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NOVEMBER 2013 CHRIS WESTFALL Page 36 MAGIC - UNITY - MIGHT Editor Michael Close Editor Emeritus David Goodsell Associate Editor W.S. Duncan Proofreader & Copy Editor Lindsay Smith Art Director Lisa Close Publisher Society of American Magicians, 6838 N. Alpine Dr. Parker, CO 80134 Copyright © 2012 Subscription is through membership in the Society and annual dues of $65, of which $40 is for 12 issues of M-U-M. All inquiries concerning membership, change of address, and missing or replacement issues should be addressed to: Manon Rodriguez, National Administrator P.O. Box 505, Parker, CO 80134 [email protected] Skype: manonadmin Phone: 303-362-0575 Fax: 303-362-0424 Send assembly reports to: [email protected] For advertising information, reservations, and placement contact: Cinde Sanders M-U-M Advertising Manager Email: [email protected] Telephone: 214-902-9200 Editorial contributions and correspondence concerning all content and advertising should be addressed to the editor: Michael Close - Email: [email protected] Phone: 317-456-7234 Submissions for the magazine will only be accepted by email or fax. VISIT THE S.A.M. WEB SITE www.magicsam.com To access “Members Only” pages: Enter your Name and Membership number exactly as it appears on your membership card. 4 M-U-M Magazine - NOVEMBER 2013 M-U-M NOVEMBER 2013 MAGAZINE Volume 103 • Number 6 S.A.M. NEWS 6 From the Editor’s Desk 8 From the President’s Desk COVER STORY 11 M-U-M Assembly News PAGE 36 22 New Members & Reinstatments 23 Good Cheer List 28 24 Broken Wands 47 S.A.M. Spotlight 69 Our Advertisers THIS MONTH’S FEATURES 26 The High Road • by Mick Ayres 28 Nielsen Gallery • by Tom Ewing 30 Mental Breakdown • by Christian Painter 32 Building a Show • by Larry Hass 36 COVER STORY • by James Alan 42 On the Shoulders of Giants • by Scott Alexander 46 Stage 101 • by Levent 50 Ebook Nook: Ultra Cervon 54 El Roberto Enigmatico • by Bob Farmer 42 58 Informed Opinion • New Product Reviews 66 Paranormal Happenings • by Charles Siebert, MD 67 Tech Tricks • Bruce Kalver 68 Salon de Magie • by Ken Klosterman 69 Inside Straight • by Norman Beck 70 The Dean’s Diary • by George Schindler 70 Basil the Baffling • by Alan Wassilak 68 70 67 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. NOVEMBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 5 dance, but the highlight for me was a gag that happened in the second half. I had performed a routine that incorporated The Un- believably Useful Comedy Prop (the little rubber hand on a stick) from Workers 1. I explained that when I came up with the prop Editor’s Desk around 1980, these little hands were a popular novelty, but were Photo by fivebyphotography.com no longer readily available. So, while attendees could feel free to Michael Close use the prop with my blessing, I had no idea where they would find one. There was a pause, and then from the back of the room One of the most vivid memories I have occurred in the my daughter Ava yelled out, “Daddy, we sell those!” It got a great summer of 1976, when I first met a very famous card magician reaction. at a convention in the Midwest. I had read and studied this man’s creations, and from what I had read I formed an opinion of what he must like as a person. He was a hero to me. Unfortunately, what I had imagined was diametrically opposite to what I dis- covered when I met him. He was a drunk – a pretty nasty drunk at that – and not particularly pleasant to be around. I was pro- foundly disappointed. What I learned from this encounter is that magic books and periodicals often sugar coat reality; we prefer that our idols not have feet of clay. Unfortunately, I think this does a disservice to young magicians who look up to these performers and creators. We all have flaws, shortcomings, and imperfections. It is how we deal with these that makes us interesting human beings. I mention this to prepare you for the cover story this month. Chris Westfall is a clever, busy, and entertaining professional magician who lives and works in Toronto. He has worked very hard to get to where he is today. But there are aspects of his story that are not particularly pretty. The temptations and influences Chris faced are not the type of things you read about in a magic Michael Lecturing at the Toronto Hat & Rabbit Club magazine. However, to omit those details would be disingenuous and would not fully explain how Chris turned his life around. In early October I did strolling magic at a cocktail party in Chris Westfall’s story is inspirational; it shows what an downtown Toronto; Bob Farmer had recommended me for the important factor magic can be in a young person’s life. My job. It was a very enjoyable gig, made so by the fact that the host thanks to Chris and author James Alan for allowing it to appear took me around and introduced me to various groups of people in M-U-M. before I performed. This eliminated the biggest problem facing I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Cinde Sanders the strolling performer – the lack of audience anticipation. Unlike to the M-U-M team. Cinde will be serving as the representative most walk-around situations, I wasn’t just some guy interrupting for M-U-M advertising. You can find her contact information on people’s conversations to show them a few tricks; I was a friend page 4. of the host. This completely changed the attendees’ attitudes and In the October 2013 issue of M-U-M, Jim Kleefeld gave a very expectations. It made all the difference in the world, and made positive review of Gerry Frenette’s six-DVD set Building Your the gig a real delight. Own Illusions. Unintentionally omitted from that review was the I want to wrap up this month with some clarification for fact that Building Your Own Illusions is available directly from assembly secretaries concerning promoting future assembly Jerry at www.magicmakersillusions.com. To quote Jim’s review, events. Assembly reports need to be submitted by the twenty- this is a “no-brainer purchase for anyone who builds any magic sixth of the month. For example, you would want to get the report of any size.” of your September meeting in by September 26. However, that The Ebook Nook excerpt this month is Bruce Cervon’s report will not appear until the November issue of M-U-M. In handing of Al Koran’s Hanky Panky. Do not let the fact that the other words, your report will not appear until two months after routine involves a cigarette and a lighter deter you from trying it. your meeting date. (This is because of the way our printing Other objects can be substituted for those now-taboo items. schedule works.) The last couple of months have been busy for the Close I mention this because if your report includes promotion of family. In September, James Alan kindly invited me to be the an event that will occur in October, that information will be out- season-opening lecture for the Toronto Hat & Rabbit Club. Tra- of-date, and I will edit it out. I think it’s great for assemblies to ditionally, this lecture is given by a Canadian, but since I am now promote upcoming events, but be sure to allow sufficient lead in possession of a Canadian permanent resident card, I slid in by time so that readers will be able to take advantage of that infor- a technicality. mation. Thanks. The lecture was great fun, with many old friends in atten- 6 M-U-M Magazine - NOVEMBER 2013 NOVEMBER 2013 - M-U-M Magazine 7 written, she was staying with John’s nephew, Fred Calvert, at 4399 Irvine Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604. Friends have also set up a PayPal account for her, ready to receive donations. You don’t have to have a PayPal account to send funds to her. Go to www. PayPal.com. Click on “transfer.” Enter your email address and President’s Desk “EpicProductions.Juno.com.” Enter the donation amount and then answer the questions that follow. Dal Sanders What else can you do? Visit www.johncalvertmagic.com and www.johncalvertmagician.com to purchase the video about Calvert’s life and other unique collector’s items. In addition to As you know, this magazine is prepared weeks in advance. I that, almost two years ago John and Tammy asked Mark Jensen am currently writing this article between shows from my dressing to help them sell some of their memorabilia and collectables. room trailer at the Texas State Fair. The loss of one of the true Mark has an online store set up where you can purchase photos, legends of magic is still fresh in my mind and in my heart. program books, DVDs, etc. Many of these items are signed. Quantities are limited. If you would like to support Tammy JOHN CALVERT please visit http://thats-impossible.com/store/ and click on John Calvert Memorabilia at the top of the page. John Calvert was a magician, an actor, a director, a producer, an author, an airplane pilot, a ship captain, an adventurer, and a CREATIVITY daredevil.