'76 Chartered by the international Brotherhood of Magidanas IE 1948 MagiCurrents San Diego, California Recipient of the IBM's Quality Ring Award Honest Sid Gerhard Ring 76 Website Honest Sid Gerhart Ring 76 www.ring76.com Volume XVIIII 6 June 2005 Dean of American Magicians, Jay Marshall dies Jay Marshall, the Dean of American Magicians puppet when he found it was impossible to take whose accomplishments - from appearing 14 times along a ventriloquist's dummy. He made the puppet on 'The Ed Sullivan Show" to playing New York's from an Army sock and the ears from its mate. Palace and London's Palladium - died Tuesday evening May 10th; he was 85. The cause of death, His first wife was Naomi Baker, whose father was according to one of his two sons, was a heart attack. magician Al Baker. Marshall met Naomi at a magic convention. That marriage ended in divorce, and in Elected the 1950s he married Francis Ireland, whose first the Dean husband owned Ireland's Magic Shop in Chicago. of Frances, widely respected as a magic writer, American merchant, and performer, died in 2002, after 48 Magicians years of marriage. in 1992, he will Jay Marshall was a regular fixture at magic keep the conventions throughout the country and took the title until time to talk with everyone. Many Ring 76 members his wand had a strong friendship and bond with Mr. Marshall. is broken Bob Ingalls would often times at Las Vegas magic at his gatherings sneak off from the convention to play "Let gravesite it Ride," a card game in the casino. Sometimes the in a two of them would travel to several casinos before Jay Marshall & Lefty magicians' they found a table they thought was right. in 1992 ritual. He was only the eighth dean in the 102-year history of the Society of American Magicians. Jay Marshall was an enduring hit from vaudeville to Broadway to Las Vegas, where he opened for Frank Sinatra in one of his early appearances there. He was also a writer, editor, and collector of all things magic, as well as the owner of Magic Inc., a popular Chicago supply house for magicians. Jack White, Jay Marshall, Billy McComb and Bob Ingalls at a Desert Magic Seminar In 1957, as part of the last variety bill to play in 2001. vaudeville's legendary Palace Theater, he occupied the most prestigious place on the bill: the spot next Ingalls remembers it was he who introduced to the closing act. During World War II, Jay served in Marshall to the game of "Let it Ride." Bob says one the Army in the South Pacific and developed his first afternoon several years ago in Las Vegas, he was at (Continued on page 7) Page 2 MagiCurrents 58 members and guests turn out for the May stage competition at Ring 76 Our May 9th meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. contest preregister so he couid make up a show sharp by President Diane Lane, who made a series order. Bob was very careful in introducing each of brief announcements and introduced Donna member just by his or her name so that each person Greenbaum, who heads up this year's election was treated the same. Ballots were handed out to committee. Donna then read the list of candidates members only at the door when they arrived for the seeking office in Ring 76 for the coming year: meeting. Each member had the opportunity to vote President, Bob Ingalls; 1st Vice President, Terry for the performer of his or her choice. Lunceford; 2nd Vice President, Kenny Shelton; Secretary, Jack White; Treasurer, Richard Ustick; The winners of both the close-up contest held last Sgt at Arms/Librarian, Sal Barajas. Diane Lane will February and the stand-up contest will be become the immediate past president and member announced at our Installation and Awards Banquet to at large. A floor nomination put Jacques Lord on the be held on Sunday, July 10th at Dave and Busters in list of candidates as a member at large. The Mission Valley. There is a story on the banquet nominations were approved by the membership and elsewhere in this newsletter. the election committee will place them before the membership for a final vote at the June 9th meeting. Each performer did a great job with his or her act, and we saw some very different magic from several There were several guests attending the May of our regular members. Rather than describe each meeting, and they act we will let the photographs of the various were introduced. performers tell the story of our May, stand-up Tom Owen-Towle, contest. has rekindled his interest in magic and brought his wife to the meeting. He is considering becoming a member. Jeff Marcus, our Territorial Vice and his wife President, has a Loch David Crane friend and IBM and his mental member from Minnesota visiting. We had a number effect. of exciting raffle prizes, so the raffle was conducted with much flair and fanfare. One of the winners was past Ring 76 President Don Soul. We thank everyone for taking part in our monthly raffle; the money helps to defray costs of keeping the Ring operating smoothly. Our first vice president in charge of entertainment, ts my number!" Bob Ingalls, then Don Soul and winning Jacques Lord and his daughter took over the ticket. Donna Soul looks on Phoebe made her debut as his meeting. Bob had assistant doing the needles from all of the people who wanted to take part in the the mouth effect. MagiCurrents Page 3 Diane Lane and a John London with a sensational flashy ending to her act interlude with a magic rope The ever popular Mago Ruly and a very funny magic routine Bob Wilkinson from St. Paul, Top magician Joe Mystic and Minn., was the guest of Jeff one of the most entertaining Marcus. Pom Pom stick routines anywhere Ring 76 Stand-up Competition 2005 A wild and wacky new look and routine for Michael E. Johnson Phoebe Lord making her first public appearance as dad's assistant in a magic act. All of our contestants: Joe Mystic, Mago Ruly, Diane Lane, Michael E. Johnson, Jacques Lord & daughter Phoebe, John London, and, kneeling, Loch David Crane Page 4 MagiCurrents Magic notes from: The program opened a drum roll and with Lyn actually producing the orchestra conductor from an empty cabinet. Throughout the program there was a lot of interaction between the magician and the conductor, making for a very lighthearted afternoon of music and magic. Two stories about magic Lyn Dilles with assistant "Magic at the Marc LeBlanc at the and dedication Symphony" was conclusion of their If you attend the San Diego Symphony concerts, you such a success that illusion show. know that Lyn Dillies, a perky, attractive, lady magician, San Diego appeared on Mother's Day with her program titled "Magic Symphony officials are already talking about bringing at the Symphony. Lyn is from New Bedford, Lyn Dillies and her magic back to this city for the Massachusetts and brought a trackload of illusions, Summer Pops Concerts in 2006. If the dates work out, lighting effects, and sound system to Symphony Hall. we should make it a Ring 76 Night at the Summer Pops. Lyn is one of a handful of magicians who perform regularly with various symphonies around the country. Lyn Dillies is successful because she is dedicated to good magic and good music and was able to combine the two She started out like most of us doing birthday party shows arts. That brings me to another person who is dedicated and built her act and company into the major operation it to magic, "Mr. Electric" Marvyn Roy. His new book, is today. Her hour-long program featuring seven major "Mr. Electric Unplugged," has just been released by Mike illusions and a dozen smaller effects filled all of the 2200 Caveney's Magic Words publishing company, and it is seats at Symphony Hall for the one time only one of those books you can't put down. performance. You are not going to This lady magician has a staff of four that move and help learn any tricks by with the show. She reading this book, studied violin as a but you will learn child before she how a dedicated became interested in Youngman, who magic, and that wanted to be a accounts for her magician, found his interest in music. She way to the top of his has had more than a profession and dozen pieces of stayed there for 35 concert orchestra years. There were music arranged for the days when he Singing Star Patti Page was her program that has was a boy growing in the audience and posed toured some of the up in Los Angeles, with Lyn after the show back nation's top The cover of Marvyn Roy's and his mentor, Ray stage at Symphony Hall. symphony venues. new book about his life Muse, helped him in magic. put together his first Performing with a full symphony orchestra is not as easy act with silks. as it sounds. The area on the stage is less than 14 feet wide and getting the illusions on and off the stage There are all the stories about his act on ice skates, how gracefully is a trick all by itself. But Lyn and her staff he met one of the best assistants in magic, his wife Carol, have worked out the details and have a very lively then the Mr.