OCTOBER 2013

DOC SWAN Page 36

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 3 MAGIC - UNITY - MIGHT Editor Michael Close Editor Emeritus David Goodsell Associate Editor W.S. Duncan Proofreader & Copy Editor Lindsay Smith Art Director Lisa Close Publisher Society of American Magicians, 6838 N. Alpine Dr. Parker, CO 80134 Copyright © 2012

Subscription is through membership in the Society and annual dues of $65, of which $40 is for 12 issues of M-U-M. All inquiries concerning membership, change of address, and missing or replacement issues should be addressed to: Manon Rodriguez, National Administrator P.O. Box 505, Parker, CO 80134 [email protected] Skype: manonadmin Phone: 303-362-0575 Fax: 303-362-0424

Send assembly reports to: [email protected] For advertising information, reservations, and placement contact: Cinde Sanders M-U-M Advertising Manager Email: [email protected] Telephone: 214-902-9200 Editorial contributions and correspondence concerning all content and advertising should be addressed to the editor: Michael Close - Email: [email protected] Phone: 317-456-7234 Submissions for the magazine will only be accepted by email or fax.

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4 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 M-U-M OCTOBER 2013 MAGAZINE Volume 103 • Number 5

cover story page 36

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S.A.M. NEWS 6 From the Editor’s Desk 32 8 From the President’s Desk 10 Good Cheer List 11 M-U-M Assembly News 22 Broken Wands 69 S.A.M. Spotlight 69 Our Advertisers

THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

24 Convention Photos (Part Two) 55 28 I Left My Cards at Home • by Steve Marshall 30 The High Road • by Mick Ayres 50 32 Nielsen Gallery • by Tom Ewing 34 Illusions of Grandeur • by David Seebach 36 COVER STORY • by Marc DeSouza 40 Focus on Funny • by Norm Barnhart 68 42 On the Shoulders of Giants • by Scott Alexander 46 Stage 101 • by Levent 50 Ebook Nook: The Commerical Magic of J.C. Wagner 54 Building a Show • by Larry Hass 55 Tech Tricks • Bruce Kalver 56 Informed Opinion • New Product Reviews 68 Salon de Magie • by Ken Klosterman 69 Inside Straight • by Norman Beck 27 70 The Dean’s Diary • by George Schindler 70 Basil the Baffling • by Alan Wassilak

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.

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 5 Penn said, “Mike, this is Tim. He’s from San Antonio.” “You flew in a game machine repairman from Texas?” “Tim’s repairing the machine as a favor. He’s the founder of NewTek, the company that came out with the Video Toaster for the Commodore Amiga.” Editor’s Desk “The guy who invented the Video Toaster is repairing your game machine?” I asked. “Who cleans your pool, Jacques Michael Close Cousteau?” It turned out that Tim Jenison and I had a mutual acquain- tance; the guy who shot and edited my Power of Palming video There was some great talent at the S.A.M. convention this back in 1994 had edited it using Video Toaster. He must have summer (including a juggler who stopped the Saturday night been a good customer, because Tim remembered him from the show dead), but the guy who completely caught me by surprise very vague description I gave of him. was Doc Swan, who performed on the Wednesday night variety Tim Jenison is a genius who has an eclectic range of interests. show. I had met Doc years ago when I performed at the Houdini One of these interests is the subject of a documentary called Lounge, but I had no idea that he was such a strong performer. Tim’s Vermeer. In it, Tim attempts to discover if Dutch painter Doc’s set featured juggling, escapes, and a hysterical stunt in Johaness Vermeer may have used optical devices to create his which he carried Celeste DeCamps on his back while walking masterpieces. Over the course of several years, Tim painstak- over broken glass. All I could think was, “This guy is great! More ingly researched Vermeer, discovered what may have been the people should know about him.” secret to Vermeer’s photorealistic style, recreated the setting of I spoke with several people after that show and all agreed Vermeer’s “The Music Lesson,” ground his own lenses, mixed his that a cover story on Doc was in order. Marc DeSouza, who has own paints, and, using only optical tools available in Vermeer’s worked with Doc on various shows, agreed to write the story. time, painted his own version of Vermeer’s painting. This was Turn to page 36 and find out how an introverted kid became the a grueling, backbreaking process, as Tim sat hunched over his most interesting guy in the room. canvas, working on tiny portions of the scene each day, including Also in this issue, you’ll find the second half of our photo the individual stitches on the carpet that is draped over a fore- coverage of the S.A.M. national convention (covering the four ground table. stage shows) on page twenty-four. The photos were taken by Dale Penn Jillette produced and narrates Tim’s Vermeer; Teller Farris. Last month, the typo gremlins crept in and Dale’s name directed it. This is an extraordinary and wonderful documentary, was misspelled. My apologies to Dale, and my thanks for all his part magic trick, part detective story. The amazing thing is that hard work. even though the audience is privy to the “magic” secret from the In his column this month, MI Dal Sanders mentions using very beginning, knowledge of this secret in no way diminishes M-U-M as a resource for assembly meetings. The archives of the magnitude of Tim’s accomplishment. It is a story of enormous M-U-M are filled with great material and articles, all which ingenuity and enormous perseverance. The movie was a huge hit could springboard discussions, presentations, demonstrations, at both the Telluride and the Toronto film festivals. When it is and further explorations. To implement this would require a bit released to general distribution (and it will be), do not miss it. of hard work and some initiative. Someone would have to be in Those of you who love jazz and who long for the type of jazz charge of assigning topics, and those who were assigned topics piano that nobody plays these days should head over to www. would have to do their homework. But I think the effort would jonesjazz.com and buy/download a copy of Mike Jones’s new trio produce some valuable and enriching assembly meetings. I hope CD Plays Well with Others. You will be happy you did. Mike you’ll give this a try. is joined by Jeff Hamilton (who played with Oscar Peterson, During the last week of August, Lisa, Ava, and I attended Monty Alexander, Diana Krall, and many others) on drums the Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp. We had visited the camp last and young virtuoso Mike Gurrola (a student of the great John year, but this year we were full participants. I very much enjoyed Clayton) on bass. The CD features great tunes, masterfully hanging with old pals Lee Asher, Aaron Fisher, Shawn Farquhar, performed – what more could you want? Buy it now. (Inciden- and Steve Kline, and I especially enjoyed the interaction with tally, Mike is the music director for the Penn & Teller show, so the campers. They had good questions and they accepted the many of you have probably heard him live. In the liner notes ideas I presented with enthusiasm. Everyone learned something, of the CD, Penn mentions that he met Jonesy when a friend including me. I can hardly wait for next year. dragged him to a fancy restaurant in Vegas to hear him play. Back when I wrote the product reviews for MAGIC magazine, That friend was me.)  I started a section called “It’s Not Magic, But...” that covered in- teresting items that were not specifically magic related. In the spirit of that, I’d like to draw to your attention to a documentary film and a jazz CD. Read on. About a dozen years ago, I was over at Penn Jillette’s home (known affectionately as The Slammer). There was a bearded fellow there whom I had not seen before; this guy had opened up the back of a vintage, electronic game machine Penn owned and was working on the innards. (It was a horseshoe game in which you spun a wheel in order to toss a simulated horseshoe – lights lit up and electronic noises accompanied the “pitch.”) I thought it was pretty amazing that Penn had found someone in Vegas to repair that old machine.

6 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 7 Nook” or “Tech Tricks.” It is clear to me that you can enhance your monthly meetings by using the magazine you already receive. I would love to see more assembly reports discussing how they have used M-U-M in their monthly meetings. President’s Desk SPEAKING OF ASSEMBLY REPORTS Dal Sanders I received an email from Dave Eisler recently that makes a lot of sense. Dave has noticed in that every assembly report, you only read about what happened at the last meeting. He realizes the August was a truly amazing month for magic, magicians, and importance of reporting the past events, but he also recommends the S.A.M. As I reported last month, I started the month off at that the reports also include information about what is coming the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians (PCAM) convention, up. (Because of M-U-M’s print schedule, these events should which was hosted by the West Side Wizards, Assembly 291 in Los be several months in the future.) This would help to convince a Angeles. From there I flew to Tennessee for the KIDabra conven- visitor from out of town to attend and perhaps get a new assembly tion, back to L.A. for one of the most fantastic weddings Cinde member. Dave went on to suggest that if an event of some kind is and I have ever been to, and then to Las Vegas for MAGIC Live. I coming (like an auction, guest speaker, or lecture), a non-mem- got to go home for a weekend of performances and then back on ber could be welcomed for a small fee. a plane to Orlando for another convention. I came home to Dallas Great idea, Dave. When traveling, I always look for a local and did a few more shows and then we held the Texas Association assembly that might be meeting when I am there. I know many of Magicians convention in my home town. Of course, TAOM people do. I have also been known to do a four- or five-hour road was hosted by my home club, Assembly 13. Everywhere I went I trip just to see some magician perform or lecture. We also need heard the same thing. People are excited about the direction The to make sure that the assembly reports contain current contact Society of American Magicians is headed. information and accurate meeting nights and locations. M-U-M 3D ONLINE EXPERIENCE S.A.M./THEORY 11 ONLINE PANEL DISCUSSIONS Last month the S.A.M. launched the online 3D M-U-M ex- perience! We have been online for years, but we felt that we For the past several months, The Society of American wanted to step up our online experience. The new 3D version of Magicians has teamed up with Theory 11 for regular live panel the magazine now includes added video content, audio, live web discussions with some of the top thinkers in magic, including links, and a few Easter eggs hidden throughout each publication. Chris Kenner, Marco Tempest, Steve Cohen, Jonathan Bayme, We liked the idea so much that we went back and reloaded all the Michael James, Dan White, Zach Mueller, Brian Brushwood, online 2013 M-U-Ms with 3D content. All the covers have special Blake Vogt, Patrick Kun, Bob Smith, Mike Hankins, Andrei video content and there are more surprises inside. To check it Jikh, Calen Morelli, Christen Gerhart, and Vinny Grosso. out, sign on to the website (www.magicsam.com) and go to the These have been held on the eleventh of each month. Links and M-U-M section. reminders can be found on the S.A.M. Compeers Facebook Page, M-U-M was the first magic magazine online and now we have the S.A.M. Facebook Fan Page, and on SAMTalk. Those discus- raised the bar. This is just the beginning. Soon video and audio sions can also be found saved to the web on our Facebook pages content will be spread throughout the entire online magazine. and on our website. Join in the fun, lively discussions and ask You will see video demonstrations of tricks, illusions, and questions of the magicians. routines where in the past you had to rely on just photos and written descriptions. Smart advertisers will upload videos that MILESTONES demonstrate their new tricks and these trailers can be accessed with one click from the ad in the magazine. Even assemblies can A couple of milestones have been reached and should be add video content to their monthly reports. The possibilities are noted. First of all, SAMTalk recently sent out its 5,000th daily endless. I would love to hear what you think. What other content digest. With almost 1,800 members, SAMTalk has proven itself can we add to the 3D M-U-M experience? to be an important way for compeers to communicate. Congratu- lations to Bruce Kalver and his team for reaching this goal. For SPEAKING OF M-U-M more information or to join in the discussion go to magicsam. com/samtalk. One of the goals of The Society of American Magicians I also want to congratulate Eric DeCamps and his team for the and every member assembly is to elevate and advance the art second anniversary of the S.A.M. Compeers Facebook Page. Over of magic. I suggest that you use M-U-M to help achieve that 870 S.A.M. members communicate daily through this medium. goal. The articles inside your monthly magazine are not just the Eric and the other members of this forum always have interesting latest tricks or clever variations of the classics. The articles aren’t content to share. Just search S.A.M. Compeers at Facebook.com. just “fluff” pieces on magic celebrities. The articles you find in M-U-M are designed to make you a better magician. Many AND FINALLY assemblies are using M-U-M as a discussion guide for their meetings. There are truly inspiring articles, including Levent’s I’ve written a lot about some of the benefits of being a member “Stage 101,” “Building A Show” by Larry Hass, and “The High of The Society of American Magicians. There are others that are Road” by Mick Ayres. Maybe someone in your assembly can do just as important. Many of them are special programs that give a Teach-a-Trick demonstration using something from the “Ebook back to the magic community and beyond, including the Houdini

8 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 S.A.M. National Officers

Dean: George Schindler, 1735 East 26th St., Brooklyn, NY 11229, (718) 336-0605, Fax (718) 627-1397, [email protected] President: Dal Sanders, 3316 Northaven Rd, Dallas, TX 75229 (214) 902-9200, [email protected] President Elect: Kenrick “ICE” McDonald, P.O. Box 341034, Los Angeles, CA 90034, (310) 559-8968, [email protected] First Vice President: David Bowers, (717) 414-7574, [email protected] Second Vice President: Jeffrey Sikora, (402) 339-6726 [email protected] Secretary: Marlene Clark, 274 Church Street, #6B, Guilford, CT 06437, (203) 689-5730, Skype: marlene.clark, [email protected] Treasurer: Eric Lampert, (215) 939-5555, [email protected]

Regional Vice Presidents

New England: CT MA RI NH ME VT Joseph Caulfield (603) 654-6022, [email protected] North Atlantic: NY NJ Eric DeCamps, (718) 896-5861, [email protected] Mid Atlantic: PA DE MD VAWV DC Phil Milstead, (703) 481-5271, [email protected] South Atlantic: FL AL GA MS NC SC Debbie Leifer (404) 630-1120 [email protected] Central Plains: KY TN OH IN MI Steven A. Spence, (317) 722-0429 [email protected] Midwest: IL MN WI MO ND NE KS SD IA Shaun Rivera, (618) 781-8621 [email protected] South Central States: TX AR OK NM LA Michael Tallon, (210) 341-6959 [email protected] Southwest: CA AZ NV HI Ron Ishimaru, (808) 428-6019, [email protected] Northwest: WA OR UT ID CO AK WY MT James Russell, (360) 682-6648 [email protected] Canada: Rod Chow (604) 669-7777 [email protected] Society of Young Magicians Director: Jann Wherry Goodsell, 329 West 1750 North, Orem, Utah 84057 (801) 376-0353. [email protected] Fund, the Disaster Relief Fund, and our Veterans Program and Magic Week activi- ties. As a member of the S.A.M. you support all of these incredible programs. As I Living Past travel around the country, I am always amazed by the number of non-members who National Presidents don’t realize the benefits of being a member of the world’s oldest and most prestigious magic organization. The next time you have a conversation with someone who is not Bradley M. Jacobs, Richard L. Gustafson, Roy A. Snyder, Bruce W. Fletcher, James E. a member and who doesn’t think the S.A.M. has anything to offer them, see if he or Zachary, David R. Goodsell, Fr. Cyprian Murray, she is interested in helping out other magicians. See if they have checked out our 3D Michael D. Douglass, George Schindler, Dan M-U-M experience. See if they know about SAMTalk, our Facebook Pages, Twitter Rodriguez, Dan Garrett, Donald F. Oltz Jr., Craig news, or online panel discussions. See if they know about the Society of Young Dickson, Loren C. Lind, Gary D. Hughes, Harry Magicians (S.Y.M.) or the College Group (SAM-C). Bring up the mobile version of Monti, Jann Wherry Goodsell, Warren J. Kaps, our website or the MagicSAM app on your smart phone and sign them up on the spot. Ed Thomas, Jay Gorham, John Apperson, Richard See if they know that we are not only “the world’s oldest magic organization,” M. Dooley, Andy Dallas, Maria Ibáñez, Bruce Kalver, Mike Miller, Mark Weidhaas, Vinny but because of our programs and benefits, we are quickly becoming one of the Grosso, J. Christopher Bontjes youngest. 

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 9 Good Cheer List

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

Roger Barr Bob King James J. Morrisey Harry Riser 883 B Leverpool Circle, 304 Suburban Court, 24 Grove St. 11755 N. Michigan Rd #313 Manchester, NJ 08759 Rochester, NY 14620 Wayland, MA 01788 Zionsville, IN 46077

Daniel Cudennec Robert D. Knigge Anthony Murphy Pat Ryan “Dany Trick” PO Box 5, 11 Angel Rd., 43 Fairbanks Rd. 225, Stang-ar-Veil- Jones Borough, TN 3765 North Reading, MA 01864 Churchville, NY 14428 d’an-Traon, Mellac-29300, Quimperle, France Stanley R. Kramien Nahmen Nissen Matt Savin 11205 SW Summerfield Dr. PO Box 1856 P.O. Box 7693 Dan A. Dorsey Apt 161 Colfax, CA 95713-1856 Alhambra, CA 91802-7533 98 Woodvalley Dr. Tigard, OR 97224-3391 Fayetteville, GA 30215 David Oliver Sybill Simons Richard Laneau 141 Audaubon Rd. #201 65 West 95 St. Apt 3A Joseph H. (Ben) Grant 4020 55th St. N. Weymouth, MA 02188 New York, NY 10025 400 Commonwealth Ave, Unit 9 St. Petersburg, FL 33709 Warwick, RI 02886 Larry Poague Mario Susi George Gilbert Lott 34221 West 90 Circle 6 Bristol Rd. Charlie Gross 1725 Great Hill Rd. Desota, KS 66108 W. Peabody, MA 01960 16745 Gertrude Street, Guilford, CT 06437 Omaha, NE 60136-3023 Jim Relyea Jack White Frank J. McNaughton, Sr 241 W. Lakeshore 4288 Arguello St. Roy Horn 1926 Apple Street, Rockaway, NJ 07866 San Diego, CA 92103 c/o Siegfried & Roy Williamsport, PA 17701 1639 N Valley Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89108

10 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 ASSEMBLY NEWS OCTOBER 2013 Volume 103, Number 5 Society of American Magicians Monthly News

GO TO: WWW.MUM-MAGAZINE.COM and use the easy submission form to file your report

with clever patter of William and wood that fell over all by itself quite visual Copper/Silver trans- 2 George as he folded a bill and when the spectator was told to formation. And Jeff Eline – for THE SUBJECT then produced a coin with George “concentrate not only with your once without a deck of cards in his IS MONEY Washington on it. mind but with your brain.” Our hands – performed two bar tricks, Rob deviated from the money long-standing Dean, Joe Bruno, one involving a tiny box contain- SAN FRANCISCO, CA— magic and demonstrated his duck actually took this month’s theme ing something “no one has ever Our meeting began with Tamaka and how it could pick a chosen to heart, showing how he could seen, and no one will ever see presenting Rob Shapiro with his card from a deck. Tamaka then had consistently detect which of three again.” The magic continued even S.A.M. membership. Rob, known Walt write a significant time on a identical Styrofoam cups a napkin after the meeting, with Les Albert professionally as Mr. Shap, is piece of paper. He proved his skill ball was hidden under. He then (who practices an hour a day, our balloon twister extraordi- of mental magic when he showed tipped the subtle method to us every day) showing some fabulous naire. Walt Johnson then led the a slate with a predicted number and followed with a fine, totally coin moves he’s been learning. Teach-In by challenging us with which was the exact number Walt impromptu Cups and Balls routine Another great evening of magic! four different bar tricks, from had written. To further confuse using napkin balls. Even had a —Eric Hoffman floating a paperclip on water to us all, he had Stu hold a watch large final load. The Kellar/Thurston Assembly cutting a dollar bill to make it and twist the stem to move the 6 meets every first Thursday at large enough to slip over each hands indiscriminately. When he 8:00 pm at the Magic Warehouse, participant’s head. Walt furnished stopped, Tamaka revealed that the 11419 Cronridge Drive suite #10 some fake bills so there wasn’t real time on the watch was the same in Owings Mills, Maryland. money lost in the endeavor. that Walt had written. Bill spent 410-561-0777. Contact Andy The theme for the evening was money buying a bottle of beer and London [email protected] Money Magic, something done used the empty bottle by turning it www.baltimoresam.com for more with money, or something that into an imp bottle when he inserted details. cost money. Stu Bacon started the a short rope into the bottle. When evening first by showing an app he let go of the bottle, the magic 7 on his iPhone that printed a real held and the bottle stayed on the “LET’S PLAY TWO” FUN- business card. He then did Patrick rope. AND EARLY MAGIC WEEK Page’s Easy Money and changed Other members, Safire, Rich, and Craig introduces his five pieces of paper into five Jack Langdell, enjoyed the perfor- crazy fox to a somewhat OMAHA, NE— August real dollar bills. Corky LaValle mances while making the cookies leery Jeff Eline brought a double-header to the followed with a coin effect that that Corky brought disappear. Omaha Magical Society. Professor passed coins, one by one, through —Stu Bacon Eric Hoffman, using three Tom Zepf introduced the first a half dollar that was locked into a Assembly 2 meets the first colored poker chips, showed event, a lecture by Al Lampkin, metal tube. His bonus trick was a Wednesday in the Community how the middle one (red) could who seemed to instantly make card prediction that utilized Rich Room of the Taraval Police Station, escape although trapped between friends before the show started. Seguine, Bill Langdell, and Safire 2345 24th Avenue, San Francisco two green “guard” chips within The room felt likely a family Lin. Contact Tamaka Tamaka3715@ a sealed “prison” container, a la gathering as Al told us how he aol.com (415) 531-9332 for more Houdini. He then demonstrated started in magic and then followed details. a simple motor made from a with a sucker trick, the torn and magnetic ball and a sheet-rock restored napkin. His next dem- 6 screw, courtesy of Jack Gaylin. Jay onstration was a dollar bill tear, IMPROMPTU MAGIC IN Silverman followed with a quick pointing out subtleties that make AUGUST burned and restored napkin, while this illusion effective. Then he we all nervously kept glancing at proceeded to put a ring on a BALTIMORE, MD— What the Magic Warehouse’s sprinkler stick and then a spoon and then better theme for the lazy days of system. Howard Katz showed a balloon and finally a card box. August than Impromptu Magic – the always-fascinating Zig-Zag Part one ended with his version no setup required. Oneil Banks Bill. Is there anything left that of a Magic Square. Al then said (“being a mentalist means you hasn’t been zigged and zagged? to get jobs one should: 1.Have a never have to carry props”) got Les (“everybody has their own good show 2. Tell everyone, “I’m Rob Shapiro demonstrates the ball rolling with a psychic definition of impromptu”) Albert a magician.” 3. Have a website 4. his new duck deduction of which of two possibly showed us his easier version of Be nice. lying “criminals” hid his watch. McDonald’s Aces, his improve- Al continued with an effect Buzz Lawrence stayed with the Ira Kolman then performed a ment on the 10-to-20 Force, a good in which three cards seemed theme by passing stack of quarters super-fast pen vanish after first substitute for the always suspi- to transport themselves from through Corky’s hand. Further tricking us specs into covering the cious looking double undercut, one assistant to the other, then amazement came was when Buzz noise (is it right to fool magicians and a quick Okito Box routine a “whistle a card” effect, after lifted the cone after the quarters like that?). Guest Craig Feinstein, with silver dollars. He concluded which came his version of the passed through to reveal a stack of who had his first professional by showing (and tipping) a Invisible Deck. He introduced us dimes. Hippo Lau capitalized on show last week, showed off his wonderful ESP card match effect. to his packet trick that looked like the recent royal birth in England crazy fox and a “magic” piece of Guest Ben Vincent did a quick but he predicted the outcome from

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 11 Assembly News several cards on the table. He also interesting book review on “Your be back in 2015. See you there. to think of a card, and then remove showed us an effect that would Vote is Magic.” Steve Barcel- —Dan Todd that card from a deck. He then cost someone thirty-nine cents lona brought in a great version Assembly 8 meets at Mount replaced the card and the deck was for all of the necessary props. He of the Ambitious Card routine by Tabor United Church of Christ shuffled. Mike then had Aaron’s finished the evening with a rope Tommy Wonder. Randy Kalin, at 6520 Arsenal in Saint Louis guest Lydia select a number (27). trick and then his “Nemo” deck in assisted by Michael Long, taught MO 63139 Contact Dick Blowers Mike deal down to the twenty- which he matched two cards in the us a basic magic effect that fools [email protected] (213) seventh card, which was Aaron’s deck then showed us that all of the everyone! Columbus Smith taught 846-8468 Assembly8.com for selection. others were blank. us a nice version of a Penny/Dime more details. Guest Alan Paoletti demonstrat- transposition routine. Larry Minth ed a very clever, fast, and enter- had us in stitches with a comical 13 taining Ambitious Card routine. card routine. Dan Todd, assisted PUPPETRY AND The routine included the signed by Michael Long, attempted PRESTIDIGITATION card jumping to the top of the Phobia by Jon Allen. Harry Monti, deck and into Alan’s hat, mouth, PNP, performed a mental miracle DALLAS, TX— Derrel Allen pocket, and wallet. by divining a spectator’s thought welcomed everyone to the monthly With that, the members adjourned of color, animal, and country. Dallas Magic Clubs meeting. Four to prepare for the upcoming Texas Jason Stack performed a comical guests included Van McGee (okay, Association of Magicians conven- yet baffling Linking Ring routine not really a guest but we don’t get tion. followed by sponge balls and rope to see him much), Brian Ortner, President Bob Gehringer, Al through neck to demonstrating Robyn Sanford, and Martin Lampkin and Ryan Thomas the beauty of basic yet powerful Sinese. magic. After some brief announce- What makes Al so different is Our August 8 meeting featured ments, the club president (Derrel his style that both captures your mental magic. George Van Dyke Allen) and vice-president (Frank attention and then operates so taught and handed out yet another Seltzer) conducted a broken wand smoothly that you’re “tricked” effect from the pages of M-U-M. ceremony for club member Brett without even knowing it. All in Randy Kalin taught us mental Wolf. the room were having an enjoyable magic effects that fool everyone. After this somber moment, Pix evening even though there was He review last week’s puzzler Smith brought some much-need- never a threat of severed limbs and gave us several suggestions ed levity to the meeting with a and all of the magic took place on how to improve our perfor- fun and informative lecture on using talents that most magicians mances. Then he hit pay dirt when puppetry. When he was younger, already possess. Ron Jackson gave away all the Pix worked seven days a week for In Omaha, New Year starts at 7 envelopes that contained money. an entire year at a puppet theater p.m. Our Magic Week is usually Kris Allen caused the Aces to in Hot Springs. He has continued in August at the “Hogwarts Hall” change places. Kevin Allen to entertain with puppets ever Pix Smith demonstrating at Boystown. This month brought “Aced” another card effect. Steve since. one of his many puppets out a good cross section of talent Barcellona gave us several great Pix demonstrated three different to treat some of the residents that suggestions on how to improve our puppets. The first two puppets The Dallas Magic Clubs meet earned admission to our show. performances and explained the were marionettes, but the last was on the third Tuesday of the There were walk-around perform- reasons behind his actions. Steve a rod puppet, inspired by Wayland month at 7:00 PM at Crosspointe ers and a stage show featuring also provided a video of a classic Flowers’s Madame character. Community Center, Theater 166 Neil Bable, Steve Cotariu, Bob Michael Close performance of In addition to these puppets, a in Carrollton TX (see www.dallas- Sanders, Walter Graham, and Card Warp. Derrick Daniels number of club members also magic.org for directions). Contact Denny and Ann Rourke. After performed more outstanding card brought their own. Pix showed Reade Quinton reade.quinton@ digesting our picnic meal and the magic. Columbus Smith fooled us practical demonstrations of gmail.com (972) 400-0195 www. showcased talent the audience and then taught us a nice mental motivated movement in puppetry, dallasmagic.org for more details. made a line toward the levitat- magic effect. Dan Todd performed sometimes including the puppets ing cotton candy for any sweet a new Sean Goodman effect called audience members brought. He tooth. This was a busy month as Tick-Tock. John Apperson, PNP, stressed that, as in magic effects, 19 we prepare to close our season. performed Hare Raising Hats by everything in puppetry should HOUSTON’S HOT MAGIC IN —Jerry Golmanavich Paul Hallas. have a beginning, a middle, and an AUGUST Omaha Magical Society meets August 15-17 was the Midwest end. Pix showed that it is better to typically every third Thursday Magic Jubilee (founded in 1956), stop at times, and provide a strong HOUSTON, TX— August was at the Southwest Church of which is a joint event by I.B.M. pose, rather than wildly move a hot month for magic in Houston. Christ near 124th St. and West Ring 1 and Assembly 8. A special around constantly. Overall, it was Scott Hollingsworth presented Center Road, right across the thanks to those volunteers who a fun lecture and great change his first lecture in a series he will street from where Hooters used made this all happen through of pace from the standard magic give on restaurant magic. Scott to be. Contact jerry golmanavich their time, dedication, and talents. lecture. included pointers on how to get a [email protected] (402) 390-9834 This year’s performers were: Lee After a brief intermission Brad job, the use of lobby boards, inter- omahamagicalsociety.com for Alex, Norm Barnhart, Steven Ingle gave a quick review of Ken action with the wait staff and how more details. Bender, John Steven Bloom, Sean Krenzel’s book, Relaxed Impossi- to approach tables. His lecture was Bogunia, Michael Dardant, Sonny bilities. The book stressed natural well presented and first class, as 8 Fontana, David Garrard, Walter economy of motion and casual always. MIDWEST MAGIC JUBILEE Graham, Kevin Heller, Levent, handlings of various famous Rick Hebert caused Stacey Oscar Munoz, John Shryock, card plotlines such as Wild Card, Rhodes’s signed card to vanish ST. LOUIS, MO—Our July “Diamond” Jim Tyler, and last ACAAN, and Open Prediction. and reappear under a card box 25 meeting featured the theme but not least, Boris Wild. What a Brad was really excited about the that had been in full view during Back to Basics. George Van great lineup! No jubilee in 2014, book, and hoped that others would his performance. Scott Wells had Dyke taught and handed out because St. Louis will be the site give it a look. Linday McElroy call out numbers, several effects from the pages of of the combined I.B.M./S.A.M. Next, Mike Squires took the which were then used to test his M-U-M. Douglas Clark gave an National Convention. We will stage. Mike asked Aaron Maynard “magnetic card” theory with

12 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Assembly News the use of a simple magnet. Phil card trick in which a selected was presided over by our recently Fremont Avenue, Alhambra, Kampf talked about his experi- card matched his duplicate. elected president, Tom Meseroll. It California Contact Ed Thomas ences of auditioning and getting a President Dan Sclare announced was a very short business meeting [email protected] (213) spot as a character at the upcoming that we’ve gotten another $272 that included the return of Kent 382-8504 for more details. Texas Renaissance Festival. from wristband sales, and that Morgan to assembly membership. Eric Falconer had Jamie Salinas David Oliver hopes to move to Kent had taken a several-year select an item from a list, which a rehab facility by the end of the hiatus from magic. Welcome back, 23 turned out to be on a receipt from week. Kent. PACKET TRICK THEME Walmart that Jamie had placed on Our theme tonight was The program for the evening DELIVERS VARIETY the table at the beginning of the still “Anything Goes,” since was the presentation of magic effect. summer is still upon us. from the pages of M-U-M. One WASHINGTON, DC— Johan McElroy had Jaden Dan showed a single card with a of the assembly trophies awarded Assembly 23 members discussed Rhodes look on as salt and pepper “trap door” (center flap). With at our annual banquet is for the setting aside an evening in were separated out from his hand Steve Wronker holding the door best performance of magic from November to do walk-around after having been well mixed (with his eyes closed), Dan quickly M-U-M by an assembly member. magic for National Press Club together. Jaden Rhodes had the folded the card so that it turned Producing and emceeing the show diners as a thank-you gesture for face of Miles Root’s selected card upside-down. was Mike Perovich. hosting our meetings for many magically appear in miniature on The show opened with Dick years. Assembly President Noland a Joker card, with a wave of his Shafer performing “In the Hands Montgomery also announced hand. Dick Olson was able to pick Wild Card” by Steve Hamilton. It that George Bradley, a popular out Stacey Rhodes’s initialed coin, is his version of the classic Wild close-up, parlor, and stage which had been placed into a large Card effect from the June 2012 magician based in the Washing- bag of loose coins. Jerry Paul had issue. The second performer was ton, D.C., area, would lecture at Kim Lampkin and Miles Root Bill Pearce, who presented “Sugar our September meeting. help out as cards were invisibly Block” by Dan Hauss, a knife pen- The theme for our August moved from one hand to the other. etration through a quarter placed meeting was “packet tricks, both Randy Stulken slowly and clearly in a sugar packet. His second gaffed and ungaffed.” Arnie showed four indifferent cards effect, “The Boosh,” by Ben Train Fuoco, who was voted in as a that were then turned over and was a combined selected card rev- new assembly member at the changed into Aces. Mark Melchor MI Dan Sclare (r) welcomes elation and a four Ace trick. Both meeting, did a sequence with the new member David Wright performed a quick and amazing were published in the May 2013 four Aces in which the Aces re- Three Card Monte that took us all Norman St. Laurent took the issue. John Engman was next with peatedly turned face up and face by surprise. Jamie Salinas showed “hot” theme to heart and provided a classic from March 1972, Silent down, reminiscent of Twisting the that he could discern what activity his own music to a “fireball” Mora’s Four Balls in the Net. Aces, but with a number of varia- from his “to do” list had been routine. Flash paper in his hand Taking the stage, Mike Perovich tions added. Dwight Redman also mentally selected by a spectator. became a Fireball candy. He had a very, very large contact performed a variation on Twisting Caesar changed a Four of Hearts put the candy in his mouth, put lens fall from his eye and upon the Aces, plus a Cards Across into a Five of Hearts after he the wrapper in his hand, and catching it, it became a pair of eye- routine in which a “thought- “incorrectly” picked the wrong suddenly the fireball was back in glasses (Vision Check from May of” card traveled from one card card chosen originally by Kim the wrapper. Norm placed it in his 2013, originally published in the packet to another. Larry Lipman Lampkin. Dustin Grey’s predic- mouth again, but it proved too hot book Miracle Material by Michael delivered a variation on Color tion card helped him find Jaden so he removed it. However, the Kaminskas). Mike then presented Monte using a presentation based Rhodes’s selected card from a fireball reappeared in his mouth. a Dai Vernon card effect, The on the popular Harry Potter series. packet of others. David Rangel had No matter how many times he Fingerprint Card Trick, using He also performed a children’s Jaden watch closely as a quarter extracted the candy, it turned up his own unique style, props, and mentalism trick with three cards was slowly pushed through a card back in his mouth to singe his patter story (August 2013, origi- depicting an ape, a monkey, and box that contained not cards, but tongue. Dan demonstrated the nally published in The Lost Inner a gorilla, in which Larry was able a block of steel. Shane Wilson trick that goes along with our new Secrets by Stephen Minch). to detect which card had been shared a three card trick that National membership card. Act five was Doug Slater, who chosen. ended up with a multitude of cards Henry Andrzejczyk’s grand- opened with Monti’s Hopping Lars Klores departed from the instead of the three that he was daughter showed a “magic wand” Half, a two-coin, coins across packet tricks theme with the pre- supposed to have. Join us! —Miles (pen) that produced a chosen effect from Harry Monti in the “4F sentation of a feat of mentalism Root color on command. Lastly, Dan Files” column (July 2009). Doug using a full deck of cards. He suc- Assembly 19 meets the first showed Linda a packet of cards then did Easy Come, Easy Go, a cessfully named several thought- Monday of every month at the made to look like cereal boxes. production and vanish of a silver of cards by different audience IATSE (International Alliance of Linda picked the only card dollar from the “Asian Astonish- members. Laurie Curry received Theatrical State Employees) Local that had a different color back. ments” column by Spirit Momose some help from a cartoon rabbit 51 Meeting Hall, 3030 North —Dana T. Ring (October 2006). Doug’s final when she accurately predicted Freeway, Houston, TX. A teaching Assembly 21 meets at Angelo’s effect, Rings Off – Rings On, was two chosen playing cards. Jim lecture begins at 7:30 pm with the On Main, 289 South Main Street, a ring and string routine by Aldo Flanigan performed a variation meeting beginning at 8:00 pm. West Hartford, Connecticut Colombini (June 2013, originally on the “21” card revelation using Contact Miles Root milesroot@ 06107. Contact Dana Ring dana@ published in The Close Up Magic a “Texas-size” deck of cards. aol.com (832) 607-6678 danaring.com (860) 5239888 of Aldo Colombini). The final Augie Arnstein did some cool card houstonmagic.com for more www.ctmagic.org for more details. performer, Armando Gutierrez, a maneuvers with red- and black- details. guest of Mike Perovich’s, closed backed Aces. the show by entertaining us with In a diversion from card magic, 21 22 his Dr. Fu Manchu Card Trick Noland Montgomery performed KEEPING THINGS HOT GREAT MAGIC (a trick not from the pages of his presentation of Bill Abbott’s FROM M-U-M M-U-M). —Steven L. Jennings Thing, seemingly causing a HARTFORD, CT— We Southern California Assembly ghostly Houdini to materialize had a second reading for David LOS ANGELES, CA— 22 meets the third Monday each under a cloth covering a hat pur- Wright and elected him into The August 19 meeting of the month at 8:00 PM, St. Thomas portedly to have been Houdini’s our ranks. He performed a Southern California Assembly 22 More Parish Hall, 2510 South favorite. Erik Feinberg used a

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 13 Assembly News magical money printer to turn a Contact www.sam24.org or determine whether an individual his otherwise empty hand. He was blank piece of paper into a crisp [email protected] for more was worthy of becoming a member followed by John Jennings who $10 bill. —Jim Flanigan and information. of the magician’s guild of London a performed the “great magicians Laurie Curry long time ago. After threading the are in S.A.M.” effect using the Assembly 23 meets at the National 31 ribbon through the wooden block picture cards that came with the Press Club, 529 14th Street MID-SUMMER EVENING’S and wooden bullet, the candidate registration packet at this year’s NW,Washington, DC Contact NIGHT OF MAGIC was required to remove the bullet national convention. James Flanigan jflanigan@aol. from the block without removing Bob Staton presented his original com (202) 554-3775 Facebook INDIANAPOLIS, IN— The the ribbon. Few could pass the handling of an effect involving SAM Assembly 23 for more theme for the month was “Summer test, but Taylor proved to us that several envelopes and borrowed details. Magic.” What, you may say, is he is worthy to join said illustri- dollar bills. After all but one were summer magic? The answer is: ous group (if they ever need a new eliminated, Bob then mentally “Whatever you want it to be!” For member). The evening concluded recited (correctly it should be 24 Jeff Higgins, summer magic meant with our teach-in led by President noted) the serial number of the PUPPETS AND SPRING dusting off an old classic and per- Taylor showing us how to suc- bill in the last envelope. Glen Rae ANIMALS forming the Chinese Linking cessfully pull a solid coin through then participated in the lineup of Rings. Jay Newby followed with a silk. This classic chestnut can performers by showing the card ALBANY/TROY, NY— The an updated version of the Hindu be found in Tarbell, Bobo, or effect Tree of Knowledge. Glen July meeting opened with some Deck Color Change from Tarbell Mark Wilson’s Course on Magic. also shared his own handling of an interesting information. Clem Volume 1. Starting with a blue A summer evening well spent. effect with two cards, each having Kinnicut had attended the national deck, coming from a blue box, the —Steven A. Spence a different shaped hole. He’s still conference and gave us a brief spectator picked a random card Assembly 31 meets the first working on ideas using these rundown. He said that the magic that turned out to be the only red Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. cards. was superb and the contests card in a blue deck. Jack Wiegel, If the first Monday conflicts with It was great to see Bill Harris excellent. The venues were good with the help of two specta- a holiday weekend, we postpone back after he missed a few in a variety of respects. This was tors, Jim Croop and Phil Dubbs, the meeting by one week. meetings while dealing with followed by some announcements expertly performed his version of Unless otherwise announced the medical matters. Bill brought regarding upcoming local events. Karl Fulves’s Diabolical Trans- meeting location is the Irvington several exceptionally well made President Joe Goode drew for the position from his book Charles United Methodist Church, 30 small props. One provided a sort raffle which was won by Treasurer Jordan’s Best Card Tricks. Audubon Road, on the east side of zig-zag coin effect that was very Bob Connors. of the city. Contact Taylor Martin visual. His ring-in-box trick used After a break for refreshments [email protected] (317) 894-2554 a very nicely constructed Lip- the magic began. The suggested www.sam31.com for more details. pincott Box. He also had a prop theme was puppets, spring that seemed to pass a tiny sword animals, etc., but of course any magically through a toothpick. item is acceptable! Jonathan 32 Bill finished with a torn and Downer opened with a card trick. PRESTIGITATION WITH restored dollar bill. The chosen card appeared rising in PACKET TRICKS The evening finished as Bob his shirt pocket...not only that, but Wallin played a segment of a at the same time his shirt change LYNCHBURG, VA— Levent DVD that covered the color! Amazing! Lee Downer Assembly 32’s August meeting background of the Salt Pour followed with an effective Needle was called to order by Patrick and included detailing several thru Arm. Yours truly brought her Hubble; our visitor this evening, designs of gimmicks that aid Jemima Duck along. Bill Karabin Rev. Jack Weigel gets Victoria Ellett, was introduced to in accomplishing the effect. entertained us with his Product diabolical the members. There was a discus- —John Jennings Tray to Flowers. He followed that sion about performing a public The Hersy Basham Assembly with an excellent bill transforma- Next, as a preview of his show locally during National 32 meets the third Tuesday at tion...two $1 bills became one $2 upcoming performance at the Indy Magic Week. Bob Staton and 7:00 p.m. at Tharp Funeral, 220 bill, then vice versa! Fringe festival, Barry Rice had couple of other members will Breezewood Drive, Lynchburg, two spectators select a card, write explore options and report back VA. Contact John Jennings their names on the face of their in the near future. Members were [email protected] (434) card and put the card back in the reminded that September will 851-6240 for more details. deck. No matter how hard he tried bring a lecture by Paul Hallas and and no matter where he looked – that this would be a good time in his left pocket, his right pocket, to invite prospective members, 35 and in a place on his person who can attend for a small fee or BEST SUMMER DECAMPS involving a zipper – Barry could by joining the S.A.M. when they MEMORIES EVER only find Taylor’s card. Finally, arrive. Steve discovered that Taylor’s Then it was on to the magic. POUGHKEEPSIE, NY— You Jonathan Downer does rising card, which was in his hand, had The month’s theme was “packet could ask for a nicer day, but you card from pocket magically transformed into his tricks,” or as it was otherwise wouldn’t get one. Our annual Dave McClements was up next very own signed card. called, “What do you do when BBQ was once again hosted with his pet Rocky Racoon....a Your humble correspondent you’re not playing with a full by our newly elected assembly very nice routine. Bob Connors broke the string of card magic by deck.” Bob Wallin was featured as president, Joel Zaritsky, and his then performed Axtel’s Talking performing what he called The he presented several variations of wife Nadine, and featured special Board. Jonathan returned Uncommon Man’s Escape (really the Wild Card routine and shared guest Regional VP Eric DeCamps. with a neat coin trick. David his version of Losander’s Chain card sleights used in different pre- After stuffing ourselves with an MacDonald then gave us a super Breaker Thumb Tie). President sentations. endless variety of food and drink, demo on Mystic Coins of India. Taylor Martin concluded our mid- Patrick Hubble started his pre- we were dazzled by a number —Helen Patti summer evening’s magic with his sentation with a whole deck, but of members. Joel began the Assembly 24 meets the second unique Bullet, Block, and Ribbon a moment later the deck vanished. afternoon by presenting long-time Tuesday at the SW Pitts Hose effect. Taylor recounted the tale of He then worked with a single card assembly secretary Frank Monaco Co., 226 Old Loudon Rd how this effect was used as a test to as it vanished and reappeared in with a magic wand. The wand

14 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Assembly News makes drinks appear in his hand Earl could make things fun. Even clever mind, performed Linking whenever he wishes and also 37 if he messed up a trick or two, his Ropes using the aid of a box he had doubles as a TV remote control. A TRIBUTE TO DR. EARL main goal was to connect with made. The box was ordinary but While every year has raised the REUM the people, which he always did. his presentation was extra-ordi- entertainment bar a little higher, Current President Chad Wonder nary. Mel Panzer mentally named a this year was almost of the charts. DENVER, CO— A tribute and Steve Spangler were honored slew of cards from a free selection Joel started off the show with night to honor the late Dr. Earl to accept from Past National Pres- of one of four piles of cards that a wonderful prediction effect. Reum was held on August 8, 2013. idents Mark Weidhaas and Dan a regular deck of were cut into. Kevin Meyerriecks displayed a Our newly-named club gathered Rodriquez an official dedication The president of the club, Billy bottle filled with water that defied together for an evening titled plaque from the S.A.M. in honor Byron, closed the evening out with gravity, until Kevin let our tradi- “What Would Earl Do?” After of our club’s renaming. S.A.M. an effect using three color chips: tional laws of physics prevail. Gale all, it’s not often the obituary National Administrator Manon two red and on black. He made Alexander performed a tremen- of a magician appears in Time Rodriquez provided a delicious the black one disappear, but it dous feat of memory combined magazine. cake to honor the evening. continued showing up between the with a Magic Square that happened Earl was a memorable sort, Gene Gorden and current two red ones. —Billy Byron to add up to long-time member always prepared with a great story Secretary Connie Elstun remi- Assembly 49 meets on the 2nd. Ed Fitchett’s current age (which and, of course, squeakers and nisced by means of “Earl” stories Wednesday of each month at the continues to hold at 39). belly-buttons. Yes, buttons and as Jeff and Karen Wake performed Northwest Focal Point Senior Terry Morgan performed an belly-buttons were in great supply an Earl routine straight from 1987 Center in Margate, Florida effect with patter taught to him that night. Earl was a leader and with a giant feather boa, an original at 7pm. 6009 NW 10th. St., by Walter Gibson – the same mentor to several club members. Square Circle made by Earl, and a Margate, FL. 33063 954-973- patter Houdini would have used Science genius Steve Spangler giant flag (and, of course, the duct 0300. Contact Billy Byron had he not met an untimely knew Earl his entire life and tape). —Connie Elstun billybyron@comcast. death. Ed pulled out a very opened with a heartfelt story about Assembly 37 meets the second net Phone: (954) 522-1466 delicate apparatus that ultimately how Earl was great at convincing Thursday of the month at Riv- fortlauderdalemagicsociety. contained a vanished silk or hand- him to buy magic item upon magic erpointe Senior center in com for more details. kerchief or silk or.... Unfortu- item until he had so much magic Littleton Colorado. Contact nately, this rare antique fell apart he didn’t know what to do. Chad Wonder chad@Idomagic. 52 when my daughter, Clare, opened com (303) 933-4118 www. BACK TO SCHOOL OR TEACH the box. Thankfully she was able milehighmagicians.com for more A TRICK to utter a heartfelt “Sorry” without details. crying! Drew White displayed SAN ANTONIO, TX— On a nice handkerchief paperclip 49 August 1, 2013, Brother John effect with the help of his assistant MAGIC WANDS, OR ROPE, Hamman Assembly 52 held its Harrison. Felecia Meyerriecks OR SOMETHING monthly meeting at LaMad- performed a wonderful hula-hoop eleine Restaurant. President Don routine and even provided lessons FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— Moravits welcomed back Joe afterwards to interested attendees. Assembly 49 held its meeting Libby, who has recently been in Our finale featured the spectacu- on Wednesday, August 14, 2013. the hospital and at home recuper- lar Eric DeCamps. Eric performed President Chad Wonder and The theme for the evening was ating from surgery. It was also a hilarious rope routine followed Advisory Board Member Steve “Magic Wands, or Rope, or Rice, great to see Matthew Legare after by a great coin production Spangler accept the dedica- or some Close-up Effect.” Vinnie a few months absence. Everyone involving a delicious and magical tion plaque for our club’s Rosenbluth, our oldest member is getting excited about the Life Saver. He then performed a renaming from Past SAM of ninety years did coin manipu- upcoming TAOM convention over variety of wonderful card produc- Presidents Mark Weidhass and lation wherein coins magically Labor Day weekend. tions, transpositions, and disap- Dan Rodriquez jumped from hand to hand and Starting off the open perfor- pearances. Several hours after from pockets to hand. Larry Ber- mances for tonight was President the party began, many assembly Long time members Lynn and tucelli performed a mental effect, Don Moravits, who did Sweet members chatted around the Helen Keir told of their time with predicting a word that would be and Low by Richard Osterlind, house before an entourage headed Earl, as Bruce and Kitty Spangler selected from a torn-up page from followed by Joe Libby, who enter- out to see Poughkeepsie’s answer prepared to push Earl’s table on a magazine. He considered it a tained us by doing a silk vanish to the Magic Castle. Thanks to stage with Earl’s siren, where they close-up effect but it could be used and making the silk reappear from all the members who contributed did a (Merv Taylor) Fire Bowl for the stage. Sid Marcus was up his surgery incision on his skull! food and magic for this wonderful Dove Pan, producing a duck and next with a selected card that was Matthew Legare did a convinc- event. Special thanks to Eric then a huge duck (as Earl would say matched to a jumbo one previously ing card control that he learned DeCamps and his wife Celeste – ain’t that ducky, a little duck and placed face down on the table. from Jeff McBride. John Murphy for making it up to the bucolic a big duck – this is even duckier). Henry Estein made knots did An Effect Without a Name by lands of Dutchess County (at least Next up was a tribute joke that appear and disappear from a Tony Razzano, and Ed Solomon compared to Brooklyn). Of course Earl would have highly approved! piece of rope. Roger Firestone did a card prediction with our unending thanks go the master Bruce said “we have a ‘long felt performed a “sucker” effect in Egyptian papyrus. John Dahlinger of the grill, Joel, and his family for need’ to honor Earl with this which he claimed to cause a silk fooled us with a card switching hosting this fabulous event once meeting” and then unrolled a handkerchief to jump from one technique, and Michael Tallon did again. —Craig Kunaschk really long piece of felt with end glass (from a row of three an awesome card effect by Juan Al Baker Assembly No. 35 lettering saying A Long Felt Need. glasses) to the other end glass Tamariz called Neither Blind or (usually) meets at 7:30 p.m. on the The Chinese Sticks were up next and then jump to the center Stupid. Doug Gorman concluded second Tuesday of the month at along with the words “Oh see the glass. Manny Riskin and Michael the open performances with Cube- the Milanese Italian Restaurant, lovely thing – jeepers look at that,” Easler each did their versions of a-Libra. 115 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, just as Earl would say. spelling out the four Aces from Geoffrey Sadowski then NY. Check out our website at com- They ended with a flag staff a deck of shuffled and cut cards. performed a close-up show for pumagic.com/sam35 to confirm that belonged to Earl, as Ron Lubman brought in a collec- us. He began his performance time and meeting location. did all the props they used. tion of Paddle Bars and performed with an Ambitious Card routine Contact www.compumagic.com/ Past leader of the club Brad Mont- several presentations using each. that he called the Reprographic sam35 for more details. gomery reminisced about how Mike Cartagena, who has a very Deck. He then segued into a nice

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 15 Assembly News card to matchbox routine. Next, on a magic show. Secretary Glen close-up for the grownups. At he did a great Coins through the Bledsoe set up a photo booth the end of his set, Jon manned Table routine, in which four silver and using an assortment of the pump, creating balloons on dollars penetrated the table into a John’s many magic props took demand. Kathy Forrest joined glass. He closed with a card pre- portraits of each of the attendees. him, twisting for the masses. diction. The results can be found here: On Thursday night, August Door prize winners were Michael http://tinyurl.com/qysrnbk. 22, compeer Phil Volonino Tallon, Geoffrey Sadowski, and performed his comedy magic at John Dahlinger. Archie’s Little River Ale House, Brother John Hamman Assembly in Haverhill, opening for Michael 52 meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Trixx. Phil was reportedly quite a Thursday of the month at La S.A.M. National President hit. Madeleine Restaurant, located at Elect Kendrick Ice McDonald A planning meeting for SAMCON 722 N.W. Loop 410. The restaurant and RVP Canada Rod Chow was held and proved very fruitful. is inside Loop 410 on the access at the 2013 National Council Scheduling details and hotel road between Blanco Rd. and Meeting in Washington DC. logistics were mapped out. On San Pedro. For more information, Friday night, November 8, Eugene contact [email protected]. judge in the very high caliber Berger’s pre-convention close-up International Dr. Paul Critelli show will be free for all who’ve Close-up Contest of Magic. Rod signed up for the full Saturday, 56 also had a reserved front row November 9, convention at the AUGUST MEETING seat for all the evening shows as Peabody, Massachusetts, Holiday John and Ruth a privilege of being one of the Inn. Bill Abbott and Andrew DAYTON, OH— The theme Edsall monthly winners of the S.A.M. Goldenhersh will complete a bill for our August meeting was Several organizations in the Photo Gear contest. Rod reported of unforgettable lectures and per- “Mentalism,” and Bill Hagan greater Portland area have hosted that the fabulous S.A.M. 2013 formances throughout Saturday. started off giving us a brief history Assembly 59 for many years. convention, combined with all the The Saturday night gala show will of mentalism. The club has met for the last year breathtaking national monuments be bargain priced for the public at Magic was presented by Bill at the Beaverton Elks. Our new (the Capitol, the White House, just $15 per person, four tickets Hagan, Scott Miller, John Love cycle may find us in new digs, the Smithsonian Museums) and for $50. On Sunday afternoon, Jr., Jo Ann Kinder, and Paul however: the German-American the Fourth of July fireworks on Eugene’s day-after master class, Burnham. Carl Day provided a big School. Actually, we used to meet the National Mall made for a very with limited registration, should selection of refreshments! —Paul there when the Masons owned the memorable time in Washington. be a sellout. Burnham building. The German-American —Rod Chow Assembly 56 meets in various School bought the building and The Carl Hemeon Assembly No. locations, contact Barbara Pfeifer has had it completely remodeled. 95 meets the first Tuesday of at [email protected] for At the time of this writing we have each month at members’ homes. more details. no official word, but as one repre- Contact Rod Chow rod@rodchow. sentative of the building said, “It com (604) 669-7777 www.sam95. would be nice to have something com for more details. 59 magical happening in this building THE NEW CYCLE again.” —Glen L. Bledsoe SAM 59 meets on the fourth 104 PORTLAND, OR— Assembly Wednesday of each month except HOW 104 SPENT ITS 59 has been dark for the summer. Jul/Aug/Dec at The Beaverton SUMMER VACATION But, of course, that doesn’t mean Elks, 3500 SW 104th, Beaverton, that members haven’t been de- OR 97005. Contact Glen L. WITCH CITY, SALEM, MA— veloping new illusions while Bledsoe glenbledsoe@mac. With the month of August heading Derek DuBois wins S.Y.M. polishing the old. Many of us are com (503) 967-9151 http://www. us ever closer to our September 124 competition at joint preparing for a tour of venues in sam59portland.org/ for more return to regular meetings at S.A.M./S.Y.M. Summer Fest October around Halloween to raise details. Assembly 104, members kept money for our club. Performing as themselves busy. While lawn As the parent assembly for a club for the public is something 95 mowing and barbecues filled S.Y.M. 124, our pride in the we haven’t done enough of in WASHINGTON DC many afternoons, magical activi- kids and their growth, under the recent years, and now we’re doing ties continued to punctuate our guidance of Ed Gardner, Jim some catching up. VANCOUVER, CANADA— lives. On Saturday, July 22, the Loscutoff, Peter Jackson, and now August is the month in which Rod Chow left for Washington, First Baptist Church of Salem held Kayla Drescher, continues to grow we hold our annual picnic. This D.C., right after the Magic Festival its annual block party event for with them. On Sunday, August 25, year the event was hosted by John to attend as Assembly 95 delegate neighbors and members. It was a compeers and parents gathered Edsall and his wife Ruth. John and RVP Canada at the 2013 well-attended party highlighted at Camp Evergreen, in Andover, is also a member and current S.A.M. national council meeting. by ample food and entertainment. Massachusetts, for the annual, president of the Albany I.B.M. Rod was sworn in for his third The church is the home base of joint assembly Summer Fest. This ring, so the picnic joined members term as S.A.M. RVP Canada, and Assembly 104 and compeers who is the event where Assembly 124 from both clubs. The day was a joins his fellow RVPs and the rest provided their share of the enter- children compete and their per- beautiful one, the setting relaxing, of the new national council, led by tainment included the remarkable formances determine the next and the food was delicious. Ruth Most Illustrious Dal Sanders. Jon “J the Clown” Hubbard, Bob year’s president. The winner, fresh thought that having a jazz trio A familiar face on national Forrest, and Kathy Forrest. Jon from second place showing at would add a touch of class, and council is President-elect, Kenrick delighted the children with his Tannen’s, was showstopper Derek that it certainly did. Pure class. “Ice” McDonald, who had, in signature puppet routine while his “D-Rock” DuBois. Now, it’s on to John built a small stage in his fact, just performed at the Magic talented wife Cheryl handled face cooler days and the first meeting back yard and members from Festival in Vancouver. Rod Chow paintings. Bob Forrest strolled of the new season on Wednesday, S.A.M., S.Y.M. and I.B.M. put had the honor of being a close-up from table to table performing September 4. —Bob Forrest

16 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Assembly News

Assembly 104 meets on the or cork as Lou so kindly revealed paper with a matching red heart. fantastic evening that included first Wednesday of each month, to us. Marlin Troutman showed Rod continued with two more mys- discussions of upcoming events September to June, 7 p.m., at the us another effect in which he had tifying predictions. Chris McCo- in our area, various free ebooks First Baptist Church of Salem, made a handsome prop to help tell naughy followed with a wondrous currently made available by 292 Lafayette Street, Salem, Mas- his story. He showed a wooden exhibition of the Miser’s Dream, their authors, and, of course, the sachusetts. Contact Bob Forrest box with multiple rows of coins filling a brass vase with several sharing of magic tricks. It was [email protected] and tokens. Asking Lou Abbati- dozen coins seemingly produced another wonderful evening dis- (339) 227-0797 www.sam104.com ello to help out, he had Lou look at from nowhere. In a grand finale, cussing ideas and magic tricks. for more details. the coins and mentally select one. Chris produced two large quanti- The evening began with a discus- Marlin then produced a prediction ties of coins with a single wave of sion of upcoming events including: 110 slip that foretold Lou’s selection. his hand. a local magic swap meet, the OUT TO LUNCH Mike Snyder went over the MAES Convention (October 4 – 5 WORKSHOP general premise of the Out-To- in New Jersey) and the Carolina Lunch effects and then showed us Close-up Convention (October NEW CUMBERLAND, PA— a few examples, such as, Richard 3 – 5 in North Carolina). We There were two parts to our after- Sanders’s Picture This and a will have members of our group meeting activities this month: a business card created by Mike’s attending each of these events. showing of whatever someone friend in which the customers We also discussed potential dates thought might be of interest and signature winds up on a rabbit in for our upcoming lecture by Bob a workshop on Out-To- Lunch a hat. Thanks Mike for an infor- Spencer, which will be open to all effects by Mike Snyder. mative and fun time with Out-To- area magicians. John Sergott showed us a special Lunch. effects prediction called On the Joe Homecheck, SAM Assembly Grid in which an Ace of Hearts 110 meets on the second Thursday, became an Eight of Hearts. 7:00pm, at John’s Diner, 146 Amateur Division Contest Rod Ries gave us a story of four Sheraton Drive, New Cumber- winner Erich Briggs robbers (coins) squeezing into and land, PA 17070. Email: Secretay@ performs Cups and Balls out of a bank. The thieves were SAM110.com nabbed in the end by the police Douglass “the MagicMan” with drawn water pistols and a car Kovacich then amazed the with flashing lights. Joe Noll gave 112 audience with color changing us an “oldie” of counting seven STAGING MAGIC feathers and a silk-to-ketchup Super Hero Starter Kit coins into Al Bienstock’s hand bottle. A young assistant then and removing a coin three times PLEASANT HILL, CA— failed to “do as I do” by matching There were lots of diverse and even though Al snapped his hand Because this was the night of our a topsy-turvy bottle. He had interesting magic effects shared closed as soon as the last coin fell annual stage magic competition, to face the consequence of the among the group. Wes Isle began into his palm. our July meeting was filled with Chop-O-Matic guillotine, only to by showing a coin trick with Jack Ritter showed us a square entertainment. Prior to the contest, survive with head intact. Douglass a rattle box and proceeded to of cupboard door and told us the Jerry Barrilleaux presented the concluded with the production of a teach both the effect and how sad story of Old Mother Hubbard. Trick of the Month in which a live rabbit. to make your own rattle box. He At the conclusion Jack slipped a selected suit of cards is drawn Ric and Kara Ewing followed also shared with the group Super folded paper out of the cupboard to from the pack and each card is with a varied routine that included Hero Starter Kit, a wonderful show that the cupboard was indeed produced by spelling its value. Silks to Ribbon, two ropes and original presentation. bare. Al Bienstock gave us a dem- Jerry explained the workings of becoming one, Diminishing David Clauss, Dan Hall, George onstration of passing on the power the effect, something he calls the Cards, and a mental feat in which Buckley, Everett Anderson, and in which numerous subdivisions of Fairy Tale Stack. Ric correctly divined the selected Mark Davis all shared a variety of a deck of cards revealed the initial Larry “Zappo” Wright stepped number on a die sealed in a box by effects including card, coin, and chosen card. Izzy Swab provided up to act as emcee for the competi- an assistant, not once, but three rubber band magic. —Mark Davis some excellent coin handling with tion, which began with Erich Biggs times. They concluded with a per- Assembly 115 meets the first Friday coins appearing and vanishing giving homage to Dai Vernon with formance of Sands of Egypt. of the month at 7PM at the Forest in the most magical manner and an outstanding Cups and Balls Winner of the amateur division Lakes Pavilion Building. For more finally winding up inside of his routine ending with the unexpect- was Erich Biggs, with Ric and information please contact Mark iPhone. ed production of several different Kara Ewing taking the honors Davis at 434-962-3019 or by e-mail sports balls in place of the smaller in the professional division. The [email protected]. knit ones that magically disap- People’s Choice award went New members are always welcome peared. John Gyllenhaal followed to Douglass the Magicman. and encouraged to attend.Contact with a story about his uncle who —Bill Marquardt Mark Davis whiteoakcanyon@ had given him an unusual birthday Diablo Assembly #112 meets on the gmail.com (434) 962-3019 for card. John extracted several gifts third Wednesday of every month at more details. from the empty envelope and the VFW building in Pleasant Hill, card, making his birthday a happy California Contact Doug Kovacich one. John then doffed his top hat douglassthemagicman@hotmail. 120 and produced not a rabbit, but an com (925) 435-4824 http://sam112. DOLLAR STORE MAGIC armadillo. com/ for more details. Marlin Troutman The professional performances CHAMPAIGN, IL – We had a began with Rod McFadden demon- great turnout for a great meeting in Lou Abbatiello had us all strating ESP with several feats of 115 July. Paul Mercer has a club show scratching our heads trying to mind reading. In one example, he EVENTS, EBOOKS, TRICKS, lined up on October 5 at 6 p.m. The figure out how to remove the wine showed an empty film container, AND MORE Springfield Central IL Magic Get- cork that Lou had forced into an kept in full view. His assistant Together will be on June 7, 2014. empty glass beer bottle. It can be chose her favorite color. Inside CHAR LOTTESVILLE , VA— Mark your calendars now so you done without damage to the bottle the can was discovered a piece of Our July meeting was yet another don’t miss it. Several lectures were

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 17 Assembly News discussed. CIMA will be looking from her kid shows: a silk effect First United Methodist Church, shows in October. to bring Daryl to Champaign and and a comedy sponge ball routine. Wallingford, Conn. Contact Dick Tony Chaudhuri, who runs the Springfield will host Shoot Ogawa. Marlene showed a top hat silk and Hodes [email protected] (203) Tin City shop, wasn’t on hand to We thought we would each take talked about her “invisible rabbit.” 287-1635 www.magicsam127.org hear the murmurs of appreciation; one and encourage our member- After a series of rabbit jokes, for more details. he was at Abbott’s Get-together in ship to attend both rather than she produced a silk picture of a Colon, Mich. By text he reported split the attendance between two skunk! But with Dave Wyskiel’s that it was a great convention, with clubs. Please do your best attend assistance, Marlene changed the 129 Jeff McBride among performers both lectures if possible. We can skunk silk into....a rabbit silk. Tom AUCTION NIGHT getting a standing ovation. Tony, probably car pool to Springfield to Guerrera and Adam Parisi helped AT THE GUILD who’s been battling a congeni- make it easier. Marlene with a comedy sponge tal heart problem, miraculously The July topic was Dollar Store ball routine. Marlene even used PENSACOLA, FL— The escaped serious injury when the Magic. Aaron Trimple produced one as a clown nose. After a series August meeting of the Gulf Coast car he was driving back to Naples initials in ash from a burned paper of vanishes (over her head vanish) Magician’s Guild was opened by was rear-ended at night on I-75 in on his arm. Prof. Higgins tore and comedy by-play between the President Nate Nickerson. Nate Kentucky. The five-vehicle pile-up a penny in half, demonstrated magician and her assistants, she had just flown in from Las Vegas resulted the death of one driver’s his Midas touch, and produced a put one of the sponge balls under a after attending MAGIC Live. He pet dog. Injuries to humans were cane from a silk. Garret Trimble large silk handkerchief that Adam had many stories to tell about the slight, but cars were demolished. predicted a pressed button on held; when he opened the silk, out event, making all of us wish we Tony and family had to get home a coffee cup. Justin Dudley came a giant sponge ball! could have been there. in a rental. performed his amazing signed A new visitor and hopeful bill inside a Tic Tac box inside an member, Adam Cope, attended Altoid box, followed by Chicago his first meeting, and previous Opener with a color change and... member Charles Coe made a wait for it...a baby announcement! surprise return. Welcome to both Congrats to Justin and Kathleen of you. Dudley on growing the act. Nate Nickerson and Gene Burrell Jim Percy started off with his performed at the Mobile Alabama penetrating rubber bands, color “National Night Out” sponsored changing ring, a double book by the Mobile Police Department. test, and Card Warp. Andy Dallas Nat’l S.A.M. Secretary Thanks to both of you. wowed us with his Princess Card Marlene Clark doing comedy After a short break a raffle was Trick with a screen. Tim Furman sponge ball routine with Tom held with a table full of new magic Watch out! Vampire on the showed a nice rubber band ladder Guerrera (left) and Adam that some lucky holders of the loose! and jumping rubber band. Andy Parisi tickets were able win. Following Dallas started a rousing discus- the raffle it was auction night at the Once the magic started, there was sion about how increasing your Jeff Doskos presented his unique Guild. Bidding was fierce and a lot the usual flurry of cards, ropes, technical skills may limit your version of the paddle trick, using of good magic went to the lucky coins, and ESP symbols as a dozen audience. If you weren’t there, you a paddle with a dry erase surface bidders at a really good price. members vied for a DVD prize. missed out on great magic and a and a magic marker. Drawing It was a great night for all who Dave Lounsbury did a “vacation really good discussion! See ya at spots on the paddle, he wiped them attended and was enjoyed by all. spot” routine with a female guest the meeting. —Ken Barham off with his finger, only to have —Beau Broomall mentally selecting where she’d Assembly 120, Andy Dallas them reappear and jump from one Assembly 129 meets the third like to visit and Dave divining Assembly, meets the third Wed. end to the other. A series of tricky Thursday of each month at “Bahamas” correctly. Matt Price at 7pm, (except Nov. and Dec.) moves ensued. He finally passed the Bay View Senior Center had a chosen card (which could For location call Jim Percy at 217- the paddle out for inspection. 2000 E. Lloyd Pensacola not be found initially) appear in 494-2222 or Ken Barham Sec, Adam Parisi closed the “kid FLorida at 6:45 PM Contact plain sight on the close-up mat. 2318 Winchester Dr, Champaign, show” with two effects from his Beau Broomall beaumagic@ President Tony Dunn correctly IL 61821. 217-841-5616 email: own show. He combined a water bellsouth.net (850) 994-2446 sorted different ESP cards into [email protected] comedy routine with cups and gulfcoastmagiciansguild.com for closed envelopes after predict- balls. Pouring water from one more details. ing which would be where. An cup to another, and moving them amusing effect surfaced when 127 around, Adam did a “Monte” 150 Dick Payne used the Four of Clubs KID STUFF AT AUGUST routine. Finally, Adam dressed WEATHER OR NOT, MAGIC! in one deck to find the Four of MEETING Dave Wyskiel in funny water- Clubs in another and everybody proof gear; when Adam turned FORT MYERS, FL— In but Dick noticed his locator card WALLINGFORD, CT. — The the cup upside down to splash the the very hot, very humid “slow was the Four of Spades. Acciden- theme of the August after-meeting “victim,” the water vanished. As season” with many members tal magic! magic at Assembly 127 was Chil- a kicker, the other two cups were away, about twenty showed up for Members also got a look at an dren’s Magic, and Soll Levine turned over with a surprise pro- the August meeting. A guest, Bill antique Vampire Block Penetra- brought a touch of winter by duction of large rubber balls. Porter, had fallen under the magic tion and an optical effect in which showing a picture of a snowman In Adam’s closing effect, Mike spell of Secretary Dick Payne and two curved fish grew large or on a large silk square, printed in Nabel selected a card with various bought a house from him. (Dick’s small depending on their position, black and white. Dave Wyskiel prizes printed on the backs. Mike a realtor when he’s not magishing.) with a sucker-effect ending. assisted by placing the picture silk, chose a car, and when Adam After introductions, business —Don Dunn together with a number of colored presented the assistant with a little involved appointing a selection Assembly 150 meets the second silk scarves into a bag. Dave said box, inside was a miniature car! committee to come up with nomi- Tuesday of each month at the magic word, and presto! Soll Next month: Magic from nations for next year’s officers; Dan 6:30 at Myerlee Manor in Ft. produced a large silk picture, in magazines (hopefully, M-U-M). Tong’s mention of future lecturers Myers Contact Richard Payne full color, of Frosty the Snowman! —Dick Hodes (Tom Craven in November?), and [email protected] S.A.M. National Secretary Assembly 127 meets on the third word that Tin City Magic would (239) 433-6885 FMMAONLINE. Marlene Clark did two routines Tuesday of each month at the present one of its popular dealer ORG for more details.

18 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Assembly News

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will stop and go where ever he could ask for more? Jay Rene, as beginning, as you will observe, 157 wants. Chis Handa pronounced he he is prone to do, went “old school” is in your imagination.” With PICNIC, ELECTION, is the second-laziest mind reader. again as he literally took everyone that in mind, we began planning PERFORMANCES He gives participant a dictionary present to school with the produc- for our upcoming magic season and has others state two different tion and vanishing of four half- at Assembly 181 with a BBQ at BEAVER, PA— The Mystic numbers. Person with diction- dollars – classic production of four the home of one of our members, Magicians of Beaver Valley ary goes to that page. Chris tells coins from a handkerchief and the Mitch Geier. (Assembly 157) are preparing the words on the top of the page. vanishing of the same four coins Keith Warner, an experienced for the GPMN annual picnic in —Judy Steed from a clear glass. Nice stuff, and restaurateur, was in charge of food September at Brady’s Run Park. The Mystic Magicians of Beaver with Jay’s handling and instruc- preparation and our taste buds A flea market will be part of the Valley (157) meet the second tions it was just an awesome piece could not have been better served. activities. Election Committee Thursday of every month at the of work. His offerings included choices for announced the slate of officers for Towne Square Restaurant in President Al Chiaverini finished both vegetarians and carnivores 2013-2014 will be those presently Beaver, PA. Contact Judy Steed out the evening with a beautiful alike. in office. With no nominations [email protected] (330) Crystal Card effect in which President Stephan Sloan led the from the floor, the membership 525-5389 for more details. the likeness of a selected card meeting, and many good ideas voted in agreement. Bill Cornelius appeared at his fingertips in a were brought up. Our agenda is to announced that he had been to a clear crystal disk. Al followed have either a workshop or lecturer couple performances in the area 172 with a prediction using a number at every meeting, and to have recently that were very entertain- JULY’S FIREWORKS of ESP disks, and closed out the plenty of time for member perfor- ing. He is going to see if one of evening entertaining one of our mances. The purpose of a good them will lecture for the club. PORT ST. LUCIE, FL— July’s guests, Jayda with a brief sponge magic club is to see and to have Teach and Learn was led by Doug meeting of the Donald E. Lea ball routine and his version of the the chance to perform good magic. Ries on “Something I Bought and Assembly 172 concluded earlier Houdini Card. A great night of Whenever magicians gather, Have Not Used.” Several members than usual, leaving plenty of time Magic, a wonderful learning ex- and after being well feed, the had things they needed assistance for a large contingent of compeers perience, and all the reason in the magic performances are soon to with. Dick Recktenwald emceed to “do their thing.” world to come back next month. begin. We were fortunate to have the performances. Jim Weyand Danny Eisen opened the See ya there! —Dean F. Devitt the North Atlantic Regional Vice did his Tickle Nickel, in which evening’s festivities by having a Assembly 172 meets the fourth President Eric DeCamps and his you see the nickel, tap hand, nickel volunteer freely select any one of Tuesday of every month (except lovely wife, Celeste, attending. gone, tap again, it’s back. Can eight face-up cards and then pro- December) at 7:00pm at the St. Eric changed hats and became a be done repeatedly. Don Moody ceeding to reveal the selected card Lucie Lanes in Port St. Lucie, performer, showing a Rope and presented a wooden holder with as the only red-backed card in a FL. Contact Dean F. Devitt Ring routine that he has been four envelopes with four Aces stack of otherwise blue-backed [email protected] (772) 332 doing for thirty-five years. He inside. Shows cards, puts back in cards. A very nice touch to an old 8412 for more details. therefore must have learned it envelopes, shuffles. Places one of classic. Good job, Danny! Doug when he was four. four mini Aces in each, directed Latshaw followed with several Eric and Celeste brought pictures by audience. When each large and variations on how to impossibly 181 and their story of a tour of the mini card is removed, they match. tie knots in a rope without letting PLANNING WITH A BBQ White House while attending the Tom Chidester presented a go of the ends. Doug then provided S.A.M national convention in board that he could write on with some instructions on just how to HIGHTSTOWN, NJ— Washington, D.C. Fortunately, six divisions. He gave out three do the impossible. Napoleon Hill, the author who Eric had a chance meeting with numbers, three colors, three Dean Devitt added his touch to wrote Think and Grow Rich, once an amateur magician, when Eric animals that the audience chose Cards Across with the help of Doug said “First comes thought; then saw the magician reading Juan one of each. He had predicted Latshaw and Matt Musgrave. Each organization of that thought into Tamariz’s book Verbal Magic. previously. When he removed the was asked to deal a pile of twelve ideas and plans; then transforma- That magician worked his day cover on his, they matched. Ray cards onto the table, after which tion of those plans into reality. The job in the West Wing and took the Lucas had red and blue packs of Matt was asked to seal his twelve DeCamps on a private cards. Audience picked which in an envelope. Doug had three tour. Magicians are ev- color when “Great Magicians Of cards selected from his twelve and erywhere. SAM” was spelled. When turned they were also sealed up. When Rocco Giovacchini, a over, they were a match. the smoke cleared, Doug was talented young man with Bill Cornelius had a participant down to nine cards in his envelope quite a future, showed us choose a card, write name on it. while Matt had fifteen, including a Color Changing Deck Bill folds and places it in her teeth. the three selected cards. routine, a very clever He does same for himself. Lean Alan Greenwood spun a CAAN, and a modern forward until cards touch. She has wonderful tale of dreams and Apple iPhone Deck. The his, he has hers. Jim Tate showed wishes come true as he presented young magicians are in- a steel block with a string through his version of the Oriental Prayer corporating the technol- it and how it moves up and down Vase. An old effect, but with a new Rocco, Hank, Keith, Celeste, ogy of our times into string. With Jim’s magic, block story, performed flawlessly. Who Eric, and Mitch their magic routines.

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 19 Assembly News

I would like to extend a special WILLIAMSBURG, VA— a card, the Three of Spades. [email protected] thanks to Mitch Geier, who President Michael Heckenberger The card was put back into the (321) 437-3814 for more details. again opened his home and called the meeting to order at 7:00 deck, which Michael shuffled pool to the likes of us, for yet p.m. Present were ten members and put back into the box. The another time. We have many and two guests (Steve Mains and box was placed in the bag. The 274 good things planned for this year Larry Lessner). We are delighted chosen card was found instantly. SURPRISE LECTURE at Assembly 181. You will have that Steve Mains plans to join the Alexander Goldberg did a nice to stop by and see for yourself. S.A.M. and attend our assembly. cut and restored rope routine BOCA RATON , FL— At our —Dave Zboray Alexander Goldberg, assembly with original patter. Visitor Steve August meeting we had a surprise Assembly 181 of Hightstown librarian, brought a selection Mains did a smooth routine in lecturer, Sabrina – a ten-year-old meets the first Thursday of every of books, CDs, and tapes from which Aces were manipulated. daughter of one of our members. month, September thru June the assembly library. Michael —Phil Thorp She performed quite a few tricks at the First United Methodist declared a ten-minute break for Baker-Temple Assembly 226 meets in a flawless manner! It was a real Church, 187 Stockton Street, members to browse the collection at 7:00 p.m. on the 4th Wednesday pleasure watching her perform. Hightstown, New Jersey 08520. or make a selection. (except December. And January); She will have a bright future in Doors open at 7:00PM. Contact Cameron Konitzer was up next however the location is changing so magic. Stephan Sloan lands10@ with a top hat, bag, and wand. The we recommend visiting magicians Simon Carmel showed us his optonline.net (732) 757-5337 bag appeared to be empty, but he to contact Mike Heckenberger at new book, the fifth one he has www.magicsam181.com/ for more was able to withdraw three baskets [email protected] for latest written. The title is Invisible details. one by one. He also stuffed a scarf information. http/sites.google. Magic. It contains the biographies into his fist, touched it with a wand com/site/samassembly226gmail. of 112 deaf magicians from twen- 188 and pulled out a rose. Harold Wood com for more details. Contact Phil ty-eight countries. Any one who is HOT AUGUST NIGHT OF gave a mini lecture on how he was Thorp [email protected] interesting in buying a copy can MAGIC able to redesign a standard circus (757) 229-2329 http/sites.google. contact Simon at 9339 Bridge- wagon for a bunny production into com/site/samassembly226gmail. port Drive, West Palm Beach, FL OR EM, UT— After a wonderful a balloon-twisting box that better com for more details. 33411. lecture in June and the club party suited his style and personality. Show and Tell filled up the rest of in July, Assembly 188 returned the evening. Billy Byron opened to their regularly scheduled club 266 with an original cups and dice meeting in August with the theme THEORY AND routine. Simon Carmel followed of Magic with Science. Ron kicked PERFORMANCE with a card effect. Warren Kaps off the night with an scrambled presented an old time dice routine. letters effect in which a volunteer LAKELAND, FL— For the Next was our emcee Herb Arno chose random slots for cards con- first time in many years Assembly who showed us a Matrix card taining letters to placed into. After 266 moved our regular meeting effect. Mel Panzer followed all the cards were placed it was to a different night from our with a card “clock” trick. Phil revealed that the spectator some usual. We had the opportunity to Labush favored us with several chose to spell SCIENCE. Jason Some of our Assembly get a special lecture from Steve fine “money” demonstrations. performed a clear water version Library books Reynolds and jumped at the Manny Riskin showed us a couple of the Sands of Egypt. Following chance. Although Steve featured of nice card effects. Marshall this, Monte literally left his mark Watt Hyer had attended the cards in his lecture, his lecture Johnson performed Clearly on both a spectator’s chosen card S.A.M. convention from start was not about cards. Steve indoc- Mental, a matching cards effect. and the audience by sacrificing a to finish. Judging from all his trinated us as disciples in “The —Marshall Johnson fly and spreading its guts. Curtis comments, he thoroughly enjoyed Monk’s Way.” Steve explained the The Sam Schwartz Assembly 274 introduced the reasoning behind himself. He met and sat with the theory and psychology involved in meets on the 1st Monday at the the name of the Hindu shuffle, new president of S.A.M., attended getting into your spectators head JCC in Boca Raton, FL For in- and blew our minds with a card the tribute to Al Cohen, took in to understand how they process formation call Marshall Johnson at any number routine. Frank many of the shows and workshops, information. By using this infor- (561) 638-0043. marshj4magic@ then performed his favorite lie met friends, looked at what was mation you can craft your routines aol.com detector effect. Finally, newcomer for sale in the dealer room, and to be more memorable for your Chip closed out the night with made purchases. audiences. He illustrated the path an even better lie detector effect Watt concluded with a spontane- by showing simple effects that 291 that amazed everyone. Overall it ous demonstration of a card trick highlighted what he taught. PCAM 2013 HOSTED BY was a great night with some great he had bought at the show. He In addition to the main lecture ASSEMBLY 291 & WESTSIDE effects. The theme selected for had two packs of cards, one red Steve also made himself available WIZARDS next month in honor of Curtis is the other blue. Michael picked a for a workshop explaining and “Extremely Hard” Card Magic. card, the Four of Clubs, from the teaching the Zarrow Shuffle VENICE, CA— The eightieth —Frank Bright blue deck. Then every member to a smaller group with lots PCAM was hosted by Assembly Assembly 188 meets the second received a card. Members folded of hands-on instruction and 291/Westside Wizards. It ran Thursday of every month at the their card into quarters and then guidance. It was a special night August 1-4, 2013, at the Burbank Courtyard Jamestown, 3352 tore it into four equal pieces. All with a talented teacher. Marriot Hotel in Burbank, Cali- North 100 East in Provo, Utah. the pieces were thrown into a hat. Remember, when your travel fornia. A kick-off welcome was Contact Brian South brian@ Without looking into the hat, Watt plans take you to Central Florida announced by President Frank teachbymagic.com (801) 916-2442 stirred the pieces and attempted to be sure to visit with the gang at Padilla Jr, which was a welcome www.utahmagicclub.org for more pick out the four pieces of the Four Assembly 266 for a magical time. party with a Mexican theme that details. of Clubs. Then the fun began. As —Al D’Alfonso included a Mariachi band with Watt said, “This was my first time Jim Zachary Assembly 266 meets Mexican food and drinks. There 226 doing this trick.” the second Monday of the month was a winner for a free year sub- CONVENTION CHATTER Larry Lessner brought a bag and at 7PM at the Lakeland I-HOP, I-4 scription to the Magic Castle. AND MAGIC BY MEMBERS a deck of cards. Michael picked & US 98. Contact Al D’Alfonso The event ended with a tribute

20 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Assembly News to the Larsen Family (founders along with many other high- favorably impressed by Reza’s two holes in the blade. He then of the Magic Castle in 1963) who ranking officials. The PCAM traveling illusion show. Reza used showed a classic die vanish from sponsored the gathering. Chief 2014 Convention will take place young Lauren Miller as a guest Magic Hands in Germany. The die Financial Officer – Stephen Levine in Vancouver, British Columbia, performer, doing her fine levita- presented the Larsen Family with July 31 – August 3, 2014, dubbed tion illusion. Tim Pendergast con- a plaque and a beautiful collage to be the “Year of the Workshop.” tributed a book review, recom- that will be hanging at the Magic —William Dow Jr. mending a classic from 1991, The Castle, honoring them for their Assembly 291 meets the 2nd Magic of Michael Ammar. contributions to the magical Tuesday of the month at the The entertainment portion community. All in all it was a Boys and Girls Club of Venice, began with Brian Hallisey wonderful affair where friend- Community Room, 2232 Lincoln discussing a patter issue. ships were renewed and new ones Blvb., CA Contact Les Cooper Paul Noffsinger gave a good-hu- were formed. [email protected] (310) 473-1820 mored demonstration of several The following days included www.westsidewizards.org for superbly crafted “man toys” from a whirlwind of lectures by two more details. Magic-Wagon of Thailand. They Grand Prix winners – Michael are highly-collectable limited Paul Noffsinger’s toys Dartant and Shawn Farquhar editions, often of just fifty or collapses into the pattern on a tray (two-time winner) – and other 292 sevnty-five, and they usually sell while releasing a load of seven of world famous magicians and TOYS FOR GROWN-UPS out within hours of becoming Al Goshman’s foam eggs. lecturers. There were also presen- available. We particularly enjoyed Jim Pope had to pry open an tations and contests that concluded GREELEY, CO— During a his demo of The Mini Phantom old locked box of his magic from with many medals and gifts. Some brief August business meeting effect, repeatedly changing the many years ago. He discovered of our S.Y.M. members earned over lunch, we heard updates on order of a stack of poker chips in and performed several vintage gold and silver medals for their the Magic in the Rockies 2013 an exquisite canister reminiscent effects. Finally, Lloyd “Worley presentations. But all earned the convention, and voted to once of an elaborate Indian temple. the Wizard” Worley opened a respect of the magical community. again be a sponsor. In the show Alex Acosta spoke of his work new set of Steve Dusheck’s Di- On the closing day, before lunch, reports segment, Lew Wymisner with doves, which he keeps at his minishing Cards and was able to we all had fun getting together reminisced about performing cousin’s home. We noted the need immediately perform the effect. for the group convention picture. for more than thirty years at the to be careful with doves because —Ron Dutton The day was concluded with a Greeley Arts Picnic Weekend, and their dander can be very harmful The Dr. Ronald P. Dutton wonderful luncheon and presen- his upcoming gig there with Cody to humans. Assembly 292 usually meets at tation of the awards. There was a Landstrom. Lew also reported a We were pleased to see Teagan Kenny’s Steak House, 3502 West winner of four tickets to see David show at the Keystone Resort with Brown do a smooth four-ring 10th Street (corner of 35th Avenue), Copperfield in his private box and Tim Foolery (aka Tim Pendergast). Linking Ring routine. His dad at 11:00 A.M. (lunch optional), a meet and greet. The entire event Tim told of surviving a different Brian recounted his use of a prank on the second Saturday of the was graced and blessed by the show performed for 150 people he learned here. The Great Loudini month. Contact Dr. Lloyd Worley Society of American Magicians outdoors… in the middle of a field. (aka Lew Wymisner) performed [email protected] National Officers: President – Brian Hallisey, Paul Noffsinger, a recent version of Ben Stone’s (970) 356-3002 www.SAM292. Dal Sanders and President-Elect and Ed Hurtubis reported briefly Delben Double Wrist Chopper. com for more details.  – Kendrick “Ice” McDonald, on shows seen. Ed was very Both wrists end up through the

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OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 21 Broken Wands

JAMES T. “ZUKE” ZUKEMURA Brotherhood of Magicians and the local Leesburg Magic Ring 258. Tucked away in the back streets of Palama, Oahu, a black Some of his inventions were: Coin Balloon-acy (1980); Depen- ribbon adorned the entrance way of Hawaii’s only full line magic delite Match Pull (1977); Diminishing Sponge Ball (1980); Pepsilkola store, Zuke’s Magic & Jokes, marking the passing of its owner James (1978); Flagtastick: (1980); Universal Utility Clip (1979); Slice of Zukemura, affectionately called “Zuke” or Jimmy, who died June 7, Hand (Arm Box Illusion); Disc-Go-Dime; Pipsqueak; and Card-in- 2013, at the age of seventy-eight. a-Locket. Ian wrote: Liars Handbook (1971); Magic with a Steel Ball Jimmy was a life member of the S.A.M., a member of Assembly and Tube (1980); 110 tricks with a Stripper Deck (1980); 110 Tricks 89 and I.B.M. Ring 185. Jimmy held numerous official positions in with a Svengali Deck (1980); 25 Rubber Penetration Tricks (formerly the local assembly and ring chapters. entitled Best Dam Tricks – 1980); and The Haunted Pack: Book of Strongly believing that the future of magic rested with the Revelations. He has also written instructions, catalog descriptions, children, he channeled his passion of sharing magic with them by and product evaluations. forming a junior magic club and teaching magic in the carport next He is survived by the love of his life, Nora Lyn Sutz, a daughter, door to his magic store. Shortly thereafter, he chartered the local and his grandson. A broken wand ceremony was conducted assembly of the Society of Young Magicians 107. Over the years, by President Tony Luhs of Assembly 147, which Ian co-founded Jimmy kept the magic shop and club doors open for the children, with Jeff McBride in 1977, in Middletown, New York, and of which especially during tough economic times because he felt that magic Ian was also past secretary. was important for them. In 1995, the senate of the State of Hawaii issued a proclamation that recognized James Zukemura for perpet- MICHAEL JEROME HERRICK uating the field of magic for the children of Hawaii. Furthermore, Michael Jerome Herrick passed away at his home on July 10, his dedication to junior magicians was evident and recognized in 2013, in Beavercreek, Ohio. He was fifty-three. Mike was born the S.A.M. proclamation issued July 2013 by J. Christopher Bontjes, on July 31,1959, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He married Sherri S.A.M. national president, which approved the renaming of S.Y.M. DeWald on August 23, 1980, in Aberdeen. Assembly 107 to the S.Y.M. James Zukemura Hawaii Assembly 107. The couple made their home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, MI wrote, “...in recognition of Mr. Zukemura’s life-long love of magic where Mike worked as a field engineer for NCR. During this time and his dedication to sharing the art of magic with young people, they had three children. They later transferred to Dayton, Ohio, in his constant willingness to give of himself to all those around him. 1987 with NCR. World-traveled, Mike held many other positions These actions epitomize our motto Magic-Unity-Might.” from manager to vice president of organizations such as VanStar, Zuke will be missed by those who knew him and whom he Cadence Designs, Silicone Graphics, BackWeb Technologies, touched with his magic and friendship, but his magic lives on. Zuke’s Exigen Group, and Wire One. In 2006, he began his own con- Magic & Jokes Shop will be run by his life’s partner/wife, Carol, and sulting company, HMC, providing project leadership, construction will continue to be Hawaii’s only full line magic store. management, rapid assessment of business operations, mentoring James Zukemura’s Broken Wand ceremony was delivered by teams, and building organizations. Ronald Ishimaru, S.A.M. Southwest States Regional Vice President. Mike was a devoted husband and loving father, spending many Harvey Ouchi (VP Assembly 89), Jody Yafuso (of S.Y.M. 107), seasons coaching competitive softball and football, attending dance Richard Bautista (president of Ring 185), and Aaron Takeshi competitions, chaperoning countless youth activities, and providing Gouveia participated in the breaking of the wand. Christian leadership for youth at Peace Lutheran Church. He was He is survived by his wife, Carol, daughters Lynn (Duane) also part of four generations of magicians and loved to entertain. Takara, Doris (Bruce) Forbes, and Ann (Roy) Takata, sons Guy A charismatic man who loved life, he lived his life with integrity and (Gloria) Zukemura and Clyde Zukemura, and granddaughters bravery. His generosity and kind heart were an inspiration to his Maxine and Roxanne Forbes. family and friends. Mike was an active member of I.B.M. Ring 5 and Ring 324 and IAN SUTZ S.A.M. Assembly 56. Mike’s father, Jerome, introduced him to en- Ian “Magic Ian” Sutz of Bushnell, tertaining at a very early age. For over twenty years, Mike and Florida died on July 4, 2013, at the his wife Sherri enchanted audiences with their highly interactive age of sixty-three. He was born and entertaining style of magic. Mike’s son Taylor, daughters Helen on June 2, 1950, in Brooklyn, New and Holly, and granddaughter Annabelle are all very active in the York. Ian started magic later than family’s magic. In 2010, the family presented a show in Aberdeen, many, at age twenty-four. He ran South Dakota, to sold-out audiences. a magic shop in Middletown, New Mike was an inspirational mentor, selflessly supporting many York, from 1974 to 1988. Ian began youth magicians, encouraging these great up-and-coming en- lecturing to other magicians in tertainers. He played a significant role in the behind-the-scenes 1977, based on his early inventions coaching, sound, lighting, and prop construction for the Reed and improvements to standard Sisters, Matthew David Stanley, and Taylor Herrick. magic gimmicks. Mike had the rare quality of being able to come up with new After his family, Ian’s biggest passion in life was his magic – he magical ideas, and he had the follow through to make these dreams invented, produced, and sold many effects and illusions. Ian was grow into reality. Mike played a key role in establishing the Jokers generous with his talents and mentored numerous would-be Gone Wild magic convention. He was a great organizer for club magicians as a teacher and writer. Two of them went on to become shows and charity fundraisers, supporting his community through much more than “local magicians” – Jeff McBride and Rudy Coby. his gift for humorous and magical entertaining. Most recently he His books, videos, and various magical inventions continue to be was preparing a business plan for an entertainment complex for widely circulated. In demand for his expertise, he traveled around children’s birthday parties. the country to lecture and perform wherever magicians and lovers Larry McMechan and John Love performed Mike’s Broken of magic gathered. He was an active member of the International Wand Ceremony during his memorial service. Michael Jerome

22 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Broken Wands

Herrick, friend and compeer, thank you for sharing your gifts. – A tribute to Gordon M. Snow appears on the PMA website Scott Miller (www.peoriamagicians.com). DANIEL JACOBS ROBERT (BOB) COLE JR. Dan Jacobs, 58, of The Villages, Florida, and Stratford, Con- Robert F. Cole Jr. of Wentzville, Missouri, passed away on necticut, passed away on August 3, 2013, of complications due to August 19, 2013, at the age of eighty-seven. He was the former cancer. He was fifty-eight. president of S.A.M Assembly 8 and The Clowns of America. Dan grew up in Franklin Square, New York, was an alumnus Bob Cole was born October 11, 1925, and became interested of SUNY Stony Brook, and spent most of his adult life in Fairfield in magic early in his life, presenting his first magic show at the young County, before retiring to The Villages, Florida. age of nine years old. In high school he belonged to the Magic Club, Dan was an editor at the Greenwich Time newspaper for along with Bev Taylor, who eventually founded the Town House eight years and later founded Jacobs & Prosek Public Relations in Magic. Stratford, which he ran for fifteen years. Dan’s great passions in Bob spent three years in military service during World War II, life were playing and coaching baseball and softball, playing football the last twelve months of which were in Special Services, the en- and golf, performing and teaching magic, playing poker, writing, and tertaining branch of the Army. He was assigned to a group called rooting for the New York Mets and New York Jets. “The Inner Circle,” and he gave over two hundred performances. Dan had a lifelong passion for magic, which was heightened After Bob’s discharge, he met a beautiful lady, Jane, while placing when he received magic lessons, as an adult, for his birthday. an order for stationery; they married a year later. Jane became his That spurred him on to perform and teach magic to others. He magical assistant. Their performances were mostly stage shows in performed at children parties, restaurants and variety shows. He which they featured five illusions. also founded The Villages Magic Club and taught a course in magic Bob had many wonderful friends in the magic world: Paul LePaul, at The Villages Continuing Education Community College. Dr. Stanley Jaks, Will Lindhorst, Don Lawton, Ernie Heldman, Gene Compeer Jacobs was a seventeen-year member of S.A.M. DeVoe, Brother John Hamman, Harry Monti, and John Apperson. National. He was the last surviving member of the “Gleesome Threesome,” A memorial service and Broken Wand Ceremony was held a comedy team with Don Lawton and Byron Gregory that did on Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the home of Dan’s comedy bits for the S.A.M shows in St. Louis. good friends, Jeff & Toni Zeleny. – Rev. Michael Douglass, PNP, and Retiring in 1985 after thirty years with Dun & Bradstreet, Bob Roger Reid devoted full time to performing and also began teaching basic magic to enthusiasts. Several of his past students are currently GORDON M. SNOW members of both the S.A.M and I.B.M. and have held offices in Gordon M. Snow of Pekin, those organizations. Since 1988, Bob had specialized in close-up Illinois, passed away on August magic and also worked as a demonstrator for Gibbol’s, a specialty 4, 2013, at the age of seventy- shop on Laclede’s landing on the St. Louis Riverfront in downtown five. Gordon was an active pro- St. Louis. fessional magician who loved his Bob Cole joined S.A.M. Assembly 8 on August 1, 1947, and audience and his fellow magicians. served as its president in 1952. Bob carried the low membership He was a past-president of the number of 4335. Peoria Magicians Assembly, I.B.M. Ring 48, and S.A.M. Assembly 51. WILLIAM JAY BRENNER For the past twenty years Gordon The Mystic Magicians of served on the PMA board of Beaver Valley (Assembly 157) directors as the lecture coordina- have lost a great magician, Jay tor. His friendships nationally with Brenner. Jay passed away at the Al Cohen, Tom Craven, John and Tammy Calvert, Denny Haney, age of sixty-one on September and many others helped bring top performers and lectures to the 1, 2013, after losing his fight with Peoria area. Gordon was also a member of Springfield Ring 239, brain cancer. the Invisible Lodge of the Masons, and The Society of American He was known for his Magicians, which honored him with a presidential citation for his magical abilities with balloon dedication to magic. sculpting, comedy, and magic. Gordon performed all over the United States including the He leaves behind his wife Kathy, MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As a performer Gordon was a perfec- four children, and four grand- tionist. Gordon’s charm was greater than his always-immaculate children, as well as his compa- appearance, and he was superb with comedy, close-up, and stage triots in the Mystics. He has magic. been working his magic for over forty years, performing all over As a 32nd Degree Mason, Masonic rites were accorded at the the country, coast to coast. He was half of the Hayseed Brothers, visitation. Following the funeral a Broken Wand Ceremony was a comedy-and-magic act that played nightclubs, banquets, bar led by Dr. Jerry Tupper and Eldon Roark with Grant Golden and lounges, and private parties. For the last several years he has been Michael Baker. A final standing ovation for Gordon followed the the resident magician on the Gateway Clipper Fleet in Pittsburgh, Broken Wand Ceremony. Pennsylvania. Gordon is survived by his wife and assistant Janie. He is also He has been a member of the Mystics and the S.A.M. for survived by their children Gordon D. Snow, Teresa Sayles, Laura many years, being a past president of the Mystics and a former Adamski, and Tammy Bushong, sisters Trisha Snow and Sheryl Magician of the Year. He is also noted for developing magic effects Pace, as well as ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. that he used for himself. The Broken Wand Ceremony was Gordon always left his audience wanting just a few more performed at calling hours on September 5, 2013, by the club. minutes of magic. His family, friends, and fellow magicians all – Judy Steed wanted just a few more minutes with Gordon.

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 23 2013 S.A.M. Convention WASHINGTON, D.C. (Part Two )

Convention Photos by Dale Farris

The Variety Show Steve Marshall & Billy Scadlock

Steve Marshall

Scott Land

T.J. Tanna

Doc Swan John Jansky

24 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 The Silent Magic Show

Simon Carmel

Nobu Kamizuru

Liliana

Matt Morgan

Steve Longacre & Greg Koppel

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 25 The Japan Stage Show

Tashiro Shigeru

Takao Koichi

Kobayashi Dai

Tashiro Shigeru with Nobu & Yuri

Mayuco Tempei Shoot Ogawa

26 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Denny Haney & Friends

Stephen Bargatze

Denny Haney

Rick Merrill

Levent

Chipper Lowell

Kohl & Co.

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 27 I Left My Cards at Home By Steve Marshall

“After the Kobe earthquake in Japan so we can continue to help out our fellow in 1995, we received some calls from entertainers in times of need! our Japanese members who needed not Thanks to Dean George Schindler for only medical help but also assistance in taking the time to talk with me, for always GEORGE SCHINDLER repairing homes and other things,” George being a great guy, and for the following said. “We took money from the Houdini trick. Photo by Julian Voloj Fund and sent it over to help, but we realized that we needed to set up a separate BILL TO PURSE fund to help with problems that arise from BY GEORGE SCHINDLER natural disasters.” So, in 1995, the S.A.M. Disaster Relief Props: Dollar bill, flash bill, pen, Fund was created. To date this fund has cigarette lighter, “snap-shut” purse helped supply people with things like Preparation: Fold the dollar bill in electric generators and home repairs half, left to right, green side out. Fold it in following hurricanes and other disasters. half again, and fold this in half one more Since many disasters have happened time, from top to bottom, so you will see around the world lately, the Disaster Relief the denomination of the bill on each side Fund is very low and in need of donations of the folded packet. This is dropped into We all know our S.A.M. Dean George so it can continue to help those in need. the purse (with the green side of the bill Schindler and we are familiar with his It should be noted that this fund (as well showing). The “flash” bill is folded the smiling face, friendly demeanor, and great as the Houdini Medical Fund) is available same way and placed into the left coat sense of humor. (If you are unfamiliar with to all magicians and members of the “allied pocket along with the lighter. The pen is George, track down the March 2009 issue arts,” which includes jugglers, ventrilo- on the table. of M-U-M; he was the cover story.) He and quists, and other types of variety enter- Presentation: Show the closed purse his lovely wife Nina are familiar faces at tainers, whether or not they are members and have the spectator place it in his or magic conventions and events around the of the S.A.M. All you need to do to receive her pocket “for safe keeping.” Borrow world. this assistance is to submit a request in a dollar bill. Have it signed, or circle the Recently, I was able to chat with George writing to the S.A.M. national administra- last few digits of the serial number. Fold about the S.A.M. Endowment Fund and all tor or to George Schindler directly, stating the bill in the same way you did the bill that it encompasses. The fund was created your needs. All requests are evaluated on a that is secretly in the purse. The spectator’s in 1987 to add other programs to the case by case basis by the three trustees, Dr. folded bill is now held between your right Houdini Hospital Fund, which was already Bruce Lish, Bradley Jacobs, and George index finger and thumb (Photo 1). in place, allowing members to make tax Schindler. All requests are kept confiden- deductible donations to other funds. tial and are grants, not loans, so they do not The new programs created offered as- need to be repaid. sistance to young members by way of If you would like to donate to the scholarships to magic camps or colleges, Disaster Relief Fund you can do so at the life membership program, as well as www.magicsam.com or by making out a the magic hall of fame. check to: S.A.M. Magic Endowment Fund, Since the Houdini Fund is doing well, Inc. and sending it to Endowment Fund I wanted to find out specifically about the Trustees, 1735 East 26th Street, Brooklyn, Disaster Relief Fund since I had heard that NY 11229. Make sure to include a note that Photo 1 it was badly in need of donations following your donation is earmarked for the Disaster many recent natural disasters in the world. Relief Fund. The fund is a non-profit cor- (To learn more about the Houdini Fund, poration and contributions to it are tax de- Casually pick up the pen and put it into its history, and how Houdini person- ductible under the Internal Revenue Code the left coat pocket; in this action, steal the ally brought magazines and cigars to sick Section 501(c)(3). flash bill, concealing it behind your left members, read George’s great story in the So there you have it, another great fingertips. Your right hand moves to the April 2012 issue of M-U-M.) benefit of the S.A.M. Let’s keep it going left; you position the signed bill so that it

28 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 overlaps the right top corner of the flash before tossing it onto the table. All of this bill (Photo 2). action happens at the same time and should appear as if you dumped the bill from the purse into the right hand. This resembles the actions of a “shuttle pass” (Photo 4).

Photo 4 Photo 3

view, the right wrist casually turns to the Photo 2 right. The exposed part of the bill is ignited by the lighter and thrown into the air in The two bills are held momentarily as an upward motion. The switch has been the right hand goes to the right pocket as made. The original bill is pulled into the if looking for something. Say, “I’ll need right palm. The hand is palm down. (The some heat.” The right hand comes out previous actions are the Al Baker billet of the pocket empty and you naturally switch.) This concludes the trick. The burned transfer the bills from the left hand back to “Wow! It was too hot! Do you have bill reappears in the change purse that the the right hand, giving them a quarter turn another bill? Come to think of it, there may spectator was holding the entire time. to the right in the process. This action will be one in the purse. May I have it?” bring the flash bill into view and place the Retrieve the purse with the left hand. STEVE’S STUFF: real bill behind your right fingertips. Both Squeeze the spring to open it, showing the bills are now held between the right thumb folded bill. As you tilt the purse toward the This is a nice routine that lends itself and fingers (Photo 3). right, allow it to snap shut. As soon as you to a lot of fun byplay. Play around with the The left hand goes to the left pocket hear the “snap,” turn the right hand palm Al Baker bill switch, too; I’m sure you will for the lighter. As the lighter comes into up and bounce the bill upward for a second find many other uses for it. 

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 29 The High Road script writing, character development, and act construction for the modern conjuror

By Mick Ayres

seeing magic. This means, as an audience, colorfully blended cloth. The conjurer the guests are warm and somewhat “on stares in wide-eyed astonishment at the BREAKING THE ICE your side” from the beginning. beautiful scarf now stretched between his However, buskers and strolling per- hands and loudly delivers a “wolf whistle” “Uncertainty and mystery are the formers must create an interest in their – the sound a guy makes when admiring energies of life that keep boredom at bay act starting with a completely cold a pretty girl. The unexpected visual and and spark creativity.” – R. I. Fitzhenry audience. These are guests with errands auditory changes make the audience laugh on their mind or perhaps they are hoping in surprise. The conjurer is guaranteed a Every conjurer asks the same question to network and socialize. In either case, a healthy round of applause as he casually each time he or she steps in front of an magician can be either a pleasant diversion folds the scarf and decorates his breast audience of any size: what if they don’t or an unwelcome distraction. pocket with it. like me? Our lack of confidence quickly “Breaking the ice” then becomes a At this point, the audience is fully amplifies any insecurity we may have. topic of critical interest to every magician, engaged. Without saying a word, the Our imaginations kick in and suddenly it but especially so for buskers and strolling conjurer has clearly communicated the is easy to picture the quiet, friendly crowd performers. In a perfect world everyone message: “If you blink, you’ll miss it.” gathering up feathers and boiling the tar. would love magic enough to cheerfully Every guest in the house knows this show This is the result of an unprepared drop everything for the chance to witness is unexpectedly different and is very entertainer. In general, conjurers tend a miracle or two. Instead, magicians are curious about what will happen next. to focus their time and energy upon the often considered a last option by those For the record, experience shows that effects and how to do them – the bricks of searching for entertainment. Sadly, Warren Stephen’s Easy Blendo makes the the show – while ignoring the scripting, act magicians tend to offer less-than-profes- described transformation startling and construction, and character development – sional, obnoxious shows so consistently wonderful. the mortar that holds the show together and that the general public has no choice but Strolling or parlor performers can gives it strength. Therefore, if a magician to conclude that that level of performance create curiosity and maintain it with the were to give the same patient and careful must be the standard within our industry. simplest of solutions: an ornate box. Haunt attention to their opening words or actions How then does one sidestep that con- the home decorating stores until you as they do to the sleights, methods, and ception? How can we generate instant find a small wooden box with a hinged placement of gimmicks for each effect, interest in our craft? Indeed, how does lid that looks old, well-traveled, and in- it stands to reason that when the conjurer one break the ice and create curiosity? triguing. Load the box with a handful of steps on stage and that internal question By stepping onto the stage prepared. By props chosen for their ability to generate hits them, the answer will be one born of being a performer who does not start his curiosity – perhaps a pair of bone dice, a confidence rather than fear. act merely hoping for a nice response – but vintage deck of cards, a small scarf, a red For the professional conjurer then, expecting an enthusiastic one. ball, a gold cord, a silver ring, an old coin, breaking the ice must be done with creative To provide stage performers with a etc. cleverness and, above all, class. Blinking working example, here is an opener that The strolling conjurer approaches a nametags, like brown loafers, have no place would apply to a variety of character roles. group and patiently waits with the box on a well-tailored tuxedo. Approach your It requires acting, the ability to whistle a in hand. It takes but a moment for one of audience in full possession of an intrigu- simple tune, and delivers a startling piece the guests to notice and perhaps raise an ing personality and their curiosity is going of wonder. After being introduced by the eyebrow. The performer responds with a to be tweaked immediately. Once you have host, the conjurer casually strolls into smile and says, “Hello, I am a conjurer. their curiosity engaged, the trick then is to view whistling a familiar tune. By the Our host has requested that I make the hold it. Keep things gently changing and time he reaches center stage, the guests next few minutes of your lives unexpect- interactive. Make your transitions from realize the melody is from the song “If I edly interesting. The box contains a collec- one effect to the next logical and relevant. Only Had a Brain” from The Wizard of Oz. tion of special ‘things’ I use to create my Remember that a primary differ- Still whistling, the conjurer removes three wonders. I thought it would be interesting ence between parlor/stage magicians and different colored scarves from separate to see which one tweaks your curiosity the strollers/buskers lies in the attitudes of pockets and holds them up in full view. most. So…who is bold enough to open the their respective audiences. A parlor or stage The melody reaches the last note and the lid and choose one?” Now, who wouldn’t? audience has generally paid for a ticket and conjurer’s hands spread apart. The three The conjurer casually slips his hands into they attend the show with an expectation of scarves visibly transform into one large both pockets as he briefly describes the

30 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 objects for the benefit of those who can’t experienced this phenomenon before, so No matter whether she answers yes or see into the box easily. The guest chooses would you simply touch the back of any no, the conjurer’s response is the same: one that intrigues her and the performance card. Make sure it is one you feel good “Well, you should.” The tabled card is begins. about. Choose carefully.” The card she turned face up to reveal the red Jack of A primary benefit to The Box approach touches is placed face down on the table Diamonds. is how it causes the guest to break the ice unseen. The method is simple. The pack is for the performer by inviting him into the A second guest is approached. “Sir, arranged in a cyclical stack such as Si group with their raised eyebrow or simple we need you to look at and remember Stebbins, Eight Kings, or Lewis Jones’s hello. All the awkward pressure is now a random card.” The conjurer spreads King Jack. gone. Also, the performer remains in full a handful of cards over and holds up the When the first guest touches a card, the control of the length of each set by de- packet so the gentleman can see the card deck is split at that point so the card can be termining how many guests in the group on the face. “Just nod your head when you tabled; the pack is cut as it is reassembled. choose an object – and the size of each have noted the card.” For this effect, instead of glimpsing the group does not matter. Of course, since the Once this is done, a third guest is ap- bottom card to identify the selection, you magician has no idea which item will be proached. “Sir, would you do the same take advantage of the repeating arrange- selected, he must be prepared to respond thing? Look at a random card further down ments common to cyclical stacks. smoothly and perform accordingly. This in the deck and just nod your head when Spread four cards and lift them off flexible scenario means your performance you have it memorized.” The conjurer the deck into your right hand. Do not sets for each group are unpredictable and spreads over more cards and holds this count them. Just a glance will assure you varied enough that your routines do not packet up so the face card can be noted. of the correct amount of cards. Counting become, well, routine. The packet is replaced on the deck, which the cards separately will telegraph to the In these examples of breaking the ice, is then placed aside. The conjurer himself guests that you are searching for a specific the performer has created curiosity and has never seen any of the cards. location in the pack and that’s providing acquired the attention of the audience or “Okay, I think we’re as ready as we’ll too much information. Lift this four-card group as a whole. As stated before, now ever be. This experiment is all about packet up and show the bottom card to the challenge is to hold it. In order to creating a premonition moment. Two the second guest. The nature of the stack give this connection strength, it is wise to random cards have been noted by you means the color and suit of this card will choose a presentation that every member gentlemen. To assure everyone that I am match the unknown card on the table. of the audience can relate to personally in not trying to be sneaky, we will use those Approach the third guest and spread some way. For your consideration, here is two cards to create another card com- three cards over and add them as a block to a simple presentation that fits the bill for pletely – a sort of hybrid card that no one the bottom of the four-card packet. Do this stage or walk-around performers alike. could possibly anticipate. For this card, twice more, each time adding the three- we need a color, a value and a suit.” card packet to the bottom of the one in your HYBRID The conjurer points to one of the two hand already. Once you have transferred gentlemen. “Sir, we need a color. Do not nine cards in this “random” manner you The conjurer addresses the guests and name your card; just tell us if it was red will have a packet of thirteen cards. Lift makes a bold declaration: “I am willing to or black.” In this case, he answers, “Red.” the packet so the third guest can remember bet nearly everyone in this room has had The conjurer points to the other fellow. the bottom card. The value of this card will personal experience with the paranormal. “We are creating a red card, sir. But now match the tabled card. Casually drop the That’s a bold statement, but I am willing to we need a value from Ace to King. Will you entire packet back on top of the deck and back it up. It is likely the person sitting next please tell us just the value of your card?” place it aside. to you has already demonstrated a special He answers, “It was a Jack.” Continue the presentation as scripted gift…the ability to know details about the The conjurer now points back to the until you reveal the premonition card. future! Please search your memories and other man again. “Sir, we also need a suit. After the applause dies down, place the recall the time when you were thinking You said your card was red; if so, was it premonition card on top of the deck. The about a friend or relative and, as you a Heart or a Diamond?” He responds, “It stack is intact. reached for the phone to contact them, it was a Diamond.” The fact that values and suits are rings, and it is that same person calling Addressing the audience, the conjurer repeated at specific intervals in a cyclical you! Maybe it’s a text message or an email says, “So we have fairly and randomly stack is not news to anyone. Hybrid offers instead of a phone call today, but either created a new card that is Red…it is a a logical presentation that exploits these way, you just had a certifiable premoni- Jack…and it is a Diamond – the Jack of stack features along with subtle handlings tion. This has probably happened more Diamonds! However, before any of us that combine to remind the guests of a than once for most of you. looked at the cards, and before we created once-upon-a-time experience.  “Over the years, I have learned it is our ‘hybrid’ card…” The conjurer points possible to actually recreate those ‘pre- to the lady who touched the first card that Mick Ayres is an eclectic entertainer for monition moments’ – sort of. We shall still lies face down on the table. “…you the Walt Disney Company. He welcomes use playing cards for this experiment.” touched a card that you ‘ felt good about’. input at [email protected]. The pack is spread face down between I would like to ask you a question, Miss. the hands. “Miss, you indicated you have Do you truly believe in premonition?”

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 31 The Nielsen Gallery Thurston - Vignettes Dimensions: 3-sheet - 39.5" x 83.5" • Lithographer: Strobridge Lithograph Co. Date: 1908 • Nielsen Rating: Rare

THURSTON’S VIGNETTES POSTER

Let’s view this month’s poster from the standpoint of its down, an impossibility in such a narrow space. subject, Howard Thurston. It’s 1908; Harry Kellar, America’s At the bottom left is Pigeon Pie, an effect involving the vanish most beloved magician, has retired and turned his show over to of two doves from a paper bag, Thurston producing eggs from the him following a countrywide tour during which he introduces mouth of George White to make an omelet, and the subsequent Thurston as his successor. To reinforce this, a poster is created materialization of those doves from a dove pan. As an added featuring young Howard’s face not once, but eight times. His surprise, a tiny pig is produced that is fed from a giant baby bottle. signature acts are depicted, and as if that’s not enough, Kellar At the lower right is another of Thurston’s bewildering proclaims, “Thurston will be the greatest magician the world has illusions, The Inexhaustible Coconut. In this act, Thurston holds ever known.” half of an empty coconut shell. Standing on a small stool to isolate By stint of hard work, talent, charm, and an insatiable drive him from the stage, he dips the shell into a basin of water filling to acquire and present the most astounding illusions in the world, the shell and emptying it several times. After three dips, the Thurston earns the mantle of “World’s Greatest Magician” audience sees water gushing from the shell and filling the basin bestowed on him by Kellar at Ford’s Theater in Baltimore. His below. Water flows over that basin, into another, and then into offering becomes known as the “Wonder Show of the Universe” another in an absolute torrent. To prove the water does not come and delights millions who fill theaters to witness many of the acts from beneath the stage Thurston lifts his feet from the raised stool portrayed in this month’s poster. upon which he stands. The poster represents the Thurston show in transition; we see Traveling up the right side of the poster we see Thurston some of his new favorite illusions, purchased for his tour with producing colored balloons from an empty top hat. In this act Kellar, or bestowed upon him as part of the Kellar transaction. a closed top hat is shown empty, opened and immediately toy And we also see favorites from his vaudeville or illusion shows, balloons appear and float to the dome of the theater to the delight which changed or evolved through the seasons. of children and adults alike. This is the only time Thurston’s card routine appears on Finally, in the middle of the poster, Thurston is portrayed per- a poster, and one of the few times George White, Thurston’s forming his amazing floating ball trick for which he was justifi- life-long assistant, appears on a poster. In addition, Kellar and ably famous. In this early version, a four inch in diameter gold ball Beatrice Foster, Thurston’s second wife, are pictured. rises from Thurston’s outstretched hand and floats in mid-air. A At the top, directly underneath Thurston’s name, we have the solid hoop is passed over and around it, precluding the existence Levitation of Princess Karnac, inherited from Kellar and still of any wires or threads. At Thurston’s direction the ball rises, one of the most astounding illusions ever presented. Spinning sinks, travels about the stage, and behaves his every command. a tale of far off India, Foster floats up from a couch and rests In the concluding chapter of The Last Greatest Magician in in mid-air while Thurston passes a solid hoop over her body to the World, Jim Steinmeyer’s wonderful biography of Thurston, preclude any earthly connections. In later years he used another he writes, “Today the public has forgotten the name Thurston. assistant, Fernanda, and audiences sat mesmerized as Thurston That’s a shame. Ironically, when most people imagine a great intoned, “Rest, Fernanda, sleep, Fernanda, dream, Fernanda. magician of the 1920s, they summon the name Houdini. But few Safely, securely. She floats in the air, just as she did at the Temple understood what Houdini’s show really looked like – gazing at of Love. True in India, true here.” a curtained cabinet and waiting for him to escape, or listening To the left we see Thurston presenting card scaling, one of to him harangue the local spirit mediums. It was Thurston who his most popular acts. His ability to scale souvenir cards to any presented the magic show of our collective memories, the bright, portion of the theater is still marveled at today. Any audience fast miracles that complemented the 1920s – the floating princess- member lucky enough to catch one of these cards cherished it. es, the painted boxes suspended over the heads of the audience, Proceeding down the left side of the poster we see The New the gunshots that caused handfuls of fluttering showgirls to Page; the image shows a man strapped to a board upside down disappear.” The poster recalls those days and, Steinmeyer notes, in a narrow cabinet. In this perplexing illusion from the creative our love of mystery: an unchanging trait that Thurston recognized mind of England’s David Devant, an assistant is strapped upright in audiences throughout his career.  to a board and placed in the narrow cabinet, the door is closed and —Tom Ewing upon being opened, the assistant is found to have turned upside

32 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013

by David Seebach

Back To the Basics I hope you will forgive me for forgetting that performers of every level of expertise read this monthly magazine. I am confident there are new members each month in S.A.M. and some may have no concept of the magicians-only definition of the word illusion. So, let’s lay some groundwork for them this month and, if you already present a two-act show requiring a truckload of gear with several assistants, I apologize in advance for pontification upon that which you already know. Perhaps there’s a really good card trick somewhere else in this issue that will challenge you. Often, the lay public thinks of an illusion as an optical trick, like the mirage of a desert oasis or the classic “Which of these two lines appears longer?” They may think that an illusionist is Chair Suspension just a magician using a fancier title, in the same manner that a custodial manager may be a janitor. And while that may be true of a performer who, for promotional savvy, says that he presents with and each has been very successfully presented by magicians illusions rather than tricks, in this column when I say illusions I’m before you. I cannot guarantee you will be any good at any of referring to a big magic trick. them, but I can guarantee that if they’re ineffective, it’s not due If it’s done with cards, coins, birds, or silk scarves it’s a magic to the prop. trick, but if it’s done with a lovely assistant and a contraption of However, there’s an important admonition for all of these some sort (a box to saw her in halves, for instance), it’s an illusion. three effects: They are not good candidates for the do-it-yourself Any dealer’s catalog or website will make this perfectly clear. Go magician/builder. Fellows who have spent decades fabricating to Illusions, as opposed to Comedy Magic or Mentalism or Rope magical apparatus will tell you that none of these is a beginner’s Tricks and you’ll find gaudy cabinets with swords, blades, and project. contraptions to suspend or levitate another individual. I’ve noticed that most magicians fall into one of two general I’m convinced that every illusionist is also a magician in that camps. One shops by price and figures that there’s no need to he (or she) will perform a non-illusion in their repertoire, but overspend on a prop when cheaper models are readily available. there are many magicians who never perform illusions. And that’s The other camp prefers to invest in something that will be reliable okay. How you do your material is always more important than and last a long time. I don’t know about you, but I do not want what you do. But, of course, a trick with four coins moving about to buy the same magical effect again and again because I chased magically is not going to play well in a big arena (let’s forget the a low-priced offering initially and then discovered its flaws. video camera and big screen monitor hook-up for a moment). There’s the safety factor, too. I’ve never heard of a chopper routine When you make that step from magician to illusionist, please resulting in a decapitation, but I think more than a few volunteers take everything into consideration and choose a practical illusion, have fallen off a chair suspension because the gimmick could not not one you just saw in Las Vegas or on a spectacular television support their weight. Whether the problem was a performer who broadcast. If you have been appearing as a solo artist, please pick foolishly selected a “too big” spectator or a gimmick that was not an illusion that does not require you to hire an assistant, or even really sturdy makes no difference when the result of either error is coax a reluctant girlfriend, sister, or wife to take to the stage an audience member hitting the deck. with you. Assistants arrive with all sorts of baggage, much of it I’ve used Owen Magic Supreme’s version of Lester Lake’s invisible to a novice: workmen’s compensation insurance, FICA, chopper for about thirty years; it was one of the two best invest- tax withholding, IRS forms 940 and 941, rehearsals, costuming, ments I ever made in purchasing a prop. That’s based on the egos, and a budget for fishnet tights. amount of use it has received. Wellington makes a good chopper, Here are three good choices to audition in your mind: a high- too, as does Colon, Michigan, dealer John Sterlini. Chalet may quality guillotine/chopper effect of the Lester Lake (inventor) have produced a good model, too, but you’ll have to find it now on style, a super high-quality version of Robert Harbin’s sawing the secondary (used) market. MAK Magic has sold a lot of their effect with a volunteer, and one of the many versions of Mr. French Guillotines, but they appear flimsy to me and not lethal (or Harbin’s chair suspension. They’re all big enough to close a show even dangerous). That silly blade would bounce off even a kid’s

34 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 defend your frugality when the prop jams up, comes apart, or fails to operate in some fashion. Neither of the illusions I’ve discussed is really good for shows made up of younger children, but suspension effects are appropri- ate. The ones with two seemingly ordinary folding chairs are the easiest to work with because they have no bad angles and are easy to set up. Abbott’s Super-X Levitation and MAK’s Flying Carpet have the bonus of the subject floating in space with (seemingly) nothing supporting her, but the set-up can be challenging and per- formance angles can be limited. I’m not sure what the maximum weight for a Flying Carpet is, but I bet it’s less than the Super-X. The selected moppet floats in a seated pose and it has a fairytale look to it, which is okay for the juvenile birthday party audience, but its main attribute seems to be that of a “photo opportunity.” The prop is colorful, but not in a high class way in my opinion. The version with chairs is interesting. The cheap ones are very cheap and the expensive one is quite expensive. How can there be such divergent pricing with nothing in between? I’m unable to answer that question. But in reviews and articles I’ve read, expe- rienced professionals always maintain that Bill Smith’s product – built to Harbin’s design – is the ne plus ultra of models. I am not aware of exact current prices, but this Cadillac-version is likely at least five times as much as the entry level, bargain basement versions. I do know there are models that have a very low weight maximum (not true with the Bill Smith product). The cheap versions use actual folding chairs (that surely makes them “ordinary”) and the entire outfit can be tossed into the trunk of most any vehicle. That’s a plus. Bill’s heavy-duty illusion includes chairs that he makes at his Las Vegas facility. I’m sure that begins to explain the difference in cost. They look innocent. You’d be foolish to invest thousands of dollars in a prop like this and then not get a custom ATA case for it. You will wind up with a sizeable investment in a prop that is going to last longer than your career and which will probably function safely during a mild earthquake. Its maximum weight limit must be quite high. I’ve never had an issue and I’ve had adult men on it (and not fellows of actor Joel Grey’s proportions or horserace jockeys). I should also mention the expensive offerings from that clever Texas rascal, Walter “Zaney” Blaney. His two levitations (both actually suspensions) are Super-X-like with variations. The famous one (Ladder Levitation) is a Rolls-Royce take on this effect. If price is no object, this should be your only consideration. With any of the aforementioned illusion concepts, you have a reasonably portable feature to promote and use as a closing effect. Lester Lake Head Chopper And you added a big stage illusion without hiring an assistant. I cannot emphasize how important that is. In my opinion this is where to start as an illusionist. After neck. Yes, it’s somewhat tall (six feet), but the smaller versions these you’ll need to have a dedicated assistant and there’s only one seem more solid and menacing. illusion that should be considered, but that’s a subject for another I believe there are only two versions of the volunteer sawing to column, maybe next time. What illusion do you think that is? be considered: Owen’s and Wellington’s. All the other models are The opinions I’ve shared here are just my own; I might be cheaper, and they look it. I wrote about this act in a recent issue of wrong, but fifty years of experience says that I know what I’m M-U-M. While I do not think that the inferior ones are dangerous, writing about.  I do know they are uncomfortable for the volunteer and just don’t work well. I cannot accept that a prop that costs $5,000 less is a David Seebach “bargain” when it fails and just does not work in a performance. [email protected] Whether you are an amateur or a professional, I challenge you to

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 35 DOC SWAN: The Most Interesting Man in the Room

By Marc DeSouza

oc Swan is truly a one-man variety show. He does Doc says growing up in a small town in New Jersey was magic, mentalism, and escapes. He performs a great. His parents were both very supportive of whatever wide variety of sideshow stunts, including fire- he and his older brother did. This became very important, eating, glass-walking, Blockhead, the hand trap, because Doc’s path was far different from most. Like many and sword-swallowing. He does chapeaugraphy, kids, Doc got a magic kit for Christmas when he was eight. He Dhand shadows, stilt-walking, lariat-spinning, and plays the remembers that it was an S.S. Adams set. He learned to do musical saw. Doc is also a painter, a former drummer in a rock everything in the set, but he was a rather introverted and non- band and traveling shows, and he even does balloon animals. social kid, so he would only show the tricks to his parents. He is also one of the funniest performers around. He has an He got The Golden Book of Magic by Clayton Rawson and original presentation for everything he does, presentations that he made many of the props within it. He still didn’t want to have grown out of the character, or characters, he has become. perform for others, because he thought he couldn’t really fool But let’s go back to the beginning. anyone. He also got Dunninger’s Encyclopedia of Magic, but Jaime Swan was born in Philadelphia in the mid 1950s; there wasn’t anything from that book that he could do. Bruce he continues to make his home in the Philadelphia area. Doc Elliott’s Classic Secrets of Magic was a far more important makes particular note of the spelling of his name. His mother book for him, which he found at the local library. specifically spelled Jaime that way as a contraction of the At the age of eleven, two important things happened that French Je t’aime (I love you). He calls her the best mother in the changed his life. In sixth grade, everyone had to take up a world. She is still his biggest fan. His father was a professional musical instrument. He chose the drums. All through school, painter who was very skilled in refinishing and painting boats. Doc played in four-piece cover bands playing top-40 music; He had a special technique by which he was able to make metal they played all of the school dances. By the time he was look like wood. His grandfather was also a professional painter, eighteen, he started playing in bars (for a short period of time, so it was natural for Doc to take an interest in art. He showed eighteen was the legal drinking age in New Jersey). During a real aptitude for painting and everyone thought that would be this time he played in a band called Arcus, who did original his career path. As time went on, he also believed this would material as well as covers. be his path, but painting within the entertainment industry and At this time, he also found a book someone had left in his building props. He still has, and uses, his dad’s sign brushes. house, Step Right Up by Dan Mannix. This was a book about But his dad gave him something even better. When Doc was life in a carnival sideshow and Doc devoured it. He says that it three or four years old, his father showed him his first magic changed his life. I had also found this book and loved it. I found trick. It was the transposition of a dime from under one bottle out from some friends who knew the author that he actually cap to another. This really baffled him; it was a few years lived less than thirty minutes from where I live. They also told before his father told him how it worked. me that one of the characters in the book was based on Jack

"Doc Swan is a force of nature. He rocked the Abbott’s Get-Together." – Jeff McBride

36 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Clockwise from top left: Doc juggling at a cookout c.1976, Promo shot c.1979, Doc produces a skunk at a mall show, Another mall show c.1984, from left: Doc, Fubar D. Robot, David GoWell, Miles Watson, and Kent Davis

Chanin. Doc says he wished he could have talked to Mannix that had two grind shows. These were “display” type attrac- to tell him that he had written Doc’s biography five years tions that had people going through continuously, as opposed before he was born. to scheduled shows. He talked to the manager of the show and Doc went to any circus that came anywhere near where told him of his interests. That manager told him about a Ten-In- he lived, but all he wanted to see was the sideshow. He would One Show that was playing fairly nearby. He made a beeline for show up and help them set-up and strike the tents for nothing, that show, which was managed by Dick Johnson. Now this was just to be around the sideshow performers. This became his a show exactly like Dan Mannix described and Doc wanted to education. Doc says he learned ninety-nine percent of what he join up. The only job available at that time was as a ticket seller, does on his own. He would watch and absorb what he could. so he took it. He was most impressed by the fire-eater, so that is what he At this time, Doc’s vehicle was a 1956 Cadillac Ambulance learned first, followed by learning to swallow swords. He and his friends began to refer to him as Doc…the name stuck already juggled and did magic. He learned to ride a unicycle and that became his stage name. Within three weeks he had and that’s how he delivered newspapers on his route. When he learned the acts of the Ten-in-One performers and he spoke to was thirteen, he saw a Girl to Gorilla in Atlantic City. He had Johnson, who encouraged him to go on stage and try it out. The read about Pepper’s Ghost in the Dunninger book, so he went first few shows were a little rough, but Johnson and the other home and built one in his basement. He used an old window performers gave him advice on how to improve. He started by from his house as the glass and the lights were from his train doing fire-eating, and then added the Blockhead (hammering a set, powered by 110 AC current. nail into his nose) and sword-swallowing. He also had a natural The night he graduated from high school, he and his friends gift of gab that enabled him to augment his performances. It went to a fair. There was a help wanted sign posted that said wasn’t long before Johnson had him doing the Bally to get the “must be able to travel and drive a truck.” Doc took the job and people into the tent to pay to see the full show. They would joined the carnival the next day. He worked setting up, operating do up to forty shows a day when business was really good. rides, tearing down, and driving to the next location. After two Doc did two seasons with Johnson’s show, playing from May months the carnival played in the same town as another carnival to November.

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 37 nature, but they didn’t go over very well, so he switched to a comedic presentation. He did magic, juggling, and some of his sideshow stunts. He had a female assistant whom he dressed as a gorilla, but then switched her to a showgirl costume. They had seen The Great Tomsoni & Co. and were very influenced by Pam’s character, so his assistant became a ditzy blonde. In 1986, Doc left the mall circuit and moved on to doing a one-man comedy/variety show at fairs. This continues to be a large part of his annual work, as well as banquet shows for corporate clients and organizations. In 1998, he did his first “Fright Fest” type show at Disney World’s Pleasure Island. Since then, he has presented his Psycho Sideshow every year during the Halloween season at theme parks. He did four years at Spooky World in Massachu- setts, and four years in each of five Six Flags Parks. He says that he creates ninety-percent new material each year for these shows. In 2013, he did the summer season at Great Adventure again, which is now a Six Flags park. He did an outdoor show as Mordecai P. Jackson, a slick character from the late 1880s. It was a nineteen-minute show incorporating Linking Rings, his version of Instant Magician, and the Paintball Catch. The management of the park was most amazed that every time they clocked his show, there was no more than ten seconds variation from the nineteen-minute timeslot. In between all of this, Doc found time to appear as a fire- Doc carrying Celeste DeCamps over broken glass at the Washington, D.C. S.A.M. Convention 2013 eater in the film Wilder Napalm, which had another magician in it…some guy named Ricky Jay. Penn Jillette regularly tells He had to leave Arcus when he went on the road with the people “Doc Swan is the man who taught me to eat fire.” Doc is show. When he came off the road, he would do lighting for the a little more modest about the matter. He met Penn when he and band. He developed a psychedelic light show for them, buying Teller had another partner, Weir Chrisemer, and they called all sorts of equipment for those shows at Edmund Scientific themselves The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society. Penn ate Company, a veritable wonderland for such geeks and magicians. fire in the show. Doc spoke to him afterward and offered to After those two years with Johnson’s show, he joined another help Penn refine his fire-eating. He taught Penn the finesses of Ten-in-One doing his acts and painting rides and props. In the art, for which Penn has been very grateful. They remain 1976, Stuart Miller asked Doc to join his touring illusion show. good friends today. He did so for two years acting as Miller’s assistant, as well Doc also worked in a magic shop for a little while for a as doing a fire-eating spot in the show. In his second season guy named Rick Sapphire. Rick tried to get Doc to sell a little with the show, Doc played drums in Miller’s accompanying more forcefully and encouraged him to pitch the products a band. Miller also depended on Doc to keep all of the props in little harder. Doc thought he had the right idea when he was working order and freshly painted. questioned by a customer, “How realistic is this fake beer”? He left Miller’s show in 1978 to work at Great Adventure, Doc replied that he had had a glass a few days before and had an amusement park in Jackson, New Jersey. He did fire-eating to go to the bathroom to take a fake pee. Sapphire told him to and rode a unicycle as a clown; this only lasted one season. The tone down the hard sell a bit. next year he worked for Martin & Downs, a one-ring circus in You might ask, why haven’t we heard of this guy before? I Canada. He worked their sideshow doing fire-eating, sword- could tell you that he’s just too busy working in the “real world” swallowing, Blockhead, and the Electric Chair routine. (This is to attend magic meetings and conventions, but that would be the stunt in which a girl sat in a chair and the performer could only half the truth. He has only attended five magic conven- light torches by touching her or have her cause a fluorescent tions, and four of them he was booked to work. Doc is still a tube to light.) Doc also played drums in the band for the actual pretty quiet guy offstage; he keeps to himself. He does have a circus performances under the big top. This only lasted a year, few close friends in the magic community, but other than that, because an old friend from his neighborhood had started a new he’s been pretty much under the radar until the last couple of venture. years. He is also extremely modest and seems to feel that he Dave GoWell is a name not known to most magicians, but really didn’t have that much to offer the magic community. he had a significant role in magic history. He and his partner I had been hearing about him from mutual friends for Kent Davis were builders of illusions. They worked for Doug the last five or six years, but never saw him perform until he Henning for a number of years, up until the late 1970s. In 1978, worked the Magician’s Alliance of Eastern States convention. they left Henning and began building robots, using them to I had the same reaction as most magicians have when they entertain at corporate functions and in shopping malls. They see him for the first time: Wow “ ! Where has this guy been had two very successful units on the road and needed someone hiding?” I booked him the first opportunity I had, working to front a third unit. Doc worked for them for two years until with Mike Miller and me on a show for my synagogue. This he got sick of the robots getting all of the attention. He did, was, obviously, an all laymen audience. To say he killed was however, learn that there was money to be made in doing per- an understatement. My fellow congregants still ask about him formances in shopping malls, so he developed his own show when they see me. I booked him for my own company’s holiday for that market. The first few shows were more serious in party, and he garnered the same reaction. The audience reacts 38 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 to him in a way that goes far beyond the pros like Todd Robbins, Fielding West, to pass on his thoughts and advice for routines he performs. They react to him and Jeff McBride were so knocked out other performers. He explained, “You as a performer and a person. when they recently saw him perform for should never do anything for money that It has been said that if an audience the first time. In fact, Bello Nock, the you wouldn’t do for free. Do what you likes you, they will like anything you do. man Time magazine called “The World’s do for a living because you really want Doc is walking proof of that statement. Best Clown” said, “Doc Swan is the to do it. Don’t become an entertainer From the first minute on stage, he can funniest man I know.” unless you need to.” He feels that he is do no wrong. I could list the routines he In preparation for this article, Doc and someone whose life's mission is to bring typically does in a show, but that doesn’t I spent a few hours together having dinner joy to people. “If you can make money at really tell you what makes him great. and talking. The evening was a delight it, then so much the better. We all have Doc has his own little twists on things for me, especially as we compared notes our roles to play. Entertainers are very that make his routines uniquely his. In about a number of mutual loves and ex- necessary to maintain balance and keep fact, when you see him do his signature periences growing up. When questioned the flow of life moving.” routines, you can’t imagine anyone else about his favorite magicians he quickly As we finished up, he left me with doing them. From his Tribute to Houdini replied Penn & Teller, Tomsoni & Co., this: “I don’t have to be an entertainer for (the chain handcuff escape) to the and Tom Mullica. He cited Mullica as a living…I can starve to death instead.” hoary old chapeaugraphy routine, to the his major influence and said, “When I With Doc’s amazing abilities, talents, funniest glass walk you have ever seen, am looking to tweak a routine or find a and personality, I don’t think he will ever his persona and humor are indelibly solution to a problem, I ask myself what have to worry about going hungry.  stamped on everything. This is why top would Mullica do?” I also asked him

Penn Jillette on Doc Swan

It was the mid 1970s. Teller and I were in a show called The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society. We were three people then, with a nutty classical musician, but it was very much a Penn & Teller style show. We had scammed our way into a little upstairs hundred-seat space at the Walnut Street Theater in Philly. You wouldn’t call us successful, but we sure thought we were – we were doing great. The show closed with a pretentious monologue (that’s what I do) about the carny, and America, and faith, and free-thinking, and magic, and fire-eating, and lots of other stuff that pretentious monologues often contain. After twelve minutes of chitter-chatter, I ate some fire. We still use this monologue and fire-eating, called “10 in 1,” to close our P&T show on the road. One night, a man, about my age (so I guess by my definition now, a child) came to the show wearing a top hat and a cape. He was also about my size, a tall drink of water. After the show, he From center clockwise: Melvin introduced himself as Doc Swan, shook my hand, and explained that he was a real carny. He was Burkhart, Penn Jillette, Todd Robbins, really with it, for it, and never against it. We talked about Daniel Mannix’s life-changing book, Jamy Ian Swiss, Doc Swan, Unknown Step Right Up, and then Doc changed my life. He said he liked my closing monologue a lot. He said it was smart. He said it was a little funny. I said thanks. I was pretty pleased with myself. Then he got to the point. He said he thought my monologue about fire-eating would be better if I could fire-eat. He said that my fire-eating wasn’t good enough to land all that patter and probably shouldn’t close our whole show. He was right. I had taught myself to fire-eat and I wasn’t good. I thought the twelve-minute buildup excused it. It was the opposite. I was wrong. Big buildup, no payoff – not the right formula. Doc then offered to teach me to be a good fire-eater, if I taught him some juggling tricks. He considered that to be a fair trade. We made a date to get together the next day. He taught me to be almost as good a fire-eater as he was. I’ll never be as good. And he didn’t only teach me fire-eating; I still learn from him all the time. Doc is true like ice, like fire. We became close friends in that one afternoon. So much has changed through the years, but not my love of Doc. I love him so much; I call him “Jaime” in front of his mom, just to make her smile. Keep teaching me, my friend. —Penn Jillette

Fielding West on Doc Swan

I just met Doc Swan at this past Abbott’s Get-Together in Colon, Michigan. It was my first time at the Get-Together. I had no idea what to expect, but I went in with an open mind. One of the best parts of my Abbott’s experience was meeting Doc Swan and watching him perform. The first thing anyone who has met Doc will mention is his height. He’s a big guy. I was impressed with his soft-spokenness and easy manner. He is truly a gentle soul. When he stepped on stage, Doc turned into the master of his domain. His choice of material (both magic and sideshow antics) were exactly what the crowd wanted and needed. As a matter of fact, the following day he was presented a special award for best comedy act at the Get- Together. Doc had attended my lecture and found a special place in his act to make a callback to something I had said. It was good hearted and very funny. It is my understanding that he mentored Penn Jillette at one time. How fortunate for Penn and all of us that we have a Doc Swan around. —Fielding West

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 39 Focus on Funny

By Norm Barnhart

clever utility prop to a new level of hilarity shops and in a few instances became such with his witty presentation. Some have a top seller that it kept several brick-and- credited the creation of this illusion to a mortar shops in the black for a couple vaudeville performer named Rollfe, who years. A few college sophomores dis- toured in the 1920s and ‘30s. It was then a covered the art of magic through such STEVE MARTIN – FUNNY political barb building off the national ex- a visit to a magic shop and went on to MAN AND FORMER citement generated by Teddy Roosevelt. I become popular magicians in the club and could find no evidence of this. corporate scenes when they realized, that COMIC MAGICIAN However, the Arrow through the for them, magic helped people in more Head’s roots most likely go back to the ways than their sociology or economics Steve Martin has a brilliant comedy classic campfire cowboy humor of 1870s. degrees ever could. mind. Aside from his notable career It started with an idea generated in the There are many comedy magicians in stand-up comedy, he is a versatile mind of a tired cowpoke after days of who, I think, are still approaching magic comic actor with many excellent films, a dusty riding alongside a herd. This hard in a comedy vein in the same way that screenwriter, and even a successful and working cowboy got a notion that he could Mr. Martin did. These modern comic bright novelist. Yet, I still like to think of make his buddies bust a gut with a simple magicians look at the magic prop as a Steve Martin as one of the great comedy prop. He had no great showbiz flair, but prop. It is a thing to bounce their stand-up magicians. he loved to sing on those lonesome rides comedy off of. This method of putting His real fame started with stand-up and was a bit of a ham. It was common for the comedy and entertainment first is an comedy in the 1970s; before that he was a these sun-worn, yet forgotten trail riders approach to magic that has brought great comedy magician and comic balloon artist. to tell tall tales or play harmonica to pass success to many magicians. Beginning in high school, he worked at the time in the hot sun and later in the cool Steve Martin saw the value in making Knott’s Berry Farm Amusement Park in evenings under the stars around the fire. his audiences convulse through laughter. California and made the crowds laugh with The traditions of Pecos Bill and Will He placed entertainment above the effect, wacky humor three to five times a day for Rogers are examples of this comedy by using this classic illusion and prop in a six to seven days a week. cowpoke styling of the great West. delightful, new, and wacky way. Years of hard work followed that, as This lonesome campfire comic came up In the 1970s Steve was selling out he performed in small comedy clubs and with the idea that used only an old ten-gal- huge concert halls like a rock band. He coffee shops. This eventually took him lon hat in which he then ran a broken arrow had no fog machines, flash pots, gaudy to the heights of fame and success. He out either side to create the illusion of a boxes, or lovely assistants. He made more became the highest grossing live stand-up tragic, near death experience. Late at night, money per show than Blue Oyster Cult (a comedian of all time, doing his solo act as the coyotes howled in the distance, he Seventies rock band with an elaborate laser for huge audiences in arenas, stadiums, stumbled up to the campfire with an arrow light show, truckloads of equipment, and a and concert halls. He sold millions of re- apparently, yet convincingly, stuck through huge cowbell). Steve packed his show in a cordings of his live stage shows on vinyl his head. His pals were shocked with jaws briefcase and his cash in several suitcases. albums. dropped and he probably quipped, “I need He was the ultimate “play big-pack small” Probably most amazing is how he a cup of that mud you call Joe; I got a entertainer. brought a forgotten, classic magic illusion splittin’ headache.” This indeed was wild What can modern magicians learn to life. At the time, it was a brushed-aside comedy and excellent magic. from the great comic performer and former and seldom-seen magical illusion. He Further back, the history of this classic magician Steve Martin? brought this effect to a new generation illusion can be seen in Scot’s 1600s book 1. Magic has universal appeal. Even of fans and got roars of laughter on many The Discoverie of Witchcraft. In these hip comedy club audiences enjoy magic stage and TV appearances including, dusty pages we find a similar method used when presented well, as was done by Steve Saturday Night Live and Johnny Carson’s to do a sensational Sword through Body. Martin. Tonight Show. By the 1970s when Steve Martin began 2. A magic illusion, even the smallest his revitalization of this forgotten illusion, effect, that can pack small will be a hit THE RESURGENCE OF the Arrow through the Head had become with audiences when it is presented well. THE CLASSIC ARROW what some critics thought was a cheap, Work on the presentation. campy gag. However, the decibels of 3. Magic and comedy go hand in hand THROUGH THE HEAD laughter resulting from Martin’s handling to delight audiences. Look for ways to be Steve Martin brought tremendous rec- proved them wrong. Comedy delivered like Steve, by being original and unique. ognition to what some had thought had with good timing and creative presentation So, don’t be like Steve and copy him; become a tired and hackneyed prop. Sadly, is the key to success. instead, be like Steve by being yourself. in the hands of some magicians it was. But Suddenly the Arrow through the Head Be unique.  the incomparable Steve Martin took this illusions flew off the shelves of magic

40 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013

On the Shoulders of Giants Stage Magic and Theory from Denny Haney By Scott Alexander

Denny, armed with Percy Abbott’s Canvas World War II. So it very well may have Covered Box, put the focus on the exami- been Gwynne who was the first guy to nation, filled the routine with jokes, bits of ditch the skeleton-framed tent and just use business, and action and turned it into his the now infamous hoop-curtain switch THE SUBSTITUTION masterpiece. Eleven minutes of hilarious while standing on top of the trunk. This TRUNK comedy, complete with a magical punch- became the default way the trunk was done “As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning in-the-face finish that caused people to from the Thirties through the Seventies. from uneasy dreams, he found himself leap to their feet night after night. We will However, there were still some transformed in his bed into a gigantic examine Denny’s theories on what makes magicians doing trunk tricks with the insect.” – Franz Kafka the vintage Sub Trunk what he calls “The tent. Before it was a part of Denny’s act, World’s Most Baffling Illusion.” he saw Richiardi do the Canvas Covered The most ubiquitous illusion of all Box in the center ring of a circus using the time has to be the Substitution Trunk, or THE METAMORPHOSIS tent frame setup. “The first time I saw it as it was billed by Houdini, Metamor- OF METAMORPHOSIS done was by Richiardi in a circus. When phosis. Denny says, “The Metamorphosis I saw him do that I couldn’t believe it. It created a sensation in Houdini’s hands. Most of Houdini’s escapes took place in was laced so tightly and everything was Houdini was the one who made that trick an enclosed, tent-like structure. This was examined; it was just impossible to me.” an absolute miracle.” It is a classic that has typically a square, skeleton-framed cabinet Richiardi set it up as an escape and did it withstood the test of time. However its covered with fabric and a curtain on the with lightning speed. Mark Wilson, Chuck origins predate Houdini, no doubt based front that closed and opened. Houdini Jones, and many others still used the tent on several of the popular trunk tricks would be locked in whatever restraints were type of setup, but the floorshow and club of the day, such as The Entranced Fakir presented, stepped into the cabinet, and date performers opted for the ease of the described in Hopkins’s Scientific Diver- then the mysterious stuff happened behind hoop and curtain arrangement. (On a sions and Stage Illusions (Photo 1) or the curtain. This is how the Sub Trunk was side note, club dates as I mentioned in a Maskelyne’s Trunk Trick as used in “Will, done during and pre-vaudeville. However, previous article, do not get their name the Witch, and the Watch.” Houdini took during the post-prohibition and big band from nightclubs but from the one-nighter: era, vaudeville was on the outs. The 1930s Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lions Club type would give birth to new entertainment en- venues. This correction was pointed out vironments, and this bulky, framed cabinet to me by Max Maven, who evidently reads was too impractical to use in the new form and enjoys this column, which I think is of entertainment, the floorshow. Floor- pretty awesome...but I digress.) shows were small revues, featuring several Then came the 1970s and a young acts, performing on dance floors of night- Canadian guy named Doug Henning. His clubs and hotels. One of the first magicians Metamorphosis also used the hoop and to put together an act for this type of venue curtain type of setup that had become the was Jack Gwynne, who changed his stage popular and practical way to do it over the act to fit the performing requirements. In ensuing decades. fact, Denny said, “When vaudeville died With the dawn of the 1980s, the and magicians began performing in night- Pendragons came on the scene and blew clubs, there was no room on the stage for a everyone away with their split-second big curtained cabinet. You can’t pick it up version of the Metamorphosis. At first, and carry it over all the tables. It may have they also used the hoop and cloth setup, but Photo 1 been Jack Gwynne who originally came then they discovered that by changing the up with the idea of standing on the trunk.” trap configuration and by using a three-sid- the standard trunk trick and set it up as Gwynne was truly one of the first illu- ed curtain instead of a hoop they took the a real escape, with the kicker of a substi- sionists to adapt to this new medium. He Metamorphosis in a completely different tution, and that’s important. It’s first and was a pioneer in this area because many direction. They then developed what Jon foremost an escape. Since Houdini’s day, thought that magicians needed a stage and and Char called the Hourglass Move, it has become watered down over time, for curtains to hide the secrets of their tricks. where the center of the cloth is collapsed better or worse, from an impossible escape Gwynne could do his act with the audience first and then tossed aside, which makes to a swift transformation. In our fast-paced, entirely surrounding him, which made the trick even faster. With their addition short-attention-span world, the examina- it even more impossible and impressive. of the splitting the cloth down the middle tion process has been hacked away and a Gwynne became a very popular performer it kicked it up another notch to the fastest lot of the impossibility has been lost. But in nightclubs during their heyday before switch ever done with a Sub Trunk.

42 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Then came David Copperfield and say, oh, she just jumped off the back or never used cuffs. An audience thinks that his terrific Passions Prisoner illusion. He went thru the lid.” a mechanical piece can be gimmicked. I realized that the transformation was the use the Kellar Rope Tie. And it is always real sizzle of the trick, so he decided to YEAH, BUT CAN I better to tie behind the back, since it looks lose the box. He used the Pendragons’s EXAMINE IT? like you can’t do anything,” Denny says. Hourglass move simply standing on a He also points out that if you do choose table. In an instant, he changed into a girl As startling and amazing, fast and to use metal restraints such as In-Again- who had been wrapped up in a “cocoon” furious as all these later versions of Meta- Out-Again cuffs, don’t escape from them hanging above the stage. It is a wonder- morphosis are, they all miss the main point at the end. “I hate when the guys do the fully choreographed piece of theater, using that Houdini was trying to get across, that thing when they escape from the cuffs as the framework of a Sub Trunk escape. this is an impossible escape. And what a kicker. It’s not a kicker; it’s a downer. It made it impossible was the audience got to destroys the whole impossibility if you just TELEGRAPHING examine every piece of equipment used in throw the damn cuffs off.” Denny is right THE OPENING the effect. “It is so important to get people on about using the rope. Audiences, for from the audience to examine the trunk. some reason, don’t think of a rope as being There is a major “elephant-in-the-room” Everything must be examined,” Denny gimmicked, plus it looks badass when in doing an exchange while standing on insists (Photo 3). “Today you will find that you have to be cut out of the ropes. Denny top of the trunk. While fast and flashy, it most everyone does Metamorphosis fast jokes, “A lot of magicians are too cheap to completely telegraphs the point of egress. and flashy, and skips the whole examina- use rope that has to be cut and replaced. Do As Denny puts it, “The real problem with tion. It destroys the impact of what Houdini me a favor and spend the nickel every show doing an exchange while standing on top to use a new piece of rope.” of the trunk is that it leads the audience You want the audience to have their right to the point of entry and the point of hands all over everything and for every- exit. You see the trunk, you see the curtain thing to look as normal as possible. Denny is raised up, and there is nowhere else for advises against having a bright, flashy, the exchange to happen. You have led the shiny-looking trunk. “Get one that’s beat audience to the dirty part...the top. It had to up. Let the guys beat the hell out of it,” happen from the top!” Denny says. You really have to set up in This to me is a truly fatal flaw of this the audience’s mind that this is going be economical cloth handling. As fast and as completely impossible because they are flashy as it is, it really does tip the method, looking and examining every piece of or at least gives the audience a good apparatus you have and that it all looks starting point to work out the method. This normal (Photo 4). When you do that, is why Denny went “old school” and opted Photo 3 you are setting yourself up for some big for the tent setup for his Canvas Covered reactions. Denny remembers one of the Box. “When you have a curtained cabinet was trying to achieve. What people forget best and funniest reactions he ever got: there is no way for the audience to know today is that it is really an escape. The what is happening inside there (Photo 2). exchange or substitution is a surprise, or You step in and count one, two, three, and is supposed to be. I’ve even seen guys not she steps out. It makes the exchange a total even use a bag. They are missing the whole mystery to the audience the way it should point of the trick.” be,” Denny says. “People will often think When Denny does the Canvas Covered it is twins, or two trunks, but they never Box, it even fools a lot of magicians. Most of the time, they think they know the method, but they have no clue as to how it really works. When magicians see Denny tie Minh in the bag, then lift the bag and put it in the trunk, they often ask Denny, “What kind of trick bag do you use?” Denny can honestly say, “It’s not a trick Photo 4 bag; it is actually sewn up all three sides.” And it truly is. Denny says, “If you want “I remember one time I had the two to know how it’s sewn, read Tarbell Six.” guys up on stage. It was a stag affair – There is a whole chapter on Escapes and no women in the audience. They were Substitutions in that volume. Immediately assisting me with tying the ropes, and tying after that is a wonderful description of the Minh into the bag, locking up the trunk, Kellar Rope Tie. This is the tie that binds and lacing up the canvas cover. This one Denny’s hands behind his back for the guy had a big cigar in his mouth. He was a trunk. Denny has always opted for rope real Mafia-looking guy. When she pushed instead of handcuffs or metal restraints. the curtain aside and said, “Three,” I was He feels that everything should look in the box and I could hear what’s going on Photo 2 organic: the box, the locks, the ropes. “I outside. I heard him say ‘If he is in there,

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 43 ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS I’ll kiss his ass!’ At the end, when I came be lost to history. We just happened to be in doesn’t help with speeding up the exami- out of that bag and we stepped forward and the right place at the right time. We learned nation process, however. A lot of people took our final bows, as I bent over to take it in their trunk with Charlotte manning a argue that we are in a modern age and the bow, that guy bent down and kissed stopwatch timing our exchange. What a things move faster these days. Examining me square on the ass!” He had to, because humbling experience! My wife still has a the trunk is boring. When Denny first put he was truly fooled. Denny built up the scar on her shin from that little teaching the Canvas Covered Box in the show in impossibility of the escape, not the sim- session. In rehearsal, she never let on that the Seventies, it was indeed boring during plicity of a quick exchange. Therefore, the she had gashed open her shin and she was the examination process. But he had just exchange becomes a surprise. This kind of bleeding into her fishnet stockings. She felt begun to explore this new prop he had structure and execution sets the audience that this lesson was such a gift she would received quite by surprise. up to be taken by storm and completely keep the injury quiet. Speed was definitely Denny remembers, “When I went into baffled. And apparently, they will literally their goal. the army, I met a man from San Jose, Cali- kiss your ass. From learning, in depth, these two dis- fornia, named Cantini. We struck up a Most modern (post ‘70s) versions tinctively different versions of the trunk, friendship and he gave me tips and advice of the trunk have forgone the examina- I have a unique perspective on how to when I performed at the USO on the tion process, some might say, because a compare them. I had many conversations weekends. When I was in Vietnam, I was lot of illusionists aren’t good “talkers.” with both the Pendragons and Denny reading a Linking Ring magazine and I saw They have trouble making the examina- about the trunk. As good as the Pen- in an article that Cantini was retiring. So I tion process entertaining. Even Doug dragons' switch was, even they struggled sent him a letter thanking him for all the Henning didn’t do it in The Magic Show, with including or excluding the exami- help and advice he gave me over the years. in his case most likely because that’s how nation process. They realized how that He wrote me back saying, ‘When you get the director wanted it done, quickly. “I’m element was missing from their version. home from Vietnam, and I hope you do, sure he felt it would disrupt the story of the In fact, while seeing them perform the you will find a surprise waiting for you play to do a big examination process, so trick multiple times in an evening, I saw from me. It’s a trick I used my entire career that became the accepted way it was done Jonathan, every once in a while, decide and built my reputation on.’ I didn’t know at that time, and it has lasted to this day,” to bring up a guy on stage and have him what it was. It wasn’t until I got home Denny theorizes. Copperfield had the right beat on all six sides of the trunk to prove from Vietnam around 1971-72 that I saw idea. If you are going to put the focus on there was no trapdoor. As fast and flashy it was the Canvas Covered Box illusion. I the speed and not the escape, get rid of the as his trick was, Pendragon also realized did it just like the instructions (which were damn box all together. the strength of having the prop examined. written by Percy Abbott), showing all the A few times they used their original old- things you go through, with the examina- THE TWO TRUNKS looking wooden trunk at Caesars, and tion, the tying, and the lacing. The first did indeed do an examination process. time I did it was at a school where my sister I have had the fortunate privilege of As Denny says, “Examination makes the was teaching. When she saw it she said, ‘I being personally taught (from Denny trick more impossible.” I think Denny is will tell you this: that is the most amazing Haney and the Pendragons) what I consider right. But how do you do it without it being thing I have ever seen in my life. But I to be the two penultimate versions of the boring? That is the real secret. will give you some advice: it’s too long. Sub Trunk. I first saw Denny do the trick You have to do something to speed it up.’ when I was about fourteen years old. Little SELL THE SIZZLE, NOT Now I didn’t want to sacrifice the exami- did I know that the Canvas Covered Box I THE STEAK nation and the strength of the escape, so I watched Denny do as a boy in the Parkville began adding bits of business, gags, music, High School auditorium would be taught In his wonderful book Maximum and movement. I began screwing around to me by Denny himself fifteen years Entertainment, a book Denny thinks every with the people onstage and playing up later. Nor did I imagine that while I was magician should have on their shelf, (and the comedy. It made the eleven minutes in college, watching the Pendragons do read, too), Weber mentions the Denny and go by, but still allowed for the thorough the trunk on The World’s Greatest Magic Lee version as compared to the Pendragon examination of the trunk.” Incidentally, in 1994, that in a mere five years I’d be a version. He says, “In the time it took for this trunk from Cantini was passed on headliner in Vegas and I would be learning [Denny’s] Metamorphosis to take place, to me by Denny and it is the one I use to Pendragons’ Metamorphosis in that very the Pendragons could do their act, cook this day. In fact, Puck, Denny, and I just same trunk. dinner, and vacuum the den.” This is ex- performed it together at Abbotts 76th Get- In 1999, I got the real work way before aggerated, of course, but it is not that far Together. Denny commented on how he the Pendragons decided to release their off. Weber continues, “Instead of speed, was now too old to do the trunk, so he videos. he [Denny] emphasizes the impossibil- passed it on to me. I tied Puck in the trunk While working at Caesars together in ity of the stunt.” But in Denny’s version, and we did a switch, but instead of me Vegas, Jonathan and Charlotte graciously although it is not about the speed of the coming out in the end, it was Denny in the shared their thoughts on the trunk and exchange, it still seems just as fast because vintage “wrinkled joker” outfit, smoking taught my wife Jenny and me every detail of the counting to one, two, three. “For that damn cigarette (Photos 5 and 6). It was of their performance. They covered their some reason three is fast,” Denny says. It is a moment I will always remember fondly. theory, the timing, and the years of work true, although from the time Denny enters It was one of those “Passing the Mantle” and choreography that had gone into this the curtain, twelve seconds have actually milestones in magic. The trunk in these piece. At the time, they felt that they should gone by. But because of the choreography photos is the actual Cantini trunk. pass this on, first hand, to a young magic and the timing, it seems like the exchange The Sub Trunk is still a great trick and couple for posterity, so the work would not happened in just three seconds. That will be for years to come. Take Denny’s

44 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 thoughts and apply them to your version and give some attention to the old-school way of doing it – a way that I can tell you from personal experi- ence still works for modern audiences. I will close this month with one of Photo 5 Denny’s fondest memories of performing the trunk: “We were doing a magic convention in South Carolina and Houdini’s niece, Marie Blood, was doing a lecture on Houdini at the convention. We were hired to close the show. We were standing around before the convention and I got a chance to meet Marie. I heard one of my buddies say to her, ‘Hey Marie, wait until you see Denny and Lee do the Metamorphosis.’ Here Photo 6 was her exact response: ‘No offense to you Denny, but I’ve seen them all do it. None of them do it the way it should be done, or even close to the way my uncle did it.’ So that night, at the closing of the show, we did the Canvas Covered Box. After the show, she came backstage and said, ‘You know, I never thought I’d say this, but what your friends said was right. If my uncle was alive today he would have said, that’s the way Metamorphosis is supposed to be done. You’re the only one I’ve seen do it the way my uncle wanted it done.’ I was so honored!”  Sub Trunk photos 3-6 by Mike Younger

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 45 Stage 101 By Levent

he entered the stage, Powell had a live dove common place that conjurers use to hide up his right sleeve. He also wore a pair of objects. In order to steal an object from white gloves on his hands and a top hat such a pocket in a deceptive manner, you on his head. Under his right arm he held a must provide both “cover” and “misdirec- cane and by doing so, he was able to keep tion” during the steal. A good example his arm bent in a natural manner, so that of this is my friend Paul Potassy and his In this month’s column I will cover the the dove did not fall out of his sleeve. The version of the classic Sympathetic Silks eighth rule from the list of Fundamental moment he got to the center of the stage, trick. When Paul needs to steal a secret Rules of Stage Magic, which is: Powell put the top hat and cane on a table. gimmick from his coat pocket, he pivots Next, he held both of his gloved hands his body so that the pocket containing “When stealing an object from inside a palm outwards at chest level to show that the gimmick is hidden from view, thus coat under cover of misdirection, it is more the hands were empty. As he removed providing cover. Furthermore, at the exact deceptive to have the object travel to the the glove from his left hand, an assistant moment that his hand is reaching into his palming hand than the other way around.” walked onto the stage from the stage-left coat pocket, Potassy’s other hand sprinkles wings. Powell then rolled the glove into a imaginary “magic salt” from a glass salt This rule is near and dear to my heart, ball and tossed it to the assistant. Next he shaker onto the scarves that are resting because it was the first concept that I appro- removed the glove from his right hand and on his table. The action of the magic salt priated from Cardini’s act, when I studied appeared to do the same thing, but instead shaker provides ample misdirection to videos of his performance when I was a he pivoted to his left and palmed the glove allow for the pocket steal. boy. Years later I wrote this up as a magic away into his left hand as he closed his I would be remiss if I did not mention “rule” when I saw the same technique used right hand into a fist. Suddenly, he made an that the breast pocket can also be used for a in a trick from Roy Benson’s handwritten underhand throwing motion with the right steal. For instance, when I was a boy, I used notebook. I then included this rule in the hand towards his assistant. This caused the to do an old silk-and-drinking-glass pro- book Roy Benson by Starlight. dove to fly out of his sleeve as he opened duction called Blitz, which was invented Before I explain rule number eight, his right hand. For a brief moment as the by Sam Berland. The trick used a load perhaps it would be best to discuss the dove traveled in the air, it looked like it was container that held three folded eighteen- general techniques used to steal objects a white glove – until it suddenly flapped inch silks. On the top of the load container from inside a coat. Assuming that a its wings and flew to the waiting hand of was a bent piece of black sheet metal. magician is wearing a typical man’s suit the assistant, thus creating the illusion Before the performance this container jacket, there are usually four places where of a glove changing into a dove. The big was loaded into the breast pocket, so an item can be hidden. misdirection provided by the flying dove that the bent black sheet metal could be gave Powell ample opportunity to secretly hooked onto the fingers of a hand when SLEEVE LOADS dump the rolled-up glove that was palmed needed. During the beginning of the trick in his left hand into his left trouser pocket the audience sees the magician holding The first place to hide a load is in the and continue with his show. a lit match in the left hand and a small coat sleeve. A classic example of a sleeve cardboard matchbox in the right hand. The load is the opening trick of the late Dean POCKET LOADS magician then transforms the lit match in of the Society of American Magicians, his left hand into an eighteen-inch red silk. Frederick Eugene Powell (1856-1938). As The outside coat pocket is another The left hand (which is holding the silk) is

46 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 then brought up near the breast pocket with found, the lining of the coat should be eight inches in diameter. The bowl is filled the palm facing the chest. Next, the right marked, so that the holder (or dropper) can with water and live goldfish and the top is hand moves downwards and the matchbox be temporarily removed when the jacket sealed shut with a watertight rubber cover. transforms into a trio of red silks. As the is dry cleaned or pressed. Often these The bowl is then loaded into a special right hand moves downward with the devices are held in place with a safety pin. pocket located below the left armpit. In suddenly produced silks, the left hand with Back when I was doing a manipulation performance, the magician shows both the single silk moves upward and the top act, I used to put Velcro on the holder and sides of a large empty cloth and then edge of the left index finger hooks onto the hand-sew a corresponding piece of Velcro drapes it over his left arm, so that the cloth bent metal top of the load container. The on the jacket lining. This made it very easy obscures the chest. The right hand then load container is pulled up and out of the to temporarily remove the holders when goes into the coat and retrieves the bowl. breast pocket and held against the lone needed. Next the left hand secretly removes the silk in the left hand. The key to this steal A common error that many beginning rubber cover and pulls both the cover and is that the silk in the left hand provides magicians make is that they often under- the cloth away as the right hand holds the the cover and the transformation of the estimate the amount of rehearsal needed bowl of goldfish aloft. Frankly, in terms of matchbox into silks provides the misdi- to make the steal from the edge of a coat mystery, the draping of the cloth over the rection. Always remember that for such in a smooth fashion. It is best to diligently left arm leaves a lot to be desired because steals you require both cover and misdi- practice such steals often, and during per- the method of the production seems fairly rection. In case you are curious about the formance always provide both cover and obvious. But the saving grace of the trick is rest of the Berland Blitz, the left hand then misdirection. that since a rubber cover is employed and releases the three silks from inside the load secretly discarded in the folds of the cloth, container as the right hand secretly steals a STEALING OBJECTS the audience is left to wonder how the glass of liquid from a table directly behind FROM THE CHEST magician is able to manipulate an open- the performer. The silks in both hands are topped bowl full of water. then gathered together, a rubber cover is Now we get to the main subject of this Another way to accomplish a covered removed from the mouth of the glass, and month’s column, namely stealing objects chest steal is to do so while your back is the glass of liquid is produced. from inside the chest area of the coat. turned to the audience. In general, it is Before I explain the techniques used for considered bad blocking to turn your back EDGE OF COAT LOADS such a steal, I should first point out that to the spectators, but such a move is ac- there seem to be two different kinds of ceptable in certain situations. For instance, Another type of load location is under steals: Hidden and Open. in the nineteenth century magicians often the edge of the coat. This usually involves did the Linking Rings by having a hidden a device that can be categorized as either HIDDEN CHEST STEALS key ring in a secret pocket on the inside a holder or a dropper. A holder is a device of the coat, near the upper chest. At the that holds the object and requires you to A hidden steal is when a magician’s beginning of the trick ten or more solid actively remove the item with your fingers chest is completely hidden from the rings are passed out for the audience to in order to palm it. A dropper is a device spectators’ view when the item is pulled examine. Subsequently, the performer that releases the item by mechanical means out of the coat. An example of this type goes out to the audience to retrieve all the and allows the object to fall into the fingers of steal was the goldfish bowl produc- rings. The performer then briefly turns his of the hand before it is palmed. tion commonly performed by nineteenth back to the audience as he climbs the stairs When it comes to using holders or century conjurers such as Dr. Lynn (1831- up to the stage, at which time he secretly droppers, it is crucial that the magician 1899) and Alexander Herrmann (1844- removes the hidden key ring from the chest find the optimum location for these devices 1896). For that trick a magician typically pocket and adds it to the rest of the rings so that the item is both hidden from view uses a shallow, round, clear glass bowl from the set. The fact that many rings and easy to access. Once that location is that is about two inches high and about are used in the routine makes the secret

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 47 STAGE 101 inclusion of the key ring to the set of solid Under cover of the silk, the snaps on the in the correct position. In this case Cardini rings undetectable, thus making the later harness were opened and the dove was lowered his empty left hand so that it was linking moves truly miraculous. seemingly produced from the silk. at the same height as the cigar that was As simple as this basic concept seems, a hidden in his coat. Remember the key to OPEN CHEST STEAL lot of nuance is involved. If the entire move this rule is to keep that static hand motion- has not been thought out and perfected, the less in space. The open chest steal is when the chest dove steal can look terrible. Frankly, I have The second step is to create a combina- is not actually hidden from view and, seen dove steals botched countless times tion of misdirection and choreography that for the most part, the hands can be seen. and have witnessed only a few magicians will distract from the left (static) hand and Therefore, if you put your hand into your do it in a way that looks like magic. bring the hidden object to the hand. To ac- coat in order to steal an item, you will Certainly among the technical masters complish this, Cardini turned to stage left usually require some sort of ruse. And if of the dove steal were the late Channing and in one continuous motion removed the you choose to make the chest steal without Pollack and my mentor John Thompson. lit cigarette with his right hand and threw it putting your hands into your coat then you Thompson taught me his dove steal into the bowl held by Swan. This motion of would need gimmickry. method about twenty years ago, and I can the upper body, combined with the station- An example of a ruse would be for say with authority that it is the best method ary left hand, caused the cigar to come into the magician to have two objects held on I have ever seen to execute a dove steal. contact with the left hand. holders inside of his coat. He can then As luck would have it, next year there will The third step is the recovery, which reach into his coat and secretly palm an be a book published on the magic of John means that the magician palms the stolen object whilst visibly removing the other Thompson and an entire chapter will be object and turns back to face the audience. item. Provided there is a logical reason for devoted to his dove steal. If you ever have In this case, Cardini did exactly that; a few the magician to retrieve the visible item, the need to steal an object from your chest moments later he produced the lit cigar, this ruse is deceptive because it relies on by means of a loop, I highly recommend which he then smoked. rule number five the( simplest way to steal John Thompson’s book. To be clear, the main benefit of this ruse and palm an object is under the guise of is that it has the same outcome as reaching picking up a visible object at the fingertips), THE STATIC HAND into your coat to grab an object, but the which I explained in an earlier column. STEAL audience does not perceive that you have In terms of gimmickry, there are done this because the palming hand does methods that will actually bring an item Now we get to the main subject of this not move. from the inside of the coat to the per- month’s column, namely a concept that I Once again, this rule is: “When stealing former’s hands. For instance, during his call the Static Hand Steal. This means that an object from inside a coat under cover of fourteen-billiard ball production routine, the hand that makes the steal from inside misdirection, it is more deceptive to have the late Ron MacMillan (1932-2005) had of the coat does not move, remaining static the object travel to the palming hand than six spring-loaded billiard ball holders that in space while the object in the coat is ma- the other way around.” were hidden in his coat. When triggered, neuvered to meet the hand by means of After I learned of this technique I a compressed spring secretly propelled choreography. used it in my old manipulation act in the single billiard balls into MacMillan’s A perfect example of this ruse was the following manner. I held a silk in my right palms at various times in his routine. cigar steal that Cardini (1895-1973) did in hand and a lit candle in my left hand. Then Perhaps the most common type of his manipulation act. In his case, Cardini’s I kept my right hand static as I pivoted to gimmickry involved in chest steals is cigar was actually a hollow wooden tube stage right to place the candle on my table. a simple loop of wire or monofilament decorated to look like a cigar. Inside of As I placed the candle in a holder the right attached to the load item. This methodol- the wooden tube was either a lit cigarette hand stole a fan of cards from inside my ogy became very popular in magic after or a lit mini cigar, which meant that the jacket. Channing Pollock (1926-2006) appeared fake could be puffed like a real cigar. The Many other magicians have used this on the scene with his dove act in the early wooden cover would insulate the heat of ruse as well. For instance, in his dove act 1950s. The basic concept of the dove pro- the burning cigar, so it could be safely Shimada used to hold a black silk in his left duction was simple. Each dove was re- loaded into the costume. This cigar was hand and a cane in his right. He then stole a strained in a small cloth container called loaded into a holder on the right side of dove with his static left hand as he pivoted a dove harness, which was held together the chest, at about the same height as to his left to give the cane to his assistant. with snaps. Near the head end of the dove the solar plexus. Near the end of his act, To some extent, the late Bob Read (1940- harness was attached a loop of thin wire or Cardini produced a series of lit cigarettes 2005) used a kind of static hand steal in his monofilament. Encased in the harnesses, and tossed them one at a time to his wife famous bottle production. doves were loaded into secret pockets Swan, who stood stage left and caught The key to all of this is to keep the hand located at the performer’s chest as the them in a bowl. Cardini’s hands were then that is making the steal static in space so loops protruded outward along the lapel. truly empty as he held one last cigarette in that the heat is off of the hand, thus making In performance, the magician held a silk his mouth. As this point Cardini executed the steal deceptive and magical.  in his hands; at some point he engaged the the static hand steal to get and produce the loop with a finger and then pulled the dove cigar that was hidden in his costume. © 2013 Levent Cimkentli harness out of the coat and into the silk. The first step is to get the static hand

48 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013

EBOOK NOOK uses. Hold the deck face down in left-hand dealing position and take the signed selection from the spectator. Insert it face down Excerpt From: into the lower third of the deck, leaving it out-jogged for about The Commercial Magic one inch. Your left forefinger now contacts the underside of the selection of J.C. Wagner at the point where it goes into the deck at the outer right corner Written By: (Figure 1). Apply upward pressure on the face of the selection Mike Maxwell with your left forefinger as your right hand comes over the deck Description: and pushes it flush. Due to your forefinger pressure the selection will angle jog from the inner right side of the deck (Figure 2). Now Ebook, 178 pages pull down on the angle-jogged card with your left little finger so Available From: that you can obtain a break above it. This method of angle-jogging www.llepub.com a card has been used by J.C. for many years.

J.C. Wagner was a great guy. He was a terrific magician and creator, and a genuinely nice person. His handling of the Torn and Restored Card (published in the booklet 7 Secrets) continues to be performed and varied by magicians today. (Long before I met J.C., I read 7 Secrets while spending a few nights in the Charlie Miller Suite above Magic, Inc. When I read the T&R Card handling, all I could think was, “Wow. This is really good.”) Norman Beck wrote about J.C. in his “I’ve Been Thinking” columns in M-U-M a few years ago. Track down that article and you’ll understand why J.C. is greatly missed by his many friends in magic. Figure 1 The Commercial Magic of J.C. Wagner was published in 1987. Written by Mike Maxwell, it contains many of Wagner’s best routines. If you’re looking for audience-tested material, you’ll find it in this book. The handling for Card on the Ceiling explained below is one that has been used by bar magicians around the world. Figure 2 The trick that follows also uses a rubber band, and it produces a big effect for very little effort. My thanks to L&L Publishing for allowing these excerpts to appear in M-U-M. —Michael Close ENTERTAINMENT TACKS

This routine was designed strictly with G.T.M. in mind. G.T.M. stands for “get the money,” and if you work in a bar or do table work, this will definitely put bread on your table. Until now, J.C. has taught this to only a few of his closest friends. Believe me, with this routine, the bread on the ceiling puts the bread on your Cut one third of the cards above the break to the table. Follow table. this by cutting one half of the cards above the break onto the Effect: A card is selected, signed upon its face, and then lost tabled packet. Follow this by cutting all cards above the break on in the deck. The deck is now wrapped with two rubber bands, and top of the tabled portion and finish by placing the remaining cards then a thumb tack is secured under the bands. A bill (currency) is on top of all. The selection will now be on top of the deck. J.C. now borrowed (and I use the term loosely) from a spectator and is usually follows this with a riffle shuffle, allowing the selection to wrapped around the deck. The performer now tosses the deck into fall last and remain on top. As he executes the preceding actions, the air; it strikes the ceiling and then falls back into his waiting J.C. patters, “I’ll just give the cards a ‘shiffle’ and a couple of hands, leaving the signed card stuck to the ceiling along with the cuts.” bill! Hold the deck face down in left-hand dealing position and Requisites: A deck of playing cards, two small rubber bands execute a double turnover to display an indifferent card as you that fit snugly around the width of the deck, a thumb tack, and a patter, “Your card is not on top?” You will now execute a J.K. marking pen. Hartman move that can also be traced back to Bruce Elliott. The Method: Shuffle the deck or have it shuffled, then have a card move will leave the selection reversed second from the top of freely selected and signed across its face. Have the card replaced the deck. Tilt the deck back so that the face of the double card in the deck and control it to the top. Here is the method that J.C. is toward you and the audience can no longer see it. Now simply

50 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 reach up with your right hand and turn the face card of the double Borrow a bill from a spectator (the larger the denomination the end-for-end face down on top of the face-up selection (Figure 3). better). Place the bill on the table and introduce the thumb tack, Your rationale for tilting the deck back is so the audience can see which you position point side up on top of the center of the deck. the bottom (face) card of the deck as you patter, “Your card is not The tack is held secure by the rubber bands (Figure 5). Once done, on the bottom of the deck, either?” You may now lower the deck grasp the deck in right-hand overhand grip and slide it (and the to normal dealing position; the selection will be face up second selection) back toward you, then slide it forward again without from the top. allowing the selection to travel forward with it. This should appear as a simple squaring action and serves to in-jog the selection from the deck (Figure 6). Figure 3

Figure 5

Obtain a left little finger break below the selection by pressing down on the outer left corner of the deck with your left thumb so that the cards separate at the back-to-back point. This is a Lin Searles idea. Once done, execute a double undercut to send the selection to the bottom of the deck. The double undercut is simple. Briefly, grasp the deck from above in right hand Biddle (overhand grip) position, allowing your right thumb to take over the break, and undercut one half of the cards below the break to the top. Im- mediately follow this by cutting the remaining cards below the break to the top and you will have transferred the top two cards to the bottom of the deck. The selection is now face up at the bottom. Introduce the two rubber bands to the audience as you patter, “These are ordinary fake rubber bands. If you have never seen Figure 6 a fake rubber band before, all it consists of is one continuous loop. The Pygmies in Africa do strange and wonderful things with them, which I haven’t quite figured out yet.” Place the two rubber bands together so that they form one double-band and position With your palm-down right hand grasp the outer end of the them around your right first three fingers and thumb. Pull down deck and turn it over end for end (toward you), allowing the on the lower card of the deck (the selection) with your left little selection to stay in your left hand as you do (Figure 7). All four finger and place the bands around the center of the deck, allowing right fingers should cover the front end of the deck to give cover for the lower portion of the bands to go between the deck and the the move. You are simply turning over the deck onto the selection. selection (Figure 4). Thus, the entire deck will be banded with the The audience will have no hint as to what you have done. exception of the selection. Following the turnover of the deck, pick up the bill and

Figure 7 Figure 4

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 51 EBOOK NOOK place it to the bottom of the deck so that its length goes across with the rubber bands.” the width of the deck, immediately pressing upward from below Effect: A card is selected, memorized, and then lost in the to send the point of the thumb tack through the card and the bill deck. Two rubber bands are now placed around the deck holding (Figure 8). Turn the deck over and fold the ends of the bill under- it secure. The performer now riffles through the deck and states neath so that the deck is completely wrapped in the bill and the that wherever the spectator says stop, his card will be at that point. point of the tack is facing upward. The deck can now be displayed The spectator calls stop and it seems as though the performer has failed, because the selection is not there. The spectator is asked to press down on the center of the deck; when he does the selection spins out from the deck face up. Requisites: A deck of playing cards and two rubber bands (see comments). Method: Follow the method described in Entertainment Tacks up to the point where the rubber banded deck is face down except for the face-up selection at the bottom. Briefly: Have a card selected, memorized (signing the card is not really necessary for this routine), and then replaced in the deck. Control the selection to the top and execute the J.K. Hartman move to reverse it second from the top. Double undercut the reversed selection to the Figure 8 bottom of the deck and then secure the entire deck with the bands (except for the selection). You are now ready to proceed. (Note: If you have not read Entertainment Tacks yet, I suggest that you do on all sides and everything is copacetic. before attempting this routine.) Hold the deck in your right hand, fingers below and thumb Your position should be as follows: The deck is face down and above, and find a suitable spot on the ceiling. Now toss the cards held secure by the rubber bands around its width. The selection is up sharply; the weight of the deck will cause the tack to impale free of the banded deck and lies face up at the bottom. The deck the selection and the bill to the ceiling (Figure 9). should be held in left-hand dealing position. In our example the selection will be the Seven of Spades. Begin to riffle down through the deck at its outer left corner with your left thumb as you patter to the spectator, “Wherever you say stop will be your card.” Stop riffling when he instructs you to do so and grasp the upper portion in right-hand overhand

Figure 9

Comments: The way that the deck is tossed to the ceiling is important. Your tossing hand must be held flat, parallel to the Figure 1 floor. When the deck is tossed your hand must remain flat and twist slightly in a clockwise direction, imparting a slight spin on the deck. This will ensure that the deck strikes the ceiling in a horizontal position, allowing the tack to be driven home. grip. Side-jog this upper portion off the right side of the deck and hold everything secure with your left thumb (Figure 1). Your palm-down right hand now grasps the side-jogged BANDORAMA portion, fingers above and thumb below, and turns it end for end away from you, turning it face up. The rubber bands will stretch There have been other ideas along these same lines. Both Bert and twist to accommodate this action (Figure 2). As you see the Fenn and Derek Dingle have had versions of this effect, and they face card of this portion (in our example the Three of Diamonds), were the starting point for J.C.’s routine. Many times when J.C. patter, “This should be your card, the Three of Diamonds.” Im- visited the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California, Dai Vernon mediately fold the face-up portion down and under the face-down would ask, “Do the one with the rubber bands J. C. Do the one portion (Figure 3). Your left hand holds the deck square, and the

52 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Figure 2 Figure 5

Seven of Spades) will spring out, trapped between the upper and lower halves (Figure 5). The revelation is extremely visual and very startling. Comments: Sometimes you may have to jiggle the deck a little to get the revelation started. It all depends of the strength of the rubber bands you use. J.C. uses a size-6 rubber band for a poker- size deck. They can be found at any stationary store. Sometimes J.C. will conclude the routine in the following manner: Have the spectator press his forefinger on top of the deck and leave it there. Now your left hand can open flat because the spectator is holding the deck secure. When you are ready for the Figure 3 revelation either have the spectator lift his finger, or you lower your hand.  selection is now at the center of the deck. Tilt the deck back so the Three of Diamonds is facing the audience and patter, “Was your card the Three of Diamonds?” The spectator will reply with a no. Lower the deck back to a hori- zontal position and raise the outer end of the top card (Figure 4) so the spectators can see its face (in our example the Eight of Diamonds). Patter, “Was this your card?” Upon receiving a negative reply, allow the Eight of Diamonds to fall back flush with the top of the deck and patter, “Well, what did you stop me there for?”

Figure 4

Instruct the spectator to press his forefinger onto the back of the deck for a moment as you ask him what card he selected. When he replies, relax your left hand so the deck lies free, as you patter, “Watch the deck!” The upper half of the deck will quickly spin around 180 degrees and the face-up selection (the

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 53 Building A Show By Larry Hass

his eyes tightly closed while the man mixes people fold the page and tear it along the the wallets. One by one, the man looks at crease they have made. All the loose pieces the bill in a wallet and then places it into are placed into a wine glass. “Could I be one of three different pockets. Turning any fairer?” [“No” would be the answer.] back to the participant and attempting to The woman first selects any two pieces of read his expressions, Paul discerns which the page, and then which piece and which bill is in the man’s front right pocket. He side of the piece she wants. She memorizes PAUL VIGIL: then has the man read the calling card, a word on that side. Slowly, gradually, BRIGHT, RISING STAR which reveals Paul predicted where the two impossibly, Paul reveals the exact word of remaining bills would be, showing he knew which she was thinking. It is not easy to build an excellent magic all along where everything would end up. 9. Hot on the heels of the word revelation, show. It is much more difficult than creating 3. Introducing a red-backed deck of Paul rapidly reveals a series of thoughts a routine or even an act, especially when cards, Paul invites the audience to relax in the minds of several other audience the show needs to engage an audience for and, quoting Bruce Lee, “be like water.” members scattered around the room! over forty-five minutes. Saying he has placed one card in his jacket 10. For an encore, Paul performs his So I was delighted and quite honestly pocket, he has three people name aspects astonishing Sympathy (for the Devil) floored the first time that I saw Paul of a playing card, first the color, then the Cards. That is, a participant cuts a shuffled Vigil perform his hour-long show at the suit, then the value. With utterly fair, deck and those cards are dealt into two Mirage in Las Vegas. It was a masterful clean handling, Paul shows there is one piles, which are mixed again and placed show, beautifully composed and expertly blue-backed card in the red deck: their into two wine glasses. One by one, the delivered. card! Then he removes the one red-backed cards in each glass are shown to match Since then, I have seen Paul perform card he had placed in his pocket before the in color and value! But there is more, for many times. He frequently rotates pieces show: their card! one of the two piles is mixed again and in and out, but the overall arc of his show 4. Egg Bag: Paul performs this classic an audience member inserts the resulting remains the same: the first half is classical routine, paying tribute to Max Malini, values into his cell phone until a complete magic followed by powerful displays of Charlie Miller, and his own teacher, Johnny phone number is established. The man mentalism. If you haven’t seen Paul work Thompson. Wonderful! presses “call”; suddenly a cell phone starts live, I urge you to do so at the earliest 5. A woman selects a card from the deck ringing in Paul’s pocket. He takes it out, opportunity. I believe he is the finest on the table. On Paul’s command the card answers it, and starts talking to the man! close-up magician of his generation. jumps out of the deck! Good night! 6. “This next piece is part of a Paul Vigil, King Ink Lounge at the composition I shared with Penn & Teller. OBSERVATIONS Mirage Hotel and Casino, November 14, My hope is that you enjoy it half as much as 2012, 7:00 p.m. they did.” What follows is Paul’s beautiful, There are so many good things about signature coin matrix effect performed to Paul’s show, but in the space I have I Pre-show: The chairs and stools have music. want to focus on the fact that every piece been pulled into an oval around a low 7. Paul places a die into a small glass and in it has tremendous impact. Part of this close-up table. A hundred people are demonstrates how shaking it changes the comes from the fact that Paul’s magic is gathered around. number that lands on top. Paul hands the profoundly deceptive. He uses the deepest Paul is introduced. Perfectly groomed glass to a man who shakes it, looks at the methods and silky smooth, slow handlings and dressed in a sharp suit and tie, he number on top, and completely covers it. to fool everyone in the crowd, including begins: “Good evening! My name is Paul Paul calls out different numbers while the magicians. Some of it, too, is that Paul is Vigil. Some people call me a magician, man says, “That’s not my number.” Then committed to excellent words – ones that others a mind reader, maybe even some Paul reveals his number. The action is are interesting, intelligent, and authentic, kind of psychic, and it is my hope we will repeated with a woman; this time Paul reads rather than empty, trivial, magic blather. get into all of these aspects this evening.” her eye reactions to reveal her number. The Still further is the fact that Paul has 1. Using a polished chrome drink shaker, action is repeated with a third person who extraordinary skill at slowing down to Paul teaches a guessing game about is told to say nothing and keep his eyes frame his effects before they happen. whether a green olive is in his pocket or closed so that all possibility of trickery “Come close,” he says. “I don’t want you to under the cup; it concludes with the surprise is eliminated. With his back turned, Paul miss this!” And thus we don’t. productions of a lime and a lemon. reads the man’s mind to reveal the number. Paul Vigil reminds us that every piece 2. Paul invites a gentleman up, hands Wow! (The air empties out of the room at in our magic show must have impact. It him three small wallets containing bills the end of this virtuoso display.) must be deceptive and presented in a way of different denominations, and places a 8. Closing piece: A woman selects any that everyone feels the full effect. And that calling card down on the table for later. Paul one of several magazines and a page with is part of his special magic!  stands with his back to the participant and lots of words is decided upon. Several

54 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 A Bright Idea make the tile beep, so you can find the item under your couch. The app also tells you when you are getting close to finding Do you remember Scotty York’s effect the item. A Tile costs $19. Check them out at their website in which you reveal a selected card by (www.thetileapp.com). passing a light bulb over the spread cards? When the bulb passed over the card, it A Fly on the Wall would light up. iDetect was inspired by this idea. Do you travel a lot? Want to see what is Your iPhone or iPod screen shows a going on at home? Is your dog okay? Many clear light bulb. The cards are passed over webcams are available for you to monitor the device. As soon as the selected card your home activities, but they can be pricy passes, the light bulb lights up and makes and some even have monthly fees. If you a zapping sound. have an old iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, a The method is subtle and easy. The programmer thought free new app called Presence lets you use this through by making this a clean program with no splash your old device as a webcam. Install the screen or start button. Simply start the app and all you see is a app on both devices. On the iDevice that light bulb. Be sure to read all the instructions when you start you currently use, you can check in and see the app for the first time, because they will not come up again. what is going on at home. They have lowered the price; get it now before they raise it If you set this up secretly, you could es- again. iDetect is available on the iTunes app store for 99 cents. sentially watch what someone is writing on a dry erase board in another room. I am confident that you will find a magical use Tables for Losander’s Living Room for this app. It’s a great app and well worth downloading. Presence by People Power is available on the iTunes App If you are earning fees like Store for free. Copperfield and Penn & Teller, be sure to visit www.rockpaperrobot. Time Lapse Photography com. Their living room tables are magical. Mind Reading by Jeremy Nelson The kinetic furniture, at first is a cool app that doesn’t look like glance, looks like a giant wooden anything special. In fact, people don’t Rubik’s cube. When you look even know that you are using an app. closely, you will realize the cubes Pull a few objects out of your are not touching. In fact, all the pockets and tell the audience that a pieces are floating above and next to each other as if they are few minutes ago, you took a photo of suspended in space. yourself holding one of these objects. Press on the top of the table and the pieces scrunch together. Take out your iPhone and put the photo When you let go, the pieces float back into place. The “magic” on your screen without showing it to the is done with well placed magnets and a lot of hard work. They audience. Rest your phone on the table have a video of how the tables look and act on their website, and ask the spectator to select one of the which is worth a look if you have an extra $10,000 - $20,000 of objects. Have the spectator unlock your disposable income. screen and he will see a photo of you holding the selected object. Hellstromism in the 21st Century Sure, the method has been done before, but this is very clean and direct. I like his suggestion of taking photos of yourself Tile is a new product that a lot of magicians are going to take with four women and have the spectator select one of the advantage of. These thin, white tiles can be attached, stuck, or women. This app is very customizable; I know I am going to dropped into anything and you will be able to find that item. use this in many situations. Download the free app and your iDevice will be able to track Mind Reading is on the iTunes App Store for 99 cents.  it. This is ideal for your luggage on a plane, your keys, or even your computer. Found a cool gadget, app, or website for magic applications? The battery inside the Tile lasts for a year and will tell Share your discovery with Bruce to include in a future column. you when it’s time to get a new Tile. The app allows you to Email him ([email protected]).

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 55 INFORMED OPINION LATEST PRODUCT REVIEWS Compiled and Edited by W. S. Duncan

Wonders and The Conference Illusions Books The first volume, Wonders, contains not only the classic By Mike Caveney routines that Mr. Caveney has come to be known for, but many Available from: www.mcmagicwords.com that most of us have never seen because they are from his early Price $240.00 days with the Long Beach Mystics or his time as a tradeshow magician. This volume starts off with a foreword by his friend REVIEWED BY PAYNE Mac King and a chapter or two devoted to his early days in magic. There are some remarkable and enviable anecdotes to be found This exquisite two-volume here, especially the stories concerning Channing Pollock, Marvin set was one of top sellers at the Roy, and Mr. Caveney’s involvement with the legendary Long recent MAGIC Live conven- Beach Mystics. So don’t overlook these chapters in your rush to tion. They are also the reason dive into the ones devoted to the tricks and routines. why many of the attendees of Unlike many books on magic, Wonders really needs to be read said conference spent the last from start to finish in sequential order because each chapter builds night of the event in their hotel to the next. You get to see Mr. Caveney’s thought processes evolve rooms frantically shifting the and grow as he meets each new performing challenge. This is contents of their suitcases what I found of most interest in this volume – not the tricks, but so as to comply with the the thinking behind them. Why he chose them and what chal- draconian fifty pound weight lenges he had to overcome in either creating them or making them limit the airlines impose on his own. It is more about the evolution of the act and the man who their passengers. Weighing presents it than just a collection of tricks and routines. in at twelve pounds, these books caused a lot of consternation There is no reason to waste space including a list of tricks because there were those who had to pay overweight luggage contained in Wonders. If you’ve seen Mr. Caveney perform it, it fees, visit the FedEx station on the second floor of the confer- is in this book and its performance is described and illustrated ence center, or, like me, purchase an extra suitcase in the gift shop in extremely concise detail. Even if you already own some of his to ensure that these volumes arrived safely home. Yet I’ve heard previously released items such as the Linking Coat Hangers or nary a complaint from any of those who experienced these trials Powers of Darkness, there are further tips on handlings as well and tribulations because, whatever personal and financial costs as background information and anecdotes that were not included may have been incurred in seeing that Mr. Caveney’s latest work with the original material. got to its final destination unscathed, it was well worth it. Volume two of the set is The Conference Illusions. This book It’s not every day you get to hold a man’s life in your hands, and centers around a number of presentations Mr. Caveney performed it is rarer still to be allowed to hold the life’s work of a performer at the Los Angeles Conference on Magic History, an event I’ve of the caliber and stature of Mr. Caveney. longed to attend. Unfortunately, I will have become history long It is difficult, if not impossible to talk about the contribu- before my name makes it to the top of the seemingly infinite tions made to the art and craft of magic by Mr. Caveney without waiting list. sounding overly effusive and fulsome. So I shall attempt to refrain This volume allows those who will never be fortunate enough from lauding excessive praise on a man whose career in magic to attend this conference to at least have a little peek at what goes most of us can only dream of aspiring to and instead focus on the on behind its closed doors. This, of course, has had the unintended matter at hand, which are the books. consequence that, now that I have had my little glimpse, it has There are two of them; both are quarter bound with green hardened my resolve to attend this exclusive gathering of magic fabric boards and a leather spine. Wonders sports three-color historians. foil stamping on its cover, full-color printed end sheets, and a This book starts with a foreword by Jim Steinmeyer and then tipped in frontispiece. The Conference Illusions has two-color goes into great and profusely illustrated detail about the nearly foil stamping emblazoning its cover, and its custom printed dozen presentations Mr. Caveney has made at the conference endpapers are in glorious black and white. The set comes in a over the years. Here you will find delightful chapters devoted to matching slipcase, again covered in hunter green fabric with gold Dante’s Sawing, Selbit’s Bricks (more popularly known as Cube stamping. The paper-lined interior of this slipcase contains a A Libre), Thurston’s Through the Eye of a Needle, The Million special surprise that should bring a knowing smile of admiration Dollar Mystery, and the Del Adelphia Egg Bag, to name just a few. to one’s face. Both volumes are printed on heavy art matte paper To list them all would spoil the surprise of discovering these rare (no doubt of archival quality) and are profusely illustrated with historic recreations on your own. photographs, nearly all of them in full color. These books will This volume is a must-have for any serious student on the appeal even to the most demanding of bibliophiles and clearly il- history of magic, especially those whose focus is on the so-called lustrates why the printed book will never be totally replaced by Golden Age of the craft. I could go on for pages on this set of its electronic counterparts. There is a certain cache – a sense of books. I know I will spend countless hours paging through them gravitas – that only a well produced book can instill that can never for inspiration and guidance as well as rereading my favorite be duplicated in an ebook. passages and chapters.

56 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 These books sold out at MAGIC Live and I suspect they have been revised and are profusely illustrated with photographs remaining volumes won’t last long. This is a once-in-a-lifetime (many of them previously unpublished) or illustrated by the out- publication because it is doubtful it will ever be reprinted or find standing artist and magician James Hodges, a graphic artist of itself willingly released in electronic format. So don’t miss out on whose work I have been a fan of for years. It was a delight to see this historic event. Order yourself a set of this remarkable publica- his illustrations gracing the pages of these books. tion today. You won’t regret it. Volume Two (336 pages) contains the previously published Bloomeries and New Blooms, again revised and accompanied Full Bloom Two-volume Set by many black-and-white photographs and James Hodges’s il- By Gaetan Bloom lustrations. This volume also contains Gaetan’s marketed effects, Available from: KJMagic.com including the workings and additional routines for The Inter- Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies cessor, Escorial Monte, The Escalator, and Mission Impossible. Price $150.00 Anyone who already owns the diabolically clever and extremely useful gimmick The Intercessor will find the chapter devoted to it REVIEW BY PAYNE of particular interest because it contains many routines and sug- gestions for its utilization, including some thought about it by Gaetan Bloom is a standup guy. All Juan Tamariz. right, to be honest he’s a well-rounded This volume concludes with a reprise of previously published performer, because he is also known routines by Mr. Bloom that have appeared in various publica- for his close-up, mentalism, and stage tions over the years and a tribute to Winston Freer, who was a illusions. While there are close-up tremendous inspiration to Gaetan Bloom as well as many other routines, feats of mentalism, and in- magicians. novative stage illusions in these books, The two volumes comprising the work of Gaetan Bloom the majority of the effects in this out- contain over 150 effects, ideas, and routines. The books were standing two-volume set feature effects edited by Todd Karr and produced and released by Kevin James. and routines for the stand-up or cabaret There is simply no reason not to add this once-in-a-lifetime pub- performer – a branch of magic that seems to lication to your magic library. It is destined to become a much have been sadly neglected in the magic litera- sought-after classic text on magic. ture as of late. [Editor’s Note: I’ve been friends with Gaetan Bloom for more I love these books and I know they are going than thirty years, and, having recently purchased a copy of Full to reside at the top of my list of books I’ll spend endless hours Bloom, I wanted to add a few more comments. (I’ve known Mike rereading or just paging through looking for inspiration. Caveney for that same amount of time, but I haven’t purchased And these books are inspiring, indeed. Just thumbing through Wonders yet, in the hopes that in the interim I can build up my them in the dealers’ room at MAGIC Live I saw half a dozen effects upper body strength enough to comfortably read the books.) that immediately piqued my interest. One of which, Gaetan’s I will confess that I have been eagerly awaiting the publication Knife through Arm routine, I included in a recent cabaret perfor- of Full Bloom, ever since I first heard that it was in preparation, mance. I was impressed by how well the routine played for me; it more than five years ago. Gaetan’s remarkable creative ability has will become a permanent part of my repertoire. Needless to say been an inspiration, and I’ve incorporated some of his ideas into I’m eager to see what other of Mr. Bloom’s routines I can add to my own routines. (See Ring Fright and Bloom on your Hand in my performances. Granted, we share certain physical characteris- The Complete Workers Ebook.) The thing about Gaetan’s effects tics and appear to have very compatible performing styles. So his is this: not only will they really, really fool you, but the methods material may shoehorn easier into my performances than most. are so unintuitive that when you discover how they work you will We also both appear to share a love of prop-based effects. marvel that anyone could have come up with them. If you are like me (one of those rare breeds who like to build There are two effects in Full Bloom that completely floored your own props), you’re going to find these books of great interest; me when I first saw them: Quatre and a card prediction using a there are all sort of wonderful and enticing things to build. I’m bottle. As I watched them, I thought to myself, “If this isn’t a gag, looking forward to constructing Quatre (a marvelous mind-read- I have absolutely no idea how this trick could be accomplished. ing effect with a diabolically clever method) and The World’s (Sadly, I had learned the secret of the standing card before I saw it Longest Tube, which looks to be an intriguing filler piece that will performed, and was thus deprived of being completely fooled by fit perfectly into my Steampunk act. it.) I was gob-smacked when I learned the methods – methods that Here are the nuts and bolts. The books are beautifully produced would not have occurred to me if I lived three lifetimes. Be aware, and published by The Miracle Factory, so naturally the volumes however, that while Gaetan does provide all the information of were designed and edited by Todd Karr. They live up to his high how his tricks work, he does not give you all the details on how to standards and attention to detail. He wisely chose to release them construct them; some things you’ll just have to figure out. (Lupe in a two-volume set. With each volume coming in around 400 Nielsen and my wife Lisa built the props needed to do Quatre; pages, they are easier to work with than some of the other, more it took some serious experimentation to get everything to work imposing and weighty tomes The Miracle Factory has previously properly.) Don’t let this dissuade you. If you take the time to build released. these props, you will have effects that will fool anybody. Volume One (400 pages) contains an in-depth and informative There was one trick from the Bloom repertoire that I very interview with Mr. Bloom that was conducted by Mr. Karr. This is much wanted to learn, and I had assumed that Gaetan would keep followed by a treatise on creativity by Mr. Bloom in which he lays this trick to himself. But it’s in the book, and I’m delighted it is. I’d out his creative process and how he sets about finding inspiration tell you which one it is, but what fun would that be? for creating his routines. The rest of this volume is comprised of Let me wrap this up by seconding Payne’s endorsement. Full ten sets of lecture notes released from 1982 to 2006, all of which Bloom contains some of the most creative, original, entertaining,

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 57 and baffling effects I have ever seen, from the imagination of one you’re not morally opposed to the Any Card at Any Number plot. of the most remarkable people I have ever met. It should be in Card workers should check this out. your library.] Magical Things I Really Do Do Too! Book Numbers, Cards…and Time! Book By Christopher A. Manos By Carlos Vinuesa Available from: www.ChristopherManos.com Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies: Price $20.00 Price $35.00 REVIEW BY PAYNE REVIEW BY ANTONIO M. CABRAL This is the fifth book on magic from Mr. I love card magic, and I will defend Manos. I am unfamiliar with his previous to the death any number of plots and works, but if they are anything like the styles that the average magician will volume I just finished reading, they would decry as terrible. And yet, even I’m be worth looking into. getting a little tired of Any Card at Any The cover of Magical Things I Really Number versions. It feels like half the Do Do Too! features a full-color picture of card magic world is still chasing down Mr. Manos surrounded by an array of magic David Berglas’s shadow, producing apparatus artistically Photoshopped in an methods and handlings of a plot that arc above his outstretched hands. We see the other half of the card magic world such classics of magic as a Die Box, a Foo likes to loudly declare they would never Can, a Comedy Funnel, and a Run Rabbit perform for a lay audience. Carlos Run floating about his head. Oddly, however, there are no routines Vinuesa is a Spanish magician who for any of these props included in the book. But don’t let this be a offers up a notebook of ideas on the deterrent to you adding this volume to your library. subject in Numbers, Cards…and Time! If you’re one of those who Included in this manuscript is Mr. Manos’ signature Thought thinks the plot is death on toast for laymen, feel free to skip the Transmitter routine, an effect he performed with great success at book and this review. For the rest of you, Vinuesa’s found some the Denver Playboy Club. It is more or less an electronic version of intriguing meat still left on the bone. the old Eggbeater Trick. But instead of having a spectator employ Vinuesa’s concept reportedly started with the marketed version a hand-crank eggbeater as the mechanism for the transmission of of ACAAN called The Grail. He doesn’t explain the marketed their thought, Mr. Manos uses an electronic device full of lights method, but it’s the jumping-off point for his own. What makes it and sound effects. For the more handy-dandy among us, Mr. intriguing is how much he manages to wring out of it, including a Manos has provided the reader with full schematics and detailed single duplicate card in an otherwise ordinary deck. He starts with descriptions allowing one to easily put one of these devices that simple, basic idea and explores a number of really exciting together for themselves. I see a new addition to my Steampunk possibilities that each make an exciting jumping off point of their program in the near future. own. There are methodological ideas and presentational ideas, all If you enjoy crafting your own unique magic props, The in service of the one trick. At times it can feel like a one-note Binary Box is another effect you can easily assemble from parts solo, but there are some solid card magic concepts for the creative obtained at nearly any Radio Shack. But if you aren’t mechani- magician to run with. One of my favorites is his idea of shifting cally inclined, there are many other effects in the volume that only a small number of cards from the top of the deck to the require no assembly. There is a card trick that fooled Dai Vernon, bottom or vice-versa. To me, it beats the heck out of having to pull a couple of mind-reading effects, and a very commercial Comedy off a full pass at the same moment (sorry, John Born). There are Birthday Cake Production routine that will make you drag out that also some impromptu explorations that apply some of Vinuesa’s old sponge cake and dove pan you have sitting in the bottom of ideas to Simon Aronson’s brilliant UnDo Influence concept that I your magic trunk. might have to start working on. While the effects outlined in this book are unique and novel, The middle part of the book is devoted to explaining an entire the most informative section I found was on Mr. Manos’s approach act based around Vinuesa’s preferred ACAAN handling. It’s a to walk-around magic and making your presence a memorable rather elaborate affair based on Back to the Future that requires experience. He has several interesting anecdotes about his experi- the performer to dress up like Doc Brown from the movie. As ences with walk-around magic and a unique take on its practice. is typically the case with these formal acts, the explanation is He has also included a chapter on magical ephemera that you more of an academic resource than an invitation to try to tackle can use to break the ice or leave with the spectator for them to it yourself. It includes a version of the Collectors that requires a take home. All of these, of course, have your contact information stripper deck, which might be someone’s idea of a good time, and clearly embossed upon them. a handling of the old “horse race” bit with cards that ends with a There are a few ideas that I am going to work on after reading Shuffle-Bored-style progressive prediction (a la Ali Bongo). The this book. I’m sure you will find something of value as well. third part (labeled an Appendix) offers the very enticing prospect of obtaining a duplicate of a freely chosen card without fumbling Anatomy of Misdirection Book with a card index. By Joe Bruno I call this a “notebook” because it’s written in an exploratory Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies style, and while you may never perform anything out of the book Price $25.00 as written as a polished routine, if you’re a creative card worker you’ll really like a lot of what this book has to offer. That is, if REVIEW BY JIM KLEEFELD

58 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Joe Bruno has written a thoroughly ness the concept of mind reading as engaging book on misdirection used high end entertainment. He achieved in magic, carefully analyzing and a level of celebrity equal to the best examining the various facets of the known authors, artists, musicians, and principle. He has just released a revised politicians of his day. He was frequent- and updated anniversary edition in ly a guest on shows for all the major book form (those are the things with networks, both as a performer and a pages that you have to read). Although celebrity. His effects, known as Brain it is slim, the eighty-four pages speak Busters, routinely received national volumes about techniques that can coverage. Dunninger broke all of the help performances. rules touted by today’s mentalists. He Bruno has carefully categorized peppered his performances with magic different types of misdirection such tricks and escapes and often used as Distraction, Diversion, and Relax- playing cards. In fact, for a period of ation, and then further subdivided each into techniques. For each time, he held an exclusive license on Dai Vernon’s Brainwave one, he cites an explanation about the type of action it involves, Deck. He wore his persona 24/7 and turned moments as mundane and gives an example or two of ways to use it. For most styles as parking violations into inches of publicity and press. He was of misdirection, he further elucidates by teaching a clear trick or the gold standard of his time, and he warrants our attention as a routine in which one could use that method of misdirection. Many teacher for the next generation. The lessons to be learned from of these are original and clever tricks for which you might buy the studying his work are rarified in their power and, until recently, book even without the psychology behind them. were the exclusive provenance of a secretive few. He covers typical examples of misdirection in stand-up ma- Joseph Atmore is the reigning authority on the work and life nipulation acts, children’s shows, table-hopping, and sit-down of Joseph Dunninger. His obsession has brought him into contact card work, so there is something important in the book for just with many of the people who worked with Dunninger and knew about every performance style and venue. You might find yourself him best. He has amassed an incredible collection of ephemera tempted to learn and use the props and tricks he gives as examples, that includes reviews, advertising, letters, and most fortunately as most of them are clever enough to add to your repertoire even if dozens of the production scripts from Dunninger’s television you were not interested in the misdirection principle behind them. specials, as well as access to rare footage from the shows them- If you think you know misdirection, you probably don’t, at selves. Atmore previously authored the book Dunninger’s Brain least not anywhere nearly as well as Bruno describes it. This is Busters and he has performed internationally as Dunninger in his an outstanding book with clear explanations of efficient ways to recreation of Dunninger’s radio show. His obsession led him to make your magic better. Bruno explains how causing a distraction pen a series of articles as Dunninger himself, speaking to contem- – waving your right hand so they will not look at your left – may porary performers. Previously available only to members of the work in some routines but not others. He gives examples of when P.E.A., Atmore has included all ten columns. His understanding using Relaxation – doing the secret move on an offbeat – works to of Dunninger’s techniques has made him a desirable consultant to your advantage and when it detracts. Whether you are a part-time mentalists performing on television worldwide, and as such he has hobbyist, a seasoned amateur, or a veteran full-time pro, I am been a regular member of Uri Geller’s team for the Phenomenon certain you will learn something worthwhile about putting more TV series. magic into your magic. I’ve saved a spoiler until the end here. The Dunninger Knows is a collection of the television specials “anniversary” I mentioned above is thirty-five years. The original and series scripts. In cases where scripts are absent, Atmore book was written in 1978. If you did not get any sense of the has researched and pieced together the contents of the programs material being dated from the earlier paragraphs, good. Anatomy from press releases, reviews, and other accounts. The existing of Misdirection reads as current and fresh today as it did when it scripts are very detailed in regard to camera angles, close-ups, was first published. The analysis still stands, and the facts are still comedy bits, and dialogue. Only the methods for Dunninger’s true. Get it. Read it. Use it. Brain Busters themselves are absent. Neither Dunninger nor his invisible man, David Lustig, ever tipped his hand. Atmore and a Dunninger Knows Book team of noted contemporary international mentalists have banded By Joseph Atmore together to proffer their solutions as to how the effects were done. Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Contributors include Max Maven, Richard Osterlind, Marc Paul, Price: $70.00 and Jan Bardi. Attention is paid to offering solutions that would have been available to Dunninger in his time, as well as methods REVIEW BY JOSHUA KANE available to contemporary performers. In addition to compelling effects and potential methods, Dunninger Knows by Joseph Atmore may be the most exciting the book contains valuable lessons in publicity, showmanship, mentalism tome published this year. If you are a magic historian scripting, and persona. Mentalism often plays less effectively than or a working professional, or you aspire to be one, you need this magic due to its lack of strong visuals. The props of the mentalist book. Within its 398 pages and perfect-bound, glossy covers are are often insignificant papers and envelopes. Despite these limita- the secrets that could make you a star. tions, Dunninger’s work thrilled a nation on radio. His shows were No mentalist in history has garnered more publicity and rec- scripted, the guests were lively, and all involved were enthusiastic ognition than Joseph Dunninger. He was a success on radio and in their delivery. More important, Dunninger employed the same television, and filled the largest theaters. There is not a mentalist scene painting techniques with descriptive language that made working today, including Kreskin and Derren Brown, who does Shakespeare’s bare stage transform into battlefields and distant not owe him a debt for establishing in the collective conscious- realms. We learn from the scripts that he carried these techniques

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 59 over to his television work, imbuing them with the ability to be because it mars an otherwise great performer, great ideas, and a enjoyed by those watching as well as those who were out of view. typically well-produced and beautifully shot EMC DVD produc- There are no DVDS of Dunninger’s television series; only a tion. few of the surviving episodes have been digitized to date, and Having said that, there is some superlative original and classic those are not publicly available. This book is the most authorita- magic on these DVDs. The first DVD is dedicated to a very good tive glimpse we have into Dunninger’s television work. parlor performance of five stand-up routines. One of the high- lights of this act for me is MagoMigue’s Bill in Lemon, in which Allegro 4-DVD Set every member of the audience has a lemon, one of which is even- By MagoMigue tually chosen. It’s an incredible idea to involve the entire room Available from: www.essentialmagiccollection.com in the routine. Another highlight is his Silver Prestige, a heavily Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies gaffed Coins to Glass that nevertheless is proven in performance Price $150.00 to be worth the effort. And MagoMigue’s Card to Pocket, the offending gag aside, is a joy to watch if only for how he still REVIEW BY ANTONIO M. CABRAL manages to execute the necessary palms despite two audience members charged with holding his wrists. His performance skills Miguel Puga – MagoMigue – is are certainly not in question. probably unknown to many American Disc 4 contains the first-ever explanation of MagoMigue’s magicians, even after his Genii cover award-winning FISM act, and indeed what appears to be his first feature this past February and his performance of the act since Den Haag. It’s his version of Hofzin- FISM First Prize for Card Magic in ser’s Omnipotence of The Ladies, and much like Silver Prestige, 2003. He’s certainly well-known in is gaffed to the gills to produce some very lovely magic. This his native Spain, where he’s studied routine is worth study more for academic purposes; not only is with and befriended the likes of Juan this a very individual performance, I doubt the average magician Tamariz, Arturo de Ascanio, and would bother cobbling together all the necessary gaffs to pull Miguel Aparicio. He’s a tremendous the darn thing off. This disc also includes routines from some performer: engaging, funny, energetic, of Puga’s FISM acts past: a very good All Backs routine and two and fooling. He’s the sort of performer coin routines. whose pet secrets are intriguing, and whose approaches The other two discs are individual routines, some with regular to well-tread standards are top shelf. Allegro, one of the newest cards and some “with props,” that is to say, with gaffs. Standouts offerings from Luis de Matos’s Essential Magic Collection, is an here include his Card in Glass, which is a bold piece designed abundant collection of MagoMigue’s routines and ideas. Needless for impromptu bar or party performance. Find someone who isn’t to say, I enjoyed it very much. However, I really wanted to enjoy going to mind you springing a whole deck of cards at them and you it more. have a miracle. In the gaffed card section, he explores his afore- I understand the dangers of bringing a provincial, Anglo-cen- mentioned Shadow Cards, which are an application of black art to tric viewpoint to an international offering such as this. I know close-up table magic. Despite dating back to The Art of Magic, it’s enough magicians from across the Atlantic to know that many of an under-explored area of close-up that MagoMigue manages to the ideas I associate with and credit to American magicians have wring some very intriguing applications from; his FISM act relies cropped up in Europe independently, and in a few cases before heavily on them, for example. their American counterparts. Having said that, there were more The video is top quality, as to be expected from EMC by now. than a few moments in Allegro when I was waiting for a credit (or Not being a native English speaker, MagoMigue gives himself two at the very least some acknowledgement) that never came. Some I chances with each trick: the explanations in very good English could chalk up to oversight, as in MagoMigue’s use of Lee Asher’s and segments dubbed “TICSIE – Things I Can’t Say in English.” Asher Twist in his FISM act and in a very pretty Ace assembly. He Along the way he explains some extremely useful techniques obviously knows where he got the move, because at one point he that any card student will appreciate. In particular his skill with offhandedly refers to it as “the Asher move.” But in explaining it choreographing palms, steals, ditches, and switches is well worth he leaps right into “you do like this” without any announcement studying, because many of them will fly by laymen and magicians or acknowledgement. alike in performance. More distressing is his version of what he calls The Frog and The tricky part now is whether or not I can recommend The Prince, which he refers to as if it’s a standard, classical plot; an otherwise outstanding DVD offering with so many awful as far as I’m aware, it’s the brainchild of Michael Close. Aside crediting/acknowledgement slips. On the one hand, it sets a bad from utilizing what he calls his Shadow Cards, MagoMigue’s example and does disservice to some excellent magicians who version is nearly identical to Close’s, and Close isn’t even name deserve better. On the other hand, it does the same disservice to checked. The frog card fold is described as being popularized by MagoMigue, a tremendous magician who deserves better than to Bob Neale. This could be a case of independent invention, but be lashed to these kinds of mistakes. Caveat emptor, sadly. it feels like extremely sloppy research. Most egregious was the inclusion of a slow-motion presentational gag in his otherwise de- Building Your Own Illusions 6-DVD Set lightful parlor performance of Carlyle’s Card to Pocket. This gag, By Gerry Frenette as far as I know, belongs to David Copperfield and Chris Kenner. Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies And Luis de Matos is complicit, playing the role of the slow-mo- Price $150.00 tion assistant. MagoMigue even sings the Chariots of Fire theme during it. There were other moments that I would typically chalk REVIEW BY JIM KLEEFELD up to different cultural experience, language problems, or simple oversight that seem that much worse in this context. It’s a shame, Magic Makers has been a major force in illusion building

60 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 for many years. They have from start to finish. You see the materials being laid out, pieces built a great many success- screwed together, layers built up, and painting and fabric applied ful illusions, including – right up to the finished product. Of course, it takes many hours standard and original to actually build the props, so you do not see every minute of designs. Owner Gerry construction. But in each video he leapfrogs step by step as Frenette has undertaken you watch it take shape. This brings me to my only niggling a massive effort to film a complaint: throughout the course, except for the specific section complete course on how on power tools, Frenette skips lightly over safety. He shows a face to build illusions. This shield that you should wear for safety, but dons it only once. He six-disc set has thirteen tells you to wear noise suppression ear gear, but then grinds a hours of video on almost every metal part without putting them on. He often uses a power drill facet of illusion building you would vertically while holding two thin pieces together with his bare ever need to know. hands. Overall, not enough is made of protection and care during Anyone who has any interest in building an his actual construction sections. I personally know two experi- illusion, seeing how illusions are built, or buying an illusion from enced magic craftsmen who lost fingers in the shop and one who another builder, should buy this set and watch it for the valuable developed lung disease from shop fumes. Granted, Frenette is an tips and information. Even if your shop work consists of making experienced builder who knows how to keep himself safe, but in a Square Circle or Bunny Box now and then, there is much to be this course for the Everyman, there should have been more about learned here. If you never plan to buy or build any illusions, you push sticks, exhaust fans, and blade guards. may still find it valuable to learn more about the craft in order to The sixth disc in the set is not a DVD, but a CD with a handful better enjoy watching performances of illusions. For anyone who of prop photos and illusion plans (actually “sketches”). It’s a nice has, makes, or even repaints small props, there are a lot of good afterthought, but not vital, as all of the still material is included in tips in the psychology of deception. One of my favorite parts is the videos at some point. when Frenette shows photos of other builders’ poorly painted or It was a massive undertaking for me to watch this entire course badly designed illusions in order to demonstrate how small details in order to write this review, and I’m on a deadline so I had to do can ruin the deceptiveness of a design. so over a short period of time. I will go back later and watch it Each disc is comprised of several reasonable and sequential again slowly. I strongly recommend that you watch a section at a segments that vary in length depending on the topic covered. To time and leave a day or two in between, so you can think about teach you about building, he begins at the beginning, assuming and absorb the information. Frenette moves quickly and covers a little and walking you through virtually every step of creation, lot, so if you do not concentrate, you may miss an important piece from the selection of tools and materials, to complete instruc- of advice. I’ve been a builder for most of my life and have created tions for building major illusions. On Disc 1, there is a thirty- dozens of magic props in my wood shop, but I still picked up many minute segment on hand tools, forty-five minutes on the wide good pointers in even the seemingly elementary sections. Would variety of hardware you may encounter, an hour-long section on you have thought to make an expanding load section that alters different types of materials, and more. Disc 2 has thorough video how an illusion looks when it is empty? Or adding a fifth caster to tutorials on power tools, fabrics, mirrors, roller blinds, trap doors, an illusion that needs to revolve? Or using a wallpaper border as casters and more. In almost every case, he shows you the tools, a design element? Don’t skip over some part by its title, because explains their function, and then uses them on a piece so you can even if you have quite a bit of experience, you are bound to learn see exactly how to apply the principles of building. Frenette even something you did not know. tips names and sources for many of the hard-to-find cabinetry I found this set highly informative and very entertaining. Gerry hardware illusion builders need. He tells you where to get the Frenette holds nothing back and teaches a life’s worth of valuable parts you won’t find at Home Depot. building techniques. It is a most useful product for builders of Disc 3 has extended sections on mechanics and electronics. any type as well as anyone who just wants to learn more about These sections in particular seemed to focus mainly on a few illusions. The Building Your Own Illusions video course will of Frenette’s own ideas and principles that he used for a couple not teach you how to be a better performer, or where to find a of specific functions. These areas are less helpful than the more beautiful and flexible assistant, but it’s a no-brainer purchase for generic ones on, for example, painting or metal work, because anyone who builds any magic of any size. not every illusion would need these ideas implemented. You may never use a remote solenoid or a double-lever release system. But Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks Volume 2 DVD you do learn some useful mechanical principles, and it is interest- Produced by Big Blind Media ing to see his thinking behind the small elements that make an Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies illusion work. Price $30.00 Disc 4 is all about deceptive design. While it is vital to this course, this section is not as well scripted or as well edited as REVIEW BY MARC DESOUZA others. There is a lot of video of Frenette talking to you and showing you his computer while he tools around looking for In this review I will not argue the validity of the phrase “self- pictures of prop designs to share. In the end, though, the elements working card tricks.” I would rather state that these are card tricks of design come across and are a necessary part of the building that require no overt secret manipulation of playing cards, in other process. This may be the most important information in the set, words, no sleight of hand is required. That description certainly because it will help you understand how to increase the level of fits the bill for the nine effects taught on this DVD; however, deception in whatever you build. there are times when the addition of a minor amount of sleights Disc 5 has three videos, each almost an hour, that show will benefit the effect. This is mentioned in the course of a few Frenette in his shop actually building three separate illusions of the descriptions on this disc and it is advice to be heeded.

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 61 More important, although you bottom of each pile. I think this is a fine effect due to the theme won’t require physical skill, and very random-appearing procedures used. Roy Walton’s Blind you will need to use some Choice finishes off the set. This is an unusual effect reminiscent mental skills for a few of of Out of This World, but with very different conditions. The deck these, as well as being is shuffled and four cards are dealt to each of five participants. able to present them in an They look at the cards and remove one, which is then tabled. The entertaining manner. cards are dealt in an apparently random manner and the reds and This DVD has been blacks pair up. It is a bit confusing with lots of procedure – not produced by Big Blind something I would use, but you may feel differently. Roy Walton Media and has a number of is a brilliant creator of card magic, but this is not one of his better magicians in their “stable” of efforts. regular presenters such as Liam So, what’s the bottom line? There are three effects that I would Montier, Iain Moran, James Went, use, three effects that I wouldn’t ever use, and three that I could and others, joined by lone “Yank” Ryan see trying out in an informal situation. Is there a benefit from Schlutz, performing and teaching the effects. The learning these from a video format as opposed to reading them in audience is a trio of attractive young ladies whose reactions seem a book? No, not really, but seeing them actually being performed appropriate to the performances. The video and audio are very might convince you that they are better tricks than if you had read clear and the teaching is excellent. them in a book or magazine. If you were to buy the books that The nine effects presented are mostly out of the realm of what contained the best three tricks here, you would probably pay more would normally be found in such a series. In fact, there is only than you will for this DVD, but you will get more great tricks from one effect (Jim Steinmeyer’s Password Fallacy) that I have seen in those creators. Perhaps it would be best to look at this DVD as a more than one place before. The disc starts off with Jack McMil- sampler. Seeing a good trick on here might convince you that you lan’s Mind Mirror, originally published in Expert Card Technique. should seek out more of that creator’s work, though you shouldn’t This is a baffling, very clean-looking impossible card revela- judge the incredible body of work of either Bannon or Walton by tion that requires a very simple set-up and is so easy to perform. the effects found on this disc. As such, this disc works very well. Cameron Francis’s Converge follows; it is a version of the popular You also get a few cool tricks that you can and will perform for ACAAN plot. This requires two decks that are stacked and, quite your friends and even a paying audience or two…tricks that won’t truthfully, is a bit convoluted for my tastes. I am a fan of Francis’s have you busting your fingers doing difficult sleights. work, but this is not one of his best. Contrast this with John Guas- taferro’s Stock Exchange, a very clear and direct plot, despite the Lotto Square Trick “process” involved to get to the finish. This is a fine prediction By Leo Smetsers effect involving two cards in which it seems like all of the cutting Available from: www.alakazam.co.uk and exchanging procedure is very hands off. The separation of Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies the deck into reds and blacks comes as a complete surprise, but it Price $46.66 would be even better not to reveal the condition of the deck and go into your favorite version of Out Of This World. REVIEW BY DAVID GOODSELL Ryan Schlutz presents his own Sense-Sational, an impos- sible location of three cards. This was actually the first effect I It is a good bet that most of saw of Schlutz’s several years ago when it was sold as a separate you have parted with a buck download. The cards are chosen by three different methods and or two to buy a lotto ticket the revelations are done in three different ways. It is an excellent at your local convenience trick for the right situation. I am a big fan of John Bannon’s work. store. You’ve taken a coin His effect Poker Paradox is presented next. This is an effect and scratched off the in which all of the court cards are in random order, yet they opaque covering to see if magically become matched pairs. I feel this is one of Bannon’s you have a lucky number. weaker efforts and the effect is not really much of anything. Peter You didn’t? You are not alone. Duffie’s Four Most follows and is my favorite effect of the set. It Leo Smetsers has come up with a is a really different looking Spectator Cuts the Aces effect with dandy trick combining the fun of great audience interaction. Essentially, the cards are dealt to the the lottery with the mystery of the table and each of the spectators calls stop and drops a folded dollar magic square. It can clearly be done on bill on the packet. The deck is spread to reveal an Ace next to each stage, but the version of Lotto Square released bill – a blockbuster effect and really fun. by Alakazam Magic UK is designed for close-up or The Steinmeyer trick is presented next, which is a handling of parlor work, even one on one. his Nine Card Trick. This has been seen before, but it is a very good Here is how it looks: The performer hands a spectator a small trick for casual performance. It is really puzzling and gets people envelope containing a card. The spectator then selects a two-digit thinking. Ryan Matney’s Amara Rises Again is a Matching Cards number, which can be found in any of several ways as described type of effect, but with an archeological presentation. A card is in the DVD instructions. The performer tells the spectator that the placed into the box, or tomb, as a prediction. The spectator deals number selected is his or her lucky number, and to prove it, the the cards into three piles in a very fair manner. Each pile is used to spectator is instructed to take out the envelope and remove what reveal the card’s color, suit, and whether it is a king or queen. This turns out to be a lotto card. The spectator is reminded that the utilizes the down/under deal, which is reasonably justified by the number selected is a lucky number, and is asked to use a coin to presentation. The card in the box is shown to match what the piles scratch off the opaque covering on the sixteen lotto numbers. The revealed. The blow-off has the remaining Queens appearing at the spectator does so, but points out that the number is not so lucky

62 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 after all. It is not one of the sixteen numbers. Shake and Bake is a change that has you fan about half the The performer begs to differ, and shows the spectator that all pack, and then put a card under the fan sticking out about halfway. four rows add up to the lucky number, as do all four columns, In the process of shaking the fan up and down the projecting card as do the corner numbers, and well over twenty combinations of changes. I felt that Brandon and Michael were stretching a bit to numbers on the card – pretty lucky after all! come up with uses for the tools, but I want to emphasize that I This is a lovely routine that works itself after you have forced would feel like I got my money’s worth if the DVD only taught the one of four numbers. The DVD comes with sixty lotto cards, fifteen Tear Change and the one routine. You get a great deal more than for each of the four force numbers. How do you force one of the that, and these ideas may inspire you to create other effects with numbers? Host Peter Nardi and creator/performer Leo Smetsers these utility moves. I liked this project very much and think that discuss several ways to force numbers, including the Prophecy any serious card worker will also. Force using a deck of cards and the “Toxic” Calculator force using a Smartphone calculator app. In fact, nearly forty minutes of the Celestial Mechanics DVD forty-five-minute DVD are devoted to forces and ways of carrying By Dave Davies and Alakazam Magic the force cards. Less than ten minutes are needed to describe the Available from: www.alakazam.com.uk method of the trick; that is how simple it is to work the lotto cards. Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Don’t overlook Smetsers’s comments about saving the lotto card Price $30.95 (DVD), $21.16 (streaming version) for when a spectator actually names a force number on his own, without the force. He often uses another Magic Square routine REVIEW BY DANNY ARCHER instead of the lotto card when a force number is not named, pre- ferring to wait for the miracle of the lucky number. The UK’s David Davies is the One small downside is that this is Lotto, and while none of the talent for this offering from sixteen numbers match the “lucky number,” it has been described Alakazam Magic. This is not as being lucky. Where is the prize? A worthwhile investment a trick DVD; it focuses on would be to provide a quarter for the spectator to use to scratch the moves, cuts, and flourishes numbers on the card, and then leave the quarter with the spectator (think Dan and Dave Buck at the conclusion of the routine. style). This is very technical material to film and teach The Changes DVD and David and Alakazam have By Michael “Six” Muldoon and Brandon Williams done a fantastic job in instruct- Available from: www.System6Magic.com ing, filming, and editing. There Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies are over twenty different cuts and Price $29.95 moves explained; I will mention a few of my favorites. Sideswipe is a cut followed REVIEW BY NORMAN BECK by a four-card revelation – very pretty and within the skill set of most people. Kolyvagin is a rotating multi-packet cut This is a DVD that runs ninety that is beautiful to watch. Harlequin takes Chris Kenner’s Sybil minutes. During that time you are taught flourish and pushes it to the limits. Snapparition has a card appear two color changes and eight routines that from a squared up deck with a finger snap. It’s the wrong card but use the moves. I liked half of this it magically changes into the selection. Burst has the performer project a great deal, and the holding packets in both hands; one packet changes into the other half not as much. But I selected card. Unstoppable Steel Tendon Form is a jaw-dropping still liked it more than most four-of-a-kind production that is not for the faint of heart. of what I see these days. Except for the card revelations and productions, the rest of the I want to meet Brandon material is cuts and flourishes. Some of the cuts are completely Williams; I know that I false, while others maintain the top stock only. All the moves and would like him. The second flourishes are very visual and expertly performed. This kind of guy I think I would like as flourishy card handling is not for everyone’s performing style or well, but know I would like skill level. Depending on how long you have been in magic, you Brandon. (Not that they should care.) The DVD features a move probably have developed a style that works for you. It is more called the Tear Change and another called Shake and Bake. The likely that the material on this DVD will appeal to the younger Tear Change has some angle issues, but let me say that when spec- performers who already are familiar with this style of flashy tators are where they need to be, it looks great. In the process of magic and card handling. How you choose to handle cards and tearing a playing card in half it visibly changes into a different how much skill you want to display is a personal decision that card. each of us must make. If this type of magic is your style, then I can My favorite use for the Tear Change is a routine in which the enthusiastically recommend Celestial Mechanics to you. If this is magician writes a prediction on the back of a playing card and not your style, there are still a few moves that could be of interest then has a card selected. The prediction turns out to be wrong, so to you. Either way I look forward to seeing more from this very the magician tears the card in half after failing. For the finish, he talented performer. puts the pieces in the spectator’s hand; when the spectator lines the pieces up, the writing has changed and is now correct. I think Wedge DVD and Gimmick this idea is fresh and entertaining, as well as unexpected. I liked By Jesse Feinberg it a bunch. The other three routines are good, but this one really Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies impressed me. Price $34.95

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 63 REVIEW BY JAMIE SALINAS Sharpie marker pen cap. When I first heard about this product, I was very excited to get Do you have a deck of cards on you right now, it. After using it in live performances using the routine taught on or is there one within reach? Chances the DVD by Spence Wood, I found that it plays well, but it seems are that if you answered yes to be out of place to follow the Omni Deck effect. For me, this is to either one or both of these not as strong as the deck transformation. Revealing that the pen questions, you might be a “vanished” first and then revealing the deck worked better for me. serious card worker. Whether Craig Petty and Mathew Youngs each teach routines using just or not you are a serious card the marker in which it vanishes and reappears several times until worker, you may want to take it finally transforms into the clear Sharpie marker. As a stand- a look at this effect, because alone piece, this is a nice flourish-type routine with a kicker it will add some variety to ending. This product is well made, the tricks well taught, and the your card magic. prop comes with some good solid routines. If you are looking for The effect is simple. You something different and novel to add to your close-up magic then open a pack of cards and remove you will want to take a look at this effect. This is a very good buy a variety of small items such as a small for the strolling or close-up magician. Sharpie and a box of mints, a die, etc. After several items are removed (leading your audience to believe that Gerti DVD and Gimmick there are not any cards in the case), you show the box to be com- By Romanos pletely full with a complete pack of cards filling the entire box. Available from: www.PenguinMagic.com When you finish removing all of the items, you are left with a pack Dealers contact Penguin Magic of cards ready to begin your card work. Price $20.00 The gimmick is well made and should last a long time. There is a small set-up that you will have to do before you can perform REVIEW BY JAMIE SALINAS Wedge, but it is a simple process. The gimmick comes ready to use with a Bicycle deck. You can customize your gimmick to use Looking for a quick close-up with other packs of cards as well. Jesse walks you through the mentalism interlude that fits entire process of getting your gimmick ready to use, and provides in your pocket and seems un- several performance tips. prepared? If so, you may want I like the fact that you end clean and that there are no funny to take a look at this offering or suspicious moves. Although you can use this up close or in from Romanos. This DVD with stand-up venues, you will have to watch your angles when per- included gimmick will provide forming this effect. If you want to add some variety to your card you with a quick effect that work and still be able to perform your favorite card routines, this appears to be totally impromptu. may be for you. The set includes a DVD and a gimmicked coin that will allow you to perform a lie detector Omni Pen DVD and Gimmick effect using coins, or to know which of three coins is in each of a Available from: www.WorldMagicShop.com spectator’s hands. The set comes in American, European, or UK Dealers contact World Magic Shop versions. For this review, I received the American version, which Price $31.50 includes a gimmicked quarter. The effect begins when two coins (both quarters) are handed to a spectator who is then asked to REVIEW BY JAMIE SALINAS mark either one with a marker. The performer then looks away as the spectator places one coin in the magician’s hand and holds Jerry Andrus and Danny the other coin. Both the magician and spectator keep their hands Korem created the classic Omni closed. Deck card effect in which a pack The magician then asks the spectator a series of questions to of cards turn into a clear solid which they have been instructed to provide the same answer each block. There have been many time. After the series of questions and responses, the magician great routines and ideas on how to knows who has the marked coin. In another variation, three use this prop in your card magic. coins are used. In the three-coin version, the dates on the coins World Magic Shop has created are shown to be different, the coins are mixed by the spectator, a companion effect (which can and one is kept in the spectator’s closed hand while the other two also be used by itself) in which are placed in the magician’s closed hands without the magician the marker used to sign a selected looking. Without any hands opened, the magician is able to reveal card “vanishes” by turning into a solid, clear plastic marker. the dates of the coins in each hand. This is a well produced item. The DVD, packaging, and the After opening the package and removing the gimmicked coin, prop itself are very well made. The clear Omni Pen looks great. I was able to spot the gimmick right away. My concern was that It is made of a crystal clear plastic material. The cap is removable spectators would spot this as well, but after a few days of handling and there are two labels included to complete the clear Sharpie the gimmicked coin, the gimmick became a lot less noticeable. marker. The instructions are easy to follow even for a beginning The DVD instructions are very clear and easy to follow, so I took performer. I am, however, concerned that the clip on the cap of the the gimmicked coin out for a test run and during my initial trial clear Sharpie could break off if flexed too much or often, as the run, a couple of spectators did in fact spot the gimmicked coin clear plastic does not seem as soft or flexible as the clip on a real during the performance of the three coins routine. The lie detector

64 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 themed routine is, in my opinion, the better of the two effects not his actions. The last thing you want is for someone to leave because it hides the method much better. The focus is not on the thinking something along the lines of, “Maybe that same card coins themselves. shows up every time someone moves three cards to the bottom There is some danger of the spectator discovering the gimmick, of the pile.” but through the right presentation this can be overcome. And over At the reasonable price, this is a good effect with some curious time the gimmick has become less obvious. This is a clever idea and interesting props. It is not for every occasion, but then, what and the lie detector themed routine is a lot of fun to perform. This magic routine is? If you are fond of antiquarian or bizarre magic will not be your closing effect but is an interesting concept and routines, check out Gemini Artifacts and The Nine Circles. does get strong reactions with a good presentation. Priced at just $20 this is something to be considered for the close-up performer Inferno Trick who enjoys a bit of mentalism off the cuff. By Joshua Jay Available from: www.VanishingIncMagic.com The Nine Circles Bizarre Effect Dealers contact Vanishing Inc. By Vic Nadata Price $30.00 Available from: www.GeminiArtifacts.com Dealers contact Gemini Artifacts REVIEW BY PAYNE Price $35.00 Inferno is yet another version of the classic B’ Wave. So un- REVIEW BY JIM KLEEFELD doubtedly you’re asking yourself “does the world really need another version of B’ Wave?” The answer of course is, “no, the Vic Nadata has been designing and creating bizarre and world does not need another version of B’ Wave.” But as we all arcane props and routines for years, often along with Rick Roth of know, there is a difference between need and want, and I definite- Outlaw-Effects. He recently launched his own product line called ly want. And I definitely want this version of the classic B’ Wave Gemini Artifacts that carries a couple of dozen props, books, and in my repertoire. Mr. Jay has moved this tried-and-true plot from routines that range from a high-end Spirit Table to small packet a puzzling little card trick into the realm of theatre. Practitioners card effects. The Nine Circles is among the latter. You get nine of bizarre magic are going to love this one. The provided routine, excellently produced cards and several fully realized routines. At while straightforward and direct, is full of untapped presentation- 3½ by 5 inches, the cards are much larger than playing cards and al potential. But here is what you get. about four times as thick. They have an ancient mystical design A matchbox from the Inferno Bar and Restaurant is brought and are skillfully antiqued so as to look genuinely old and worn. out and three matches are removed from it. These are handed out They come in a rich-looking black velvet drawstring bag. to three spectators to hold. The magician then announces that These nine cards each bear a Gustaf Dore print illustrating an imaginary deck of cards is going to be burned. A match is the nine circles of Hell (from Dante’s Divine Comedy). These taken from each spectator as they choose a group of cards to be are dark subjects such as Treachery, Lust, Wrath, and Heresy. immolated. Remarkably, Mr. Jay has worked out an equivoque The spectator merely thinks of one, moves a few cards around sequence that, in three very direct and natural sounding questions, according to your instructions, and you have secretly obtained gets you down from an entire deck of cards to that all important knowledge of which “circle” he has chosen. You can flip his card one Queen. In my opinion, this feat alone is worth the price of the over to prove your divination, or reveal it through a personality trick. reading. Be careful, though; you can go too far if you claim that After the last match is ignited the spectator is asked which your subject is doomed to spend all eternity in Hell because his Queen she wishes to save from the flames. The matchbox is then main personality trait is Greed. handed to the spectator and she is asked to open it and pour the Along with the well-crafted cards, you get a thorough PDF contents onto the magician’s empty palm. A single charred and booklet of instructions that walks you through the method and folded card is deposited on the performer’s hand. The paper clip several routines. You also get a second PDF with a trilogy of is removed and the card unfolded. It, of course, matches the spec- Dante’s works including Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. These tator’s choice. However, unlike most B’ Wave derivatives, this are helpful in understanding the various levels of the afterlife as card can be handed out for inspection because the gaffed cards Dante describes them. Of course, if you are familiar with the normally employed are not required in this version of the effect. Alighieri cantos, you may not have to re-read them. As you might expect, that means that Inferno requires a minor This is a dark and bizarre set of props for those perform- amount of sleight of hand. But these moves are made all the easier ing serious adult séances, not a quick and casual surprise at by the cleverly crafted partially burned cards. To explain it further Wednesday pub night. The several routines are clever, but will would tip the method. Trust me, Mr. Jay must have spent many a take a bit of acting and selling to come across without seeming night working out the precise shape of these custom crafted cards, trivial. On the other hand, you may want to be careful where you which are made by Card-Shark, a company known for their clever choose to use these, because some people are true believers in and finely produced playing cards and packet tricks. the curious and may take you or their future in Hell at face value. For those of you who might be put off by sleight of hand or If you do want to have someone decide his fate by choosing a who are just staunch traditionalists, Mr. Jay has supplied, at no circle of Hell, these are the props that will work. Just be careful to additional expense, a set of traditionally indexed B’ Wave cards read the routines thoroughly and practice your script. The method that make this effect nearly self working. It will still require one requires that your spectator listen to and follow your instructions very easy to pull off sleight that is well within the grasp of nearly in moving some cards about. Without a good script, this can feel everyone, especially since it takes place on an offbeat. The price mechanical and mathematical. You want to be sure that your you pay for this ease of handling version is, of course, the fact that phrasing and pacing reflect a casualness to the movements, and the card can’t be cleanly shown or casually handed out after the that the participant remembers his emotions during the routine, presentation. But at least you have a choice.

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 65 You get nearly everything you need: two matchboxes (one for key to a stooge in your audience after the fashion of whichever now, another to use when the first one wears out), the required popular TV magician you’re currently trying to emulate. cards, and two teeny, tiny paper clips that you might want to trade If you’re thinking of adding this feat to your current arsenal, out for something a little easier to handle, especially if you have then you should also order an extra bit of bravado. You are going big ham-shaped hands as I do. All that is missing are the matches, to need a healthy belly full of it so as not to show a morsel of fear which are easy for most people to come by, but a pain in the neck while waving a clearly gimmicked key about. If you suffer at all to send through the post. Inferno comes with a well produced and from magician’s guilt, this is definitely not the trick for you. easy to follow instructional DVD that carefully takes you through For those of you who have presentation issues with linking a each stage of the routine. The angles are good and the reset is key onto a rubber band for no apparent reason other than simply quick; if you watch your angles, the reset can even be done in “because you can,” the DVD features a bonus routine showing front of spectators. A well-routined ditch is required, and you you how to link the key to a spectator’s necklace. However, this don’t end completely clean, but that’s a small price to pay for an requires a very specific type of necklace with a super fine chain. effect as strong as this. While Mr. Rorrison claims this sort of bauble is quite common in Inferno was a sellout hit at MAGIC Live and is going to become his homeland of England, I have never seen this type of necklace my favorite version of B’ Wave, as I’m sure it will become one of in the States. But then I haven’t been looking all that hard either. yours. Also included on the DVD is an effect in which you can quite visibly link a spectator’s house key back onto their key ring as LinKey Trick long as their key matches the one you’ve previously gimmicked. By Alan Rorrison For most this will be the type of effect that seems to be quite Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies popular these days: one that you’ll show around to all your Price $29.95 coworkers and chums, but which will then find itself on the bottom of your discarded and unused magic drawer. However, there will REVIEW BY PAYNE be a handful of magi that will find other uses for this prop besides just linking it to a rubber band. Supposedly if you buy two, you Imagine taking an ordinary house key can link the gimmicked keys together. At least that’s what Mr. and a regular rubber band and then, Rorrison claims on the instructional DVD. after having them examined by What you get for your money is a well produced instruction- the audience, linking them al DVD, a gimmicked key, and a matching blank. The keys are together in an open and strik- uncut. So to make them look like your house key you’ll have to ingly visual manner. take them to a hardware store and have them cut. Unless of course Unfortunately, with you can come up with a good story line as to why you keep an LinKey you will only be able uncut blank key on your keychain. to imagine such a scenario. Yes, I know the ads for this Reconnect DVD feat proclaim that “both can be By Marcus Eddie inspected before and after the Available from: www.themagicdesign.com magic happens.” And while that is Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies what the audience might take away from Price $25.00 the experience, you should know that the key they examine is not the key that ends up linked on the rubber band. REVIEW BY MARC DESOUZA So if you’re expecting a super-duper precision-made gimmick that can pass the most excruciating of examination, you’ll have Marcus Eddie is an inventive to look elsewhere. The gimmick for LinKey, while clever and young magician. He has scored durable, cannot pass even the most rudimentary inspection. Thus, with several clever magical it is necessary to keep the key in motion throughout the entire creations in the last couple of effect. This also means that lighting is an issue. This effect is years. This new release is his best performed in dim or indirect light, because daylight or even answer to the Torn and Restored the typical lighting one finds in an office building can make the Card plot. It is very straightfor- gimmick “pop,” drawing undue attention to it. Perhaps this effect ward and visual. will be somewhat lessoned when the key develops an aged patina. A card is selected and turned But right out of the package the gimmick tends to flash, or at least face down onto the deck. The look oddly different than the key that was just examined. card is visibly ripped in half; you So you are left with a less than satisfactory display of the key can see the face-up card under the linked to the rubber band because you can’t really cleanly show torn section The ripped-off piece is placed back into the original it in its linked condition. Everyone I showed this to wanted to see position and the card is instantly restored. The card can be signed (and handle) the key in its linked state and were disappointed when (in a somewhat limited fashion) and given out after the effect. All I couldn’t accommodate their request. Several people spotted the in all, the effect is pretty good. But, and here is the big but, is it gimmick, but I was performing it out of doors in bright sunlight his? at the time. But this at least kept them from asking the question This effect draws very heavily from a Gaetan Bloom’s Zig Zag that several others did: “Use my key.” That request is yet another Card, marketed by Ken Brooke in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Mr. Eddie is weakness with this effect; you have to use your own house key well aware of Mr. Bloom’s effect. He gives him a mention in the under the pretext that you don’t wish to damage theirs. You could, credits where he lists others who have come up with similar ideas. of course, circumnavigate this issue by giving the gimmicked This is not adequate acknowledgment of Mr. Bloom’s creation.

66 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 Bloom’s version has several advantages, the primary one being printed the months and days of the year. Next to each date is a that the card is cut face up and then restored. Mr. Bloom has the playing card. You call attention to a folded card in there as well. card signed on the back and it can be handed back. The chosen You ask her to find her birthday on the plastic card and tell you the card is actually seen to be destroyed and restored, as opposed to name of the playing card next to it. She does so and you remove the inference in Mr. Eddie’s handling. I do like Eddie’s idea of the folded card from your wallet. It is the named playing card. The tearing the card rather than cutting it with a blade, but otherwise effect looks just that clean to your audience, but there is a price I feel Bloom’s routine is superior. I don’t know if Eddie asked to pay. for Bloom’s permission before marketing his trick, but he should I personally do not think the plastic cards will take a great deal have. of scrutiny from some participants, but that is a matter of audience Eddie also gives you a couple of bonus ideas using the same management. You will also require some sort of index wallet. If principle. The first is Warp. Essentially, this is his handling of you want to do the effect exactly as I have described it, you will Ken Krenzel’s Card Tunnel, marketed by Tannen’s in their New need a Shogun-type wallet that will allow you to show just one Stars of Magic series; several variations have been published in card in the bill compartment, while you are concealing multiple Mr. Krenzel’s books. Again, there is no mention of Krenzel by outs. If you are not so concerned about showing the one folded Mr. Eddie. I don’t want to sound like I am picking on him, but card in the wallet, you can use most everyday wallets, because you owe it to the originators of magical effects to give them due there are not too many outs required. This is a very well thought credit while you are talking about the work, not just named in a out effect. The plastic card is nicely made, though the font is a quick credit roll at the end of your DVD. This is our history and little tiny for my aging eyes. The amount of brain work required we need to perpetuate and preserve it properly. Remember, Mr. is minimal; the plastic card does most of that for you. The in- Maven and Mr. Racherbaumer will not be with us forever. You structions are more than adequate to enable you to learn the effect have two strikes against you on one DVD, Mr. Eddie. with relative ease. There are a few additional ideas contained in Okay, now that I have vented, I will give Marcus Eddie his the manuscript, some of which are very worthwhile. All in all, due. If you can get over the crediting issue, this is a good product. I think this is well worth the money asked for it and give it my It is very simply, but well produced. Mr. Eddie is a very engaging recommendation.  young man and a good teacher as well. He breaks down the con- struction of the very simple gaffs and walks you through all of If you wish to have your product reviewed, the handlings and variations in a very clear manner that instills confidence. This is a very practical effect that can be done in a please send it to: variety of performing venues. I am certain it will find its way Bill Duncan P.O. Box 50562 into the repertoire of many working magicians. I would definitely recommend this product, but would give it an even higher rec- Bellevue, WA 98015-0562 ommendation if adequate crediting and history were given by Mr. Eddie personally, instead of as an afterthought. I am sure he would want the same when his creations are being remarketed twenty-five years from now.

No Diary Diary Effect By Chris Congreave Distributed by Murphy’s Magic Supplies Price $25.00

REVIEW BY MARC DESOUZA

Oh what hath Ted Danson wrought when Supreme Magic published his Diary Trick? Who knew how many varia- tions of this effect would be published or marketed in the next thirty-five-plus years? The first version I ever saw was Alex Elmsley’s, which he taught in his incredible Dazzle Lecture in the mid ‘70s. There have been literally hundreds of versions created over the years, some good, some not so good. Here is one with a difference: no diary is used. This is a fairly practical method that can be carried in your wallet. Chris Congreave, who previously released his “ultimate” version of the Diary Trick, has come up with a great idea that has been marketed by Titanis. The effect consists of asking an individual to tell you her birthday. You take from your wallet a plastic card on which are

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 67 Treasures from the Salon de Magie By Ken Klosterman

(the well-known New York magician), William Hilliar (first editor of The Sphinx), and “Dr. Nix” (John B. Nix, who is apparently unknown today) also laid claim to the creation of THURSTON-SCHLOSSER some version of the trick. AERIAL FISHING In the effect, “bait” is fastened onto the line of a fishing pole. Casting the line into the air, the magician gives a jerk and a fish appears “hooked” onto the bait. The performer takes the fish off the line and drops it into a bowl of water where it swims merrily about, proving that it is indeed live. The performer re-baits the line and repeats his angling success, usually three times. Although early versions of the trick involved stealing the live goldfish from a fisherman’s waist basket or pouch, the key prop for this move in later versions is the pole.

Thurston-Schlosser Fishing Pole

Thurston’s fishing pole was built by Rudolph Schlosser. As those who dealt with Schlosser knew, or discovered, he was difficult to work with but he knew how to build exquisite magic apparatus. The seventy-inch-long pole is simple to operate. The handle contains three compart- ments, each holding one goldfish. Compared to most other poles, the load chambers for the fish are much more solid The Aerial Fishing trick was a feature of the Thurston and well thought out. To obtain the fish delivered into his full-evening show. It was integrated into his opening palm, Thurston had only to twist the handle slightly, not sequence of fast-paced tricks that included the production of 180 degrees or more as with many others. This movement doves and bowls of water. Because the fishing trick had such turned a metal shell around the handle enough to open each great audience appeal, it was in the programs of Chung Ling load chamber in turn, allowing the magician to steal the fish Soo, Frederick Eugene Powell, Horace Goldin, Okito, David without fumbling or stalling. Devant, Karl Germain, and virtually every other top-flight The authenticity of the pole is documented by a letter with magician into the mid twentieth century; it is even seen in a sketch from Schlosser to Thurston explaining the kind of some acts today. pole he would make, and inquiring if Thurston wishes him The trick’s background is unclear, which is the case with to proceed. The drawing is exactly like the pole in the Salon many classics of magic. A survey of literature reveals that collection, which came via the Worthington collection and one “Professor Mingus” (Walter Mingus Hopler) conceived the Circus Museum of Sarasota.  the trick circa 1902. However, others, including Frank Ducrot

68 M-U-M Magazine - OCTOBER 2013 OUR ADVERTISERS INSIDE STRAIGHT Burgoon Magic 6 Card Shark 72 BY NORMAN BECK Christian Painter 10 IT’S NOT LIKE IT’S BRAIN SURGERY Denny & Lee Magic Studio 3 (WELL, MAYBE IT IS.) Escape Masters 45 Let’s start with an admission: I don’t like to listen to or talk Genii Magazine 49 about medical things. I don’t really like to hear stories about IBM/SAM Convention 2014 41 how well your kidney stones got passed or how uneventful the Joe Mogar - Magic Stars 67 hernia operation was. Unlike hiring a magician or a clown, when it comes to real life a person needs the following: a good LaRock's Magic & Fun Outlet 71 mechanic, a good money guy, and a good doctor. Of the three, Levent Magic 3 the doctor is the most important. (The following riddle will L&L Publishing 29 explain why. What do you call a person who graduated at the bottom of his class in medical school? Doctor.) Nielsen Magic 4 I recently had occasion to seek out a doctor who specializes S.A.M. Life Membership 2 in brain surgery. The bad news is that it was brain surgery, S.A.M. on Twitter 67 and the good news is it was brain surgery. I asked the referring doctor one question: If it was your brain, would you let the Show-Biz Services 9 guy you’re recommending cut on you? The only answer to that The Magic Bakery 7 question that is acceptable is a hearty yes. If you get anything T. Myers 53 else you should move on. I know that the Internet is a popular place, but I can’t tell you if the information you get there is valid or not; so my second line of information was the top trial attorney in my state. I wanted to know what bad things this doctor may have S.A.M. SPOTLIGHT done. A top medical malpractice attorney is a great place to obtain information. KEN E. WILSON I then sought out a person who was a doctor in the field I was interested in and asked him (not as a doctor but as a friend) what A pharmacist he thought were the best courses of action. I then consulted not for 45 years, one but two doctors who are friends of mine outside of magic. Ken E. Wilson I hate to ask favors of people and don’t do it very often; but if I (Assembly do ask I really need it. I am a fan of asking for a favor as a last 118) is a world resort. I will do it, but man I hate to. traveler, and We are almost done. I then contacted two people that the his passion for recommended doctor had operated on; this was the most magic accom- important aspect of the entire vetting process. I wanted to see panies him ev- what previous patients said about him away from the websites erywhere. and doctor’s office. Everybody I checked with said this was the Most of Ken’s guy to use. performing is for On my first visit to the doctor’s office, I took a large box fund raising events of cupcakes for the staff. I was told that had never been done and nonprofit organiza- before. I knew the doctor’s favorite place to eat both in Dallas tions. He especially likes to bring enjoyment to and in Canada where he was from. Why go to all this trouble? children, where enjoyment is a rarity. Any effort My thought is this: If you have to go to a bar where you are going to be served the most important drink in your life, it is he expends is worth it, to see the smiles on the good to know all you can about the bartender. faces of these children. To be honest, even with all my research, this is all stuff I Ken has been performing since he was six years still know little about. One friend said to me that my benign old when his favorite uncle, Norman, made a tumor proves that stuff can grow in rocks. A second friend said quarter disappear and then pulled it out of his that with the size of my brain, I should have plenty of room for ear. He discovered the French Drop and The anything to grow. Or as my editor said, with Norman’s brain Magic Land of Alakazam, and has been hooked there are not a lot of places for that thing to hide. Well, I hope ever since. to see you next issue; that is my goal.  Ken advises us, “Magic should be fun for both the audience and the performer. The magician [Editor’s note: On August 29, 2013, Norman Beck underwent should have a deep love of magic and get satisfac- surgery to remove an acoustic neuroma. The surgery was tion from bringing some fun into people’s lives.” successful. At the time of this writing, Norman has returned – Joseph Caulfield, Esq. home and is recovering, which is happy news for all of his friends and family.]

OCTOBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 69 The Dean's Diary

By George Schindler

Hopkins University. His name is John, and when he reads this he will know that I never forget a face. In 2010, the New York City Public Library had an exhibit of the FAMILIAR FACES Billy Rose theater collection at Lincoln Center. There were some great magic posters and letters on display. On opening night there Some years ago, I lectured for the Washington, D.C., was a cocktail party. One of the exhibit designers, Don Vlack, assembly. The venue was the National Press Club. As I walked and I chatted a while, when suddenly Don gasped, “Look, there up a staircase, I recognized a familiar face and I casually walked is Angela Lansbury, my favorite actress.” “Don,” I asked, “would over to say hello. “Are you coming to my lecture?” I asked. “No, you like to meet her? I’ll introduce you.” “Wow!” he replied. I am sorry I am not,” was the reply. “Too bad,” I added. “Will We walked over to where she stood and I said, “Angela, I’d you be at the convention this year?” “Absolutely!” was his reply. like you meet Don, one of the designers of this exhibit.” She I tried to remember his name. I knew that I had seen him before. graciously acknowledged him with a “Nice to meet you.” Don I asked Nina for help. She replied, “Of course he will be at the bubbled and asked. “Did you know that George is a famous national convention. He is running for president. That was Dennis magician?” “Of course,” she answered, and gave me a wink and Kucinich.” a friendly nod – not bad for a lady I had never met before. She is This summer, Nina and I were having lunch in the restaurant at still one of my favorite people. the Marriott in Arlington when I spotted a man whom I was sure Most celebrities and stars are nice, approachable people. I knew. He was sitting with a few other magicians and was doing When I told Jean Kinnicutt about the Angela story, she told me a card trick for them. Who was he? Where had we met before? He about a “Clem Encounter.” A few years ago, Clem recognized a left the restaurant before I had a chance to speak with him. The familiar face at the Albany airport. We know that our “Clem” is a other people at my table did not recognize him, either. I was deter- people person and speaks with everyone, anywhere, and anytime. mined to find him at the convention. Two days later I spotted him In this instance, he approached a well dressed and important- at the registration desk. We had never met before, and although looking person and said, “I think I know you; have we ever met he was a magician living in D.C., our paths never crossed. Why before?” The man was Chuck Schumer, the current senior United did I recognize him? It all became clear as we chatted. I had seen States Senator from New York. The senator replied, “I am your him on TV, testifying for the CIA at a congressional hearing senator.” Without missing a beat or batting an eye, Clem retorted, a week earlier. He was out of context at the convention; he no “Hillary?”  longer works for the government and is now a consultant at Johns

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