JANUARY, 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS VOLUME 55, NUMBER 1 Erika Larsen, President [email protected] Official publication of the Open Randy Sinnott, Vice-President Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. [email protected] 7001 Franklin Avenue Maurice Newman, Treasurer Hollywood, California 90028 Happy New Year! [email protected] (323) 851-3313 Sesame www.magiccastle.com Jim Steinmeyer, Secretary [email protected] EDITOR: Sara Ballantine Dustin Stinett Milt Larsen: The Guru of the Gag ... Page 13 [email protected] ART DEPARTMENT: Chip Chalmers Ben Roman [email protected] Josh Stern Newsworthy Notes ... Page 3 Brian Tolman Jen Ovadia [email protected] Steve Mitchell Michael Albright BOARD OF TRUSTEES Masters of Illusion Taping ... Page 5 Jon Armstrong, Chairman DIGITAL LOGISTICS: [email protected] Josh Stern Max Maven, Vice-Chairman EDITORS EMERITUS: Now Playing ... Page 15 [email protected] William W. Larsen, Jr. Joan Lawton, Secretary Milt Larsen [email protected] David Regal Deadline for the Next Issue: [email protected] The 20th Day of This Month Lecture Notes ... Page 16 Mark Wilson © 2016 Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. All rights reserved. “The Magic Castle” is a Registered [email protected] Trademark of Magic Castles, Inc. used under Steve Valentine license. The Academy of Magical Arts “Owl CarneyMagic with John Carney ... Page 17 Ribbon” logo, text-only logo, “Owl Bell” logo, [email protected] and The Academy Newsletter masthead are Rob Zabrecky trademarks of the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. [email protected] OUR MISSION: The Academy of Magical Arts has been and will continue to be the premier organization in the world dedicated to the art of Magic. We are an organization that encourages fellowship, promotes the art, and maintains the highest ethical standards in our actions. We will provide a friendly environment where Members and their guests can Magic Magicians enjoy the art and each other’s company. Our goals and objectives are to advance the art and provide a positive image of and worldwide. NEXT AMANewsletter January2016 As We Go To Press: ON THE INSIDE WELCOME TO 2016 and the new-look AMA has arranged for AMA members to be in the studio Newsletter. This is not the first time going audience for several days of the show’s 2016 season 3 ... Newsworthy Notes horizontal—or in the proper parlance, landscape— production. See page 5 for the details. Thanks Gay! Staff and Contributors was tried. When Rich Cowley was our editor, he Besides the décor, our Magic Castle is known for its released an issue formatted this way. I thought then, 4 ... President’s Message secret gags that MILT LARSEN has placed here and Erika Larsen and as you can see still think, it is the right thing to there. I chatted with him about that and a couple do for these digital times in which we live. other things. The result is on page 13. 5 ... Treasurer’s Report Maurice Newman I did widen the page a bit. I wanted to take up as Of course we also have the usual suspects in this much of that horizontal space as I could. Those issue. Please read their columns and stay well 6 ... A Note from the Trustees Joan Lawton of you on phones and tablets can turn them. We informed about your club. geezers still on computers can’t. So there are my This just in: As I type, a limited supply of the new 7 ... General Musings reasons. Joe Furlow AMA playing cards is available at the front desk. It is best viewed in “Full Screen Mode” in Adobe A full supply will be offered in the Gift Shop (and 9 ... The Magic of Membership Reader. On PCs, ‘Escape” takes you back to the online) starting on Founders’ Day. FYI: Yes, the Magic Trish Alaskey normal view. You can advance pages (or go back) by Castle playing cards remain available as well. clicking the hands down in the corners of the pages. 11 ... Outreach News Thanks for your time. ? Ray Forgette So there are the simple instructions for use. The rest is just for you to now enjoy this New Year’s issue! Dustin Stinett 13 ... Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gags [email protected] A Q&A with Milt Larsen My friend JOHN CARNEY is mounting his excellent one- man show, CARNEYMAGIC, in Burbank. It’s one night 15 ... Now Playing only— January 9—and AMA members can enjoy Jack Goldfinger a $10 discount on tickets. I’ve had the pleasure of 16 ... Lecture Notes seeing this show a couple of times and I highly Jack Goldfinger and the Board of Trustees recommend it. Please see page 17 for details. 16 ... From the Kitchen Here’s an opportunity to watch some great magic Chef Jason Sperber while it’s being shot for television. In case you didn’t 19 ... From the WWL Library already know, GAY BLACKSTONE is one of the producers Bill Goodwin of the MASTERS OF ILLUSION television program and she 20 ... –30– OUR NEWEST TOYS ... ERR ... TOOLS ARE NOW AVAILABLE Staff PREVIOUS 2 NEXT AMANewsletter January2016 NEWSWORTHY NotES IT’S PARTY TIME, MEET THE CANDIDATES MAGICIAN MEMBER PERK GRAMMY WATCH FOUNDERS STYLE! The “MEET THE CANDIDATES” panel for the If you’re interested in gathering a OTMARO RUIZ, jazz pianist and AMA The 53rd annual FOUNDERS’ DAY party is nominees to the BOARD OF DIRECTORS crowd and then entertaining them magician member is a Grammy on (wait for it) Founders’ Day, January is on January 10 in the Inner Circle. like they’ve never been entertained Nominee! The honor comes to him 2. Festivities start at 4:00 p.m. See Associate member BOD hopefuls before, attend TOM FRANK’S Castle Perk for his arrangement of Antônio Carlos the December 2015 newsletter for gather at 1:00 p.m. Regular members for Magician Members only. Tom is Jobim’s Garota de Ipanema (The Girl the amazing menu and even more start at 3:00 p.m. a high-energy and highly successful From Ipanema), in the category “Best street magician. His work transcends Arrangement Instrument and Vocals,” amazing 1970s throwback prices! The BOARD OF TRUSTEES will hold their the street and, additionally, creates which appears on the CD he produced “MEET THE CANDIDATES” panel on January a wonderful environment for bar with his wife, Catina de Luna (singer) 31 at 3:00 p.m. in the Inner Circle. Note magic. This is a perk not to be missed. titled LADO B - Brazilian Project. The there are no lectures on either date! January 19 at 8:00 p.m. in the Peller Grammy Awards ceremony is on QUESTIONS FOR THE CANDIDATES must be Theatre. (Reported by the TRUSTEES) Monday, February 15. (Reported by emailed to the Election Committee RAFAEL BENATAR) ? Chairman at [email protected] by 5:00 DID YOU KNOW ... p.m. the day before the panel event On January 26, 1964, “The Baker (January 9 and 30 respectively). That’s a Fakir,” better known as ALBERT Priority will be given to questions GOSHMAN, lectured before the AMA emailed in advance. membership for the first time. Starting Written questions from the floor may the following Monday night, he began be addressed only if time allows. his first-ever week performing in the (Reported by the ELECTION COMMITTEE) Close-Up Gallery. Please email NEWSWORTHY NOTES contributions to [email protected]. The deadline for the next issue is the 20th of this month. Anonymous contributions will not be accepted, however name(s) can be withheld upon request. THE AMA’S OWN OTMARO RUIZ Happy 2016! GRAMMY NOMINEE PREVIOUS 3 NEXT AMANewsletter January2016 “ I have been proud to serve on the current board.” PRESTO-CHANGO … it’s 2016. Happy New Year rewarding. I have been proud to serve on the WILLIAM LARSEN, SR. Everyone! The recent holiday celebration at our current board. We have put things in place that will Without his dream, clubhouse was as festive as ever, and I would like to benefit the AMA for many years to come. However, and the foundation personally thank our tireless staff—as well as our there is still work to do. I ask our members to please he laid down in many volunteers—for all their hard work. pay close attention to what each candidate has to Genii, there would say and vote accordingly. It is imperative that the be no AMA and Last year was another successful year for the AMA continues to make the type of progress that no Magic Castle. Bill Sr. was truly a remarkable Academy. We had a few ups and downs, but they will ensure our future survival. Please keep this in individual. I am proud to say congratulations and were relatively minor and the AMA reached new mind when you vote. thank you to our wonderful Founders. What an heights. I look forward to this trend continuing as amazing legacy they have created! we move into a new year. As usual, our ability to I was hoping we would wrap up our agreement flourish is the result of the support and loyalty of with Magic Castles, Inc. before the end of last year, Although my tenure on the Board of Directors you, our members. I sincerely hope that each of but we are not quite there. We’re close though, will end in a few months, I have many plans for you continues to visit your club often, attending and hopefully, by the end of this month, we’ll have the future of our club and a lengthy list of goals. special events and sending friends and family in for everything in place.