AUGUST 2012

DENNY HANEY: DEFENDER OF THE OLD SCHOOL PAGE 36

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

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4 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 M-U-M AUGUST 2012 Magazine Volume 102 • Number 3

ON THE COVER S.A.M. NEWS PAGE 36 6 From the Editor’s Desk 8 From the President’s Desk 10 New Members & Reinstatements 11 M-U-M Assembly News 25 S.A.M. Spotlight 26 Broken Wands 27 Good Cheer List 46 Newsworthy 67 Our Advertisers 54

THIS MONTH’S FEATURES 27 Basil the Baffling • by Alan Wassilak 28 Quick Look Book Look: Thinking the Impossible 66 36 COVER STORY • by Scott Alexander 42 A Magician Prepares • by Dennis Loomis 46 Illusions of Grandeur • by David Seebach 49 Salon de Magie • by Ken Klosterman 54 Nielsen Gallery • by Tom Ewing 56 Informed Opinion • New Product Reviews 66 Salad Bowl Prediction • by Paul Osborne

COLUMNISTS 52 32 Stage 101 • by Levent 34 Ellipsis • by Michael Perovich 45 Tech Tricks • by Bruce Kalver 50 I Left My Cards at Home • by Steve Marshall 52 Pro Files • by James Munton 67 Inside Straight • by Norman Beck 68 The Dean’s Diary • by George Schindler 70 Confessions of a Paid Amateur • by Rod Danilewicz

Cover Photo by Scott Alexander

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.

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 5 consist only of family and very close friends. Such magicians hate exposure because exposure makes a layman exactly as knowledgeable as they are. Then there are the magicians whose presentations are such that the only message offered is that the magician is superior Editor’s Desk because he knows the gizmo and the spectator doesn’t. Such magicians aren’t magicians; they are jerks, and they are the Michael Close reason that many people hate watching magic. Such magicians hate exposure because they can no longer use knowledge of the I am a big fan of contemporary physics and cosmology. I have gizmo as the justification for their assumed superiority. read and studied the general public books of authors like Stephen Then there are the magicians who are more advanced than the Hawking, Brian Greene, and Lawrence Krauss. I don’t mean that neophyte and who structure their presentations to avoid looking I have skimmed through the books by these learned gentlemen; like jerks, but who are still knocked off their pegs when a trick I have read and reread them, trying to wrap my head around the in their repertoires is exposed. What can they do? What can any concepts they introduce. And I’m gaining some headway. I’m of us do? The answer is simple: we have to be better magicians. beginning to understand the Big Bang, inflation, dark matter, We must have a deeper knowledge of effects and methods. dark energy, string theory, and the importance of finding the We have to know how to psychologically manipulate our Higgs boson. spectators, to control what they observe and what they But no matter how many of these general public books I read, remember, to dispel possible methods, and especially to cancel or how many of the wonderful science programs I watch on televi- the thought of any gizmos they may be aware of. And most sion, my knowledge of this subject would not cause any working important, we must offer content that goes beyond the mere physicist to worry about his or her job security. There is simply presentation of puzzles – puzzles whose gizmos a spectator needs so much more to physics than the surface concepts explained in to deduce in order to be satisfied by the experience. these books. If you doubt this, just open up a physics textbook and Sometimes you can get blindsided by an unexpected exposure. see how far you get through it. (The collected Feynman Lectures In 2000, the country was made aware of the existence of “hanging on Physics are fun, if you’re brave.) I have been exposed to the chads,” which just happens to be a part of the method of a trick concepts and ideas of contemporary physics, but in no way does that I am well known for. What did I do? I retired the trick for this information diminish my respect and admiration for the several years. I have a large enough repertoire that I could do people who devote their lives to science. Even a casual reader of that. I missed performing the trick, but I was able to put it back these books (or viewer of the television shows) must realize that in rotation after the knowledge of chads faded into the clutter there is a lot more to physics than is presented in shows or books of informational noise that normal people are bombarded with for the general public. every day. I know that stage magicians suffer when the methods So what’s the point of this little essay? I’ll get to it in a of certain illusions are indiscriminately exposed. But illusion- moment (and I know that many of you are way ahead of me), but ists have always had a major challenge, that of transcending the before I do, I want to define a term that I’ll use in the rest of this “box.” How do you justify the prop? How do you make it less article. The term is “gizmo.” For our purposes, the “gizmo” is the of an object of intellectual interest? There’s the challenge. After one-sentence explanation of how a magic trick works; the kind of all, I’m not sure how much of a difference there is in a spectator explanation that a lowlife masked magician or a kid on YouTube thinking, “There must be something funny about that box,” and might divulge. “The coin is copper on one side and silver on that same spectator knowing exactly what the gizmo is. Either the other.” “The magician wears a plastic thumb.” “There’s a way, mystery disappears. trapdoor in the stage.” “The playing cards are marked.” “The box Why do I hate exposure? I hate it because it reinforces the has a secret compartment hidden by mirrors.” For a generally stereotype that conjuring is simple and trivial; that if you know disinterested layman, the one- or two-sentence explanation of the the gizmo, you have the right to call yourself a magician. Nothing gizmo is all that’s necessary to give the impression that the entire could be further from the truth. Providing a disinterested, workings of the trick have been revealed. (If I want to expose the skeptical spectator with the experience of astonishment cloaked McDonald’s Aces trick to a layman, I don’t have to explain how in an evocative presentation is one of the most difficult things I I accomplish the switches, the laydown, or the various vanishes; have ever tried to do. The information on how to achieve this is all I need to do is show that three of the Aces are double-faced.) available, safely hidden away in books – books that must be read, Magicians get upset when someone indiscriminately exposes absorbed, studied, reread, and internalized, just like a physics the various gizmos of magic tricks. I get upset, too, but not for the textbook. reason you might think. I’ll explain why I get upset in a moment, If you’re angry about exposure, fight back by being a but before I do, let’s take a look at various types of magicians and living example of the fact that there is more to magic than the how exposure affects them. gizmo. Let your There are magicians whose only knowledge of magic consists performances of knowing the gizmo. In other words, the only difference show that magic between the magician and the spectator is that the magician got can be a deep, to the magic shop first. Such magicians aren’t magicians at all; m e a n i n g f u l , they are magic trick owners. Many neophytes start out this way, and relevant art and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as their audiences form. 

6 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012

Echoes of the Past The following is an excerpt from “The Prez Sez,” M-U-M, September 1971, written by National President J. Gary Bontjes: “Each One Reach One – Increasing our membership is again our number one goal for the coming year. If each member would President’s Desk take just a few moments to obtain a single new member, we could double our membership in a very short period of time. This, in turn, would be beneficial to all in terms of things such as an Chris Bontjes enlarged monthly issue of M-U-M.” Increasing membership numbers continues to be an important yearly goal of the S.A.M. Two of the main objectives A New Look – A New Benefit of our Society, as stated in our constitution, are to promote har- For nearly a year now, members of the national council have monious fellowship throughout the world among those sincerely been working diligently on redesigning the S.A.M. website interested in the art of magic, and to provide lectures and (www.magicsam.com). By the time this column is published, the courses of instruction designed to elevate the art of magic. In- new site should be up and running. What you see is the result creasing our membership will allow us to better accomplish both of a great deal of work on the part of a great many people. The objectives. effort was led by our newest PNP, Vinny Grosso. Thanks, Vinny. Welcoming more compeers as S.A.M. members gives us the It looks great! opportunity to build greater harmony among more magicians, to We have done our best to work out all the bugs in the new site better promote the art of magic, and to provide more and better before the launch, but if you should happen to find an error or benefits of membership. It supports the work of the Society and something that doesn’t work correctly, please drop a line to the underlines our Cabala –Unity among more Magicians will give technology chairman, PNP Bruce Kalver, at SAMtalkBruce@ us more Might. That might will, in turn, allow us to do more for cox.net so that we can work to correct the problem. our members. With the new site comes a new membership benefit – VIP With this in mind, I am joining Gary, and many other Past (Video Instruction Program). The idea is to build a secure online National Presidents, in asking each compeer to Get Involved in magic learning center by and for S.A.M. compeers. Submissions this goal by Passing It On. may be made by any S.A.M. member. Details, rules, and instruc- Talk to people about your interest in magic. When you find tions for submission are available on the website. someone who shares the interest, tell them about the S.A.M., invite them to an assembly meeting, and give them the opportu- Magic Week nity to join the world’s oldest magical organization. The objective of Magic Week (October 25-31) has always We offer several membership options, including regular, been the spirit of giving – the donating of our time and our talents paperless, military, household, youth, and life membership to to those who might otherwise never experience the wonder of a fit a variety of needs and budgets, and membership in all forms live performance of magic. In recent years, the focus has changed carries many benefits. from a one-week blitz to a celebration of a year of charity and service, but a performance of this type during magic week is an Membership – A Matter of Pride excellent opportunity to get some media exposure for yourself When you begin a discussion with a magic enthusiast about and the S.A.M. S.A.M. membership, you will certainly be asked about the Now is the time to begin planning a Magic Week perfor- benefits of joining. M-U-M magazine is a great starting point mance. Deciding on a performance date, time, and place at your for answering this question, but it is only the beginning. When August assembly meeting will allow you two months to line I served as RVP, I researched the benefits we offer and I learned up performers, organize the show, and contact the news media that membership benefits were available that I did not know about. before show time. In sharing this information with compeers across the Midwest, I It is also important that you let us know what you are doing found that my list invariably contained at least one benefit that in honor of Magic Week so that we can share your accomplish- came as a surprise to those I spoke with. ments with compeers around the world. Reporting your activities I urge you to take a few moments to look over the benefits couldn’t be easier. Just send an email to Jeff Sikora (Chair of we currently offer our members. Chances are good you may the Magic Week Committee) at [email protected]. Please let us learn something new. A list can be found on the S.A.M. website know what you are planning as soon as you decide, so that we (www.magicsam.com). The list is filled with many important op- can share your ideas with other compeers. Jeff would also love it portunities of great value to our members. It does, however, fail if you would send him a second email when your performance is to list what I believe to be the greatest benefit of all – pride. finished, including information like the names of the performers I am proud to be a member of world’s first magical organiza- and some pictures from the show. tion – proud to have my name added to a list of magicians that If your performance should happen to garner the attention of includes Houdini, Thurston, Kellar, Blackstone, King, Burton, the media, let us know that, too. Send us a link to the story so that Copperfield, and more than 47,000 others. I am proud to be we can share your success and inspire your compeers. Be sure to involved in a group that promotes an art form I love and that is mention the S.A.M. during your interview – it is a great way to dedicated to fellowship among those who share that love. I am Get Involved in letting the public know about the Society’s goal proud to support the S.A.M. and the advancement of the art of of donating our time and service to those in need. It is also an magic with my time, with my actions, and with my continued opportunity to Pass It On by letting those interested in magic membership. know that your assembly is there – ready and willing to accept Recruit a new compeer. It’s a great way to Get Involved…and new members. Pass It On! 

8 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 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: J. Christopher Bontjes, 2313 Atwood Ct., Danville, IL 61834 (217)431-4791 [email protected] President Elect: Dal Sanders, 3316 Northaven Rd, Dallas, TX 75229 (214) 902-9200, DalSanders@ StagemMagic.com First Vice President: Kenrick “ICE” McDonald, P.O. Box 341034, Los Angeles, CA 90034, (310) 559-8968 [email protected] Secretary: Marlene Clark, 274 Church Street, #6B Guilford, CT 06437, (203) 689-5730, Skype: marlene.clark, [email protected] Treasurer: Mary Ann Blowers, 3 Christopher Bluffs Court, St. Louis, MO 63129 (314) 846-8468 [email protected] Skype: maryan.blowers

Regional Vice Presidents

New England: CT MA RI NH ME VT Joseph Caulfield (603) 654-6022, [email protected] North Atlantic: NY NJ Pat Colby, [email protected] Mid Atlantic: PA DE MD VAWV DC David W. Bowers, 169 Tobin Dr., Chambersburg, PA 17201(717) 414-7574, [email protected] South Atlantic: FL AL GA MS NC SC Debbie Leifer (404) 630-1120 [email protected] Central Plains: KY TN OH IN MI Jania Taylor, (231)242-8242, [email protected] Midwest: IL MN WI MO ND NE KS SD IA Jeff Sikora, 13023 Crown Point Ave., Omaha, NE 68164 (402)-339-6726, [email protected] South Cental States: TX AR OK NM LA Jeff Lanes, (713)850-1770, [email protected] Southwest: CA AZ NV HI John Shryock III (520) 885-7999 [email protected] Northwest: WA OR UT ID CO AK WY MT Michael Roth, (503)493-8316, [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]

Living Past National Presidents

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

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 9 New Members and Reinstatements

New Members Owens, Steve - Torrance, CA Giliam, Eric - Anchorage, AK Pierce, Mike - Tillamook, OR Gonzalez, Freddie - Fajardo, Puerto Rico Pudar, Nick - Farmington Hills, MI Grimm, Al - Pensacola, FL Agcaoili, Mel - Culver City, CA Reader, Bill - Spencerville, IN Groves, Kyle - Pueblo, CO Alvidrez, Rogelio - El Paso, TX Rehmeyer, David - Puyallup, WA Hargiss, Jeff - Waterloo, IL Amos-Jackson, Ernest - Santa Cruz, CA Richard, Sean Paul - Baton Rouge, LA Hasty, Chase - Holdrege, NE Arnold, Les - Long Beach, CA Robare, Melinda - Kenner, LA Hickman, Curtis - Provo, UT Arteaga, Maximiliano Minor - Cuauhtemoc, Rowley, Terry - Santa Cruz, CA Hruska, Michael - Hollsopple, PA CP MEXICO Royes, Stephanie - Metairie, LA Ingalls, Robert P - San Diego, CA Baltresca, Rafael - Sao Paulo, BRAZIL Runnells, Sarah - Spring, TX Kaegin, Terry - Lexington, NE Barlett, Douglas V - Riverside, CA Rushing, Glen - Clearwater, FL Kenemuth, Beverly - Lakeland, FL Blain, Michael - Tallahassee, FL Shimomura, Tomoyuki - Tokyo, JAPAN Kerrigan, Joseph - Gettysburg, PA Boyd, James - St Paul, MN Sluder, Michael - Canyon, TX Kramien, Stanley R - Tigard, OR Cadena, Maximiliano Minor - Cuauhtemoc, Smiddie, Jason - Crossville, TN Lamantia, Carmelo - Thornwood, NY CP MEXICO Smith, Stephen - Spring, TX Lawrence, Ray - Louisville, KY Conant, Michael - Berkeley, CA Swinger, Russ - Florence, MT Long, John - Brisbane, AUSTRALIA Court, Clive - Toronto, ONTARIO CANADA Templar, Sebastian - Monee, IL Lowe, Robert A - Gilbert, AZ Deangelis, Giuseppe - San Diego, CA Thomsen, Carl - Palo Alto, CA Lucier, Ronald - West Brookfield, MA Devereaux, Greg - Las Vegas, NV Weissenberger, Glen - River Forest, IL Lynch, Mike - Ewa Beach, HI Dodge, Tom - St Paul, MN Wilbur, Charles - Paso Robles, CA Maloney, Bill - Bridgeport, CT Fernandez, Marcos Patino - Cuauhtemoc, CP Zanardi, Augusto - Buenos Aires, Mc Anespie, John - Lancaster, OH MEXICO ARGENTINA Mcadams, Gregory - N Billerica, MA Floeren, Alexander - Übach-Palenberg, Zarin, Richard - Kent, CT Mcdermaid, James ‘Hanson’ - Vancouver, BC GERMANY CANADA Force, Stephen - Poughkeepsie, NY Midkiff, Wendel - Huntington, WV Friedman, Corey - Wilton Manors, FL Muldoon, Michael - Glendale, NY Galsky, Ruben - Miami, FL REINSTATEMENTS Murchison, Dale - Kettering, OH Galsky, Plomo - Miami, FL Murphy, John A - San Antonio, TX Gerba, George - Keansburg, NJ Anderson, Johnny - Mandeville, LA Padillia, Marie - Terryville, CT Gonzalez Garcia, Hugo - Granda, SPAIN Angello, Al - Collegeville, PA Parekh, Kruti - Mumbai, INDIA Grendahl, Richard - Boydton, VA Baker, Richard H - Hidden Hills, CA Plants, Gary - League City, TX Hagins, Ed - Surfside Beach, SC Barnard, Michael - Madison, WI Principato, Michael - Mason, OH Halbrook, Robert - Cloquet, MN Barnes, Kevin P - Janesville, IA Recca, Joseph - Stoughton, MA Hara, Hiroki - Wakayama, JAPAN JAPAN Blockburger, Robert - Newfoundland, NJ Redmon, John - Tucson, AZ Hardee, Ray - Gaston, SC Brandon, Ricky - Spanissh Fork, UT Reyes, Ignacio - Joliet, IL Hawkins, Mark - Fox River Grove, IL Brewer, Dennis Michael - Austin, TX Saivipoo, Maitree - Ventura, CA Helal, Jad - Bellegaurde Sur Valserine, Brothers, Sam - Alexandria, VA Shipman Ii, Dennis - Henderson, NV FRANCE Burrage, Trigg - Dallas, TX Solomon, Ed - San Antonio, TX Hernandez Herrera, Eduardo - MEXICO Butler, Ryan - Kansas City, MO Sparks, James - El Paso, TX Herrmann, Nicholaus - El Cajon, CA Campbell, Robert - Florissant, MO Springer, Stephen - Santa Rosa Beach, FL Higgins, Jeffrey - Indianapolis, IN Champion, Shaun - Redondo Beach, CA Taylor, Stephen D - Louisville, KY Hoag, Richard - Spreckles, CA Crox Jr, Walter L - Cleveland, TN Toffolo, Ron - Denville, NJ Hurley, Jerry - Magroom, UK Dempsey, Robert T - Battle Creek, MI Varella, Ian - San Marcos, TX Johnson, David - Lehi, UT Dunlap, Robert - Lake Oswego, OR Varkalis, Michael S - Damascus, MD Kanowsky, Gary - Sun Lakes, AZ Evangelista, David R - New Port Richey, FL Weiss, Bob - Los Angeles, CA Kanter, Allen - Glendale, NY Fleming, Keith - Dade City, FL Youngblood Jr, Hull - San Antonio, TX Kearney, Paul W - Billerica, MA Franzen, George D - Tucson, AZ Kinder, Jo Ann - Tipp City, OH King, Matthew - San Diego, CA Kirsipuu, Paul - Voluntown, CT Kniffin, Trevor - Austin, TX Lacey, John - Rochester, NY Lauro, Gianpiero - Chieri, ITALY Lawrence, Raychall - Washington, DC Lerner, Joel - Monticello, NY Li, Ying - Fresh Meadows, NY Longley, David - Surprise, AZ Marshall, Neil - Fremont, CA Mc Mann, Larry A - Key Largo, FL Miller, Randy - Tacoma, WA Mossman, Harry - Sacramento, CA Ortiz, William - Huntington Station, NY

10 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 ASSEMBLY NEWS Society of American Magicians Monthly News AUGUST 2012 Volume 102, Number 3

Go to: www.mum-magazine.com and use the easy submission form to file your report

Oculewicz, and Jerry Waye. graves of famous magicians contest and that we had eight 1 These newly elected officers in the New York area. entrants to be judged by the Salute to Magic, join the other two trustees If you’re visiting New audience. Dan Rasmussen New Officers, and and three past presidents to York, stop by the magic baf fle d u s w it h a ve r y compl i- Asi Wind form the Board. table, every Friday at the cated prediction of numbers, Our after-meeting event Edison Cafe, 12:30 to 2. names, day, time, object New York, NY— On was the annual Willie —Jordan Linker and place. It was a powerful Tuesday May 22, the Parent Schneider lecture, featuring Parent Assembly One meets display of mentalism. Next Assembly held our 103rd Asi Wind. Asi gave a great the First Friday of the month up was Past President Larry annual Salute to Magic at lecture featuring some at Goldwurm Auditorium Brodahl who asked, “Can Theater 80 in New York wonderful card work and Mt. Sinai Hospital, 1425 the mind be read?” Acting City. Attendees were treated some great mentalism Madison Avenue at 98th the part of Sherlock Holmes to great performances by effects. A spectator cut to street at 7:15pm. Contact provided the answer with illusionist Elliot Zimet, im- a named card, a borrowed Tom Klem [email protected] some playful props. Steve palement artist The Great dollar bill appeared under (SAMPA1.com for more Cotariu acted out the story Throwdini, ventriloquist a spectator’s watch, and details. of “Red and the olive test” John Pizzi, and a grand a mentally chosen card and ended with a surprise finale by illusionist Lyn appeared reversed in the production of three baseballs Dillies; Todd Robbins was deck. After the lecture was 7 from the same Chop Cup. the emcee. Victor Sendax complete, Asi spent another I “read” about a Bruce Jacoby (and assistant) received the 2012 Magician hour in a mini workshop and contest asked the question, “Can I of the Year award and read with my eyes shut (or a gave a heartwarming and Omaha, NE— Tonight mask on)?” Tom Neddo and gracious acceptance speech. Vice President Tom Zepf his assistant (Johnny Impos- A wonderful time was had introduced Mark Carson sible) played out some clair- by all. Congratulations from Fat Brain Toys, who voyance with a red deck of to Salute producer Richie proposed a possible col- cards and a red sponge ball. Magic and his committee for laboration with the Omaha Pete Petrashek stood in total a great job. Magical Society to produce silence while we watched June 1 was our last meeting The Celebration of the Mind him vanish a red stirring before the summer break. – an extension of the works device; he then made it After full reports from com- of Martin Gardner, who is reappear. mittees and the presentation known for his recreational Johnny Impossible brought of some certificates issued mathematics and magic. Bubble Gum the Clown out by President Jim Kelly, Jim Stranges, Asi Wind Tom also announced yet of the audience to predict a elections were held and the another lecture for this year matching card effect. Jeff new board was sworn in. Q and A session. It was a by Cody Fisher scheduled Sikora ended the competi- Congratulations to President great way to end the year. for the week following our tion by producing a shopping Richie Magic,1st Vice On Wednesday, June 20, picnic at Boystown. Tom has bag full of red nightlights President Bob Freidhoffer, the grave site restoration done a great job providing with the audience’s help 2nd Vice President Jordan committee held their fourth programs of the highest (see photo) and then enlisted Linker, Treasurer David fundraising show at Tricky value for our club. The club his grandfather’s teeth to Adomovich (aka Throwdini), Business in East Meadow. gave Tom a sitting ovation, produce a hilarious climax Secretary Pat Colby, Trustee Performers Kamarr, recognizing his hitting a to a prediction produced George Schindler, Con- Rene Clement, and Omar milestone as a member of from a torn newspaper. troller Rene Clement, and O’llusion were introduced The Society of American This kind of evening brings “at large” board members by host John Reid. All had a Magicians for fifty years. out a veritable plethora Richie Bossong, Doug fun time and the funds raised President Bob Gehringer of magic. The results of Edwards, Ted Lee, Steve will be used to restore the announced our “red/read” the audience voting were

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 11 Assembly News

What a show we had. Larry Theatre 166, causing severe power of “creative visual- Lucy performed his first damage to the location ization” using playing cards. stage show. Good job! The that has hosted the Dallas After a spectator selected Great Todd & Julia Roberts Magic Clubs for over a a card and shuffled it back (okay not a personal ap- year. Because of this, the into the deck, Trigg was pearance) performed. Good June meeting took place able to help the spectator old Uncle Larry has us in at Wizards Sports Café in “visualize” his card using stitches. President Don Richardson, Texas. Becker performed several The meeting was effects, but his assistant called to order by Elmo, stole the show. incoming president Contest winner Jeff Sikora Mark Jensen. and his red lights Guests included Rob Divers (Magic very close, but Jeff Sikora Nurse Rob) and emerged the winner of the Jim Malone. $50 prize along with the After welcoming Panelists Derrel Allen, Dal Sanders, Jim “choice of the table” from everyone, Mark Tyler, and David Hira all of the magic gener- opened the night by ously donated by one of briefly discussing our members, Dave Arch. the Jim Steinmeyer book a blank card. When the There was an air of anxiety The Last Greatest Magician blank card was unfolded, throughout the audience Don Becker, Prez. in the World, a biography of it had transformed into the and performers all evening, Howard Thurston. The book selected card. but this resulted in a We cancelled our first covers the life of Thurston Mark Jensen also demon- unique magical experience. meeting in June because and features his competi- strated a card trick – in par- —Jerry Golmanavich most of us were going to the tion with rival American ticular, the first card trick Assembly 7 meets at the Ring 1 lecture that night. We magicians, including he ever learned. Mark took Southwest Church of Christ have a very good relationship Houdini. a shuffled deck and suc- near 124th St, and West with Ring 1 and a lot of the After announcements, the cessfully produced the four Center Road- right across magicians here are members Dallas Magic Clubs rec- Aces, one at a time. When from Hooters. Contact Jerry of both groups. Sometimes ognized magician Jordan asked if he could do the Golmanavich golubki@ we share costs, sometimes Burgess for his help over the trick with any deck, Mark cox.net (402) 390-9834 we invite them to a lecture, last year, presenting Jordan said he could – and showed omahamagicalsociety.com and sometimes they invite with a framed certificate of that the deck he was using for more details. us. If only the whole world appreciation and the new had changed into fifty-two could cooperate like this... book Maelstrom by Tom different card backs. it would be magical! Stone. The second half of the night 8 —Dan Todd With business complete, was devoted to a panel dis- Under New Assembly 8 meets on the 2nd the theme of the evening cussion on restaurant magic, Management & 4th Thursdays of the month was Restaurant Magic. hosted by Mike Squires. at 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. We Trigg Watson stepped up The panelists were Derrel St. Louis, MO— Themed meet at Mount Tabor United to demonstrate his brand Allen (Mr. Goodfriend), “Show Me the Medal”, Church of Christ on 6520 of restaurant magic, with Dal Sanders, Diamond this year’s installation Arsenal St. near Hwy 44 the assistance of Luis Jim Tyler, and David Hira. banquet was a hit. The Contact Don Becker Acevedo, Tharpo, and Topics included approaching multitudes were fed, the [email protected] Robert Rosskopf acting as a table, selecting appropriate medals awarded, and then (636) 947-7963 Assembly8. restaurant patrons. Trigg tricks, establishing a rapport the officers and board com for more details. performed a number of coin with the staff, tips, and the were installed. They are as effects, starting with pulling job market. All four par- follows: President – Don an “invisible” coin from a ticipants gave great advice, Becker, VP – Dan Todd, 13 spectator’s ear and changing and each pulled from their Secy/Treas – Dick Blowers, Restaurant Magic it to a visible coin. After a unique experiences. and Sergeant of Arms – number of vanishes and pro- Contact Reade Quinton Sandy Weis. Or newly- Dallas, TX— On ductions, Trigg changed a at: reade.quinton@gmail. elected board members are: Wednesday, June 6, a half dollar into an English com (972) 400-0195 or go PNP Harry Monti, Mike lightning bolt struck penny in a spectator’s hand. to www.dallasmagic.org for Hindrichs, and Larry Minth. Crosspointe Church and Trigg then demonstrated the details.

12 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Assembly News

spectator. Jonas Toutant did tunity to see David Stone Monday of every month at 17 a really wild King Switch lecture, then do so. You will the IATSE Local 51 Meeting Sharing the Magic by Simon Lovell. Our dean, not be disappointed. Hall, 3030 North Freeway, Tom Gentile, finished the We had a great Memorial Houston, TX. A teaching Springfield, MA— evening with a really “old” Day BBQ and general get-to- lecture begins at 7:30 pm Tonight was our last meeting Kevin Menard blindfold. gether again this year. Gene with the meeting beginning for the season. It is hard to He revealed the chosen and Betty Protas, Frank at 8:00 pm. say goodbye, but our vice card with accuracy every Price, Doug and Donnie president, Leonard Nadeau, time. Though the monthly Kornegay, and Bob Smith 21 brought in a specially were major contributors to Silk stuff decorated sheet cake to making this the success it celebrate another success- was. Hartford, CT — We got ful year with the S.A.M. Our patriotic-themed magic elections out of the way fairly Joe Bednar began the teach-in session this month quickly. Angelo Chirico evening with his variation was led by Scott Wells, who and Dan Sclare swapped of Dai Vernon’s Twisting the presented a fine red, white, president and vice president Aces. Bob Carroll taught us and blue three-rope routine. slots. Marlene Clark brought another easy self-working Jamie Salinas followed news that David Oliver was card trick he called Rubik’s with a mis-made flag pro- feted by his Boston area Cube. Using three piles of Aldo Colombini and Brian duction. As Jamie stated, assembly, but also that he is cards, he took one card out Dimock his presentation was about looking at a lung transplant. of one pile and put it in the more than just the routine, Since David started at our pile to the left, continuing meetings are over for the but included excellent infor- assembly, we immediately until all four Aces remained. summer, we will still meet mation about crowd control began discussing fund-rais- Rich Pinsonnault showed again one more time for and focus while giving your ing ideas. (David, if you’re us his dexterity with coins, our Summer Sizzler picnic performance. Both of these reading this, close your passing them from one hand at Look Park. It’s been an presentations were great and eyes!) Marlene and Steve to another; he even had one annual event for the last many thanks to both Scott Wronker were appointed come out of a wand. Later few years; we hope to see and Jamie! to a committee to come up he showed us his same you and your families one We also welcomed Stephen with fund-raising possibili- dexterity at pulling cards out last time until the fall. Smith as a new member ties. One idea was to create of the air. —Karen Gibson of Assembly 19. He was wristbands for sale at the Our treasurer, P.J. Pinson- Dr. I.R. Calkins Assembly presented with his new mem- Vegas convention. Watch nault, took out his cards, 17 Meets the first Friday bership packet and wand by this space for future items. and made us laugh with his of every month at 7 pm Regional Vice President Jeff The theme tonight was Aces for Connoisseurs, or at Pinsonnault Moto-X- Lanes with the assistance of Silk Magic, hosted by very rich people. Using his Equipment, 69 East Street, Assembly 19 President Gene Ron Strong. Dan started sense of touch he found all Ludlow, MA Contact Rich Protas. Congratulations, us off with a silk fountain four Aces. Then he wowed Gilbert rgilbertmagic@ Stephen, and welcome! produced from a red silk. At us with Marlo’s Estima- yahoo.com (413) 210-5725 We again had numerous the end of the fountain was tion by finding the mates to www.assembly17org for performances at this month’s a silkworm, which changed the Aces and spelling them more details. meeting. Don Billings, into a silk butterfly. Steve out. Leonard Nadeau had Johan McElroy, David Wronker brought out his us guessing how he got the Hinken, Mark Melcher, Max “WOW” box, from which blue ribbon to escape from 19 Bradshaw, Jesse Rubio, Scott he produced sponge balls, the card with his rendition of David Stone Wells, Rick Hebert, Jamie sponge stars, silks, spring Houdini Ribbons. President Lecture Salinas, Gene Protas, and money, and a Rabid! Steve Rich Gilbert had us roaring Frank Price all performed uses this routine as his by using an old rat trap (Rich Houston, TX— June is for the group. opener for his first-grader Marotta’s Rat Trap) he found a hot month for magic in Don’t forget the TAOM show. It’s an idea he got in our meeting space. Not Texas. Scott Wells lined up Convention this coming from Barry Mitchell. Soll only did he eat the cheese, David Stone to lecture for us Labor Day weekend, to Levine completed the revue but he produced the chosen towards the end of May, and be held here in Houston. showing us three huge hand- card in the trap. He later it was a very well attended Visit TAOM2012.com kerchiefs from which he showed us Truth, in which lecture. Many agreed that it for more information produced a bottle of wine. he was able to tell which was one of the best lectures on this upcoming event. Now that’s my kind of trick! one of five poker chips was that we have had in a long —Miles Root —Dana T. Ring put back in the bag by the time. If you get the oppor- Assembly 19 meets the first Assembly 21 meets

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 13 Assembly News

past year. These included performances at assembly well thought out with our beloved assembly Dean, meetings and for being surprise endings, with balls Robert Rodriguez, Derek elected into membership appearing in President Phil Paine, Jr., Triny Peller and in the Magic Circle during Schwartz’s hand before Howard Mitchell. This a recent trip to London. totally vanishing from Eric’s ceremony dates back to the —Steven L. Jennings hands. Eric showed a neat earliest S.A.M. banquets in Southern California wooden puzzle that allowed New York City before the Assembly 22 meets the third two extra pieces to fit in. S.A.M. became a national Monday each month at 8:00 Bob Delaney did sponge organization. The Southern P.M., at St. Thomas Moore ball vanishes and produc- California Assembly 22 has, Parish Hall, 2510 South tions and them used two during its eighty-one-year Fremont Avenue, Alhambra, regular sized hats to make Soll Levine produces wine from silk existence, continued to use California Contact Ed the balls jump around. traditional S.A.M. rituals Thomas magicmred@ Sometimes Bob even and is proud of our history earthlink.net (213) 382-8504 produces live baby chicks. at Angelo’s On Main, and heritage. for more details. Scott Morley of Won- 289 South Main Street After our meal, the derfunShop magic did West Hartford CT 06107 2012-2013 officers and a couple of ESP packet Contact Dana T. Ring board of directors were in- 25 tricks: ESPerfect and E.S.P. [email protected] (860) troduced and installed by E.S.P. and Sponges Surprise with some help 5239888 ctmagic.org for P.N.P. Ed Thomas. Jim from Bill Schmeelk. Scott more details. Callen, elected for a second Fairlawn, NJ— The sponsors regular weekly term as assembly president, theme was ESP cards and workshops and lectures at then gave a “short and sponge balls. First up was his shop in Pompton lakes, 22 sweet” acceptance address President Phil Schwartz, NJ. Check his website 81st Anniversary that emphasized the quality who presented an ESP co- (TheWonderfunShop.com) Banquet and value of our assembly. incidence, called Thought for details. Toastmaster John Engman, Force. It was supposed to be John Henderson tore up six Los Angeles, CA— also acting as emcee for our automatic in working, but cards with ESP symbols on The Southern California show, then began the en- Phil built it up so that it took them and gave them to Bill Assembly 22 traditionally tertainment portion of the a couple of tries before the Schmeelk and Bob Delaney has an annual banquet each program. “automatic” kicked in! to divide between them- June to celebrate the anni- Opening the show was Joey Appleton was next selves; both men looked at versary of the assembly, and Jeffrey Black, a very per- with sponge ball magic; Joe half-cards in their individual to install its new officers. sonable young talent and had some beautiful moves, packets and then later took The banquet is also the a graduate of the Magic including a rarely seen inter- out their half-cards only time when those who have Castle Juniors program. The locked hand production. Ron to discover that they had excelled in competition for second performer, David Dunklee, aka Mandu, did a looked at the same card! the various categories of Gabbey, also a graduate of ropes and knots transposi- Meir Yedid showed some performance trophies are the Magic Castle Juniors, tion using two baskets, with original sponge ball moves presented their awards. amused everyone with a an eerie story and sound that he had created while This is always a highlight magic coloring book and a effects. wearing a cast on his hand! of the assembly year and needle swallowing effect. Reporter Del Dixon used It seems all the guys had well attended by members, Closing the show was Jumbo ESP cards and tested their own ideas on standard spouses, friends and guests Tom Ogden; Tom kept the to see if Meir Yedid was moves such as the retention who come not only for the audience laughing and en- psychic enough to select vanish. All moves were well official events, but for the tertained from start to finish. one to match the prediction. explained, along with inter- socializing, a terrific meal The final event of the He was. (Sorry, Meir, it was esting stories about famous and great magic show. John evening was the awarding just a trick!) I then used a magicians who had given Engman again served as our of trophies and certifi- standard deck of ESP cards, them some input. toastmaster for the evening’s cates to those who earned and Joey Appleton selected Member Richard Bangs is festivities. them through excellence one that matched mine. VP getting physical therapy for a Prior to our meal, Steve of performance and out- Bob Delaney sealed a card recent stroke. Get well soon, Jennings and Kim Hallinger standing service to our in a wallet and I used a Richard. —Delos Dixon conducted the “Turning assembly. Special recog- pendulum to determine what Assembly 25 meets the third of the Plate” ceremony for nition must go to Michael it was. Friday of each month at assembly members who Perovich who deservedly Eric DeCamps did some Veterans Hall, 6 Veterans had passed away during the won multiple trophies for his classic sponge ball moves, Place, Elmwood Park, NJ

14 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Assembly News

07407 Contact Bill Schmeelk it becomes part of the fabric some real good lecturers the upcoming September [email protected] of thinking in the company. in the past and appreciate elections to fundraising op- (201) 497-8179 www. Jim Mangham gave a the new facility. We will be portunities for the assembly, livemagicguide.com/sam25 summary of recent lectures doing several local shows it seemed no stone remained for more details. that gave him some good during the coming months. unturned. It was a certainly ideas for performance; he We welcome visitors; the a night of spirited discus- then performed at linking college crowd helps boost sion. At one point Frank 030 rubber band effect. our attendance. Monaco had to separate A Wonderful Our Professional Devel- Getting back to brother Joel Zaritsky, Larry Slezak, Evening opment was presented by Rae. Glen comes to us from and me to prevent us from Merritt Ambrose. Merritt has Florida, where he amazed engaging in fisticuffs. Atlanta, GA— Emcee always been fond of Tommy many folks with his Dr. The magical mayhem will Debbie Leifer intro- Wonder and his unique Magic theme. He performed continue in September when duced Martin Baratz, who style of magic. Merritt even a great card prediction members enter the cage presented a mathematical got permission to build the using two cards instead and we see if anybody can puzzle with a deck of cards. Ring, Watch, and Wallet. of one for the climax. He survive the Berger muscle He had two magic numbers He performed Elizabeth, fooled everyone including pass, the Bochar palm, the selected and through a which has a card and two eagle-eye Jennings. Levine lift, or the Johnson process of counting cards dollar bills in a clear folder. Speaking of Jennings, he Troublewit. We finished into packets and eliminating A card is selected from the is a master at rope effects the June meeting with our packets, the final two cards deck and it becomes the card and performed a ring on a planned video night – lots of on the top of each packet between the two dollars. rope. He then made the ring classic magic performances were Aces. —Carol Garrett appear on a pencil that was on a huge screen! We look Dan Garrett provided us Assembly 30 meets the held by two assistants. Bob forward to seeing members with a sneak peak at some second Tuesday of the month Staton, who makes many at the August BBQ. of the effects from his new at Picadilly Cafeteria, I-85/ of his effects, showed us a —Craig Kunaschk lecture, which will debut this North Druid Hills Road, ring vanish; it appeared in Al Baker Assembly No. 35 fall. The first one was Unas- Atlanta, Georgia. a locked mahogany box. (usually) meets at 7:30 p.m. sisted Triple Play, based on Good show, Bob. Brother on the second Tuesday of Irv Weiner’s Triple Trans- Rumsmoke presented some the month at the Milanese position. Dan then placed a 032 card effects with sleight of Italian Restaurant, 115 Main rubber band around his hand Talent Abounds hand. Street, Poughkeepsie, NY. and placed a deck on top of Our gal Tiffinny surprised Contact www.compumagic. the band. The band jumped Lynchburg, VA— April us with another coin in a com/sam35 for more details. off Dan’s hand and around may mean many things to locked box. Many people the deck. The final display magicians, but in Lynchburg ask me about our meeting was a paddle trick called the it brings out more than place. It is all for our benefit, 036 Amazing Jumping Arrow flowers and rainy weather. because brother Hubble is Increasing with thanks to Mark Young. When I look over the enter- employed here. Does the Membership and Bob Stultz performed a tainment list of performers, name Tharp mean anything? Community Service card effect by having a card I am quite amazed at how Come see us; we welcome chosen by a spectator and lucky we are here in The visitors. —Dale Rumsmoke New Orleans, LA— by himself; both cards were Hill City. Our first female Assembly 32 meets at After a series of online dis- shuffled into the deck. The performer adds so much to the Tharp funeral home cussions about the impor- deck was cut into two piles our membership. Besides Contact Dale Rumsmoke at tance of membership and and Bob predicted where in having a fancy business [email protected] (434) attending meetings, we had each packet the chosen cards card, she has taught herself 239-8581 for more details. a good turnout for our June came to rest. Marvelous! some of the newer effects. meeting. We discussed, Jim Driscoll gave us some The rest of us seem to stick and formed committees to ideas on how to jumpstart to the old favorites. 035 organize upcoming activi- a meeting using magic. He Old man Glen Rae started YOU OUGHTA BE IN ties. Carmen Rose gave us used a red and white rope things going after a short PICTURES a great outline of activities to demonstrate the thought business meeting. We are that both of our local magic processes. The knot in the still looking for lecturers. Poughkeepsie, NY— clubs can get involved with white rope was an idea; when We have joined a group here Our June meeting started at our City Park. Dr. Joe the ropes were intertwined, on the East Coast that pools with a lengthy, yet crucial, Dalgo will contact the Girl the idea (knot) jumped to the talent when and where they discussion of club business. Scouts to let them know other rope (group).That way are available. We have had From our August BBQ to that our magic clubs are

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 15 Assembly News available to help girls to earn Harry Lorayne’s Close-up with a funny bit that ended variation of Scotch and the new magic badge. The Card Magic. with the “Silk to Egg”. Phil Soda that was well received American Cancer Society On the weekend prior to our King shared construction and quite different than the is having a benefit supper in meeting, we had a lecture details for a magician’s usual handling. Many years July, and needs walk around by Raphael Benatar. We table and passed out some behind a magic shop counter magicians – we have a group saw fantastic card magic, as 1960’s magic catalogs; surely pays off! of volunteers that will par- well as an effect with silks, he then performed a card Our min-lecturer for the ticipate in this also. one with a tape measure, trick involving a combina- month was Allen Broom- The meeting wasn’t all and one with coins. He also tion lock and the Misers field on topic of coin magic. business. Our theme was taught a private class to four Dream, followed by a teach- Although beginning with a Magician’s Choice, and we members, the day after the a-trick. John Hicks did disclaimer that he was not had a good variety of enter- lecture, which was priceless. some amazing Four-Ace a coin worker, we would tainment. Milton Scheuer- —Dr. Joe Dalgo stuff along with other card have never known that, as mann performed a card pre- The Eddie J. Adams Jr. miracles. Bob Goodin his detail and execution Assembly 36 meets on the treated us to a Triumph were very good. He covered second Wednesday of every effect. Terry Davolt ended the basics of coin palms, month at the Holiday Inn on the festivities by giving switches, and vanishes. He 2261 N. Causeway Blvd., away a large box full of then gave recommendations in Metairie, LA. Contact tricks and pamphlets; no one for some books and DVDs August Garofalo magaug@ went away empty handed! on the subject. aol.com www.samnola.com If you find yourself in the Mike Tate showed us his for more details. K.C. area, look us up! offering for coin magic by Assembly 38 meets at the making a dime magically Westport Coffeehouse on the rise while resting on his 038 3rd Tuesday of the month. palm, and then made the Hot June eagle on a coin cry… or did Meeting! he do something else? Kind Rafael Benatar lectures 051 of a Pea Can without the can. Kansas City, MO— MAY MEETING Regis Kormick performed diction trick. Dr. Joe Dalgo Assembly 38 is on the rise; mentalism with a collection performed a newspaper attendance for our June PEORIA, IL— President of credit cards, using some telepathy effect that didn’t meeting was twenty-six, Jerry Tupper opened the dice to select one of the work, but we took the oppor- virtually double what we May meeting by having cards. He then was able to tunity to discuss the dos and were doing a few months reports on the recent public announce in true mentalist don’ts of a performance, and ago! show, and some upcoming fashion the number that was how to handle the situation The meeting began with events. Secretary/Treasurer on the card. when a trick doesn’t work. President Rod Sipe outlining Brad Borland gave financial Michael Baker performed a August Garofalo performed upcoming events, including a updates, which indicated variation of Coin Across by a brilliant ACAAN by magic flea market (including that we did quite well from having four half dollars in having a card and number a hotdog eating contest) and the show, and sales of magic one hand, and four English selected, and then with only a lecture by Dan Garrett. sets. A report on the show pennies in the other hand six faro shuffles, had the Then, the magic took over. itself is being sent, and change places one at a time. card appear at that number. Rod Sipe performed his will hopefully appear in Phil Raso showed us a As a finally, with one signature guillotine routine, The Linking Ring. Informa- fun phone app coin trick in overhand cut, the deck was a crowd pleaser honed over tion on future events can which three of four coins placed in new-deck order. many hundreds of per- typically be found on our showing on the screen dis- Steve Reynolds performed a formances. Dennis Burks website. Congratulations appeared, leaving only the linking ring routine, and we followed by sharing some Peoria Magicians Assembly selected coin. got a rare, short, linking ring quite old S.A.M. memorabil- on a job well done! After the meeting, several “tip” from Jon Racherbaum- ia, followed by some clever The magic portion began of us disappeared, while er. Joe Harrison performed card and silk magic. Shaun with Troy Keefer showing the rest of us translo- an amazing psychokinesis Rivera had us scratch- some very good spectator cated to a nearby restau- effect with a nut and bolt. ing our head over a mental management while enter- rant for more magic chat. Dr. Joe also performed Tony card effect. Josh Chaikin taining us all with Hopping —Gordon M. Snow Clark’s Gypsy Balloon. performed a great routine Half, Scotch and Soda, and Assembly 51 meets on the Racherbaumer ended the revolving around Stewart the Growing Penny. Guest third Monday of the month evening with the card trick, James’s Miraskill. Christian assisted. At 4800 N University, Peoria Coincidentally Yours, from Joe Zeman entertained C.J.Diamond offered a IL at Schnucks Super-

16 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Assembly News market in the Community how he personal- presenter was Kevin Witt room. Contact DR. JERRY izes his performances aka Presto the Magician. TUPPER PRESIDENT by using LED-light The man is humble – so [email protected] message spinners. humble that you have to (309) 673-7899 www. Our guest Bill Hagen take some of his disclaim- peoriamagicians.com/ for demonstrated how he ers with a grain of salt. He more details. conjured a strand of told us that he wasn’t one pearls for his wife. of those “technology guys,” Mike Herrick used and then proceeded to show 052 From left: President Paul Amerson, his magic wand us his various sound system Installation of Vice-President John Dahlinger, “metal detector” to configurations slicker than Officers Banquet Secretary/Treasurer Doug Gorman determine which hand a deck of plastic playing Paul was concealing cards and not much bigger. SAN ANTONIO, TX— performance. Thanks, a coin in. Scott Miller made Presto has it all down: ev- June 7, 2012 Brother John Scott, for a wonderful coins fly invisibly from erything from how to pack Hamman Assembly 52 evening. hand to hand. Our newest for a week’s worth of shows, held its annual Installation Brother John Hamman member, Joanne Kinder, to publicity photos, to how of Officers Banquet at the Assembly 52 meets at 7:30 magically caused a silk to to get jobs, to after-the- Sea Island Shrimp House. p.m. on the first Thursday of jump from hole to hole on a show retail sales. File this Members and guests dined the month at La Madeleine large card and performed a all under the subheading in the private dining room. Restaurant, located at 722 coloring book routine. Paul of Get Organized. It wasn’t After a delicious dinner, N.W. Loop 410. The restau- Burnham did a very en- until he was finished and we outgoing President Joe Libby rant is inside Loop 410 on the tertaining talking drawing were in our sessions phase welcomed everyone and access road between Blanco board routine and Matthew of the meeting that I realized thanked incoming President Rd. and San Pedro. For David Stanley performed a that Kevin hadn’t shown us Paul Amerson for arranging more information, contact transforming and vanishing a single effect. He knew we the entertainment and the [email protected]. bottle routine. We social- had plenty of effects. What venue for this event. Joe ized after the performances we needed was the structure Libby conducted the instal- and fun was had by all. of what it takes to make a lation ceremony and charged 56 —Matthew David Stanley living at magic – something each one of the new officers June Meeting Assembly 56 meets at that Kevin knows quite well. with the responsibilities that various members’ homes. Following the lecture the office holds. Dayton, OH — Our June Contact Barbara Pfeifer we broke into our session Congratulations to meeting was called to order [email protected] groups. While I didn’t get President Paul Amerson, at 7:45 p.m. on Friday, June (937) 433-8604 for more around to seeing each group, Vice-President John 15, 2012, by Executive details. I did see Larry Seymore Dahlinger, and Secretary/ Officer Paul Burnham at producing some explosive Treasurer Doug Gorman. the home of compeers Fred effects from his fingertips. Due to health problems, Ser- and Millie Witwer.. We 59 He also warned us not to get geant-at-Arms-elect George had nine members and one Organize Me any of the stuff under our Castillo, had to withdraw guest in attendance. After fingernails. You’ll have to from his position. President a brief business meeting Portland, OR— check with Larry for details, Paul Amerson presented Joe we broke for refreshments Sometimes you see a lecture but...well...his warning was Libby with a plaque of ap- that included Millie’s world and you blink your eyes sufficient for me. preciation for his service to famous pineapple upside in astonishment – not that Our showtime magic theme Assembly 52, 2011-2012. down cake. Refreshments you are dazzled by the pre- was magic was Impromptu After a short break, our were followed by the per- senter’s effects (although or Magic with Everyday entertainer for the evening formance portion of the you may well be dazzled Objects. Can you get any was Houston Magician meeting; our theme was by them). What astonish- more every day than soda Scott Wells. He is a profes- Kid’s/Birthday Party Magic. es you so much is that the straws or pipe cleaners sional entertainer who has Our program chairman, magician has every detail (okay, maybe pipe cleaners performed throughout the Fred Witwer, kicked us carefully planned, nothing are not all that everyday)? world with his stand-up, off with a very clever is left to chance: the sound, Bob Eaton (the man with close-up, mind reading, Breakaway Change Bag props, effects, contingencies 7000+ shows under his and interactive magic. He routine that combined a Ball – all organized perfectly. belt and no sign of slowing amazed with an awesome and Vase and Silk Transpo- That’s the lecture members down) showed an effect, and exciting show and kept sition. Stan Goode followed of Assembly 59 watched then showed how to apply us laughing throughout his Fred by demonstrating at their May meeting. The the principle to other objects

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 17 Assembly News

(such as pipe cleaners). Heaven and Hell routine. Tom Waldrop followed up David Brahinsky did a with a repeating Sixes card movie-themed Out to Lunch effect, smoothly performed routine. As he started the and accompanied by inter- effect, he suddenly realized esting patter. John Edsall his patter was wrong. He was next with a demon- stopped, and then he realized stration of sleight of hand that the patter was right, but with every day objects. the effect wrong. He finished Last was Mel Anderson and realized how to make with a pair of magical it work. David Dunlap did Mark Mason Lecture at Assebly 82 bananas – not too ripe either. a Paul Curry rope routine; —Glen L. Bledsoe Damon reworked a book test SAM 59 meets at The to a more modern approach. in a Million. Mark’s “any we had one of the most in- Beaverton Elks 3500 SW Mike Magana ended the word, any language, book teresting lectures in a while. 104th, Beaverton, OR 97005 evening on a funny note test” is the most impressive In Ben Train and Chris on the 4t Wednesday of with a lot of gag cards. version I have seen. Mayhew’s “Playing with each month except July and —Mr.David Brahinsky We have a great line up Your Pack” lecture they did August. Details at www. Assembly 71 meets at 3205 of magicians that you more than just card tricks. I sam59portland.org/ Glen L. Central Ave, Albquerque, won’t want to miss: Aldo would compare them to the Bledsoe: glenbledsoe@mac. NM 87108 behind The Colombini on August 16, “Abbott and Costello” of com (503) 581-2795 Magic Shop. Contact Damon 2012, and Francis Menotti card magicians! They were Reinbold davidbrahinsky@ on November 15, 2012. both entertaining and funny comcast.net 505-833-0155 Assembly 82 meets the third in their presentations. The 71 for more details. Thursday of each month at explanations of the tricks Work in Progress the Sheriffs Youth Ranch were easy to understand and in Safety Harbor Florida. very doable. Some of them Albuquerque, NM— 82 Members only close up were self-working, others Summer months are rapidly Mark Mason - June class at 6:30 PM. TBMC used break lifts, double lifts, changing in all aspects and Lecture monthly meeting starts etc. They also discussed it seem to affect the magic at 7:30 PM Contact Chris how to “embrace character” club; several members of Safety Harbor, Ostrowski cmmagic@ while performing. Your card club were trying out new old FL— Patrick Gaughn, verizon.net (727) 8477837 routines will get much better ideas and getting inspired our president, opened the www.tampabaymagicclub. with some or all of the ideas by the evening’s magic. meeting with the Pledge of com for more details. that Ben and Chris have put Wayne Hicks started off Allegiance. We welcomed together! —Randy A. Smith, the evening with combina- two new members. Hank Moorehouse Assembly tion of new effects – Dean’s Mark Mason is very 88 88 meets the 2nd Wednesday Beads and a effect called energetic and entertaining. Chris Mayhew-Ben at 7pm at the Faith Lutheran ESP Chips. VP David He takes classic effects and Train Lecture Church, 1255 East Forest Dunlap performed Colom- puts his personal twist on Ave, Ypsilanti, Michigan bini’s Cannibal Kings, Gene them to add an amazing wow Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Contact Randy A. Smith Herria demonstrated Ken-tic factor. Mark is a wonderful MI— For the Ann Arbor randy.remarkable@ Cards and Doc Daley’s Last pitchman. Even the magic Magic Club’s June meeting, gmail.com (313) 562-3875 Ace Trick, Larry Markin explanations were fun. His www.aamagic.org for more did a very clever variation Stuck-up Monte card effect details. on linking paper clips, and started like a basic Three Mike Magana did a rattrap Card Monte but had a very card prediction. unexpected ending. 94 Our second round started My favorite performance Learning, Fun, and with David Dunlap, who was Coin Flux 2. It was Performance Op- did rising card from his card amazing. He effortlessly portunities box. Gene Herria performed moved coins across the mat a work in progress; I’ll call so that all three ended up Silicon Valley, CA— it the US card trick for kids, under the last card. It is the Our Performance Experi- with a large US puzzle cleanest coin matrix you ence Program continues. map. Don Johnston, gospel will ever see. Chris Mayhew and Sy Hoff, John Jones, Alan magician, did an elaborate I highly recommend Word Ben Train Lecture Leeds, Stan Sieler, Richard

18 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Assembly News

Myer, and Kim Silverman He shuffled the deck several presented close-up magic times and after each shuffle, before performances of the cards were separated by the Silicon Valley Gay color; he even did it face-up. Men’s Chorus in April. Alan Leeds caused coins In May, Kim Silverman, from around the world to Ken Gielow, John Jones, vanish and reappear inside and Joe Caffall performed a small globe. He also bedside magic at the Palo performed a Cup and Ball Alto Veterans Hospital. In routine using a paper cup and June, Alan Leeds, Sy Hoff, a balled-up dollar bill. Kim Rod Chow (L), RVP Canada and Lon Mandrake (R), and Joe Caffall performed Silverman closed our perfor- Assembly President present Special “95” Gift to M.I. walk-around and platform mances using magic effects Vinny Grosso on behalf of Assembly #95 magic for the Silicon Valley to demonstrate advances Top Dads Luncheon. Alan in neuroscience. Referenc- was held in Vinny’s honor. the reception. Rod closed Leeds and John Jones, with ing true science, his three After dealing with the this outstanding evening by San Jose I.B.M. member effects became progressive- regular business, Rod confirming with Vinny that Fred Rasmussen, presented ly less plausible and more Chow (RVP Canada) and out of the entire evening, close-up magic for a compelling, starting with Lon Mandrake (assembly he was impressed for at summer dance for patients glimpsing the after-image of president) had the privilege least ninety-five minutes! in a program at the Menlo a chosen card in a person’s of presenting Vinny with an —Rod Chow Park VA facility. We will retina, then detecting a attractive commemorative The Carl Hemeon Assembly entertain at a Fourth of July mental after-image in a framed certificate. No. 95 meets the first VA BBQ in Livermore and person’s neural activity, and Appropriately, the theme Tuesday of each month at for a VA event in Menlo finally observing a person’s for this evening was members’ homes. Contact Park later in July, as well as neural activity to accurate- “Impress the Pres.” And Rod Chow rod@rodchow. ongoing visits to the hospital ly predict a future choice. Vinny confirmed that he com (604) 669-7777 www. in Palo Alto. —Joe Caffall was absolutely impressed sam95.com for more details. In June, Joe Caffall led We do not currently have a with his gift from Assembly a Learners’ Workshop on regular meeting location. 95 of an inside hand-painted the Cut and Restored Rope. Contact Joe Caffall jocaff@ Pandas Chinese bottle set 104 We then viewed perfor- pacbell.net (408) 3751905 with personally engraved Food from column mance videos of upcoming www.sam94.org for more plate and million dollar bill. A and magic from lecturers, Losander and details. Vinny started off the magic column B Shoot Ogawa. Ken Gielow segment of the evening with started our performances an inspirational talk and Salem, MA— Wednesday, using a pack of blank cards 95 the sharing of some of his June 6 marked the end and six ESP cards to predict Vinny’s Vancouver practical performance tips. of another great year choices a spectator would Visit Giving impressive perfor- for Assembly 104 as we make. Sy Hoff had a guest mances in this “Impress wrapped it up with our in- hold a bottle cap in his hand, Vancouver, Canada— the Pres” show were Ray stallation banquet. This time struck the cap with a beer June 5, 2012, marked the Roch, Jens Henriksen, Lon we returned to our former bottle, and the cap pene- momentous occasion of Mandrake, Dave Watters, haunt, the now revamped, trated into the bottle. Hugh the visit of Most Illustri- Rick Mearns, Steve Dickson, but even more bountiful East McDonald caused water to ous National President Dennis Hewson, Henry Sakura Restaurant in Salem. turn red, with much humor Vinny Grosso to Vancouver Tom, Jeff Christensen, With sushi added to an and mystery along the way. Assembly 95. This was the Juan Garcia, and Anthony already burgeoning buffet He then made two pieces of first time in over a decade Young. Anthony, who just of Chinese wonders, fel- red yarn held by a spectator that a S.A.M. National reached the milestone of lowship and cocktails were become one long strand. President has visited to thirty-five years of continu- destined to take a back seat John Jones produced three Canada. Because this ous membership with the to second and third helpings. coins from the air and made was Vinny’s first time to S.A.M., also had the honor It was feast time. them travel invisibly from Vancouver, the Assembly of having his certificate of- Guests from Rhode Island’s hand to hand. 95 executive committee ficially presented to him R.I.S.M. joint I.B.M. Ring Guest Tom Collett had a had arranged a tour of some by the national president. 44 and S.A.M. Assembly spectator deal out two stacks of Vancouver’s unique Thanks go out to Rod’s wife 26 honored us by making of cards. The cards were sites. Prior to the evening’s Sylvia and sons Jack and the northerly hike to partici- separated, reds and blacks. regular meeting, a reception Nicholas for helping with pate in the installation and

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 19 Assembly News to entertain. These included tained the wait staff with his good discussion followed The James Swoger Assembly Assembly 26 President Jeff fabulous flicking. about not over using a meets at Wheeler Brothers Smith, Ed Hill, David Hill, Currently, Assembly change bag in any given Somerset Industrial Park and Larry Stangel. When 104 has plans for a joint show. 6:00pm SYM/7:00PM waistlines had sufficiently event with our S.Y.M. The S.Y.M.’s John Bamman SAM Contact Dan Miller expanded, President Jeff started off by making a millermagic@centurylink. Smith conducted the officer sponge ball appear from net (814) 733-4978 for more installation for the coming nothing from his change details. year. bag. Aaron Trulick also mul- From that point on, the tiplied sponge balls with his magic began and it flew change bag. Adie Best used 118 furiously. Capable host Ed her change bag in conjunc- Magic in New Hill performed a perplex- tion with a Square Circle she Hampshire ing effect with a box within built. In the end she had two a box. This was followed live baby bunnies appear Nashua, NH— Assembly by a volley of produc- from the prop. 118 has had a very busy tions as Ed’s son, David, The adults talked about spring performing at local Jamie Stokes gets carded and magic partner Larry by Jeff Smith upcoming club shows; no events. In addition Stangel emptied every- magic was performed but a to our annual charity thing from multiple alarm lot was accomplished. The performance for the clocks to a six-foot pole kids in August. It will be a S.A.M. portion had a new Merrimack Crimeline K-9 from an old-time radio. barbecue, S.Y.M. competi- member, Mike Hruska, Fundraiser, we performed On his own, David offered tion, and auction at Camp who attended for the second for the Manchester a rope routine, an appearing Evergreen in Andover. time. Mike is a part of the champagne bottle, and a From there, we regroup in board of directors for The killer card in balloon trick September and prepare for Venue Of Merging Arts in with a sucker explanation November’s SAMCON. Johnstown, Pennsylvania; at the end. Jackie Levesque —Bob Forrest he has scheduled two per- was his delighted volunteer. Information on SAMCON formances for our club there Burch Stokes’s wife, Jamie, and on Witch City S.A.M. this summer. The first is a had a great time volunteer- Assembly 104 can be family show and the second ing for Jeff Smith’s card found at the website: www. is being billed as date elimination trick, in search sam104.com. Assembly 104 night. Performing in both of The Truth. This was meets the first Wednesday shows will be Dan Miller, Lady BlackSword (Kathy followed by hubby Burch of each month, September- Gary Weimer, Dody-Jane Caulfield) assisting Baxter the himself assisting Larry June, at 7 pm at the First Svetahor, Mike Hruska, Mindreading Dog at Stangel’s solo turn, in a Baptist Church of Salem, Louis Paul, and Derrick Manchester VA Hospital painfully funny Card Stab 292 Lafayette Street, Salem, Robey. It looks like it will be routine. By the time Larry Massachusetts. Contact Bob a good time for all involved. Boys & Girls Club and the got to his hilarious take on Forrest captainalbrightsq1@ Two benefit shows are being Manchester VA Hospital. the Insurance Policy revela- comcast.net (339) 227-0797 considered for late summer Our Second Annual tion, the effects of at least sam104.com for more at two local high schools, Greater NE Magic Contest a few pounds of overeating details. one for a French Club and was a success, with Don had been chuckled away. It the other for the Special Sanborn and Ed Morris was a great night, due in no 108 Olympics. tying for First Place. Our small part to the generous Busy Magical Times Another new member, Josh future performances donation of time and effort Knotts, was finally able to include the Lyndeborough by our compeers from Somerset, PA— It has attend, because his show Community Day Festival on R.I.S.M. certainly been busy spring, schedule has him on the road August 18. As folks departed, the and a busy summer is on the a lot, promoting his one day Assembly 118 meets on the magic lingered across the way for Assembly 108. At Out of the Box Magic Expo third Wednesday of each restaurant. A cheering crowd the May meeting Magic with in Weirton, W.V. on October month at 7:00 p.m. at the of Chinese voices in another Change Bags was the theme 20. Scheduled performers Nashua Church of Christ, seating section betrayed the for the combined S.Y.M. and are Scott Alexander, Puck, 97 Farley Rd., Nashua, NH. presence of our strolling S.A.M. magicians. President and Ben Salinas. We are a Our venue rotates, so contact Tim LeVesque. Meanwhile, Gary Weimer started off small assembly but we stay us first. Contact Robert in our own dwindling area, speaking on the different busy promoting magic in Granville sam.nashua@ Evan Buso-Jarnis enter- types of change bags and a our area. —Dan Miller gmail.com (603) 505-8749

20 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Assembly News http://sam118.com for more out for him, and I’m sure he a neat handling of the torn details. would appreciate any and all and restored napkin with help. Thanks, Nate! a kicker ending. Very well Sadly, it was announced done, Bill. Randy sauntered 120 that the Stage Magician of up to the stage with both May Meeting the Year Competition was hands firmly entrenched in found floating belly-up last his jacket pockets; he slowly Champaign, IL— The week. Only one person turned around and suddenly May meeting opened with wanted to be involved, and he had a large lollipop in discussion of the club show he only wanted to perform, his mouth! He then ended at the VA on May 27. Andy Tom shows Dave not compete. This is the the show with a wee bit of Dallas will be performing linking dollar bills first year since I have been magic in Ashley’s hand. at the Busboom Castle for involved with this assembly —Gary Husson evenings in August. A great First up was Tom Guerrera that there has not been a John E. Alexander Assembly show in a really cool venue. doing a great Linking Dollar competition. #136 meets at 7:00 p.m. on There was an update on the bills, explaining this was his Our resident cowboy poet, the first Monday of each 2013 Get-Together as well. favorite impromptu effect. Bill Black, presented an month at the Fraternal Order Prof Higgins described Next was Dave Wyskiel with excellent idea: let’s submit of Eagles, 1530 N Stone Ave a trick he had intended a fabulous version of Six a “lecture report” to the Tucson, AZ. to do and followed up by Bill repeat. Bill Hoagland secretary after each lecture; producing two rabbits from a was up next with a great he can send it for inclusion in hat. Chris Bontjes predicted copper/silver transposition; M-U-M. After a short break, 148 two cards using his member- he ended with a Passa-Passa we had a seven-act show. Mysterious ship card, which prompted routine using multi colored Arthur took the stage to the Visitors discussion of variations. poker chips. Last up was left of a large, ornate clock Andy Dallas demonstrated President Jeff Doskos, who on a tripod. Did I mention Elmhurst, IL— Happily, Ammar’s Triumph and his changed a seldom seen two- that the clock was big? After there are many magic clubs working of the pull-through dollar bill into two single some neat mental gymnas- in Chicago-land, so we pe- shuffle. dollar bills. Jeff finished tics, the hands of the clock riodically do an “invite The evening ended with with a few dollar bills, and suddenly moved to reveal and reciprocate” evening. Andy Dallas telling us found he would not have the number that everyone This time, members of The anecdotes and stories from enough to pay for dinner. was thinking. Kenny next New Mazda Mystic Ring his career – each more en- He magically changed them took the stage and put his from nearby Elgin came to tertaining and informative all to a pack of twenties! hands on the line in a very Elmhurst and put on quite than the last. —Anthony Martin dangerous routine involving a show. Their president, See you at the next meeting. Libero Peniero Society three cards, a nail, three Kevin Sarnwick, served as —Ken Barham 91 Dudley Ave Walling- cups, and his body. It could emcee; he opened the show Assembly 120, Andy Dallas ford, Ct. Contact Anthony have been bloody, but it with Stark’s Hornswoggled, Assembly meets on the third Martin tonymartin@snet. wasn’t. followed by a transposition Wed. 7pm, (except Nov. and net (203) 287-0805 for Nate then came up and of a $1 and a $5 in a spec- Dec.) For location call Jim more details. performed one of the tators’ hands, and wrapped Percy at 217-494-2222 or cleanest bits of mind-read- up his money theme with a Ken Barham Sec, 2318 Win- 136 ing I’ve seen in a long while. moving hole effect in which chester Dr, Champaign, IL Good News, Bad I’m not even going to try to four holes were punched in 61821. Phone: 217-841-5616 News put it into words, it was slick. each of the corners of a bill Email: [email protected] Mike Bekedam then fooled and assembled in one corner. Tucson, AZ— Business us badly with a very smooth Bob Coluzzi did a highly first: Nate announced Spell-a-Card trick. I’m not effective version of Bank 127 that Dan Fleishman will too fond of such tricks, but Night in which the five Money Magic be lecturing for us on the this one left me wondering. envelopes (one with a Night October 1, 2012. Nate has not Mike DeSchalit came up borrowed $50 bill inside) only stepped up and taken next, and as a tribute to Joe were shuffled and then Wallingford, CT— We on the onus of “lecture-get- DuPerry, stunned everyone numbered. A spectator started our June meeting ter,” but he has also volun- with a very clean vanishing called out a number and in our temporary summer teered to rebuild our S.Y.M. marble routine. Suave, just that envelope was totally location, the Libero Pensiero program! It has been years like Joe would have wanted destroyed in a hand-held and Society club. The theme for since it has been active, so it done. very noisy shredder. This June was “Money Magic.” he certainly has his work cut Bill took the stage next with was repeated with 3 other

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 21 Assembly News numbers. The final envelope Mystic Ring. Of course, and was to receive that or- Center Room, 1499 S. Bran- was opened, revealing not Assembly 148 will soon re- ganization’s Order of Merlin dywine Circle, Ft. Myers, the expected $50, but a piece ciprocate. —Tony Noice award! Since many FMMA Fl.Contact same as always of blank paper. Bob apolo- Assembly 148 meets at 7.30 members belong to the [email protected] gized for his mistake, stuffed PM on the third Monday of S.A.M., as well, everyone www.fmmaonline.org/ the shredded pieces into very month at the Epiphany cheered the news. homePage.htm for more an envelope and suggested Lutheran Church, on the details. that his victim take them corner of Spring and Vallette, to the bank. Needless to Elmhurst, IL. Contact say, Bob produced the Tony Noice noicea@net. 157 borrowed $50 before the elmhurst.edu (630) 993-3740 Picnic, Fun, evening was over. Then, www.sam148.com for more Convention life-member Doc Morrisy details. did an impromptu version of Beaver, PA— The Mystic Vernon’s Brainwave using Magicians of Beaver Valley business cards, followed 150 Dan Tong explains a “pinky recently held their summer by a jumbo card stabbing Celebrating count” for a fellow member picnic – lots of fun, food, effect with a truly menacing Dan Tong and magic. Doug Ries looking Bowie knife. Ivan And the crowd’s mood, reported the need to vote Tzonchev was up next. He Fort Myers, FL— Well, which had been somewhat on the National Council did the classic Chinese rings a meeting that seemed gloomy at the prospect of Ballot for S.A.M. Decision with audience participation. about to shape up as another witnessing yet one more was made for Doug to do Ivan’s rings kept linking and “ho-hum” affair during performance of the 21 Card this. An election committee unlinking, which the spec- which members sit with Trick, grew brighter in the was appointed by President tator’s rings refused to do, raised eyebrows as one burst of applause for Dan. It Eric Davis to select a ballot even when Ivan traded his of their fellows muddles brightened even more when for officers for 2012/2013. set for hers. through the Professor’s Treasurer Dick Payne came There is a possible new fun- Sam Monaco, at one time Nightmare turned into a through the door with a draiser in the offing. Seating a very in-demand bar/res- memorable night. When giant congratulatory cake to arrangements for our taurant magician, has come the meeting announcement be shared by everyone! meetings and performanc- back to magic although he’s went out a few weeks back, As to the magic, a dozen es were decided. Several still active with his own rock it noted that no big-name chaps went through a quick members went to visit Ray band. Sam showed everyone lecturer was on the schedule, display of mostly standard Witkowski, a member on the that his conjuring chops were no dealer demo, no auction, effects: shoestring knot and sick list. Judy Steed passed in no way diminished by his just this: “Members’ night, a five-cut cut and retored out picture folders for those hiatus as he performed Red close-up, no cards.” rope routine, a three-coin who participated in the last Hot Mama, card from paper Also, with the “season” matrix, the popular phone- fundraiser. bag, and a very slick version over in Southwest Florida in-balloon bit, that darned Teach and Learn was of Jim Ryan’s Ring, Wand, and all of our “snowbirds” compass that points in all presented by Rich Howard and Rope routine, using having flown back to their directions, and linking rings on “Thumb Tip Magic.” a borrowed ring. Finally, homes up north, attendance done with a dollar store Eric Davis emceed the Wes Wittekind, a wonderful was expected to be slim. miniature set. Pressured performances and also family show performer, The first surprise was that to perform, Dan Tong did performed. He did a comedy offered an unusual effect twenty guys showed up, a mental routine that was routine with chattering teeth with two pieces of blank most of them prepared to even more amazing when and showed how to juggle paper, each with four holes. step in front of the group he explained its simplicity. two balls that changed into Encouraged by some ex- and do something magical. And our guest from England one large one. Don Moody travagant body language, But first, President Tony showed how expertly a performed Queen’s Coins; one hole embarked on a Dunn introduced a guest – steady-work performer can four coins magically move journey, leaving three holes Ross McCourt, a talented make a chosen card vanish from one hand to another on one paper and five on the young “worker” from from the deck and reappear hand. Ray Lucas had three other. Wes then did the stage London – and then made beneath the card case on the cards and three participants. size grandmother’s necklace the dramatic announcement table, again…and again… Each chose his favorite card penetration routine using that longtime mainstay Dan and again.—Don Dunn and a number. Ray’s cards a spectator’s sport jacket, Tong had just completed fifty The Charles And Rose became the chosen ones. along with silks and a wand, consecutive years of mem- Mary Brigham Assembly Tom Chidester had three concluding a very successful bership in the International meets first Tuesday 7pm at eight-balls. He put two in visit from The New Mazda Brotherhood of Magicians Myerlee Manor, Wellness his hand, which became

22 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Assembly News three. Hid did this three our regional representative. But all good things do effect or two. Mike Piazza times until they changed Visitors making presenta- come to an end, and with amused us all with his col- into one large ball. Trent tions included National this meeting so did our lection of the “fleas” he will Rapp performed a routine Second Vice President season of magic. See you in be using in the flea circus he on telepathy. A participant Kenrick “Ice” McDonald, September.—David Zboray is developing. took a large envelope, sealed RVP Pat Colby, and RVP Assembly 181 meets the Following the break, it, and marked the seal with candidate Eric DeCamps. A first Thursday of every Andrew Bieber demonstrat- his name. He gave another secret ballot was conducted month, September thru ed and explained a Magic person a book and had him with the results being June at the First United Square. As a high school choose a page and a word delivered to the national Methodist Church , 187 math teacher, this is one on that page. He then put convention by our Assembly Stockton Street, Hight- of his favorite effects, and on music and dressed as his Dean, Hank Strasser. stown, NJ 08520. Doors several of us took notes so childhood hero (Michael With the politics done, open at 7:00PM. Contact we could work on it. Jackson). Trent asked for it was now time for the Stephan Sloan lands10@ During the Summer several concentration; the page lecture, and it started with optonline.net (732) 757-5337 of our members will be per- in the book was missing, Lit, an effect that has been www.magicsam181.com for forming at the Hudson River and ended up in the sealed seen on national TV and more details. Museum in Yonkers where envelope. Bradley Barefoot used regularly by David there is an ongoing exhibit had the name of a chosen Blaine. Dan performed too about the great Harry card appear on his arm. many effects to list them 194 Kellar, who was a native of Bob Mullins showed how to all here, but I would like Each One Yon kers. make an “X” with a rubber to mention the notewor- Teach One After enjoying the various band and change it from thy Dan Hauss effects that teachings and the ongoing one color band to the other were demonstrated. First, Yonkers, NY— This was fellowship, we adjourned color. Bill Cornelius had Laced is an effect starting our last meeting before the for the summer. We also participant pick a card and with a selected card that summer, so we spent the time recently conducted a survey put initials on it; he then put visually impales itself on a learning from each other. by mail asking for sugges- it back in deck. The chosen tied shoelace. Then, Flow, We began with our president tions to improve the at- card came to the top of the using an innocent bottle of showing us his favorite tendance and programs for deck, and was put in a special water, in which Dan appears Rope with Four Ends, and the future. We mailed out envelope. Bill showed the to defy the laws of nature. then teaching us how to do twenty-two surveys and envelope around; it was not This was followed by Rise it. Repetition helped to send got eighteen returns, so the chosen card. He shook it, & Shine, using a borrowed some members home eager the board will meet during and it became the initialed deck and no threads, Dan to try it. the summer to discuss the card. —Judy Steed caused multiple cards to Our newest member, contents and draw up plans The Mystic Magicians of rise from his pocket. And of Eric DeCamps, was up for another successful year. Beaver Valley meet the course, the one he saved for next. Eric is a full-time Assembly 194 meets on second Thursday of every last, Rattled. Using the cap pro who has won several the third Wednesday of month at the Towne Square from a water bottle, a coin important competitions and the month (except July Restaurant in Beaver, vanished from under one has had a one-man show and August) at 7:30 PM at PA. Contact Judy Steed cap, and reappeared under off Broadway. Known to the Catholic Slovak Club [email protected] another. Truly astonishing. several of us for quite some on Lockwood Avenue in (330) 525-5389 for more We could have watched time, we are delighted to Yonkers, NY. The President details. Dan perform all night. His have him as a member and (principal contact) is Jim imagination seems endless. are sure he will prove a great Stranges at magicjim1@ 181 asset to the assembly. Eric’s optonline or (914) 478-1473. Dan Hauss contribution for the evening Lecture was a wonderful sponge ball routine that awakened in 200 Hightstown, NJ— several members the desire June Meeting Our June meeting, the last to learn “to do sponges,” one assembly meeting before of the most popular effects Seattle, WA— The theme our summer recess, featured in magic because so much of for the June magic meeting a lecture by magic creator it happens in the spectator’s was magic that involved Dan Hauss. Before the hand. cutting or chopping. lecture could begin there was Kenrick “Ice” McDonald, We took a break for pizza The club was lucky enough some important business Mitch Geier and Eric and sodas during which to have S.A.M. President to be done, elections for DeCamps some members shared an Vinny Grosso and Regional

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 23 Assembly News

Vice President Michael Roth presented a comedy routine a special download from with a Coke bottle and a cap; attend the June meeting. he was working on for a his website. It was a great he proceeded to put the cap The club really appreciated family reunion. There were evening, with great perfor- inside the bottle, and then spending time with both, quite a few very funny mances; thanks Josh and took it out. He showed the and learning some informa- moments, and the club was David. It was...magical. group an empty flower pot, tion about the future of the sure his family would love —Tom Crecelius then produced a flower out S.A.M. the magic by John. Assembly 215 meets the of the same pot. He had a Ralph Huntzinger brought Roger Sylwester presented second Tuesday of the stick with a Coke bottle tied quite a few magic devices a small hand-sized card month and as scheduled to a string; he dropped the to show the club. He had duck, as well as a very funny by lecturers, at the St. string and it tied it self to the items ranging from a small routine involving multiple Matthews Baptist Church stick. He had 5 ESP cards finger chopper to a neck-size cards the duck selected. in Louisville, Kentucky. and had someone think of guillotine. The club had a Roger always brings not Contact Tom Crecelius one; after some shuffling of lot of fun checking out the only entertaining, but very [email protected] (812) the cards, he came up with workings of the devices. interesting items to the 633-7875 www.lmc.com for the thought-of ESP card. He Special thanks to Ralph for club.—Jim Earnshaw more details. then blew up a balloon and bringing out the toys. The Emerald City Wizards inserted a spectator’s cell Meets the 1st Thursday of phone into the balloon. each month, at 7:00 p.m., 266 That ended the magic at a Branch of the King Magic Heats Up portion of the meeting; we County Library, WA. Please Lakeland then broke into groups and check website for meeting had some real good magic locations. Contact Jim Lakeland, FL— sessions. If you are in Polk Earnshaw jimearnshaw@ President Ed McGowan County on the second comcast.net (206) 225-6715 called the meeting to order. Monday of any month, you www.emeraldcitywizards. The business meeting was are welcome to join us for an org/ for more details. short, and it didn’t take long evening of fun and magic. to get to what we all came —Elmo Bennett S.A.M. President Vinny Grosso and RVP Michael Roth visit for – magic. Old members Jim Zachary Assembly 266 assembly 200 215 returned, and some out of meets the second Monday Stone/Jay Lecture state guests also joined the of the month at 7PM at the club – Richard Shapter and Lakeland I-HOP, I-4 & US Mike Jacobs presented Louisville, KY— David his son, Jack. 98. Contact Al D’Alfonso an upside-down lantern he Stone lectured for our The magic started with keeper0499@embarqmail. created based on designs assembly on May 8 and dem- Beverly and her routine com (321) 4373814 for more from Jim Steinmeyer. onstrated many different about an empty bag and a details. Mike did some wonderful routines, including a very sewing kit. The empty beg work and added some extra smooth coin production had a doll in it. Then it had a touches not found in Jim’s and vanish, productions of sewing kit and extra material 274 initial design. The club was bottles from a balloon, card to make a very large doll. MAGIC AUCTION very impressed with Mike’s routines, and book tests. Mr. All of which Beverly made work. Stone sells a device that will herself. Jerry was next with Boca Raton, FL— On The club provides be usable for many routines a selected card and a piece of Monday, June 4, we had feedback to members who and effects. His presentation paper with the wrong card. our successful auction are currently working on was informative, creative, When the paper was heated, of new and used magic routines in progress, and we and entertaining. it revealed the correct card. tricks by our members. had two members present Joshua Jay has lectured Jim Malone did a card effect It went quite smoothly, items they were working for our club several times, with four indifferent cards thanks to the planning on. Bill Murray presented and each time he gives that turned into Queens. of our president, Arnold a very nice multiple mind us wonderful advice and Elmo was up next with the Rosen, and our treasurer, reading act revolving around explains thing so clearly. two new members selecting Herb Arno. No change was a story of voices in his head. Josh thinks out of the box a card each. The cards were involved, only “bills” to Bill has spent quite a bit and showed us routines revealed in a very unusual make the process go faster. of time working through using not only cards manner Auctioneer Mike Shelley, the technique involved and (amazing skill) but mind Ed McGowan performed a a former club president, really presented a much reading, coin routines that dazzling group of four-Ace did a fine job and showed improved routine from his are mind blowing, watches, routines, with shuffling of his extensive knowledge previous presentation. Bill goblets, and other common the deck the likes of which of magic. Helping him was is really turning the routine items. Joshua Jay also gives you have never seen. New Mark Horowitz, who has into a worker. John Cameron each person in the lecture member Jack was up next an extensive collection of

24 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Broken Wands magic sets. I’m sure we have formance theme. Joseph Raven was up next by incorporating some great all owned a Mysto Magic Austin Alexander Miller with a mini-lesson on sug- ambitious card moves. The Set at one time or another. was up first; he told us the gestion. Joe showed us how automatic method was way Also assisting was Richard story of Phineas Gage, who his words and actions could cooler as the deck cut itself Adler, who is extremely suffered a mental illness as suggest the name of a card to reveal a chosen card. knowledgeable and owns a result of having a metal to a spectator subconscious- Our last performer, Odes his own magic shop. A lot spike thrust into, and out ly. He then riffled down Odhner, shared with us of bargains were available; of, his head. Since mental the deck and had another “Who would you do voodoo the sellers found some spare illness wasn’t very well spectator look at one card. to?” Odes showed two stacks money to put to good use. known back in the 1800s, He then revealed the card of chips that displayed The club got ten percent, his illness was thought to be on a pad; it proved to be the symbols of the Loa spirits. which helps us also. A good the work of Satan. Phineas correct one. Odes placed one of his chips time was had by all. I’m sure was buried tied down to his S. Patrick was up next face down into the small we will have another auction with a story about the coffin, and then the spectator soon with amazing magic I-Ching Coins. The would place a random again from our members. Chinese believe in chip in the small coffin. —Marshall Johnson maintaining a positive After all the chips were The Sam Schwartz chi, and the I-Ching inside, Odes showed that Assembly 274 meets at the Coin is a symbol of they all matched, proving JCC Campus on the first that. The “Xie Chen,” the spectator has some Monday of each month. or mischievous spirits, voodoo inside him after all. Contact Arnold Rosen, would take the coins —S. Patrick President Arnold205@aol. off the ribbon creating Assembly 277 Meets on the com (561) 212-2575 for more havoc. It would take Third Friday, Each Month, details. The PMMC Booth At The Local the help of a “Wu,” or at the “Art Space Gallery” at Arts Festival Chinese Shaman, to 18 N. 7th St. Stroudsburg PA. 277 correct the problem 18360. 7:30 PM start. Call Tell Us A Story coffin with ropes actually and banish the evil spirits. S. Patrick at (570) 242-6821 threaded through his skull. Jordan Benoit was up next for more info. Contact Stroudsburg, PA— The However even after crossing with a great story about the S. Patrick damagician@ Pocono Mountains Magic the ropes and tying a knot, Time Machine Deck. The verizon.net (570) 242-6821 Club met in their new the skull still managed to deck works in both manual www.pmmcmagic.webs. location in June and “Story mysteriously escape the and automatic modes. He com for more details.  Telling Magic” was the per- ropes. showed the manual method

S.A.M. SPOTLIGHT — Dr. John Risher

Assembly 32 in Lynchburg, Virginia, is proud to honor Dr. John Risher, who turned 102 in May. Dr. Risher is still in good health and regularly drives himself to Assembly 32 meetings. He joined Assembly 32 fifty years ago, and was recently made an honorary Life Member. Dr. Risher was introduced to magic and the S.A.M. by the late Hersy Basham. He never performed magic professionally, but has had great fun showing unbelievable things to his grandkids. Although he seems to enjoy watching all types of magic, he dabbles with close-up effects more than anything else.

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 25 Broken Wands Carl J. Schnepf Jr. (1934 – 2012)

Carl J. Schnepf Jr. of Indianapolis passed away June 26, 2012, at the Indiana Masonic Home. He was seventy-seven. He was born December 6, 1934 in Indianapolis to the late Carl J. and Thelma Amann Schnepf. He graduated from Emmerich Manual High School, and he attended Butler University. His memberships included Zion Evangelical Church of Christ, Evergreen Oriental Masonic Lodge No. 500, Prospect Masonic Lodge No. 714, Indianapolis Valley of Scottish Rite, Forest A. Wakeman Council No. 110, West Side Chapter No. 138, Wm. D. Bray Commandery No. 65, Shrine Transportation Club, Shrine Past Masters Club, Shrine VCM Club, The Society of American Magicians, and the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Laurel Schnepf, his son Carl J. Schnepf, grandsons Christopher Schnepf of Indianapolis and Ryan Schnepf of Tucson, great-grandchildren Nicolas, Michael, Elizabeth, and Rebecca, and brother Paul Schnepf of West Lafayette. He was also preceded in death by his son Kurt Schnepf. The Broken Wand Ceremony was performed at his wake by Taylor Martin, Tom Winterrowd, and former Assembly 31 members, the Callerys.

Robert O. “Bob” Utter (1923 – 2012)

Robert O. Utter died June 29, 2012, at age eighty-nine, after complications due to hip replacement surgery. Bob was a past president and Honorary Life Member of the Fort Worth Magicians Club, I.B.M. Ring 15, and S.A.M. Assembly 138, and was a longtime trustee of the clubs. He was also a past president of the Texas Association of Magicians. Bob was born April 30, 1923, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Oliver and Mary Leone Utter. From Sioux City, Iowa in 1923, Bob settled in Dallas and graduated from Forest Avenue High School. World War II came along and the Air Force wanted him to fly the “hump” in C47s for two years. In the process this earned him three Air Medals and a Distinguished Flying Cross as a member of the 2nd Air Commandos Group. His interest in magic came from Calcutta, India. Flying can be monotonous at times; during a furlough in that eastern city he purchased a book on rope and coin tricks to while the time; he ultimately entertained the troops at the command of his C.O. The G.I. Bill allowed Bob to begin his college career at Southwestern University, now Rhodes College, and later to continue at Texas Christian University. Entertainment at that time was in short supply, so Bob used his repertoire of legerdemain to emcee at a local night club. His bride-to-be refused to go see him for months; she believed that poor magicians are embarrassing, and she did not want to run the risk that he was not a good entertainer – no matter how entertaining he was in school. Bob married his college sweetheart, the former Betty Bynum Webb, and forty-nine years of marriage, two sons, a grandson, and a lifetime of experience in and out of magic convinced her that she should have gone to that first performance. To have known Bob is to realize that he was a perfectionist, who, when he believed in something, would go the extra mile in involvement. He went to work for American Hospital & Life Insurance Co. One of his insurance groups happened to be Channel 5 in the Dallas/Fort Worth areas, and Carter Publications. Visiting with the station manager one day, he regaled him with the idea of promoting a live magic variety television show. That was the beginning of Tricks and Treats with the former Disney cartoonist, Johnny Hay. The hour-long show lasted over two years and years later he would hear those astonishing words: “Weren’t you Mr. Mystic on Channel 5?” His insurance career took him to World Service Life Insurance Co. as a sales agent, then into the home office as the public relations director; he was later promoted to vice president of corporate services. Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Bynum Utter, and son, Richard Alan Utter. Survivors: Son, Steven Lawrence Utter; and grandson, Nick Perry Utter.

26 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Good Cheer List

Please take a minute and spread a few words of cheer with a card or note to one of our less fortunate members.Send addi- tions, changes, or deletions to: Anthony Antonelly, Chairman, Sick and Convalescent Committee, (215) 820-3192 ext. 1512. [email protected]

Peter Anthony Joseph H. (Ben) Grant Frank J. McNaughton, Sr Matt Savin 5100 O’Bannon Dr. Apt 72 400 Commonwealth Ave, Unit 9 1926 Apple Street, P.O. Box 7693 Las Vegas, NV 89146 Warwick, RI 02886 Williamsport, PA 17701 Alhambra, CA 91802-7533

David Ball Charlie Gross James J. Morrisey Helene Schad 40 Sandy Lodge Way 16745 Gertrude Street, 24 Grove St. 2440 Viginia Ave. Northwood, Middlesex Omaha, NE 60136-3023 Wayland, MA 01788 Bensalem, PA 19020 HA6 2AS UK Roy Horn Anthony Murphy Grant Schofield Roger Barr c/o Siegfried & Roy 11 Angel Rd., (The Great Granzini) 883 B Leverpool Circle, 1639 N Valley Drive, North Reading, MA 01864 9303 Quailbrook Ct. Manchester, NJ 08759 Las Vegas, NV 89108 Bakersfield, CA 93312 Nahmen Nissen William H. Brewe Edward Kelly PO Box 1856 Sybill Simons 1698 Montrose 224-15 64 Avenue, Colfax, CA 95713-1856 65 West 95 St. Apt 3A Cincinnati, OH 45214 Bayside, NY 11364 New York, NY 10025 Larry Poague John Clark Bob King 34221 West 90 Circle Sam Stecher 603 W Country Club Rd. 304 Suburban Court, Desota, KS 66108 1000 Loring Ave Apt. C-23 Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215 Rochester, NY 14620 Salem, MA 01970- 4253 Jim Relyea Lawrence Clark Robert D. Knigge 241 W. Lakeshore Bob Steiner 204 Hazelwood Ave PO Box 5, Rockaway, NJ 07866 c/o San Miguel Villa Buffalo, NY 14215 Jones Borough, TN 3765 1050 San Miguel Blvd. Harry Riser Concord, CA 94518 Tony Corrao Stanley R. Kramien 8505 Woodfield Crossing 100 Daly Blvd. #2804 11205 SW Summerfield Dr. The Forum Mario Susi Oceanside, NY 11572 Apt 161 Indianapolis, IN 46240 6 Bristol Rd. Tigard, OR 97224-3391 W. Peabody, MA 01960 Daniel Cudennec Dale Rumsmoke “Dany Trick” Richard Laneau 430 Perrymont Ave Larry Taverner 225, Stang-ar-Veil- 4020 55th St. N. Lynchburg, VA 24502 805 LaPaz Ct. d’an-Traon, Mellac-29300, St. Petersburg, FL 33709 Bakersfield, CA 93312 Quimperle, France Pat Ryan George Gilbert Lott 43 Fairbanks Rd. Jack White Dan A. Dorsey 1725 Great Hill Rd. Churchville, NY 14428 4288 Arguello St. 98 Woodvalley Dr. Guilford, CT 06437 San Diego, CA 92103 Fayetteville, GA 30215

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 27 QUICK LOOK BOOK NOOK

Excerpt From: can replace her cards and shuffle the deck. She then passes it to Thinking the Impossible each of the other two, who also replace their cards and shuffle. Author: The last person to shuffle the deck puts it into his pocket. After concentrating for a moment, you announce that the color Ramón Riobóo of the card thought of is coming to you – it is black. The person Description: Hardcover, 303 pages who spelled the color confirms this. You next announce that the with dust jacket. thought-of card is a spade. The person who spelled the suit tells you that you are wrong. Available From: After apologizing for your mistake, you concentrate harder www.HermeticPress.com and correctly name the freely thought-of card, the Eight of Clubs!

I’ve never met Ramón Riobóo, so I haven’t had the pleasure Method and Subtleties: The deck must be set up of being fooled by his ingenious card creations. Mr. Riobóo beforehand, with the whole suit of hearts on top, arranged in came to magic late in life, but he made rapid progress, no doubt ascending order from Ace to King, the Ace being the top card. Put aided by the fact that, living in Madrid, he had access to the SEI any card on top of the heart stack, so that the hearts now occupy Circle of Madrid and Juan Tamariz. Starting with mathematical positions from second to fourteenth. and self-working effects, Mr. Riobóo progressed to a mastery of After the first person removes cards from the top equal to the unorthodox sleight-of-hand techniques, psychological manipu- value of her card, the heart of that value will be on top of the lation, subtleties, and naturalistic acting. His creations combine deck. In our example, she thought of the Eight of Clubs. So, after ingenious “semi-automatic” methods, cleverly placed (and unex- removing eight cards, the Eight of Hearts lies on top of the deck. pected) sleights, and evocative presentations that produce effects You take the deck in order to hand it to the second participant. that thoroughly astonish laymen and magicians. In this brief action, you palm the top card. Then, while everyone Speaking of “semi-automatic,” I became aware of Mr. Riobóo watches your helper spell the suit under the table, you have through routines published in Steve Beam’s Semi-Automatic Card abundant opportunity to glimpse the palmed card and secretly Tricks series. Volume eight of that series features a large chapter slip it into your pocket. Don’t be in a hurry. Wait until the time is of his material. Steve Beam writes, “When Ramón performs, ripe. It will come. there is always the feeling you are being fooled by someone who When seated, I will often run the top card to the bottom of the is incredibly lucky. After all, there is no way anyone could cause deck during a very short and casual shuffle, and then lap it. I then the outcomes he repeatedly creates....Only after he has repeatedly have even greater opportunity to glimpse the card while the suit assaulted your senses do you realize you are watching a master and color are being spelled. at work.” By the time the third party puts the deck into his pocket, you’ll Thinking the Impossible is the first large collection of Ramón know that the thought-of card is an Eight. Riobóo’s work in English. My thanks to Stephen Minch and The spelling of the suit and the color play no part in determin- Hermetic Press for allowing these excerpts to be published in ing the identity of the thought-of card. They are done merely to M-U-M. —Michael Close mislead the audience and to make them forget that you touched the deck before handing it to the second person. A Bad Mind Reader and You can later stress that all the spellings were done out of sight, a Good Premonition that you never touched the cards they removed, and that the third person put the deck into his pocket without you being near him. EFFECT: Someone thinks of a card and whispers its name to You know they are thinking of an Eight. All you have to do is two other people. Holding the deck under the table, out of view, fish for the suit. The procedure changes, governed by the responses she removes a number of cards from the top equal to the value you receive. The case given in the description of the effect is the of the card she is thinking of. She sets the rest of the deck on the worst it gets. Let’s look at the possible outcomes. table. With her hands and cards still under the table, she double- Your first statement (not a question) is about the color. You checks her count of the cards she has removed. say the card is black. If the third person, who spelled the color, Let’s say she thought of the Eight of Clubs and has removed confirms this, you now say it is a spade. If you are wrong, you eight cards. You hand the deck to one of the two people who have made one mistake, but now can name the card. knows the identity of the thought-of card. Holding the deck again If they had thought of the Eight of Spades, the result would under the table, he shuffles it and removes as many cards as are have been impeccable, because you would have guessed the color, needed to spell the suit of the card. In this example it would be five the suit, and the value without a single misstep. cards for the five letters in clubs. If they had thought of the Eight of Diamonds, your first This person hands the deck over to the third in the know, who statement that the card is black would be wrong. You apologize follows a similar procedure, shuffling the cards, then removing as and immediately proceed to state that the suit is diamonds. They many as are needed to spell the color of the card – black, in our confirm this, and you conclude by stating that the card is the Eight example. of Diamonds. In this case, you made an initial mistake on the This third helper hands the deck back to the first, so that she color, but follow up with two much more impressive hits.

28 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 If they had thought of the Eight of Hearts, again you will miss the identity of the selection, which lies face up in the middle. Your the color when you say black. You next say diamonds and miss the helper takes the blue deck from its case and spreads it face down suit. You apologize, explaining that mind reading is not your forte to fi nd the same card reversed! and that you shouldn’t have risked it. Suddenly let your expres- PREPARATION: Stick a tiny ball of poster putty such as sion brighten. Say that, despite your being a bad mind reader, you Blu-Tack – about 1/16” (1.5 mm) in diameter – in a place where nonetheless had a premonition, a hunch, of what the card would it can be easily obtained. I usually stick it on the earpiece of my be, before they even thought of it. You then triumphantly pull the glasses. Eight of Hearts from your pocket – another impeccable ending. Reverse a card, say the Nine of Hearts, in the middle of the Producing the thought-of card from your pocket is the strongest blue-backed deck and put the deck into its case. Reverse the same outcome. You may have failed as a mind reader, but if you deliver card in the red-backed deck, fourth from the bottom. it convincingly, it looks as if all this has been only a theatrical ploy METHOD: False shuffl e the red-backed deck, keeping the to dramatize a planned fi nish. And this fi nish is overwhelming. reversed card in place and unexposed. Ask your helper to cut the You had the card in your pocket before they even thought of it! deck into two piles. As he does so, secretly obtain the Blu-Tack The next-best outcome is hitting three correct statements in a from its hiding place and lodge it under the nail of your middle row, merely by looking at the participants’ faces. fi nger (Photo 1). In the remaining two cases, you miss once, but this is an ex- periment in mind reading. You are correct two out of three times, and always get the value, which is the most diffi cult element of the three. The result is still impressive, since they genuinely thought of one card out of fi fty-two. Keep in mind that after the value has been counted, the deck is shuffl ed before and after each of the following spellings, and everything has been done out of sight under the table. The two spellings of suit and color make the result seem truly impossible when the effect is later recalled, as they contribute to altering the memory of how the value was treated. It was counted, but it is likely, after the spelling of the suit and color, to be remem- bered as also having been spelled. This sets up an extra roadblock to attempted analysis when the trick is over. The weak moment of the trick is when you ask the fi rst partici- pant to remove a number of cards equal to the value of the card she is thinking of. She should do so without looking at the cards, When your helper has cut the deck, tell him to take the card he taking them from the top, and without shuffl ing the deck. The pre- has cut to; and, to convince him of the freedom of his selection, sentation, then, should not place any importance on this process. offer him the option of changing his card for another. He may do NOTE: Needless to say, you could use another suit for the so as many times as he wishes, but make sure he does not inadver- setup, but experience has proved that hearts is the suit most often tently expose the reversed Nine of Hearts. chosen, especially by women. The second most popular suit is Once he has made up his mind, take the selected card between probably spades, but there is not enough of an edge to make that the forefi nger and thumb of the hand with the Blu-Tack and set it suit desirable to use. to one side. As you do so, your middle fi nger can readily stick the Blu-Tack to the center of the card face. SYMPATHY for THE DEVIL (THAT’S ME) Pick up the original bottom half of the deck (which contains the reversed Nine of Hearts) and spread it face up in your hands, I was working under the infl uence of several of Edward Marlo’s pointing out all the other cards your helper might have chosen. solutions for the Open Prediction problem when I devised this Begin by pushing over the fi rst two cards, then a small block two-deck Sympathetic Card effect. I’ve added little that is new to that conceals the reversed Nine, and continue to spread normally the physical method, but I’ve simplifi ed the handling and added (Photo 2). This is an easy operation, given that your apparent a number of psychological touches that strengthen the deceptive- intention is a casual display of card faces as you make your point. ness and impact of the effect. Square the cards and leave them face up on the table as you EFFECT: You put a cased blue-backed deck on the table, ex- continue talking to the audience. Put the selected card face down plaining that it has magical properties. Without looking at its face, on top of that packet. someone takes a card from a shuffl ed red deck. The red deck is Take the other portion of the deck, turn it face up and spread turned face up and the unknown selection is placed face down in its cards in the same casual way, this time with no restrictions. the middle. You announce that, without knowing the identity of Square the cards and drop them face up onto the selection. the card, you will make its counterpart turn over in the magical The assembled deck is now face up with the face-down blue deck. With a simple gesture, the magic happens. selection and Nine of Hearts, separated by just three cards, in the The red deck is spread face down to reveal, for the fi rst time, center.

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 29 QUICk Look Book Nook

say, “And remember, I cannot possibly know the card, as I haven’t seen it at any time. Even if I see these other cards, it would be diffi cult to know which one is missing, which one is face down.” The whole point is to provide a fairly convincing reason for not looking at the card at this point. After turning the assembled deck face down, I say, “And now, despite the fact that I cannot know what your card is, I’ll make the identical card reverse itself, in sympathy, in the magical deck.” With that, I have given a logical reason for reversing the card in the other deck. After making my magical gesture and claiming that the magic has happened, I add, “And now that I have made the card turn over in the blue deck, would you mind if I look at your card for the fi rst time?” And I spread the cards without waiting for an answer. My new interest in the identity of the selection, only after I Due to the weight of the cards, the face of the true selection have dealt with the challenge of turning over the duplicate of an will stick to the face of the card directly under it. If you now turn unknown card, further strengthens the logic of not having shown the deck over and spread it, the only reversed card to be seen is the face of the card before this point. This mental misdirection, the Nine of Hearts. You may spread without fear of exposing the added to the neat switch of one card for the other, without my real selection (Photo 3). actions offering the slightest hint of trickery, is what gives the effect its deceptive beauty. NOTE: I often have the card selected from a borrowed deck. When I am fi rst handed the deck, and while I ask whether it is complete and if it contains Jokers, I casually locate the Nine of Hearts, reverse it, and put it in position, all while attention is relaxed. When I do it for people who are familiar with The Invisible Deck, I point to the blue card-case and tell them to imagine that it contains a magical deck. Later, I explain that a card will reverse itself in that deck, and I add that I will clearly spread it at my fi ngertips. In such cases, the force of the card from the red deck becomes easier, as they believe I’ll be using a gimmicked blue deck to match the selection. When I then tell them to take out the deck themselves, the surprise is enormous. Conclude by instructing your helper to remove the blue deck from its case and spread it on the table – to fi nd the reversed blue- A VArIATIoN backed Nine of Hearts. If you put the blue-backed Nine reversed in the red deck, and SUBTLETIES AND MENTAL the red-backed Nine reversed in the blue deck, you can expand MANIPULATIoN the effect, fi rst showing that you have made the matching card turn face up in the blue deck, and then revealing that you’ve gone You could write a prediction for the Nine of Hearts, instead of further – turning the two Nines face down, you reveal that you using the blue deck. The important thing is to avoid any suspicion have made them change places in their decks! that the card has been forced or exchanged, and to convey the impression that the magic happens in the blue deck. Let’s look at THE fATEfUL MoNTH the weak moments in the trick and how we can work around them. The selection of the card in itself is not weak, but it’s a bit EFFECT: Someone names one of the suits in the deck, say strange not to let anyone see its face. We must, therefore, provide hearts. You take all the heart cards out of the deck and arrange a reason for delaying the display of the face and for placing it them in sequential order while you explain that each of these cards reversed in the deck. The patter and presentation should work represents a month of the year, according to its value. The Ace will toward that purpose. As already explained, you stress that the be the fi rst month, January; the Two the second month, February; selection is free by giving your helper the option of changing it, and so on, up to the Queen, which represents the twelfth month, and you show all the different cards he truly could have chosen. December. Since there is no thirteenth month, the King isn’t That justifi es turning the rest of the cards face up. At the same needed and is returned to the deck. time, we are establishing, without saying so, that there are no Have someone think of a month last year in which something cards reversed (though the face-down Nine of Hearts is being unpleasant happened, something he would like to erase from his hidden). life. That will be his fateful month, and he is asked to remember it. When I put the packet face up on top of the face-down card, I You shuffl e the twelve heart cards, and then start taking single

30 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 cards from the face-down packet, holding each one as if estimat- the bottom card is, say, the Three, the blank card should be the ing its weight. A fateful month, you explain, being full of sorrow, tenth from the top (13 – 3 = 10). should be a little heavier. By this time your helper should be thinking of his fateful At a certain point you stop on one of the cards. It feels different. month. You now pretend to estimate the weight of each card to Set it aside, saying that it feels heavier, so it may be the fateful determine which month he has in mind. With your right hand, month. take a card at a time from the top of the packet, pretending to feel So far, your helper hasn’t said which month he is thinking of, the weight of each one. While doing this, count the cards secretly and yet you have set aside a card to represent the month he would and do not reverse their order. Just take each new card under like to delete from his life. the previous one, leaving it widely side-jogged as you sense its You now ask him for the month. Suppose he says May. This weight. Then pull it square with the card or cards above it as you is the fifth month. You hand him the remaining eleven cards and take the next card under the right hand’s packet. When you reach have him deal them singly onto the table, turning each one face the number you calculated for the blank card (ten in our example), up. The Five is missing! act as if the card is heavier than the others and set it down, saying, “Thanks to magic, before you even told us the fateful month, “I think it’s this one. Yes, this could be your fateful month.” As a we removed it.” With these words, point to the card you set aside part of this action, cut the packet at the point where you remove earlier. the card. The packet will now be in order, with the Ace on top and “But what I actually promised was not to remove it, but to the Queen on the bottom. eliminate it, so that it ceases to exist altogether.” Suiting actions When your helper names his fateful month, perform an to words, you turn the solitary card face up – revealing a blank overhand shuffle, running single cards while secretly counting face! them. When you reach the needed card, throw it and all the remaining cards onto the ones you’ve run. Begin another shuffle Method and Subtleties: You need a card with a blank by running the first card (the fateful one) and shuffling off the rest face, which you secretly load on top of the deck before you honestly to destroy their order. begin. Now palm off the bottom card and dispose of it when attention In performance, once you have found all the cards of the is elsewhere. If you are sitting, you can lap the card, which is what chosen suit, remove them from the deck, set it down, and arrange I do, because it’s a technique with which I’m very comfortable, the thirteen cards in sequential order – Ace at the rear, King at the and the result is cleaner. face – as you explain how they relate to the months. If you prefer, you can control the necessary card to the top of You must next palm the blank-faced card from the deck or the packet during the shuffle, and palm it from there, eventually otherwise secretly add it to the suit packet. You could keep hold unloading it onto the tabled deck. However, a top palm from a of the deck as you arrange the thirteen cards, but I feel this looks small packet is more difficult than a bottom palm. awkward and unnatural. It is better to set down the deck while you Whatever method you’ve chosen to remove the required card, do the arranging. However, after you have the cards in sequence, hand the remaining eleven cards to your helper and tell him to you need a motivation to pick up the deck again, so that you can deal them one by one, face up onto the table. palm or steal the blank card. To provide the motivation, we have At this point you should be building excitement and making removed the King along with the other cards of the chosen suit. everyone aware that you removed a card before knowing what This seems perfectly natural. So, after arranging the cards and ex- month your helper had chosen. plaining that only the Ace through Queen are needed to represent Conclude the effect as described – and keep in mind that the the twelve months, you remove the King from the packet, set the stolen card, representing the fateful month, should not reappear. packet down, somewhat unsquared, pick up the deck, and insert You have, after all, eliminated it, leaving it blank. the King into it. With the deck once more in your hands, you can palm the blank card. And for Those Special As you next put the deck aside, turn your attention to the Occasions unsquared twelve-card pile and pick it up in your left hand, turning it face down if it isn’t already. Then secretly add the palmed card Occasionally, it is worth the trouble of carrying a couple of onto the packet as you square it. blank-faced cards with different back patterns, ones for common You can also avoid palming entirely by squaring the face-down brands of cards. You can then borrow a deck and add the blank packet over the deck and stealing the card under it. card. Ask the owner of the deck if he will mind if you do a very As you add the blank card to the packet, misdirect from your good trick that may leave one of his cards slightly altered. If he actions by asking the person you wish to help you to think of a agrees, perform The Fateful Month with his deck and secretly particularly bad month he had last year. pocket the stolen card, leaving him the blank-faced card as a During the ensuing conversation, give the face-down packet souvenir. Done with a borrowed deck, the trick is more deceptive a casual false shuffle that retains the sequence but can give the and more astonishing. In addition, the blank-faced card will be a same result as a straight cut. A Charlier shuffle is perfect for our strong reminder of the amazing thing you have done. The story purpose. will grow with each telling.  Glimpse the bottom card of the packet to determine where the blank card now lies. Since the packet contains thirteen cards, if

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 31 LEVENT

that the toy dog was peeing into the bowl chicken is on your back!” Presto yelled throughout his act. Needless to say, this is for help and rolled around the floor as he certainly not high class humor. But I can struggled to remove the offensive creature assure you that to a room full of young- from his back. sters, this was hysterically funny. The When I was ten years old, I visited thing that struck me the most was that this a flea market and met a man named Bill gag got funnier each time he emptied the Farkus, who was selling magic tricks in water from the Lota bowl. Incidentally, I a booth. I bought a set of cups and balls would learn much later that this gag was and a dice divination effect from Bill and originally from an old magic book from was immediately hooked on magic. Like the 1940s, but I have to give Presto a lot most kids, I was mostly performing pocket of credit for capitalizing on it with a great tricks, and on a couple of occasions, during STAGE 101 deal of comic flair. events such as school talent shows, I got to perform on stage. I enjoyed being a Running Gags “stage magician,” but being a child and an amateur, I didn’t get to perform on stage One of the best ways you can improve often enough to get good. your act is by watching a great performer. Later I became a regular customer at The thing to bear in mind, however, is The House of Hocus Pocus, a Brooklyn that as a rule you shouldn’t watch another magic shop owned by a man named Steve performer in order to copy a trick, joke, Fields. In addition to the magic shop, Steve line, or a routine. The things that you also owned an entertainment agency; when really should be looking at when studying I was about twelve years old, Steve began another performer are the act structure, the to book me for kids’ birthday parties. strategies used to entertain the audience, My first kid show was a collection of and the overall showmanship. If you tricks cobbled together. There was no follow my advice, you will find it easier rhyme or reason to anything I did; I just to develop an original act. And if you did the best tricks I could, one after the are lucky enough to study the work of an Presto Johnson other to cover the amount of time that I had exceptional performer, then you might to perform. Eventually, I learned that the learn some great lessons that could last a The other thing I remember was that primary job of the kid show magician was lifetime. early in his act a rubber chicken magically not to amaze the audience. No, the primary As it turned out, one of the first appeared; he acted terrified of the fake job is actually to amuse the audience. In magicians I ever saw taught me a lesson in bird and quickly threw it into his prop other words, I had to learn to be an enter- magic that I have used for many decades; it case. Presto then told the children that tainer who could whip the children into a is probably the single most important thing he was very scared of the bird and if they collective frenzy and get them to laugh and I ever learned. (the children) saw another chicken, then scream throughout the show. The magician to whom I am referring they should let him know. With that said, One way to get children to react is the late Earl Everett “Presto” Johnson. a few minutes later another rubber chicken strongly is to do a few sucker tricks; to that Presto was a funny comedy performer, a appeared, and I, along with the other kids, end I purchased tricks like the old Harry very skilled coin and cigarette manipula- screamed and pointed at the chicken in Leat effect known as Run Rabbit Run. tor, and, in his prime, probably the best his hands. A second later, Presto himself Still, I was just doing a series of tricks with kid show performer in New York City. I apparently “noticed” the chicken and in no connection to each other. The bottom was about six years old when I saw Presto what can best be described as a violent line was that I got a good reaction, but perform. Since I was quite young and not struggle he fought with the chicken until what I did was not what I would consider a yet a magician myself, my memory of his he was able to get control of the wayward cohesive “show.” show is a bit hazy. But there are two things bird, throwing it into his prop case. This When I was about fourteen years old, I remember from this show. happened about five or six times through- I was visiting Tannen’s Magic Shop in The first thing I remember was that he out the show. As I remember it, near the Times Square. While there I ran into Presto kept a stuffed toy dog sitting on top of the end of his act, Presto turned his back to Johnson. Presto was a very kind man and rim of a Lota bowl. As soon as he completed the audience to get a prop from his case that day he gave me all sorts of performing a trick, he would lift the toy dog off of the and stuck on his back was another rubber advice and told me funny stories about his Lota bowl and empty the water from the chicken! As you can imagine, all of us went career. I told Presto how much I loved his bowl into a pail. Basically, the illusion was nuts as we pointed and screamed, “The show when I was a little kid and how great

32 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 I thought his bits with the Lota bowl and A good example of using the rubber chicken were. He told me that a repetitive theme is the act this kind of routine is known in comedy as of the Mexican magician Abe a “running gag.” Cantu. Historically speaking, The running gag is a standard comedic for hundreds of years magicians device in which a joke, a line, or a situation have used doves for various appears repeatedly throughout a single effects, but the first magician to performance. For instance, there is an old do a dove-themed act was Cantu vaudeville running gag called the “medal in the 1940s. Basically, Cantu did gag.” This gag works like this. Imagine various magic tricks and at the a juggler opens his act with three-ball conclusion of each routine a dove juggling; after the routine is finished, he appeared as the orchestra played pulls out a military medal and sticks it on a few bars from the famous song his chest, as if to congratulate himself on “La Paloma” (which in Spanish a successful performance. Then, for his means “The Dove”). For example, second routine, he juggles five rings beau- Cantu did the torn and restored tifully; at the conclusion of that routine, newspaper and at the conclusion he gets another medal and puts it on his of the trick a dove appeared from chest with even greater bombast. Then the the paper. After he did the 20th juggler pulls out three clubs and begins Century Silks, a dove appeared to juggle. Suddenly, the juggler makes from the silks. And after he a mistake and the clubs fall to the floor. did the Miser’s Dream, a dove The performer acts dejected and shame- appeared from the coin pail. On fully removes the two medals from his their own the three aforemen- Paul Potassy poster - photo courtesy of Nielsen Magic chest. Finally, the juggler climbs aboard a tioned tricks have nothing to do six-foot tall unicycle and does a fantastic with one another. But by capping routine with five clubs; as the audience each routine with a dove production, Cantu over, I flipped through the pages without applauds, he pulls out a very large medal was able to create a cohesive and commer- looking at the book; on every page was a and puts it on his chest as the crowd roars cial act. picture of an American flag, which made with approval. Which leads me back to Presto. By the kids go completely crazy. When I did The medal gag as I described it above doing the running gags with the Lota bowl the Run Rabbit Run trick, the flat rabbit is primarily a joke. But it has an extremely and the rubber chickens, Presto elevated would appear in my back pocket and as I important secondary benefit that should his kid show to another level. After I met was putting the rabbit away a flag would not be overlooked. Let me explain. If the Presto that day thirty-four years ago, I unfurl from behind the rabbit, which aforementioned juggler did not do the headed back home as my brain buzzed elicited utter pandemonium. I finally would medal gag, then he would have an act with ideas; it was then that I decided to see the flag and at the finish the flag would with four routines (balls, rings, clubs, create a running gag for my kid show. change into the cane that had disappeared and unicycle) with no connection to each During the opening of my kid show, a at the beginning of my kid show. Once I other. But with the medal gag, the four cane vanished; this led into a change bag developed the American flag running routines become tied together as part of routine with red, white, and blue silks. I gag, my kid show became extremely a greater whole. So the lesson here is that attempted to make the silks change into an commercial. a well-crafted running gag can become a American flag, but I failed to do so. As I But my appreciation of the running unifying element to your show. told the kids that I was sorry that I could gag did not stop at the children’s show. When it comes to magic, a performer not make an American flag, I actually held For instance, when I developed a ma- can choose to omit a comedic running gag a flag in my hands. When the children nipulation act, I created a running gag in and instead use a repetitive premise or called out to tell me that I was holding which my boutonniere flower appears and theme. Take for instance my friend Paul a flag, I looked at my hands and the flag disappears from my lapel throughout my Potassy. Since the early 1950s, Paul has magically changed back into the three routine. And in my current comedy magic opened his act by introducing a salt shaker silks. I then made the kids promise that act, I have many different running gags that contains “magic salt.” Throughout if they saw an American flag, they would that run throughout my show. I believe his act Paul uses the premise that the salt let me know. With that set-up, I continued it’s the inclusion of these gags that makes makes all the magic happen. For instance, to do standard kid show tricks, but very my performance seem like a complete when he sprinkles the magic salt on a set often at the end of a trick an American flag show and not just a bunch of tricks strung of scarves, they suddenly become knotted would appear. As the kids alerted me about together.  together. And when he sprinkles magic salt it, I would look for the flag, but it was gone. on a borrowed bank note, the money disap- For instance, when I did the magic © 2012 Levent Cimkentli pears. coloring book routine, after the trick was

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 33 [ih-lip-sis] an omission of a word, sentence, or whole section from an original text Ellipsis* by Michael Perovich

A Tip on the Spread Switch to consider is the meaning of holding one packet above the other. You inherently need to position one packet above the other to Dai Vernon’s Matching the Cards is described in Inner Secrets lever over the card, yet this relative positioning has a second use of Card Magic by Lewis Ganson. This was the first of the Inner as we will see. Secrets trilogy, and this trick was one of Vernon’s signature As the card is levered back over to its original face-down effects. He virtually always performed it as part of his close-up act position, the thumb holding the lower spread pulls the bottom at the Magic Castle. It gave him the opportunity to not only fool card of the upper spread onto the card just levered over, and in and surprise an audience, but also to gently poke them, because a continuing action places the new card on the table. This effec- the trick leads them down the garden path as they think that the tively switches the card originally held below the break for the one magician has made a mistake. above the break. The effect involves having a card chosen and placed on the The issue to be addressed is that the spectators may notice that table without revealing its identity. The magician boasts that a card has gone missing from the upper half of the spread. At least he will locate the three cards that will match the value of this two or three cards should be spread out with about three-quarters unknown card. Three cards are located and they are indeed all of of an inch between their edges. If this pattern suddenly goes from the same value. The spectator is now asked to reveal the originally three to two (or much worse from one to none) the spectators can chosen card; this proves to be of a value different from the three easily become suspicious. that have been located. The magician triumphs when the three In order to hide the discrepancy of the missing card, it is im- “matching” cards are found to have changed into three cards that perative that those cards at the edge of the spread be seen as little do match the chosen card after all. This may sound a bit confusing, as possible. This is done not only by holding the lower spread but the effect is very direct and easy for an audience to appreciate. above the upper spread, but actually by holding it over the upper The effect requires that three cards of the same value be shown spread. This makes the pattern of cards, which will be disturbed and switched as they are placed on the table. These switches are by the removal of a card, impossible to see while the face-up card accomplished by the double lift (although Francis Carlyle used is being shown (Photo 2). a top change), by the glide we discussed last month, and by a maneuver from a spread of cards that is credited to Henry Christ. It is this last move that we will address here. Although it might be possible to read into Ganson’s descrip- tion what I am now about to describe, it is subject to misinterpre- tation at best. For our purposes we will assume that the magician is holding a break above the card to be shown and below the card to be rung in. The magician spreads the cards between his hands and divides the spread into two sections at the break. The edge of the spread above the break is used to lever over the first card of the section below the break. It is levered over on top of this lower half-spread (Photo 1). Photo 2

So the flow of the sleight is as follows: The top card of the lower spread is levered over; immediately as that happens, the lower spread is brought over the upper spread, hiding the edge of the spread. The card is now levered back over; the card is stolen from the edge of the upper spread; and the switched-in card is tossed on the table as though it were the top card of the lower spread (Photos 3, 4, and 5). Properly done, the cards at the edge of the bottom half-spread are either covered or in motion. When the cards are in motion, attention is naturally drawn to the card being levered over and the Photo 1 ability of the spectator to register the spread pattern is minimized. When the hands are still and the face-up card is shown, the spread pattern is covered. Ganson’s description says: “Hold the left-hand packet above If you don’t follow the procedure I’ve just described, your the right-hand packet, then with the left thumb push the Eight [in chances of getting away with the sleight are substantially reduced. our description it is an Ace] to the right to make it project over You may also want to pull back the upper spread as the card is put the right side of the packet.” These instructions assume the reader down, altering the pattern. is right-handed; bear in mind that I’m left-handed and that the I’ll also note that it was very hard to catch the Professor doing photographs reflect a left-handed handling. Regardless, the point this switch because there was an energy drop as he did it. Just

34 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Photo 3 Photo 5

as you were getting ready to hone in on the procedure, you realized it was already over. He spoke a lot of “telegraphing” moves. If you pause before this switch is made or tense up, as I am wont to do, the audience will have their antennae up and be sniffing for something out of the ordinary. If it happens on the offbeat as you are talking and as a preliminary movement of little importance, then you will greatly increase your chances of getting away with it. All this is easier said than done, because it goes against our natural grain. It is, nonethe- less, the essence of what we are trying to accomplish. As in all such things, the goal is to perform the sleight so well that an observer won’t tip to it, and to also perform it when the observer Photo 4 isn’t looking. 

Photos by John Michael Perovich

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 35 DENNY HANEY - Defender of the Old School by Scott Alexander

The Early Years

The distinctive clink of his Zippo lighter cuts through the silence as a cigarette begins to blaze at his lips. “People tell me all the time that I shouldn’t smoke. I guess these things are bad for you,” Denny admits. But don’t tell Denny Haney what he can’t do, or he will make it his mission to fi nd a way to do it. “People have been telling me I can’t do things all my life. It makes me crazy.” If there is a way, even against all odds, he will take his best shot. This has made his life in magic interesting, to say the least. Denny’s fi rst exposure to magic was a local Baltimore televi- sion show, Foodini and Pinhead. “They were two little puppets. I’m sure if I saw the show today I would think they are the sickest looking set of puppets I’ve ever seen; but when I was fi ve, they were real.” Around this time, Denny’s sister collected cereal-box tops and sent away for a magic trick. When the plastic Adams Ball and Vase arrived, she showed him the trick. He was mesmerized. That memory stuck with him. Five years later, fate intervened. “I was ten and was walking through the dime store – remember those things? Today they are called dollar stores.” His early childhood memory was re-awakened when he saw that beautiful red Ball Vase taunting him from within the shiny Adams blister- pack. He bought it and learned it, and there was no going back. He Denny with Blackstone Jr. was constantly at that store, buying every twenty-fi ve cent trick Course through the mail. “It was eleven dollars a month; my on the rack. His interest deepened in the sixth grade when, on the mom said she’d pay for it, but I’d really better learn this stuff. It fi rst day of school, his teacher performed the Thumb Tie with a couldn’t be a whim.” Back then, the kit came with all the props broomstick and the cut and restored string. “He told the class that you’d need for the course. “It was great, because one of the fi rst all of those who ended up going through the entire year with good things you had to learn was cigarette manipulation and they sent grades would learn the secrets of how to do those tricks.” Needless you a pack of cigarettes with your kit.” Since the defi ant Denny to say, that was the year Denny scored his highest marks. In the had already been smoking since the age of thirteen, he considered seventh grade, he discovered magic in the school library. Denny this a bonus. To this day, Denny remains the youngest graduate of developed an insatiable desire for reading magic books. “I loved the Chavez Course. books like Joseph Leeming’s More Fun with Magic, and stuff by The majority of Denny’s vast magical knowledge (quite Bruce Elliot, Walter Gibson, and Bill Severn.” encyclopedic actually) grew from a deep connection with magic That year, his teacher had the class put down on a sheet of books. His real love of books took hold when he went to the Yogi paper several facts about themselves to share with the class. “I looked over to the kid sitting right next to me; he wrote ‘magic,’ too.” They became fast friends, and his new pal Howard taught Denny about ten-cent magic catalogs and the back of Boy’s Life magazine, where tricks and paraphernalia could be ordered through the mail, the precursor of the Internet. Then Howard dropped the real “magic bomb” on Denny; he told him about Phil Thomas’s Yogi Magic Mart in Baltimore – the Mecca for magicians, according to its sign. Denny began frequenting Phil Thomas’s shop. “No matter who you were, Phil always called you ‘my dear boy.’ ‘My dear boy, that trick is not for you...My dear boy, you need the Tarbell Course.’” This is a sentiment that Denny now voices constantly in his own magic shop. Denny’s mom was supportive of his love of magic, but his dad wondered why he never got a real job. “When I told him I wanted to be a professional magician, he said, ‘What? You can’t do that; there is no such thing.’ And he was right, because there wasn’t, really. Occasionally, on the Ed Sullivan Show you would see an act, but when I saw Mark Wilson one Saturday morning, I knew that it could be possible; after all, he was doing it.” Denny’s interest in magic began to grow exponentially. It was all-consum- ing to him. When he was fourteen, he signed up for the Chavez Denny and Lee performing the Sword Suspension

36 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Magic Shop and returned a broken Abbott Backdrop Frame he was going to put in a good word with Shelly Caston for me at had received as a Christmas gift. When he took it back to Phil the Playboy Clubs in Chicago.” Unfortunately, Denny had just Thomas to exchange it for something, Phil suggested a full set gotten his draft notice for the army and he asked Blackstone what of the Tarbell Course, which then consisted of six volumes. “He he should do. Harry said, “Volunteer for the draft; do your two was always trying to sell me that damn set of books. It was on the years; and then come back. The work at the Playboy Clubs will be top shelf, all old and beat to hell. I didn’t want that damn thing,” waiting for you.” He took the advice; a few weeks later he went Denny moans. But begrudgingly, he decided to make the trade. for his army physical. Much to Denny’s surprise, he was deemed And he was glad he did. “Everything I needed to know about 4F, unfit to serve. magic was in those books: mentalism, card magic, how to present The military doctor told Denny he had a mild kidney problem, magic, publicity stunts – everything! Those books changed my as evidenced by albumen in his urine. If he were to get up quickly life.” from a crouching position, he could possibly faint. He was not For Denny, those were good times, growing up with the burning allowed to be in combat. “I thought to myself, ‘Great, Playboy desire to become a professional. Denny put an act together and Clubs, here I come.’ I was on the bus, saying, ‘Hot damn, I don’t began winning magic competitions. “Frank Thompson, the un- have to go.’” But he just had to see his own doctor to get a second derground card man, helped me a lot. He knew a hell of a lot about opinion. Then, still on the bus ride home, Denny remembers manipulation and boy, did he know stage magic. He would tell me thinking to himself, “What do you mean I’m not good enough about guys like Count Artell with his Clock Act and Gus Fowler, for the army?” The more he thought about it, the more it bugged acts that none of the kids today have any idea about.” Walter him. His inner voice nagged at him. “I’ve been hearing ‘you can’t’ Cummings, who was a Chavez teacher, performed regularly at all my life. They told me I couldn’t be a magician; they told me I the MAES convention and every year would help clean up and couldn’t do billiard balls because I have small hands. Now they’re polish the routines in young Denny’s act. telling me I’m not good enough to join the army?” A pivotal moment came when Denny met Howie Schwarzman The next day Denny went to his own doctor to get his second at Phil’s shop; Frank Thompson introduced the two. Howie saw required verification. Sure enough, albumen in his urine was much potential in Denny and readily took him on as his student. confirmed. The doctor told him he would sign the form; when In 1962, when Denny was seventeen, Howie took him to the New Denny turned it in, he would be off the hook. Surprisingly, Denny York City Parent Assembly for their annual student/teacher night asked the doctor if there was a way to beat the test. The doctor, to present him as his student. Denny recalls how nervous he was shocked, said “You mean you want to go to Vietnam?” Denny performing his act, which consisted of doves, card manipulations, said, “I just don’t like the idea of being told I can’t do something.” billiard balls, the Blue Phantom, and the Mis-made Flag. “I did The doctor told him that there was a way to possibly beat the test. way too much,” Denny laughs jokingly. (Incidentally, Howie had Denny followed the doctor’s suggestion, no albumen showed up been presented there years earlier by the venerable Dai Vernon.) in his urine, and he was cleared for duty, feeling confident that he Denny’s nerves were well justified, because sitting in the audience had taught the US Army a lesson! were the likes of Milbourne Christopher, Roy Benson, and Frank Garcia. “After the show, Howie said to Benson, ‘Hey Roy, what do you think of the kid’s billiard balls?’” Benson was impressed and Vietnam stopped backstage to give Denny some personal tips on presenta- tion of the balls. “At the time, I thought to myself, ‘How great of In his training with Uncle Sam, Denny showed an aptitude for this nice gentleman to help me.’ I was young and I had no idea languages. Courtesy of the army, Denny was trained in Vietnam- who he was, or how special that moment was. I do now!” ese. He was made a part of the ASA, the Army Security Agency. Despite Denny’s accolades and contest wins, Denny’s dad Denny was happy, because he realized this part of the army did still insisted that he prepare for a real job by earning a college cool, action-hero, top-secret stuff. education. But remember, nobody tells Denny what to do! Even However, he assumed he would be sitting at a desk somewhere his professors in college encouraged Denny to drop the magic and in Washington, D.C., safely sifting through and translating enemy focus on becoming a teacher, where he could make a good, solid documents. As it turned out, the army had different plans. In living. “Again, here is someone telling me I can’t make a living 1966, Denny found himself standing in the mountains of Pleiku, a doing magic.” Defiant as always, Denny cut classes to practice strategically important town in South Vietnam’s central highland his craft. “Yeah, I got thrown out of college because I acciden- region. Yes, Denny was translating, but in real time, right on the tally burned down the study lounge doing the human torch bit.” battlefield. “I would have to go out on patrol with a huge radio The stunt almost burned up the whole lounge, which didn’t sit too unit on my back with a big antenna whipping in the air, essentially well with the college administrators. The Dean of the college said, saying, ‘Shoot me, shoot me!’” But the adventurous and energetic “Mr. Haney, do you want to stay here and learn, or do you want Denny volunteered for all kinds of top secret missions. The CIA to continue to do your silly magic tricks?” Big mistake. Denny even sent him into the field with a team of diggers to locate enemy looked at him point-blank and said, “I’m taking liberal arts here to telephone lines and physically tap into them. “I was literally out be a teacher, but you know, I’m sure I can make a lot more money in the middle of a field crouching and listening with enemy all doing magic.” Needless to say, his college career left a brief but around.” blazing light. Now forced to try to earn a living at magic, it was Denny saw all kinds of combat in Vietnam. During an intense church basements, Scout banquets, and anything he could get to battle, Denny mounted a huge 50-caliber machine gun and shot scratch by and make good on his word. thousands of rounds into the jungle. “We laid out walls of lead. I During this time, Denny went to see Harry Blackstone Jr. never looked into an enemy’s eyes face to face. I never engaged perform in the Holiday on Ice show at the Baltimore Civic one-on-one with the enemy.” Denny had two fears during the Center. After the show, he was invited to have dinner with some war: being captured, because of how prisoners were tortured for magicians, including Phil Thomas and Blackstone himself. Phil information, and having to fight up close with a bayonet. “I just suggested that Harry give Denny a kick-start to his career. “Harry couldn’t imagine stabbing someone or being stabbed.” Denny

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 37 pauses. “I really don’t like talking about this stuff.” Despite the bombs, bullets, and blood, there was something Denny oddly enjoyed about Vietnam: a sense of freedom. “Because it was so remote, we were pretty much out there on our own. Plus, what I was doing over there was so top secret, not even the commander knew what I was doing.” Added to that, Denny had seniority, so he could basically do what he wanted, which is why Denny volunteered for another tour of duty, not once, but twice. “I fi gured if I made it through the TET offensive, I could make it through anything. I got all the medals, the bronze star. Once I got through the TET offensive, I felt in- destructible. I let my hair grow long; I could do whatever the hell I wanted.” Denny served three tours of duty in Vietnam, but was audience. Johnny Aladdin taught me that.” Aladdin’s way of con- itching to get back into performing, and it was all inspired by a necting with and controlling the audience and his ability to relax traveling magician who had come to entertain the troops – Johnny and go with anything were the main lessons Denny absorbed. “I Aladdin. learned confi dence from him. Display the confi dence without dis- “We had just come back from a fi re fi ght, fi lthy and smelling playing arrogance. That’s where a lot of today’s performers fall of gunpowder, and we heard that there was a magician coming to down.” Denny and Johnny struck up a friendship. Johnny told entertain us,” Denny scoffs. Denny had his doubts about how this Denny to look him up in Saigon for a job opportunity when he got magician was going to go over for this tough crowd. “We were out of the army. Denny was thrilled, but the war raged on. nineteen-year-old trained killers...and some magician is going to For Denny, there was love in the midst of war. It was in entertain us. We were ready to eat him alive.” Vietnam that Denny met Lee. She was a cashier in a club where But when Johnny Aladdin took that stage, it all changed. “He he used to hang out. He taught her some tricks, and they hit it killed! He did nothing more than the Serpent Silk with a rope, the off. Before long they made plans to get married. Lee’s father had vanishing bird cage, card manipulations, the Kellar Rope Tie, and other ideas. He didn’t want some horny American GI running off the Dr. Q hypnotic act. But it didn’t matter what he did, he was just with his daughter. Her father forbade their marriage. Predictably, so entertaining.” During the Dr. Q act, Denny recalls that Johnny Denny dug in his heels. had some of the guys’ hands stuck to the fl oor, some with their When Denny fi nally left the army behind in Vietnam, he thumbs stuck up their noses. When Aladdin clapped his hands returned to the States, got his bearings as a civilian, and deter- these grown men, seemingly under his command, collapsed into mined to make good on the promise he made to Lee to come a pile on the fl oor. By the time he was fi nished, he had earned get her. When he showed up at her parents’ doorstep, they were the audience’s respect because he had thoroughly entertained in shock, especially her father. Because he saw that Denny had them. “That’s when I realized what magic was all about. It wasn’t honored his promise, her father indeed agreed to let Denny marry about trophies and winning contests. It was about entertaining an his daughter. It was a machine-gun wedding however, because

38 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Working behind the counter at the Denny & Lee Magic Studio

Denny had to escape from Pleiku; Lee’s brother did not approve of the marriage one bit, and he stalked Denny with an M-16. The Money Years The newlyweds fl ed to Saigon. While there, Denny found Johnny Aladdin and began working for Aladdin’s successful en- Now that the act had split up, Denny considered throwing in tertainment agency. He worked in every aspect of show business the towel. A long-time buddy of Denny’s who had become a big at Ladd Promotions, from booking acts and transporting them to player in the TV industry in Los Angeles suggested Denny should gigs, to running the ins and outs of a booking agency. “I would just pack up and come work for him at his production company even escort acts to gigs in a helicopter while getting shot at.” and forget about magic for a while. But Denny, ever defi ant, Denny also performed his own gigs as well, all the while learning thought he would just give it one more shot. Denny held auditions valuable lessons on the nuts and bolts of professional show for a new assistant, and he found his new “Oriental Antagonist,” business. Minh Dang. Minh joined the act; their relationship was simply After his time with Johnny Aladdin’s company, Denny and employer and employee. Denny could do the act he wanted to do, Lee headed back to the United States. They were now home in the way he wanted to do it. But as it turned out, he and Minh Baltimore, working on the act and performing small gigs. But just clicked. The relationship was never romantic, but she was the as time went on, Lee wanted perfect straight man for the comedic and dynamic Denny. There the act to remain suave and were lots of laughs backstage and on the long truck rides to the sophisticated, with her as the gigs. Denny felt free to toss out ideas and try them with the new center of attention. This caused “Lee.” Since the name Denny and Lee already had some traction friction in the marriage, and with agents, Denny decided not to change the name. Minh always over the next few years things jokes that she didn’t really mind, as long as the check cleared. It began to get a little rocky. “She has stayed Denny and Lee to this day. was always telling me what It was now, during these years, that the act really started to to do,” Denny says, slowly gain momentum. During long rides to college gigs and one-night crushing out his cigarette. His club dates, Denny, Minh, and Denny’s new male stage assistant (a gut was guiding him to add young Alain Nu) brainstormed new ideas and bits for the illusions more and more comedy to his Denny had performed with the original Lee. These new twists presentations. His confi dence and bits of business would become the core of the Denny and Lee was building, thanks to inspi- act for the next fi fteen years. Routines for the Canvas Covered ration from Johnny Aladdin. Box, Sword Suspension, and Sword Basket became the hallmark Now, the spotlight began to of the show. It was grand illusion, mixed with comedy and a dash be focused on Denny and his of sleight of hand. It was this act that shot him to the top of the funny elfi sh rapport with corporate entertainment market in the 1980s – that, and a little the audience and not on his Johnny Aladdin boost from a hot new magician named Doug Henning. “Henning sultry sidekick. According had just come on Broadway doing the Sub Trunk, Sword Suspen- to Denny, Lee really didn’t like the sidekick role. Denny pauses sion, and illusions like that. Clients would put calls into agents and says thoughtfully, “I was fi nally trusting my instincts and asking if anyone they represented had an act that did stuff like that becoming an entertainer.” Denny’s epiphany caused tension in Henning guy.” As it turns out, Denny and Minh were in the right their marriage, and it eventually led to divorce. place, at the right time, with the right act.

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 39 The Magic Shop

As the days of the Reagan administration came to a close, Denny found himself burned out from the road. “I just got a little tired of all the traveling.” He decided to open a magic shop. “That must have been the day I hit my head.” Everyone tried to tell Denny not to open a magic shop. They said that no one would appreciate it. They told him you can’t make money with a magic shop. All that did was add fuel to his fi re. “When I fi rst offi cially opened the shop around 1992, it was gangbusters.” Denny was known as a pro in the industry; when all the pros heard he was opening a shop, Denny became the go-to guy for the real high-end stuff. Denny’s mantra in the early days was, “I’m only going to carry the best money can buy.” This was great for a while. Then, with the economy starting to circle the drain, the vociferous growth of the Internet, and the virus-like Alain Nu, Denny, Tim Conway, and Minh expansion of the “online discount magic shop,” Denny slowly felt a choke-hold on his business, a hold that he has been trying to The Denny and Lee show began commanding thousands and maneuver his way out of ever since. thousands of dollars for one-nighters; they opened for stars like “In order to keep up with the variety of products these discount- Glen Campbell, Air Supply, and Joan Rivers. “I was never per- ers can offer, I have to get this trick, and then that one; and I have sonally ‘a big star,’ but I was very successful. To be a success to order six or eight of each. These discounters have no overhead, in magic, you don’t have to be a star...just have a wonderful life. because most of them don’t even have a physical address. They That’s the cool thing.” Denny studied and learned from working don’t really stock anything.” Looking around his shop, you can with and watching these show business legends in person. These see display case after display case brimming with tricks. “I’d say experiences only served to reconfi rm what he had already learned that eighty percent of the magic being released today is unneces- from Johnny Aladdin years earlier in Vietnam. “It doesn’t matter sary,” Denny proclaims, slamming his hand down on the table. what you do, as long as they like you while you’re doing it. It has It’s true. Today, magic tricks are being released at a breakneck to be entertaining, and of course as a magician you really have pace due to the abundance of technology that makes it easy for any to fool them and fool them badly, with the best equipment and yahoo with a computer to put together his own DVD or packaged methods you can.” But the real secret to all the successful acts he trick. saw, from Johnny Aladdin to Joan Rivers, was confi dence. And Denny laments that people come into the shop constantly now in his career, he was brimming with it. asking the same thing: “What’s new?” They should be asking: Denny’s success in the industry was unparalleled. Here was “What’s old?” The phone constantly rings at the studio with people a magic act getting standing ovations from engineers and execu- asking about tricks and effects. “At least seventy-fi ve percent of tives at corporate events. The word spread through the corporate everything I’m asked over the phone can be answered by saying, entertainment world like wildfi re. In an article in Tops magazine ‘It’s in Tarbell.’ And when I ask if they have Tarbell, they always from the ‘80s, one of the trivia questions asked was which act was say, ‘Well...I’ve been meaning to get that.’” According to Denny, the highest paid corporate magical entertainer. The answer was the general population of magicians doesn’t read anymore. “I can Denny and Lee. Denny was raking in the cash and using it to build tell when a pro walks in, because nine times out of ten the fi rst his enormous collection of props, posters, and magic memorabil- thing they head for is the bookshelf. That’s when you earn my ia. “I added it up recently; I have about a million dollars worth of respect.” things in my collection right now.” Those were the good years. Denny believes that the great thing about books, something that Phil Thomas knew back in the day, is that they lead you to places you never thought your mind could go. “Books are a discovery. You discover things as you read; you picture ways to do them in your mind. You see things you never thought of, or never saw, and you try them out.” Denny observes that much of the magic being released today in instant downloads or on DVDs are just quick tricks that are, for the most part, re-hashed tricks from long ago, void of any real entertainment value or presentation. In Denny’s opinion, the best kind of magic, stand-up magic, is virtually nonexistent on TV. The new generation growing up in magic just doesn’t know anything about doing stand-up magic, because no one is showing them, no one is teaching them. “I love stand-up magic. I still perform whenever I can, like at conventions, in Vegas, or at the Magic Castle. There is nothing like standing on a stage. I’m trying to get a lot of the guys who hang out here into this type of magic. Get up on stage and try it. That’s what a real magician does!” Denny exclaims.

40 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 People always argue pride when he speaks that there are no venues about how we have for stand-up magic gone on to have suc- anymore. But there are cessful careers in magic still Cub Scout banquets, as working pros. And birthday parties, and it is all because Denny civic organizations; those took the time to put us haven’t gone away. And on the right path, just bigger gigs are available like Phil Thomas did for for stand-up magic, too. him. Denny has taught In these tough economic and mentored us in big times, corporations are ways, but this advice leaning towards stand-up and teaching is available shows that fi t their to anyone who walks budgets better than large through his door and stage spectaculars. From shows they care. Denny cruise ships to private is magically paying parties, stand-up magic it forward, and that’s is where most working the kind of real-world, magicians actually make personal, one-on-one, their living. “Nothing passed down experience beats being on stage, and knowledge that can getting those laughs and only be obtained at a that applause; they love brick-and-mortar shop you, and they give you money for it! But most young guys today like Denny’s – face-to-face instead of screen-to-screen. don’t even know that this kind of thing exists. I consider it my But you can’t actually walk into many magic shops today. mission to educate these young magicians.” Most of them only exist on the Web. Denny explains it this way. Denny got a call recently from a young magician who had been “Some of the Internet shops selling magic to this new genera- in magic for ten years. He got into magic via the Internet. Denny tion are able to attract customers by discounting and even selling leans forward. “The problem with a young magician learning cheap and inferior quality products.” Denny himself has even from the Web is that they enter magic randomly.” What Denny has strayed from his original goal of trying to stock the best quality observed is that their fi rst trick is most likely well above their skill items that he really believes in, rather than going for quantity and level. They have no foundation or fundamentals to build on. They discounts. “People are just looking to save money when they buy are just thrust into the fray. This kid was the perfect example. magic nowadays; they will buy crap just because they think they He bought tricks here and there, surfed YouTube learning things, are getting a deal. They buy inferior tricks because they save a but he had never cracked a magic book. He fi nally called Denny, few bucks and get free shipping. I often ask people, ‘Do you have frustrated, and said he had been in magic for all this time and was any other hobbies?’ They say, ‘Well, yeah, I collect stamps.’ I say, totally confused. “The fi rst step to recovery is admitting you have ‘Do you only collect the bad ones?’” a problem. This guy had no guidance, no foundation, and he knew Denny battles on to sustain a real magic shop, one reminiscent it,” Denny says sadly. Denny has since helped him and put him of the days of the must and dust of the old Phil Thomas shop he on the right path. “Maybe that is the way I am going to make an loved in his youth – a smoky, beautifully dingy, and magical place impact in magic,” Denny realizes, “helping one person at a time.” where young and old can gather and mix and mingle, teaching Denny has infl uenced countless magicians he has helped along each other personally. However, with the death of more and more the way, including Alain Nu, Puck, and me. Denny beams with brick-and-mortar magic shops, magic today is losing its intimacy. This kind of human experience is fading into ephemeral nostalgia, hard to recapture in a world of fast-food and Persian bazaar magic on the Internet. Denny is almost quixotic in his battle to fi ght it, an enemy he seems helpless to defeat. Denny may have fought on the front lines in Vietnam, but now he fi nds himself fi ghting a different battle. Instead of hidden snipers and hand grenades, he now fi ghts for his beloved shop, against his digital discounting opponents. Now instead of crouching in a fi eld for hours surrounded by the enemy, here is Denny, battle-worn and bloody, managing to somehow stay alive, pushing the old-school ways of reading books, the ways of sitting around a real magic shop learning from human beings with real world experience, swapping stories, memories, sharing new and old ideas....being real magicians. “My goal is to be the last real magic shop standing!” So Denny will keep performing, puffi ng, and plugging away, helping anyone who makes the effort to walk through his doorway. He will continue to change lives, one Denny receiving the Milbourne Christopher customer at a time, because nobody is going to tell him that he Award with Bill Rauscher at the S.A.M. convention 2011 can’t! 

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 41 A Magician Prepares... by Dennis Loomis

Perfect Time Watch tor’s Workshop, the company that next to the Controller was run by Rich and his partner Nick watch, trig- Rugerio. The Collector’s Workshop gering the When I started this column in line of products has been taken over action. You January of 2009 I made a promise to by Viking Manufacturing in McAllen, could write myself that I would not write the kind Texas. They have been kind enough to or doodle with of column in which I threw together allow me to discuss the Perfect Time the pen to fill the a new, untested card trick just for the watch and my system for using it. The time. At the precise sake of publishing an article. I knew Perfect Time effect is still available moment when the watch registers that what I had to share was the experi- from them in a variety of styles and the correct time, you pick up the cap, ence of having done thousands of shows finishes (www.vikingmagic.com). The stopping the watch. from 1970 to the present. I was deter- photos of the Perfect Time watches I thought of another method well mined to write about things that I had (Photos 2 and 3) and the revelation of suited for close-up work. I put a stack used professionally. In this column I’ll the method are used with permission of fifteen or twenty sheets of paper onto break that rule. The props were built, of George Robinson, owner of Viking. a clipboard. The papers had a hole to The new version of Perfect Time has contain a magnet. Two or three uncut some changes to the method, so if you sheets were on top to hide the magnet. plan to buy one I suggest that you give With the clipboard on the table, the George a call at 956-380-3929 and watch is placed onto it. On another discuss it with him. He’s a great guy part of the stack of papers I drew a and very knowledgeable about magic. watch face. If I needed to kill time, I He provided the version of Perfect could write in all of the numbers on the Time that Criss Angel used on TV. face of the watch. If not, I could just Today, Perfect Time is available in put the 12, 3, 6, and 9. Then, I could two different versions. My system uses draw in the hands showing the selected the original method: magnetism. A time. The watch was within my field of spectator names any time, both the hour vision as I drew. And I could pick up and the minute. If a magnet is placed the watch to stop the hands. While this close to the Perfect Time watch, the worked better, I did not like having to 1 hands start to turn, scrolling through be in such close proximity to the watch. all of the hours. The watch is placed I wanted to put the watch down, step in view of the audience, oriented so away from it, and never look at the face they cannot see the face. If the hands again. I would let the spectator pick but I never performed it, because it are stopped at the right time by taking up the watch and show the face to the requires an assistant. That assistant was away the magnet, the watch will display audience with the correct time. This going to be my second wife, Annette the time chosen by spectator, confirm- could be a good routine for stand-up (Photo 1), but we separated before we ing the prediction. As the hands turn, shows. When I thought of having my performed it. It works perfectly today the proper time may come up soon, or assistant control the process, I soon after twelve years in storage (the trick, it may take quite some time. During came up with the following system. not Annette). this process, you have to look at the It involves a back drop, like the one Rich Bloch invented Perfect Time, watch frequently to keep track of the in Photo 4 and a special tripod table and I bought one of them years ago. progress; this is hard to do without with a plunger topped by a magnet. I loved the effect, but I just wasn’t exciting suspicion. With the watch, I Photo 5 shows the table, Photo 6 is a comfortable with the method. It was received a ballpoint pen with a magnet close-up view of the pattern of spots manufactured and sold by Collec- in the cap. The cap was placed down that disguises the top of the plunger,

3 4

2

42 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 10

8

5

11

was allowed to look at my watch. He would confirm that the watch showed 6 the current time and was running. I would reset the watch to a new time, as a prediction. Then I’d set it on top of the piece of glass (Photo 11). The assistant would hear the time chosen by the spectator and pull the thread, lifting the plunger, which brought the 9 magnet near the watch, causing the 7 watch hands to revolve. When it was about an hour before the designated time, she would release tension on the thread, the plunger would drop, and the hands would stop. Then she could tease the hands forward, just a little at a time until they were at the correct time. I could end the routine by directing the spectator to pick up the watch and read out the time. It would be spot on, of course, and the spectator could show the face to nearby spectators. At least and Photo 7 shows the plunger in that was the plan. The special table with the upright position. The plunger is the plunger was designed and built by operated by a thread that runs down my friend Bill Bell in Sacramento. He the table’s upright and out one of the did an excellent job. I still have the unit legs. It then goes through a cup hook in storage; I might be persuaded to part screwed into a block of wood (Photo with it. 8) and up to the assistant’s hand. The I hesitate to suggest this, because backdrop has a small hole positioned at many magicians consider the use of a just the right height so that the assistant stooge to be either unethical or beneath can peek out and see the face of the their dignity. But if you don’t have that watch. In order to prevent a little spot objection, it would be very effective to of light coming through the backdrop, have a stooge wear the Perfect Time it was doubled and the assistant stood watch to your show so you could in between the two pieces of material “borrow” it from him. You should as seen in Photo 9. arrange to have it returned to you in The assistant puts one foot on mance, a bottomless cut-glass sugar private, of course.  the plywood to steady it. When the container (Photo 10) was placed on thread is pulled upward, the plunger the table, and a square sheet of glass © 2012 by Dennis Loomis rises from the table. For the perfor- was placed on top of it. The spectator

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 43 44 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Remote Extreme posters can be downloaded from a special website and complete instructions are included. The price for Professor Marvel’s WeMo is a plug-in device made Crystal Ball is free for now; it is available in the iTunes App by Belkin that allows you to turn Store. anything on and off from anywhere. It works using Wi-Fi. Plug in a lamp, Viber a heater, an air conditioner, anything. You can now use your iPhone, iPod I remember when I Touch, iPad, Android phone, or was a RVP and stood up tablet to control that device. You at a council meeting to could be in Beijing and still be able tell everyone about the to turn on your lights at home. This wonders of Skype calls. is much more reliable than trusting Within three months those iffy light timers that you hope Skype became the way will work. You can plug multiple we communicated with devices into separate WeMo units each other. We still do. and control them separately from the handy app on your phone. Well, I am here to tell You can even set up timers for the devices. you about a “portable” In magic, a person in the audience could control your plug-in free-call program called Viber. I tried it when it first came device from his or her phone. People who perform séances out and wasn’t impressed, but Alan Watson in New Zealand could have a field day with this handy device. As my magic asked me to take another look at it. Wow, did they do a good friend James Harris from Atlanta said, “I can perform the Milk job rebooting it. When you use Viber, calls and text messages in Light Bulb and my wife can stay at home!” Not quite, but are free to any other Viber user. Sound quality is better than close. The app is free. The WeMo plugs are around $50 each; a regular phone call. Viber calls can be placed either through they are available on Amazon.com or in the Apple Store. Wi-Fi or on your smart phone using 3G. Again, the calls are one-hundred-percent free and require no additional purchases. Professor Marvel’s Crystal Ball For once I can say that this app works on iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Windows phones. Look for it in your respec- At my Tech Talk tive app stores or go to the website (www.Viber.com). I’m using at the S.A.M. Las it now. Let me know if you are. Vegas convention, I surprised everyone MagicSAM Updated with an app that has been sitting in my Here’s another reminder that if you haven’t done so already, vault for a while. please delete MagicSAM from your devices and re-down- Honestly, my pro- load it from the iTunes App Store. The old version will not be grammer Rob Faiella supported anymore. The new version (put out by The Society and I forgot all about of American Magicians) has current convention support as well it. It was written as a faster engine and some other bonuses. during the months Why the switch? When we wrote the app, the S.A.M. did not that we were working on MagicSAM two years ago. have a developer’s license to put out the app in the iTunes Store. Professor Marvel was the traveling magician in The Wizard They tried to get one, but the legal papers on the formation of of Oz. He studied with many of the best ghost talkers of the the organization had the old address from 1902. Apple wanted time. Your device shows a beautiful transparent crystal ball proof that we did in fact have offices in Colorado and not the on a draped table. You show one spectator a group of magic old one on the papers. posters from the golden age of spiritualism – Alexander, Fay, To save time while we worked this out, the S.A.M. had the Thurston, Carter, and Houdini. One spectator selects a poster. app put out on my license. We had to go through hoops to get an The other spectator rubs the crystal ball and the selected poster S.A.M. license. They finally granted it. To move the app to the comes into view. new license, we had to remove it from mine. Please remove the I had a great time performing this effect and thought of all old one and download the new one so you will be notified about sorts of nuances that turn this thirty-second trick into a four- the updates. Thanks.  minute presentation. The only person who touches the device screen is the spectator. The graphic looks beautiful, especially Found a cool gadget, app, or website for magic applica- on the iPhone 4s and the new iPad. There is nothing surpris- tions? Share your discovery with Bruce to include in a future ing here methodologically, but it is a fun effect to present. The column. Email him at SAMtalkBruce @cox.net.

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 45 Updates From Our Newsworthy S.A.M. Members Geoff Williams Lecture 103 rd Salute to Magic

The 103rd Salute to Magic was a resounding success. The May 22, 2012, show was a complete sellout! Four acts and a great emcee carried the PA 1 tradition forward in New York. Emcee Todd Robbins did a fantastic job keeping the show moving. Elliot Zimet opened with some quick-paced dollar-bill manipulations, a unique bullet catch, and some very fine dove work. He ended by producing Geoff Williams a loquacious macaw whose comments acted as a running gag, because it could be heard from backstage during the On May 9, 2012, Assembly 92 and Ring 57 hosted the acts that followed. incredible Geoff Williams for a lecture at the Mingus Magic The Great Throwdini, an award-winning knife-throwing Shop in Reading, Pennsylvania. This lecture was arranged act, showed skills that included the Veiled Wheel of Death, by the Rev. Michael Reist, aka The Amazing Magi, as a with his two assistants on a spinning wheel. The intermis- thank you for the support of both organizations over the sion was followed by the presentation by President Jim Kelly years for the Creating Miracles Brick by Brick magic show of the “Magician of the Year” award to long-time member that raises money every year for Habitat for Humanity. Vic Sendax. The lecture was attended by nineteen people, and they Ventriloquist John Pizzi performed several hilarious were in for a real treat. Unlike some lectures that many routines interacting with his figures; he closed with a side- times are primarily either cards, coins, or both, Geoff splitting Big Baby puppet routine with a spectator. Todd presented an incredible mix of cards, coins, and many other Robbins created a human table with four spectators before items primarily from his lecture, “The Lecture Your Mother introducing final act, Lyn Dillies. Lyn presented an array of Never Gave You.” standard and original illusions that played especially well on Just a few examples of the effects that wowed the the small stage with the audience quite close. audience were Geoff’s classic I Hate David Copperfield card effect, his Rabbit in Hat, his vanish of a coin, and especially his Electrical Artlet. Geoff presented many other effects, including several new items he has released. A real hit of the evening was Geoff’s Everything’s a Radio, a wonder- fully clever piece of magic that has been incorporated into this writer’s repertoire. The club had a wonderful evening of magic; we all hope other clubs will take advantage of the talent that Geoff can bring. After well over two hours of lecturing, a few of us joined Geoff at a local restaurant where we received almost another whole lecture as we spent several more hours with him talking about coins, cards, and many other items. Thank you Geoff Williams. – Rev. Michael L. Reist Elliot Zimet

46 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Producer Richie Magic is to be complimented, as well as the four S.Y.M. 69 youngsters who did close-up magic during the intermission. They were Danny Braff, Ben Siber-Marker, David Rosenstein, and Adam Kravitz. —George Schindler (Photos by George Koury)

The Long Island Mystics Annual End of Year Dinner – 2012

On June 11, 2012, The Long Island Mystics (Assembly 77) celebrated the end of year with their annual dinner and show. Throwdini Thanks to the efforts of producers Steve Rodman and Jeff Miller, a record crowd filled Governor’s Comedy Club to support the event.

John Pizzi

Eric DeCamps

Todd Robbins T.J. Tana

Prior to the formal show, T.J. Tana and Eric DeCamps performed tableside magic for the guests. After a lavish and delicious buffet dinner the stars of the show took the stage. Our emcee for the evening was none other than Steve “Ziggy” Ziegelman. Ziggy had us in stiches with his topical humor and funny anecdotes about our assembly. The Magic of Elle (Linda Fieldman Robbins) followed; she performed an elegant handing of Tabary’s rope routine and a sentimental routine with a borrowed finger ring. Ziggy returned to the stage and performed a mental magic routine in which he correctly predicted the total for a randomly selected three course meal. Ziggy’s stage assistant/“waiter” had a little arithmetic problem when Lyn Dillies totaling up the bill, but it all worked out in the end and the

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 47 Newsworthy

audience responded with a large round of applause. Stage illusionist and escape artist supreme Scott Inter- rante enchanted us with his take on some classic illusions, such as his water transposition, razor blade swallowing, and Kellar rope tie. He closed with his tribute to Houdini by performing his rendition of the straitjacket escape. Upon his release from the jacket, Scott received thun- derous applause. To close the show, comic headliner Joe Starr literally had the audience in pain with laughter! It was a great night of magic, mystery, comedy, and S.A.M. camaraderie. On a personal note, the greatest pleasure of the evening for me was reconnecting The Magic of Elle Joe Starr with so many old magic friends and their families. It brought back a flood of marvelous memories of growing up in the Long Island magic community, and I would like to thank the Long Island Mystics for making that possible. 

—Eric DeCamps

Scott Interrante Ziggy Ziegelman

48 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Treasures from the Salon de Magie by Ken Klosterman THURSTON’S FLOATING BALL its casket and the lid slowly closed, For this month’s bringing the routine to a fi tting and column we focus our at- dramatic climax. tention on Howard Thur- Abbott’s original version used ston, the magician who, a papier-mâché orb treated to with his Wonder Show of appear as if it were made of metal. the Universe, was Amer- Thurston used this approach too, but later used a larg- ica’s favorite magician er and heavier ball. It was also presented under much from 1908 (when he took dimmer lighting conditions, for the ball needed a more over Harry Kellar’s show) substantial support than the nearly invisible thread until his death in April suitable for a papier-mâché ball. While modern fl oat- 1936. He was an illusion- ing balls have been made of lightweight aluminum and ist, of course, and while plastic, this metal ball of Thurston’s is actually rather the Salon contains a mas- heavy, weighing nearly four pounds. It is 8½ inches in sive archive of printed diameter. memorabilia and a life- Thurston used this ball in a time of correspondence, greatly modifi ed version of the there is little in the col- trick as part of his Spirit Cabinet lection by way of Thurston’s illusionary apparatus. routine. A large wooden cabinet Still, there are some unique items such as a shirt and with a darkened interior stood on dress collar worn by Thurston on stage and autographed stage. Thurston summoned the by the magician and his company. There is Thurston’s spirits forth; they rang the usual cigarette case, and even the crosscut lumber saw used bells, played musical instru- in his Sawing through a Woman trick. I’d like to devote ments, rattled tambourines, this column to another item, his Floating Ball. Like many and produced spirit hands and of Thurston’s feature effects, it was not an original cre- the ethereal fl oating ball. This ation. David P. Abbott of Omaha, Nebraska, is credited was accomplished by a hidden with devising the fi rst practical one-person method for assistant garbed in black vel- the trick. Abbott sold the trick to Thurston in 1902; he vet who held a similar velvet used it fi rst to broaden his vaudeville act, and then in bag containing the ball. He also his full-evening production before taking on the Kellar manipulated the ball’s levitation. At the end of the show. routine, other assistants came on stage and disassem- Originally, Thurston presented the trick attired in bled the cabinet beginning with the top, which they a royal blue tunic, soft breeches, riding boots, and a folded in half and placed behind the cabinet, allowing turban – a theatrical interpretation of a Western the hidden assistant to drop down through a stage trap. adventurer’s garb in India in the days of the Raj. He The rest of the cabinet was likewise folded up leaving entered with a hoop in hand, followed by George White, the audience none the wiser. his assistant. George held a decorated box in front of The idea for the ball rising from the casket is attrib- him, and stood silently with it, center stage. uted to Okito (Theodore Bamberg), who also acquired Thurston gestured toward the box and its lid opened. a ball from David Abbott; Bamberg so improved the A ball fl oated out, as if guided by unseen hands, fol- working and presentation that the trick is now most lowing the motions of the magician. Soaring over the commonly referred to as the Okito Floating Ball. stage, the silver sphere’s fl ight made a spectacular dis- The fl oating ball in the Salon de Magie’s collection play. In response to another gesture, the ball fl oated to came from Baltimore magician and magic dealer Phil the magician, where it remained suspended between his Thomas, who identifi ed it as Thurston’s and who dis- hands. Thurston then moved from the stage, carrying played it in his shop for many years. It was among the the ball into the audience. Standing next to the specta- items rescued by magician Fred Cook when the shop tors, he would release his “mental hold” on the sphere, burned in 1978. The container, or art nouveau cas- commanding it to fl oat from between his hands back to ket holding the ball, came from the Circus Museum of the stage. The ball drifted over the footlights to remain Sarasota, source of most of the collection of Baltimore suspended high in the air, awaiting its next command. collector Thomas Chew Worthington III, Thurston’s Thurston again gestured – this time toward the box in biggest fan.  George White’s hands. In response, the ball glided into

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 49 i left my by steve cards at HOME marshall sustained head injuries, broken ankles and legs, and a broken Beverly Suzàn knee. Doctors warned her that she might never perform again. Being a survivor though, this only pushed her to work harder Raised in New Jersey, Beverly to do whatever it took to continue with her love of magic. Soon grew up watching her dad doing she was teaching magic from her wheelchair. This led to a magic tricks; but it was a chance regular teaching gig at Montclair State University, where she happening at a dance club in her teaches a magic class for the talented and gifted program nine early twenties that changed her weekends in the spring and fall and for two sessions of a three- life in a magical way. “I was at week magic course in the summer. this dance club with a girlfriend While at Montclair, Beverly was encouraged to write her of mine,” Beverly said, “when own study manual, which led to her writing and publishing this young man came over to our MAGI-CALL: A study of the magician’s art, a book that teaches table, threw a ball of fire in the air, the art of sleight of hand from an academic approach. It also and produced a bouquet of roses. I includes profiles of over two hundred famous magicians, over was so impressed. When he left, I turned to my friend and said, eighty of them being female magicians. ‘That’s what I want to do!’” Since she didn’t know how to go Today, when she is not teaching courses at Montclair or about leaning magic tricks, she asked the magician at the dance other workshops and art programs, she can be found traveling club. “As it turned out, he really wasn’t a magician; he was just around New Jersey presenting her own special and unique style a guy who knew three or four tricks that he would perform of magic. while walking around the club. He told me he would teach them to me if I could first tell him how they were done.” Steve’s Stuff This interesting style of becoming a magic teacher actually sent Beverly to the library, where she discovered the magic I’m breaking tradition this month by putting my stuff before books that were hidden in plain sight on the shelves there. the effect to give you a little history. Although she didn’t find the exact tricks that she had seen After Harvey Berg’s effect The Real Article appeared in performed, she did find a whole bunch of new and different the January 2012 installment of this column, I received a letter ones, and she was hooked. from Ms. Beverly Suzàn saying that she had a version of the The next big step in her quest for magical knowledge was newspaper column prediction that she would like to contribute. when she found Mecca Magic (a large and respected magic After looking over Beverly’s version of this effect, I decided shop in Bloomfield, New Jersey) and met Ted Collins, who was to include it here; I liked her approach on making this pretty the owner at that time. “Ted is the person most responsible for much an impromptu effect and all of her thoughts and nuances keeping me in magic for as long as I have been. Whenever I on the performance of this piece. It was clear to me that this is would go into his shop, he would not only show me what I went something she has performed for real audiences on a regular in to see, he would show me something that was a little more basis and she knows what works. difficult, in an effort to make me work even harder.” Beverly I especially liked her attention to detail when it comes did return to the dance club to tell the magic man how he did to picking which pages of a newspaper to use. This piece of his four tricks, but by that time, she knew more than he did! advice could save you from some embarrassing situations in Her knowledge of magic was growing, and with the help any newspaper effects that you do. I know that, performing in and support of her mentor Ted Collins, Beverly began perform- many countries where I could not read the language, I always ing anywhere and everywhere that she could, including places asked someone to translate the headlines on the front page of a like the types of dance clubs where she saw her first magician. newspaper before I did my torn and restored routine. “These places had small stages, and some of them had mirrors Without further ado I give you: on the walls behind me. To this day I am very good with any types of angles since I constantly had to be aware of my surroundings when I was first starting out.” Pick an Article, Any Article Soon she bought bigger illusions and began performing with By Beverly Suzàn a male assistant. Even though she and her partner split up after a few years, she kept traveling, spending more and more time I have always loved the newspaper article prediction, but on the road. She performed everywhere, from big theaters, to a while performing this routine over the last ten years, I have seventy-three-day, fifteen-thousand-mile tour of the USA and encountered several problems with the original presentation. British Columbia traveling on the back of a motorcycle, to a The audience’s reaction was good, but I felt that with some im- cruise ship that went up and down the Nile River in Egypt. provements I could help make this into a reputation maker. In 1995 she was involved in a head-on collision in which she First, I believe that when performing an audience participa-

50 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 tion trick, the more the audience is involved, the more enter- the chosen line starts in the middle of a sentence. tainment value the trick has for them, thus making your magic Remember a few key words in this new top sentence. You stronger. The more steps you involve them in, the greater the will be amazed at how easy this is to do. You can control the effect is on them, to them, and for them. mood with a simple move. Take a glance at the back of this It also bothered me to present a pre-cut article to the column while asking someone else to quickly read and verify audience. By magicians pre-choosing an article, they eliminate that this is indeed a real newspaper article, and have him or her the higher astonishment value. confirm that all the lines are different. This strengthens the trick The biggest obstacle with giving my audience free choice many fold. When your audience is talking about this amazing of the page and article within the paper is that newspapers trick later someone will inevitably question that person about sometimes had terrifying news that shouldn’t be read aloud in what they read, just to make sure that every line was different. mixed company. Certainly you would not want the conclusion You could just as quickly show a few people, thereby strength- of your trick to be about an ax murderer! Worse yet, what if ening the move even more. someone in the audience knew that victim? Show the spectator the article by holding the top of the page I started examining papers and noticed that you could with your fingers pointing down, placing the column in front usually find a few good pages. Most Sunday papers have of his face for him to read. This hides the actual line that will lifestyle sections, gardening sections, entertainment sections, be predicted later. After he confirms that it is a real newspaper, sports sections, and pages with local news that would not be if there happens to be a picture on the other side, quickly show traumatizing to your audience. the picture and point out that the side we want to read is the side I collected interesting pages from many newspapers and without the picture. compiled small sections with enticing pictures on the front Ask the original person to come up and hold her hand out for the audience to pick from. It does not matter if the pages flat in front of her. Place the newspaper article-side down on in a particular section are different dates. Part of the working her palm. This is very important so that she does not catch a method that this trick relies on is that the spectators cannot read glimpse of any of the words, or their placement in the column. the print, even when the paper is rather close to them. Put your hands above and below, encasing her hand so she does After I state to my audience that we will perform a mind- not get control of the newspaper. Look into her eyes and claim reading trick together, I pick a volunteer and ask her to remain to read her mind. “Oh you have beautiful eyes...I’m seeing in her seat. I then ask her to pick a paper that we will work something about...children... anticipation…and a hoot and a from: section one, two or three, as I show the front pages. The holler.” Of course the people will be thinking, “What is going sections consist of a double-page with a single page inside. on?” but they will be captivated. This gives the audience member six pages to choose from You tell the audience, “Now let me see if I can find that within their selected section. The unselected pages can be used sentence that you were sending me mentally.” You look up in future performances. and down the article and say, “Ah, here it is.” Remind them to If she picks section two, I make sure that I keep this paper remember this sentence as it is spoken, then you read the top (and me) in the audience’s sight at all times. (Why? Because I line while allowing your eyes to gaze further down the column. can.) I drop the other papers on the floor and openly show the “...window upstairs, but after much anticipation the children audience the six pages within the chosen section. “Would you hooted and hollered when the parade finally started, and it was like page one, two, three, let’s skip four because it doesn’t have grand!” any large columns, page five or six?” (This patter, of course, Mention now that you have done your job of reading her depends on the actual layout of the pages.) This provides plenty mind and now it is her turn. During this statement, pick up of choices. When she picks her page, I tear it from the other a pair of scissors while turning the column upside down with half of the double page (if necessary) and I drop the remainder. the article facing the audience. Open the scissors around the I ask, “Column one, two, or three.” If this page only has two column and run them up and down, saying, “I want you to tell large columns, I just ask, “Column one or two?” Notice that I me what line in this article to cut on, so tell me when to stop.” say columns, not articles. This gives you more freedom when When she does, give her the freedom to change the position it comes to the next step. The longer the column is, the better of the cut. When she has given you her final answer, cut the you can control the finale. I stay away from pages with wedding paper, letting the cut piece fall to the ground. Again, this is very announcements because it is full of pictures; you are going for important; it shows that you have not touched the paper after words. she selected the chosen line. The secret to the dynamics of this particular method is in the Ask her or another audience member to pick up the paper cutting out of an intact column right in front of the audience. and to read aloud the top sentence where the article was cut. Everyone sees it with his or her own eyes. The article is being If by chance she reads the wrong side, the audience will think removed from its place on the page in full view, so the audience you messed up, but will chuckle when you say, “Turn the page is sure you have the article that was freely chosen by them, and around and read the other side, please.” you do! The spectator reads, “...window upstairs, but after much Start the cut across the top, just above the first sentence, anticipation the children hooted and hollered when the parade down one side, across the bottom and up the other side. As finally started, and it was grand!” you are cutting, silently read the top paragraph of the article This revised method plays solid, and it can be a lengthy and choose a great line to cut on, thereby making this line the section in your show. Audiences love it and talk about it. They new top line. As you angle the paper slightly away from the are convinced, because they were involved. audience cut across, just above your chosen sentence. This does So remember my tip for stronger magic, always play your not have to be at the very top of the page or at the start of a audience participation with the people, to the people, and for sentence. In fact, sometimes it is more convincing later on if the people! 

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 51 James shares an entertaining tale from the performing lives of professional magicians. These stories illustrate various tricky situations that working pros have found themselves in and how they handled them.

the day it went horribly wrong. To explain what happened, Paul must reveal the methodol- ogy of his effect. “At the start of the show, I forced a card and a coin on the fellow. Because they’re forced, they’re already pre-written in the prediction envelope. Everything is fine as far as that’s concerned. The only free choice is the word he selects and writes down. At the time, I was using Al Baker’s center tear, which is a read-as-you-tear method, so I could see the chosen word.” Paul then had a second envelope, in which he kept the predic- tion. That envelope had a strategically placed cut-out window, where he could fill in the missing word by hand later in the show. When the spectator returned to the stage, he would tear open the sealed envelope to find the name of the card he had chosen, the coin, the date, and the freely selected, random word he had chosen. It was an impressive and astounding effect. The fateful night began like any other. “This was at a Canadian mentalist Paul Pacific bills himself as “Canada’s corporate event. I had a man come up on stage. As always, I leading mind reader,” but even he cannot always tell what forced a card and a coin. I handed him an invisible book, and awaits when he steps on stage. Paul specializes in corporate had him turn to an invisible page and think of any word. I did stage shows, or “concerts,” as he likes to call them. Over the the center tear. I saw that he was thinking of the word ‘rosebud.’ years, he has developed a set that ends with a crowd-pleasing I did my usual program and had reached the Q&A portion. I Q&A session. But that was not always the case. was sitting on the stage with my portfolio, taking impressions When he first started out in mentalism twenty years ago, as they came to me.” Paul decided to incorporate a prediction effect as the closer Hidden in the portfolio was the window envelope. But as to his performance. He had done headline predictions before Paul put pen to paper, he was unable to write. “For the life of and received a tremendous response. A regular prediction, me, I couldn’t remember the word.” Panic raced through Paul. introduced at the outset of his show and completed at the end, The room around him dimmed as his mind raced. He began an seemed like a good way to bring the audience full circle and internal monologue of rebuke. How could he have forgotten? leave them mystified. How could he have been so stupid? As the show began, Paul brought a spectator up on stage and Meanwhile, the show went on. Paul tried to conceal his asked him to select a card and a coin at random; he then asked anxiety as he continued to point and smile and engage the him to think of any word in the English language and to write audience. He knew the word began with an “R,” but that wasn’t that word on a piece of paper. The person returned to his seat much help. Nevertheless, another part of his brain began trolling and Paul continued with his concert. At the end of forty-five through “R” words. Was it radish? Racoon? He had no idea. minutes or an hour, when the Q&A had concluded, he invited At that point, he wasn’t sure how the show would end. The the man back up on stage and had him open a sealed envelope. Q&A was going well, but the whole evening would be a flop if The envelope contained a handwritten prediction with the card, the prediction failed. As he stalled for time, he considered aban- the coin, the date on the coin, and the exact word the person doning the trick and ending on the Q&A. But then the audience had been thinking of. The spectator received the prediction would wonder what had happened with the guy who had come as a souvenir, and Paul finished up with final remarks. Cue up at the beginning. He immediately dismissed that option. thunderous applause. And then, the solution came to him. He jotted something The routine was a success and worked like a charm…until down in the window on the envelope, finished the Q&A, and

52 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 brought the man back on stage. Normally, Paul would read the like a live show. Paul was lucky that he was able to resolve his prediction himself, but this time, he asked the man to read it. dilemma speedily and smoothly, but there are things that can Paul recounts what came next. “He read out, ‘I, Paul help out any pro in a similar situation. Pacific, predict that the person will pick such and such a card.’ The first is to be prepared in advance. Just as you check I predicted the card and the coin correctly. Now he’s getting to the emergency exits when you fly, know your possible escape the word. He continued reading, ‘And I, Paul Pacific, predict routes in each routine. What things could go wrong? Play out that this randomly selected audience member will choose any possible scenarios and find ways to rescue the routine if it goes word in the English language, and he will settle on the word… awry. Damn! You son-of-a-bitch.’ The guy started to laugh. And the It’s important to remember that audiences don’t know what’s audience started laughing, too.” supposed to happen. They don’t know what you had planned, Instead of the word “rosebud,” Paul had written, “Damn! so if you have to change your plans, they’ll be none the wiser. You son-of-a-bitch.” The volunteer was turned into an instant In the worst-case scenario, if you have to drop the trick and stooge, and thus was in on the joke, but the audience laughed move on to the next one, they probably won’t even realize what and applauded because they assumed he’d seen his word and they’re missing. was swearing in amazement. Paul did well to incorporate humor into his solution. If the Paul went on. “I asked him, ‘And what word were you mistake is an obvious one, take the opportunity to make fun thinking of?’ He replied, ‘Rosebud.’ Once the applause died of yourself. Audiences want to have a good time. Make them down, I said, ‘You were thinking of the word rosebud, weren’t laugh and they’ll forgive you for anything. you?’ And he laughed again and said, ‘Yes.’” Follow Paul’s cue and keep the panic on the inside. No Although Paul tells it as a horror story, the reaction he matter how you are feeling, you want your audience to remain received made it a trick almost worth repeating. His quick reassured and relaxed. Keep calm and carry on. thinking turned what could have been a disaster into a delight- Although the incident happened two decades ago, it is still ful end to a great evening. It is amazing what the prospect of fresh in Paul’s mind. He acknowledges that sometimes, when failing in front of several hundred people will do to stimulate you’re under pressure, “you get great ideas,” but he no longer the creative juices. performs that routine in his show, preferring to end on the Even the most seasoned and polished performers can end Q&A. And, in the ultimate irony, the word that so eluded him up in tricky spots, especially when dealing with fluid situations that evening will now stay with him forever. Rosebud. 

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 53 The Nielsen Gallery Devant - Artist’s Dream Dimensions: Quarter-sheet: 15.5” x 19.5” • Lithographer: Dangerfi eld, London. • Date:1893 • Nielsen Rating: Rare

DEVANT’S ArTIST’S DrEAM this illusion. The woman who materialized from the picture and returned Come back with us to September 4, 1893, to the darkened there twice daily was Devant’s wife Marion Melville; a publica- theater of London’s Egyptian Hall, and witness the fi rst appear- tion called The Amusing Journal sent a reporter to interview her ance of David Devant, England’s most talented and beloved at Egyptian Hall in May of 1894. The reporter came expecting to magician. For his premiere he has created The Artist’s Dream, spend an hour or so interviewing the woman, but upon arriving a remarkable and thoroughly mystifying illusion presented as a was informed by Devant that Miss Melville was at the moment playlet in pantomime. away at her home in Brixton and unable to make the interview in As the scene opens, the audience sees in the center of the stage person. He offered, however, to have the spirit of Miss Melville an elaborate platform easel, bearing the unfi nished portrait of a appear on stage and complete the interview. There, in the middle lady. The performer, attired as an artist, fi rst takes the portrait off of the stage, Devant opened an oak door of a heavy cabinet, and the easel and, showing it on all sides, replaces it and continues after some conjuring gestures, the astral fi gure of Miss Melville with his painting. S.H. Sharpe in his biography, Devant’s appeared fl oating in the cabinet. The author spoke at length with Delightful Delusions, describes the rest of the act: the spirit and concluded the article by writing: “Becoming tired of his work, he draws a short curtain before “To tell the truth, the whole thing savoured too much of the the picture and, sitting down in a chair, falls fast asleep and black art to be altogether satisfactory. I am far from superstitious, dreams that his picture comes to life. Whilst he sleeps the curtain and even now I do not believe it was really the disembodied spirit is suddenly put aside and the lady steps out of the background – of Miss Melville that conversed with me in the ebony cabinet on alive and undoubtedly human – approaches the young artist and the darkened stage of Egyptian hall. But if not, it was a wonder- gently awakens him. After a few words of encouragement to him fully realistic piece of stage conjuring.” to continue his work and to do his best, even against adversity, Devant was an unquestioned genius at devising both illusions she tells him again she must leave him. He attempts to detain and the dramatic sketches that accompanied them. The source for her, but avoiding his clasp, she steps behind the curtain, which the drama was often drawn from the headlines of the day. Asked she draws once more over the picture. The young artist pushes it how he created his illusion, Devant said: aside and rushes to clasp her in his arms but she is gone. Nothing “It is a very diffi cult question to answer, because with such but the picture remains, which he again takes from its frame and work it is impossible to proceed on well-ordered lines. One cannot shows as before.” say to oneself, ‘Tomorrow I will sit down and invent an illusion.’ Keep in mind that the painting is shown front and back before However, I will describe some of the ways in which I have worked. the lady appears and is lifted easily back onto the easel. When the “First I get an idea for a plot or story, just as a writer of a book woman steps down from the painting, the woodland background does. That idea grows very gradually, and, like a rare bloom, behind her is complete, meaning that there is not a blank outline has to be tended very carefully. Sometimes I have to call in the where the lady should have been. And, when she returns into the assistance of specialists in different branches of science in order painting, the entire picture is removed from the frame and shown to make the fl ower grow. Possibly the fl ower has to be grafted on front and back. to another before it fi nally expands into exhibition form. Devant’s family name was Wighton; he was born in London “The fi rst question I have to propose to myself is, ‘What shall on February 22, 1868. The son of a Scottish landscape painter, he I do?’ The question, ‘How shall I do it?’ is quite a secondary claimed that the inspiration for the illusion came from watching consideration, because there are always many means or devices his father attempt to sell a painting of several cattle pulling a plow. available for obtaining the effect.” The potential buyer asked how much, and when given the cost, So, for Devant, the plot or story was tantamount. Coupled with replied, “Yes, I’ll give you that when those bulls come to life.” his unique ability to set the scene and to use appropriate lighting Devant said, “In the few seconds that it takes to say that sentence, and selection of colors, the audience was transported to a land I thought of The Artist’s Dream, a picture that comes to life.” of make-believe where they could easily suspend their disbelief. In the version presented by British magician Cecil Lyle, the Devant created many illusions over his lifetime, including Vice spectral lady hovers near her lover; as he starts to awaken, she Versa, The Enchanted Hive, Beau Brocade, The Mascot Moth, hurries back to the picture. Nearby on stage an angel material- Dyno, The New Chocolate Soldier, and many others. When izes and comes forward. The artist, now fully awake and sensing Devant died at the age of seventy-three on October 12, 1941, the the presence of his beloved, turns in distraction to the angel for Times of London called him, “the greatest magician of all times,” help. As he reaches the side of the heavenly apparition, the angel, a sentiment still widely held today.  gown and all, vanishes. Lyle closed the fi rst half of his show with —Tom Ewing

54 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 55 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 INFORMED OPINION Latest Product Reviews Compiled and Edited by W. S. Duncan

Reflections Book website and view six very short videos on the “Who is Helder?” By Helder Guimarães series. I promise you will be entertained. Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $39.95 Illusionary Departures 2012 Book By JC Sum Review by Dan Garrett Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $95.00 Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce his last name. No one but his parents Review by Jim Kleefeld can, either. If you follow state-of-the- art card magic, then the name Helder JC Sum has released an updated and Guimarães should already be familiar expanded version of his first illusion to you. For those who have never heard book, Illusionary Departures. Note of this Portuguese card master, the title the slight variation in title. The added of World Champion in Card Magic year indicates that this is an update. (FISM) is all you need to know. A full If you have the original, published in biography may be found on his website 2004, you have the bulk of the material (www.helderguimaraes.com). already. There are a few new illusions You will discover that Sr. Guimarães and a chapter on base design that may has been educated in the theatre, and appeal to builders and designers, but his magic is a reflection of the style of you and your accountant will have to some my favorite theatrical magicians – decide whether it is worth $100 for you Bob Fitch, Max Howard, Peter Samelson, Tommy Wonder, Rudy to add this latest edition to your shelf. Coby, McBride, Burger, Maven, Tamariz, Tempest, and others In case you don’t have the original, then your C-note will (including most of the “Big Five” superstar magicians). get you decently thought-out plans and routines for thirty-five There are only five card routines taught in this book, but in the illusions, printed on heavy glossy paper, and compiled into a full- process of learning each one you will be receiving a master class sized perfect-bound book. Most of the illusions are relatively easy education of advanced magical thinking and professional theatri- to build and perform. As with most illusion books, you are getting cal staging of magic. Don’t purchase this book to find some new a rough sketch of the workings and a rough draft of a routine, not card tricks you can show at the next assembly meeting. Get this detailed instruction. The clear line drawings are semi-drafted and book and take the time to absorb it slowly. You will be a better include many measurements, but they are not full construction magician, no matter what level you currently consider yourself. blueprints. You will have to work with an experienced illusion After Roberto Giobbi and Helder himself prepare you for what builder to make any of these dreams come to fruition. Sum claims is to come, the first effect dissected and rebuilt is the Cards Across to have built and performed each and every one of these, and his plot. Helder credits Tom Mullica’s performance of Cheek to Cheek track record is prolific, so that may well be true. as his first inspiration to tackle this effect. Mullica’s presentation I like the range of plots in the routines. There are vanishes, was a wonderful and original comedy magic romp, but his inspi- appearances, transpositions, penetrations, escapes, and ghostly ration came, in turn, from Chicago bar magic legend Jim Ryan. spirit routines. These are not all variants on “show an empty box, We come out of this process with Helder’s unbelievably strong have a girl pop out.” In one, you show an upright wine rack filled Cards, Signatures, and Glasses. with bottles. You perform a few tricks with a couple of the bottles, Four other effects receive a similar treatment. They are: Three and then walk right through the wine rack without breaking or Cards and a Box, Three Progressive Choices, Aces and Glass, upsetting the bottles sitting on the shelves. In Sweepstakes, Sum and Cards, Numbers, and Matches. If you follow along, study, combines a vanishing radio and a torn and restored paper into a and learn each one (a process that will take weeks, if not longer), routine about winning (or losing) the lottery. In Graffiti Girl an and then apply your own personality and presentation, you will be audience volunteer chooses a color of spray paint, and paints a rewarded with five jaw-dropping performance pieces with playing figure of a girl on a roller-shade in a doorway. The quick graffiti cards. Even those who belittle card magic will have to admit that sketch turns into a beautiful painting of a girl with a dress of the this is as good as it gets. chosen color. Then the painting turns into a live girl, wearing Reflections is highly recommended for intermediate and a dress of that color. Like these, most of the routines are well- advanced students of card magic. It is not for beginners, but if you thought-out and described completely. This is a well-rounded wish to look into the mind of one of the true thinkers in magic to book with illusion designs, plans, effects, and routines. see what puts Helder into the same class as the names mentioned There are a few shortcomings. The one glaring omission is above, buy this book and study it well. photographs of finished props. If Sum has built these as he says, Would you like a treat? Go online to the previously mentioned why not include photos of the actual equipment? In many cases,

56 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 he extols the beauty of the finished design, yet the line drawings technique.” There follows a whole chapter of coin moves in which, only show the prop in its basic construction components. I would at first glance, Schneider seems to be trying to reinvent the wheel, love to see his Time Machine in particular. This routine cries out but he is in fact simply re-examining it. Schneider’s approach for an elaborate Jules Verne type of prop with fanciful Victorian to the foundations of coin magic (palming, false transfers, etc.) decoration, but all we get to look at is a line drawing of a plain is a very personal one. He digs deep for naturalness and, above box on a table. all, deceptiveness. Watch him perform the Pop-Up Move, for In one chapter, Sum gives eight variations on the Sub Trunk. example, and you’ll realize that he might be on to something. One Most are without drawings, explained in terms of movement and result that really caught my eye was his Max Al Ping Chen (sic) adaptations to standard methods. For example, in one routine sequences. The Han Ping Chien move is a lovely move when it’s he simply states that you should “start with a back-loader with done correctly and slapstick when it isn’t. Here, Schneider changes a locking trap and a skeleton framework.” Working illusionists up the whole rhythm of the thing by placing the coins down one will know how to adjust their equipment and blocking to perform at a time instead of slamming them down in a group. You can these routines, but for many this approach is a bit thin. see him perform it (and many of the routines described in this There is a chapter on using deceptive bases. Although a scant book) on his YouTube channel. I’m not a coin guy, but I found the six pages, the advice herein is solid and highly practical. If you idea very intriguing and potentially powerful in the right routine. ever watched a TV special during which a girl pops out of a box Schneider applies similar thinking to a handful of Cup and Ball sitting on top of a twelve-inch-thick table, you’ll see why the in- maneuvers that he later combines into a very disarming routine formation on designing for deception is vital. also available for viewing on YouTube. Again, you might rethink The information in Illusionary Departures 2012 is solid, and your own approaches based on his ideas. the plots and routines are good. Check your bookshelf to make Next come about thirty tricks applying Schneider’s moves, sure you don’t already have a copy of the 2004 work with mostly theories, and ideas on what makes good magic. It’s not surpris- the same information. If you are new to this work, and don’t mind ing that the majority of these are coin tricks, given the creator’s paying the hefty price that almost all illusion books command, tastes and reputation. You can skip to the rear for “My Best,” then it’s a worthy investment. which delivers Schneider’s own thoughts on Matrix, his Cups and Balls routine, the simple-yet-effective Cone-n-Coin, and the very Al Schneider Magic Book pretty Osmosis (in which you pluck silver dollars visibly through By Al Schneider a sheer handkerchief), among others. For more variety, there are Available from: www.llpub.com “Quick Tricks,” a number of short-but-sweet items for impromptu Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies occasions. These are good and simple, but mostly unremarkable Price $80.00 in conception. Still, a tidbit here and a touch there make for inter- esting learning. Review by Antonio M. Cabral The rest of the tricks are a selection of rather ordinary card tricks and more coins across variations than I had patience for. As pointed out on the L&L The coins across routines are various combinations of his (ad- website, if Al Schneider had only mittedly deceptive) Pop-Up Move and Han Ping Chien varia- managed to create the trick Matrix tions, continuing exercises that might have well been left up to it would have been enough to secure the reader. The card tricks aren’t terrible, but it’s very clear that his reputation in magic. He didn’t cards are not Al Schneider’s forte. He presents a banal four-Ace invent the coin assembly, and he Triumph routine as if he has no clue about the long history of didn’t invent the concept of card- the trick and the many played-out variations. Likewise with his and-coin tricks, but something version of the Insurance Policy – it doesn’t differ at all from the about the near-purist version he basic format of the trick and uses a Henry Christ force with no invented just out of high school attribution. By his own admission, Al Schneider doesn’t spend a and published in Genii twelve lot of time around magicians anymore, so his confessed general years later in 1972 grabbed every- cluelessness about what everyone else is doing is understandable, one’s attention and imagination. but not really forgivable. Moreover, it brings me to my biggest At one point, Schneider relates in complaint about Al Schneider Magic. the Matrix chapter of Al Schneider Magic, so many magicians This is a very poorly written book, which makes for very had come up to him at conventions to show him their latest twist, difficult reading. Bad writing occurs when an author is trying tweak, or “improvement” on the trick that he’d compiled about to sound either intellectual or poetic, or both (philosophical). twenty-five different “approved” methods and was going to make Diving into the first chapters on Schneider’s theories of magic, I them a book in themselves. Heck, he manages to get nine pages did a lot of blinking, head-shaking, and rereading. After a while out of the history, theory, and general butchery of the trick alone. I wondered, who in the heck edited this thing? Turns out, no one Beyond that, however, he’s created other tricks, moves, and did. I don’t know if it was an oversight or a contractual condition, compiled a handful of theories of magic – all of which are now but this book apparently exists just as Al Schneider wrote it and available in the hefty, 700+ pages of Al Schneider Magic. turned it in. It’s a shame, because it does a huge disservice to I don’t know if Al Schneider Magic is meant to be a magnum the material and to any good ideas Al Schneider has to pass on opus, but it’s certainly a hefty contender. The book manages to to the learning magician. For example, I can’t comment on the cover a lot of ground, much of which was previously presented merits or detriments of his Intention of Reality concept, because on Schneider’s four-volume DVD set (also from L&L) The Al I’m not sure I managed to figure exactly what it is. This is where Schneider Technique. Here, he begins with five chapters of magic someone like Stephen Minch or Stephen Hobbs would step up to theory, including his concepts of the “Intention of Reality” and distill those ideas into well-formed thoughts with proper research, the “Intention of Magic,” before delving into the “Al Schneider crediting, and fewer typos. On top of which, since most of the

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 57 techniques that Schneider uses are, on the surface, elementary, or rewind. That takes us old guys back to the days of videotape, it’s extraordinarily tempting and easy to speed over the descrip- but some might find that cumbersome. There are also frequent tions and miss how good some of these routines can actually be. plugs for a DVD set on which Mr. Clark teaches the material in To that end I think the material is better served on video, where more detail. So there’s the distinct aroma of solicitation here, but the deceptiveness speaks for itself. In print, in this form, it takes no more so than in your average magic lecture, I suppose. The a lot of concentrated effort to slog through all the molasses to find Online Lecture series offered a “premium” membership, and whatever nuggets of gold might be hiding. I’m sure Al Schneider’s happily, the extras that those special members got are included. magic is well-deserving of a big book, but this really isn’t it. Tony Clark: Professional Children’s Magic DVD Tony Clark: Insight and Illusion DVD By Tony Clark By Tony Clark Available from: www.miraclefactory.net Available from: www.miraclefactory.net Price $30.00 Price $30.00 Review by David Goodsell Review by Curtis Kam We all know Tony Clark for his This is a lecture Tony Clark Phantom Dove and Card routine, for presented for The Lecture Network his extremely successful Lake Tahoe online video series, rendered in DVD and Reno stage shows, and as a show form. On it, Mr. Clark covers a great producer. We don’t think of him as a deal of material in about sixty minutes, children’s entertainer. However, as and as that suggests, the instruction is Tony explains on this Professional casual, quick, and not in great depth. Children’s Magic DVD, while he was Mr. Clark states that he studied with earning his stripes, he performed over Slydini himself for several months, two thousand kid shows, from school and appears to have been a student of shows to birthday parties. What we Slydini’s material for much longer than also know about Tony Clark is that that. He conveys his heartfelt enthusi- he is a perfectionist who fully un- asm for his teacher and his teacher’s derstands showmanship, regardless work, along with some very useful tips of the audience. This comes through and insights of his own. But seeing Mr. Clark perform the material clearly in this DVD. without becoming Slydini is the most valuable lesson. Mr. Clark Todd Karr’s Miracle Factory release puts onto a DVD Tony’s has developed definite ideas about how and why Slydini’s tech- lecture from the Lecture Network archives. The Lecture Network niques worked, and he has applied those ideas to his own magic. was popular on the Internet a few years back (around 2007-2008), In explaining this, he makes a particularly good point about but only ran for a couple of years. You will find an interesting knowing your character, and knowing how far that character can discussion about it on The Magic Café forum. The format of the go in teasing or cajoling a volunteer. The advice about tension and Lecture Network was that people watched online, in real time, and relaxation is sound, as are Mr. Clark’s observations about posture could email Jeff Hobson with questions for the guest performer. and timing. This works nicely, because often those watching this DVD will Students of Slydini’s work will enjoy seeing the Imp Pass, have similar questions. the Coins through Table, the Revolve Vanish, and other favorites The format combines a presentation by Tony and a discussion done successfully by a contemporary American performer. For between Tony and host Jeff Hobson. The video footage shows that reason, this DVD is recommended viewing for anyone who Tony performing a kid show specifically for the lecture just prior finds it impossible to perform Slydini’s material without suddenly to the discussion. Segments from the show are intercut with the acquiring an accent. discussion. This format works very well. And although Tony Mr. Clark’s interpretations of the Slydini classics often work indicates that at the time of the performance it had been some well, and sometimes not so much. I enjoyed his coin work, for time since he regularly worked kid shows, he still has the touch. instance, but didn’t care much for his re-handling of The Helicop- Perhaps Tony’s approach to kid show magic can be summed ter Card. His adaptation of a classic cigarette trick to something up in a single concept: Engage the audience – engage, engage, other than a cigarette is especially clever. engage. That is, even while working with a specific helper from Familiarity with Slydini’s magic is necessary if you want to the audience, constantly keep the rest of the audience engaged perform the knotted silk effects discussed here. That’s less true both visually and audibly. Indeed, we see this time and again in of the other material, but a solid grounding in basic coin magic is the video clips (and it is emphasized by Tony in his discussion). definitely an advantage. While a high percentage of today’s kid show magic is a Also covered are a few effects sold by Tony Clark, both stage reworking of tried and true routines and bits of business of the and close-up, including a dove production that you could do even past, I was pleased to see some new ideas from Tony that could in a parlor setting. Of course, any bird-sized item could replace only come from real-time discovery. Those sudden nuggets of the dove, if you prefer not to conjure with critters. creative discovery that come now and again during performance Expertly hosted by the effervescent Jeff Hobson, the lecture is and that makes a working performer think, “Aha! I’ll use that in presented here as it was when it first aired, with breaks for who- every show.” We see this in his early paper tear routine using the knows-what reason, offers for services you can’t buy anymore, and birthday boy, and in his use of the standard coloring book with, as without a menu. In other words, the lecture plays from beginning Jeff Hobson says, many bits and sight gags that turn it into a full to end, and to get to any specific moment, you have to fast forward routine. The same is true of Tony’s cut and restored rope routine

58 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 and really excellent work with a mouth coil that you likely have Having said that, the routines themselves are very good, and in not seen before. fact some of the best of their individual types you’re likely to find. Much of the discussion has to do with Tony’s insights into the Starting off is Johnny Thompson presenting the Vernon Poker business of performing kid shows. The long list of covered topics Deal, one of the all-time blockbuster poker deals. It’s perfect includes marketing, creating repeat business, increasing fees, if you’re looking for just one routine to cover your “I wouldn’t tips, and so on. Also included are suggestions on using animals, want to play cards with you” needs. It also has the benefit of not conditioning the audience, the use of physical gags, and one of requiring a lot of technical abilities like riffle stacking or false Tony’s favorites, the use of a misleading set up, which Tony calls dealing. If you’re looking for two such routines, the other deal is “the miscall.” Throughout his show, Tony would say he was going Harry Lorayne’s routine for the Ten Card Poker Deal. Lorayne to do one thing, but really do something else. This concept is was the first magician to really routine the Jonah Card principle, much stronger than it reads! and his sequences still rank with the best. If you don’t know it, Of course, in addition to Tony Clark’s material, the discus- get with it. sion is often enhanced by Jeff Hobson sharing his own perform- In the short-change category you get Michael Ammar per- ing experiences. The DVD runs just a little over one hour. It will forming and teaching George Starke’s Hornswoggled! with a be the rare kid’s show performer who doesn’t come away with number of subsequent touches that make this a solid, clean, and something he or she can use. baffling short-change routine. After that, there’s Scotty York’s Fast Eddie Smith, which is more of a bill transformation than a World’s Greatest Magic – Gambling Routines DVD short-change routine, but the presentation gives it a short-change By Various Performers and L&L Publishing feel. Of the two, I prefer Hornswoggled! because there are a Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies number of magical moments in the routine, and it seems easier Price $20.00 to follow. On first viewing Fast Eddie Smith, I couldn’t even tell that the bills had changed by the end. Either routine, though, will Review by Antonio M. Cabral lend your performances a little con-man flavor, if that’s your idea of a good time. Gambling material is like card John Mendoza offers a solid Three Card Monte routine that’s magic in general: it seems a decent starting point if you’re looking for a legit, “tossing the like performers either do no broads” style routine. (If you want more, there are three volumes gambling routines at all, of World’s Greatest DVDs on this one trick alone.) Finally, Dan or they do nothing but. Harlan busts out the venerable Circus Card Trick (the one in But any decent performer which “the next card I turn over will be yours”) in a three-phase should have at least a sucker routine designed to really beat an audience to a pulp. Not a couple under his belt. For lot of folks dig sucker tricks, but with the right soft sell you could those performers eager to get some mileage out of this sequence. Just remember that selling really strap on the cardsharp/ a sucker trick isn’t as hard as you think; selling a sucker bet is a hustler vest and cufflinks, the different story. L&L catalogue offers the super- The routines taught on this DVD should fit into the repertoire lative work of Martin Nash, Darwin of most general performers. However, if you’re still itching for Ortiz, and Jim Swain, none of whom are a real taste of the dark side, the bonus feature on this DVD is featured on this World’s Greatest Magic – Gambling some good old-fashioned, old-timey exposé footage courtesy of Routines collection. For the more generalist performer who’s Ross Bertram. He runs the gamut of card control (false shuffles, looking to add some grifter-like material to their repertoire, the false deals, holdouts), throws in some Three Card Monte, a Shell routines on this DVD might not be “the world’s greatest,” but Game, and some dice switches to boot. This stuff is where I live, they’re pretty darn good. and if you’re interested in real gambling table work, you’ll enjoy The World’s Greatest format, if you’re new to it, culls material this footage as well. Again, the target audience here is the general from the L&L video catalogue and packages it by category. On practitioner as opposed to the double-duke cardsharp, but the the surface, it’s a great way to make an extra buck off of old routines on this DVD are solid and certainly worth your time. If footage, but it’s also a convenient and inexpensive way to explore you end up on the slippery slope down into blackjack demos and different creators’ takes on classic plots en route to deciding on center deals, well…don’t say I didn’t warn you. your own favorite version. To that end, it’s great when the subject is a specific plot or trick like the Ambitious Card, the Three Ball Bold DVD Trick, or the Linking Rings. “Gambling Routines,” however, By Rus Andrews is not a trick or a plot, and covers wide enough ground that the Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies selection on this DVD is spread a little thin. Of the six routines Price $30.00 offered, two are poker deals, two are short-change routines, one is a Three Card Monte routine, and the last is sort of a routined bar Review by Jamie Salinas bet/gotcha. Technically, a short-change routine isn’t gambling- related at all; it’s a con. And the bar bet is just a sucker trick This DVD is a compilation of five “bold” card effects. There unless you can get someone to put money down on it. To me, these is no fluff here in the production of the DVD as you are presented are distinctions worth making, whether you do a ton of gambling with a performance followed by a short discussion and explana- material (like I do) or you are just looking for the right addition tion of the effect presented. The theme of the DVD is effects that to a broader repertoire. All gambling material isn’t the same, any require a bold move. more than all card, coin, or close-up tricks are the same. The first effect presented is called Collared; a selected card

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 59 transposes with a random card routine using a memorized deck. You will also learn Danny’s in the spectator’s hand, and the false shuffle. random card appears on the spec- Danny has some great handlings on the second DVD on a tator’s back under his collar. This variety of effects. His presentations are more of the classic style is not completely logical, but it and may not fit with the younger generation, but the material has a gratifying surprise finish is really good. What you get here are the personal handlings This is followed by: a three- and variations of effects developed by a working pro. The card phase Oil and Water trick with material presented here will take some time and effort to master, eight cards that is short, direct, but it is well worth the time. and ends clean; a thought-of card Danny is a very good teacher and provides you with very good to shoe that is direct and has an information to allow you to learn the effects presented here. This easy-to-follow plot; a quick trans- is a very good buy for the close-up performer. position using four cards; and a non-gaffed moving pip effect. Princess in a Pickle Trick Although the title of the DVD indicates that all of the material By David Kaye (Silly Billy) will require bold moves, the routines on this DVD do not all Available from: www.SillyMagic.com require a bold move to complete the effect. As an added bonus, Price $250.00 Rus covers a few moves that are used in several of the routines. This DVD is not for the beginning card worker, but the effects Review by Payne are not too difficult to master for the intermediate and advanced card worker. All of the effects on the DVD use a standard pack of Over the years, many tricks cards. There are no involved routines, just direct solid card magic. have advertised themselves as This DVD is worth a look. being able to pack small yet play big. While some have actually Essential Magic Classics DVD lived up to that hype, few of By Danny Archer them can hold a candle to Silly Available from: DannyArcher.com Billy’s latest release, Princess Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies in a Pickle – a routine that is six Price $35.00 minutes of quality, stage-filling entertainment that can fit inside Review by Jamie Salinas a file folder. Four children, one girl and I have known Danny Archer three boys, are invited on stage for a couple of years now from to participate in a bit of magical attending the Mindvention storytelling. The tale is a classic one involving a princess and convention that he and Robert her three suitors. The little girl is to play the lead and is given a Allen produce. Danny is a “headless silk” bearing the image of a princess. The three suitors great guy, but I had never are each given similar headless silks to help them out with their seen him perform, so I looked roles, which are a dragon, a frog, and a prisoner. The story centers forward to his take on the on which of these three suitors the princess will marry. After a classics presented on his new great deal of byplay, bits, and eventually audience selection, the release, Essential Magic Classics. frog is chosen. The headless silks of these two characters are then This two-volume DVD set teaches placed in a bag and after some more byplay involving magic spells eleven different items. and a kiss to break the curse, the silks are removed from the bag The video begins with Danny providing a brief and found to have merged into one giant silk bearing the images introduction of what is going to be covered; he states that all of of a prince and princess. the material has been performed and tested many times in front Now I generally don’t go for this type of routine myself. But of real audiences. The first DVD contains Eye Exam (a very com- after seeing the video of Silly Billy performing it, I knew I had to mercial version of Twisting the Aces), a cute coin routine called have it. The comic potential and endless opportunities for interac- Pick a Coin, Animental (a mentalism routine using images of tion that were possible with this set of custom-printed silks were animals on laminated strips that packs small and plays big), a mul- just too good a thing to pass up. I think anyone who entertains tiple-card-selection routine with eight selections (each one found children, or specializes in family entertainment, would agree with in a different and entertaining manner), and a card on forehead me. routine. As Danny states in the introduction, these are his takes As is typical with all of Silly Billy’s line of magic, he’s really on classic routines and plots. As expected from a working profes- thought this routine through and has improved the design of the sional, all of the material presented on the first disc is very good, headless silks. To start off with, they aren’t square. All but the last solid magic for the close-up and stand-up performer. silk (which is produced at the end) are banner shaped, 21-inches The second DVD contains a sponge bunny routine, a variation wide by 36-inches in length. Thus the image of the character fills of the Anniversary Waltz in which two different signed cards the whole silk. This makes them much easier for the child to hold are fused together to become one, a Three-Fly coin routine that in place. The narrower size keeps back lighting from obscuring begins and ends using a purse frame, a multi-phase routine using the image on the silk and has the advantage of taking up less space a one-inch ball that vanishes, changes colors, and has a surprise in the change bag. The narrower size also makes the appearance ending, a fast-paced color-changing hank, and a multi-phase card of the final 42-inch square silk at the end more logical as well as

60 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 surprising. forming, you want to use a trick All of the silks are bright, contemporary looking, and designed to ponder the meaning of the to be seen in the largest of theaters. You receive the four character universe; sometimes you want silks, the prince and princess 42-inch square (a first, because no to touch someone’s soul with a other headless silk trick has had one silk to be used with two sense of deep astonishment; and people), a change bag, and a detailed DVD featuring two routines. sometimes you just want to have One routine can be used with children younger than six years old, a little fun. This trick is a lot of and one can be used for children over six. There is also a very fun. Chad Long’s Now Look clever feature these headless silks have that all others lack (that Here! first appeared in his 1994 I’ll not tip here). Just know that there is a great way to have the lecture notes and was subsequently children display the silks without them having to hold them in made available as a marketed item place. If that doesn’t intrigue you enough to tip the scales and through Doc Eason. Now it’s back persuade you into getting this great and versatile set of silks, I through Chad’s own Chad Long Magic, so if you missed it before, don’t know what can. Princess in a Pickle is definitely going on now’s your chance to get one. my A-list. Chad Long is one of those glorious performers who has tre- mendous chops, is a solid magical thinker, and is funny as hell. The Two Coin Trick Now Look Here! is a lovely combination of all three of those By Bob Solari elements. You start in the time-honored “pick a card, look at it, Available from: www.BobSolariMagic.com put it back” fashion. After some fancy cuts and shuffles, you turn Price $20.95 over the top card to reveal a printed card that says “Look in My Pocket!” Tossing that card on the table, you reach into your pocket Review by Curtis Kam and pull out another card that says “Look on the Table!” The card on the table is turned over; it has changed, and now says “Look I like this. The effect won’t land in My Hand!” The card in your hand is now shown to be the you a television special, but it is a selection. Sound confusing? It isn’t. It’s fast-paced, entertaining, quick bit of magical fun presented and packs a punch. The effect comes with specially-printed red as a guessing game. While this Bicycle cards and an instructional DVD. sort of presentation can easily I’ve seen the “instruction card” idea appropriated elsewhere run afoul of the “you’re an idiot” (without credit) and not done nearly as well as in this routine. A moments that plague some good part of the fun of this routine is that you get a series of trans- magicians, that’s simply a pitfall formations that happen with the different “road sign” cards. It’s a to avoid, rather than a reason to world of difference from simply preloading a bunch of “funny” reject this sort of thing altogether. messages in different places. To that end, the alternate handling Based on a Milbourne Christopher provided by Scotty York just isn’t as good in my opinion. It is trick and a Sam Schwartz routine, less technically demanding than the original, which may be the this is as close to “no skill required” as a coin trick gets. The deciding factor for some. And Chad manages to make both play coins supplied are gaffed, but they’re gaffed in such a way that equally well. Then again, Chad Long is the kind of performer who the coins may be examined. (This is not possible in the original could read the phone book and make it play – and he probably has. versions.) A word of caution: during the DVD production the clips ended Two American coins are shown: a half dollar and a penny. up out of order. The performances are swapped: the one labeled After they are offered for examination, the magician invites the Scotty York’s is Chad’s, and vice versa. The explanations are audience to play a little game. He puts the penny away in his described correctly. Just remember that Chad’s is the one with the pocket, but it returns to his hand. (The coins are shown in a clean top change, and that’s the good one. I’m not even sure this trick and natural display that’s not possible in previous versions.) The fits my performing style, but I’m going to do my damnedest to performer then cleanly pockets the half dollar, but instead of make it fit. I really like this. Recommended. returning to the performer’s hand, both coins vanish. Yes, only the penny really vanishes, but play it right and it can Spineless Trick feel as if both coins disappear. By Chad Long That’s it. It’s quick, easy (but does require a little attention to Available from: www.ChadLongMagic.com noise), and can be fun, provided you’re not a jerk about it (that last Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies part being the most difficult thing about it). Reset is quick and Price $20.00 easy, and there is nothing to refill or replace. Just be sure not to spend the penny. If you’re new to coin magic and are looking for Review by Jim Kleefeld something to carry in your pocket, you might like this. How would you like a really good routine that you can do Now Look Here! DVD and Specially-Printed Cards anywhere and you can learn with fifteen minutes of instruction By Chad Long and two minutes of practice? A routine that is witty, magical, and Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies impressive. How would you like to get a routine like that for about Price $20.00 twenty bucks? I can help you out with that. Well, Chad Long can help you out. All I can do is recommend it and tell you where to Review by Antonio M. Cabral get it. Spineless is a wonderful routine taught on DVD. The trick What a great little card trick this is. Sometimes, when per- runs for several minutes, is full of dry humor, and plays to just

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 61 about any crowd. It comes a layperson. Maybe the thinking is that since you already have across as a book test, in which purchased the DVD, you don’t need to see a complete performance a page is selected and you of the effect. Call me old school, but I prefer to see a complete, reveal one thought-of word on unedited performance. that page. But the plot involves Next Cameron shows you how to prepare the three included using the torn out pages of a coin holders to make them ready for use. In addition, you will book, a “secret code” number also need a standard stapler (not for performance, but to prepare revelation, and a surprise finish the holder). Eventually you do get to see the effect from start to with a second spectator finding finish (more or less). For some reason, the fashion for magic video the thought-of word. Here is a productions seems to be to try to avoid showing a clear uninter- quick plot summary: You show rupted shot of what is happening and instead to show unmotivated a torn-apart paperback book – close-ups and less than helpful viewing angles. lots of loose pages and a loose Thankfully, the pictures and angles are clearer and better cover. You hand out bunches of pages and have them shuffled. when Cameron explains the not too difficult handling. Preparing You collect the bundles and pile them all together. You have a the holder is quite easy to do. Ripping open the holder to extract spectator insert the book’s cover anywhere at all into the stack. the coin is a little more challenging, but it is nothing that anyone The spectator concentrates on the first word on the page next to reading this could not learn. where the cover was inserted. There is another way to remove the coin from the holder by You write a prediction, but it is not the word the spectator is pushing it through the plastic membrane. This requires some ad- thinking of. It is a number. You ask a second spectator to open ditional preparation on the holder; I did not like this as much as a thesaurus to that page number and read the top word. The the first handling. Either way you perform it, a holder is destroyed word found by the second spectator and the word seen by the each time. I spent a few minutes on the Web and found one first spectator match. Your number turned out to be an exact, if hundred holders for three dollars plus shipping. obscure, prediction. Another variation follows with the coin appearing in the You can play it tough and serious, skip the wit, and just go holder, vanishing from the holder, and then appearing in your for the mental reveal. Or you can beef it up with more humor and pocket. I did not like this either, because it seems to me that a byplay. You can adapt it to books of any kind, magazines, news- sharp spectator (perhaps even a not so sharp spectator) might papers, or other printed material. One of my favorite variations is wonder if the coin was really inside at all. I should also mention at to use a torn-apart folding road map and predict a destination city. this point that there cannot be anyone standing behind you as you The video is short and to the point. Mr. Long performs the perform Solitary. No discussion of angles or audience manage- routine for a live audience at a club, and then follows this with a ment is provided. succinct explanation. You can learn this quickly and easily. You In the Handout routine, instead of the coin being initialed, may have to tear up a paperback book and handle the pages a time the performer writes the name of a card that the spectator had or two to get the knack, but it is a simple and fool-proof procedure. selected in a previous routine. The card-coin appears inside the Buying this is a no-brainer. Present it once for your friends holder, which can be examined by the spectator. A second empty over coffee, and you’ll discover that it was worth both the cost and holder is introduced and the card-coin in its holder is pocketed. your time. Or make it the headline bit in your stage mental act. The card-coin now appears inside this second blank holder (which Use it for kid shows or corporate strolling. Spineless is a very easy can be given away) and the now-empty holder is removed from and very useful routine, and it is very reasonably priced. Go get it. the performer’s pocket. Again, I found this confusing and it made me realize that the effect I wanted to see cannot be done (at least Solitary DVD with the handlings Cameron provides). The effect should be: the By Cameron Francis stapled holder is introduced, a borrowed coin is initialed on both Available from: www.papercranemagic.com sides by the spectator, and then the signed coin appears inside the Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies holder, which can then be given to the spectator as a memorable Price $20.00 souvenir. Now that, my friends, would be a great trick, one that would also leave the audience member with the coin in the holder Review by Danny Archer and a great tale to tell. To sum up, Solitary has some good points in terms of effect The video and audio are fine and ease of performance, but I think that it ultimately falls short of (with the editorial exceptions being an effect that I would use for a real world audience. noted below) on this forty-five- minute disc from Paper Crane Bunny Surprise Paper Tear Trick Magic. The DVD begins with By Tony Klusmeyer Cameron telling you what the Available from: www.ToeKneeMagic.com effect will be, and only then Price: $20.00 does he show (sort of) the effect. The illusion is that an initialed Review by David Goodsell quarter vanishes from your fist and appears inside a stapled Telling a child from the audience that he is going to turn the coin holder (a small square of child into a bunny, the performer shows two pieces of tissue paper, cardboard stapled on four sides with a clear window in the center one pink and one white, both 7½ x 14 inches in size. Handing the that allows you to see both sides of the coin). What you do not white piece to a helper, he instructs the child to tear the paper get to see is a performance of the effect from start to finish for in half. He does the same with the pink paper. They exchange

62 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 a layperson. Maybe the thinking is that since you already have one half of their torn papers over and over. Sounds incredible, no? purchased the DVD, you don’t need to see a complete performance and, placing the white and pink And yet, it is that quick and effortless. of the effect. Call me old school, but I prefer to see a complete, papers together, each then tears I have seen several performers, like unedited performance. the papers in half again. The M-U-M Editor Michael Close and the Next Cameron shows you how to prepare the three included performer takes the torn papers late Pat Page do this with an ungaffed, coin holders to make them ready for use. In addition, you will from the helper and adds them to but stacked, deck. This requires a lot also need a standard stapler (not for performance, but to prepare his torn papers, bunching them of memorization or calculation, and it the holder). Eventually you do get to see the effect from start to together. When the performer is not 100% sure fire. Billy O’Connor finish (more or less). For some reason, the fashion for magic video unfolds the papers, a colorful of the UK created his Instanto Deck productions seems to be to try to avoid showing a clear uninter- bunny mask is discovered, with in the early 1900s and the effect in rupted shot of what is happening and instead to show unmotivated a nose made from the bunched this review is based upon that deck. close-ups and less than helpful viewing angles. tissue papers. This mask is made There have been several “re-inventions” Thankfully, the pictures and angles are clearer and better from paper more substantial than tissue paper. It is white, trimmed of this deck over the years, most recently when Cameron explains the not too difficult handling. Preparing in pink, blue, and black, and has two eye-holes and an elastic band the late Art Kahn’s Cardini Cards. M-U-M columnist Dennis the holder is quite easy to do. Ripping open the holder to extract to hold the mask against the helper’s face. This effect will be well Loomis has created a gimmicked deck that is light years beyond the coin is a little more challenging, but it is nothing that anyone received by younger children, and adults will enjoy seeing the either of those, both in the placement and quality of “the work.” reading this could not learn. children’s delight. It is a cute idea! You receive instructions and This is a deck that can do what it’s supposed to do consistently There is another way to remove the coin from the holder by ten sets of prepared bunny papers. That means it will cost you two and with reliability. pushing it through the plastic membrane. This requires some ad- dollars per show, but it leaves the child of honor with a present. This is not a self-working effect, but you can learn the simple ditional preparation on the holder; I did not like this as much as mechanics and system in no time at all. There are no sleights per the first handling. Either way you perform it, a holder is destroyed Pirate’s Booty Trick se, but you do have to learn how to handle the deck and devote each time. I spent a few minutes on the Web and found one By Bob Solari a bit of practice to it. The instructions teach you how to cut to hundred holders for three dollars plus shipping. Available from: www.bobsolarimagic.com any card and the manner in which the deck needs to be handled, Another variation follows with the coin appearing in the Price $14.95 depending on the card cut to. In addition, Dennis teaches four holder, vanishing from the holder, and then appearing in your different deck switches to help you ring in the deck after handling pocket. I did not like this either, because it seems to me that a Review by David Goodsell a straight pack. Finally, he provides an introductory script for the sharp spectator (perhaps even a not so sharp spectator) might routine and some presentational ideas. Dennis will also custom wonder if the coin was really inside at all. I should also mention at Here is exactly how Pirate’s make the decks, using whatever pack you’d like. this point that there cannot be anyone standing behind you as you Booty looks. While chatting about I think this is a fine version of this effect, but I believe there perform Solitary. No discussion of angles or audience manage- the current interest in old-time are more possibilities with it. You might be able to use this as a ment is provided. pirates, the performer counts six visible card index, allowing you to instantly locate and obtain a In the Handout routine, instead of the coin being initialed, red-backed playing cards face named card. It can then be used in a variety of card revelations, the performer writes the name of a card that the spectator had down in a row onto the table. He even using multiple card revelations, but you will be limited in selected in a previous routine. The card-coin appears inside the then shows a plastic pirate coin, the manner in which they are revealed due to “the work” in the holder, which can be examined by the spectator. A second empty “especially valuable because particular card named. If this type of magic is to your liking, you holder is introduced and the card-coin in its holder is pocketed. plastic was very rare in the days will find no better made tool than this. Recommended. The card-coin now appears inside this second blank holder (which of old-time pirates.” A spectator can be given away) and the now-empty holder is removed from is invited to place the coin on any Speedreader DVD and deck the performer’s pocket. Again, I found this confusing and it made card – a completely free choice. By Garrett Thomas me realize that the effect I wanted to see cannot be done (at least The performer picks up the remaining five cards and shows all Available from: KozmoMagic.com with the handlings Cameron provides). The effect should be: the five faces. If they are all skulls and crossbones, the card under Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies stapled holder is introduced, a borrowed coin is initialed on both the coin will show a colorful image of a treasure chest filled with Price $20.00 (DVD), $25.00 (Deck) sides by the spectator, and then the signed coin appears inside the gold – the spectator has found the pirate’s booty. If they are all holder, which can then be given to the spectator as a memorable treasure chest cards, the card under the coin will be found to be Review by Norman Beck souvenir. Now that, my friends, would be a great trick, one that the only one with the image of the skull and crossbones. Too bad, would also leave the audience member with the coin in the holder the spectator missed the “booty.” This double-outcome effect This is a factory marked deck and a great tale to tell. uses a special set of cards, a special way of handling the cards, of cards that Garrett Thomas was To sum up, Solitary has some good points in terms of effect and one standard sleight that is easy to learn and perform. The involved in. I have known Garrett and ease of performance, but I think that it ultimately falls short of images are bold and attractive. This is a great little packet trick to for a long time. His magic reflects being an effect that I would use for a real world audience. carry around in your coat pocket. Kids will love it, but it is clever the fact that he is a very thought- enough for adults to enjoy as well. You receive the cards, a plastic ful magician; this project is no Bunny Surprise Paper Tear Trick coin, instructions, and a plastic card wallet. exception. The cards are the best By Tony Klusmeyer quality that Bicycle makes, and Available from: www.ToeKneeMagic.com Any Card Called For Trick the marks are factory printed, not Price: $20.00 By Dennis Loomis added after the fact. Available from: www.loomismagic.com The markings are of the Ted Review by David Goodsell Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Lesley variety, which makes them easy to read, but Garrett has Price $36.00 moved the marks to a location that makes them both easy to read Telling a child from the audience that he is going to turn the and hard to read at the same time. That is to say, it’s easy for you, child into a bunny, the performer shows two pieces of tissue paper, Review by Marc DeSouza and harder (than the Lesley original) for the spectators to notice. one pink and one white, both 7½ x 14 inches in size. Handing the The new location is decidedly right-handed, a point that could be white piece to a helper, he instructs the child to tear the paper Imagine this effect: Any spectator is asked to call out any an issue for left-handed users. Also available for an extra $20 is a in half. He does the same with the pink paper. They exchange playing card; you immediately cut to it. The effect can be repeated DVD that shows you how to use a marked deck and not get caught.

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 63 The folks at Kozmo Magic actually filmed Garrett working My (Almost) 50 Years in Magic Book with the deck in a real world situation. After each effect Garrett By Tom Craven explains in great detail the ins and outs of how he did what he did Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies using the marked deck. He also touches on using a marked deck Price $75.00 with a stack. I think for someone who has never used a marked deck, this is a good starting point. If you currently use a marked Review by Christian Painter deck, Speedreader is a nice deck to add to your close-up case. The back is the Mandolin back design rather than the standard If you’ve ever sat next to Tom Rider back, which for some people is a minus. I don’t fall into that Craven at a convention, I’m sure group, because I don’t think the audience cares one bit about the you found it impossible to not backs. learn something from this master magician. Tom is always friendly Gypsy Balloon One-trick DVD and willing to share his vast By Tony Clark cauldron of knowledge. If you don’t Available from: www.tonyclarkmagic.com know Tom, here’s a word of advice: Price $25.00 when you do sit next to him, have your notebook open and ready to Review by Payne take notes. Ideas and tricks spill out of him like a waterfall. While I love it when someone takes an you are mulling over his last idea, old trick and puts a great new spin he will already have offered three on it, which is why I love Tony more. Clark’s Gypsy Balloon. He’s taken I was happy to see that Tom has written a semi-comprehensive one of the classics of magic, the book on his decades of study in magic. I don’t know if he could trick that has come to be known write a comprehensive book of all of his knowledge. This book is as the Gypsy Thread, and made it big. It’s an 8½ x 11 hardcover with 190 pages. into a modern miracle suitable for So the question is: is My (Almost) 50 Years in Magic worth parlor and stage. Plus it’s breath- the $75? Let’s use math to solve this question. In today’s world, a takingly beautiful to boot. DVD with a single trick is sold for about twenty-five to thirty-five The effect is straightforward dollars. Using that as a yardstick, we would need three good tricks and direct. A twelve-inch helium- to make the book worth the price. This book contains over 150 filled rubber balloon suspended tricks. Yes, you read that right, over one hundred and fifty. I think from a single string is brought we can find at least three. out on stage. The string is then broken, one piece at a time, into This impressively large tome contains mostly card magic. several shorter strands until the balloon is held by a single six-inch There are fifty pages of non-card magic that compose tricks with piece of string. The loose strands are then balled up and placed on other items such as silks, ropes, and mental magic. the middle of the remaining strand. The balloon is given a bit of a Next question is, are the tricks any good? If you know Tom shake; with that it rises up towards the ceiling, restoring the string Craven, you wouldn’t have to ask that question. However, for as the ball of loose strands unwinds. This is a sight that should those that don’t know Tom personally, I will give some examples: elicit gasps from the audience; with the proper storyline it might Head to Head: You hand the deck to a card player and let him even bring a sentimental tear to the eye. take out the best hand he can for a game of poker. You then do Mr. Clark has done a fabulous job making this effect bullet- the same. You each get a chance to draw new cards. In the end, proof. The balloon can be freely shown and handled. There is no you win using the fairest of rules. The audience will enjoy the need to hide any portion of the string. You can even hold it at cleverness of the routine and it makes for a nice segue into your the fingertips by the very end of the string and the audience will next trick. see nothing. There is nothing for them to see. The camouflaging PSI-Handkerchief: Five wine glasses, each with a different of the gimmick is simply brilliant and makes the working of the colored handkerchief inside, sit on a table. A participant chooses trick extremely easy, allowing one to concentrate more fully on any color. An envelope that has been sitting on the table the entire the presentation. time proves that the magician knew what would be chosen. It’s easy to set up, taking only a minute or so to rig the thread Spirit Hank: I can’t believe that this routine makes me want and balloon. Once the prop is set, it’s set; it will sit there ready to to break out my Silk Cabby. It’s a multi-phase routine that makes go. You could keep the balloon floating, tied to a table or chair, sense and will surprise your audience. in full view throughout your entire act. It’s virtually angle proof Plugging the Keyhole: This is a very interesting idea that and could easily be done surrounded, so it’s the perfect effect for allows you to find a spectator’s card while setting yourself up for the banquet room entertainer. All you need for this is a balloon, the next trick you are going to with the deck or small a packet. some string (which Mr. Clark has provided a nice sample of), and Wait, I’ve already given you four things that I think are gold, a tank of helium (obtainable at any party store) and you’re ready and trust me, there’s a lot more where that came from. This is the to go. Detailed instructions as well as two presentational ideas type of book that will tickle your thinking, fire up ideas for your are provided on the well produced instructional DVD. This one is own routines, and give you lots of fuel for some fun magic pre- definitely a keeper and is going into my summer reading program sentations. Tom Craven’s My (Almost) 50 Years in Magic is very shows this year. Seriously, give this one a try. You won’t be easily worth the price of admission.  disappointed.

64 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012

The Salad Bowl Prediction By Paul Osborne

Let’s face it, as magicians we get invited to dinner parties for the free entertainment aspect we provide, unless our entertainment is lousy, in which case the invitations are not as forthcoming. I have considered this on occasion, based on some of the parties I have attended. Something unique is this prediction done with seemingly everyday objects. Typically, when you arrive at a dinner party, it is customary to bring a bottle of wine. In this instance, the performer brings along a bag of spinach. “You can pour the wine and I will make the salad, unless you would like to see a trick .” Putting the bag of greens down, the performer passes out small pieces of paper and some small golf pencils. Guests are instructed to write down their favorite salad additions. As examples, the magician mentions croutons, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. Audience members are encouraged to be creative and feel free to write as many suggestions as they can come up with; they are then to fold each paper four ways. A paper bag is introduced and the suggestions are dropped within. The bag is closed and the contents are shaken to make sure there is no order within the bag. “May I borrow a salad bowl?” The hostess presents one as the performer rips the bottom of the bag to allow the suggestion Photo 1 slips to fall within the bowl. The hostess is asked to select one and only one of the many slips and to hold on to her selection. The remaining slips are gathered up and, along with the bag, discarded. “Where is that bag of spinach?” It is brought forward and a party guest is asked to open the bag and pour the contents into the now empty bowl. This is done; it appears as if there is a small envelope contained within the sealed bag of spinach. The magician selects a volunteer to remove the small envelope from the bowl. “Please remove the envelope, open it up, and remove the contents, but don’t read what it says yet.” The hostess is asked to read her slip of paper. “Chicken,” she says. Addressing the volunteer, the performer asks him to reveal the contents of the envelope. “Chicken,” he says. A dinnertime mystery! A double bag must be prepared for this effect. I used a standard lunch-size bag. You will need two. Also you will need small slips of paper cut to about two inches by two inches. At first I used Post-it Notes, but they are not good for this effect. They stick together and to each other, causing your secret to be revealed. Cut about twelve slips (or the number of anticipated guests) and write “chicken” (or whatever your prediction word is) on each; then fold them into fourths and drop them into the bag. Next, prepare the bag by cutting the second bag in half. Use Photo 2 rubber cement around the top of the bag and insert it into the bag that has the production slips in it. Push it all the way down until the tops of the two bags are even (Figure 1). Once done, pinch the bags together until the two bags are stuck together (or a similar store in your area that carries prepackaged lettuce, at the top. Use a small knife to cut a slit in the bag just below spinach, or greens). Slit open the bottom with an X-Acto knife the position of the second bag. When the time is right, this will and slip your prediction into the center of the bag so that the allow you to easily rip the bottom of this newly prepared bag. produce hides it on all sides. The bag is then sealed at the Next, cut another set of twelve slips and put them in your bottom using a clear tape (Figure 2). If this is neatly done, the pocket along with some small mini golf pencils (which can be preparation will never be noticed. Fold the bag and put it in your purchased from a party store). inside breast pocket along with the blank papers and pencils. Prepare a small 2 x 3½ envelope with your folded prediction Take the salad bag to the party and you are ready to go.  inside. The bag of spinach comes from the Whole Foods market Copyright 2012 Paul Osborne

66 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012 Our Advertisers

Balloons to You 35 INSIDE STRAIGHT B. Happie Entertainment 44 BY NORMAN BECK Burgoon Magic 9 Card Shark 2 One-upmanship Elmwood Magic 65 Fitch Magic 4 Last week I told a guy I know that I had made a hole in one on the golf course. He informed me that he had actually Genii Convention 2012 7 played that same hole, and he had scored one less than I Hermetic Press 72 had. I bought a new car and was able to get it for the dealer’s James Munton 71 price; my friend told me that he had bought the same car Joe Mogar - Magic Stars 71 for $2,000 less than the dealer’s price. I was in a very good mood when I talked to the guy, because I had just gotten my La Rock’s Fun & Magic Outlet 3 highest fee ever for an hour of close-up magic – $5,000. He Levent Magic 53 informed me that he was regularly getting $6,000 per hour. Loomis Magic 67 My friend is what I call a one-upper. If you check, you can find a definition of a one-upper in various urban dic- M.H. Magic Magazines 6 tionaries. A one-upper is a guy who – no matter what you Nielsen Magic 44 have done, what you will do – has done the same thing, but S.A.M. Twitter 71 just a tad bit (and in some cases a whole bunch) better. In most cases, one-uppers lie. I don’t know why they lie, but Show-Biz Services 9 they do. The goal of a one-upper is to build himself up and Steve Beam 4 to tear you down. T.A.O.M. 2012 48 In the pool hall, the guy who comes in and tells you how great a player he is and that he likes to play for money is not The Magic Bakery 69 a threat. Simon Lovell, who plays a good amount of pool, The Prestige Magic Shoppe 44 will back me up on this. The guy you have to watch out for is T. Myers 44 the one who simply says, “I’ll play.” When you suggest that US Toys and Magic 71 the stakes be $20 a game, he says, “Okay.” That’s the guy you have to watch out for. Women In Magic Conference 9 Recently, an article was published about the top salesman at a Lexus dealership here in Dallas. This man offered some sage advice: Never let anyone know you’re the smartest guy in the room. The best way to handle the situation when someone is telling a success story is to smile, compliment him or her on the accomplishment, and move on. Fight the impulse to offer your “topper.” (I’m sure that because of your great charm, innate talent, stunning good looks, superhuman perseverance, and improbable good luck you have a better story. But trust me, you’ll probably do yourself a disservice if you tell it.) I also think that this carries over to the joke-telling field. Often, when someone tells me a joke, I will know the punch line before the end of it. Even if I know the punch line, I never ever step on a person’s joke. I do this for three reasons:

1. The teller may have a different take on the joke, one that I haven’t heard. 2. It is rude to step on someone’s joke. 3. Stepping on a punch line makes you look like a jerk.

My normal tactic when someone tells a joke is to laugh at it, not to try to one-up them with a better joke. A similar situation occurs at a club or bar where a fellow magician is working; under no circumstances should you do any magic at all. To do so is just bad manners. I do have a joke for you. A wife walks in and says to her husband, “I have good news and bad news.” The husband asks, “What is the good news?” The wife says, “The air bags on the car work just fine.” 

AUGUST 2012 - M-U-M Magazine 67 George Schindler The Dean’s Diary

to most of us, but Hull quickly recouped with, “Nina, I will make it up to you. I promise.” (It is important to note that the selected card was the Four of Spades.) We all chided Hull, who fortunately has a good sense of humor. But he would eventually be true to his word. Four of Spades We will now skip ahead to 2008. A message from Hull suggested that we take note that on Columbus Day (October 12) On March 31, 2007, after a national council meeting in Austin, a special event would take place; Nina’s Four of Spades was to be Texas, we were invited to an afternoon party at Richard Garriott’s revealed in a spectacular way a few days later. And it was! During home, “Britannia Manor.” Before 1995 it had been a famous that week, Soyuz space shuttle astronauts Richard Garriott and haunted house; it was decorated with medieval items such as Greg Chamitoff (another S.A.M member) performed some magic crossbows, swords, and armor. There were secret passages and on the flight that was broadcast around the globe. Hull’s friend rooms filled with great artifacts. Richard revealed the selected card in outer space. It was indeed

Richard Garriott’s home - Britannia Manor George with Hull Youngblood

Over the garage was his famous automata collection. The the Four of Spades. Was Hull psychic? room was set up for a show, and here is where my story begins. You may remember that at the Buffalo S.A.M. convention, Hull Youngblood, one of the most charming of the Texas space traveler Garriott spoke about that trip. Someone had him magicians, was doing a version of a David Regal card trick, which take a card, which he promptly forgot (?). He could not remember he appropriately called an “Effect of Galactic Proportion.” He the card; instead, he showed us the space film that depicted him had my wife Nina select a card, and after some by-play awakening from a dream in which there was the haunting image inadvertently came up with the wrong card. This has happened of the Four of Spades. A coincidence? I think not! After his experience with Nina, Hull has kept an emergency Invisible Deck in his pocket. I believe him when he claims that he has never needed it. Along with the two astronauts, Hull Youngblood founded Assembly 17210, the first assembly in space. The number coincides with the speed of the Soyuz. Hull is its president. Nina is a charter member, along with several others. We are still awaiting information as to where and when they will have their next meeting. I might add that Richard sent the original Four of Spades that was on the mission (duly framed and autographed) to Hull. If you saved your Houdini membership card (2010) you will note that the trick embedded reveals the same card. Next time we meet, ask me to think of a card and you can easily impress onlookers when you name the Four of Spades. For a complete story on Richard Garriott and Assembly 17210 see the January 2009 issue of M-U-M.  Garriott’s automata collection

68 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012

Rod Danilewicz Confessions of a Paid Amateur

Step into my imaginary magic On the surface it may shop. The Internet doesn’t intimidate me, because they sell stuff, not appear that youngsters intangibles. My stock in trade is time, Recently, at an annual event, I advice, and personal attention. I offer attend our meetings wanting interviewed almost fifty part-time encouragement by giving a few items magicians regarding their opinions on the away as the young magicians progress. to learn magic tricks. What future of brick-and-mortar magic shops. I Better to invest in them rather than the favor such businesses, because I own one. Yellow Pages, which never spends a they are actually seeking I know the hidden expenses that must be dime in my store. met before you can declare a profit. All merchandise is labeled with are meaningful relationships Based on that survey, I am issuing stickers – red, white, blue, silver, and a wake-up call to all brick-and-mor- gold. The first time someone comes in with experienced magicians tar dealers. If your plan for survival is they will fill out a form asking for their dependent upon the part-timers flocking contact information, including their who will share their time, back to your store when the recession ends, parents’ names. They will list their forget it. Get out now and begin selling experience and their specific interests knowledge, and friendship. recreational pharmaceuticals. with regard to magic. They don’t care about you. They have Based on their response they get enough magic hidden in drawers to last a punch card. Let’s say it’s a white one will appear with me at presentations to them the rest of their performing lives for beginner’s magic. When they buy ten promote magic. The club will perform at without repeating a trick. If they do need items they get one free. If they buy a book, local events. I will host a holiday party that cards or rope they will go to the dollar I punch out two squares. I will work with includes a magic show for the parents to store. them until they master each purchase in see how their children are progressing. Chris Faria, PhD., from Colorado succession before buying something else. Success in business is a numbers game. Springs, commented on last month’s When the card is full, they move up to the You have to take advantage of every column and included some excellent next level of magic and the next colored opportunity to get favorable publicity observations. He thinks that if we are to card. in the local media. The more prospects attract younger people to our meetings and If the youngster shows promise, I you reach, the more responses you get conventions, we must establish a cadre of will match him up with a suitable older back. Your success will be measured in younger role models. I agree with him. magician willing to act as mentor. When percentage points. So concentrate your There are a few pockets of youth he reaches silver or gold status there are no efforts on the seemingly infinite supply of recruitment out there, but I feel the more punch-outs or freebies. His gold card young people. The ranks of us veterans are majority of magicians in my age group has earned him the right to buy anything thinning out. want no part of this. We are a penurious in the shop. The only money you’ll get from us old lot. We are stingy with our money, our Using the information on his guys is after we’re dead. The wives will be praise, and our knowledge and we don’t questionnaire, I send his parents a letter. happy to sell you our lifetime collection like sharing our stage and our spot light. I include the usual blurb about how of boxes and tubes. A section in the shop Again, paraphrasing Dr. Faria: On magic will make him popular, give him of antique and collectible magic can be the surface it may appear that youngsters self confidence, and clear up his acne. I profitable. attend our meetings wanting to learn magic will tell them that based on his level of Everyone laments that too much magic tricks. What they are actually seeking are participation, magic can be a passing fancy is available from too many sources. Places meaningful relationships with experienced or a rewarding lifetime hobby. to buy stuff abound. Sources where you magicians who will share their time, I will ask them to help me bring out can obtain a serious education in the art of knowledge, and friendship. When these their child’s full potential. I assure them magic are few. Take down your signs that relationships are not forthcoming, they that if it appears that magic is not a good scream adult toy store. Change your name quit coming to meetings and stop hanging fit, I will advise them to save their money. to magic school or college of magic. Offer out with us at conventions. I want the parents to know that I am selling a curriculum as your primary product. You The dealers must focus on the young if an educational experience that will last a and magic will both prosper. the future of magic and their own futures lifetime. I am not running a toy store. I Don’t waste your time trying to teach are to be secure. Forget about us old want then on my side. old dogs new tricks.  guys. Indications are that most of us have Most of my advertising is hands-on already forgotten about you. We already and local. The store will host a magic club. Email me at [email protected] own a thumb tip and a Svengali deck; the Members will get a gift certificate on their kids don’t. birthday. Proficient younger members

70 M-U-M Magazine - AUGUST 2012