into a shuffled deck. After several flourish cuts, the card was found in a most delightful manner. David Hinken had guest Michael do the magic by finding audience selected cards from a shuffled deck. Michael did not reveal his secret. Mark Melchor shared his card skills with a series of nice manipulations in which various selected cards were lost and then found again. Very nice work by Mark! Scott Wells had Charlie Dodson select a card and return it to the deck, which was then shuffled thoroughly. Scott then named the position in the deck that Charlie’s card would be found, and he was right on! Jeff Soderstrom used cards and audience-selected numbers to locate a card from a thoroughly shuffled deck. A very impressive routine! Angus performed a very nice routine using three coin boxes and both silver and gold coins. A chosen coin was caused to transfer from one to the other. Nice work! Frank Price showed us all again that he is master of the cards as he beat us all in a craftily played game of poker. Roger Johnson used the story of Houdini and his torture cell to tell the most intricately created tale revolving around two rubber bands that I have ever seen. Thanks to all who performed at our January meeting. —Miles Root Assembly 19 meets the first Monday of every month at the IATSE Internationl Alliance of Theatrical State Employees) 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. Contact Miles Root [email protected] (832) 607-6678 houstonmagic.com for more details.

21

BIRTHDAY MAGIC

HARTFORD, CT— Our theme captain for the night was Jon Cap, and since our meeting night coincided with his birthday, he called for Birthday Magic. He started things off by showing us a beer bottle that he placed into a paper bag. He then crushed up the bag, proving that the bottle had vanished. He then explained that it

was, of course, a collapsible bottle. He also assured us that he uses a ketchup bottle when he does the trick at kid shows. Kevin Aust performed Inferno, in which imaginary matches burn

Jon’s birthday card(s) an imaginary deck. One card was chosen to be saved from the “flames.” That card, although singed, appeared in the very real matchbox. Dan Sclare showed Jon several birthday cards, explaining that he could not choose among them which card to give to him. Thus, he said, he would give him all of them. So saying, he flipped over the pile of cards and they became one large card with all of the small ones on it. Norm St. Laurent had four cards selected while lecturing on the value of “connections.” It turned out, surprisingly, that the denominations of the chosen cards formed Jon’s birth year. Finally, Jason Abate got Jon a birthday card and a “CD” that “played” when Jason ran a laser pointer over the CD. By the way, Jon snorts when he laughs. —Dana T. Ring Angelo’s on Main, 289 South Main Street West Hartford Connecticut meets on second Mondays except December Contact Dana T. Ring [email protected] (860) 523-9888 www.ctmagic.org for more details.

22

EUGENE BURGER IN LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES, CA— It was a warm and pleasant evening in Los Angeles for a large group of assembly members and magician guests. The assemblage came for a much-anticipated lecture by Eugene Burger. The premise: doing a non-paying show for family or friends; a one-trick show or a three-trick show. Eugene also discussed the psychology of the show with the intent to maintain audience interest. This involved the proper selection of openers, closers, and middle-of-the-act tricks. The first trick demonstrated and

fully explained was Destiny Has a Name, a card effect based on Max Maven’s Viva Las Vegas. He uses this as his one-trick show and sometimes as a middle trick in a three-trick show. With spectator involvement, it has several stages and can stand alone. As an opener for a longer set, Burger, for many years, used a sponge ball routine and still likes the trick. He now opens with The Pack That Cuts Itself. Invented by Al Baker, it is in Baker’s Pet Secrets. The trick is also published in Eugene Burger’s The Performance of Close-Up Magic (1987). For a closing effect, Burger performed a selected and signed card effect, The Corner in the Glass. His handling of this startling effect is published in his The Experience of Magic (1989) and Mastering the Art of Magic (2000). While discussing closing effects, Burger talked frequently about Matt Schulien and recommended the Phil Willmarth’s The Magic of Matt Schulien. Also performed were a Brain Wave/Ultra-Mental Deck effect called The Devil’s Deck and a favorite coin trick called Fading Coin, which was published in the May 2000 issue of Genii magazine. A very unusual card trick, a storytelling effect, was next performed and explained. It is published in his books as A Bizarre Ritual and as The Burned Card. Eugene Burger closed his lecture with what is probably his signature performance piece, The Gypsy Thread. He has been performing this for thirty years, and he does this effect to perfection. He has published this in The Experience of Magic as Cosmic Thread and his full routine in Spirit Theatre (1986) as The Thread of Life and Death. As good and entertaining as his magic was, the stories and reminiscences about magic legends he knew in Chicago were equally entertaining and interesting. This was also a lecture full of tips and performance advice, much appreciated by all in attendance. —Steven L. Jennings Southern California Assembly meets the third Monday each month at 8:00 PM, St. Thomas Moore Parish Hall, 2510 South Fremont Avenue, Alhambra, California Contact Ed Thomas [email protected] for more details.

26

HAPPY NEW YEAR

PROVIDENCE, RI— ‘Twas the night before Christmas We were happy. The reason?


Assembly News All the fun times we had this past magic season Tom Holmes taught great magic and some was hair-raising The club members shouted Baldini’s Amazing! Simon Lovell stopped by and he lectured with humor His tricks were all great and that isn’t just rumor Garrett Thomas’s approach was a bit more reserved. His tricks were so baffling some folks were unnerved The Flea Market/Auction was quite the success I spent many dollars I have to confess The magic year ended with a buffet and show We packed it all in before the impending snow Twenty-fourteen is upon us, I hear So wishing you all a Happy New Year —Chris Natale Assembly 26 meets the first Tuesday each month from September to June at 7 pm. American Legion Auburn Post 20, 7 Legion Way, Cranston, RI.

32

NEW YEAR – NEW MAGIC

LYNCHBURG, VA— The magic of the New Year started off by the assembly meeting being postponed from Tuesday to Thursday due to snow. Rumor has it that one of our compeers was practicing his Snowstorm in China routine and got carried away. This was never confirmed but let me say, “Hey, dude, it’s called Snowstorm in China, not south central Virginia – please follow the script.” The theme for the January meeting of Assembly 32 was New Year, New Magic, which meant magic that was new to the user. The first new magic discovered happening was someone must have waved their wand and made nearly all the degrees on the thermometer disappear, because this was one cold evening. But we had a warm place to meet and got the magic in this part of Virginia started for 2014. Bob Staton presented his own modified version of Cardiographic that had great audience appeal. Bob continues to show excellent “behind the effect” thinking. Bill Harris followed with two Tenyo effects that he had worked on and was able to demonstrate pro-

ficiently. First was the Invisible Zone, one of the finest bits of walkaround magic there is available. Bill must have been in a “zone” as he followed that up with Zone Infinity, a very cleaver penetration of a coin by a key. John Jennings shared ideas that he had been working on with a hook coin. Our newest young member, Trevor Albright, performed a nicely done card effect in which a dozen cards are laid out as if marking the numbers of a clock, a time is chosen, and it was found when the cards were turned over that all faces were black except the chosen hour which was a red card. We are all looking forward to another magical year. —John Jennings The Hersy Basham Assembly 32 meets (usually) the third Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at Tharp Funeral Home, 220 Breezewood Dr., Lynchburg, VA. Contact John Jennings [email protected] (434) 851-6240 for more details.

35

HISTORY COMES ALIVE

women may have thought that their life was over, she instead forged ahead and began her own career as a solo performer. She stated that she was the first to do silent magic to music. Foretelling current media, she would change her stage persona every few years. It had long been rumored that she had written her memoirs, but it wasn’t until just a few years ago that they finally surfaced, and were published by Ms. Steele. Towards the end of the evening, Ms. Steele, accompanied by different selections from “The Nutcracker Suite,” performed several effects as they might have also been performed by Adelaide Herrmann. All in all it was an entertaining evening to learn about someone whose memory could have been lost to the sands of time. I guess she had one more trick up her sleeve, and we are all the better for it. Bravo, Adelaide Herrmann! —Darryl Bielski The S.A.M. 35 meetings are held at the Milanese Restaurant in Poughkeepsie, NY. Typically, meetings are held every 2nd Tuesday of each month. Contact Joel Zaritsky jizdds@optonline. net (845) 546-1559 sam35.com for more details.

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY— The night began on a subdued note with a broken wand ceremony for member Larry Slezak. For the rest of the evening’s activities we were treated to a presentation different PAST PRESIDENT’S from our usual lectures. Our guest NIGHT 2014 tonight was Margaret Steele, who gave us a talk on the life and times DENVER, CO— Past Presiof Adelaide Herrmann. With dent’s night came a little late this the aid of slides, we were given year due to venue complications, a glimpse into the life of Ms. but it was an outstanding evening Herrmann, a name that for many nonetheless. Past Mile High people, other than magic histori- Magicians Society President and ans, would not usually warrant a Past National S.A.M. President second thought. Dan Rodriquez swore in the new Adelaide was the wife of board members with the help of Alexander Herrmann. Born in the most recent Past President, London in 1853, Ms. Herrmann Chad Darnell. President Matt would be quite a remarkable Brandt, Vice President Andrew woman for any period in time, Bates, and Sergeant-at-Arms Gene but especially for the time in Gordon were there to accept. Past which she lived. After some early President and new again Secretary interests in other forms of enter- Connie Elstun arrived late and tainment, it really wasn’t until Past four-time President and new she married Mr. Herrmann, that again Treasurer Dave Elstun along she really came into her own. She with Editor Jess Ward were absent. stated that she was the first female assistant to do illusions. She viewed herself and her husband as equal partners, and as such, they designed their shows together. They enjoyed their life together, and made a good deal of money. They also enjoyed spending their money, having among other things a mansion, a yacht, and Assembly 37's new officers Brant, their own private railcar. Andrews and Gordon are sworn in by After the death of her husband, when other Past National President Dan Rodriguez


37

First up in the festivities for the night was Gene Gordon. He incorporated the help of young member A.J. Perea, who used magic string to tie Gene up. Glenn Prouilx then helped him with a lucky buck trick straight out of Tarbell by using a John Carney switch. Past President and Past first lady Bruce and Kitty Spangler also had young member A.J. help them out with a fishbowl dice trick that ended with a prize York Peppermint Patty for the young lad. Gregg Tobo then tried the same and one a Hershey’s treat as did member Lewis Peacock and last but not least Lynn Keir and his lovely bride Helen took a shot at candy or $1.27. They too won the candy and proved to the audience it was a real sweet trick. The Spanglers then brought out an antique Abbott’s Rabbit Hypnotize-r that was once owned by Orville Meyer and deceased Past President Doc Pendergast. Bruce had a great story about how he came to own this unique apparatus. Chad Darnell then took the stage with his rendition of changing rings or Frisbee’s. Then Matt and Andrew helped him out, with a mental trick using a literal half of the deck of cards. Past CoPresidents Karen and Jeff Wake prepared a wonderful spread of food for snack time. After the break New President Brandt presented and performed a Color Vision Box so he could advertise the next plastic trick meeting. P.P and P.N.P. Dan Rodriquez came up and with the help of the very busy A.J. Perea did a fantastic New Year’s trick where A.J. picked both sides of an apple cut in half. Everyone had a grand evening. —Connie Elstun Assembly 37 meets the 2nd Thursday of the month at Riverpointe Senior Center in Littleton Colorado Contact Connie Elstun con n ie@comedy mag icbu n ny. com (303)933-4118 www. milehighmagicians.com for more details.

47

COLD WEATHER – HOT JANUARY MAGIC!

ROCHESTER, NY— The weather changed to frigid cold and snow, but twelve intrepid magicians came out to meet! We talked about the close-up contest this April plus three lecturers! Next up was the flea market. Members brought in items for sale or trade. Magic came next! Mark Toker displayed and talked about some of the books he had received. He then performed a fine feat of cognitive reasoning by having a member think of a picture with colors that Mark had mentioned. A

Assembly News

50 BABY IT IS COLD OUTSIDE,

Professor Rem Stumps the Jinn scene was described and a prediction opened and there was a picture very closely resembling the spectator’s thought! Brian Nadworny, always ready to perform, took the flames from a Bic lighter and pinched it between his fingers. He then literally pulled the flame away from the lighter and then placed it back. Hot magic! Joel Gallegos Greenwich performed a three-phase mentalism effect with the last phase utterly under the control of the spectator. Cards were counted and each time a previous selection was found. Amazing! Professor Rem took pieces of a puzzle and put it together. It was a poem that he recited. He then turned the poem over and when he put the pieces together, one was missing. It was found in an envelope. Rem is a master at making puzzles and other things unique. John Guerin performed a classic of magic. He borrowed a bill, folded it in half, and placed it into a folded piece of paper. He pushed a pencil through both the bill and the paper. With a mighty tear, the paper ripped, but the bill was untouched! I performed a Hello Kitty card trick put out exclusively by Toys R Us. A card was selected and placed back into the deck. The deck was then spread across the table and a Hello Kitty windup toy was placed at one end of the deck. It walked and finally stopped at one card… the previously picked selection! I then gave out a printout of an effect based on a principle by Jerry Andrus. A T-Rex dinosaur is seen to move its head as if following you around the room! I then brought out a really cool toy, the Magic Jinn by Hasbro. But leave it to Professor Rem to stump the Jinn not once; but twice! I then let prospective member Laurie Guerin try it and the Jinn read her mind with just a few questions. Stay warm and practice magic! —Mike Ihrig Assembly 47 meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the month (September thru May) at St. Joseph’s School, 39 Gebhardt Road, Penfield, NY 14526 Contact Mike Ihrig [email protected] (585) 377-1566 www.sam47.com for more details.

NASHVILLE, TN— This meeting started with all of the members standing outside in the cold waiting for our building to open. There was a mix up with the guy that opens the building so we all had to jump into each other cars and wait for the guy. The guy did show up and it was well worth the wait. For the third time, we had a welcome-to-the-club meeting for a new youth member. We have our club member each bring a trick that they bought that they no longer use or want, that has instructions, and we give it to our newbie. This time it was Albert. It was an early Christmas for Albert. Not only did he get plenty of stuff, he got great stuff. We had all the givers to perform the trick that they brought for Albert; Kevin King liked his trick so much he took it back and promised to bring something else he did not like to the next meeting. Good for Albert and good for us, seeing some great magic. Thanks to all that brought stuff. —Stephen Bargatze Assembly 50 meets the third Tuesday at 7PM at Harvest Hands, Nashville, TN. Contact Mike Pile [email protected] (615-) 477-6639 for more details.

very informative lecture on the Himber Wallet. In addition to describing the wallet and its basic function, Joe gave us several ideas for creative uses of the wallet. Thanks, Joe, for a very enjoyable mini lecture. Door prize winners were Doug Gorman, Claude Crowe, and Michael Tallon. Doug won Table Magic book by Martin Gardner, Claude won Duane Laflin’s Knots Off Silk, and Michael won Houndidi Deck by Tom Craven. 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].

59

AND SO BEGINS SIXTY YEARS OF MAGIC!

PORTLAND, OR— Assembly 59’s first gathering of the year took place January 19, 2014, at our annual banquet. The event was held at the Beaverton Elks and a splendid time was had by all. Performers for the evening were Randy Stumman, Jay Fredericks, Tom Waldrop, Danny Schreiber, and Mel Anderson. Bob Eaton was the emcee. Larry Seymore was awarded the ONE OF YOUR FIRSTS IN Jack Sorrels Award for Service. MAGIC Glen Bledsoe was awarded the Duane Duvall Award for Notable SAN ANTONIO, TX — Works in Magic. Randy Stumman January 2, 2014, Brother John was awarded Performer of the Hamman Assembly 52 held its Year. Jay Fredericks was awarded monthly meeting at LaMad- Most Improved Performer. eleine Restaurant. President Don The 2014 Board was introduced: Moravits welcomed members, Mel Anderson, President; Brian wives, and guests. Welcome to Adams, Vice President; Randy Jim Cook and also welcome to Ray Stumman, Treasurer; John Edsall, Adams’s daughter and her family. Sergeant-at-Arms; Tom Cramer, Tonight’s theme was One of Your At Large; Michael Jaffe, At Large. Firsts in Magic. Starting off the Assembly 59 is currently without performances was Don Moravits, a Secretary; Glen Bledsoe is temwho shared with us his Magic by porarily filling in for some of those Moravits box of goodies that he functions until a replacement for never performs anymore, but is this post can be found. still important to him, including Our first club meeting of the several effects given to him by month took place on January 28. the late George Blackburn. He The lecture that evening was also performed a ring and string “Creating a Buzzkill-free Magic routine by Bob King. Ray Adams, Experience, or What Hypnosis with assistance from his grandson, and Hypnotism Have to Teach entertained with the Chop Cup. Magicians.” The presenter was Claude Crowe amazed us all with Glen Bledsoe. Showtime perthe Wellington Switchboard, and formers were Mel Anderson, Tom Ed Solomon performed Spot-itis Waldrop, and Randy Stumman. and Spirit of the Mirror. Michael —Glen L. Bledsoe Tallon performed the Vanishing Assembly 59 meets on the fourth Coke Bottle, and Doug Gorman Wednesday of each month except closed the open performances with Jul/Aug/Dec at The Beaverton a Tri-Colored Chop Cup Routine . Elks, 3500 SW 104th, Beaverton, Many thanks to Joe Libby for OR 97005. Contact Brian Adams his mini lecture. He gave a [email protected] (503)

646-8097 htwww.sam59portland. org/ for more details.

77

WHAT DOES THE BOX SAY?!

MASSAPEQUA, NY— Yes, we had more members than could fit in a bread box. That’s because our theme this month was boxes, boxes, and more boxes. Several members came up to display and perform their wares. First was our business meeting, which came after our “Early Bird Lesson” hosted by yours truly. Early Bird Lessons are gaining popularity as the number of our members is gathering to understand the concepts of magic and its timing and sleights. But let’s open this box and find out what the meeting has said to all of us. President Phil Levy started off with displaying four boxes of different sizes, The Flip-over Mikame Encyclopedia of Magic (shown), a homemade Billet Candy Box, a Mikame card/billet change box, and a small rattle box for a ring or coin vanish. Steve Rodman pulled out a “Magic Box” from his loaded shelves that caused a card to rise out of the box. “Look Ma, one hand.” Pat Darienzo showed a devious box designed for x-ray vision or getting a secret look inside. It was a fooler.

52

Phil Levy with the box Carol Klein showed off her homemade box she learned to build from our past lecture by Jeff Hobson. Linda Robbins performed a charming Ring Flite from a Ring Box to her shoelace. Gary Levenson brought in a vintage die box using a pack of cigarettes. That’s to show us how old it is. Dave Rosenberg fried us with Jon Allan’s Destination Box, after which John Lepre brought out one of his many boxes; from within, he produced an oldie but goodie, Max Maven’s Black Moon or Kurtosuke. Dr. Mitch Goodkin presented the Box of Mystery to us and had plenty of laughs with every plug of his...well it’s an inside joke.


Assembly News Ben Cohen turned the tables and left us scratching our heads with his routine using Dean’s Box. Mike Maione took out the props he needed out of a box and allowed the thought of a chosen word to teleport through the air from one can to another. Nice punch which made us all laugh! Next month is a wondrous visit from Margaret Steele and her discussion on the impact that the late, great Adelaide Herrmann had on future magicians, both male and female. Other questions regarding the biography of Ms. Herrmann will be answered too. See you at the diner. —Lou Johnson Long Island Mystics Assembly 77 meets at 7:30PM on the second Monday of the month at The Community United Methodist Church Contact Lou Johnson loucircus@aol. com (516) 978-7735 www. limystics.org for more details.

95

GREEK HERITAGE NIGHT

VANCOUVER, CANADA—

At the January 2014 meeting, members of Assembly 95 were treated to delicious gourmet Greek food prepared by meeting host Chef Tony Chris. You would not find better dishes in a Greek fine dining restaurant, as evidenced by the menu of Tony’s creations: Greek Spicy Stew, Lemon Potatoes, Athenian Salad, Spartan Meatballs, Kalamata Tzatziki, Mediterranean punch, and Thesali Stuffed Tomatoes. Everything was exceptionally tasty and had everyone coming back for seconds and thirds. Thanks go out to Tony’s wife Penney for serving the dishes while Tony was out doing a filming. Members had an opportunity to purchase items from the vast Eric Lenz collection of magic; Eric, who was a past member of Assembly 95, is in a nursing home,

Penney Kazoleas puts the finishing touches on husband Tony Chris Kazoleas’ masterfully prepared Greek meal

and his wife, Donna, provided Assembly 95 with the honor of helping to sell Eric’s magic. Starting the evening of Heritage magic was Lon, who performed Clearly Mental, an effect from the Eric Lenz collection. A surprise was that at the end all the cards really matched! Glen LaBarre showed a die with a slot and a ring. Glen then went on to penetrate the ring through a pin in the die. Anthony Young showed a vanishing handkerchief knot, a disappearing knot, a safety pin through handkerchief, linking and unlinking safety pins, and finished with a flame through a handkerchief. Dennis Hewson suspended a brass vase on a rope. Rod Chow did an electronic insurance policy trick with a unique policy from his family’s heritage narrowest building in the world, home of their family’s Jack Chow Insurance brokerage. Henry Tom performed a two-ring Linking Rings routine that Henry said was part of his Chinese heritage. —Rod Chow The Carl Hemeon Assembly No. 95 meets the first Tuesday of each month at members’ homes. Contact Rod Chow rod@rodchow. com (604) 669-7777 www.sam95. com for more details.

104

CASH FROM THE EXCHANGE OF TRASH AND TREASURES IN SALEM

WITCH CITY, SALEM, MA— The Wednesday, January 1, 2014, meeting of Assembly 104 was moved by the obvious necessity: it fell on New Year’s Day (not that this wouldn’t have proven to be a highly festive occasion for the two people who may have shown up). Consequently, the January meeting was held on the more rational Wednesday: January 8. This date proved to be eventful in its own strange ways. A water main problem had flooded out our usual basement digs at the Church. “J” Hubbard, our Sergeant-at-Arms and problem solver extraordinaire, worked tirelessly, all day, to clear out the problem. When things still weren’t usable, he prepared our former upstairs quarters in time for the meeting to be held. “J” certainly was the hero of the evening. And then the evening continued along on an unusual path. Len Lazar’s unfortunate absence meant there was no School of Magic class. Among other missing folks, President Bill Jensen had been TKO’d by a fall on the ice. In fact, attendance was unusually light for an annual auction meeting as well. Members did slowly trickle in on this cold winter night


and Vice President Eddie Gardner got us down to business and planning for next month’s dinner party, now scheduled for the Prince Pizzeria in Saugus. With hot dogs sizzling at the side of the room, compeers fell into the routine and began auctioning off their unloved gaffs and props. Visiting Marcus Steelgrave offered a couple of magic kits, a sponge cake, a baseball change cap, several flash items, a cool stuffed wizard owl in need of a home, and many other items. He had several takers.

Eddie Gardner puts inventory on the chopping block Vince DeAngelis brought Stitch by Paul Harris, Triple Intuition, Tossed Out Deck by Gazo, Mind Bender DVD, Gumble Glim by Kranzo, and more. Tucker Goodman stepped forth with a mystery bag. He said it was filled with complete DVDs and gimmicks that included a killer vanishing bill effect. Tucker got no further. Marcus bought the entire mystery bag for $50, the biggest sale of the night. Eddie Gardner wrapped up the action with a volley of joke shop items and magic DVDs. They ranged from an old lady puppet and a wig to false teeth and “Soft Skin” (don’t ask). The DVDs included Top Secret and Wolverine Formula. Money changed hands, a good time was had by all, and yours truly exited with a wizard owl under his arm. —Bob Forrest Assembly 104 meets the first Wednesday of each month, September-June, 7 p.m., at the First Baptist Church of Salem, 292 Lafayette Street, Salem Massachusetts. Contact Bob Forrest captainalbrightsq1@ comcast.net (339) 227-0797 www. sam104.com for more details.

110

HOLIDAY PARTY AND AUCTION

NEW CUMBERLAND, PA— December and January just flew by this year. December was the time of our holiday party; we almost filled our meeting room. President Mike Snyder presented the various trophies for 2012 as

well as 2013. Frank Bianco was the big winner of the night. There were eight people who volunteered to “do a little something” for the assembled members and guests. Tom Narin did a “Las Vegas” thing and Almar did something with Tom’s card. John Sergott did a mental effect with a list of things in your pockets. Lou Abbotiello entertained us with miniature cups and balls while Joe Noll gave us a Technicolor Prediction. Rod Ries brought along a “Baby Magic” doll to show us how the baby could do some magic and Frank Bianco provided a four Ace effect and an Eddie Clever effect. Mike Snyder closed the entertainment with the production of peppermint candies from a coffee vase. In January we had an auction. There was, as usual, a broad range of values presented. One item was so unusual that that the purchaser reported to me days later that he could not even locate another on eBay to see what kind of bargain he had obtained. We were happy to have a few visitors at the auction and very pleased to see Tess and Sam Sandler. The father and daughter team had just completed a 130-show, fifteen-state tour with their DEAFinitley Magic show. This was the first part of a fourtyfive-state tour. Sam is America’s only full-time deaf illusionist. There are some great lectures up-coming in the area. We will be sponsoring Paul Draper and Joshua Jay, while the Lancaster club is having Mike Caveney and Tina Lenert. I know that by the time you see this they will be gone; however, this illustrates yet another reason you should be joining your local organization. It’s where it’s happening. Joe Homecheck Assembly 110 meets on the second Thursday at 7:00pm, at John’s Diner, 146 Sheraton Drive, New Cumberland, PA 17070. Email: Secretary@ SAM110.com

112

KID STUFF

PLEASANT HILL, CA— President-elect Larry “Zappo” Wright stood in for President Kovacich for our December meeting. Zappo reminded everyone where and when the assembly will be holding its annual installation banquet in 2014. Theme for the evening was Kids Shows/Holiday Magic. First, though, was a presentation of the Trick of the Month by Fred Nelson. Fred demonstrated a neat coffee shop trick by pulling a wooden coffee stirrer right through the side of a paper cup sleeve without

Assembly News any damage. Then David Miller, appearing in character as Professor Paradox, performed a number of magical feats including a topsy-turvy cola bottle and the disappearance of the secret formula from a sealed “top secret” bag. Following David was Bob Holdridge, who performed a prediction effect. Bob presented Kara Ewing with a sealed envelope and then asked her to select as a favorite one of six animals from a set of large cards. Kara selected the mouse, and sure enough when the envelope was opened, it contained a duplicate picture. Next to perform were Ric and Kara Ewing, who presented a wonderful act with Ricky the raccoon. Ric called Ian Baird to the stage to hypnotize Ricky to prepare him for his part in the Chamber of Doom (which looked suspiciously like a Zig Zag device). Ricky was seemingly cut into three parts, but a little magic from Ric restored Ricky to his full self. Next, Zappo found a way to provide Santa (a picture of Santa on a large silk) with a new suit, replacing the one lost at the dry cleaners by using a magic bag and a magic word from the audience. It wasn’t only Santa with a problem, though. Rudolph was battling a cold and sneezed so hard that his nose fell off. Zappo replaced the missing nose with a red balloon which then disappeared when the familiar red nose returned.

Assisted by Kara Ewing and Ian Baird, Ric Ewing performs Zig-Zag raccoon. Fortunately, the raccoon survived Zappo then performed a card trick, having one audience member select a playing card which was then shuffled back into the deck. After arranging several of the cards into the shape of a Christmas tree on a table, Zappo asked another spectator to eliminate, or “recycle” all of the cards except one. The remaining card matched the one chosen earlier. David Miller returned to the stage to demonstrate two more bits of impromptu coffee-shop

Dancing with the Cane magic to conclude the evening’s performances. It was another great evening of entertainment and learning. —Bill Marquardt Diablo Assembly 112 meets on the third Wednesday of every month at the VFW building in Pleasant Hill, California. Contact Larry Wright [email protected] (925) 685-5129 http://sam112.com/ for more details.

115

NEW OFFICERS AND A NEW MEMBER

CHARLOTTESVILLE,

VA—

Our first meeting of the New Year welcomed our new officers and a new member. Vice President Wes Iseli held the teach-in for our S.Y.M. members Ashley and Elizabeth Schmitz. Wes gave hands-on learning about the overhand shuffle, the double lift, the glide, the Elmsley count, and much more. A few of the S.A.M. members even learned something new. New President George Buckley presented the first draft of our new by-laws and the assembly meeting themes for the year and welcomed any input on both. Dues for the new year were collected and active member contact information was reviewed. The theme for January was Levitations and George started us off with a detailed showing of The Princess Flying Carpet from his birthday party shows. Our newest member, Tom Olshefski, followed with an excellent performance of Brandon David & Chris Turchi’s Envy-Lope as well as a brief history of his life in magic. Wes Iseli followed with a video review of him and his wife (Natalie) performing The Floating Box Illusion, followed by his performance of the flying ring illusion, which turned into an excellent teach in on the use of invisible thread. Almost every member got hands-on time with the setup and use of invisible thread. Mark Davis performed his rubber band and ring levitation. Dan Hall performed an excellent Floating Coin routine followed by his and Bethany Hall’s performance of the Dancing Canes. Wes Iseli offered a few subtleties on

the handling of the canes, which turned into another teach-in on the Dancing Cane with more hands-on training by almost every S.A.M. and S.Y.M. member. Wes closed the evening with a performance of Peter Pitchford’s The Pickpocket. Tom Olshefski was voted in as our newest member. —Bethany Hall Assembly 115 meets on the first Friday of every month starting at 7PM at the Forest Lakes North Pavilion Building at, 1828 Pavilion Circle, Charlottesville, VA 22911. For more info contact s a m a s s e m b l y11 5 @ g m a i l . com. Contact George Buckley [email protected] (434) 409-2643 for more details.

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CIMA JANUARY 2014

CHAMPAIGN, IL— The last meeting of the year was a good one. Chris Bontjes performed his annual duties beautifully in delivering his wife’s cookies safely and in a timely manner. Mark Carlon brought some delicious single serving cheesecakes from That’s So Sweet in Bloomington. Topics of discussion included, funny words, the passing of John Calvert, Daryl’s lecture on Sunday 4/27, and the Central Illinois Magic Get-Together on June 7th in Springfield, IL. As usual, the topics were numerous, entertaining, and informative with a focus on Christmas magic stories. Professor Higgins opened the magic with his Torn and Restored Bill, and his Marriage Card Trick. Jim Percy told us The Legend of the Christmas Tree and showed us his Mis-made Snowman. Andy Dallas demonstrated a Double Change Bag. See ya at the meeting. —Ken Barham Assembly 120, Andy Dallas Assembly, meets on the third Wed. 7pm, (except Nov. and Dec.) For location call Jim Percy at 217494-2222 or Ken Barham Sec, 2318 Winchester Dr, Champaign, IL 61821. Phone: 217-841-5616 email: [email protected]

131

DANBURY TOP HATTERS

DANBURY, CT— Our 2013 Christmas banquet at Chuck’s Steak House is now past. President Magic Mo is still healing up and extended his sorrow for not being able to attend. Walter our emcee shared the passing of Past President Michael Piacente of Assembly 194 with all in attendance, along with a brief history of his involvement with SYM 42. The Danbury Top Hatters cel-

ebrated its Christmas banquet on the Third Monday of January, 2014. There were twenty-four in attendance and some wonderful magic to go along with the great food. SAM Regional Vice President Joseph Caulfield and his lovely wife Cathy attended as our guests. Joseph performed a short strong piece of coin magic. Our own Magic Des made an intriguing presentation of magical props and notes left to him by a WW II veteran. Mike Brochar performed s comic card routine. Tony Spiro wowed us all with a Tannen’s Magic prop representing a black hole, and had a matching neck tie for the prop. Our own Bob Able performed some classic parlor close-up. John Bongo the silent clown magician made a presentation of a piece of magic over fifty years old, followed by a performance of the effect Bruillo. Duran did a short card routine followed by Lee Winters of SYM 42, another honored guest of the evening, who wowed us with a few routines using cards, coins, pen, and comedy. Lee is only fourteen years old and did an outstanding job. Our own Chris Pratt performed a mind reading effect. Gayl Alexander performed a Chinese Mystery Puzzle. The great Charlini of Assembly 194 did a card to shoe routine and some comedy. Magic Marty, yours truly, ended the evening with his signature gold fish routine and some coin sleights. A great night of magic, friends, and food. Thanks to all attending and to our performers. Assembly 131 meets the third Monday at 7:30pm at United Methodist Church, 5 Clapboard Ridge Road, Danbury, CT. Contact Magic Marty 845-7978363 for more details.

138

COWBOY TIME

FORT WORTH, TX— Premeetin’ activities began at dusk with a 2014 TAOM “Boot Kickin’ Extravaganza of Magic” kickoff photo shoot of the FWMC members in their finest Western attire. Afterwards, members and guests packed their gullets with some mighty tasty BBQ and sides. After the grub, outgoin’ President Larry Heil opened the meetin’ with a greetin’ and agenda for the evenin’. He explained that weather canceled our December election meetin’ so we had two meetin’s for the price of one. He commenced to unload his saddlebags with a heaping pile of awards. Michael Stein received the Magician of the Year award. Recognition for the outgoin’ 2013 officers came next.


Assembly News Then Larry Brown was given an award and special recognition for his work on the FWMC registration website. Then National Prez Dal Sanders took the podium and awarded Bruce Chadwick with a SAM President’s Citation. We ‘lected the 2014 officers and installed ‘em right then. Hats off and a big “yee-haw” for our new officers: President Michael Stein, Executive Vice President and Program Chairman Matthew Martin, Vice President and Webmaster Bruce Chadwick, Vice President and Editor of the Flashpaper Geoff Grimes, Secretary Cindy Chadwick, Treasurer Susie Schulwitz, Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Rubino, Historian Rick Burcher, Members-at-Large Ash Adams, Michael Dimsdle, and Joshua Ayala, and Trustee Arthur Emerson. It was a good race, but only one rattlesnake can rule the den. Outgoin’ Prez Heil handed over the coveted president’s wand to Incomin’ Prez Michael Stein. Stein gave Heil a plaque thankin’ him for his service. That plaque sure is a purty thing, displayin’ a wand along with fancy words for a job well done. After gettin’ the formalities out of the way, it was time to dust off the duds, sit back and relax to watch the hilarious and very talented Mr. Trigg Watson. Trig, as we call him cuz we’re all such good friends, had us laughing in our boots and leavin’ tear drawn dust trails on our cheeks with his comedy routine. It’s worth the detour off the trail to see his show. The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. It was time for all cowboys to hit the sack. Y’all come back now! —Cindy Chadwick Spring Creek Barbecue, Arlington Texas Contact Cindy BighorseChadwick cabighorse@gmail. com (817) 846-4062 www. fortworthmagiciansclub.org.

141

FREE MAGIC SHOW BIG SUCCESS IN MIDST OF WINTER STORM

COLUMBIA, MD— On Monday the public schools were closed in the midst of a snow day that came with frigid temperatures. While many groups cancelled their events, the show went on at Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road in Columbia, Maryland. The congregation may believe in miracles, but the night’s entertainment was magic. The Columbia Conjurers, an organization comprised of professional and amateur magicians, en-

tertained in circus style. Two magicians performed simultaneously. The audience was divided into two groups in which all performers rotated. On the left there were card tricks and on the right, disappearing coins – a two-ring circus.

she simply said, “Yeah, I like it!” —by Ricardo Whitaker Assembly 141 meets at Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, Maryland. Contact Kenny Wardrick [email protected] (240) 575-0991 www.sam141.org for more details.

150

LENGTHY LEARNING LECTURE

A smiling Molly Ward is thoroughly entertained by magician Kenny Wardrick Molly Ward, by far the most enthusiastic and youngest patron, was also the favorite of several magicians. The young elementary student assisted with two magic tricks. Actually, in the performance of Kenny Wardrick, the trick was played on Molly. She was called to hold Humpty Dumpty (a boiled egg), but when she reached for the egg, Mr. Wardrick dropped the egg. Oh, there goes Humpty Dumpty. That story ended well. In this case, Mr. Wardrick was able to put Humpty back together again. The group was smaller than expected for a good weather day, but right on target for a snow day, conceded Theo Rushin, president of the Columbia Conjurers. The thirty people who attended the show found a great getaway from the weather. While no one sawed a beautiful assistant in two, the audience was treated to a variety of amazing acts. Cards, coins, and eggs disappeared and reappeared. Each magician had a different style, but each entertained with tricks and comedy that kept their audiences fixated on the performances. A core group of about twelve magicians meet the second Monday of each month. The total membership is about sixty, according to Mr. Rushin. “We talk and perform for one another, and perform shows for the community,” he said. The group is socially-conscious.” Mr. Rushin said, “We have done shows for Leisure World on Georgia Avenue. Many of us teach magic throughout the community. The value of the performances was best summarized when Molly was asked what she thought about the show. With a big smile and a sparkle in her eye,


FT. MYERS/NAPLES, FL — Like magic! That’s what happened when just a few days before our scheduled meeting, word came that the lecturer booked for the occasion had (gasp) other obligations. But after a wave of a wand, a sprinkling of woofle dust, and – okay – a series of quick emails and the show went on. Up from his Louisiana origins came awardwinner Michael Dardant, with his Cajun-flavored accent, fedora jauntily perched atop his head, and nearly two hours of specially prepared material to intrigue everybody. Specially prepared? Well, let’s take one everybody knows: The one where you have four-of-a-kind (Aces, say) on top, and then cut the deck in four packets and apparently randomly move cards – one, two, three – from the top of each packet to another. Then you end up with one Ace atop each packet, ta-da! It’s a clever and easy effect when done on a tabletop, but Dardant made it stage-size. He got four people up front, each holding a packet, and had them shuffle and switch the cards from one to another haphazardly so at the reveal each participant had a Three on top. (His method to keep one player from doing an actual shuffle was ingenuous and laughworthy.) In another example of smart routining, his Box of Mystery involved a Brainwave deck that, after the usual revelation, disappeared completely from the case enclosing it. The three-part routine called for a spectator to leave the room while a card was chosen and yet determine the selection when a fan of cards was held before his eyes. (A clever use of a thumb tip, guys.) Michael Dardant showed how he could be ready almost at the drop of a hat to present a full show, half-hour or longer. Each deck, gimmick, or other necessary prop gets tucked into a clear vinyl pocket on a roll-up bag that can be hung over a door. It only takes minutes to load each item into the right pants pocket and reset the act after a show.

Watch the deck go poof Among the items for sale after the lecture was the bag filled with everything needed to do his complete act or effects from it for about $150. (Just add the practice and the personality.) Preceding the lecture, Secretary Dick Payne noted elections coming up in March and urged members to get their dues in (they were reduced this year to $25 from $35). And Eddy Lester ballyhooed his upcoming production in Naples. Comedy Two Nite will feature Craig Diamond and Billy Ray the Trailer Trash Magician in a mostly-for-adults show. —Don Dunn Fort Myers Magicians Assn. meets the second Tuesday of the month at Myerlee Manor, Winkler Road, Fort MYers. Contact Richard Payne, Sec. Richardhpayne@aol. com (239) 433-6889 fmmaonline. org for more details.

157

AWARDS AND NEW EVENTS

BEAVER, PA— Ray Lucas presented the awards for the year 2013. Magician of the year: third – Eric Davis and Tom Chidester, second – Ray Lucas, first – Don Moody. The Bert Pickard award went to Tom Chidester. Our guests for the evening, Keith Simmerer and his wife, told us about a moneymaking project for the club. His company has purchased a building in New Castle, PA, with an auditorium for special events. Keith, associated with magic all his life, wants to have a magical event once a month. A round of applause was given to Rich Howard for the successful Christmas dinner. The Darryl lecture will be in April. GPMN Banquet will be at the Fez in April. The Kranzo lecture will be the first Thursday of June at Ritter’s Diner. The summer picnic will be at Brady’s Run Park the first Sunday in June. The performances were emceed by Ray Lucas. Bill Cornelius produced an envelope with red, orange, pink cards. He asked a participant to pick a card. Back

Assembly News of chosen card said “I knew you would pick this card.” Doug Ries presented two Queens and one King. He then recited a poem producing one card or another. He then showed a container of dental floss from which he broke several pieces, crumpling them all together until he produced one long string. Eric Davis showed a large envelope and a deck of cards. The cards have the first names of celebrities, audience said the last name. A participant sat on envelope and split the deck in half, kept one half, tossing the other over his shoulder, done couple more times. Participant put finger on a card, had “Brad” on it. A picture of a baby is removed from the envelope. “This is Brad as a baby.” Turns picture over, it is Brad as an adult. Ray Lucas announced he had a deck of ESP cards. He hands out several of the cards. Gets them back and asks participant to choose eight cards; he states what each card is. Don Moody made a new version of a trick of Chuck Caputo. Three wooden blocks, red, white, blue. Placed three red, three blue, and three white chips in bag. Participant chose one chip, a white one. Don removed the top block, sliding the other two forward, removed the bottom one, leaving the white one floating. —Judy Steed The Mystic Magicians in Beaver Valley, Assembly 157, meet the second Thursday of every month at the Towne Square Restaurant in Beaver, PA. Contact Judy Steed [email protected] (330) 525 – 5389 for more details.

Bull duplicator with a surprise ending. The energetic Jeffrey Wetzel played hip hop music and danced the night away with canes, scarves and coins. Charlie Mulrooney was able to fold origami behind his back and the butterfly he revealed was a match for a thought of number from a list of origami creations. Scott Leavitt performed Giovanni Livera’s Salt & Silver routine to some elegant music. Doug Thornton was able to predict the total of a menu order – an effect by Jim Steinmeyer. Gene Soucek had something historical – computer cards – that formed the name of a chosen card. The winners: 1st Scott, 2nd Norm, 3rd Jeffrey, 4th Bob, 5th Doug. This was Doug Thornton’s final meeting as president. During his five-year tenure, Doug booked thirty-six lecturers from all avenues of magic. During that time, our membership increased, for which our club received the Kellar Award for Assembly Growth. Thank you, Doug, for your kind spirit and hard work. Be sure to visit us when you are in New Jersey. —Christopher J Smith Assembly 161 meets on the second Monday of the month Stage House Restaurant, 366 Park Avenue, Scotch Plains, New Jersey 07076. 908-332-4224. Contact Christopher J Smith - sam-161@ comcast.net (908) 850-8765 www. sam161.org for more details.

181

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

HIGHTSTOWN, NJ— Since “neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night” can keep a determined magician from an SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ— Our assembly meeting, our reschedJim Hart Excellence in Magic uled January meeting was impresCompetition (back in June 2013) sively attended. brought seven performers to our The meeting started with a stage. Norm Rosen began with a workshop by Dennis James variation on a Chop Cup routine (CoCo) on the Silk to Rose effect, involving space travel and a ray step by step on how to do it, and gun. Bob Simek had three cards how to make it. The Silk to Rose selected and somehow he had is a DIY project. Starting with a predicted them with numbers on red clown nose, a couple of items their backs. He also had a Red from a dollar store, and a diamond cut silk, you can make a romantic piece that you can close your show with. CoCo, the recently elected president of IBM Ring 200, has spent a lifetime in magic having performed at the White House during the SAM-161 Magic Contest 2013 Reagan admin-

161 MAGIC COMPETITION

istration. He has also performed with The Greatest Show on Earth, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. After the workshop, the “open mic” portion of the meeting begins. Magicians can perform and/or teach items they are working on. There must have been a lot of pent-up performance energy stored up during the cold month of January because I do not think the club has ever seen such a plethora of performances. There were too many to list here but I appreciated them all. President Stephan Sloan showed a 1953 Ghostwriter pen used for double writing that he recently purchased on eBay. I think the pen, unused for sixty years, was older than most of the members in attendance.

Dennis James and Rose Our Rocco, and he is quite an original, showed his take on selftying shoelaces, predicting a phone number, spoon bending, and a great version of Strange Travelers. One of our new members, Zack, did a clever select a card/find a card routine. Jeff Carson, a professional magician from Philadelphia, reminded us that we are all getting a little older, showed us the benefits of low vision, largeindexed playing cards. Reba, sometimes called Silly, followed the night’s theme with a disappearing knot and then a Bob Little item called Color Changing Kings to Aces. Just back from his deployment as a jet engine maintenance specialist for our military in the UAE, Randy, using a palmo, did a perfect version of Duane Laflin’s color changing silk. Perfect timing, since we announced at the meeting, Duane Laflin will be doing a lecture at our meeting in April. Come join us and bring your best ideas. —David Zboray Assembly 181 of Hightstown meets the first Thursday of every month, September thru June at the First United Methodist Church , 187 Stockton Street, Hightstown, NJ 08520. Doors open at 7:00PM. Contact Stephan Sloan lands10@ optonline.net (732) 757-5337 http://www.magicsam181.com/ for more details.

188

MEMBERS, MAGAZINES, AND MAGIC

OREM, UT— Our annual Christmas party meeting featured Stan Allen, editor of MAGIC magazine, as our special guest. Hosted at Dave and Jann Goodsell’s home, the party featured great food, friendship, and conversation, gift exchanges for both magicians and spouses, and some excellent performances. Ron Carrasco opened with a giant Christmas Monte, then had Stan assist in “Stan Does a Card Trick,” involving a special book that predicted a card. Al Lampkin performed his torn and restored napkin routine, then Walter Webb spelled out “Merry Christmas” with cards on a ribbon. Curtis Hickman vanished a selected card which reappeared in his mouth, followed by Brian South’s inimitable “talking wallet” trick. The less said the better. Kerry Summers drew Santa’s face on a poster only to have it come to life talking and singing. Then Kerry dressed two spectators like reindeer and magically had them sing as well, demonstrating his impressive ventriloquist skills. Steve Dawson made a snowman out of rope and used a Christmas stocking to change three small handkerchiefs into one large Santa silk. Guest Theron performed several excellent coin effects and sleights, ending with a coin on top of his head. He then had a card selected and torn up. Theron vanished the pieces, with the restored card found in an unopened present. To close the evening, Dave “Magical” Johnson mysteriously exchanged a one and five dollar bill in spectator’s hand. Out of respect for Stan Allen’s appearance at Christmas, our January meeting’s theme was “magazine magic.” Steve Dawson performed a lightning addition effect in proof of his memorizing 64,000 different combinations. Jason Carling predicted a word chosen in a magazine by a spectator who drew two intersecting lines on a random page. Magical Dave Johnson performed a mentalism effect using four chairs, four spectators, and envelopes containing different magazines. He also described a picture a spectator was viewing in yet another magazine. Curtis Hickman showed two magazines and asked a spectator to choose one and randomly find a word in a block of text. After asking a few simple questions, Curtis was able to correctly


Assembly News determine the word selected. He then performed a version of Chink a Chink using four different coins that was simply amazing, and then performed Hickman’s Psychedelic Card Engine, a very clever card prediction effect using his laptop. Assembly 188 meets the second Thursday of each month at the Courtyard Jamestown, 3352 North 100 East in Provo, Utah. Contact Brian South brian@ teachbymagic.com (801) 916-2442 utahmagicclub.org for more details.

200

JANUARY 2014 MEETING

SEATTLE, WA— Our January meeting commenced with the election of new officers. Congratulations to J.R. Russel, President; Mark Paulson, Vice-President; and Chuck Kleiner, Secretary. Our magic began with Ralph Huntzinger showing us an ABC block prop that was immediately purchased by Michael Jacobs at a bargain price that included change of a $1,000 bill. Tom Payne followed with an innovative creation that involved string theory and demonstrated how ten dimensions could change into the four dimensions that we can perceive. Chuck Kleiner had everyone take nine cards and after numerous individual selections every member found the card they had selected at the same position as everyone else. Bill Murray, Ralph Huntzinger, Ric Ruidl, and Roger Sylwester all shared interesting magic books and magazine articles from collectors’ items to new releases. Jim Earnshaw wowed us with his amazing sleight of hand set to music. He performed a routine with silver dollars, a salt shaker, and a dinner knife in which the silver dollars magically vanished from his hands and appeared either under or on top of the salt shaker. Michael Jacobs taught us the word “Houdinize” and then performed a very creative version of grandmother’s necklace using props he developed. John Cameron made us laugh with his kid show cut and restored rope routine, which he gave us permission to use in our shows. Ben Eskenazi fooled us with two card routines. Danny Dragon shared a story about is his PTSD ( post traffic stress disorder) where an arrow showing traffic direction first changed direction and then changed color and position. Chris Carlisle performed a Joshua Jay routine in which he not only found the selected card but also dealt a winning blackjack hand, straight flush, and perfect bridge hand from a mixed deck.

Larry Dimmit talked about robots and showed us a control panel with three different colored lights and three matching switches. Even when the switches were moved or the bulbs were changed the switches always lit their matching color bulbs. Finally a thought-of color lit just with the power of the spectator’s mind. George Zuk showed us a cool effect with hair tie bands named Mister Muscles and Little Pinkie. Mark Paulson wrapped up our meeting with a cool mentalism effect in which he predicted the color of a ball selected by one of four volunteers. —Chuck Kleiner The Emerald City Wizards meets the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at a branch of the King County Library, WA. Please check website for meeting locations. Contact Chuck Kleiner chuckkleiner@ yahoo.com (206) 2360608 www. emeraldcitywizards.com for more details.

206 READING MINDS IN AUSTIN AUSTIN, TX— Austin Assembly 206 devoted its January meeting to mentalism — why it works, and why it sometimes doesn’t. The star attraction was Brad Henderson, author of The Dance, an acclaimed book on cold reading. Sofia Dyer, AKA The Girl Who Knows, performed the opening act with her father, assembly secretary Jake Dyer. Mr. Henderson acknowledged that both magicians and the general public often perceive mentalism in negative terms, that it suffers a bad rap as an entertainment form. This is because mental effects — unlike traditional magic effects — often are not visible to the audience, he said. “Mentalism is invisible; it’s the invisible art,” Mr. Henderson explained. “With a magician, sawing a lady in half, we see her go back together. But the act of (one person) thinking of a number is something that nobody else

From left, mentalist Brad Henderson, Sofia “The Girl Who Knows” Dyer, and Esther’s Follies magician Ray Anderson


gets to participate in. Mentalism is invisible in that way. But we’re aware of these problems. So why don’t we solve them?” Henderson said that the invisible aspect of mentalism can be both a weakness and a strength, and he used a simple card force as an example. Depending on the presentation of the card force, the audience could be led to believe the magician possessed the ability to read minds, read muscles, foretell the future, implant hypnotic suggestions, had supernatural abilities, or had superhuman memory skills. “Invisible magic opens the door to endless possibilities,” he said. Henderson also provided a number of quick tips for the working mentalist. The assembly also was treated to a number of mental miracles by The Girl Who Knows, a busking street psychic based in Austin. The Girl Who Knows correctly identified a number of cards, hidden objects, and even the name of an audience member’s absent friend. In December the assembly was treated to the comedy ventriloquism of veteran entertainer Ian Varella, who was the featured performer for the annual holiday banquet. —R.A. Dyer Assembly 206 meets at the Omni South Park Hotel, 4140 Governors Row, Austin, Texas. Contact Jake Dyer [email protected] (512) 658-0017 http://sam206.com/ for more details.

215

KARL HEIN LECTURE

LOUISVILLE, KY— The January Louisville Magic Club meeting began with congratulations to former club president David Garrard for his article “In Defense of the Rings” in the January issue of The Linking Ring. The forty or so members present welcomed new members David and Arym Olden, Aries Chorazak, and Dean Serneels. The rest of the evening we were entertained and mystified by Karl Hein, who is known all over the world for his amazing cardhandling abilities. Besides cards, Karl specializes in performing for family audiences, and he shared his thoughts and tips on performing shows for all ages. The following are among the many effects that Karl shared with us: Heinstein’s Dream, a torn and restored card routine; Heinsight, a trick with all Jokers that has a kicker ending; Heinstein’s Triumph; various false riffle and overhand shuffles, including a double one-handed shuffle; Breaking the Second Rule, a repeat card-under-box routine; a color-

changing deck routine; Heiny 500, Karl’s version of Pat Page’s Easy Money in which five $1 bills change into five $100 bills; Slow Change; Hein’s Catch Up, a fivephase coin routine with copper/ silver/brass coins; a sandwich effect called Grandmother’s BLT; an impossible Rubik’s Cube trick; and a hat trick in which a chosen card is found in the magician’s hat, along with a bottle of ketchup. There was something for everyone in this lecture, from the beginner to the experienced finger-flicker, and Karl demonstrated the ability to both entertain and mystify. —Roger L. Omanson Assembly 215 meets at the The Kosair Community Center on Eastern Parkway. Contact Roger Omanson (502) 296-6577 for more details.

266

A NEW YEAR OF MAGIC AND FUN

LAKELAND, FL— The new year was kicked off with our final planning to see the Masters of Illusions Live show coming to town next month. President Jerry Kardos led us in style through the spirited meeting. In a change from his usual pasteboards prowess Ed McGowan showed off his mind powers by having a nut unthread itself while we watched; he then pulled his IHOP tip off of the screen of his phone. Amazing Sammy showed us a color prediction and an effect in which a one and a five dollar bill changed places in Beverly Kenemuth’s hand. Beverly stayed on stage with her hand-carved rising tube that she created in her workshop. Our other master craftsmanship Jerry showed his version of a Jay Sankey vampire effect that would raise the dead. He also did a penetration illusion in miniature with his die stab. Scribe Al D’Alfonso scorched the room with his take on Josh Jays Inferno, a well thought out routine that’s easy to do. Marty Bristow did a set that featured his five coin prediction in addition to a trick in which the devil tempted our guest Randy Smith. Clean-up batter was a surprise appearance by Mike Peterson, who showed a Jack Carpenter card transposition that delighted. If your travels bring you to Central Florida make sure to squeeze in a visit to join in on our year of magic! —Al D’Alfonso Jim Zachary Assembly 266 meets at 7PM on the second Wednesday of the month at the Lakeland I-HOP on the intersection of 1-4 and Rt 98 Contact Al D’Alfonso

Assembly News [email protected] (321) 4373814 for more details.

277

THE PMMC CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS

STROUDSBURG, PA— The members, friends, and family of the Pocono Mountains Magic Club held their annual “End Of The Year Holiday Party” this year on December 20, 2013. The party kicked off at 7:00 p.m. with Big Daddy’s serving appetizers for the guests in our section of the restaurant. We then performed some magic for the club, with thanks going out to Odes Odhner, S. Patrick, Ryne Gade, Austin Miller, and Jordan Benoit for performing. Jordan Benoit, straight from his first professional strolling gig two months prior, performed his chain shackle escape. Austin Miller was up next with an entertaining “find a card” routine he learned from Joshua Jay. Ryne Gade was up next with a unique card trick that he learned at the Kutztown PA Magic Convention back in November. S. Patrick was up after Ryne with a great Christmas tale that used everyone in the room as a volunteer, two people dressed in costumes, an entertaining story, and a great finale that saw Rudolph “Save Christmas.” Odes Odhner performed last and brought his usual macabre twist on the holiday. He helped Jordan Benoit reveal the manner in which he was going to die in the future. After several gruesome deaths, and some funny ones as well, Jordan was relieved to find out his death will be a peaceful one. We then engaged in our annual Holiday Gift Exchange Game. This year there was a bit of a twist in the game because this year the gifts and exchanges followed a very entertaining poem that was read aloud by S. Patrick. S. read the stanza based upon which number was up and the poem directed the player as to what to do with their gift! From the feedback we received, everyone enjoyed the evening. Thanks again to everyone who came out and we hope to see everyone again soon in the year 2014!

Our “Library Workshops” continue to be a success. December was a round table discussion on “Technology in Magic” and January will be a “Magic To Music” theme. We always have a great time at these workshops and everyone always learns something new. Check us out if you are anywhere near Eastern Pennsylvania. Give S. Patrick a call. —S. Patrick Assembly 277,The PMMC meets at the Art Space Gallery (18 N. 7th St. Stroudsburg PA. 18360) on the third Friday each Month. We also meet at the Hughes Public Library (1002 N. 9th St. Stroudsburg PA. 18360) on the 1st Monday each Month at 6:30 PM. Contact S. Patrick damagician@ verizon.net (570) 242-6821 www. pmmc.webs.com for more details.

291

NEW YEAR, NEW PLACE, OLD FRIENDS

LOS ANGELES, CA— The meeting was called to order; President Bill Beddacare informed us of the upcoming magical ride ahead for Assembly 291 in 2014. Bill Beddacare and Les Cooper awarded Stephanie Chase, one of our newest members, her certification from The Society of American Magicians. We are now meeting in a new location. Thank you to Les Cooper and Doris Roach for working very hard and diligently to keep Assembly 291 and S.Y.M. 141 ongoing. We are now meeting in Los Angeles instead of the Boys and Girls Club of Venice. Venice was a dear old friend, much like the initial beginnings at Mark Twain Middle School. While in Venice during 2013, we enjoyed some wonderful lectures, a swap night, and our annual cookout at Stephen and Carol Levine’s striking home. Our thanks to former president Frank Padilla Jr. for volunteering and hosting the 80th PCAM that brought all of the Pacific Rim (including: Japan, Hawaii, Western Canada, and California) together – where new friends were made and old friends reunited. On Halloween we had a fun night of ghouls and goblins, and then

ending the year with a pot luck at Bill and Nancy Beddacare’s beautiful home. We also welcomed new members into our fold. So if we piqued your interest, come and see what fun and magic we hold in store for you. —William Dow Jr. Assembly 291 meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month at OPICA Adult Day Care Facility, 11759 Missouri Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025. *This is subject to change.* Contact Les Cooper [email protected] (310) 473-1820 www.westsidewizards.org for more details.

292

APPARATUS FOR LIQUIDS

GREELEY, CO— Performances for our January “liquid magic” theme resulted in two large tables full of apparatus. (Members had explained the effects and then left the props on display.) We enjoyed roaming around the tables and viewing the apparatus at close range. Over lunch, during a brief business meeting led by new President Jim Pope, Paul Noffsinger discussed possible speakers, and will try to book lecturers for March 15, April 19, and June 7. Reporters of shows performed included Alex Acosta, Teagan Brown, James Lopez, Rich Nakata, Lloyd Worley, and Lew Wymisner. Highlights were Tim Pendergast raising $1,600 for a charity and Paul Noffsinger performing in a very beautiful woman’s yoga studio. It was decorated with big stunning photos of her in yoga positions – and his audience was to be barely-adolescent boys. He knew he’d survive when the first boy to react exclaimed, “She sure is limber.” Show time! Jim Pope opened by needling a Styrofoam cup of water, which didn’t leak because he had used “Aqua Slush” powder to gel the water. Alex Acosta showed a version of U.F. Grant’s Chen-Lee Water Suspension that he made himself. We welcomed guest Jaret Anderson who performed a card effect. Teagan Brown recited “Kate and Edith.” James “The Amazing James” Lopez linked two drawn rings

(Venti Diagram from Gregory Wilson’s DVD Coffee House Magic). Rich Nakata performed another Chen-Lee Water Suspension, and displayed both Al Baker’s porcelain rice bowls and the Morrissey Magic Ltd. threepiece set of aluminum rice bowls. Paul Noffsinger used Will Tsai’s Vapr to make clouds of “steam” (special effect smoke) billow up from his bare hand. Tim “Tim Foolery” Pendergast produced snow and a giant snowflake. Lloyd “Worley the Wizard” Worley did a water-production. Lew “The Great Loudini” Wymisner contributed a suitcase full of apparatus. He performed a humorous Backstage Milk Vanish. He displayed several sealed props including a milk glass, Aldini’s Magic (Alex Weiner) Sealed Milk Pitcher, and a John Fabjance milk bottle. He showed the metal pitcher that is half of Merv Taylor’s Por-mor, Fil-mor Combination. Lew presented Abbott’s Chineseface Modern Lota Bowl, a P&L (Petrie-Lewis Mfg. Co.) Giant Copper Lota Bowl, and a “clay” lota from India that was really metal.

Backstage with Lew Wymisner Since we were running way overtime, Brian Hallisey graciously offered to perform at a later date. —Ron Dutton The Dr. Ronald P. Dutton Assembly 292 usually meets at Kenny’s Steak House, 3502 West 10th Street (corner of 35th Avenue) at 11:00 A.M. (lunch optional), on the second Saturday of the month. Contact Jim Pope jlp1616@ comcast.net (970) 339-3277 www.SAM292.com for more details. 

NEED TO WRITE AN ASSEMBLY REPORT? We Made Your Job a Little Easier Go to www.mum-magazine.com and click on “Easy Report Submission.” You’ll be taken to a page with a form that makes submitting your assembly report a breeze. Simply fill in the required fields and paste in your report from your word processor. Upload a photo and a caption if are submitting one. Then hit “Submit Form.” You’re done, and your report comes to us in format that makes our job a lot easier, too. MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 21

Broken Wands WALT CHILCOAT Walt Chilcoat of Churchville, Maryland, passed away on December 3, 2013, after an eleven-year struggle with thymoma cancer. Walt was a student of magician Carl Roberts, who presided over Walt’s wedding to his wife Karen forty-one years ago. Walt performed magic since he was in high school, but stopped a few years ago because of complications with cancer. As you can tell by his member number (9656), he was a long-time member of the S.A.M. Walt is survived by his wife, sons, twin granddaughters, and many friends and other family members. May he rest in peace. —Phil Milstead

JIM STRAUB MARCH 22, 1952 – JANUARY 10, 2014 Jim Straub, past president and longtime member of Assembly 4, passed away at the age of sixty-one on January 10, 2014, following a courageous six-month battle with brain cancer. Jim, who was born on March 22, 1952, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was raised in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia and graduated Father Judge High School in 1970, where he was an all-star athlete, playing both football and basketball. Jim graduated Temple University in 1974 where he played baseball. He married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Wixted, in 1975. They settled in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, where the couple raised three children, Jim, Michael, and Trish. Knowing that her husband had been bitten by the magic bug as a child, Pat gave him Bobo’s Modern Coin Magic as a Christmas gift the year they were married. Although Jim worked as an estimator for various engineering firms over the years and more recently with URS, he decided to perform magic professionally in 1979 after having joined Assembly 4 in 1978. He worked hard as a dedicated member of the organization and eventually became Assembly 4

president. He hosted David Copperfield when the King of Magic visited the assembly in the 1980s to discuss and promote Project Magic. An all-around entertainer who was both funny and immensely likeable, Jim could just as easily enchant a room full of small children as he could hold spellbound a corporate audience. Jim quickly became one of the Delaware Valley’s most sought-after magicians and frequently performed at trade shows, corporate events, and private parties. While he excelled in stage, platform and close-up magic, he was a superb card and coin manipulator. He was frequently retained over the years to perform magic for various Philadelphia sports franchises, including the Phillies, the Eagles, and the Flyers. He was even hired to perform magic for the Rolling Stones when they visited Philadelphia for a series of concerts. Although Jim was passionate about magic, he was equally passionate about his family and his friends. He was a member and usher at Saint Ephrem’s Church in Bensalem. In addition to being a member of Assembly 4, Jim was a member of I.B.M. Ring 6 in Springfield, Pennsylvania, I.B.M. Ring 165 in Collingswood, New Jersey, and The Delaware Knights of Magic. He lectured at these clubs as well as at SYM Assembly 96 in Philadelphia numerous times over the years and was always extremely generous with both his time and talent. Jim originated several “killer” effects over the years. He competed in numerous magic contests over the years, often earning first prize. Several years back, Jim was awarded the Assembly 4 Charles H. Hopkins Award, which is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the assembly. Like Hopkins, Jim was truly a gentleman in every respect. Jim lived his life to the fullest. He was an amazing magician, a wonderful friend to many, and a loving husband, father, and grandfather to seven grandchildren. Love, kindness, generosity, and unbridled enthusiasm were the hallmarks of his existence. His smile and his laugh were infectious. If you had the pleasure to know him, you were so much better off because of him. The world is a much kinder and funnier place because he was here. His family and friends will miss him greatly. I know I will. My condolences to you all. Rest in peace, Jim. —Peter Cuddihy

New Members & Reinstatements NEW MEMBERS Abreu, Roberto Miami, FL Abroms, James Burbank, CA Alpern, Michael Skokie, IL Ayala, Joshua Fort Worth, TX Bairefoot, Michael Myrtle Beach, SC

Barnes, Benjamin Elmhurst, IL Biggs, Erich Concord, CA Bossert, Timothy West Chester, PA Braessas, Martin Caba, Argentina Branco, Chris North Dartmouth, MA Camardo, Edavid


Sutter Creek, CA Chalmers, Diane Rochester, MN Chang, Sandy Taipei City, Taiwan Coats, Andrew St Louis, MO Covert, Rob Murfreesboro, TN Elleby, Clay Yorkville, IL

Franceschini, Rick Carolina Beach, NC French, Bryan Conesus, NY Gallegos Greenwich, Joel Rochester, NY Galore, Bizzaro Las Vegas, NV Gentry, Jeff Chesterfield, MO

Gerard, Tod Long Beach, CA Gerlich, Kat Duluth, GA Gerlich, Jack Duluth, GA Gerstner, Kevin St. Louis, MO Goforth, Toby Shawnee, OK Grant, Jamie

New Members & Reinstatements Cont'd Vancouver, BC Gray, Jennifer Mckinney, TX Gray, Dorian Montreal, QC Harmon, Murl Mariett, GA Hartman, Kyle Dallas, TX Hong, Tom Plymouth, MN Jaffee, Janice Rydal, PA Johnson, Raymond Seven Springs, NC Jones, Kevin Brooklyn, NY Kaufman, David West Orange, NJ Lopez, James Greeley, CO Masters, Randy New York, NY Matson, Michael Orlando, FL Mcaulay, Daren Wake Forest, NC Mcneil, James Monroe, LA Meadvin, Daniel Merion Station, PA

Mercurio, Carl New York, NY Mines, Stephen Tucson, AZ Nguyen, Tuan Merritt Island, FL Nigro, Brian Phoenix, AZ Nishimura, Doug Buffalo Grove, IL Offenhartz, James C Port St Lucie, FL Olshefski, Thomas Charlottesville, VA Orsini, Mario Bunker Hill, WV Pitlik, Julio Kfar Saba, Israel Porfido, Sally Livermore, CA Pucci, Kelly Colon, MI Pugh, Nicholas Camp Hill, PA Rayman, Chris Nashville, TN Roberts, Rodney San Augustine, TX Roberts, Jack Tyler, TX Rorschach, Tj

Fall River, MA Rosenfeld, Al Stewartstown, PA Sanz, Danny Palm Bay, FL Seaman, Alexander Port Coquitlam, BC Shimura, Shogo Ohtaku, Tokyo Japan Sicamois, Yann Tourves, Var France Teater, Joshua Rochester, IL Theno, Nicholas Basehor, KS Torrente, Mighty Lomita, CA Vasquez-Wright, Christopher Tucson, AZ Wong, Andrew Union City, CA Woodman, Hellevi Hollywood, FL Yaukey, Dean Carlisle, PA REINSTATEMENTS Ambrose, Merritt Norcross, GA Berube, Dean

Colchester, CT Bieberly, William L Festus, MO Black, Bruce Peyton, CO Boone, Frederick D Ocoee, FL Bradley, George Silver Spring, MD Bryant, Phillip Anniston, AL. Dakhel, Sanad Springfield Grdns, NY Dietrich, Carl Bud St Louis, MO Flores, Elliot L New York, NY Gotmer, Alfred A Rochester, MN Gullion, Rory E Snellville, GA Heins, Geoffrey South Yarmouth, MA Hill, Ron Orlando, FL Levine, Ron Graywolf Wappingers Falls, NY Marshall, Neil Union City, CA Mayers, Richard Springfield, MA

Melrose, Evan S Austin, TX Moreland, Reuben Riverdale, NY Narvaez, Amado Virginia Beach, VA Ramirez, Jose A Homestead, FL Ravia, Daniel Fudd Tucson, AZ Saylor, James Prescott, AZ Shoemaker, J Scott Zelienople, PA Sobelle, Jeff Brooklyn, NY Stanger, Albert G St. Louis, MO Stuessy, Ted J Cherry Hill, NJ Wade, John J Watauga, TN Walstad, Bruce A Foley, AL Wicks, Roger Woodstock, OH

Good Cheer List Please take a minute to spread a few words of cheer with a card or note to one of our less fortunate members. Send additions, changes, or deletions to: Anthony Antonelly, Chairman, Sick and Convalescent Committee, (215) 820-3192 ext. 1512. [email protected] Roger Barr 883 B Leverpool Circle, Manchester, NJ 08759

Bob King 304 Suburban Court, Rochester, NY 14620

Nahmen Nissen PO Box 1856 Colfax, CA 95713-1856

Matt Savin P.O. Box 7693 Alhambra, CA 91802-7533

Daniel Cudennec “Dany Trick” 225, Stang-ar-Veild’an-Traon, Mellac-29300, Quimperle, France

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

Allen Okawa 2101 Nuuanu Ave., Tower 1, #2203 Honolulu, HI 96817

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

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

David Oliver 141 Audaubon Rd. #201 Weymouth, MA 02188

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

Larry Poague 34221 West 90 Circle Desota, KS 66108

Frank J. McNaughton, Sr 1926 Apple Street, Williamsport, PA 17701

Jim Relyea 241 W. Lakeshore Rockaway, NJ 07866

James J. Morrisey 24 Grove St. Wayland, MA 01788

Harry Riser 11755 N. Michigan Rd #313 Zionsville, IN 46077

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

Pat Ryan 43 Fairbanks Rd. Churchville, NY 14428

Dan A. Dorsey 98 Woodvalley Dr. Fayetteville, GA 30215 Joseph H. (Ben) Grant 400 Commonwealth Ave, Unit 9 Warwick, RI 02886 Charlie Gross 16745 Gertrude Street, Omaha, NE 60136-3023 Roy Horn c/o Siegfried & Roy 1639 N Valley Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89108

Mario Susi 6 Bristol Rd. W. Peabody, MA 01960 Jack White 4288 Arguello St. San Diego, CA 92103 Jim Zachary 2801 South Creek Drive Mulberry, FL 33860


Stage 101 Pr acticum By Levent

THE VANISHING CANE IN NEWSPAPER From January 2012 to December 2013 I wrote a monthly column in M-U-M titled Stage 101. The basic idea was to explain ways in which a beginning performer could improve his craft. As is my literary style, those columns were a broad mixture of magic history, practical advice, theory, and personal anecdote. What you are reading now is a new venture that is a bit different in two important ways. First of all, it is a quarterly column, which quite frankly is a better fit for me because my performing schedule is quite busy and it can be difficult keeping up with a monthly deadline. But more important, the big difference is that this new column will be less theoretical; it will be devoted primarily to the explanation of specific magic tricks. Since I am a stage magician who specializes in stand-up magic as well as manipulation, you can bet that this is the area where I will concentrate this column. That said, my aforementioned literary style still applies. Finally, where special apparatus is involved, you are free to construct your own for personal use, but I reserve all manufacturing rights to these items. Today I will discuss an effect that I have performed for a very long time. I first did it when I was a fourteen-year-old kid-show magician; in fact, I still perform it in my show today. The trick is commonly called the Vanishing Cane in Newspaper. The basic effect is that a magician rolls a seemingly solid cane into a single sheet of newspaper. The paper is then unrolled; the cane has disappeared. Before I explain my method for this effect, I will first give a little history on how this trick evolved as a direct result of a confluence of disparate factors, such as fashion, wartime rationing, and airline security. In my M-U-M column published in April 2013, I explained that for hundreds of years conjurers have used magic wands 24 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

in their shows. At first these wands were simple wooden sticks that were commonly used to assist in the psychological concealment of palmed objects (as in the classic Cups and Balls trick). Later, in the nineteenth century, conjurers began to use wands made of hollow metal tubes that contained apparatus that enabled the magician to perform various effects. For instance, in the 1876 book Modern Magic by Professor Hoffmann there are two different mechanical wands that are used to produce coins and candy. Because of centuries of theatrical use and a reputation built upon literary folklore, the magic wand has come to be universally accepted as a device with which a conjurer wields his magical powers. It should however be noted that the main subject of this essay is a cane, and a cane is a completely different object from a wand. First of all, a cane is physically different, in that it is a lot longer and thicker than a wand. Second, a cane has a different use and is not normally associated with magic. Today a cane is seen as a device that aids people who have difficulty walking, hence the name “walking stick.” But a long time ago that was not always the case; most canes were actually fashion accessories. This came about because in the late eighteenth century as the western world became a bit more civilized and less violent, men began to forgo the carrying of a sword and instead carried a cane. And while a cane could be used as a blunt weapon, the primary purpose was as an item to be carried by a well-dressed man. Another item that came into vogue at the same time was the top hat. So by the mid nineteenth century, a cane and a top hat were very common articles; it did not take long for magicians to develop magic tricks with top hats. The most popular being the magical production of items from a borrowed top hat. This type of routine became so iconic that even today people still associate a magician with the production of a rabbit from a hat. Interestingly, during the 1800s tricks with canes were exceedingly rare. While a male theater patron from the nineteenth century would commonly wear a top hat and carry a cane, it was considered impolite to actually wear the top hat during the show, lest the adorned hat would block the view of the stage for

others. The hat could be placed on the lap, but the size of the item made it a bit cumbersome. The hat could be stored under the theater seat, but that would risk soiling it from the dirty floor. Therefore, most men of that time were forced to leave their hats with the coat check at the entrance of the theater. It is for this reason that about two hundred years ago someone invented a collapsible top hat that could be conveniently folded flat and placed alongside the arm rest of a theater seat during a show. Thus, a fashionable man could wear a top hat to the theater and avoid the long lines at the coat check. Because of its use by theatergoers, folding headgear came to be known as an “opera hat.” It stands to reason that at some point somebody would create a collapsible cane as a companion to the folding opera hat. Such a product was invented in the late 1800s and was made out of a coiled roll of spring steel about three inches wide; it came with a cap that acted as a decorative knob. My mentor, Ricardo Fantasio, who has vast knowledge about the history of canes, tells me that this cane was actually very similar to an appearing cane. By that I mean that the coiled steel was tempered to be in the fully extended position. So when a man reached his theater seat, he would remove the knob from the cane, carefully compress the spring-loaded cane, and put it under tension laterally into the top hat. He would then collapse the hat, which held the cane. When the show was over, the top hat was popped open, the cane was removed and allowed to fully extend, and the knob was forced down on the top of the cane, making it rigid. In the early twentieth century, the vaudeville magician Carl Rosini (18851969) used exactly this type of folding cane for a vanish. But the three-inch width of the steel coil made it very hard to palm and the natural tendency of the cane to spring open made it very difficult to vanish effectively. While Rosini was doing the vanishing cane, most other magicians around the world were doing a far more common trick: the Vanishing Wand.

THE VANISHING WAND The first really popular method for the Vanishing Wand was the version described in the 1914 book Tricks of To-day by Yelma (Photo 1). That version used a black and

Photo 1 silver paper tube with a wooden dowel hidden inside. The paper tube with the dowel was tapped against a table to prove that it was solid. Then, while the magician picks up a sheet of paper, the dowel is secretly allowed to slide out of the paper tube and fall into a hidden shelf (called a servante) on the back of table or into a black art well on the top of the table. The paper tube (which looks like a solid wand) is then rolled up into the sheet of paper. The rolled up paper (along with the paper tube) is then crumpled up into a ball and discarded, thus implying that the wand had vanished. Later, a much improved method was invented that eliminated the necessity of getting rid of the wooden dowel. In this version the black portion of the wand was actually a thin cardboard tube and the white tips were wooden dowels simply stuck into the ends of the cardboard tube. This way this wand could be tapped against a table; the sound created by the wooden dowel gave the illusion that it was a solid. The wand was then rolled up in sheet of paper. The rolled paper (along with the paper tube) was torn up into several pieces and discarded, once again implying that the solid wand had vanished. This method became especially popular when it was published in the original Tarbell Correspondence Course in Magic (1927), which took the extra step of shipping extra cardboard wand shells (among other props) to the people who subscribed to the mailorder course.

THE VANISHING CANE TO SILK In the 1930s a magician named Russ Walsh (1894-1971) invented the first practical vanishing cane and sold it to the magic community. It seems that Walsh took the original idea of the collapsible cane and improved it in several important ways. First, he had the steel coil tempered

so that it would naturally spring into the closed position. He had the width of the metal coil reduced to about two inches so that it would be easier to palm (when fully collapsed). Furthermore, Walsh added one more idea to the trick that truly revolutionized the effect. He attached a silk to the center of the coil and another silk to the center of the knob. This way, when the cane was fully extended and locked down with the knob, it secretly contained two silks inside. In performance the magician held the cane aloft with one hand holding the knob and the other holding the tip (called a ferrule). When the knob was removed the coil of steel rapidly collapsed and the two silks instantly came into view, thus making it seem as if the cane had changed into a pair of silks. And since there was a silk in each hand, the silks provided perfect cover for the collapsed cane and knob that were palmed in each hand. This trick became an instant classic and ushered in the era of cane magic. As visually pretty as Russ Walsh’s Vanishing Cane to Silk is, there’s something to be said for the old vanishing wand trick in which the paper was torn up to demonstrate that the stick had disappeared. The process of tearing up the paper and tossing away the pieces was a flashy affair that exuded showmanship and was a sure fire applause getter. In the 1930s stationary stores sold a long shipping envelope with an opening at the end. Coincidentally, this stiff manila envelope was the perfect size to hold a fully extended Walsh Vanishing Cane. At some point a clever magician came up with the idea of using one of these envelopes for the Walsh cane, so that the trick could conclude with the tearing of the paper. This method quickly became popular, and eventually in his instruction sheets Russ Walsh suggested that the cane could be vanished “…in a long paper envelope.”

THE VANISHING CANE IN ENVELOPE The basic effect was that a magician displayed a Walsh cane and tapped it on the floor to prove that it was solid. The cane was put into the end of a long manila envelope. The end of the paper was folded over and stapled shut. Then the envelope was torn up and the empty pieces were thrown out to the audience. This effect was performed in the following manner. The right hand holds a cane at the knob; the long envelope is held at its center in the left hand. The right hand inserts the ferrule of the cane into

the opening of the envelope and pushes the cane into it. When the tip of the cane reaches the mid-point of the envelope, the right hand removes the knob, while at the same time the right thumb securely holds the cane, preventing it from collapsing prematurely. Then as the cane is pushed further into the envelope, the right thumb loosens its hold on the coiled steel so that the cane collapses into the right hand. The illusion is of the cane being pushed all the way into the envelope, but in reality the collapsed cane and knob are retained and palmed in the right hand. The stiff manila paper of the envelope retains the shape of the cane, giving the illusion that the cane is still in the envelope. The right hand then reaches over to the table and secretly dumps the collapsed cane and knob while picking up a small stapler. The end of the envelope is folded over and stapled shut. The envelope is then rapidly torn into bits and the pieces are thrown out to the audience, thus proving that the cane has truly disappeared. Among the conjurers who did the Vanishing Cane in Envelope was a man named Edwin Jerome Ziegler (1920-2009), who performed under the stage name Bobby Baxter. Baxter was a fine manipulator, the funniest magician I have ever seen, and at one time he was my mentor. During World War II, Baxter was performing in nightclubs; to his dismay he discovered that due to wartime rationing he was no longer able to find the long envelopes for the Walsh cane. Interestingly, however, newspapers were plentiful, so Baxter put two and two together and created a better version of the trick.

BOBBY BAXTER’S VANISHING CANE IN NEWSPAPER The effect is that a magician rolls a cane up into a single sheet of newspaper. The rolled paper is then held at the center with the right hand. The right hand then retains a corner of the newspaper, and in a flash, the paper is allowed to unroll, thus showing that the cane has instantly disappeared. Baxter’s version of the trick had two clear benefits. First of all, since a newspaper is perceived as an ordinary item, it is automatically above suspicion. The other benefit is that the action of letting the paper unroll is quite visual and, if done properly, it garners instant applause. Baxter’s trick became so popular that Russ Walsh began suggesting the rolled newspaper vanish in his instruction sheet for the cane, but sadly MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 25

Stage 101 Pr acticum he gave no credit to Baxter. Eventually Harlan Tarbell corrected this situation by stating in print that it was Bobby Baxter’s original idea. The method for Baxter’s newspaper trick is almost identical to the vanishing cane in envelope, except that it begins with the process of rolling the cane up diagonally in the single sheet of newspaper. Next, while the left hand holds the center of the rolled paper, the right hand grabs the knob of the cane and pulls it halfway out of the end of the rolled paper, as if to show that the cane is still there. The right hand then secretly removes the knob, while retaining tension on the cane to keep it from collapsing. In one smooth motion the cane is pushed into the rolled paper as the right hand loosens the tension on the cane, so that the cane is secretly collapsed into the right hand. Once the cane and knob are palmed in the right hand, you must find a way to get rid of it. Typically this would mean that the magician would have to reach into his pocket, dump the collapsed cane and knob, and get another item. This could be anything: a magic coin, confetti, or even invisible “woofle dust.” The manipulator Fred Kaps (1926-1980) used to open his famous act with Bobby Baxter’s vanishing cane. Kaps entered the stage dressed in white tie and tails, while carrying a Walsh cane and newspaper. After he rolled the cane up in the newspaper and stole the cane in this hand, he dumped it into his trouser pocket and then retrieved a salt shaker. He sprinkled the “magic salt” on the newspaper and then made the salt shaker disappear by tossing it into a secret pocket (called a profonde) in the tail of his coat. The non sequitur of taking the salt shaker from his pocket was odd, but in the end it all made sense, since he closed his act with Roy Benson’s Long Pour Salt Trick. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Kaps got the idea of using “magic salt” after he did a TV show in Germany in the 1950s with Paul Potassy and saw that Paul did an entire act with a salt shaker containing “magic salt.”

LEVENT’S KID SHOW CANE When I was a boy I opened my kid show with Baxter’s Vanishing Cane in Newspaper, but I used a different ruse to get rid of the cane and knob. I would get a child up to help me. I told the audience that I was going to make the black cane change color. I rolled the cane up into the paper and sealed the paper with a small piece of scotch tape, so that it would not unroll pre26 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

maturely. I then handed the volunteer three eighteen-inch solid color silks – red, white, and blue. The boy waved the red silk over the rolled up cane; I would remove the cane from the rolled paper and show that I failed in making the black cane change to the color red. I repeated the process with the white silk, and once again failed in making the cane change color. But this time I retained the cane and held it by the knob in my left hand; I put the rolled up paper in my prop case. I then told the kids that I only had one other color (blue) left and this was my last chance to do the trick! I then transferred the cane from my left hand to my right hand and in doing so I retained and palmed the knob in my left hand and held the extended open cane securely in my right hand. I went to the prop case with the left hand to pick up the rolled up paper and in doing so I dumped the knob of the cane. The right hand then inserted the cane into the rolled up paper, but I secretly let the cane collapse into my right hand. Next I used my right hand (which was palming the cane) to take the red and white silks away from the volunteer. I dumped the two silks along with the collapsed cane into my prop case. At this point the kids thought the black cane was still in the rolled newspaper, but it was actually empty and my hands were clean. I then told to volunteer to wave the blue silk violently over the rolled newspaper. And afterwards I said, “I think he put too much blue on the cane, because it blew away.” And with that pun, the paper unrolled and the cane was gone.

LEVENT’S VANISHING CANE IN NEWSPAPER As I started to do more real magic effects in my comedy act in the 1990s I decided to do Bobby Baxter’s trick in the opening sequence of my show. But I felt that the flaw in his trick was that you had to palm the cane and knob and find a way to get rid of it. I then remembered the early version of the Vanishing Wand from Yelma’s aforementioned book and the fact that the rolled up paper was crumpled up with the gimmick still inside the paper. That trick relied upon the clever ruse that if a solid object had been in a paper container, the simple action of crumpling up the paper psychologically implies that the item had vanished. This is at the heart of many tricks, most notably the old Weller vanishing rubber beer bottle, which today is associated with Norm Nielsen’s terrific collapsible bottles. Knowing this ruse, I therefore reasoned

that if I could palm the cane and knob in my hand, let the newspaper unroll, crumple up the paper, and then add the cane and knob into the balled up paper, I would have no reason to dump the cane, thus making the trick seamless. An easy way that this could be done is as follows: Roll up a cane in a newspaper and hold the paper at the middle with the left hand. The left hand gets hold of the corner of the paper so that it can later be allowed to instantly unroll. In the standard manner allow the cane to collapse and palm it and the knob in the right hand. The moment it is stolen, the left hand (which is securely retaining a corner of the paper) lets the paper unroll. As soon as it fully unrolls the right hand (which is still palming the cane and knob) comes up behind the paper and both hands quickly crumple up the paper over the cane and knob. The balled-up paper (along with the hidden cane and knob) is thrown away. I said that this is how it could be done, but this is not exactly how I chose to do it. I believe that good magic is really a sum of its parts; the right combination of nuance, subtlety, and clever thinking can make a big difference in the deceptiveness of a trick. Bearing this in mind the exact method that I used was as follows: I am aware that it’s hard to palm a collapsed cane and knob in one hand. That is why when I did the trick as a kid show magician, I chose to palm off and dump the knob and the cane separately. The great manipulator Fred Kaps had very large hands, but if you watch him do this trick, you can see even he is having a tough time palming these two items effectively. So I reasoned that it is best to have the smallest possible cane and knob. Some metal vanishing canes have a very long chromed ferrule, which makes the palming especially difficult. That is why I always used an actual Walsh vanishing cane, because the ferrule on that cane is very short and compact. As far as I know the Walsh canes are no longer made, but can be found on the used market. The second problem is that most of the cane knobs are too big for the trick. So I got rid of the large ivory knob that came with the Walsh cane and substituted it with a thin brass pipe about three-quarters of an inch in diameter and cut it down to about three-quarters of an inch in length. I covered it with white cloth tape, so it was basically a white ring that was forced over the top of the extended cane. In this manner the metal cane and knob formed a smaller package that was easier to palm (Photo 2).

Photo 2 The next thing I did was to utilize a technique that I call “wand theory” (see my column in the April 2013 issue of M-U-M). Basically this means that if you are palming an object, you can psychologically hide the object by holding a visible object (such as a wand) in the same hand. Bearing all this in mind, I did the vanishing cane in newspaper in the following manner in my comedy magic act: I rolled the cane up diagonally in the newspaper. The newspaper (and cane) are parallel to the floor and held at the center with the left hand in the palm up position. The right hand gets the knob of the cane and pulls the cane completely out of the rolled paper and momentarily displays the cane to the audience. The right hand is then

Photo 3

turned palm downward and reinserts the cane into the end of the rolled-up paper. As the cane is pushed in, the knob is removed and the cane collapses into the right hand, where it is palmed in the standard manner (Photo 3). Now comes the important part. Without hesitation, the right hand (with the palmed items) comes down on top of the center of the rolled up paper and the paper is transferred from the left hand to the right hand. Next, the right arm is fully extended outward with the palm facing the audience, but the cane and knob cannot be seen because the rolled newspaper is covering them (Photo 4). The left hand can now be shown empty. To recap, the illusion

Photo 4

is that you’ve simply pushed the cane into the rolled up paper and transferred the paper from your left hand to your right; the so-called “wand theory” protects the cane and knob in your right hand. Now comes the part that takes a bit of practice. The right thumb takes hold of the corner of the paper and lets the paper fully unroll, showing that the cane is gone (Photo 5).

Photo 5

Next comes the clean up, which is when the left hand comes up to the right hand. Both hands work together to crumple up the paper over the cane and knob. Once the paper is balled up with the cane and knob safely ensconced within, the whole thing is thrown into your prop case and you are clean! That is pretty much how I did the trick for a long time, until the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, an event that caused me to make one more improvement on the trick. Let me explain; I am a professional entertainer, who almost never performs locally. By that I mean virtually all my shows require me to travel by commercial airliners. The fact that sometimes luggage can be lost means that I try to bring as much magic equipment with me in my carry-on bag. After the terrorist attacks, the Federal Transportation Security Administration was created and airport security got stricter. I had to be very careful about what I carried, because odd-looking, metallic items in my case were under great scrutiny. For some unknown reason the metal vanishing cane was causing the TSA agents to hand inspect my carry-on case, thus delaying my travel.

METAL VS. PLASTIC It became obvious to me that in order to make my air travel easier, I had to stop carrying the Walsh metal cane in my carry-on bag. I began to consider using a Fantasio plastic vanishing cane for the trick, because the plastic cane would not cause concern in the X-ray machine. The problem is that the plastic cane does not work well for the Vanishing Cane in Newspaper trick! The reason is because when the cane collapses it rubs up against the newspaper; the plastic cane is just not springy enough to do the trick without fumbling. That said, in every other way the Fantasio cane is a terrific prop. So I came up with a solution that not only allows the plastic cane to be used, but it also makes the trick smoother and the cane and knob much easier to palm!

LEVENT’S PLASTIC VANISHING CANE IN NEWSPAPER To do my current version of the trick you must go to an office supply store and get one of those small retractable reels that people use for ID cards. The nylon cord in these reels comes in different lengths, so you might have to look around until you find the right one. Next, you must cut a MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 27

Stage 101 Pr acticum large notch into the plastic Fantasio knob and glue the reel into the knob. The end of the retractable cord is attached to the ferrule of the cane (Photo 6). In this manner the cane can be extended with the spring loaded nylon cord running through the center of the cane. When you do the trick, the spring loaded reel actually causes the Photo 6

time. When I first came up with this improvement, I let the right hand unroll the paper; I then brought my left hand up the bottom edge of the paper and I secretly dropped the connected cane and knob behind the paper from the right hand to the left hand. The effect being that my left hand was seen to be empty and then once the paper had unrolled, I took the paper into my left hand and the right hand was also seen to be empty, before I crumpled up the paper. Magically speaking this was extremely deceptive, but I soon realized that this move was basically designed to fool magicians and not worth the risk of accidentally dropping the cane on the floor.

THE GORDIAN CANE

plastic cane to collapse far better and faster than the metal cane. A secondary benefit is that the collapsed cane and the knob are now a single unit; you are no longer trying to palm two different objects at the same


At first, I did this effect with the USA Today newspaper. Then about ten years ago I noticed that it was physically smaller! This meant that the rolled up newspaper could not fully cover the cane, which is very bad for the trick. So, I started to use the New York Times, but about a year later it was also being printed on smaller

paper, which caused me to use the Wall Street Journal. Then I heard that soon the Journal was going to be printed in a smaller format. I thought about purchasing a big quantity of the larger Wall Street Journal papers so that I could do the trick for a while. But I eventually opted for a far simpler solution to my problem. Ancient legend has it that a king named Gordius tied a rope into an extremely tight and intricate knot; he prophesied that the man who could undo his knot would become the ruler of Asia. Many men tried to untie the Gordian Knot, but failed. One day a young king named Alexander used his sword to chop up the knot and untangled the rope. He eventually ruled all of Asia and became known as Alexander the Great. Taking a cue from this tale, I took a pair of scissors and cut about a foot of plastic off of the Fantasio cane, making the extended cane shorter so that it could be easily covered by the currently available newspapers.  © 2014 Levent Cimkentli

New Apps for My Home Screen

Trick #3

Mikael Montier is a very clever guy. He churns out some real winning apps. In a time when magic trick apps are slowing down, Mikael seems to breathe some new life to old classics; he uses dramatically simple methods so the magician can concentrate on the presentation. Don’t be fooled by the lack of clever names for his effects; there is a lot of creativity and potential in his first three offerings.

Are you beginning to see a pattern to the names of the apps? Trick #3 is my favorite because of the simplicity of it. It’s a book test – a really good one. For the effect, I use a Harry Potter book for kids and families, and 50 Shades of Grey for the adults. Any book can be used for this effect. The effect starts with the book on the table. The magician lends his iPhone to a spectator who performs the following steps on the calculator: multiply a random threedigit number by another random three-digit number and then divide the new number by a random four-digit number. The magician then hands the book to the spectator to flip through the pages to the corresponding number. Many times you get a number with decimal points. Ignore the decimals. The magician tells the spectator to concentrate on this random page and look at the first and last words on this page. With some concentration, the magician reveals the exact words. This is very easy to do, and it will work one hundred percent of the time – no memorization, no gimmicked book, no tricky math. A different page and different words occur every time. It is easy to carry around and looks natural. A friend asked me why I use Fifty Shades of Grey for the book. I use it because this book test only reveals two words and I like to use the excuse that the book is so adult in nature that I can’t quote whole pages. I will quote the first and last word of the page and let your imagination wonder what was in between! Spend the measly 99 cents in the iTunes Apple Store for a real reputation-making routine. Bravo!

Trick #1 Yup, that is the name of the app. Let’s get right to the point. Remember those art pads on which you scratch away the black to reveal colors underneath? That’s what it looks like when you have the spectator rub away the black on your phone screen to reveal the chosen court card from a deck. Absolutely free choice of any court card. Spectator rubs the screen and his court card is revealed. I’ve already thought of two presentations for this one. Trick #1 is only 99 cents in the iTunes App store and the Google Play Store for Android.

Trick # 2 Whenever I read about the Knight’s Tour trick, I get bored instantly. Although impressive, a few thoughts arise: “How many people in the audience understand chess? What is the big deal that he memorized all the moves? He’s not playing the game with anyone so who cares?” Trick #2 is a more down-to-earth blindfold game. It’s TicTac-Toe. Everyone knows that game. The magician sends an email containing a link to a Tic-Tac-Toe game to a spectator. You are going to play together on the spectator’s smart phone; but to show off your memory skills, you will not look at the game! You start to play and tell your moves to the spectator, who makes his own decisions for his turn. You will never lose and you will never play any previously played move. If you have played Tic-Tac-Toe as an adult, you know that it is possible that the game will end in a draw, but you will never lose. This is a clever method with no memorization necessary. This trick is so easy that you have to keep from smiling while you’re performing it. Trick #2 is available for 99 cents on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store for Android.

A Magician’s Dessert The folks at Fred and Friends have really pulled a rabbit out of their hat. But it’s no illusion, it’s Neat Eats. This kit comes with two silicone hat-shaped cupcake molds and rabbit-ear forks. Follow the easy to make directions and you will have a pair of rabbitout-of-hat desserts. I wonder if the two will multiply? You can get this nice set in specialty shops, on amazon.com, or at http://fredandfriends.com/products/view/neat-eats-magic-cupcakes  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 him ([email protected]). MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 29

Hit The Road With Scott Alex ander, Puck, Jenny Alex ander, and Adam Ace

IT’S IN THE BAG There is a reason the mantra “you get what you pay for” is a time-honored axiom. Thanks to the Walmart mentality we have accepted in recent times, we are more concerned with the bottom line than the quality of what we buy. It’s easy to slip into the habit of ignoring this ancient dogma in these challenging economic times. We often bypass quality items and begin searching for a better deal. We do it with everything from hairdryers to healthcare. And, of course, who doesn’t want to save a buck, especially when buying something as trivial as magic tricks. We relentlessly search online for who’s got the cheapest version we can get away with using. We find a vanishing cane that looks great for twenty bucks. Of course, it slices the hell out of our hand, but at least we saved sixty bucks. Sometimes it pays to buy premium products because they are durable, have a guaranteed track record, and will last you through your whole career. If you are a road warrior and have spent the money to buy good costumes, you might as well spend the money to get some luggage to pack them in. Puck discovered this while looking for suitcases to use while on the road. He found a great bag that not only keeps his clothes coming out looking sharp but has some added benefits that make it well worth spending the money on quality. Puck relates, “When I was a fly-on entertainer for Carnival Cruises, I traveled in and out of the country at least twice a week. This extreme amount of travel really took a toll on the luggage I used.” When Puck says luggage, he uses the term loosely. He, like many of us, figured that rather than spend a lot of money on an expensive suitcase that was just going to get beat to hell going back and forth from ship to ship or country to country, why not purchase a less expensive piece of luggage from Walmart or Target? This way if a wheel or two got knocked off or 30 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

if the zipper broke, we could just easily toss it and grab another one for forty bucks and we’d be good to go. This sounds like a good plan, given our proclivity for seeking a good bargain. But there is a difference between a real piece of luggage and a real piece of...crap. Puck continues, “I primarily used one small to regular sized suitcase that would get checked, and a suit bag for my costume that at the time was legal to carry on. These bags would last about a month and a half with the amount of abuse they took. Straps would break off, zippers would fray, holes would develop, and wheels would be missing as my bag entered the conveyor belt at baggage claim. I was burning through luggage like crazy. “One day at Macy’s, while waiting for my wife to finish doing whatever she was doing, I decided to take a look at the luggage department. I saw sturdy and very nice looking bags that I thought would be great for my trips. When I took a look at the price tags, I almost passed out! These bags ranged in price from $250 to $600 each. For some reason I decided to bite the bullet and purchase two bags at $400 each. It seemed crazy dropping a total of over $800 with tax on two suitcases. I actually spent more money that day at Macy’s than my wife did. However, they were very sturdy, looked sharp, and were made by Victorinox, which is a subsidiary of the Swiss Army Company.” Puck figured if they made a good knife that takes a lot of abuse, chances are their bags would also be up to the test of being tossed around by airport luggage brutes. “One bag was a standard-sized suitcase and the other a suit bag that satisfied the new regulations to be admitted as a carry-on,” Puck remembers. “The suit bag is unique in the fact that in order to be considered a carry-on, it folds the suits in thirds. The design is very organized and allows for a lot of packing. I fill mine with a pair of shoes, my microphone, MP3 Tech, two suits, ties, belt, toiletries, one pair of jeans, underwear, tee shirt, dress shirt, and enough magic material to perform a forty-

minute show (should my checked props get lost). And this all fits comfortably in the overhead compartment on board the plane.

“These bags really took a pounding over the years, but have completely outlasted the cheapo bags out of which I would only get a few trips. In fact, I’ve had the same two bags without substitution for a little over six years. My standard-sized

checked suitcase still works well and looks good. As to be expected, even though these bags are top notch, after six years, my suit bag recently developed some fraying on the zipper, which was starting

to become a problem when opening and closing the bag. One of the wheels had cracked, making rolling the bag difficult. I figured that since I got six years out of

it, I can honestly say it was worth the high price tag. It was time to retire the bag.” Just for the heck of it, Puck went online to see if he could order another wheel from the company; instead, he discovered something remarkable. He continues, “As it turns out, according to the manufacturer’s website, my bag may be covered by a warranty. I picked up the phone and I called them; sure enough, it was. They directed me to a local authorized luggage repair shop about twenty minutes from my house. I took my bag there and they fixed the zipper and replaced not one, but both wheels within a few days. To top it off, they even sent it back to me via FEDEX. The whole thing cost me nothing! I didn’t even have my receipt from all those years back. My bag is good as new and still going strong. Another feature of the Victorinox luggage is the return plate that is in the owner contact compartment. This is a serial number that you register when you get the bags. If your bag is lost or comes

up missing, the airlines know to use the phone number and serial number to find the owner. Not only that, but Victorinox will make sure it gets back to you if it is found.” Puck also revealed that there are a few other little features that are quite nice. These suitcases come with a universal padlock that you can use to secure your belongings. When TSA wants to check your bag they have a universal key to unlock and search your bag without issue. They don’t have to cut off the lock to root through your bag to find out what that coiled up piece of black spring steel is. You know, the one with the white tips lurking there inside next to an unusually large coil of rope and sharp scissors. All in all, Puck has been very happy with his decision to spend the cash and get the right bags for the job. He has convinced me to wisely invest in these bags for myself. As he points out, “You can pay now or you can pay later; it’s your choice.” 


Not Just Kid Stuff By Jim Kleefeld

TRICKS ARE NOT ENTERTAINING Tricks are not entertaining, at least not to most laypeople. That is to say, magic is not inherently fun. If you want to be a good performer you must come to realize that audiences do not feel the same way about magic that you do. Most people do not enjoy magic, tricks, puzzles, or being fooled. Some do, of course, and chances are many of those will voluntarily attend your magic shows. But often your audience is made up of three types of spectators: fans, the uninterested, and the nonbelievers. Fans are the few people who have had some contact with magic and are amenable. They like the concept and are willing to suspend their disbelief so they can be entertained. Uninterested people are usually the ones who come with the fans. They are skeptical of magic and magicians, but are willing to sit through what they hope will be a theatrical performance with some entertainment value. The nonbelievers are the ones for whom you have to work harder. They come in all forms, but they enter a magic performance ready to dislike it. In a kid show, maybe an older brother was forced to take his little siblings along to the library. Maybe everyone in the school is expected to sit through every assembly. Maybe you showed up at the family picnic just when Cousin Ferdinand was winning at tag. Maybe the twin brothers think magic is stupid, but mom said they had to go to their classmate’s birthday party. However it happened, the nonbelievers will be there. They will sit waiting for the magician to screw up so they can laugh, elbow their friends, and say, “I told you it was phony.” Problem people are in your audience. They are the people who do not think that tricks are entertaining. One of the causes of problems in magic is that we magicians tend to believe that tricks are entertaining. We expect all in our audience to be magic fans, when in fact those may be the smallest subset of watchers. You are a magic fan. You like magic or you wouldn’t own a box full of props and put on a magic show. But when 32 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

you present your show, you need to accommodate, even charm nonbelievers and the other people who are not fans, whether they are children or adults. Your show should be entertaining and magical. I know many performers tout that the entertainment comes first, but I don’t quite buy that. I believe that if you offer your services as a magician, then the magic must be paramount. Yes, you must be entertaining, but you must also focus on magic. Much of what you present must invoke a sense of surprise, wonder, or awe. Otherwise, book yourself as a singer, a storyteller, a comic, or a babysitter. If you advertise a magic show, do magic. If you went to see a fifteen-minute magic show and the performer did one trick with a Change Bag in which he spent thirteen minutes passing out breakaway, fall-apart, color-changing, multiplying, bending, stretching, and noisemaking wands, would you be impressed? Sometimes ancillary props and bits of business add to a magic show because they are funny and different. But they should be a small addition to your act, not take up more time than the magic effects. Do you want kids to come up after the show and ask, “Why didn’t you do any magic?” The first step in honing your magic show to accommodate everyone is to examine your act. Go over your script and think about what you do, how much time you spend doing it, and how much of it is actually magic. The second issue is less obvious but more significant. The fact that we are magicians often makes us blind to the magic we are performing. You have heard that many magicians blink when practicing a secret move. They psychologically fool themselves into thinking that the audience cannot see their sleight because they, themselves, do not see it. You will have to realize and work on that problem on your own. My discussion here involves something similar but larger – the Big Blink, or not selling the magic to your audience. I’ll repeat the article’s title. Tricks are not entertaining. Most magicians perform a magic trick in shortcuts because they know and like the magic. You get entertained thinking about the trick, practicing the trick, and performing the trick. The trick becomes entertaining to you, the magician. You believe it will be equally

entertaining to an audience. But often it is entertaining to you because you like magic. You have a background knowledge about magic. You appreciate effects, methods, subtleties, and variations. Your memory cannot help but recall the many times you have seen or performed the trick. Almost none of these conditions apply to your audience. They do not know what is about to happen. They have not seen a version of it dozens of times before. They cannot chuckle inwardly at a secret move or a prepared event, or compare your presentation with several convention performers. And on top of that, most of them will not pay close attention to all the necessary details that sell the effect. They do not stare at your every movement or listen carefully to your every word. They do not hold dear to the verbs you used in your script. So when you get to the climax and reveal the surprising conclusion of magic, it is not the same to them as it is to you. They miss the magic, and to them the trick is not entertaining. So what can you do to make tricks more entertaining? One of the main weapons you have in your arsenal is your script. Very few children’s entertainers present a silent show. That finely-honed twelve-minute manipulation act with an orchestrated background score may serve you well at convention contests, but not for a forty-five-minute kids’ show. Children’s performers have to talk, and here is where you enhance and explain the magic. Your storyline might be witty, mysterious, sad, surprising, or funny, but it must also be expository. To help the audience realize the entertainment value, use your patter to explain the magic. Relinquish yourself to the fact that the magic is not self-explanatory. Give up the belief that children will understand and love the magic when they see it. They are not magicians, and despite what you want to believe, they are usually not even watching you all that carefully. Most of the time you need to tell them what is magical. If you set a box on a tray and it falls apart, they will probably laugh. But suppose you explain how you have to place the box carefully in the center of the tray because it is a magic tray that knows when something is not in the right place. Then the box falls apart. Now it is funny and magical. Pull a dozen silks from a Square Circle. That’s a pretty effect, right? How much better would it be

if it were both pretty and more magical? Show your square empty. Show your circle empty. Pull out a few silks. Stop and show the pieces empty again. Tell the audience that there could not possibly be anything inside because they can see right through the pieces. Put them back together and pull out dozens more silks. Now it’s pretty and much more magical. The key is to sell the magic, not just let it stand on its own. Think back on your recent shows. How many times have you dropped a routine because it was not getting a good enough response? Maybe the audience just did not realize how good the magic was. There are probably several ways to better sell the magic. Let’s look at a standard Coins Across routine using a standard Coin Tray. I use a Viking Stainless Steel Tray, round, about seven inches across with a four-coin load. Place eight coins on the tray. Load four into the compartment. Have two helpers, one on either side. Show the tray with eight coins. Ask the girl on your right to count them. Slide them off the tray into your hand and drop them in her hand, holding back four when you do so. Tell her to close her hand tightly. Reach to your table and grab four more coins, adding them to the four you palmed from her stack. Count all eight coins onto the tray. Make a gesture, showing both hands empty. Turn to the boy on your left and dump the coins from the tray into his hand, adding the load. Have the girl count her four. Have the boy count his twelve coins. Several coins transposed locations from one person to another. That’s magical, right? Sadly, with all the counting and moving back and forth and recounting, many people miss what magic actually occurred. Children, in particular may not discern that the girl’s handful diminished and the boy’s increased. Even if they do notice, a few coins more or less does not seem as magical as a complete vanish or appearance. Now let’s try it again and use a script to sell the magic. Eight coins are on the tray; four are in the load chamber, and four more coins are on a table behind you, hidden, but easily accessible. Two spectators assist, one on your right and one on your left. Let’s presume that you have done a trick with the two helpers and are about to dismiss them into the audience. “I want to thank our two helpers by paying

them, if that’s all right with you two.” Retrieve the coin tray with eight coins. “I have a few coins here, but I did not count them and I want to split these evenly. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Magic rules say that I can only give you these coins if you are helpers, not certified magicians. Real magicians get paid by applause. Only helpers get coins. You are not real magicians are you?” Turn to both helpers to ascertain a response. “Okay, good. Now, don’t do any magic, or you will be real magicians and then I cannot give you the coins. If you were real magicians, then you would get applause. Let’s count the coins.” Turn to the girl on your right. “Molly, can you count these coins out nice and loud for everyone? Touch each one and talk loud so everyone can hear.” Have her count the eight coins out loud. “Right – exactly eight coins. Good. Now hold out your hands.” Turn one hand palm up to demonstrate. “I’ll put the coins in your hand like this.” Dump the eight coins into your hand. “Then you close your hand and hold onto them tightly, okay?” Turn your hand palm down, palm off four coins, and drop the other four into her hand. Leave your hand hovering over hers for a moment to make sure she closes her hand into a fist. Turn towards the table and pick up four coins, adding them to the four in your hand. Start to address the boy, but then turn back to the girl. “Now Molly, do not do any magic. If you are really a magician, you would get lots of applause, but no coins.” Turn to the audience. “During my last show, the girl made all of her coins disappear. Molly, you won’t make all of your coins disappear, will you?” Turn to the boy on your left. “Kevin, I have more coins here, but I want you to count them to make sure you get the same as Molly.” Place the coins on the tray loudly, one at a time, while he counts. “There are eight coins. Good. Just like Molly.” Turn back to the girl. “Molly, remember: do not do any magic. Do not turn those coins into chickens.” Turn back to the boy. “Kevin, hold out your hand.” Pause and pull back the tray a bit. “You won’t do any magic with

the coins, will you?” Turn to the audience. “Last week the boy made six coins turn into ten coins. Since he did magic, I couldn’t give him any of the coins.” Turn back to Kevin. “Hold out your hand.” Dump the coins into his hand, adding the load. “Close your hand tightly.” Wave the tray a bit to show it empty, set it down, and gesture to show your hands empty. “Good job, helpers. You can go back to...wait. I have to make one last check to make sure that you didn’t do any magic.” Turn to the girl. “Molly, you still have coins in your hand, right?” Turn to the boy. “And Kevin, you still have coins, right?” Pick up the tray again and address the audience. “Let’s just double-check. I hope they did not do any magic with those coins. Two weeks ago a girl turned pennies into quarters.” Turn to the girl. “Molly, you had eight coins. Open your hand and count them onto the tray. One, two, three, four...four? You have four?” Turn to the audience. “Didn’t I just give Molly eight coins?” (Do not ask the girl, because she may tell you that it felt like less in her hands.) “You made four of them disappear! Uh-oh! Molly did magic.” Turn and dump the coins onto the table. “Let’s see if Kevin did any magic.” Turn to the boy. “Kevin, you had eight coins. You counted eight, right? Did you do any magic? Count all eight coins onto the tray. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…nine, ten, eleven, twelve. Twelve? You turned eight coins into twelve coins by magic. Hey! Kevin did magic!” Set the coin tray on the table and turn to the audience. “Well, I guess they both did magic, so I can’t give them the coins, but you can give them a big round of applause.” In this routine the magic could stand on its own, but the patter sells it better. Some magic does not need an explanation. If you stand still, hold out your arm, and a four-foot cane appears instantly, you won’t need to tell anyone what happened or why it was magical. But many children’s routines, especially those with long or story-driven plots can be strengthened with some scripting. Check your routines. Are you trying to let the magic stand on its own merit, or do you help clarify what happens and really sell the event? It might help to frequently remind yourself that Tricks Are Not Entertaining.  MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 33

For Your Consider ation By George Parker

EMERGENCY EXIT Murphy’s Law tells us that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Some people go even further and claim that Murphy was an optimist. Sure, anything that can go wrong will often go wrong at least one time. It will happen to at least one person. And what if that person happens to be you? In a performance? I’ve been there. You’ve been there. I have worked with many of the greats, both Dutch and international performers, and I’ve seen Murphy’s Law at work in their acts. Murphy’s Law is always on my mind in the process of developing a routine. What could go wrong? How can I prevent it from going wrong? Or, if something goes wrong, how can I save myself? In other words: Where is my emergency exit in any phase of the routine?

DESTROYING MAGIC I feel much more pressure to prevent failure while performing magic than I did in other performance arts. When I played music, I knew I could miss a note without wrecking a whole performance. For a while, I was an actor; missing a line didn’t mean that the whole play was ruined. A glitch in a magic performance can annihilate the whole routine because (part of) the secret may be exposed. I feel deeply ashamed after messing up a routine. And I think that the feeling of guilt is deserved, because ninety-nine percent of the time I could have prevented the mistake. Better preparation, including emergency exits, is the answer most of the time. I don’t want to overdramatize this issue, but I do feel that the nature of magic requires us to prepare meticulously. Even the casual performer needs to protect the secret to create a magical experience. And if you’re paid for performances, like I am, it’s even more important, because you want to be flawless and surpass the expectations. By discussing how and why we can fail, I 34 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

hope to provide a sort of checklist that will help you to make yourself look better as a magician, have more fun while performing, and create memorable magical experiences for your audiences. I will talk about: the kind of faults that can occur and some ways to prevent error or recover from a mistake on stage; some of the underlying causes for things to go wrong. Keep in mind that I’m looking at those mistakes from an audience’s perspective. It doesn’t matter how bad I felt about the mistake. The main criterion for me is how the mistake affected the audience’s experience. Let’s be honest, what I feel is a bad mistake can sometimes turn into a wonderful moment as far as the audience is concerned.

MECHANICAL FAILURE We use all kinds of invisible tools to help us create a magical experience for our audiences, from a sophisticated hold-out to a simple thumb tip. Even the simplest tool or gimmick needs to be maintained and triple-checked. We can break an invisible thread, our hold-out can fall apart, a dropper that is attached to our coat can come loose, the nail writer can break, a coin shell may get damaged after falling on the floor and may not fit the coin anymore, a screw of our production box may come loose, a rubber band may break while doing the Crazy Man’s Handcuffs, or the roughing fluid of our Invisible Deck can wear out so multiple backs are exposed. There are thousands of mechanical things that could break down. My first strategy is to avoid gimmicks that may, at some point in time, fail. If I really like the effect, I try to find alternatives that rely on sleight of hand, psychology, or low-risk gimmicks. If I decide to use the gimmick after all, my second strategy is to find the best quality one and then buy two more. Having two backups will ease my mind. Even if I never use them, the peace of mind the backups create will strangely reduce the chance of things going wrong. It’s like my judo teacher always told me: the better you are

trained at judo, the smaller the chance you will have to use your fighting skills. For example, when I did a lot of magic at corporate parties I did Nicholas Einhorn’s Spooked – a brilliant version of the Haunted Deck that you can perform in short sleeves, surrounded by a group of people. I think Al Baker’s version is more reliable, but the hands-off character of Einhorn’s version won me over. A card is selected and put back in the deck. The deck is placed on the floor; you step away from the deck and make the top half of the deck move away. To top it off you make the selected card jump out. My index finger hovered over the deck and I used the shadow of my finger to move the top half of the deck. It’s an incredibly strong effect. But it relies on a tool that could break down (it’s a marketed effect, so I can’t explain what’s going on in detail). So I bought two extra gimmicks. I trained myself to handle it the proper way to reduce the risk of breaking. I also created an emergency exit just in case it happened to break (see the Emergency Exit paragraph below). Apart from the backup and emergency exit script, I need to maintain all the gimmicks I use. For example, the rubber band in a flipper coin can wear out. I will replace it way before I risk breaking it.

ELECTRONIC FAILURE Nowadays there are a lot of props and gimmicks that depend on batteries. I’m not just talking about your portable sound system or John Cornelius’s FISM Flash. Most of the time those tools aren’t essential to producing the magic moment. I’m talking about gimmicks that are essential to making the magic work. There are a lot of magic tricks that depend on an electronic system and there seem to be an increasing number of mentalism effects that rely on those types of gimmicks. I’ve seen some unfortunate examples of electronics failing and felt bad for the performer as well as for the audience. A backup, ready to go, may be a solution. Personally, I prefer to go old school when it comes to electronics. I’m not a purist in that sense. But I prefer to avoid the stress and headaches caused by

things I can’t fully rely on. But if I really want to do such an effect, I will start to think like an airplane designer. I will assume everything will go wrong at some point and build safety nets to keep the plane in the air. This could imply that I have a backup ready to go, or a script that will save me, or an alternative method that will produce the same effect. I also carry a backup routine that I can do after making a mistake that will erase (part of) the memory of me failing.

TECHNICAL FAILURE We can lose a selected card, drop a coin, flash a palmed object, take the wrong billet out of an index, or misread a marked card; our timing can be off while executing a top change. The list of possible mistakes goes on and on. I can add items from memory, because I have made every mistake in the book – fortunately, I have made most of these in practice and rehearsal. But I’ve failed in a performance as well. I have found that this is caused by being under-rehearsed or unfocused during the performance. Practice and rehearse two months longer than you think you need to before taking your routine live. When I work on a routine I will do anything to reduce the stress of failing. Even if I can do Mike Skinner’s Ultimate Three Card Monte routine while sleepwalking, I will put pencil dots on the false indexes (one for the Ace and two for the Two) to double check while I’m performing. It sounds crazy when you’ve done the routine fifteen hundred times. But sometimes I’m tired or stressed because of a situation in my life. Seeing the dots relaxes me. Also, make sure you take away as many of the causes (see the section on Why? below) as you can.

EMERGENCY EXITS In short, I’ll write out a worst case scenario for every trick in my repertoire and create emergency exits for every scenario. I’ll focus on three basic exits: 1) Maintenance and backup. Make sure the gimmick is in great shape and you have one or two backups. Make sure you are in great shape (practice, rehearse) and have alternative techniques to fall back on to achieve the same effect. I made sure that the gimmick that’s used in Spooked was in

great shape; I had two backups and I could handle it perfectly. 2) A verbal way out. Write a script that reframes what just happened like it was intentional or was a preliminary phase to something that will follow. If the gimmick broke down in the Spooked routine, I would say, “Ah, this probably doesn’t work because the card needs more personality. Please find your card and write your name on it or draw a symbol so it becomes a unique, powerful card.” While they did that, I set up my backup gimmick and did the effect again. 3) Structural way out (as in “the structure of a show”). Make sure you can follow up with a strong effect and segue into it using your verbal way out. In the very rare case the Spooked backups didn’t work, I made sure that I had a follow up routine. I wanted to make what just happened look like it was a pre-phase to the real effect. I took the deck of cards and searched for the card (easy to find with a signature). I would look at the audience in desperation. “Are you sure we put it in here?” While I did this, I controlled the signed card to the top. Then I handed the deck to the spectator as I did a one-handed top palm. “Maybe I’m overlooking it. Can you try to find it?” I would relax while holding out the card. Only after she told me she couldn’t find it, I would reach into my pocket, take out my wallet, take out the envelope behind the zipper, let her tear open the envelope, and take out her card.

WHY? Mechanical and electronic failure maybe prevented and solved by maintaining the gimmicks and having backups. But technical failure may occur because of a multitude of underlying causes. I’d like to list some of those issues. I’m not a big believer in remedying symptoms. Taking away the underlying cause will provide lasting solutions. Here are some of the causes for failure. 1) Not enough practice. We all know the sage advice: practice, practice, practice. But we can be so in love with the rush of performing or excited by the fantasy of our future, successful performance that we forget to practice enough. It’s understandable, because practicing a routine can be a lonely, frustrating, and sometimes tedious process. 2) Not enough rehearsal. Practice

means training and perfecting all parts of the performance as well as going through all of the performance. Rehearsal means that we do the complete routine as if we’re working for a live audience. After we master the moves, learn our script, and know the routine inside out, we need to rehearse to make our delivery stronger. 3) Being unfocused. There are many reasons for being distracted. We can be tired, or a client (or peers!) can put pressure on us. Maybe we ate too much food or shouldn’t have taken that glass of wine the night before. There may be family issues that take away our attention. During our fifth annual Magic & Mystery School week at the Magic Castle I began to lose focus late in the week because everything went extremely well and there was a lot of appreciation. I had to slap myself back into my game before every performance. Stay awake! 4) Difficult circumstances. Even working in a theater can be less than ideal sometimes. And working in living rooms, meeting rooms, restaurants, and all kinds of other places can be challenging. Lighting, angles, visibility, disturbing sounds, and the size of your stage (or corner...) can all play into failure. A client wanted me to perform on a cherry picker once: twenty feet up in the air for an audience standing on a balcony. I restructured my act to prevent failure. Our small club Mysterium (Tommy Wonder was one of our members) meets in a very small theater in Amsterdam. It’s the hottest stage in the universe; if the room is full I can’t do certain routines because my hands are sticky. 5) Other people’s (often unintentional) mistakes. There are always other people involved when you do a performance – the host, the sound and lighting people, the emcee. And sometimes their actions affect your performance. I planned to perform my toilet paper (yes, it’s a funny script) to egg routine in a hotel one night; I discovered that the staff had thrown the (innocentlooking) toilet paper roll (including the gimmick) away. I carried a backup routine on me. Phew. If, as some people say, Murphy was an optimist, you can mark everything on your checklist and still fail at some point. When that happens, you don’t have to feel guilty or ashamed, because you did everything you could. Shrug your shoulders, laugh at yourself, and move on.  MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 35

Photo by Michael Young

I

t’s early in the morning and a man slips quietly into a back lot make-up trailer to begin his transformation. There are no make-up artists around to help him; he will do this all on his own. He sits down in his chair, opens a can of Coca-Cola, and flips a switch that illuminates his face with a row of lights that line the large mirror in front of him. He begins by covering his face with a pale pancake make-up base, then heavy black eyeliner, black eyebrows, and finally a small, square mustache that is affixed with spirit gum. There is no rouge or blush used since he works from a strictly limited color palate of black, white, and shades of gray. Next come a black wig, baggy pants, a tightfitting jacket, oversized, beat up shoes, and finally the trademark derby and bamboo cane. The man, Billy Scadlock, has ceased to exist, and instead, Charlie Chaplin’s iconic character of “The Little Tramp” lives again, ready to go out and entertain a whole new generation of fans. Although, this time, it is not in a movie theater that seats a few hundred people, but a theme park that will be host to thousands of visitors in a single day. Billy Scadlock has come to be known as one of the premiere Charlie Chaplin impersonators in the world, and has been in demand for promotional appearances, private parties, theme parks, and televi-


BILLY SCADLOCK IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS BY STEVE MARSHALL

sion commercials for three decades now. Just how did a young boy who started out doing magic tricks in Key West, Florida, come to portray one of the most famous movie stars in history? Well, I can tell you this, the transformation didn’t just happen overnight.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS “Mile Marker Zero,” the starting point of US Highway 1, would be a good place to start a journey, and this is precisely where Billy began his life. Key West, Florida, is an island with a total land area of just 5.9 square miles. Billy’s dad was an electrician, his mother was a homemaker, and Billy was the fourth of five children. Billy’s two older sisters both sang, danced, played musical instruments, and acted in both church and local theater groups. Billy feels that watching them inspired him to go into the performing arts as well. Growing up in Key West also had certain advantages. “When I was a kid, it was just fun that I could go swimming whenever I wanted to. Even when I became a teenager and got a part-time job at a grocery store, I would still go and jump in the ocean for a swim before going to work. “There’s a place in Key West called Mallory Square Dock where street per-

formers would gather to do their acts. In the ‘60s it was mostly hippies playing guitars and bongo drums, and women in tie-dyed skirts dancing around with tambourines. As years passed, northern street performers, such as magicians and jugglers, started showing up in the winter months. For some it was just a stop on their circuit, but others came and stayed.” Watching these performers inspired young Billy to try different styles of performing. Billy went through all the normal childhood phases of wanting to be a cowboy or a fireman, but when he said he wanted to be a magician, he received a “TV Magic Set” as a gift. Although Billy was interested in magic, his interests included many of the allied arts as well. “I remember getting a Danny O’Day ventriloquist figure for Christmas one year. It came with a record that taught how to be a ventriloquist. I listened to that record over and over, practicing the techniques and memorizing all of the routines.” Growing up, Billy had another inspiration in the form of a great uncle whom he never got to meet. “I was always hearing about this mysterious ‘Uncle Sam’ who was a magician. He had passed away before I was born, but my relatives would tell me about all the magic tricks and funny things he did and how I reminded them of him.” One day, when Billy was thirteen years

old, he was watching the TV game show To Tell the Truth; the mystery guest of the day was a magician. During the show the magician mentioned the Chavez College of Magic. “When I heard the magician say there was a college for magic I realized that I wanted to be a professional magician.”

LIFE AS KEY WEST’S TEEN MAGICIAN Now that Billy knew there was a college for magic, and he realized this could be a full-time profession one day, he began to search out magic shops and other places to purchase magic tricks. “I ordered magic tricks from the back of Boy’s Life magazine (most likely coming from the Johnson Smith Company) and I found a few magic shops in Miami that did mail order; I also ordered items directly from Fantasio, who was also located in Miami.” A few years later a magic shop opened in Key West; Billy eventually worked there for a while. When Billy was fourteen, he met a young man named Jim Boone; Jim was a few years older than him and was interested in magic and clowning. The two became friends and even did a few shows together. Billy’s older sister Imogene attended college in Miami and was a big supporter of Billy’s love of magic. “I would take the Greyhound bus to Miami and stay with Imogene. When the Florida State Magic Convention was there she would drop me off on her way to school in the morning and pick me up later that night.” One of Billy’s most memorable trips to Miami was

to see Doug Henning’s musical, The Magic Show. Since it was the touring edition of the show, Doug Henning wasn’t in it, but it still made a big impression on young Billy and the way he approached his magic from then on. Early on, Billy also learned the lesson of “the hype versus the reality” of certain magic tricks. “Sometimes I would order a trick after just having read the ad for it; when it showed up and I opened it and saw what it was I would think, ‘This is it?’ Since I had already bought it and learned the secret I couldn’t take it back. This would force me to play around with the apparatus to find a routine and a method to accomplish the trick that would suit me. To this day, whenever I buy a new magic trick, I try to figure it out before I read any of the instructions. In learning the trick this way I sometimes come up with new or different methods for the effect that I can combine with the way the original creator had envisioned it.” Another big influence on Billy at the time was Mark Wilson. “I used to race home to watch The Magic Land of Alakazam. When my sister Imogene made me my first magic costume it wasn’t a tuxedo but rather a wide collared shirt and a jumpsuit like Mark used to wear.” Billy would also faithfully watch The Magician with Bill Bixby, whose technical advisor was Mark Wilson. (To this day, Billy still dreams of owning a 1974 white Stingray Corvette like Bixby drove.) By the time Billy was fifteen, he had become well-known around his hometown as “Key West’s Teen Magician” and was getting bookings for private parties, civic

events, and church groups. “I wanted to be a magician like Mark Wilson or David Copperfield, who was the newest magician on TV at the time. I was working places that had stages or larger performing areas, but I was starting to get calls to do kids parties. I wasn’t really interested in that, but didn’t want to turn down the bookings.” Then he had an idea. “One day my phone rang and someone asked me if I could do a kid’s birthday party. I told the lady that I did bigger stage magic shows but I did know a good clown whom I had trained in the art of magic; I could send him to the party. She accepted that offer. I didn’t need to call that clown, since that clown was me! I put on white face makeup, frizzed out my good head of hair, got some bellbottom pants and a t-shirt left over from the bicentennial year, and topped it all off with a red band jacket. ‘Scaddiddills’ the clown was born, and was already booked for his first gig!” Billy also idolized Harry Houdini and decided to do an underwater escape at his high school swimming pool. “I was all set to do the underwater escape and had practiced at home with the chain cuffs that would be on my wrists and ankles. When I held my hands out in front of me to be chained up for the escape, my coach stepped up and insisted that my hands and feet be chained behind me! I had never practiced the escape this way and was a bit worried. The next thing I knew I was chained up in this new manner, picked up, and thrown into the deep end of the pool! I remember thinking to myself to just remain calm since I knew how to get out of the chains. I released my hands first and then got my feet free before swimming out to the middle of the pool to make my triumphant appearance at the surface! After that, whenever I had the opportunity to perform this escape, I would let the person chain my hands and feet behind me since it was more dramatic that way.”

FURTHER EDUCATION

Key West's Teen Magician promo photo

High school was coming to an end and Billy’s high school guidance counselor hadn’t been able to find any information on the “magic college” that Billy had heard about. Billy was starting to think of other options, such as colleges that had good drama departments that could help him further his performing ambitions. He was also getting offers from US Army recruiters. “They told me that after my basic training and two years of service, they could put me in the USO and I could perform my magic shows around the world.” MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 37

In the middle of all these decisions during his senior year Billy decided to drive to Miami to see The Greatest Show on Earth. As he looked through the program he noticed an ad in the back about the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. “At this point, I still wasn’t sure where I was going to go to college, so I thought, ‘Why not apply to clown college?’” Billy sent for an application to Clown College; when it arrived he noticed that the deadline was only two days away. The next day, his dad drove with him to Venice, Florida, the circus’s winter headquarters. When they got there the offices were closed. They went to a local diner and Billy finished filling out the application. He dropped it in a local mailbox and went home to wait for some good news. A month passed and Billy hadn’t heard anything, so he went for an interview to be a DJ at a local radio station. “When I got home after the interview my dad seemed very anxious and said, ‘Where have you been? You had an important phone call!’ It turned out that someone from Ringling had called while I was out and wanted me to call them back.” This was certainly an important call, and one that would change the direction of his life. When he called back, he was informed that he had been accepted to that year’s class of RBB&B Clown College and that classes would begin in just a few months.

GOING TO CLOWN COLLEGE On the first day of Clown College, Billy looked out of his hotel room window at the young men and women gathered around the pool juggling five balls and riding six-foot unicycles. He thought, “What am I doing here?” This is not an uncommon thought for some clowns attending their first day of this unique school. (I had the exact same thought on my first day.) This is because many different types of clowns with different talents were accepted – some for their skills, some for their characters, some because they showed promise and wouldn’t mind living in a 3’ x 6’ x 9’ room on a circus train. Billy had studied mime, theater, magic, clowning, and juggling; even though he couldn’t keep five balls in the air he showed the potential to be a more “well rounded” clown who could combine more talent and skill into one package. It was soon discovered that Billy had a strong base in magic and so he was sent to study with the magic teacher, Don Arthur. On the first day of classes, Don was teaching the “do as I do” torn and restored 38 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

napkin trick. “Don restored his pieces,” Billy recalled, “and when he looked at me I had done a switch and restored my pieces too, like I had learned from the Mark Wilson Course in Magic. Don was surprised and then laughed because I had one-upped the magician. After that I became one of Don’s core group of magic students.” As before, Billy wanted to try to learn everything that he could; he soon became proficient at stilt walking, costume making, juggling, and acrobatics, as well as increasing his skills in magic and clowning. The last day of Clown College is a big gala show that is essentially an audition for the producers to see who would be chosen to get a contract to perform with The Greatest Show on Earth. In 1978, when Billy attended the college, the Ringling Corporation still owned Circus World, a theme park just outside of Orlando, Florida. Billy was one of the eleven clowns from his class who were offered a contract to perform at the theme park. One of the reasons that Billy was offered a contract to Circus World was because there was a magic show there and they were considering adding the clowns into it. “Soon after I got to Circus World they started teaching us choreography; we found out that we would be replacing the male dancers who were dancing with the showgirls, much the same as on the touring editions of the circus. I still got to do magic though, including some close-up tricks and gags that I would do in the seats during the pre-show. I had seen a gag with popcorn in a box that was all strung together. I would trip and the audience would think it was going all over them but it would just

hang there. I made my own prop out of the popcorn boxes they sold at the concession stand so it would be even more of a surprise since the audience members were holding the exact same boxes.” A few years later Ringling gave up ownership of Circus World and there was a big management shakeup. Billy decided to stay on and became the “boss clown,” which put him in charge of making schedules and deciding which clowns would be in what parts of different shows, in the parade, the meet and greet, etc. About a year later the new management that was brought in decided to clean house and lay off a lot of employees who had been around since the Ringling days. “I was in a group of clowns that got let go from the park. I was suddenly without a job; I remembered the owner of Paramount Theatrical Supplies, a theatrical make-up and magic shop in downtown Orlando, had always joked that I should work for him. I went down to ask if he was at all serious and he hired me on the spot.”

FROM THE CIRCUS TO THE SEA While Billy was at Paramount he heard that SeaWorld was going to start using a mime for a pre-show to the sea lion and otter show. This was already very popular at SeaWorld in San Diego, California, and they had already hired one mime in Florida; they were having auditions for more. The only mime training Billy had at the time was the little bit he had studied in high school and what he had learned in Clown College. “I wasn’t really strong in the traditional mime illusions, but I was

Sea World Mimes. From left: Jim Hackworth, Joe Wesson, and Billy Scadlock

Billy entertaining in the 2,000 seat sea lion and otter stadium at SeaWorld, Florida

confident that I could entertain. When I got to SeaWorld they showed me a video of the mime in San Diego and asked me if I could do that. I said, ‘Yeah, sure; I can do that!’ They asked me to put on my mime make-up and costume, which I had brought with me just in case, and go out into a stadium and entertain two thousand people with my mime skills. “Since the mime in San Diego also followed people and mimicked them I did a lot of that. They gave me a cue when it was time to leave; as I walked offstage I was told that I was hired!” In the beginning it was just Billy and one other mime, Danny Burzlaff, doing all the shows; eventually two other mimes, Jim Hackworth and Joe Wesson, were hired. Jim and Joe were also clowns with Billy at Circus World. In the beginning Billy and Danny were given video tapes of the mimes in San Diego to watch and get ideas from, but as they did six to eight shows a day seven days a week, they started to come up with their own bits and routines. Billy is credited with a lot of the new bits and the character differences that made them different from the mime in California. When SeaWorld opened a new park in San Antonio, Texas, in 1988, Billy was sent there for a month to train the new mimes on site and do all the pre-opening shows for the press and invited guests. Once again Billy wanted to pay attention to detail; he was the only mime who wore only black-and-white makeup while the other mimes had red lips. He also took his job very seriously. The mimes always worked in the sea lion and

otter stadium; they had as many fans as the aquatic animals that performed there. Many people would come back to the park year after year just to see the mimes because nobody knew what they were going to do from show to show since they reacted off the different people who came into the stadium. They also found out that a lot of the regulars made sure to get in their seats early, since it was the latecomers who got picked on the most! “We had a lot of stock bits that we could do for different types people, like a bald man, or a sexy lady, or a couple who looked like they were lost. I would always try to improvise something new if I could before going to that ‘rolodex of bits’ in my head.” Billy performed at SeaWorld from 1981 to 1990; a conservative estimate says that he entertained five and a half million people in that nine-year period. That’s a lot of bald guys, sexy ladies, and lost couples to riff on! “During my time at SeaWorld my improv skills really sharpened and I became confident that I could walk out in front of two thousand people and entertain them without saying a word and with no props except maybe a cape or a hat. I just had to play off what people looked like or what they were wearing. Occasionally we’d have a drunken person or some other strange character come into the theater and I could see the audience sitting up in anticipation of what I was going to do to mimic this person. That’s when I would pull back, look at the audience, and shake my head ‘no.’ This would bring the house

down, because everyone realized there was nothing I could do that could top this real person. It was important to learn when to pull back and when to pile it on. “Tube tops were very popular at the time; when I played the Valentino character I used to pretend to dip girls and kiss them. One time I did this to a particularly well endowed girl; when she came up from the ‘kiss’ her tube top didn’t! This of course got a big reaction. Although we were both embarrassed, I quickly covered her with my cape, and she was a good sport about it. A year later some guys came up to me and said, we came back to your show just to see if that was a regular bit or not!” Because of his magic skills, Billy was asked to do a street show as the people left the park whenever there was a late night show. This was a special magic show that Billy did after already doing eight mime shows during the day! The sea lion and otter show went through different themes, such as a spooky-themed show in which Billy would wear a vampire cape, a pirate-themed show, a hotel-themed show in which the mimes were bellhops with lots of luggage, and Billy’s favorite show, Sea Lions of the Silver Screen, in which he got to portray different silent movie stars. Although Billy had been a Charlie Chaplin fan for years and had dressed as “The Little Tramp” for Halloween, this was the first time he had portrayed this character in front of an audience. It was around this same time, in 1981, when I first met Billy; he occasionally attended the magic club that I belonged to. Once, the Circus World clowns set up in a parking lot across the street from the magic shop where we met and presented some of their routines for us. Billy was also a regular attendee of the Florida State Magic Convention and was always a crowd favorite with his magic parodies, such as the time he recreated David Copperfield’s Statue of Liberty vanish, which had just been televised earlier that same year. It was complete with a (toy) helicopter and (flashlight) searchlights. I witnessed it and the magicians loved it!

GOING UNIVERSAL In the mid ‘80s Billy heard that Universal Studios would soon be opening a theme park in Florida; he knew they would need a Charlie Chaplin look-a-like for the park and this could be his chance to portray his hero. “In October of 1987 Universal sponsored a big Halloween party at the hotel across the street from MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 39

and said, ‘You are?’ I just said yes.” This gutsy move paid off, since the man gave Billy his business card and said he’d watch out for him. About a month later Billy saw the notice for Universal auditions and he called the man, who said he would be coming out from California for them and would see Billy there. Now it was time for Charlie Chaplin boot camp.

Photo by Michael Young

BECOMING CHARLIE

Billy as one of the Men in Black characters at Universal Studios


SeaWorld. I dressed up as Charlie Chaplin and went to this party determined to make contact with the highest level person from the company who was there. I found someone and asked who was in charge; they said the man was wearing a black suit with a name tag that said, ‘The Boss’ on it. So, I set out to find this person among the thousands of people who were there. “The hotel had a large atrium in the center and there were lots of people on every level. I spent the whole party looking for him. Towards the end, I was about to get on an escalator and here came ‘The Boss’ on the down escalator. I walked up to him and asked if he was from the Universal Company and he said yes. I handed him my business card and said, ‘Hi, I’m Billy Scadlock; here’s my card. I’ll be your Charlie Chaplin when you come to Orlando.’ He looked surprised

“I seriously studied Charlie Chaplin. I watched his movies to internalize his movements and his mannerisms. At the time, I was working some evenings at the Mardi Gras dinner theater doing a pre-show as a mime. I started working on my Charlie Chaplin stage act, which included some magic as well, and was able to work it in front of an audience there.” Billy showed up at the audition in his Chaplin wardrobe and make-up and stayed in character the whole time he was there, even when he was waiting. (He even had a small cassette tape player in his bag so he could play music from Chaplin’s films during his audition!) A lot of people asked him why he was staying in character. Billy really wanted this job and knew that someone important might walk by; he didn’t want to miss a chance to be seen in his best light. Once again his attention to detail paid off; he was hired to be the Charlie Chaplin at Universal Studios Florida two years before the park even opened. “I was still working at SeaWorld at the time,” Billy said, “but Universal asked me to be the advance Chaplin and go out on promotional appearances for the park. So whenever Universal would call me for an event I would use my vacation time or take personal days off to go out on the short tours.” The costume that Billy had put together was so good that Universal asked him to use it for all of the pre-opening PR events and even for the first few months that the park was open. He had even made his own Charlie Chaplin shoes by cutting the toe portions off of a pair of beat up black shoes and gluing them onto another pair of shoes to create the oversized-shoe look that Chaplin had while still remaining comfortable with all the walking that he was doing. A few years later he contacted the Florida-based clown-shoe maker, Wayne Scott, and had him custom make a pair of shoes that were replicas of Charlie’s. Universal Studios liked the shoes so much that they ordered them for the other Chaplin looka-likes who worked at the studio. Even though the shoes were identical in look,

Left: Autographed photo that Geraldine Chaplin sent to Billy. Right: Old-style photo of Billy as Charlie Chaplin

Billy’s shoes were the only ones with a “special added secret feature” he had created with the shoemaker to enable Billy to run and slide long distances down the street at the park. Even when Universal started to make his costume, Billy went in and worked with the costume designers to make sure the costume would be as accurate as possible. When Universal Studios Florida opened on June 7, 1990, Billy left SeaWorld to become a full-time Charlie Chaplin look-a-like. He found that, since Charlie Chaplin is a silent character, all the years of bits that he created could be used as a good base for Chaplin in the park. At Universal Billy was given a lot of freedom to create his own bits and come up with new material. He and his friend Jamie McKenna, who portrayed Oliver Hardy, could also be found outside his dressing room on a back lot building props that would be used in his shows. All the hard work had paid off; Billy was extremely pleased to be portraying Charlie on a daily basis. “I walked out of my dressing trailer one day to go out on set and saw my shadow on the wall. I thought, ‘I’m Charlie Chaplin!’” Other actors would also comment on how Billy stayed in character, doing the “Chaplin walk” from the moment he stepped outside of his dressing trailer.

MEETING THE FAMILY The first things to be built at Universal Studios in Orlando were the back lot sound stages, since the theme park was also planned to be used as a real, working, movie studio. There were lots of PR events there, but the most memorable one for Billy was held at one of the nearby Lake Buena Vista Disney hotels. This was an event to promote the park to Florida-based movie production companies, since they were now touting Orlando as “Hollywood East.” “I was walking around entertaining guests at the party,” Billy recalls, “and when I walked up to one of the tables a gentleman said, ‘Hey Charlie, here’s your daughter!’ I was confused but when I looked at her name tag the last name said, ‘Chaplin.’ I thought the man was just having some fun because of her last name. Since I don’t talk as Charlie I couldn’t ask, so I did some little bits and had fun with her and then went on to entertain the other guests. At the end of the evening there was a reception line where the guests could meet the governor of Florida, the mayor of Orlando, and several other dignitaries. Well, being Charlie, I jumped in with this group as if I were a dignitary too. As I was standing there acting all dignified, Gerard Christopher, who was playing Clark Kent in the TV series Superboy at the time, came up to me and said, ‘Hey Charlie, you

know that lady really is Charlie Chaplin’s daughter, Jane Chaplin.’ “When Jane came up to me in the line, I put my arms out to give her a hug; when she hugged me back I could tell she was getting a little emotional. She whispered in my ear, ‘I miss you.’ Then she stepped back, looked at me, and said, ‘You look good...you look real good.’ As you can imagine, this made me feel incredible; it was the highest compliment I could receive, coming from Charlie Chaplin’s own daughter!” Later, when People magazine wanted to do a story on Jane Chaplin, it was Billy who got called to do the photo shoot with her. A few years later Billy was told that another member of Chaplin’s family was coming to Universal studios to do a photo shoot with him. “I thought it was going to be one of Chaplin’s granddaughters, but on the way to the shoot I was told that it was one of his other daughters, Geraldine Chaplin. I was nervous because Geraldine was an accomplished actress as well. (It’s interesting to note that in the 1992 movie Chaplin, Geraldine Chaplin actually played Charlie’s mother Hannah Chaplin.) There were more magical moments when I first met her and her daughter; we had a great time taking photos and playing together in the park. At the end of the day I saw her tour guide and mentioned that I would have loved to meet her out of make-up. He said that she wanted to meet MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 41

me, too. I was able to go out and chat with her a bit about her father, which was really incredible.” A few weeks later, Billy received a signed photograph and a letter from Geraldine Chaplin that said, in part, “I appreciate your true character performance of my father, Charlie Chaplin...it was my pleasure to work with someone who truly appreciates and represents my father’s talents...” No higher praise than that can be given! Billy loved portraying Chaplin, but he also started working on other characters as well. Through his years at Universal Studios he has portrayed Chico and Harpo Marx, a tacky tourist, a “Who” for the annual “Grinchmas,” one of the Men in Black characters, and countless other stilt-walking characters for Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights and Mardi Gras events.

HEADING TO JAPAN Although Billy loved his life in Florida and at Universal, he had always wanted to travel a bit. In 1999, he received a call to go to Japan to work for the opening of Tokyo Disney Resorts’ newest property, “IKSPIARI,” a shopping and entertainment complex; he jumped at the opportunity to live in Japan for a year. Because of his talent at imitating different characters, Billy was given two unique “quick-change” costumes that were designed especially for him. These costumes had flaps that allowed him to completely change characters just by walking behind a pole or quickly in and out of a door. One costume was a policeman that would change into a robber; the other was an organ grinder that would change into a monkey. He also had another costume that made him a tailor character. In this outfit he did a chapeaugraphy routine, which allowed him to portray many more characters as he made the different hats from a simple ring of felt. These were all

Group of entertainers from Tokyo Disney Resort's IKSPIARI in 2000. Billy is in the police outfit; and Steve Marshall is at the upper right


very popular with the Japanese guests. While Billy was in Japan, he heard that Universal Studios was coming to Tokyo to hold auditions for their newest theme park, which would be opening soon in Osaka. Billy showed up at the audition and surprised everyone. They asked Billy if he would be interested in coming to Osaka to open the park there as Charlie Chaplin. Since he was enjoying life in Japan he agreed and spent the next year as Chaplin in Japan. Billy was surprised to find out just how popular Charlie Chaplin still is in Japan. This is because Chaplin’s films were silent and his themes were universal, so they could be enjoyed by everyone regardless of language or culture. This was the magic of Chaplin that Billy wanted to bring to audiences around the world. After Japan, Billy headed back to Florida and worked part time at Universal and SeaWorld, as well as doing private functions as Charlie. Then he decided he wanted to move to Las Vegas for a while. When he got there he realized how many “tribute artists” there were and started to figure out what other celebrities he looked like. Others had told him he resembled Rod Stewart so he got a blonde wig and some wild jackets and started to work on this new persona; he would appear at look-a-like conventions and trade shows selling himself as both Charlie Chaplin and Rod Stewart. He was also contacted by his friend Betty Atchison, who is one of the foremost Cher impersonators, since she was getting a lot of requests for the 1970s era Cher and needed a Sonny. Soon Billy bought a page boy haircut wig, a bushy mustache, and bell bottom jeans, and practiced singing the song, “I Got You Babe.” Billy and Betty have done quite a few gigs together and also do a lot of the back and forth banter that Sonny and Cher did. Billy also created another character called The Great Scadini, a bumbling magician who never gets things quite right. While most magicians worry about things going wrong in their acts, Billy welcomes it. “I love when things don’t go quite right, because it forces me to think on my feet and come up with a solution that may be something that I can use again.” Billy also does a version of The Great Scadini as an old man doing a substitution trunk illusion with his wife. Billy originally created this act with his former wife Cricket, but when they went their separate ways, I did what any good best friend would do: I put on the old lady dress and wig and became his “old lady” in the act. We did this once in Japan and last year at the S.A.M. convention in Washington, D.C. When I go to conventions in Japan I still get asked how Billy is doing, and I am told how much they enjoyed the act and meeting him. In 2007 Billy was called by an agent saying that Suzuki was going to film a commercial in Japan that would feature Charlie Chaplin, but they were very picky and really wanted someone who could look and act like Chaplin. Needless to say, Billy sent his demo reel to Suzuki and he got the part, filming one commercial in Japan and then another, the following year, in China. By 2011 Billy was back in Florida; he got a call from some guy in Japan (me) who wanted him to be his road manager for a month-long, twenty-three city, show and lecture tour and also to be part of a documentary called Sayonara to Hello, which would be shot by filmmaker Nic Beery during the tour. Luckily, Billy was available and we were off on the road trip of a lifetime. Billy was invaluable during this tour. He drove the entire time and was a great help with sales and with general moral support. That much traveling, with a different city every night, can really take a toll on a person, but having Billy along was just the right thing to keep me energized. I have known Billy for over thirty years now; these days he and I are more like brothers than friends. Billy is also one of those

Photos by Michael Young

people who “never meets a stranger.” He can make someone who has just met him for the first time feel like they are an old friend. This is Billy’s true gift and talent. As I write this Billy is performing as Charlie Chaplin at Universal Studios in Singapore for one year and introducing even more people to “The Little Tramp.” Billy’s mission is simple: stay true to the details in whatever he does, and whoever he is portraying; use his magic skills, either a little or a lot, in each character he portrays; and keep the

memory and magic of Charlie Chaplin alive, introducing him to new young fans in the hope that they will learn about him and perhaps watch some of his films. He may take off the mustache and make-up, and hang up the bamboo cane and derby at the end of the day, but the love, curiosity, innocence, and creativity of “The Little Tramp” is with Billy always. If you meet him, look for that twinkle in his eyes and you’ll see what I mean. 


The Nielsen Gallery Frikell de Carlowka (Wiljalba Frikell)

Dimensions: Half-sheet: 24" x 31" • Lithographer: Imp. Chaix (Succusale Chéret) Paris Date: Circa late 1880s • Nielsen Rating: Very Rare This month’s column is devoted to a man of distinction, Wiljalba Frikell. According to Houdini, he was one of the longest performing magicians in the world. He appeared before kings, queens, and royalty but came from humble beginnings. Most important, he is credited with entirely changing the style and presentation of stage magic that persists to this day – an occurrence only made possible because of a tragic fire. Frikell was born in Sagan, Schlesien, Prussia, on July 27, 1816. He was the son of a physician and the youngest of nineteen children. When only a boy he traveled across Europe as an assistant to a magician, but by 1831, he was presenting his own magic show. In that era, magicians often filled their stages with tables of glistening apparatus and automatons. Many performers appeared as wizards in flowing robes and conical hats. Frikell was no exception. That continued until, at some unrecorded date, he was booked to appear in Hamburg; his entire show, most of which was in sterling silver, his costume trunks, and stage settings were consumed by fire. The despondent Frikell decided to cancel his show and rebuild. The famous German poet Heinrich Heine insisted that Frikell proceed with the show and perform with whatever props he could scrape up. The result was a pure sleight-of-hand performance on an essentially bare stage. As Houdini notes, “…the audience went wild over the innovation, the mere absence of draperies and flowing sleeves by which the performer could so easily deceive the eye.” From that day forward Frikell was famous for the simplicity of his performance and built a large fortune. During continental tours he was honored by the King of Greece, the King of Denmark, the Viceroy of Egypt, and received expensive pins, rings, and other jeweled gifts for his dexterity. He performed before the Czar of Russia and in 1857, appeared in London with a two-hour illusion show. On New Year’s Day, 1858, he performed by command of the Queen before the Royal Family at Windsor Castle. Frikell also toured in America twice. We have an account of his performance in Philadelphia from Frederick Eugene Powell, who attended the show with magic dealer Thomas Yost. In condensed form, here was his show. Frikell usually opened with the disappearing gloves, but this night he produced three large bowls of water and goldfish from an empty shawl. Upon command, one bowl of liquid burst into flame. Next, a borrowed watch showed any hour called for and then the hands spun rapidly. The watch was smashed and the pieces loaded into a gun. Two rose bushes were brought on stage and one selected by the audience. The gun was fired at the rose bush and upon it being pulled up roots and all, the selected watch was found among the roots. The owner of the watch was allowed to remove his property. Six bullets marked by the audience were loaded into another gun, which was fired point blank at Frikell. With a sweep of his hand he caught the bullets and returned them for identification. Other smaller effects followed, but his most puzzling trick involved a canary, an egg, and two oranges. Simply, the audience was given the choice of which orange would contain the egg and 44 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

which the canary. Canary and egg were vanished; upon a small hole being cut in the chosen orange, inside was the egg, which could not be extracted without further damaging the orange. Cutting a small opening in the second orange, the canary emerged unharmed. Both oranges never left the audience's sight from the beginning. A dove wrapped in a piece of brown paper turned into a bouquet of flowers. Frikell then poured drinks from a wine bottle for a few audience members; breaking the bottle, he displayed the missing dove. The second half featured “Two Hundred Silver Goblets from a Borrowed Hat.” The stage remained empty except for two saw horses with two long boards across them. A hat was borrowed and shaken a little and then shown to be overflowing with silver goblets. These soon filled the table. The hat again was shown empty but soon disgorged more silver goblets. Powell said, “The tricks produced in most cases a complete illusion. I was sorry to see the curtain fall.” Houdini attempted to meet and interview Frikell on a number of occasions, but because of his reluctance to accept visitors, as well as Houdini’s crushing schedule, the event kept being postponed. Finally a date was agreed upon. In advance of Houdini’s visit, Frikell and his wife had a new photograph taken of themselves and the magician proudly arranged all of his ribbons, photos, awards, and evidence of his career for Houdini’s inspection. Arriving at the appointed time, Frikell’s wife met Houdini at the door and said, “You are being waited for.” To his dismay, Houdini found that Frikell had passed away a few hours earlier.

Frikell’s last photograph, taken the day before he was to meet with Houdini. And so, we owe a debt of gratitude to Frikell and the unfortunate fire for moving magic from suspicious apparatus-clogged stages to the realm of real magic with everyday objects. In his book Lessons in Magic Frikell wrote, “It has been my object in my performance to restore the art to its original prominence, and to extend that to a degree which it has, I believe, never yet hitherto reached. I banish all such mechanical and scientific preparatives from my own practice, confining myself for the most part to objects and materials from everyday life. The success that I have met with emboldens me to believe that I have followed the right path.” Frikell died October 10, 1903.  —Tom Ewing

Nielsen Notes: What is significant about this poster is not only the magician, but that it was designed and signed by Jules Chéret, who is the father of modern lithography. This poster is not only collectible among magicians but also among French poster collectors.

Mental Breakdown By Christian Painter

SEAN TAYLOR Those in the United States might not be familiar with the name Sean Taylor. However, on the other side of the planet, he is a magic powerhouse. Originally from England, Sean moved to Australia. My first exposure to him was a trick called Pineapple Surprise. I loved that trick. A couple of years later I had the pleasure of meeting him in person at Mindvention. A friendly chap and someone who thinks deeply about mystery entertainment, we talked for hours. I was fortunate enough to convince him to do an interview for this column; I think you will thoroughly enjoy it. Sean has churned out over twenty best-selling products. Some you might be familiar with are the Symbology Deck, On Target, or Psyconfabulous, to name just a few. Aside from creating and marketing high quality magic and mentalism, he is also a busy performer. He is one of Australia’s top corporate entertainers. Not only has he travelled the length and breadth of the world’s largest island, but he has worked in a dozen other countries as well. He has performed on cruise ships, lectured, and taught magic...I think you get the idea. Sean has quite a few products available in the USA through Murphy’s Magic. Christian: I’m dying to ask you this. Why leave the UK and move to the other side of the planet? Sean: Ha, that’s a very good question; it is an awfully long way. I had parallel careers in the UK as a management consultant and a busy magician. At age twenty-seven I landed a twelve-month management contract to go to Sydney. Who wouldn’t go? I loved the place, met my future wife Diana, became a full-time pro, and stayed here. I’ve just clocked up twenty years! Christian: You have done a lot of magic; why turn to mentalism? Sean: As my life and persona have developed, different types of magic have 46 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

found me. I began doing kid’s shows and won talent contests as an impersonator. I went on to do comedy cabaret, then close-up in restaurants and banquets, and then back to stand-up; my stand-up act always had some mentalism. Eventually I got fed up with carrying equipment on and off planes, so I went on to pure mentalism in 2004. Christian: How is the market in Australia for mentalism? Sean: Quick geography lesson: Australia has the population of Southern California in five cities across a continent as big as the USA. To work a lot you need to fly a lot. Since the global financial crisis, it’s been tough for any guys in the corporate field. Even the biggest Australian companies are not huge in a global sense, so the budgets are tight. A big fee, an airfare, an expensive hotel, and cabs add up. There are a few really busy corporate magicians, but most of the stand-up guys are working ships. In the past couple of years, a couple of magicians have done well on Australia’s Got Talent and that’s been great for them and great for magic. Cosentino has now had two TV specials and, remarkably, they are the only magic specials ever made here. As for mentalism, there are really only a handful of true mentalists. Tom Berger in Tasmania, Timothy Hyde and I in Sydney, Nick Morton, and Mark Mayer are probably the best known, with a few younger guys starting to get some work. Other than that, there are a few magicians bending forks, fiddling around with iPhones, copying Derren Brown’s goatee, and trying to get work with “mentalist” printed on their business cards. I am fortunate to have clients who have booked me for years. I also do some high-priced private parties. That work is primarily mentalism; it’s a pure mental act with as much comedy as I can reasonably fit in. Aside from mentalism, I still occasionally get some of the better close-up work from other magicians who know me well. I also do corporate seminars (which have some mentalism incorporated) on memory improvement and sales or customer service, which is my current favorite. Christian: Speaking of selling, tell me about “Selling the Show.” Sean: I have trained a lot of sales people

and have I used the same techniques to sell all kinds of magic performance over the thirty years I’ve performed professionally. A few years back Tim Ellis asked me to run a workshop on it at one of his conventions. It caused a revolution because the guys had never heard it discussed in such a direct way before. I had letters from part-time magicians who were lawyers and accountants who told me they had incorporated my techniques into their real businesses. One guy even commented that it had been worth flying in from New Zealand just for my talk. That reaction encouraged me to write it down. It took five years, in between other projects, to finish it but I’m very proud of it. There are dozens of books on marketing magic but really only one on the process of selling magic. Not since Michael Ammar’s Negotiating Higher Performance Fees has anyone tackled this. Even though I’m not well known internationally, I felt as qualified as anyone to write this. The feedback so far has been very pleasing. Christian: Tell me about your son who does magic. Sean: I have two sons: Patrick, who is fourteen, and Jack who is ten. Patrick showed some interest in magic when he was around nine; over time I helped him to get a little manip act together based around an idea he had to be a classic French style mime. He did very well in the National Junior Stage competitions both here and in New Zealand. That led to a short documentary on the Disney Channel. Since then, he’s been on TV more than ten times and has a regular spot on a Saturday morning kid’s show called Possum’s Club. He is naturally gifted in sleight of hand and stage presence and he does quite a few shows now. If he sticks with it, he could be very, very good. Christian: I really enjoyed your mentalism book MindStorms. What prompted you to write that book? Sean: What I described in MindStorms were largely tricks and routines I had done hundreds of times, which is a rarity in mentalism books. Many of them are full of ridiculous pipedreams that are not audience tested. What happened was that I was beginning to see my work turning up in other people’s acts. That’s frustrating, but that’s magic I’m afraid. I figured if I published it first I’d make a few bucks and

it would be recognized forever as being my original material. The side benefit of all this has been the friendships I’ve formed all around the world. The book has gone to twenty-eight countries, which is fantastic. Christian: How would you describe your performing style? Sean: I have a mixture of the comic British style and the Australian version of that, which is a little slower and a little more cutting. I grew up watching Paul Daniels and later Wayne Dobson, who had a fair bit of influence on me. I enjoyed all kinds of stand-up comedy, word play, and sit-coms, and all that has added to the work I do. I try to be as funny as I can while still delivering remarkable mentalism. Bob Cassidy, Michael Weber, Eric Mead, and David Berglas have all influenced my mentalism. Christian: Name some other mentalism books you would recommend. Sean: Theater of the Mind by Barrie Richardson has some terrific magic and mentalism. The Art of Mentalism 1 and 2 by Bob Cassidy are the bibles for me. When I read AOM2 I seriously considered buying every edition to keep it to myself! The complete works of John Riggs is gold. The Mental Mysteries of Hector Chadwick is a terrific book if you can find one. And for something totally different, the little Magic, Inc. booklets by George Anderson are still available (You can get them from Denny and Lee for about $7 or $8.) and contain a wealth of useful and little known stuff. Christian: What are your most memorable moments in this business? Sean: There are hundreds, but here are my top three. I saw Tommy Cooper and Paul Daniels within a few months with my parents in 1978 and that made me want to be a magician. Getting the MIMC from Alan Shaxon brought me to tears, literally. Lastly, and more recently, I emceed a mentalism show in Vegas with Alain Nu, Andy Nyman, Max Maven, and Bob Cassidy. You’d struggle to find a better line-up anywhere; to see Bob do the classic “name and place” with the legendary Australian Peter Reveen was very special for me. Christian: How about some advice for anyone thinking of doing mentalism? Sean: Mentalism is not magic, despite what you might think. My journey from magic to mentalism was a harder transition than any of the types of magic I have been involved in. I have written about this a lot elsewhere but let me cover three simple things to help you. First, unless you engage and interest

the audience, your show will be very flat and not at all entertaining. The stronger the effects are, the less reaction you might get. Stunned silence can be unnerving. You need to understand the dynamic of the show and where the peaks and troughs lie. Chuck Hickok talked about “moments of amazement”; it’s possible to strip down effects to take single climaxes and make them into multiple revelations. This will naturally add strength and tempo to your show. Don’t come out and do nail writing of change in someone’s pocket. It’s too strong to open. Build up, not down. Second, Ian Rowland gave me some terrific advice: keep talking. You need to have things to say to fill the spots in the show where some procedures are being carried out. Commentating isn’t enough. Read about the brain, the mind, psychology, body language, human behavior. And, I mean really read. Get decent books, download scientific articles and research, and write out the patter. Don’t just use lines from Banachek or Osterlind, as good as they may be. Find interesting and fun facts to add to your patter and be an expert. Don’t just make stuff up. You will get tripped up at some point and that will make you look foolish. Third, try to be original. There are clone mentalism shows now with fork bending, a one-ahead trick, an electronic colored cube in a box, a design dupe, a Rubik’s Cube, Mother of all Book Tests, and Osterlind’s center tear. Try to think how each of these effects could be different. Take the MOAB, but change the cover and incorporate the book into another routine. Disguise the center tear in some other way, perhaps by printing a business card on which they can only write in the middle. Embed the cube into a real Rubik’s cube and hide it under a pudding basin. Use the design dupe as a mind control exercise and find a theme related to cold war, sports science, persuasive selling, or hypnosis. Don’t just get someone to write or draw something and then copy it. That’s not very interesting. There is nothing engaging or personal about it. There’s no smoke to cover the process and so it’s a puzzle to be solved. “He must have seen it; I wonder when?” Think carefully what the premise of each effect is and what ability you are purporting to have.

COLOSSAL CARD MEMORY

BY SEAN TAYLOR

The Colossal Card Memory previously appeared in my book MindStorms and more

recently in this revised form in Moving Cards. It grew out the need to plug a fiveminute gap during one of my convention shows. The incumbent audience had seen me so many times before that I needed something new in a hurry. To my delight, this effect not only went down very well, it has become a feature of my lectures and, remarkably, fools magicians badly. If that weren’t enough reason to learn it, it’s also self-working! The construction is a good example of a technique that Fitzkee and others have called “magnification,” taking smaller effects and increasing the size of them for stage use. My original performance used a jumbo Bicycle pack; clearly, this works fine. It took on a new lease of life when I discovered the Colossal Playing Cards made by US Game Systems. This pack is larger than A4 size and very well made. There are a number of companies making a similar pack. This is what Bob Cassidy would describe as a “macro” effect. It has a huge chunk of audience involvement and it creates a great sense of fun in the crowd. This is somehow reminiscent of some of the great effects used by David Berglas. What the audience sees: A huge pack of cards is handed to the audience for shuffling. The cards are shown briefly to the performer who claims to memorize them. Two cards are selected and shown while the performer’s back is turned. The two cards are shuffled back into the giant pack. The cards are collected and handed to the performer who manages to find the two selections. Requirements: A pack of Jumbo or Colossal Cards, a regular pack of cards, and an audience of around one hundred or so. Set-up: Divide the large cards into odd and even numbers; i.e. the top half of the pack contains the odd-numbered cards and the bottom half contains the evennumbered cards. You should also have an easily spotted card at the beginning of the odd stack; I like to use the Ace of Clubs. Performance: Bring out the regular pack and ask a spectator in the front row to shuffle the pack; retrieve the cards when he has finished. Looking towards the back of the audience you comment, “I wanted to show you something with these cards but I can see it’s going to be hard for you to see exactly what’s going on.” Remove the giant cards and hand them to the same guy. This is a good sight gag. “Shuffle those, would you.” Before he is able to begin, you take the cards back, explaining, “It’s going to be hard to shuffle the whole pack at once; we’ll divide them MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 47

Mental Breakdown up to make it a little easier.” Walk to the far left of the audience and give a quarter of the cards to a spectator on the end of the row. Move about a quarter of the way in from the side and hand out another quarter of the pack being sure to cut at the half way point – the Ace of Clubs. A simple edge-marked card would also enable you to do this without fumbling. Walk to the far right side of the front row and hand out half of your remaining cards and then move back a quarter of the way in and hand out the remaining pile. Ask each of the four spectators to keep their cards face down and to shuffle them thoroughly. You will now ask the shufflers to take one card and pass the rest behind them. The cards are now distributed one by one so that one side of the audience has the even half and the other side has the odd half. You need to keep reasonable control now to ensure that there are people in the center of the audience who have no cards. Make sure that the cards are kept face down. You now explain that you will try to memorize all the cards and their relative positions. This you claim you can do in two shots of eight seconds. Ask for a person with a


second hand on his watch to time you. Have all the people with cards stand up. Indicate to everyone on one side of the audience that they must hold their cards up above their heads, faces towards you, until you tell them to stop. “Hold them up when I say go. (Pause) Go! (Pause as you study the cards.) Right, got them; put them down and sit back down” After you say go, count to yourself one thousand, two thousand, etc. until you get to seven thousand. “Stop, how long was that? Seven seconds? I’ve beaten my record.” You now do the same with the other side of the audience, again in seven seconds. This pre-occupation with timing and the general hubbub and movement provide the misdirection that ensures that nobody is aware of the pattern that exists in the cards each section holds. It is also hard to get a panoramic view from anywhere except where you are standing. It’s simply a mixture of red and black cards, pictures and spots. Once everyone is seated, have the original shuffler in the center stand up.

Turn your back and ask him to select a card holder from each side of the audience and ask them to join him at the front. The cards are shown to the audience. You now ask the two chosen volunteers to swap cards and return to their places. You now have the four shufflers collect their cards until there are four piles. At this point you turn around and retrieve the four piles, reforming the pack. You job is now simple: look through the pack and retrieve the odd card from the even section and vice versa. Once I have located the cards I like to put the pack down and hold the two cards, one in each hand with their backs to the audience. “Who was it that selected the two cards? Would you stand up, please? What was your card? What was your card? (Pause for the count of three.) It doesn’t always work (pause), but it did tonight!” Turn the two cards around dramatically, revealing them on either side of your face. You are in the applause position. This effect can work equally well in a magic or mental performance. I’ve used it very effectively as an emcee piece; you can use it for a family audience too. 

The High Road script writing, char acter development, and act construction for the modern conjuror By Mick Ayres

THE WHY OF THINGS “Make me care.” – Andrew Stanton; Pixar Animation Studios Nothing weakens a performance of conjuring more than the unscripted babbling of a magician describing his or her own motions; far too many magicians are guilty of this. It is almost understandable when it is part of a young practitioner’s early morning competition act at a convention. However, when this practice remains unchecked and persists for years, one must wonder: Why hasn’t somebody talked to this guy? Why hasn’t some magic club veteran pulled this fellow aside and given him some advice? The answer is easy: because the average magic club veteran is doing it, too. The problem is like a snake eating its own tail. If an aspiring magician is looking for performance guidelines from his peer enthusiasts and sees them winging it when speaking, then he believes this to be the yardstick by which his own presentations must be measured. Why correct something you don’t realize is broken? After all, everyone else is doing it. Good examples of scripted performances are rare on the Internet and uncommon on our industry’s teaching videos. So how does one learn? The old adage applies here: Knowing the problem exists is half the battle. Before you write a conjuring script, before you develop a performance character, and before you construct a conjuring act, there is a loaded question that requires an answer: Why? More often than not, “why” is a difficult question to answer; so magicians babble about process rather than doing the real work. They just don’t know what else to say. For anyone who feels scripting isn’t necessary, consider that even silent acts require scripted choreography if the 50 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

magician hopes to communicate anything of relevance. Clear your head and imagine this scene: The curtains open and you see a magician with a top hat and gloves performing one trick after another. At first glance, it all looks good, but it soon becomes obvious there is no common thread connecting each mystery. In truth, the magician is demonstrating rather than performing. Perhaps the tricks are available for purchase after the show? Playing cards and scarves appear, there’s a flash of fire, jewelry is produced, more scarves jump out, a ribbon turns into a rose, etc. There’s no rhyme or reason, no obvious plot. The music has become better than the show itself. Sound familiar? If you have attended any magic conventions, you have not only seen this stereotypical act, but you’ve heard the magician hailed later as a terrific performer. Clueless people are ruining the art. Clear your head again and imagine those curtains opening once more – only this time there’s no magician in a tuxedo. Instead, a cleaning lady is absentmindedly pushing a broom around while the radio on her supply cart broadcasts self-help ads. The exhausted woman puts her broom away, hangs her coat on the cart, and sits down for a short break. The noise from the radio switches to gentle music and the lady seems to nod off. As if in a dream, a gloved hand emerges smoothly from the sleeve of her empty overcoat, snaps out a top hat, and plops it on the mop head. The hand taps the lady on her shoulder to awaken her. Startled at first, she gradually warms to the Mop Man who magically changes her knit cap to a colorful scarf and drapes it across her shoulders. Her thick glasses vanish. A cheap watch becomes a diamond bracelet. With a flash of fire a loose mop string changes into a pearl necklace. The lady’s smiles become less dour and more confident. By the end, it is obvious the real magic here has nothing to do with the props; it is more about the transformation of the performer.

Do you see? In each act the same magic effects are offered but one performance is devoid of plot or purpose and the other is dramatic theatre; not a word is spoken, yet the script is obvious and an emotional story is delivered. If you have not seen Tina Lenert’s wonderful mop act, a quick Internet search is worth your time. In his book Character & Viewpoint, the author Orson Scott Card teaches aspiring writers that a reader will unconsciously ask three questions while engaged in a story: So what? Oh yeah? Huh? These questions must be addressed if the writer wants the reader to keep turning the pages. At the beginning of any story, a reader asks, “Why is this important? Why should I care? Is anyone buying this idea? What is going to happen next?” Fail to answer these questions satisfactorily and attention is lost and interest soon evaporates. The same thing happens when you perform as a conjurer. Your audience wants your act to be good and interesting; that is why they bought tickets or paused on the sidewalk or invited you to their table. So explain why that card keeps appearing on top of the deck or can jump into your wallet. Justify the existence of that weird brass box with the four coins. Give a reason for that slate board and chalk – and why is it broken up into six squares anyway? You want your audience to have the best possible chance to understand. The message or plot that surrounds your presentation must be as clear as possible. Make your magic relevant. Give your audience belief. Give them emotional involvement. Give them understandability. Make them care. You owe it to them. If there is anyone who has their work cut out for them in this regard, it is the mentalist. At every show, mentalists ask their audience to put aside common sense and accept wild proposals as possible and true. It is an especially difficult challenge for the mentalist to offer these concepts

with believability and humor. Unfortunately, some mentalists think the audience will take them more seriously if they are perceived as highly educated and scholarly. The worst thing a mentalist can do is weigh their audience down with a lecture about this psychological study or that psychiatric theory. The best thing mentalists can do is communicate their concepts with simple clarity and offer examples that are relevant to the people in the room. Here is a demonstration of mindreading that has been presented to hundreds of people from around the world. It engages a guest’s imagination in a way that makes sense to just about anyone. Although the presentation has a decidedly “Disney” theme, the script is not targeted to children. The ideal demographics for this drama are teenagers and adults. There are no props. All that is required is you and a cooperative guest.

FINDING EEYORE “I have, and always will have, a creative soul, or as it is called today: Attention Deficit Disorder. Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who bounces from one topic to another with all the frequency of a cheap ham radio? Then you have met one of us! “How does this affect you? Disney movies! I am convinced the folks at Disney and Pixar get all their best ADD people to come up with their most creative stories and characters. Think about it. If you want to look at a story from every possible angle – even the ones you haven’t thought of – who is going to do a better job? “Triggering the imagination is easier than you think. Even now, just by mentioning ‘Disney movies,’ some of you are already romping with the gang through the Hundred Acre Wood or joining forces with everyone trying to find 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney, Australia. Me, too! And that’s the beauty of imagination. Those images link us together on common ground. “I’ll give you a specific example of how this ‘creative bouncing around’ can bond us. Ma’am, may I borrow your imagination? Thank you. “Pretend I am handing you an invisible die. It’s a normal six-sided die, it’s just invisible. Give it a roll. Don’t tell me the number but tell me this, is your number

odd or even? Even? Okay, remember that number and roll the die again until an odd number comes up. Again, do not tell me the number…just remember it. You can put the die in your pocket. It’s a gift. Seriously, it’s nothing. “In fact, take both numbers in your mind and add them together or subtract one from the other. It’s your choice. Using your imagination, you have created a random number that no one can know. It’s like I just walked into the room and asked you to think of a number and you have come up with the one in your brain right now. “Here is an invisible index card. It’s blank. Here’s an invisible pen you can keep, too. Are you scoring like a bandit, or what? Use your imagination and write your number as a word on that card. Don’t draw the actual number, spell the number out. “That card now has a handful of letters on it that spell out a number. How about this? Go all the way to the right and focus on the last letter, whatever it is. “Your imagination started with a die from a game board, then jumped to numbers, did a little math, converted the result to the alphabet, and now you are thinking of one letter specifically. This is ADD heaven – and we’re still not done bouncing around. “Take your imagination into another unexpected direction. Think of a popular Disney character whose name begins with that letter. You can choose from the classic animated films or from the Pixar films. The more places you have seen this character, the better. Maybe you have seen this character’s image on clothing or as a plush toy. “Now that you have a character in mind, turn your card over and draw a picture of that character. Put a few details in the background so your mind has plenty to focus on. Just do your best. I promise, no one will look at it and laugh. “This is when we find out if our imaginations are on common ground.” Pause for a moment; then appear confused and ask, “Does your character have something to do with water?” The guest’s answer determines your response. Most of the time, the answer will be no. “No? But I can easily picture a dark rain cloud hanging over Eeyore.” Her startled look will confirm you have divined the

character accurately. Enjoy the moment, and then build upon the impossibility by adding, “A few months ago a guest got the letter E and chose Elsa. I think she was in Frozen?” Once in a while, a guest will answer the water question with a yes. If so, respond by saying, “Yes? Good. We certainly need water to find Nemo.” Again, enjoy the moment, and then build upon the impossibility by adding, “A few months ago a guest got the letter N and chose Nala. I think she was in The Lion King?” This brings the presentation to an end. Your guest will always choose Nemo or Eeyore, more often the latter. By choosing any even number and any odd number from a die and then adding or subtracting those numbers, the result will be one of the following values: one, three, five, seven, nine, or eleven. The last letter in each of these numbers is either an E or an N, and the letter E shows up four times out of the six possible results. The script carefully nudges your guest toward the target characters without actually naming them. The Walt Disney Company has marketed Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh) and Nemo (Finding Nemo) intensely through films, plush toys, clothing, and trading pins so their names are popular and quickly recalled. Do not overlook the final statement and query about the alternate characters. This provides evidence that the choices were indeed considerable. Google it if you wish. If the whole Disney angle is not really your cup of tea, you can easily rewrite the script so your guest is asked to consider a U.S. president instead. The final question would be asked with a grin: “You didn’t choose one based on a scandal, did you?” The guest’s answer will guide you to the names Eisenhower or Nixon. (Thank you, Joshua Quinn.) Finding Eeyore copyright 2013 by Mick Ayres. For performance use only. “Eeyore” and “Nemo” are trademarked by the Walt Disney Company.  All rights reserved. Mick enjoys an eclectic career as a parlor conjurer, storyteller, and musician for the exclusive Walt Disney Resort on Hilton Head Island, SC. He welcomes input and dialogue and can be reached at www.mickayreswares.com.


El Roberto Enigm atico

The M agic of Bob Far mer tr anslated from the spanish By R .D. Michaels

I AM CARTICUS This offbeat effect will require some arts-and-crafts skills on your part, but the result is worth it. Track down and modify the necessary components and you’ll have a versatile prop that can be used in many ways, including Bob’s preferred handling, I Am Carticus. At the heart of this routine is a modified card box (not the case that a deck of cards comes in, but the mechanical card box that uses a flap to effect a card change) that allows for two changes. For example, an Ace can change into a Two, which can then change into a Three. At the end of these changes, the box can be left in the hands of the spectator. The box Bob uses is a Viking Magic Magnetic Euro Card Box that has been modified with the addition of a second, non-magnetic flap. A decorative top was added (the Rustic Red Pocket Spell Book from www.nemesisnow.com) and the entire box was antiqued. Bob also uses an antique key (non-magnetic) attached to a ribbon. The key is ungaffed (any interest-


ing-looking charm could be used), but the ribbon is not. A small, powerful magnet is hidden in the end of the ribbon. To understand how the box works, set it as follows: Open the box. Place a Three face up in the bottom of the box. Place the magnetic flap on top of it. Place a two face down in the top of the box and cover it with the non-magnetic flap. Place an Ace face in the bottom of the box, on top of the magnetic flap. Place the end of the ribbon with the magnet on the non-magnetic flap, over one of the hidden magnets in the top of the box. Place the key in the bottom of the box. You can now open and close the box and the non-magnetic flap will stay in place. To perform this, open the box. As you do so, your thumb pushes against the nonmagnetic flap as your other hand removes the magic key from the box, detaching its magnet from the inside top of the box. Display the box with the Ace showing. Close the box and wave the key over it. Open the box. The Ace has changed into a Two. Close the box and hand it to a spectator, turning the box over once as you do so. This action drops the magnetic flap, which adheres to the inside of top of

the box, hiding the Two and the non-magnetic flap. The spectator waves the key and opens the box. The Two has changed into the Three. Now that you understand how the box works, here is the effect and handling of I Am Carticus. Effect: A card is selected (assume it is the King of Diamonds) from an ancient deck that has been kept in a box of spells. This box is used by the Ministry of Magic Words, a secret government agency, to validate the efficacy of new magic words (sort of like a patent office). The card is signed on the back with a unique magic word created by the spectator. The card is placed face up in the spells box and the box is closed. The spectator holds the deck, snaps his fingers twice, and waves a magic key over the spells box. The magician claims that this will make the card vanish from the box and appear in deck, assuming that the magic word is workable. The box is opened. Some of the card has vanished, but some of it is still in the box. The box is closed and the spectator tries the ritual again. The box is opened. A jagged piece of the card remains, but the

rest of the card has vanished. The deck is spread face down; a face-up card appears in the spread. It is the King of Diamonds with the spectator’s magic word on the back. When the King is removed from the spread, the spectator can see that a piece of the card is missing. The piece of card from the box fits perfectly. “I’m sorry,” the magician says, “your magic word is defective.” Preparation: In addition to the card box described above, you’ll need three duplicate cards (the King of Diamonds in our case) and a double-backed card. Holding one of the duplicate cards face down, tear off a small portion of the outer left corner in a crescent shape. To know where to do this, hold the deck face down and note where your left thumb lies. Your thumb will hide the missing portion of the card during the performance. (Note: When you actually tear off the piece, hold the card face up; this will put the scalloped edge on the back, which looks better.) Put

the torn piece in the bottom of the card box and cover it with the magnetic flap. Take the rest of the card and place it face down on top of the double-backed card. Place these two cards onto one of the other duplicates (which is also face down). Place these three cards on top of the deck. Take the third duplicate and tear small pieces from various places around the card. Discard these torn-off pieces and keep the now-partial card. Place it in the top of the box, cover it with the non-magnetic flap, and add the key and its magnet to lock the flap in place. Place the deck in the box. Performance: Remove the deck from the box. Cut it in the hands and keep a break. Riffle force at the break and complete the cut. The three-card setup is back on top. The outer left corner of the top card is missing, but your left thumb covers the torn edge. Ask the spectator to nominate a magic word. You write that word on the back of the torn card, keeping the deck tilted

back so the missing corner doesn’t flash during the writing process. Perform a triple turnover, which shows the face of the un-torn duplicate King of Diamonds. The signed, torn card is now face up under the double-backed card. Drop the King into the bottom of the card box. The spectator can hold the deck and the key. Close the box. Proceed as explained in the description of the effect above.

REFERENCES The Card and Cigarette Case, Bert Allerton’s The Close-Up Magician edited by Robert Parrish (pages 18-19) Impromptu Torn and Restored Card, The Card Magic Of Le Paul by Paul Le Paul (pages 161-163) Roterberg Card Box Trick and Simplified Roterberg Card Box Trick, The Secret Ways of Al Baker, edited by Todd Karr (pages 733-735) 


EBOOK NOOK Excerpt From: Impossibilia Written By: John Bannon

Assemble the deck, keeping the stack on top. Say, “I am going to complicate things a little.” Riffle up the back end of the deck until you spot the King of Hearts, cut off this upper packet (your stack), and put it on the table. Do this riffle-glimpse openly as you say you will cut the deck into four relatively equal packets. Cut the remainder of the deck into three relatively equal packets, placing them to the right of the first. There are now four packets on the table, I’ll call them: ABCD

Description: Ebook, 168 pages Available From: www.llepub.com John Bannon is an attorney, a talented creator of card and close-up magic, a long-time participant in the Chicago Sessions, and (according to Wikipedia) the former premier of South Australia. John’s output includes the marketed effects Call of the Wild and Twisted Sisters and the books Smoke & Mirrors (1992), Dear Mr. Fantasy (2006), and High Caliber (2013). John’s first large collection of effects, Impossibilia, was published in 1990 and is the focus of this month’s Ebook Nook. It featured magic with cards, coins, cups and balls, and miscellaneous objects, and it helped establish John’s reputation as an inventor of ingenious, high quality magic. The three routines excerpted from Impossibilia have become standards in the repertoires of close-up magicians around the world. Play It Straight Triumph adds an amazing kicker to Vernon’s classic effect and requires no sleight of hand. The display sequence used in Discrepancy City Prediction (which is remarkablly deceptive) has found a home in other card routines. Shriek of the Mutilated provides a no-sleight version of the torn and restored cigarette paper. (Note: This trick uses flash paper, so take care when performing it.) My thanks to L&L Publishing for allowing these excerpts to appear in M-U-M. —Michael Close

PLAY IT STRAIGHT TRIUMPH Why would anyone offer another Triumph-type effect? My only justification is that this routine has the distinction (advantage) of being totally self-working; it uses no sleights, moves, or subtleties. Despite this fact, Play It Straight is magical and entertaining to lay people – an added bonus. The routine is an outgrowth of the insight that the standard four packet shuffle sequence (Simon, Thompson, et al) – done exactly as advertised with no pre-reversed cards or false shuffles – reverses only one-fourth of the cards, not one-half as one might think. Effect: A spectator freely selects a card and retains it. The magician cuts the deck into four packets. Two of the packets are turned face-up. All four packets are then fairly shuffled together. The cards are spread to show a true mixture of face-up and face-down cards. The magician asks for the suit of the selected card. He spreads the cards and all of them are now face-down except the twelve cards of the selected suit, in order from Ace to King. The selected card, of course, is the one that is missing. Work: There is a set-up. Begin with all thirteen cards of a suit, say Hearts, in Ace through King order (or King through Ace, whatever) on top of the deck. Contrive to have your spectator select one of the Hearts by cutting off the upper portion of the deck and spreading the top thirteen cards for her selection. Ask your spectator to note her card and put it somewhere safe.


Packet A contains all Hearts (minus the selection). Turn packets B and D face-up. Riffle shuffle A and B together. Try to make this a fairly even shuffle but allow the face card of A (the King of Hearts) and the top card (the Ace of Hearts) to remain as the top and bottom cards of the combined packet. Turn the combined packet over (a face-up King of Hearts shows) and shuffle the face-down packet C into it. For later appearance’s sake, shuffle the packet mostly into the upper half of the combined packet and allow the top face-down card (or cards) to cover the King of Hearts and become the top card(s) of the packet. Turn the combined packet over again and shuffle face-up packet D into it. This time try to shuffle it mostly into the lower half of the combined packet. Pick up the combined packet and spread the first fifteen to twenty-five cards. (The reason for the above “controlled” shuffles should now be apparent. The ratio of face-down to face-up cards appears much closer to one in this section of the deck than is actually the case.) The deck appears all mixed up – because it is. “I call this my Impossible Card Location. Why is it impossible? Because she never put her card back in the deck. Nevertheless, even though the cards are all mixed up, because I am a ‘card expert’ (lay people never know the difference), I can figure out what card she took, if she tells me its suit.” As soon as she does, close the spread and set the deck on the table, turning it over in the process. Just turn your hand palm-down and deposit the deck. Pause a beat, snap your fingers, and slowly spread the deck. Only face-up Hearts will show. This is more magical looking than you might think. It’s almost as if the just shown face-up cards have changed into Hearts. Poke through the Heart sequence, calling out each card. “Let’s see; there’s the Ace, Two, Three...” When you come to a break in the sequence, announce the missing card as the selected one. There is no big mystery at this point, but you have to end somehow. In any case, lay people are intrigued by “take a card” effects where the selected card is not returned to the deck, and there is some inherent humor in counting through the Hearts to find the selected one. Ex Post Facto: While this routine is self-working, the judicious application of a false shuffle before starting is recommended. Because everything in the shuffle sequence is legit, you may wish to emphasize the fact by briefly spreading each packet before shuffling it into the combined packet. Also, precisely because all the shuffles are real, Play It Straight makes a perfect follow-up to Vernon’s original Triumph routine.

As many of you are no doubt aware, the Vernon Triumph shuffle (even with Daryl’s six-fold display/cut sequence) is essentially a false shuffle. Therefore, you can do the Vernon routine first and the Heart stack will be maintained. (At the conclusion of the Vernon routine, the stack is directly beneath the face-up selected card.) You can bet, after you offer to repeat the trick, your audience will be watching your shuffles very closely. That’s the neat part – they can. (One last thing: Magicians familiar with the four-packet shuffle and Triumph-type effects are totally lost after the first two packets are shuffled together.)

DISCREPANCY CITY PREDICTION This is a fast, fairly impossible, prediction routine. As the name implies, the whole thing is based on discrepancies, and brazen ones at that. When I conceived of this effect I cast it as a modest little mystery, almost a “quickie”; a routine to be performed briskly before moving on to “better tricks” However, subsequent performances have shown it to be one hundred percent effective for lay people and surprising to most magicians. It now occupies a more prominent place in my impromptu repertoire and is one of my favorite mental effects to perform. Effect: The performer removes three cards as a “prediction.” Only three cards are removed. The spectator then shuffles the remainder of the deck and is instructed to deal the cards singly onto the table. The spectator may stop dealing at any point. When he stops, the next card is placed aside. The stopped-at card is turned face-up and seen to be, say, a Queen. The three prediction cards are shown to be the other three Queens. Work: Pure bluff, a double lift, and an Elmsley count. Remove the following three cards as your prediction: the Queen of Spades, the Queen of Clubs, and the Queen of Diamonds. The packet must be in this order with the Queen of Diamonds at the face. Do not let anyone see the faces of your prediction cards. Handle the cards loosely and casually enough to non-verbally convince your audience that there are three, and only three, cards. I usually say something like: “Most magicians only use one prediction; I use three. This way, one of them has gotta be right.” Place your prediction packet on the table. Give your spectator the rest of the deck and allow him to shuffle it. When he is satisfied the cards are thoroughly mixed, instruct him to begin dealing the cards into a pile on the table. Say, “Please stop dealing whenever you feel like it.” When he stops the deal, take the remainder of the cards from him. Indicate the top card of this portion and point out the total freedom of its selection. Deal this card (the top card of the talon) onto the table next to your prediction packet. (You can glimpse this card. If it is really the fourth Queen then you have a true miracle. One can always hope.) Assemble the rest of the cards and set them aside. Pick up the prediction packet in your left hand and spread it. At the same time, pick up the selected card with your right hand. I remind the spectator, “I removed these three cards before you shuffled, dealt, and stopped at this card.” Place the selected card on top of the spread prediction packet. Square the packet, obtaining a break under the top two cards. Turn over the two cards, as one, face-up onto the packet using the best double turnover technique you know. The Queen of Spades is displayed; call attention to this card as the chosen card. Say, “Would you be surprised if one of my predictions matched your chosen card? What if you stopped at the only card that matched all three?” Turn the packet over and perform an Elmsley count to show three Queens and one face-down card. (Big-time discrepancy city!)

Out-jog the face-down card as you come to it (third). This card is the Queen of Spades. Remove the out-jogged card and turn it face-up on top of the other Queens. The actual selected card is never seen and lies reversed (face down) at the back of the face-up Queens. Drop the Queen packet onto the deck, flip the top three Queens face-down, shuffle, and proceed with your next miracle.

SHRIEK OF THE MUTILATED This is a very simple straightforward idea for the torn and restored cigarette paper trick. It is so simple and straightforward I am surprised no one has thought of it before. If someone has, the concept did not get the recognition it deserves. I have shown this routine to some very knowledgeable people and have been featuring it in my lectures for some time; no one had seen or heard of it before. In my opinion, this comes very close to a perfect “why do it any other way” method. It is very magical looking and there is no switch. A sheet of cigarette paper is removed from its package, torn into several pieces, crumbled into a small ball, and impaled on a hat pin. A flame is waved several inches below the ball of torn paper. There is a sudden flash but the paper appears to be unchanged. The ball is removed from the pin and opened to show the torn paper has been magically restored into a single piece. Preparation: You will need a package of cigarette papers. The package should be of the type in which the papers are removed singly through a slot – like facial tissues. I recommend “E-Z Wider” brand papers. The package is of the correct design and the papers are large. (For purposes of visibility after the restoration, larger papers are better.) Additionally, these papers are used for making marijuana cigarettes and thus allow a wide variety of presentation options. You will also need a pad of flash paper. (Figured that out already, eh?) Remove the staple and you will have about twenty two-inch by three-inch pieces of flash paper. Fold each in half along the three-inch dimension. This gives you twenty three-inch by one-inch “tents.” Take the package of cigarette papers apart and remove its contents. The papers are arranged in a series of interlocking V-shapes so that, when one is pulled out of the slot, the next one will pop into position. Duplicating this arrangement, make a new stack, alternating cigarette papers with folded sheets of flash paper. You will notice the flash paper is not the same size or thickness as the cigarette paper. (Don’t worry about the size; I’ll talk about that in a minute.) Due to the thickness of the flash paper, only twenty to twenty-four sheets can be alternated (twelve flash papers and twelve cigarette papers). End the stack with a cigarette paper on top. Place the new stack back into the package, carefully guiding the top cigarette paper through the slot and put the package back together. Lastly, you will require a long pin. A three- to four-inch hat pin is best, but you can obtain a corsage pin from any florist and it works just as well. Prior to performance, Figure 1 remove the top sheet of cigarette paper from the package. The next sheet (flash paper) should appear in the slot. Crumble the cigarette paper into a small ball


EBOOK NOOK and then carefully open it out again. Pleat the paper in fourths along the long dimension, then again in the other direction (Figure 1). Now crumple the pleated packet into a loose ball. Prepared in this manner, the paper will open quickly with little effort or fumbling. Place the paper ball and the package of papers in your right jacket pocket. You are now ready to begin. Work: Remove the pin and a cigarette lighter. Since you are not going to make a switch, you want to eliminate all the opportunities you might have to do one. Reach into your right pocket and clip the paper ball between your first and middle fingertips. Take the package of cigarette papers atop the clipped ball between your thumb and fingers and remove it from your pocket. The package covers the clipped ball and can be freely displayed from this grip (Figure 2).

Figure 2

With your left hand, open the flap of the package and pull out a sheet of paper (flash paper). Show it briefly and then place it back in your right hand on top of the package. Now take the package away with your left


hand and toss it to one side, leaving the sheet of flash paper in your right hand. In this way the clipped paper ball remains concealed at all times. Clearly tear the piece of paper in half. Place the left section on top of the right, turn the papers ninety degrees, and tear them in half again. Again place the left pieces on top of the right ones. The papers in your right hand are not removed and keep the paper ball hidden. Your left thumb and forefinger now pinch the torn papers around the concealed ball. Your right thumb and forefinger assist in wadding the torn pieces into a ball. Be sure to keep your other fingers spread wide to insure a clean display. The real cigarette paper ball is now concealed inside the flash paper ball. Pick up the pin with your right hand and stick it through the paper ball. Make sure the pin penetrates the inner ball as well. Hold the pin in your right hand and, with your left, light the lighter and hold it well below the paper ball. Slowly move the flame in circles beneath the ball, moving it closer as you do. You will find the heat from the flame will ignite the flash paper while the flame is several inches away. The flash paper will burn away in a magical burst of fire and light, leaving only the cigarette paper ball on the pin. Remove the ball and open it up. The paper is a little singed, but completely restored. Ex Post Facto: You will notice that the flash paper is not the same size, not the same texture, and even not quite the same color as the cigarette paper. You will – but no one else will. Also, after the flash, the paper ball on the pin will get a little smaller. Again, I have performed this routine hundreds of times and these discrepancies are never noticed. To reset: Just take out the next sheet (it will be a cigarette paper), crumple it up, and you’re ready to go. 

Par anormal happenings By Charles Siebert, MD

Several issues ago, I discussed the origins of spiritualism based on the spirit “rapping” communication of two young girls, Maggie and Kate Fox from Hydesville, New York, in 1848. Soon, more and “better” methods were devised to talk to the spirits. An iconic method that was used greatly during the late nineteenth century was slate writing. It is an effect rarely used today by fraudulent séance mediums, but it is well known to magicians. The basic concept was that the medium would show two standard writing slates as being clean on all sides, binding them together with a piece of chalk between them. Upon asking a question of the departed, the slates would be opened to reveal a detailed answer. Various methods were used, and one only needs to look as far as your local magic dealer or library to find many of them. So, instead of discussing methods, I would like to discuss one of the most famous slate writers of his day. Henry Slade (1840-1905), born in Johnson Creek, New York, is thought to be the first to add slate writing to his psychic mediumship. Slade often referred to himself as Dr. Henry Slade; he portrayed himself as a spiritual doctor, although no evidence was ever found that he obtained an advanced degree qualifying him to use the title. Slade fooled some of the most prominent scientific minds of the time, including physicist Johann Zollner (an expert on illusions and Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leipzig), Sir William Fletcher Barrett (a professor of physics at the Royal College of Science in Dublin and one of the founders of the still-existing Society for Psychical Research), and Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of natural selection with Charles Darwin. Despite being exposed as a fraud several times during his career, Dr. Slade made quite a healthy living. In London in 1876 Slade was charging one guinea for a private reading that lasted but a few minutes. The equivalent in today’s money would be a little over one hundred dollars per sitting, of which he did hundreds per

week. Soon after his arrival, he crossed paths with Sir Ray Lankester and Sir Horatio Donkin, both physicians, who had their eye on Slade as well as several other mediums. They arranged several séances, at one of which Lankester grabbed one of Slades’s slates prior to the message supposedly being spiritually written; the message was already on the slate. This ultimately resulted in Slade being arrested for fraud. This accusation made worldwide news in both the Spiritualism community as well as the civilized world. During the trial, the renowned physicist Lord Rayleigh publicly declared Slade to be genuine. The famous British conjuror J. N. Maskelyne was a prominent witness against Henry Slade. Maskelyne was easily able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the court that Slade’s slate writing was brought about by trickery. Slade was convicted and sentenced to three months hard labor. However, the charges were dismissed due to a flaw in the indictment. While new summonses were being prepared, Slade and his manager skipped across the channel to France, never again to set foot in the United Kingdom. In 1884, the Seybert Commission, which was the first organized approach to the investigation of spiritual phenomena, sat with Slade for several séances while he was back in New York; the commission found his work to be fraudulent throughout. After the commission sat with all of the slate writers that responded to their requests, Harry Kellar exhibited multiple variations of slate writing, not claiming any supernatural abilities, but merely to express upon the commission how they could be baffled by natural means. And baffle them he did! The commission later wrote: “An eminent professional juggler performed, in the presence of three of our Commission, some independent slatewriting far more remarkable than any of which we have witnessed with mediums. In broad daylight, a slate perfectly clean on both sides, was, with a small fragment of slate pencil, held under a leaf of a small, ordinary table, around which we were seated; the fingers of the juggler’s hand pressed the slate tight against the underside of the leaf, while the thumb completed the pressure and remained in

full view clasping the leaf of the table. Our eyes never for the fraction of a second lost sight of that thumb; it never moved; and yet in a few minutes the slate was produced, covered with writing. Messages were there, and still are there, for we preserved the slate, written in French, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Gujorati, and ending with ‘ich bin ein Geist, und lieb, mein Lagerbier.’ For one of our number the juggler subsequently repeated the trick and revealed its every detail.” During the Seybert Commission's investigations, a Philadelphia conjuror named Remigius Weiss, aka Remigius Albus, produced a signed confession from Henry Slade admitting he was a fraud. Mr. Weiss convinced Slade to hold several private séances at his home during which Weiss exposed Slade’s fraudulent methods. He confronted Slade with a written confession forcing Slade to sign it or be put behind bars. Slade reportedly signed the paper and begged not to be arrested. 1n 1923, when asked by Houdini why he didn’t come forward with this evidence sooner, Weiss said at first he pitied Slade but then added he didn’t want other mediums to know the methods and to start using them to take advantage of people. In 1886-87, psychical researchers Richard Hodgson (1855-1905) and S. J. Davey also exposed mediumistic slatewriting as bogus, virtually ending it as a spiritualist technique. In 1887, Hodgson became secretary of the newly-founded American Society for Psychical Research. Houdini, in his 1924 book A Magician Among the Spirits, wrote: “Spirit slates are now listed in the catalogues of houses dealing in conjuring apparatus and the fraud mediums who formerly made use of them are employing the safer and easier swindles of automatic writing, trance or trumpet messages, and the ‘Ouija board.’” In 1905 Henry Slade was penniless and friendless and wandered to Michigan. He became ill from alcohol and was placed in the sanitarium in Battle Creek, where he died September 8, 1905. His remains were buried in a pauper’s grave until word got out of his death and several spiritualists collected enough money to re-inter the body at Riverside Cemetery in Albion.  MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 57

Cheats & Deceptions (For Entertainment Purposes Only) By Antonio M. Cabr al

STACKING UP AGAINST THE EXPERTS As someone who performs in a gambling/cardshark/all-around cheat persona, I can tell you that it doesn’t take me very long at all to start fielding earnest questions about whether or not I’m allowed in casinos, even when I start off in a more traditional card trick vein. And while I spend plenty of time demonstrating straight-up impossibilities, I get very strong reactions demonstrating the kind of superhuman skills that people imagine an expert cardshark possesses. Now, this is a matter of style; I’m not saying every card trick should be a gambling routine or that every card magician should be a cardshark. On the other hand, gambling material is less boring than you’d think in the same way that card tricks in general are less boring than normal people (and many magicians) think. And the skills employed are useful beyond these demonstrations. There are many great gambling routines in the literature that don’t require bucketloads of technical skill: the Gardner-Marlo Poker Deal, the Vernon Poker Deal, and Ted Annemann’s Call Your Hand, for example. However, I mentioned in my first column that while you absolutely have to think like a magician when presenting this material as an entertainment, it also helps to possess a certain amount of the kind of skill you’re talking about. With that in mind, let’s talk about riffle stacking. In The Expert At The Card Table on page 34 (Blind Riffles, Part I: To Retain the Top Stock), Erdnase describes – better than I can – the action of performing a riffle shuffle, holding back a single card, and depositing that card on top of the original top stock (Photo 1). That is the essence of riffle stacking. There’s no big secret to it. If you have four Aces on top of the deck, and you want them to start five cards down, you perform four shuffles, leaving one card on top of the stack each time. “This riffle, though requiring considerable explanation, is quite simple, and as 58 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

Photo 1 easily executed as the true.” From there, try holding back two cards at a time instead of one. Just try it. It’ll start to come to you easier than you’d think. Then try three. After three, try four. A drill you can try while developing your feel for it is to just sit for a while, riffle shuffling the deck. Do four shuffles holding back one card, then four holding back two, then four holding back three, and then four holding back four. You don’t have to go any further than that for now. And don’t worry about not looking at this point, either. Don’t rely on looking; you’re trying to develop the feel for it. But you don’t have to practice blindfolded or anything. Just follow the directions in Erdnase and get used to how those quantities feel. This is a useful tool outside of gambling demonstrations. Say for your next trick you need to know the tenth card down from the top of the deck. Glimpse the top card; as you talk you riffle shuffle the deck, putting three cards on top, then three more, then two, and then one. Voila – you now know the tenth card down, and the audience has seen you genuinely (up to a point) shuffle the deck. To quote Erdnase yet again: “Nothing so completely satisfies the average card player than the belief that the deck has been thoroughly shuffled.” What better way to achieve this satisfaction than to actually shuffle the deck? When you’re comfortable laying small numbers of cards on top of the top stock, try putting them under the top card of the

deck. It’s basically the same action. You just have to hold back one card on the other side as you do the same thing as before, and then conclude by dropping that single card on top (Photo 2). It’s not as hard as it sounds; start with one under one, like before, and work your way up. When you can put four cards under the top card à la Erdnase, congratulations. Now I’ll show you how you can turn that modest skill into an impressive one-shuffle poker stack with a little bit of magician cunning, presentation, and handling.

THE “AIN’T NUTHIN’ BUT A THING” STACK This routine demands some table space. Remove (or produce) the Aces and set them in red-black-red-black order from the face to back. Hold the deck face-up in dealing position and get a break under the two cards on the face of the deck. “If I were the type to cheat at poker, I might put the Aces on the bottom and try to deal them to myself off the bottom. You’ve seen this in those old Western movies; someone deals Aces off the bottom, and then John Wayne punches them in the face!” Suiting actions to words, you place the Aces face-up on the face of the deck and spread the first three to show the four Aces. “If you’re allergic to knuckles, a better way to do it is to deal them off the top, after stacking the deck. You’ve heard of stacking the deck?” As you say that, pick up everything above

Photo 2 the break (six cards) and turn the deck face down into a dealing grip. Place the Aces (and the two extra cards) on top and re-spread the first three Aces, keeping a break under the six face-up cards on top of the deck. Someone will usually acknowledge that they’ve heard the expression “stacking the deck.” If so, look at that person and ask, “Really? Who’ve you been hanging out with?” Square the Aces and turn everything above the break face down on top of the deck. Spread off the top four cards, square them, and place them face down on the table. “Stacking the deck means rearranging the cards the way you want them. One way to do it is to steal the deck off the table, excuse yourself to the bathroom for about half an hour, and put the cards in the order you want. Then you return to the table, deal a round of poker, and John Wayne punches you in the face.” As you’re talking, illustrate this by fanning the deck towards yourself and moving groups of cards around in the fan. In the course of this, take a group of cards from the top (with the Aces on top) and stick them in the middle of the fan without separating the Aces. Then take any group of four or five cards and move it somewhere else in the fan. Next, take the uppermost Ace and the four cards above it and move them to the top, then another group of three cards from anywhere else and move them anywhere else, then the remaining Ace in the middle and the two cards above it and place them on top. When you’re done, the top eight cards of the deck should be: X, X, A, X, X, X, X, A. Place the deck face down on the table and return attention to the “Aces.” “A better way to do it if you’re allergic to

beatings is to actually shuffle the cards into position.” Pick up the packet from the table without spreading it and take it face-up in dealer’s grip. Take the Ace off the face of the packet and flick it with your thumb, revealing the other Ace underneath. (The red Ace on the face will have changed, but this is not something people will notice.) This reinforces the earlier switch, and your audience should buy that all four Aces are in your hand. Turn the packet face-down, reverse count it, and then drop them on top of the deck. What all that preliminary handling has done is to place two Aces on top, and stack the other two for a fivehanded game. From the top down, your stack is now: A, A, X, X, X, X, A, X, X, X, X, A. “Let’s say we’re in a five-handed game of poker; Paula, you’ll be my partner. Let’s say you’re sitting at the first seat, on my left. Now, since I have to shuffle the cards into position, Owen, would you keep me honest and count how many times I have to shuffle to do this?” Split for a riffle shuffle and, as you practiced, hold back four cards in the left hand and one card in the right hand. The four cards go under the original top card (an Ace). The remaining nine cards of your stock must not be mixed as you shuffle. Square up (again, the description in Erdnase has good tips) and turn to the person counting the shuffles. “How many was that?” They should say, “One.” “Perfect! That’s not suspicious at all!” (This is a presentational gag I use whenever I want to sell the absurdity of accomplishing a crazy amount of work in a single shuffle.) “Remember, it’s a five-handed game, Paula’s the first hand, and all the cards come off the top...for once!” Deal the first card, start to deal the second, and pause. Look at the person who was counting the shuffles and say, “Wow, the way you’re watching me, you’d think we were playing for real money!” Take the second card, scoop up the first, and drop both back on top of the deck. “You seem like you don’t trust me, so here: you deal!” Hand the deck to that spectator and have him deal, turning over each card in the first hand to

show that the Aces ended up where they were supposed to. This is, on the surface, a straightforward demonstration of card table skill. However, the handling allows you to get much further ahead than the audience realizes, and allows you to perform a superhuman display of skill with much less effort than if you were doing it for real. It was inspired by a riffle-stacking presentation by my friend Steve Ehlers on his DVD The Arizona Card Expert. It’s also related to a Roy Walton routine called Oversight, which uses a similar method to achieve a “no-shuffle” stack. Once you’re comfortable with stacking to the first hand, you can add in an extra shuffle and offer the audience a choice of which hand to deal to. Give the cards a shuffle as before, putting four cards under the top Ace, saying “We’ll lose the Aces in the deck.” Then ask someone where they’d like to sit in a five-handed game (reminding them, of course, that the fifth seat is yours). If they say “one,” riffle shuffle one card on top (maintaining the stack), perform a slip cut (explaining that you cut after the shuffle), and deal as before. If they say “two,” riffle one card under the top card. Then as you begin to deal, stop at the second hand, look at someone in your audience and say something like, “Wow, the way you’re watching me you’d think we were playing for real!” Take the top card of the deck, scoop up the dealt cards in the order you dealt them, and place everything on top. Hand the deck to someone else and say, “Just to keep things honest, you deal!” Starting and stopping the deal in that manner places the top Ace in position to fall to the second hand, and the rest follow automatically. Likewise, if they say “three,” put two cards under the top card, deal to the third hand, stop, scoup, and start as described. If they say “four,” put three cards under the top card and deal as before, stopping at the fourth hand. One thing to remember: Don’t make the mistake of presenting this as if you’re working hard. The point is for it to look effortless, as if you’re just shuffling the cards. You could present it as just that: you shuffle the cards and just “happen” to get the cards you want. Shuffle work is supposed to look like shuffling, not like bricklaying. As I’ve mentioned before, the secret to this style of work, real or fake, is that is has to look like nothing – just like in a magic trick. 


INFORMED OPINION LATEST PRODUCT REVIEWS Compiled and Edited by W. S. Duncan

High Caliber Book By John Bannon

Available from: www.JohnBannonMagic.com Price $60.00 REVIEW BY W.S. DUNCAN John Bannon has been producing books on the subject of close-up magic for as long as I can remember, and his products have always been good-to-excellent. His first major works, Impossibilia and Smoke and Mirrors, contain a wide variety of effects with coins, rings, cigarette papers, and, of course, playing cards. In recent years he’s narrowed the focus of his considerable imagination to a few very specific subtopics in the subject of card magic. These tricks were published in small booklets, in magazines, and on the occasional video, over the course of a decade of exploration. High Caliber is devoted to collecting those subtopics into a convenient and beautifully produced hard bound form. Some of Bannon’s explorations in the field of small packet magic were published as single trick items under the banner of “Fractal Card Magic,” which is his term for small packet effects that are visually engaging, relatively easy to do, and self contained (so no palming off extra or “special” cards). Two of these effects lead off the volume, and each meets those criteria and exceeds them by also being uncommon effects. The Royal Scam is a hybrid twisting/Wild Card/color-changing-backs effect, while Duplicity echoes Bannon’s marketed effect Twisted Sisters without the gaffed cards. The Royal Scam, Duplicity, and a third fractal effect (Spin Doctor) were all marketed as single-trick DVDs with the necessary cards. Purchasing those three items would set you back more than half the cost of this book (even considering you need to collect the cards yourself). The rest of the volume contains self-working tricks, what might be the best Triumph routine ever (The Bannon Triumph, the trick formerly known as Play it Straight), and some interesting work on the Open Prediction. There are simple quickies like Counterpunch, an effect in which you seem to have made a tactical error. Your promise to use the four Aces to locate a selected card seems bound to fail because the selection is one of the Aces. You make good on your promise when the other three Aces vanish from your hands leaving only the selected card. Quick, simple, direct, and fun; the sort of thing the Paul Harris books used to offer. On the opposite end of the card trick spectrum you’ll find a number of excellent Ace assemblies. Before reading Bannon’s work on the subject, I frankly found Ace assemblies a bit boring. Now I’m a convert. He’s convinced me that they can be fun for both the performer and the audience. Because this volume is a collection of previously released items it’s a somewhat uneven read. The tone of the individual items varies quite a bit. Some effects are described in a simple and direct way, while others are written as if you are reading a novel in 60 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

which the narrator describes a character named Bannon who does card tricks. I find this distracting because it calls attention to the writing, and because I keep thinking about how what I’m reading is John Bannon describing John Bannon in the first/third person, writing things like “Bannon handed me the deck.” It does provide a way for the author to show us the external reality of the effect before revealing the inner workings, so it’s a minor complaint, and only a handful of the tricks described use this style of writing. If you have a lot of his material already you’ll want to visit Mr. Bannon’s website where you can find a PDF of the table of contents. With forty items in this volume only the most diehard fans will have everything, and considering the quality of the material you are almost certain to get your money’s worth in the stuff you don’t already have. If you like card magic, the contents of High Caliber offer much to enjoy, and I can recommend it with certainty that you’ll like what you find.

Extended Play DVD By Valdemar Gestur

Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $30.00 REVIEW BY ANTONIO M. CABRAL Valdemar Gestur’s Extended Play is a DVD collection of his five available downloads from DanAndDave.com. (Gestur does not appear on any of the items; they’re performed and explained by Shin Lim.) The offerings are all playing-card based and consist of a sleight-of-hand color change and four items that turn the title into a nice piece of wordplay, because they all involve the presence and use of rubber bands. The color change – the Flow Change – is probably the least interesting item on the disc, although it’s a fun idea to play with. The card is placed face up in the middle of the deck and slid or snapped forward, where it visibly changes into another card. It’s a similar concept to Jack Carpenter’s Impulse Change, but in my opinion not nearly as good. A better change is Click, which is one of the rubber band items. Here the deck is wrapped in a rubber band with a face-up card on top; with a snap of the rubber band the card visibly changes. This is a nice item, because the rubber band apparently acts as a deterrent to any manipulation while actually being the engine for the effect. That’s the basic problem with most card-and-rubber band effects. You wind the rubber band around the deck in some way, and then the deck or the chosen card propels itself, as if propelled by a wound rubber band. Trixel is an item in that vein in which the chosen card appears on top of the deck as the only card still trapped by the rubber band. It’s a decent trick, but not as good as Click, in which the band is still around the entire deck at the end, or any of the tricks in the literature in which the rubber band appears to vanish into

the deck to trap the selected card. Even more in the mechanical vein is Trigger, which is another handling for the rubber-banded Haunted Pack. The Haunted Pack is probably one of the strongest magical things possible with a deck of cards. The deck cuts itself of its own volition and the participant’s card removes itself with no visible means of motive power. I have a friend who seems to be always prepared to perform a version of this effect upon casual request, on a tabletop or sidewalk – good luck following that with a double lift change. When Charles Jordan (and/or Bert Fenn) applied a visible rubber band to the same effect, it sucked the mystery out of the effect in the way I described before: the deck becomes a wind-up toy. At the same time, the jack-in-the-box “pop goes the weasel” aspect of the trick makes it great fun to perform, and it’s great for environments like bars where the audience is game for this type of snake-in-the-peanut-brittle type gag. Trigger is a decent, yet unremarkable entry in this category of trick. Sadly, I couldn’t find any mention of Bert Fenn or any of the obvious progenitors of this effect. Last, but probably best, is Target, which is an actual step forward in this approach to the Haunted Pack. Here, the rubber bands are used invisibly to provide the motive power for the deck. The approach is very similar to, and offered up as, an alternative to the very popular method using Loops, but using a type of rubber band that can be found in any corner drugstore. I was very curious to try this method, because a good friend of mine had sung its praises and offered up some interesting tips on handling it. However, in practice I found the method problematic. The deck still moves more quickly than if you employed a thread and very slowly made the cards creep around. There are tips on how to prevent this, but much like when trying to refine sleight of hand, you end up fighting more tension than you want to appear to be. I’ve gotten better results with methods that simply rely on gravity and no gimmicks at all. Also, I’ve never played around with Loops so I cannot speak to how long they last in practice and performance. The rubber band method is touted as being more resilient and long lasting than Loops, yet I managed to break four or five just trying to get the darn thing to work once. Still, I feel like there’s more to be had here, and will probably keep experimenting with it until I run out of bands. Other applications of this method involve having the deck pop out of the case, a rising card effect, or having a selection shoot out of the deck. But again, to paraphrase The Amazing Jonathan, sometimes magic looks like rubber bands. If this were a stand-alone DVD, I might say that Target and maybe Click were worth the price of the DVD, and the other items are worth playing around with. However, since this is a compilation of items available individually as instant downloads, I can only recommend this DVD if you really like all of them, or are a real stickler for physical media. Otherwise, I’d say go to the Dan & Dave website, check out the video clips, decide which items you really like, and purchase them individually. That’ll be the best bang for your buck.

Six 2.0 DVD with supplies By Mickael Chatelain

Available from Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $39.95 REVIEW BY JAMIE SALINAS Mickael Chatelain previously released an instructional DVD called Six that contained half a dozen effects and all of

the gimmicks needed to perform them. This second DVD follows the same format: six tricks, including the supplies and gimmicks, which you will need to assemble. There are a variety of effects for the close-up performer taught on this DVD; those looking for something besides another card trick should take note. The DVD has both English and French versions. Although this is not a high-end production, the production quality and viewing angles are very good. Included with the DVD are the supplies and gimmicks that you will need to perform the effects taught. All of the effects are fairly simple to perform, and it is easy to construct the gimmicks that are needed using the included supplies. Mickael provides clear instructions for the performances and construction of the gimmicks. Included on the DVD are an impossible balancing effect using common items in which everything can be examined when you are finished, a penetration of a Tic Tac from its box, a card routine in which a selected card appears in an empty match box, a very straightforward revelation of a selected card, a novel card routine of moving hearts drawn on the back of a selected card, and a shrinking-card routine. In addition to the six effects included, there is a bonus effect in which the contents of a full box of Tic Tacs vanishes and reappears, and a bonus move for a ring on rubber band routine that was taught on the first DVD. Now the important information, are these effects good? In my opinion, the answer is yes. Are they great? Well that is a different story. The effects are straightforward, which means they are easy for spectators to follow and are good, solid effects. You will not be closing your close-up set with any of these tricks, but any could be a nice addition to your performances. I really like the card revelation; it is very direct and clean in appearance. And the shrinking card looks very good. Although the bonus vanishing Tic Tacs effect is clever, I do not like it because you cannot have the spectator handle the box without performing a switch of some kind, something that is not mentioned or covered at all. The bonus handling of a ring on rubber band routine that was taught on the first DVD is alright, but does not look natural. Mickael does not demonstrate the move very well; he flashes when demonstrating it. The routines are good for the close-up performer. The material is for the beginner and intermediate performer. There are two effects that stand out (for me) and the rest of the material is solid. Priced at $39.95 makes this something you may want to take a look at if you are a close-up performer looking for some variety.

Fifty-two Shades of Red DVDs with Gaffs By Shin Lim Available from: www.VanishingInc.com Price $55.00 REVIEW BY NORMAN BECK I had never heard of Shin Lim or seen any of his products, and that has been my loss. Mr. Lim is a clever man. I’m talking very clever. He is the type who will fool you and make you like it. I watched the entire DVD with rapt attention and loved it. I will say, however, that I did not love what you are actually buying or think you are buying. I know that makes no sense; let me explain. With MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 61

this project, I think Mr. Lim is in contest mode, rather than in commercial mode. I do not think that the deck of cards that you are paying $55 for will fool anyone. The basic effect is a color changing deck routine; at the end the faces vanish and the backs change color. I think that after his performance if you asked any spectator how the routine was done, they would all agree that the deck was not normal. I don’t care for that type of magic. I would, however, tell anyone that he or she should buy and study this project. The reason is that some of the things outside of the main routine are, well, great! I can also tell you that Shin Lim has a new idea that I have never seen in print that is really, really cool. And to tell you much about it would spoil it for both you the buyer, and Mr. Lim the seller. I loved the color changing box routine; it looks like real magic and is very cool. It looks like you pass your hand over the box and it changes color with no funny moves. I would say that it would fool anyone. Another routine is an impossible card vanish in which you show three cards and the center card vanishes in a very clean manner. It looks great! My favorite item has you show four bluebacked Aces; with a wave they change into four red-backed Kings. That is the good news; now for the bad news: assembly is required. You can’t do anything without some assembly. I would prefer that for $55 the trick would be ready to go, but it is not. The majority of the DVD is devoted to teaching you how to make things. I am fine with that, because what you are making is something I have never seen in magic and is very good. However, you should be aware of what will be required of you. Also on the DVD is a routine to vanish a deck of cards that I am certain would work and look great in a magic contest or a formal show like you might perform at the Magic Castle, but in more “real world” circumstances, I don’t think it is practical. However I would not bet against Mr. Lim. I hope to meet him sometime; he is a very nice performer (who won FISM in 2012). He explains things very well, although I think in future projects I’d advise him to lose the background music. (You are teaching me something and the music is nothing but a distraction.) The basic routine that is taught would probably fool no one who thinks about it for a millisecond, but the rest of the DVD would fool anyone. I say buy this and you will be very happy (except possibly for the assembly part). I now am looking forward to anything that Mr. Lim puts out.

Heinstein’s Dream Trick By K arl Hein

Available from: www.karlhein.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $30.00 REVIEW BY DANNY ARCHER I love the classics; classics are classics for a reason. These effects have stood the test of time and have been proven to be the ones that audiences enjoy watching and that magicians enjoy doing. The Torn and Restored Card is such a classic. On this well produced DVD, one of the top pros in Florida, Karl Hein, shares with you his work on this effect. The DVD opens as Karl explains his history with the trick, and details some of the many handlings he has used through the years as he strove towards his dream handling (visual, repeatable, and designed to be used in real world performing situations). He talks about the many great perform62 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

ers who have released versions of the effect, including Heinstein’s Dream’s closest relative, Brett Braun’s Torched and Restored. In fact, this release updates an earlier version Karl had marketed, and it is a nice improvement. Next Karl performs the effect three times using three different handlings. Each time the spectator can name the card that they want used, and the card is signed. The first is a flash restoration, the second is a restoration in the spectator’s hand, and the final effect is a one-piece-at-a-time restoration. All three are visual and within the learning abilities of everyone reading this. In addition to playing cards, you will also need something easily obtained from an office supply store. The explanations are very clear, with the camera shooting over Karl’s shoulder so you can see what is going on. Interspersed with his POV explanations are shots of the performance. This back and forth video style really makes it easy to see what is going on and facilitates learning. All three handlings are clearly explained, one at a time, and they all have their place for different kinds of performances. The setup and preparation are not difficult, and Karl shows you exactly what you need to do and how to do it. Another bonus is that the selection, folding, and tearing procedures are the same for all three versions, so learning one means you can learn the other versions without having to remember three separate handlings. I have two different versions of the Torn and Restored Card in my repertoire (both were noted in the extensive credits) and it looks like I am going to add a third (and a fourth and a fifth) by working on Karl’s handling. I can attest to the power of this effect, because I perform a version of TNR card many times each night when I work. One of the other great things about Karl’s Torn and Restored Card is that the spectator is left with a memento of the magic that she witnessed. That is the icing on the cake for an already incredible and memorable effect. One simple preparation, three different handlings, all backed up with a useable and deceptive method means that I can easily recommend Karl’s offering. I think that you should take a serious look at Heinstein’s Dream.

SansMinds Sharpie Trick By SansMinds Magic

Available from: www.SansMinds.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $35.00 REVIEW BY DANNY ARCHER This is a very cool idea. Imagine drawing an X on the back of a spectator’s hand with a Sharpie, and then visibly moving the X off of her hand and onto your own hand! You could also move the mark or symbol from your hand and have it end up on the spectator’s hand. That’s just what the SansMinds Sharpie will allow you to do. In another presentation, you have a card selected from a pack. You roll up your sleeve, showing the name of a card (8S) written on your forearm. The spectator states that that her card was the Three of Clubs. No problem. As you rub your finger over the writing, it visibly changes into the 3C. Or you can show two small hearts drawn on the back of your hand and visibly move one

heart from your hand to the back of a female spectator’s hand. This gimmicked Sharpie allow you to perform these effects with almost no moves or sleights. Herman is your host, and he shows you the work on the accompanying DVD. The camera work, audio, and disc navigation are very well done. Without giving away too much, they have come up with a method to allow you to easily remove a mark made with this special Sharpie. It looks identical to a real Sharpie, but there is a subtle way to visually discern that this is not a regular Sharpie. The gimmicked Sharpie allows you to do some of the effects that you can do with the popular Frixion Pen without the worry that someone will recognize the special properties of that type of writing implement. I tried the pen out on my skin and it worked very well (and I am at an altitude of 8,500 feet in very dry conditions). The producers do mention that climate and the condition of the skin can affect the performance of the Sharpie. You will have to have something drawn on your skin with a regular Sharpie for many of the effects. This may or may not be okay with all performers. If this is okay for you, you will also have to make sure the mark is not seen before you perform the effect. If you make the mark move to your spectator’s skin, the mark that is left is in regular Sharpie ink and this must be taken into consideration as well. But that pales when you think about the reactions you will get when you make a mark on your hand with a Sharpie (they can rub it to make sure it’s real) and then visibly slide it off your hand and onto the back of a spectator’s hand. That is a strong and memorable effect. While the place I am currently performing at may not be the right venue for this, I can’t wait to try this out at the bar, or a less formal venue. I think that you will have a lot of fun with SansMinds Sharpie, and I can mark this trick as recommended.

Most of the magic tricks that come in for review are just okay. Some are really bad, and very rarely, some are great. Imagination Coins is great! Because Imagination Coins is based on a well known routine by David Roth, when you first get it you may not think it’s so great. At least until you watch the DVD and you take some time to think about it. The DVD sells for $40, but you are not really paying for a DVD and a gimmick. You are paying for the hours of thought that are packed into the DVD – a lesson that ended sooner than I would have liked. You have seen tricks like this before. The spectator has four coins in her hand. She pretends to hand you one; when she looks, she has three and you have one. The next time you give her four coins and then clearly take one back. That coin vanishes. When she looks, she now has four again. Let me tell you how to judge a trick. Simply watch the expression on a layperson’s face; it will tell you all you need to know. The reaction that he gets is priceless. The one shot of Garrett performing this trick in a bar is all one would need to buy the trick and then actually learn it and perform it rather than put it away. You also get a bonus trick that he calls Jump that I liked even better than the trick I thought I was buying. It is a version of Cylinder and Coins with no cover, and I thought it was really great. Along with Garrett is Eric Jones, who also gives his thoughts on Coins Across, and I was glad for the information. The DVD is well shot with no background music (no distractions, thank you very much) and the explanations are crystal clear. I cannot ask for more. Please don’t be put off when you first open your present. Watch the DVD and realize that at $40 this may be the best money you have ever spent. I know I sound like I am selling or pitching his product, but it really is that good.

Imagination Coins Trick By Garrett Thomas

This inexpensive one-trick DVD includes a nicely produced prop, and will teach you a decent card routine that goes something like this: Two spectators each get half the deck. They each cut their half, turn one packet upside down, and shuffle their cards into a face-up, face-down mix. Then one of them shuffles the two mixed packets together into a whole face-up/face-down deck. Now the magician produces a small booklet and reads it while the spectators check the deck. The booklet announces how many cards are face up, how many of the face-up cards are red, and the suits of the black cards. The finale reveals a specific single card that was an exception mentioned in the booklet. The routine is easy to do, almost self-working, and looks magical, since it provides four sequential revelations. It is a nice trick, taught on a very well-produced video, and worth the reasonable price. However, you should be aware of some limitations. Although other arrangements are possible, it is designed to be presented to two spectators, not one or five. Both spectators should be able to riffle shuffle and must follow several directions. Also, the printed

Available from: www.KozmoMagic.com Price $40.00 REVIEW BY NORMAN BECK I asked to write this review; the product was not shipped to M-U-M for a review. I purchased Imagination Coins and looked at it last night and this morning. I liked it enough that I told our editor we needed to make sure our readers knew of it. I think products come to market for three reasons: 1) Ego – a guy comes up with something and he thinks it is great. 2) Money – a magic dealer/lecturer who makes a living from magicians has to come up with a new product in order to live. 3) Love – a guy comes up with something that is so good he loves it and has to share. I know that love is what motivated Garrett to put this out. I remember meeting him a number of years ago at F.F.F.F. where he performed a trick with a finger ring. I don’t as a rule remember a specific trick but I remembered Garrett’s.

Once Upon a Time DVD and Prop By Wayne Dobson

Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $20.00 REVIEW BY JIM KLEEFELD


booklet shows four specific revelations that do not change. In other words, every time you perform it, the outcome will be exactly the same. And, finally, it uses a set-up deck, so you have to dedicate a deck to the trick. You can use the deck for other tricks after this one, but you will lose the setup. The routine is entertaining if you use it in a casual setting with no time limit, but it does take awhile for the spectators to follow your directions and for them to count and separate piles of cards a couple of times. I thought the paper prediction sheet was very nicely produced, but it is paper and will not last forever, since you fold and unfold it at each show. My booklet was apparently handfolded quickly and sloppily because the edges do not square up well. Maybe you’ll get one that was folded more carefully. The trick and prediction work well, but I felt the premise was weak. Specifically, the booklet is designed like a miniature oldfashioned leather storybook, with the title Once Upon a Time; however, there is absolutely no presentational hook in the script. There is nothing anywhere about books, fairy tales, stories, or the like, except that the first sentence on the paper begins “Once upon a time there was a deck of cards that was shuffled and …” Nothing the magician or the spectators do or say has anything to do with stories or books, either before or after that. According to the instructions, you are supposed to bring out the cards, show people how to mix and handle the cards, and then read the booklet. I strongly suggest that if you get this, you work on a script that gives the cute little booklet some context.

The Stessel Button DVD and Prop By John Stessel Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $35.00 REVIEW BY JIM KLEEFELD The last few years have seen an influx of young people suddenly delving into magic in a big way, and then assuming they are capable of inventing clever new effects and selling them to other magicians. Many of these young adults do not know magic history and are simply reinventing the work of their predecessors. Most are simply trying to make a quick buck or garner quick fame by “producing” magic. This has led to a few decent effects being rediscovered, a few horrible products, and copious amounts of so-so in-betweens. The product under review here lies somewhere in the middle. It is not a bad effect, but the trick, the explanation, and the product all could have been better. I am reminded of Al Baker’s tenet that most magicians stop thinking too soon. This effect (I am deliberately not repeating the title here for a reason I’ll explain later) is simple and straightforward. A spectator notices that one of your shirt buttons has been sewn out of place, resting right next to another button. The hole for that button, about four inches above it has no button in it. While they watch, the mis-placed button moves straight up your shirt until it is resting next to the empty buttonhole. You unbutton your shirt and the spectator can see that every button is now correctly sewn in its proper place. Your hands are empty and there is no evidence of any extra buttons or gimmicks. For the standard one-trick DVD price, you get a semi-fin64 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

ished gimmick, some craft supplies, a fair DVD, and two sheets of written instructions. To prepare, you will have to find the right button and do some arts-and-crafts work. Once prepared, no further work is necessary on the gimmick, but to present the effect you will have to spend a bit of time setting the gimmick properly. It can stay in place all day, but each time you dress, you will need to start all over again with a modicum of setup and preparation. On the plus side, the performance is simple and visual: a mis-sewn button physically moves into place while spectators watch. It looks cool. The reset is quick and simple but must be done out of the spectators’ sight. The trick’s negatives are small and mostly considerations and hindrances rather than bad ideas. You have to be wearing a standard button-up-the-front shirt. You need to leave your shirttails casually untucked. It helps a lot if your shirt and buttons are contrasting colors, which is less common than you might think. (I checked my closet and two clothing stores.) A white button on a white shirt simply does not read. You must be wearing pants with belt loops. You have to wear the gimmick continuously, and while it is not painful, it will be inconvenient at restroom breaks and other times. The instructions show the performer tugging and wiggling his shirttails to make the button move, which looks like a dead giveaway to the method, and in fact, it is. The effect is an offhand and impromptu stunt, not strong magic. How many people at a time can see a button on your shirt? If you like the effect and can use it under these conditions, then you may find it worth your investment. Although I consider this a fairly decent effect and rate it goodto-average as a product, there are still some annoyances that fall under the “stopped thinking” category. Here are a few examples. You need an extra matching shirt button. The instructions say that most shirts come with extra buttons sewn in the hem, or you can remove one from a sleeve. This is incomplete information. Many shirts have two sizes of buttons. Sleeve buttons are usually smaller than front placket buttons. If you use a smaller button for your gimmick, it will look odd when you perform; the moving button does not match the rest of them. Ditto for some colored buttons such as tortoise-shell, where multi-color patterns may not be alike. Without tipping too much, at one point you are told to glue a whole playing card to the back of a button and then rip away the excess. Three things are wrong with this. First, playing card stock is not a good material to use because it is too heavy and multilayered. Second, gluing a large card to a button and tearing away most of it proves tedious and inaccurate. A much better suggestion would have been to use a hole-punch to make a small circle of card and glue that to the button. Third, cardboard and glue are less than ideal for the intended purpose. A better setup would be to sew the button to a small round piece of fabric or no-tear paper. Another point: You are taught to tug on your shirt-tails to make the button move, but after a few moments I came up with three other methods that do not involve you suspiciously pulling on your shirt. Want more? You are told to make a loop in a piece of thread by holding the strands together and wrapping clear tape around them. No. It’s thread. Tie it. And for those of you who buy this, my experiments proved that a wire loop was more reliable and less visible than a loop of thread. I mention these points, not to provide your brain with possible solution avenues, but to emphasize how this product, as I mentioned earlier, was put into the market too soon. Someone stopped thinking. As to why I have not repeated the name of the effect, or the name of the person who gets your money for this product, maybe it’s a bit of a personal soapbox, but for what it’s worth,

Alex Elmsley named his famous three-as-four display The Ghost Count. The Hofzinser Cull was simply a cull to Hofzinser. Despite those magical giants' models of selflessness, I’ve seen several new products on the market emblazoned with the name of the person who put it into the marketplace, no matter how much they have actually “created.” It is almost as if they want everyone to extol the virtues of their name by discussing their brilliant magical invention. Is it audacity, misplaced overconfidence, an attempt at magic immortality, or a lack of forward thinking that allows someone without so much as a score of years under his belt to produce a product, market it to seasoned veteran performers, and then name it after himself? Perhaps more young performers should do more research in magic history. Martin Gardner’s Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic and Tarbell Volume 3 offer similar button tricks to this one, and they are not named after anyone. This one has a nice look to it, and a bit of advancement of the method, but I doubt anyone will be extolling the virtues of either the trick or the creator.

Psycho Quiz Prediction Trick By Anthony Owen

Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $22.00 REVIEW BY JOSHUA KANE Anthony Owen is well known as the executive producer for Derren Brown’s shows in England. He is also a creative chap in his own right. Psycho Quiz Prediction provides you with the tools to prepare a copy of a popular American women’s magazine to perform a strong and direct triple-threat prediction. The gaffs are well made and the magazine can be prepared in minutes. The premise is that you have a random volunteer answer questions from the back page quiz regularly found in the magazine. Before you even open the magazine, three predictions are written down and given to another spectator to hold. You are able to reveal specific traits associated with the personality generated by the spectator’s score, the values of the three answers, and the score itself. There are no one-aheads, no stooges, and no switches. You will need to provide your own magazine and prepare it before performance. With good care it should last many performances (although note that the effect will not bear repetition for the same audience). There are no instructions included. You must go to www.lulu.com, register, and download them in ePub format to a device that will permit you to read it. I would have preferred that the instructions had been printed out and included, or that the document itself had been in the more standard PDF format. A further annoyance is that in the ePub we are told (post purchase) that television and Internet rights have been withheld. In the ePub there are links to a demo video and very lucid instructions. The annoyances aside, I look forward to seeing more releases from Anthony Owen.

Complete Peek Wallet Prop By Anthony Miller

Available from: www.Vanishingincmagic.com Price $50.00

REVIEW BY JOSHUA KANE The ad copy tells us that this wallet is designed to do three things well: act as a regular everyday wallet, enable a full peek of an item placed inside, and work as a card-to-wallet wallet after the fashion of Tom Mullica’s ingenious design. The Complete Peek Wallet is made of soft black leather and at first glance looks like a standard bi-fold wallet. At second glance it became clear that this will not work for me as an everyday wallet. The wallet has a snap to secure it closed. When you open it on the left side, there are two slots for credit cards that are open on the left side as well as the top. This does not feel secure to me, and to my eye is strange. There is a third slot, also open on the top and left side to hold several business cards and to enable the peek. Unfortunately, to get to your credit cards you essentially have to expose the gaff, because the slots have not been stepped in a manner to provide easy individual edge access. On the right side is a flap that buttons shut above the bill compartment onto the right face of the inner wallet opposite the side with the slots. This flap at first looks like a coin purse option but is not and it actually impedes access to the bills; you would have to unsnap it to remove your money. To perform the peek, you take out your wallet, unsnap it, and remove one of the business cards that is sticking out from the previously described flap. The spectator writes or draws on it and you bury it back in the stack of cards, close your wallet, and snap it shut. The peek is a full one, which makes it good for drawing duplication effects, and in Anthony Miller’s hands it looks clean. As with all peeks, you will have to watch your angles. On the explanation video provided by Joshua Jay in place of written instructions, he suggests that the snapping of the wallet is a justification for the handling that permits the peek, and then goes on to suggest that you have the spectator hold on to your wallet. This suggestion makes no sense to me. I would never hand someone my wallet to hold on to, and it puts heat in the wrong direction. As a Mullica wallet, I like it; a playing card loads easily. I do not recommend it be used for an SUC peek as some users have suggested, due to the aforementioned issues with the snap pocket and the lack of ease you will find in naturally popping in a business card. The instructional video is downloadable from a website, though it requires registration to do so. Watch the demo and decide if my concerns match up with your own. At $50, it is a fair value.

Ultimate Signed Card in Envelope Props and Instructions By Nick Lewin Available from: www.NickLewin.com Dealers contact: www.NickLewin.com Price $27.00 REVIEW BY MARC DESOUZA This is a terrific close-up routine that brings a classic effect into the hands of even a beginner in magic. An envelope is placed on the table. A card is freely selected, signed, and returned to the deck. The card vanishes and, after a quick gag, appears in the envelope on the table. There is no palming required and it can be MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 65

instantly repeated with no reset required. There is a slight variation in which the envelope is sealed (which has nothing to do with the method), then ripped open to remove the card, after which everything can be examined. Both versions require no sleights other than your favorite card control. You are supplied with several sample envelopes and two 52-on-1 cards. (Now you know the gag.) The gag cards are a different design than the typical ones, and have been used by Nick for many years. Additional envelopes can be easily prepared in seconds, because they can be purchased at any office supply store. There is some printing on the outside of the envelope that can be done by hand, but it looks better to do it on your computer and printer. The instructions are a six-page photo-illustrated booklet that is clearly written. Mr. Lewin provides you with all of the details, tips, and nuances gained from years of live performing. This may be dismissed by some as just another card-in-something effect, but I can’t speak highly enough about this trick. The routine is clever and engaging. It is so practical for the working performer. Plus it’s not a wallet trick, so I can carry another type of gaffed wallet effect! This one is going right into my close-up set. I’m sure if you check this one out, you might do so as well. Very highly recommended. iBalance DVD and By Mark Elsdon

Gimmick

Available from: www.elmwoodmagic.com Dealers contact: www.elmwoodmagic.com Price $29.95 REVIEW BY MARC DESOUZA Imagine borrowing a spectator's cell phone and balancing it on the very fingertips of both hands. Then you remove one hand. The phone stays impossibly balanced on the fingertips of the other hand. The phone can even be balanced on the tip of one finger. You can then hand the phone back to the spectator, none the worse for the experience. This is the effect by the very creative British magician and mentalist Mark Elsdon. A number of years ago, Elsdon created an effect called Balance, which he sold at his lectures. The effect is the same as the one discussed in this review, done then with a deck of cards. The basic method of this new routine is the same, but the gimmick has been refined to the point of being unrecognizable to the original. With this specially machined gimmick, you can borrow any cell phone and perform the effect. Yes, you have to add the gimmick and get rid of it at the end, but it is so tiny that it can be concealed very easily and then disposed of. The DVD, featuring Paul Richards (owner of Elmwood Magic and master demonstrator), does a great job of covering all of the details and will get you up to speed quickly. He discusses different variations in handling, how to adjust to different types of phones, and how to most easily set and get rid of the gimmick. This is not a “do it right out of the package” type effect. You 66 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

will want to practice it sufficiently to gain comfort with all aspects of the routine, but it certainly is not difficult to perform. Doing magic with borrowed objects is very strong. Anyone can borrow a coin from someone and do a trick with it, but to borrow something like a cell phone, that is both personal and valuable, and do magic with it, really impresses. This is something that you will carry with you; with it you will be prepared to blow minds anytime, anywhere. Recommended.

Ultimate Slow Motion Newspaper Tear Trick By Nick Lewin Available from: www.NickLewin.com Dealers contact: www.NickLewin.com Price $35.00 REVIEW BY MARC DESOUZA For the last forty years, the gold standard of Torn and Restored Newspapers has been the Gene Anderson version. Most recently, Axel Hecklau’s brilliant version has served as the newer choice by many, but about fifty years ago Alex Elmsley (yes that Alex Elmsley) created a wonderful, very different version of the classic effect. This version took the opposite tack from the path followed by Anderson’s and Hecklau’s flash restorations. The Elmsley version had the effect of a slow, piece by piece restoration of the newspaper. This is the version chosen by noted pro Nick Lewin as the basis of his routine. My favorite products are real working routines out of an experienced performer’s own working repertoire. It is even better when it is a proven classic effect that can be easily tailored to fit your own working style. As would be expected from a performer of Lewin’s caliber, he has fully researched and experimented with the original. He has performed the routine in his own shows for over thirty years. In that time, he has tweaked Elmsley’s method, and perfected the setup and handling. In addition, he has created a presentation that has made this routine the closer of every show he does. This DVD gives you detailed instruction in both the setup and performance and will have you up and running in no time. It is a no-frills shoot, but the camera work and sound are more than adequate for the purpose. In addition, you get to see Nick perform this in an actual show, so you get a real sense of his style and timing. It will be up to you to tailor it to suit your own personality. I have seen Nick perform this in his shows in front of laymen and magicians and I can vouch for the impact it has on every audience. The slow-motion restoration has a far different effect than the flash restoration. Which you prefer is your choice, but this certainly bears consideration. I fully intend to try this one out myself. This one gets my highest recommendation.

Butterfly Effect and Ripples DVD and Gimmick By Bruno Copin Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $30.00 REVIEW BY MARC DESOUZA Bruno Copin is a world master of thread-based magic. I had

the pleasure of meeting him in 2007 at FISM in Stockholm. The last evening he took me aside in the bar and blew my mind for over an hour with his miraculous magic. Copin’s concepts are brilliant and captivating. His effects look and feel different than most. Copin eventually released a large body of his work in two DVD packages titled Friends. These were very high priced, and as such, did not get the wide range of acclaim from the general magic populace they were due. Bruno has chosen two of the finest effects, one from each volume, and released them on this DVD. Essentially, they are very similar animation effects using playing cards. In Butterfly Effect, Copin tells the story of the concept of the Butterfly Effect and demonstrates it by handing a participant a pack of cards and asking her to shuffle it. She places it on the fingers of her palm-up hand and cuts the pack. The card cut to is placed on the palm of her hand. The other half of the pack is fanned toward her hand. Slowly, the single card turns over and lands on the other cards, and then spins in a circle. The participant may handle all of the cards immediately. In Ripples, a pack of cards is placed on the table. The tabled pack is cut in half. A single card is placed between the two halves; another single card is placed behind one half. The magician gestures and both cards turn over onto their respective halves, and then spin merrily. Again, all of the cards can instantly be examined. Both effects are startling and have great audience impact. The DVD is beautifully shot in a studio setting. There are multiple split screens showing the explanations from several angles. There are alternate audio tracks in English and French. A sample packet of both the thread and putty used by Copin are supplied. On the DVD, Copin explains very clearly how to prepare the thread and how to perform the two effects. In addition, he also explains his ITS system, which allows him to easily place his thread setups into position for use, as well as quickly replacing broken thread setups. The ITS is something sold separately, but the clear explanation will demonstrate its operation and help you decide if it is something that will suit your needs. I really like Copin’s work and hope that this DVD will serve as a sampler and encourage others to delve deeper and acquire his larger bodies of work. Thread magic is not for everyone, but if you like working with it, you owe it to yourself to check out Bruno Copin’s work. Although a little high priced for two quick tricks, I found it well worth the price asked. Recommended. 

If you wish to have your product reviewed, please send it to:

Bill Duncan P.O. Box 50562 Bellevue, WA 98015-0562 MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 67

Treasures from the Salon de M agie By Ken Kloster m an

HOUDINI’S TRAMP CHAIR

Throughout his lifetime, Houdini not only escaped from every conceivable restraint, he also collected examples and “modified” them in such ways that escape was not only possible, it was assured. Such is the case with this month’s item from the Salon de Magie, Houdini’s Tramp Chair. The chair came from the collection of John McManus, former president of Rolls Royce U.S.A. and an avid magic collector. It was one of his most prized possessions. The name came from its purpose: it was designed to restrain drunks and vagrants whom police officers found difficult to control. It held them fast while cells were prepared for their overnight stays. The Tramp Chair was gaffed by Houdini in such a way that even McManus could easily get free. After being shackled to the uncomfortable device, he could escape in a matter of seconds, which McManus did while being interviewed about his collection for a national newspaper feature story. One minute, the reporter wrote, McManus was locked in the chair. The next, only seconds after the reporter had turned his back, McManus was up and about, as if he had melted through his bonds, ala Houdini. Dr. Morris Young, a confidant of McManus, saw his friend tinker with the chair on several occasions. Once, in fact, Young was asked to shackle him to the chair by his hands and neck. McManus instructed Young to walk toward the doorway directly behind him. As Young turned away and started for the door, he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was McManus, offering to accompany his friend into the next room. In performance, Houdini was shackled to the chair with 68 M-U-M Magazine - MARCH 2014

borrowed handcuffs and by the neck with a borrowed padlock on the neck collar. A screen was placed around him; when he judged that enough time had elapsed, he reappeared from his curtained enclosure. The chair is gimmicked for escape, but an instant appearance would have suggested trickery; waiting a bit let the audience imagine how he was struggling to get free. No known magic apparatus craftsman constructed the Tramp Chair for Houdini. It may, in fact, have been a real device that the master escape artist altered for his personal use. Whoever built it understood that the key to the construction of escape apparatus was to make it look absolutely plain, nondescript, and sturdy. Whereas Blackstone’s Pillory illusion was decorated with red, yellow, and blue paint, Houdini’s Tramp Chair appears to Hardeen and Harry be exactly what it was advertised to be – a restraint device used by police officers. In 1913, Houdini’s brother Hardeen ran into another Tramp Chair that was considerably more serious and heavy duty. He was appearing at the Bijou Theater in Bangor, Maine, issuing challenges to one and all to bring restraint devices to the theater to challenge him. That challenge was taken up by a committee from the Bangor City Department. They challenged Hardeen to escape from their Tramp Chair, which resembled an iron-bound cell on wheels. The cell was shaped like a chair. Once the prisoner was seated inside, handcuffs were applied, the door was swung shut, and a Yale lock was applied. In this position it was impossible for the person inside to access either the handcuffs or the lock outside. Recalling the incident many years later before the National Council of the S.A.M., Hardeen said he almost fainted when he saw the chair when it was wheeled on stage. After fastening him in the chair, one of the committee members said, “We will be around in the morning to get you out in time for breakfast.” With that remark he threw the keys out into the alleyway behind the fire exit. Hardeen’s red velour cabinet was placed around the chair and the committee surrounded the cabinet to ensure he received no assistance from anyone. In eleven minutes and fifty-four seconds, Hardeen escaped from the Tramp Chair. The Tramp Chair’s last appearance outside of the Salon de Magie was at the 1993 I.B.M. convention. It was included in a “museum” exhibit attendees enjoyed, featuring memorabilia from the very first I.B.M. conventions, equipment from magicians of the past, and selected Houdini props and printed ephemera. 

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INSIDE STRAIGHT EN RAPPORT

BY NORMAN BECK

Well, I’m back. I took a little vacation that involved two brain surgeries, two eye surgeries, and one unexpected trip to the ER. I first want to say thank you to all the people who supported me in this bump in the road. I am now back at work and back to writing. I have several stories and tips to share with you. My hope is that you never have to use them. I was in the Neuro ICU of the hospital, which is very close to Fishhook, Arkansas, in that it is at or near the end of the line. The two things I craved most were air and sleep. Air came easy, but that sleep thing was very hard to come by. I was awakened for things like blood and blood pressure, and I was even disturbed to see if I was sleeping okay. I will say that the best course of action was to stay pleasant through all of it. The people who wake you have no choice; it is protocol. However, I do want to tell you about Leroy. It was 3:15 a.m. and I was asleep. Leroy, a black porter, had walked into my room to clean it. I would have never known he was there except that he was humming. Some people whistle while they work; Leroy hums. I woke up to Leroy humming the blues tune “The Killing Floor.” It was dark in my room and Leroy had no idea if I was awake or not. I found that many patients on that floor can’t communicate, even if they’re awake. All I said to Leroy was, “That’s a Lighting Hopkins tune. If you are going to hum a song, something other than ‘The Killing Floor’ might be more appropriate.” I said it with a smile in my voice and in a non-threatening way. Leroy switched to “Georgia on My Mind,” a Ray Charles song. I said, “Oh man, that’s Ray Charles. That’s too easy.” Leroy was shocked. He asked, “How do you know those songs?” I said, “Just because I’m white doesn’t mean that I’m not sophisticated.” Leroy and I were friends for the rest of my stay. The lesson learned here is rapport: a friendly relationship; an emotional bond based on a sense of understanding. Sometimes you get it and sometimes you don’t. In less than thirty seconds I had it with Leroy, and it was with us the entire time of my stay in the hospital. I remember a number of years ago I watched a very bad performance by a mentalist at a bridge function I attended. The mentalist did a bridge deal in which he dealt himself a grand slam. He referred to this feat as bidding seven no trump. The statement “seven no trump” is accurate, but it is not a term that most bridge players use. An experienced bridge player would say “he bid them all” or “he went all in.” The word “finesse” is another example; a bridge player says “hook.” The mentalist’s attempt to use jargon to gain rapport fell flat. If you do a poker demonstration for real poker players and you have never actually played poker, you will fall flat if you don’t say the right words. The right words will serve you well. One time I was working at my day job doing a promotion in a casino and an older man asked me what the odds of winning were. I gave the flip response that they were 50/50: he would either win or he wouldn’t. The man came back at me, saying, “You don’t understand. I’m not buying pumpkins, I’m selling them.” That one line was all it took to make me like him. Words are so important; they often speak volumes, so please choose them carefully. It is good to be back and once more thanks to everyone who reached out to me. MARCH 2014 - M-U-M Magazine 69

The Dean's Diary By George Schindler

GRAVESITE RESTORATION It is a sign of great respect when one visits the grave of a departed family member or friend. I remember the feeling of being part of the history of magic when Todd Karr took me to visit the Harry Kellar grave in Los Angeles. I had the same feeling when I saw the marker outside the crypt containing the remains of Dante near San Francisco and in New Zealand where I saw the repaired grave of Kudarz, one of the earliest members of the S.A.M. Since 2009, Richie Magic, past president of Parent Assembly 1, and his wife Barbara have paid their respects to some of the legends of magic by visiting their graves. In 2010 they found the graves of Alexander and Adelaide Herrmann at the Woodlawn cemetery. They were upset by the fact that the site was in serious need of repair. After speaking with the cemetery historian, they were pleased that repairs and the resetting of the foot stones were made by the cemetery at no charge. Richie determined then that he would make it his mission to see that other famous magic graves in the New York area, which were often abandoned, received care. In October of 2011 he approached the board and members of Parent Assembly 1 and got unanimous approval to set up a Gravesite Restoration Committee to oversee this effort. Along with co-chairman David Adamovich and members Pat Colby, Tom Klem, Jordan Linker, Dr. Bruce Lish, Barbara Magic, Sal Perotta, Alan Rubenstein, and myself, the committee was established. Not every cemetery has been as accommodating as Woodlawn; funds were needed to go forward with our plans. Richie and Dave set up a series of magic shows with the help of local magic shops around the city. The entertainers were all volunteers. Funds were raised


Richie Magic at the Al Flosso grave

to carry out our goals to beatify, clean, and/or restore and repair unkempt or deserted graves. To date, the committee has completed repair to the graves of the Great Carter (Charles J.), Al Flosso (Albert Levinson), and Nate Leipzig. A team visit added flowers to Beatrice (Bess) Houdini’s grave this past year. With the coming of spring when the weather gets warmer, plans to add a marker to the Max Holden grave will be realized. The Magic Circle has a similar Memorial and Heritage Committee. Other assemblies may wish to consider setting up a similar program for this purpose to remember magicians in their own areas. 

MUM,03-2014.pdf

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