If it can go wrong...

Here is a marvelous video clip featuring Russell Swan. Swan was a top nightclub performer from the 1930's-50s. The clip is from a Jackie Gleason show with Gleason playing the role of a volunteer. Sure... it's scripted and there's not much real magic. But if you watch the clip it will give you just about every instance where something can go wrong with a trick. As a learning venue, how would you respond if a spectator REALLY acted this way?

JC Penny Magic

There's a new commercial for JC Penny with a magic theme. Some of it is done with camera tricks but it is very

Ghost Shelf

I am consistently amazed at what magic dealers will sell. If you go to Hank Lee's Magic Factory you will find a product called "Ghost Shelf," for the whopping amount of 24.95. Well, I confess I spend probably too much time surfing the internet but some time ago the Ghost Shelf, or Floating Book shelf, had been available at no charge on the Internet. There are several versions of it out. One is found at metacafe, here's movie below. I must note that in the ad at the Magic Factory that it states it can be mounted on glass. The how to video below probably would be hard pressed to drill through the glass. My issue is why pay for something that is legitimately free? Seems a no brainer to me.


Floating Bookshelf - Click here for more home videos

Master Magician Channing Pollock

For years people had heard of a suave magician and a film of him that was terribly hard to obtain. Those who had witnessed his magic were stunned. Everything was slow, deliberate and uncannily mystifying. The film was European nights and the magician was Channing Pollock. He set the standard for magicians at that time. Suddenly everyone was wearing full tails evening dress and turning into Pollock clones. But no one every succeeded in being Pollock but Pollock. That film, until now, was difficult to obtain. You can find it on Amazon.com or some other sites for purchase. But for now, enjoy the clip below.

The Muscle Pass

The muscle pass gained popularity under the performances of magician John Corneilus. Now it seems that everyone is doing it. It basically is a method for shooting a coin or a poker chip from one hand to the other by flexing the muscles at the base of the thumb. There even is a new DVD out explaining all the ins and outs of it. Just a couple of thoughts though.

If you learn the muscle pass for secretly moving a coin from one hand to the other then you shouldn't do it as a novelty; i.e., here's how a coin can fall "up." Then it is simply a puzzle and in doing so, you've given your audience the secret to subsequent effects.

Here's a tutorial on the muscle pass:

Robert-Houdin's Orange Tree

Those of you who are well-versed in magic may remember the Orange Tree illusion created by French magician Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin. Houdin was the David Copperfield of his day in 19th century France. Magicians up to that point appeared with all their apparatus on stage along with their medieval wizard robes and pointy hats. Houdin presented his evenings of magic, the Soirees Fantastiques, in evening clothes. One of those presentations was to borrow a ring, vanish it and have it appear tied to a silk handerkerchief being flown above the tree by two butterflies.

In this you tube clip, (the embedding was disabled so you will have to watch it there) magician Paul Daniels recreates this wonderful illusion. Let me warn you... Daniels will fool you and fool you badly!

It's done with Twins

I stumbled across this you tube video of an automata (automaton?) vanishing a Chinese princess. What a great little mechanical wonder. Must be done with twins.

A Mind Reading Scam

Magician and TV Star Paul Wilson demonstrates how easily people are fooled by "psychics." The first part of the video is a clear demonstration of cold reading. Cold reading is the compilation of facts that apply to just about any body. Depending on the reaction the psychic obtains (called "a hit") cold reading then narrows the perspective with more and more specific information. Then usually the psychic will have the spectator write something down that the psychic could not have possibly known; i.e., a name, a date, a question, etc. Then using a center tear, a peek or another method the information is slowly revealed. Methods of gathering that information are varied. Sometimes the reader will go on line and gather facts about the client. Arthur Ford used to send advance men into a town where he was to appear and gather information. In this video, Wilson uses a simple scam of having a person hidden behind a wall to write down the information. It doesn't have to be that complicated though.

Interview with a Poltergeist

I came across the video below that is a British documentary on the supposed supernatural occurences in Britain in the late 1970's. Apparently a single mother and her two daughters began experiencing raps, knocking, and furniture being moved about. At the height of the phenomena was the sound of a dog barking and voices coming from "behind" one of the little girls. The investigators were divided into two camps. The first believed it to be a genuine phenomena. The second camp held that the girls were playing pranks.

Magicians both in the IBM and SAM have long had a hand in investigating phenomena like this. Notably the investigators did not utilize them. The documentary is long, about 45 minutes. But only watching it once I found some interesting anomalies that seemed to have escaped the notice of those involved.

1. "Little 11 year old girls cannot do this sort of thing." Nonsense- Kate and Margaret Fox turned a simple rapping game in their Hydesville, NY farmhouse into a world class phenomena.
2. "I saw things flying about in the room." Listen to the one photographer who claimed to be hit by one of the flying leggo's. NO ONE saw where they were coming from. So if they didn't see where it came from then how can they assuredly say it didn't come from one of the little girls? Mike Gallo, coin magician, has a move that is similar to the familiar Han Pien Chen move but the coin flies in the OPPOSITE direction in which you would expect it. It is plausible that the small objects such as marbles, leggo blocks, etc., can be tossed about with no problem.
3. "Little 11 year old girls can't speak in this weird voice." At about 8 minutes from the end of the documentary, or 38 minutes into the tape, they discuss the voice that was clearly being manifested. One investigator "analyzes" where in the vocal box this sound comes from and declares it impossible. Nonsense.

Here's how you can catch the little girl making the sounds. Firstly, the ear is notoriously bad at detecting the source of sounds. I know, I'm a ventriloquist. Secondly the "inertia" of sound must come from a source. And it is not the vocal chords- it is the diaphragm. The diaphragm contracts and pushes the sound up and into the vocal chords. So at 38 minutes, look at the little girl in the red sweater. DO NOT watch her mouth. Watch her white turtle neck, on the right side, just above the clavicle (collar bone). You will see her throat move as the air is pushed up from the diaphragm. She is creating the voice.

On the tape the investigator says that he taped her mouth (and we see it being done) after she takes a swallow of water to "prove" it isn't her making the noise. This is so absurd that it is just silly. Read any basic text on ventriloquism and you will discover that vents can "swallow" water and talk at the same time. The water is pooled under the tongue. I think a better test is to tape her nostrils shut, put a motion sensor over her mouth and attach it to her throat and diaphram. You would discover that she pushes air out to produce the sounds.

4. "A little girl wouldn't know about a deceased man named Bill who died in the house." Again, this is absurd. The narrator clearly states that the man was buried in a cemetary NEAR THEIR HOUSE. Why is it so difficult to discern that a bored little girl can get that kind of information.

All in all it is a wonderful lesson in deception by two clever girls. And notice at the beginning of the tape that it was the mother who contacted the Daily Mirror. As the tape progresses you discover that the Mom was divorced, they were having a hard time making ends meet. So who wouldn't want to sell a story to the papers. They did get a free week at the beach to "give them a break" from the ghost. I would strongly submit that most of this would have been solved had a magician/ventriloquist who is trained in detecting deception were a significant part of the team.

Code Act

Nice code-act by the Bliss Brothers from America's Got Talent.

Magic or a Puzzle

Bev Bergeron recently wrote an article in the Linking Ring, the magazine of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, concerning magic and "puzzles." It is always refreshing to read Bev's articles because it makes you think. His basic thesis was to question whether or not the magic we are doing is presented as an illusion or a puzzle. He writes concerning the old "Princess without the Middle" routine: a girl goes into a box. Her middle vanishes and you can still see her head and legs. The audience, in the story, was less than enthusiastic with the effect. A few changes here and there and the same illusion was presented ending with the magician receiving a standing ovation.

I've long held that if the audience can come up with a solution to the effect, whether or not it is a plausible explanation, for them... that is the solution. For example, if you deal five hands of poker and the fifth hand is to you, the magician, and it has a royal flush in spades, they credit you with great skill. It really isn't magical. Or again, I recently saw an effect that backwards-engineers Max Maven's B'wave effect where instead of ending with 3 blank cards and the mental selection, one has 3 cards and one blank. In other words, it becomes a puzzle rather than a magical effect.

In the video example below the magician executes his magic very professionally and won an invitation to return to "America's Got Talent." But look at the video and then note the following:



Firstly, the fire eating is good. But audiences know people can eat fire (I do in my own act). Not much magic here.

The "Sword Basket" is an old illusion and really a classic. But is it, as presented, a puzzle? From the audience's point of view, she must be in the basket. You don't know how (at least for the audience) but heck... she's in there somehow. The second gal appears and the audience then says to itself, they must have both been in there: again... a puzzle. Now if you made a change or two, it would turn it into a first class illusion.

Andre Kole used to close his show with a pyramid motif instead of a basket. He goes inside the pyramid, he "vanishes" as seen by Tim Kole standing in the basket. Nope... no one there. Then Kole appears... and then a female assistant appears, as the sides of the pyramid fall down. There's no way, it appears, that two people can be inside of that little pyramid! The construction of the illusion is such that the pyramid appears to be separated from the table, resting on little round "feet." Those two changes alone make this a magical illusion and no longer a puzzle. It short circuits the "explaination" that the audience comes up with.

This type of thinking is what is required in order to present a magic effect. Here's another example. The age-old coin in nested boxes is a favorite trick of mine. Usually it is presented like this: Magician has a coin marked and the coin goes into his pocket. Immediately, out comes a set of nested round boxes. The spectator opens each one to find the coin in the last of four boxes. That, my friend, is a puzzle. But how about if you have the coin marked and then place it on the table in full view. The set of boxes is removed and placed next to the coin. Next, the coin is vanished and the boxes are opened to find the marked coin. Now THAT is impossible! With the first presentation the audience knows that somehow you slid that coin into the boxes. With the second presentation, the box is on the table and there is no way a coin can go into a set of boxes in full view.

Make those subtle changes and you will strengthen your magic.

Maurice Fogel Book- A mini review

The new book on Maurice Fogel is out by Hermetic Press. Here's the bottom line up front: buy it...NOW!! before it is out of print. It is a large, 440 page book that gets behind the mind of one of the greatest mentalists magic has ever had. I will be honest with you: I've not finished reading it yet. But I've read enough to know that this is a different kind of magic book. Personal recollections by Fogel are mixed with reviews, challenges and thoughts by others. But what I found absolutely fascinating is the making of Fogel and the development of his act.

Fogel did well in school, having come from a very poor but loving family. He was slowly introduced to magic and did basic magic standards until he entered the British Army as an artillery man. There he found a way to be assigned to an entertainment unit and began mixing mentalism with magic. His profound personality exuded confidence past the floodlights and eventually went to doing just mentalism. THere doesn't seem to be a challenge that he wouldn't take.

From a "methods" perspective the book is valuable in that the reader will find a tremendous amount of mileage out of how Fogel managed his billet work. What I found absolutely fascinating was the impression of the billet work from the perspective of "laypeople." The billets seemed to melt away from the conciousness of the audience and what remained is that Fogel merely plucked thoughts out of the air. Whether good billet work today will work or not will be left up to the reader. It seems that magicians would focus on the technique while Fogel used his personality to bring the effect(s) to fruition. The billets were the means to a greater end.

All in all I would surmise that this book will go out of print soon and for that reason alone I hope it does. I hope so because this way it will become the collectors item that it should become, taking a place on the list of hard-to-find items effectively hiding the material from the curious. But for now, if you want a copy you can email me at magicetc@comcast.com. The book retails for 72.00. BUT...if you order it from me and mention magic21 you can have it for 10.00 off that price, plus 8.00 postage and shipping.

Here are the particulars from the Hermetic Press ad:

When magicians caught a bullet in their teeth...
He caught six!
When magicians did spook shows...
His ghosts were nude!
When magicians did rope tricks...
He put a noose around his neck and jumped!
When magicians predicted a chosen number...
He predicted which of six rifles should be aimed at his forehead!

He was Maurice Fogel, the twentieth century's most audacious mentalist and one of its greatest showmen. His feats of mind reading captured headlines around the world—when he wasn't predicting them. He dared death, he read minds and he became a legend in his own time.

Here is a taste of a typical Fogel performance:
Six volunteer marksmen were invited on stage to operate six legitimate, loaded and fully functioning rifles. One man chose a rifle at random and fired at a saucer, shattering it to smithereens. The discharged rifle was set with the five still-loaded ones in a rotating rack and the rack spun until no one could know which was the empty weapon. Each marksman was assigned a random number and took a random rifle from the rack. Fogel next revealed a predicted number that had been in full view and isolated from the start. The marksmen were all told to aim at saucers over Fogel's head—but the man assigned the predicted number was to aim directly at Fogel's forehead. Then, on his command they all fired!

To some he was a mental wonder; to others, an enigma. For years he strode the stages of the world, reading minds and using his strange powers to defy death. Maurice Fogel: In Search of the Sensational is the chronicle of the life of a master mentalist whose like has never been seen. He baffled the world and his peers. He defied death for years on a near nightly basis. He created an extraordinary body of professional mentalism that has remained among the most coveted material in the field.

This book contains that material, along with the advice, experience and stories of a lifetime of professional performance by one of the world's most acclaimed mentalists.

Maurice Fogel: In Search of the Sensational is the story of an amazing life and the mental secrets of an amazing man—
The Amazing Fogel
Written and collected by Chris Woodward, an award-winning magician and Fogel's son-in-law, in collaboration with mentalist and Fogel confidant Richard Mark, here at last is the definitive work on Maurice Fogel, the man and his secrets.

440 pages in elegant hardcover with book ribbon.

More Magic Exposed

As I have trolled around the Net I've found a disturbing trend. Disturbing, at least for magic creators. Several sites have young teens (12-15?) exposing how to do tricks that are currently on the market. One site had a (poor) video on how to make the self-tying shoelace. Several others were blatant- one kid who looked like the offspring of refugees from Haight- Ashbury openly admitted that he had bought a penguin magic trick that featured a billet switch the day previous. Now he was recording the method for curious viewers on the net.

If you've ever created a magic trick and labored over it for hours, days and perhaps years, you'll understand why this is so disturbing. Young wannabees are more interested in getting their faces on the internet than they are in learning what magic is really about. And it isn't the secret. One of the most intriguing card effects I've ever seen was by Dai Vernon and the methodology is so well disguised that its simplicity will fool you and fool you badly. (You can find it in More Modern Card Secrets). But the magic is not the secret. The magic is the experience that you, and the audience experience in the effect.

Several years ago I published in the International Brotherhood of Magicians Linking Ring Parade a color changing CD routine. Shortly thereafter there was a major magic dealer selling it wholesale to fellows on Ebay. I wrote the dealer and threatened legal action as well as informing Ebay. I have just noticed my same effect being touted on a mini-CD DVD by the same magi or publisher who ripped off Murray, the magician who manipulates CD's etc. Changing the size of the cd does not justify the theft. Had I actually been asked, I would have given permission as long as the credit was posted.

I heartily encourage magicians to NOT go down this road but to keep what you do and what you know among those who are ethical.

Best of Friends III Review

Harry Lorayne's "Best of Friends VOL 3" is now out. Bottom line up front: BUY THIS BOOK!!
Here's some of the contributors: Allan Ackerman, Richard Vollmer, Max Maven, J.K. Hartman, Peter Duffie, Michael Ammar, David Regal, Martin Nash, Joshua Jay, Howie Scharzman, Bob Farmer, Simon Lovell, Aldo Colombini, Doug Edwards, Jeff Altman, Nick Pudar, Sol Stone, Paul Gordon, Kostya Kimlat, Gregory Wilson, Ian Baxter, Bob King, Joe Rindfleisch, Justin Higham, Michael Vincent, Steve Cohen, Tony Noice, Tom Craven, Randy Wakeman, Harry Lorayne…and more!

Harry decided to go with photographs in this volume since it went so well with his Personal Collection (ANOTHER GREAT BOOK). The format is the same as the other two in the series with a brief bio and Harry's teaching of the effect, along with his personal touches. I went immediately to the end of the book to read what Harry had to say, since he tends to tuck gems away there. Funny: He says Don't just read this BOOK!!. I think he knows I peeked. There are card effects (the bulk of the book), a spooky cork trick by Sol Stone and much more.

I honestly can't say enough good about Harry Lorayne. His magic books occupy an entire shelf in my office and his was one of the first magicians' books I purchased as a budding sleight of hand artist (Personal Secrets). I've written Harry on several occasions and he kindly replied to each and every letter. A signed copy of Genie magazine adorns my magic den- with Harry on the cover. In our day where guys in jeans act as Blaine-wannabe's Harry still stands out as a class act and teacher. I think this is because he is a) A classy guy and b) He really cares about the quality of the material he produces, rather than doing a kamikazee book; those who swoop in, dump bad routines, and then leave.

You can buy it from me at my Ebay Store or email me (magicetc@comcast.net) and it is yours for $77.00 plus 7.50 postage (US). International orders email me first for postages.

Dead Silence- the Movie

Dead Silence is a creepy movie about a creepy ventriloquist with a creepy vent figure named Billy. From the opening credits to about half-way through the movie it keeps your interest. It does bog down in the middle but picks up in a predictable but satisfying ending for horror movie fans. The plot is simple. A young fellow, Jaime, receives a package on his doorstep- it is an old vent figure named billy. Jaime goes out for dinner for him and his wife and he comes back to find his wife slaughtered. When he goes to his (dying) home town he speaks with his rich father to uncover why this dummy is now his. The cop following him wants to know who killed the wife and dogs Jaime through the movie. The pre-ending is great: 100 plus vent dummies all inhabited by a spirit. I did NOT see the ending coming.

All round, it was an entertaining flick if you like horror and vent dummies. The best movie to date though still remains Magic, with Anthony Hopkins and Fats. Interesting for ventriloquists who know their history: in the scene where all the figures are discovered one can note that several of them are "Danny O'Day" Juro "dolls" that are still sold today. There is at least one Charlie McCarthy doll. Why is this significant? It is obvious that the prop people took the low road because the movie supposedly is about a vent lady who made her dolls at the turn of the 20th century and Danny O'Day dolls were not made until the 1960's.

Dave Allen and Duck Blunder

Britain has a similar show to America's got talent: It is (duh) "Britain's got talent." British "magician" Dave Allen managed to get on but the effect doesn't work. I mean it DOESN'T work; i.e., both in execution and in showmanship.It is interesting to watch the audience's reaction from the beginning. They are not with him in any way and he flubs the trick. The Duck canon inadvertently opened and the first duck flew out exposing the use of two ducks and clunky apparatus. It just goes to show you that either one has to get new equipment or a new persona. Sorry Dave...

Sleight of Mind and NLP

Many of you may have heard about NLP- Neuro Linguistic Programming. At first glance it seems implausible but it is based on strong research and its application to magic is just now blooming.

Richard Bandler and fellow researcher Grinder had heard about therapists who apparently did "magic" with their words. These were Virginia Satyr and Milton Erickson. What Bandler and Grinder did was to create a model of their tools in therapy and it came to be known as NLP. Neuro- applies to the brain, Linguistic- applies to words and Programming- applies to its application. In brief, people have an internal map or model of the world. The model is not the world itself but an interpretation of the model. Through their body language and words they reveal to the therapist their model of the world. The therapist then creates a model of that model- a "meta-model" as it were. There are plenty of training opportunities available but the problem has been that Bandler and Grinder couched the NLP training in difficult to understand language such as "nominalizations," etc.

In relationship to magic you may have heard of Derrick Brown from his books Pure Effect. Brown does not explain his use of NLP very coherently. Kenton Knepper has done extensive work to apply NLP to magic, but again, uses quite a bit of techno-jargon. But the authors of Sleight of Mind have brought to the average non-therapist a good treatment of NLP and basic explainations. There are other books out there but this one is a keeper. It is available through me at my ebay store, magic etc. Just click on the link or send me a note to magicetc@comcast.net and its yours for a measly 35.00 plus 4.90 postage (US)

Roman Garcia

Here is the video of Roman Garcia. He starts with a nice cigarette trick followed by a punched card. I know the switch, but I'm not familiar with the moving holes. I know that Mike Powers had a trick called Holy Terror some time ago. Nice magic.

Roman Garcia

In my daily search of the net for new magic I came across the following video of Spanish Magician Roman Garcia. He has a nice manipulation act- one of the moves fooled me- he holds his hand out, fingers splayed and then produces a ball at the tip of his fingers. NICE move. His is a pleasant act. Later I'll post his close-up with a nice moving holes routine.

Stargate and McGyver

This has absolutely nothing to do with magic but I thought it was hilarious nonetheless.

Cris Angel Levitation

I stumbled across this You tube video of Cris Angel doing a levitation. Whoever made the film-ette has done a lot of work to "expose" some of the methods. He basically states that Angel uses quite a few editing tricks and digital compositing. Television has enabled magicians do come up with methods that cannot be duplicated live. This is an example of that. Is is "right" do use the camera tricks and computer compositing? Well, its entertainment. The "secrets" of film have met the secrets of magic.

Dirk Arthur Review

There is a somewhat scathing review of magician Dirk Arthur at the Review Journal. I remember reviews done by Genii magazine some years ago and they really enjoyed him. What likely is hampering Arthur is the 45 minute show limit he has. But the reviewer noted several items which magicians would do well to take to heart.

1. They noted that Arthur wasn't bad but didn't establish a strong stage presence. While this may be a subjective assessment, nevertheless, it is a perception. Any stage show must pierce what in theater terms is called "The third wall." The wall is the separation between the audience and the performer. If the magician doesn't or can't do this then he is just a fellow bouncing around on the stage.

2. They noted the issue about Tigers in light of the attack on Roy Horn. Probably it is still too soon to be dragging out the large animals. People love(d) Horn and it is just a strong visual reminder.

3. They noted that he drags out "contraptions." The perception is that the boxes are doing the 'magic,' and not Arthur. This likely hinders rather than helps his performance.

4. They noted that his patter was dismal. Especially they noted that he should do something more than just shout "hey hey" when he appears in the audience. After watching countless hours of some young illusionists this seems to be a wide-spread problem. They would do well to look to Andre Kole who has memorized his entire patter and it is delivered (though somewhat deadpan) consistently.

If magicians want to be remembered then it seems the reviewer was looking for a strong distinctive personality that went past the spotlights and connected with the audience rather than the boxes on stage.

Magic Magic Everywhere

I recently traveled through Las Vegas and Magic was everywhere. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see any shows but advertising was aplenty. Way outside of Vegas is a huge billboard with Lance Burton's face. Then as you get into Vegas, and especially the strip, you can see the same ad emblazoned on the buses and just about everywhere else. The Monte Carlo is home to the Burton theater. (Top photo). You'll notice there is a small magic shop with all things Burton there.

The other shops in town are Houdini's located in just about every casino. Unfortunately, the one in the MGM is out of the way, but the people there are very helpful, as well as the one in New York, New York. The one in the NY NY is a bit easier to go to. But if you're expecting great tricks to ad to your show forget it. ALL the shops are purposely intended to be entry level-beginner magic shops.

Las Vegas Magic Gripes

Apparently there is a Swedish magician who has been trying to break into the magic scene in Las Vegas. But he hasn't so he went to the newspaper to complain. I'd recommend he keep his mouth shut- it only looks like whining.

How to Make a Ring Flight

Ring Flight has become a standard among magicians. Now days rings are ending up in shoes, on shoelaces, etc. But the plot is still the same. Borrow a ring, vanish it, show in an impossible location. Unfortunately, ring flight cases are still expensive. Here's how to make one of your own.
1. Obtain some key cases. I found 5 or 6 of them in a lot, on Ebay for 4.99. They were all leather and brand new.
2. Go to the stationary section of Wal Mart and you can get 3 reels for 1.69. These are for i.d. badges. Pick up some epoxy glue while you're there. Cost is about 1.50.
3. Remove the plastic tab from the reel. Remove the clip from the reel. Use one of the clips from the key case and reattach it to the end of the reel. I used a small set of pliers for this.
4. Set the reel on the case and "eyeball" measure the length of the string from the reel to where the clips hang down. Now tie several knots at that point so the reel will only retract that length.
5. Rough up the leather a bit and glue the reel down. If you want you can leave the end clip on (the back of the reel) and cut a small slit in the leather of the case so that the clip goes inside. But it isn't necessary.

That's it. Let the reel dry for a while and you're ready to perform. Total cost is about $2.33.

On Mental Magic

Over the years I have come to believe that mentalism is the strongest kind of magic that there is. But it has to be presented in the right venue and with the right kind of people.

I did a show a couple of weeks ago where it consisted of an all adult birthday party for a very wealthy man. The show was held in his home theater, complete with a stage up front. I am a firm believer that if you do mentalism you have to teach the audience as you go in the sense that what they are about to see is very much a different brand of magic. This is not to say that it cannot be funny. But because of slower attention spans there cannot be a long drawn out series of steps that you go through in order to get to the effect. The effect has to hit them hard, has to be very easily apprehended and if possible, as visual as you can make it.

For example, Larry Becker in his follow up to the World of Mentalism book has a nice casino gambling book test. A book on gambling is shown and the spectator inserts a card to a freely selected page. This page is noted and then the spectator opens the book to another page where there is a figure of a roulette table. Any three numbers across are added together to get a lucky number. The page and the number are now divined by the mentalist. It is a great effect.

But it is too unwieldy to perform for short attention spans. Most of the venues I perform at are where people have had at least one drink. They don't want to add numbers. And the process becomes the death-knell because it soaks up the plot. Unfortunately, I think the method is what became the attractant for Becker, rather than the plot itself. You should be able to have the spectator open the book to the roulette page, look at a number and then you tell them what number they picked.

I did my stulless watch routine based on Danny Korem's routine in Kaballa. Then I did my Voodoodle routine that was published in the Linking Ring. This effect is where you have a pair of Magna-doodle children's toys (kind of like an etch a sketch). The spectator joins you on the stage and you ask them to draw a stick figure of a boss they did not particularly like. Then you ask them to stick an imaginary voodoo needle into the picture by marking a big "X" anywhere on the figure. They turn it around to show, and your stick figure has an X in the same place. I'll leave it to you to look up the routine. It appeared in the 2002 or 2003 Linking Ring.

After the show the ladies that helped me told me they loved the mentalism tricks and had no idea how I did it. That is what you're hoping for

Nesting Doll Magic

When I was in Kuwait I became fascinated with Russian Nesting Dolls. I immediately knew there were magical possibilities for these little toys. I scoured Ebay and purchased several sets at ridiculously low prices. One was a set themed to the Grinch who Stole Christmas (from the movie). Another is based on the Russian tale of the Firebird. The effect is simple: a card is selected, the corner is torn off and given to the participant and the pieces vanish. They are found within the last nested doll. There are tons of stories that can go with the dolls. Find a set that is based on a fairy tale (Peter and the wolf, etc).

1. Place a duplicate of the card to be forced folded up inside the last doll.
2. Save the corner in an easy to obtain place, such as your side right coat pocket or front pants pocket.
3. Force the card. There are so many methods out there that you can do some homework and find one. Some simple suggestions: cross-cut force, cut-deeper force, Michael Ammar's Hofzinzer type force etc.
4. Openly tear the card into quarters.
5. At this juncture you have two ways you can go.
a. I like Steve Dacri's corner swith on his "No Filler" DVDs, volume 2. You obtain the corner to be switched in from your pocket, hold the torn pieces face down in your left hand adding the extra piece. It is this piece you give to the spectator to hold.
b. You can do Ammar's corner switch from his Encore Series or the Magic of Michael Ammar. The corner is added to the card (back) and handed to the spectator.
6. Now you "vanish" the pieces.
a. You can use a Devil's hank.
b. You can use a paper clip to clip all the pieces together and use a bobo-switch to switch the pieces for a second empty clip.
7. All that remains is for you or the spectator to open the dolls to the last doll to show the card.

For my fairy tale routine I play some light music, and do the above. Then tell the story pointing to the pictures as I do. (These also help me to remember the story).

On a High School Show

I just performed at a high school prom night. It was an "alternative" to the kids going out and drinking. They rented out the top floor of a swanky hotel and themed it "Aladdan's night." When I arrived the DJ was pumping out loud tunes and everyone was on the dance floor. I set up behind the dance area (in the dark) and cut my fingers on one of the knives I use for a card stab. So far...so good!! Then I realized I couldn't do the routine because of the angles. Oh well.

I usually start with fire eating, linking rings, and a mouth coil bit from Jeff McBride. The music is flashy and the kids liked it. About 30 minutes into the 40 minute show I recognized they were getting tired. Magic takes concentration and moreover participation. They really wanted at this point to do something else. So I immediately went into my bill in the can routine which is very funny. Here's some pointers on doing this kind of show.

1. Keep it visual.
Most of the kids will be skeptical since they're wondering if you are going to do hippity hop rabbits kind of magic.

2. Keep it participatory.
Standing up doing sidewalk shuffle probably won't cut it. They have to be involved or they are going to go out to the lobby.

3. Keep it short.
A 30 minute show is fine.

4. Keep it simple.
I really love Steve Beam's Multiple Impact routine. But having the kids wait till you find all 7 or 8 cards is going to deep-six your show. I have a card routine based on a Russian Fairy tale of the Red Bird, but the audience is not going to sit through a story. The routines can't be very complicated at all.

5. Keep it funny.
Teenagers are keenly aware of being made fun of- especially in front of their peers. Effects where YOU as the magician screw up are classically funny to a teen. Paul Potassy's pickpocket routine is likely ideal for this. Further, if you are going to do a card effect they know you're going to find it eventually. So the process has to be entertaining. They don't care much for how difficult it is really going to be. The card on the pole routine was ideal for this. It is a commercial item by Wayne Rogers and George Schindler. You force the 10 of hearts, and let the kid shuffle to his hearts content. Finally when you pull out the pole with his/her card you'll get big laughs.

Last thots: Don't be afraid to do some mentalism. I have a routine based on Danny Korem's Stulless watch routine (See also Michael Weber's Swatch this). Since a prom is essentially a date opportunity, you can involve the couple with this and it will get big results.

Roulette Hustle

This is a clip from the Hustle program in Britain. Paul Wilson and his accomplice go into a "casino night" and demonstrate how "easy" it is to hustle. It is about a 6 minute clip. Here are some observations.

1. This is obviously not a real casino. In real casino's there are "eyes" in the sky. I would think some of their scams would be readily caught on tape and by the pit boss.

2. Their "past-posting" their bets is a technique that has been around a while. There was a Discovery program recently where one fellow demonstrated how he had practiced for over a year in setting chips down and it was light years beyond what this program shows.

3. The clip demonstrates what happens when magicians using misdirection show "scams" in the gambling world. In other words, simply because one is a magician does not mean that one is qualified to demonstrate "real world" techniques. I would dare say that if these simplistic means of scamming were used at the Mirage, Harrah's, etc., it would be caught very, very quickly.

Al Koran Mentalism

My first introduction to mentalism was watching my friend Doc Monte' do a one-ahead set of predictions. I was very much into cards and coins at the time and when I saw Doc perform he totally fooled me. There was in my opinion, no explanation for what he was doing. Doc and I traveled about California doing some charity shows and we ended up at Hollywood magic in Hollywood. I asked him what would be a good starter book to learn mentalism. He walked over to the shelf and plucked out Anneman's Mental effects. Mentalism has developed quit a bit since then but on the whole in remains the Bible of mentalism, along with Corinda's 13 steps to mentalism.

One of the greats in mentalism was Al Koran. Here's a clip from his Ed Sullivan appearance:



The effects in order are:

* Medallion routine
* Number prediction
* Newspaper prediction
* Man From Uncle prediction

As you watch this you can note several things. Firstly, the pace of the audiences in the 60's and the performer is much slower than today. People have been conditioned to a faster pace show. But Koran masterfully handles the audience. Secondly, note how conservative his movements are. He plants his feet in one place and doesn't tend to move all over the stage. Thirdly, if you know the methodology, note how conservative he is when he is "doing the dirty work." He is very careful to write at times when people are directed to other things. Next, he is continually focusing on the audience and their reactions. It is a lesson in itself to watch the video several times to note a master at work.

Dancin Fancy

Magician Jason Latimer will fool you... If you can be patient enough with the dancing. When I first saw him perform I was waiting for the magic to happen. Then I watched 3 minutes of a ring and a card, with Latimer dancing around the stage. Make no mistake, it is a good act and his finish is spectacular. But like any presentation, it must have a beginning, a middle and an end. He builds, ever so slowly to the end and ends with a bang. Contrast this with Lance Burton, Channing Pollock, Cardini. They virtually stand in one place and the magic happens around them. Copperfield has become much better over the years and his dance is well incorporated into the magic as part of the plot, rather than a way to keep attention or to cover a steal of some sort.

Here's the clip:

Life of a Magician- Robert-Houdin

After having discovered sleight of hand as a teenager in reading the Amateur Magicians Handbook, by Henry Hay, the next book I acquired was the biography of French Magician Robert-Houdin. He was literally the David Copperfield of his age. As a young boy, he was fairly aimless. His father, a watchmaker, sent him to the bookseller to pick up a book on watchmaking. The bookseller mistakenly gave him a treatise on magic tricks and sleight of hand. Houdin found his niche when he read it. He practiced during the day with palming coins all while his hands were in his pocket. Later he graduated to his full evening shows entitled the Soiree Fantastique. What was unusual about Houdin, especially compared to the magicians of his day, was that he appeared in full evening dress, rather than the flowing mystical robes that marked his contemporaries. Further, most magicians of the day had their entire inventory of tricks on the stage at once- in other words, it was like a magic dealer demonstration, rather than a dramatic presentation of mystery. Houdin changed all that. He produced all sorts of items from a flat, empty porfolio. He borrowed a handkerchief, vanished it, and it would appear on top of a budding orange tree, carried aloft by two butterflies. His bakery illusion was a demonstration of automata of the day where the little men would produce a baked sweet requested by the audience member. Very few have reproduced the effect of his levitation performed with his son. Here's a clip from the Life of a Magician featuring the actual apparatus used by Houdin.

Larry Jennings cup and ball routine

Here is a wonderful clip of Larry Jennings doing his cup and ball routine. First the cup appears, then the ball, then all vanish. Unfortunately there is no audio track except the spanish music play-over.



You can find the complete routine in the Classic Magic of Larry Jennings. Does anyone know where one can find the Oil and Water routine he does, below? Let me know at Magicetc@comcast.net.

A Plumber and a deck of Cards

Larry Jennings was an unusual magician. His day job was running his plumbing company. Back in the early 70's I met a guy, Ron Brinegar, who was incredible at cards. Ron and I attended the "Farewell Lecture" of Dai Vernon in Sacramento. Bob Brown and Brenda did part of their act there as well. In a room, later, Larry did his open travelers. One fellow, who was fairly arrogant tried to push me and Ron out of the room, to no avail. Larry was a gentleman though. Here's his Oil and Water routine.

Joseph Gabriel

Back in the 80's Joseph Gabriel illustrated some of Harry Lorayne's material. But then he appeared on Johnny Carson and had an incredible act. It was exciting and he took standard dove manipulation to a new level. Here's a clip:



Unfortunately, the music in this video is not what Gabriel originally used. This clip is somewhat blase' due to the music and the audience. That is Princess Stephanie of Monaco, and Channing Pollock, the legendary magician sitting with her.

Benefits of Magic Clubs

I joined the International Brotherhood of Magicians in 1975. In the area that I lived, magicians were few and far between. There was no internet and video was just showing up. I remember being tremendously excited waiting for my copy of Expert Card Technique to arrive- it seemed like months. Finally it came. I sought out every opportunity to meet magicians and many times it wasn't pleasant. I was introduced to the huge egos, the quirky fanaticism and sometimes just downright arrogance of people, who in any other line of work, would have been fired immediately and given personality transplants.

But I stuck with it. My time in college in Denver was a happy time magically, getting to meet and become friends with some of the most innovative magicians in the country. What are the benefits of a magic club and why should you join?

Firstly, I believe you'll be a richer person for it. Magicians usually fall into two categories. The first is those who perform but do not create their own tricks. Some are curmudgeons and just downright poor at what they do. Then there are those who like many singers, don't write their own songs, but sing well. These magicians are great guys and gals who love magic but don't do it full time. They participate in the clubs because they love magic. And they love watching people's reaction who love magic. There are also those folks who have a rich memory of the magicians from yesteryear that can make your magic experience fuller and more developed.

Secondly, I think that ultimately the human perspective is better than a cold book or video. Those can teach you how to do a trick, but they won't give you the benefit of the contact with a person who knows the exact placement of a finger for a move. And they're genuinely interested in you.

Thirdly, organizations like the SAM or IBM have endowment funds which is their pledge to be financially committed to the members and associated artists who, in a time of trouble, can draw upon those resources. How many book clubs are willing to do that for you?

I Dream of Jeanie

Sue Ann Webster performs as Jeanie and took first place in the stage competition in Australia. The act is pleasant, although a bit short on magic.

Magician John Houdi

Magician John Houdi (pronounced "Howdy") is from Sweden. Some time ago I saw a tape of a young (16 years?) His manipulation was flawless. Now, an older Houdi does a full show. Here's the clip:



Notice that not much of the magic is original to him. That's fine. The audience doesn't care. And notice how he is sitting through the major portion of it. And he ends with a wonderful use of the chair gag.

Magic Mara

Here's a funny and present illusion of Christopher Hart's living hand illusion.



Even when you know how its done, she does an excellent job.

Magic and James Hydrick

Some of you might remember the TV show "That's Incredible." On that show a young man appeared in a goofy Kung-fu outfit claiming to be able to move things with the power of his mind- that was James Hydrick. Here's a clip from that show:



Several points, at least for our discussion related to magic:
1. Watch Hydrick's mouth- it doesn't move.
2. Watch the misdirection: all of the attention is on the item to be moved.
3. Note John Davidson's remarks about Hydrick blowing on a pencil, etc.
4. Then note the last item where Hydrick's mouth is covered by Davidson.

Hydrick, according to Danny Korem's interview with him, exposing him as a fraud, tells the story of being in jail in solitary confinement for over a year. That's where he took the simple magician's trick of blowing on the table in front of a pencil and developed it into a masterful presentation of apparent powers.

Then Hydrick appeared on TV with Bob Barker and James Randi. Randi's solution to the problem is brilliantly simple: he sprinkled Styrofoam peanuts on the table. Any breath from Hydrick would then be seen to be moving the peanuts about. Here's the clip :



Here's another from Danny Korem's expose' of Hydrick(unfortunately, it is in Spanish):



The bottom line was that Hydrick was using his tricks to get people to believe he had supernatural powers. Henry Hay, in his Amateur Magician's Handbook notes that if one tries to do this then he is not a magician, but a false prophet, and a fake messiah.

Magic Hands of John Scarne

I first learned about magic and gambling legend John Scarne when I attended a Disneyland Grad night in 1974. Glen, the guy working the counter at the mainstreet magic shop introduced me to Stars of Magic book. In that book are several tricks by Scarne. Later I learned that as a young boy he hung around some rather unsavory characters, but learned the ropes at cards and card cheating. During World War II, the story has it, that he spent his time going from camp to camp demonstrating for soldiers how not to get suckered in by card cheats. His books include Scarne on Cards, Scarne on Card Tricks, and Scarne on gambling. Here is a VERY rare video of Scarne demonstrating his techniques, along with cups and balls moves.

Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy

Here's a nice little clip of Edgar Bergen and pals.

Magician Rich Ferguson

When I was on active duty as a Chaplain, I made a trip out to California to visit some of our soldiers at a site near Monterey. On the way from there to LA I met magician Rich Ferguson on a plane. He is a very nice and kind fellow who will fool the living daylights out of you. Rich told me that he doesn't spend much time around magicians and tends to work largely in the private sector. Rich does have a set of videos out on casino chip work. Watch the video below and he will do a mind-blowing book test and a great application of the 100.00 bill switch in a very creative way.

Has David Blaine Peaked?

If you go to YouTube.com and type in David Blaine you will find more parodies of Blaine than you will of Blaine himself. In the magic journals they were highly critical of his last stunt, or I should say his second to the last stunt, namely the underwater "holding-your-breath" stunt. Many were saying that he is not a magician at all but a stunt man. But I think we would be careful not to criticize so quickly.

I will grant you that before Blaine was known, he sought out his own niche in magic. His dead-pan, "stoner" hip street magic guy persona radically changed the face of magic in the public eye. He started the "walk-up-to-a-person" MTV type of magic and if you will notice, most of the DVD's for magicians today have this kind of flavor. Those of you who were around back in the 60's remember how Don Alan changed close-up magic, as well as Channing Pollock setting the stereo-type for dove magicians. Then came Henning, and everyone was doing Henning. Then came Copperfield with his open collar and hairy chest. Then Lance Burton came along- everyone now seems to be throwing doves from his sleeves. I think it is just that certain magicians find their niche and find it successful so they attempt to duplicate it. It happened with Houdin and will happen again in the future. And it happens in literature as well. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown went off the charts and suddenly publishers were putting out books all with anti-Catholic church, anti-orthodox material. It's nothing new.

In the clip below, watch David do his version of the watch steal. It is a bit on the lower end of the technical side (Chappy Brazil's video- available from me at Magicetc@comcast.net is much better). The shaking of the hands hides the feel of the steal. I personally don't think you have to do it that much but he succeeds.

Stealth Assassin Mentalist Wallet

In my opinion the Stealth Assassin mentalist wallet is one of the best products to come on the market for the mentalist in years. While there have been many wallets that are essentially "peek" wallets, this is the best. John Cornelius markets his own wallet but the peek has to be just right. The Assassin or SAW wallet beats them all. (By the way, you can get the wallet from me at Magic Etc., at $20.00 off the U.S. retail. Normally it is 189.95 and you can get a brand-new one for 169.95 plus 5.00 Priority mail. Just email me at Magicetc@comcast.net and I'll tell you how to purchase it).

Here's a clip of the creators demonstrating the wallet.



For a long time I used Richard Osterlind's Surround Slow motion center tear for an effect that I now use the wallet for. Osterlind did include virtually the same effect on his Mentalism videos (Also available from me). I published my routine in the International Brotherhood of Magicians magazine, the Linking Ring, well before the DVD's came out. It was based on a Danny Korem idea in Kaballa. Danny created a stull-less watch routine that was later duplicated by Michael Weber in Almanac, albeit with a swatch watch (Swatch this). Essentially you try to divine the time a person thinks of but you fail. You hand a watch to another spectator and he turns the hands of the analog watch (with hands) and holds the watch face down. It then matches the time thought of by the spectator.

The weak point of the effect, both in mine and osterlind's was that one has to do a center tear. Now his Slo-mo center tear is a killer. But the SAW makes this oh-so much easier. You simply have the spectator write down the time she is thinking of and put it in the wallet. You then do one of the various peeks that the wallet facilitates. But you apparently can't get it. So then you continue with the watch and a second person.

The only drawback to the SAW is its price. I grant you it is expensive, but it is worth every penny, and the high price will keep it out of the hands of the curious who would probably botch it anyway

Fantasio

Fantasio appeared several times on the Ed Sullivan show. Remember, this was the day before he began to sell his original vanishing, appearing canes and candles. To us today, the act appears a bit slow, but one has to remember that he was the originator of these plastic devices and nobody was doing what has now become standard among many magicians. I can remember watching Fantasio on the original broadcasts and the multiplying candles absolutely flummoxed me. Enjoy.

Sir Sedley and Friends

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. During the early sixties it was popular to take cartoons and the three stooges and present them in a half-hour format interspersed with skits by local television kids show hosts. One of the more popular hosts was Bruce Sedley. He started out with a ventriloquist act, Fuddle. Then KTVU, channel 2 jumped on the Stooges resurgence in popularity and he created the character of Sir Sedley. He admitted that his ventriloquist skills were limited but we kids didn't care. The Stooges were great and the on-going "soap opera" aspect of Sir Sedley kept us tuned in. One of the gimmicks he used was to have kids send in boxes of paperclips and he made a coat of "mail" out of them. Sedley also invented the key cards that are now used in hotels around the world. He was asked to create a key that children could turn in a small box to hear a story about the displays at Oakland's Fantasyland, as well as the San Francisco Zoo. Unfortunately, the link to his videos appears to be broken, but there are some great pics that will spark your memory if you grew up watching him as I did.

Classic Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy

Here is a marvelous clip of the legendary Edgar Bergen. Bergen took "heat" from other vents of the day in the 30's-60's because he really moved his mouth quite a bit, as you can see from the clip.

But what made Bergen so great was the characters he created: Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd and Effie. Charlie was carved by Mack and at the time was considered to be the Cadillac of vent figure makers. Bergen starred in several movies and had his own radio show. The show-downs between McCarthy and comic W.C. Fields were said to be legendary. Candice Bergen, Edgar's daughter, said that Charlie had his own room in the house, with several changes of costume. Originally, Charlie was the "cheeky" boy, dressed as a newsboy of that day. But he evolved into the proper English dressed figure that you see in the clip, while still keeping his "cheeky" personality. Finally the day came when Bergen did his farewell performance and said it was time to pack up his little friends and say goodbye. The original Charlie McCarthy is now on display in the Smithsonian. For a time, there was an authorized Charlie McCarthy non-working reproduction available but at this time I've been unable to locate the dealer.

Amazing Senor Wences

When I was growing up, every Sunday Night was Ed Sullivan. He started out as an entertainment venue and grew into the Ed Sullivan show. It was the Johnny Carson show of its day. Such greats as the Beatles, James Brown and Buddy Holly all appeared on the show. But what was so fantastic was the respect Sullivan had for variety acts which eventually died out in the 70's. Senor Wences appeared many times and became a household name as the guy with "S'awright" in the box. Here is a clip of his act.

Vent Kevin Johnson

Here's great Ventriloquist Kevin Johnson. I have the same buzzard puppet that I got at the Ventriloquist convention in Kentucky (Vent Haven). Unfortunately, according to (now retired) Clinton Detweiler, the lady who made this no longer makes them. They're great puppets for kids. Magicians ought to consider adding ventriloquism to their children's shows. But I'd advise using something like "Monk" (below) or the Buzzard since children (and some adults) are put off by scary vent figures.

British Vent Act

Here's a nice little routine from a British vent act, Nina Conti. Note how such a small puppet can play so big. Be sure to click on the Axtell expressions link for small puppets.



Makes you want to buy a monkey.

Qigong Tricks

Another illuminating video of Qigong Trickery



Note in the video that these tricks were once called "Vagabond" tricks and were performed on the streets to earn money. I thought the vaseline on the hand to create smoke on a hot chain was clever. Perhaps they ordered their "fingersmoke" from Adams Magic company?

Pics from SAM April 2007 Mtg

Sam Club Flea Market

The Colorado Sam club had their flea market this month. Here's some pics of yours truly fooling them at my table.

Some Heavy ITR Thread

Quigong Master

This is an interesting video of a purported Quigong master. Unfortunately, the audio is in Chinese. Nevertheless...



Now take a look at this second one (this time in English)



The Committee for the scientific Investigation of the Paranormal took on Quigon/qigong some time ago. It appears there is a long tradition of those claiming these powers and they were infiltrated by those who had their doubts.

In the first video, notice what it is you do not see. Firstly, the table is covered. I suspect that (assuming one does not have super-powers) there is someone under the table in order to make the bowl of water move. I would do it with a powerful magnet. As to the blocks falling over, there are wooden blocks in the magic world that have egg timers (I'm not making this up) inside of them. Once they have the sand fall to the bottom it falls over. Notice also how he balances the block. The light bulb trick: I would have a magnet in the cloth. If he is standing so far away...then why does he need the cover? Answer, to have a magnet be attracted from under the table. And by the way...why is the hall so narrow?

In the second video, the sound lady "feels" electricity. I would suspect that either their is suggestion operating here or a battery connected. Notice also that he has to touch the newspaper for it to ignite. Anyone heard of the Abbotts firebowl trick? The gimmick is a small chamber that has lighter fluid in the bottom and magnesium metal in the top. Magnesium metal is VERY soft and must be stored in chemical stasis to keep it from water. Other wise it will ignite when it comes into contact with water. Were I the Qigong master, I would put a small sliver of the mg metal in the newspaper with some sponge. Press and poof. You're a chinese master. More later on cult leader and 'magic" blower James Hydrick.

New Steve Draun DVD's

Standing Room Only

The new set of Steve Draun DVD's are out by L&L publishing. Over the past couple of years LL has unfortunately seemed to have been packing their 1 volume dvd's into 3 volumes. About 3/4ths of the material is not really worthy of being put onto plastic. But I have to say that about 80% of the Draun DVD's are viable and good material.

Steve Draun is one of the Marlo disciples but doesn't have to stand in his shadow. Steve has previously published material in Apocalypse and other venues, and had a complete book with his material as well. The DVD's do him justice. Here's a clip:



I'll review items as they are listed from the LL website:

VOLUME 1

Over the years, Steve Draun has gained a laudable reputation as one of the finest sleight-of-hand experts in the magic underground. By perfecting and re-perfecting his magic, magicians from around the world were invariably fooled, stunned and affected. Back in the day, Steve Draun's work was often discussed in hushed tones. However, as time went on, Draun's focus shifted from fooling the greatest minds in magic to performing for laymen. Now, his vast and varied audiences see only the best of the best of the best.

AMBITIOUS CARD - Anyone can construct an Ambitious Card routine. You just combine a number of different phases. However, constructing a routine that's magical from the instant it starts and builds upwards from there is rarely done. This is one of the best!!

$100 BILL SWITCH - A hilarious presentation which solves many problems - including the clean up! Nothing new here in the way of visual difference. But as the advert states, it is an interesting way to do the effect.

KNOTTED SILKS - New wrinkles added to Slydini's classic routine, including a surprise Vernon variation. This starts the DVD. What is important here is the effort Steve makes into making it appear that everything is on the up-and-up. The audience just can't seem to believe that he continually unknots those silks. My only criticism is that this is very similar in appearance to the previous DVD release by Potassy.

VANISHING CIGARETTE - A lit cigarette completely and mysteriously vanishes. A super-clean handling that leaves them shaking their heads! Sorry- I don't agree. One of the problems here is that the left hand and arm are so close to the body, Steve acts like he has been shot in the shoulder and it appears that something is wrong.

COLOR CHANGING KNIVES - Pocket knives repeatedly change color and then - get this! - are handed out for examination. You'll love the strong finish for this classic - and the fact that it automatically resets! I can't say that I like the opening for this. Anyone who has a set of these, or a hot-rod can make a better move out of the transformation. But the closer for this will knock you out. You're left clean and the audience can't figure it out.

3 CARD MONTE - A powerful routine that will leave the spectators rubbing their eyes in disbelief! You'll also learn a new and unique ending. This is a really nice routine. It opens with a classic series of changes.

CARDS ACROSS - A thoroughly professional routine with an original handling. You'll also pick up some valuable insights into palming, holding out and adding cards. The routine here is very similar to Mike Close's routine on "Power of Palming." Personally, I think Close's routine is better.

RING FLIGHT - The classic Flying Ring plot combined with information on how to construct your own gimmick that will rival anything currently on the market. Again, I don't like the arm close to the body.

LINKING RINGS - Vernon's Symphony of the Rings with the Draun touch. Also discussed is a flaw that occurs when the routine is performed close up to which a very clever solution is offered that reinforces the illusion that all of the rings have been examined.

Having done Vernon's routine since I was in high school, I don't think Steve's routine is that much of an improvement. The major switch in the routine, which comes after the "Odin" count is not done that well. There are some nice touches though.

VOLUME 2

Though long acclaimed as a cardman, Steve Draun has approached dice, coins, linking rings and virtually all substrates of magic with equal passion and perseverance. It's for this great effort, and for his long-time experience, that such a high degree of bafflement permeates the magic of Steve Draun. This is also why his material is so greatly worthy of study and appreciation by anyone who seeks to better their own performance of magic.

OUT OF THIS WORLD - If you could accomplish this classic effect by real magic, it might look very much like this - the clean-up is that good! This is a very nice routine with the Draun touch. The clean up is just that- VERY good.

FAN GLIMPSE - If you are not already familiar with this now-standard method of glimpsing a peeked card, you are in for a real treat. If you already use it, you'll find some interesting presentational ideas.

FACE-UP ACES - A quick, surprising trick taught to Steve Draun by Ed Marlo. Some original ideas were added and what emerged impresses all who see it.

TENKAI PENNIES - An impossible-looking technique is used to accomplish this standard, but still powerful, trick. I was not too impressed with this. There are some touches that others have used that are better. The difficult parts in this routine are the finger-pinch and the transfer. One has to be able to look like one is not keeping the hands from the audience or making such a large move that you look like a ballet dancer.

MEMORY TRICK - A long-forgotten plot is updated and you're going to love the results! This is likely one of the best tricks in the DVD. The plot is simple. You patter about how people memorize numbers in a clump, like a telephone number. Then with a small packet of cards you demonstrate the impossible- the Ace through King are shown to be in order as they are dealt out. I have to say that Draun will destroy you with this because you absolutely will not see him bottom deal this. In the video he gives away the bottom deal that he does and it is perfection.

DECK VANISH - A stunning trick that features several new palming techniques. Also, a well-kept secret move for showing your pocket empty is revealed that you will use all of the time. Personally, I prefer my own deck vanish but this is a good start if you are just moving into this area.

WEB SHUFFLE - A great method for simultaneously culling and stacking using the riffle shuffle.

UNEXPECTED LOCATION - The spectator is in control throughout. They shuffle, cut, remember a card, and then cut and shuffle some more. After all of that, the performer, after some amusing by-play, reveals the selection!

BONUS MATERIAL

BONUS TRICK: PORTENT ACES - One of Steve Draun's best items! An Ace-cutting trick par excellence! MASTER PASS CLASS WORKSHOP - Learn the moves that Steve Draun made his mark in the world of card magic with including his touches on the Classic Pass, the Table Pass, the Herrmann Turnover Pass, and his own remarkable Midnight Shift. You'll also learn Jack Sandwich, a strong trick that incorporates some of the powerful techniques taught in this special workshop. If you've ever wanted to learn, or improve, the Pass, you'll find this Workshop to be an invaluable resource.

VOLUME 3

In the foreword to Steve Draun's lecture notes, card legend Edward Marlo wrote, "Steve is very discriminating in his choice of methods and effects. All the effects he does are direct and their plots are easily understood by laymen or magicians but their methodology is skillfully concealed from even the most knowledgeable expert." Now, for the first time in front of a live audience, you will see Steve Draun, one of Marlo's best and most gifted students, at the top of his form.

PERFECT COIN VANISH - A silver dollar is vanished with both sleeves rolled up. Both hands are shown empty front and back - the hands are held out in front of the body the entire time - and then the coin is reproduced! This vanish is similar to the Harada hold, but in my opinion, much, much better.

ALL BACKS ROUTINE - A spectator is asked to select a card and is surprised to find that it has a back design on both sides. The performer fans the cards and shows that all of the cards have backs on both sides. Suddenly, the deck is returned to normal with backs and faces - and can be used for more effects as it is perfectly normal! Normally, I've not been a fan of all-backs routines. They haven't made much sense. But here Steve gives you a plausible plot that can lead to further routines.

QUICK CULL - After the spectator shuffles the cards, the performer finds the Aces with just a few flourishes.

CENTER DEAL - A bluff Center Deal with a setup that looks so real, you'd swear that the Aces were in the center of the deck!

COUNTING PUZZLE - Magicians will see an Elmsley Count but the results still don't seem possible! The ending even fools those who think they know the secret.

BLUFF ACES - Some brand new twists on Marlo's classic effect.

TRAVELERS - An updated version of Dai Vernon's timeless trick. The application of more modern palms and subtleties makes this standard even more deceptive.

COPPER/SILVER - A practical, efficient and deceptive handling for a great classic of coin magic.

ONE WAY DEAL - This is one of the tricks that made Steve Draun's reputation. An ordinary deck is shuffled by the spectator and the magician deals himself a full house in seven hands of 7-Card Stud Poker.

TOPSY TURVEY - This is Steve Draun's handling of a trick invented by Marlo and included in his Riffle Shuffle trilogy. Most agree that it's the best of the seven versions created since the original.

BONUS MATERIAL

CUT, PASS, CHANGE & SQUARE WORKSHOP - Learn advanced card techniques from the master. Though challenging, these moves, including work on running cuts, the Thumb Pass, the Mercury Change, and squaring a squared deck, will enable you to lift your card magic head and shoulders above the average card worker.

You can get the Draun DVD's directly from me via magicetc@comcast.net. Retail is 99.95 but only subscribers here can get them for 79.95 plus 5.50 for postage.

Welcome to Magic 21

I've been doing magic for more years than I can remember and now with the advent of the easy access to blogging I felt the need for some clear-headed invite only magic opinions and reviews. This sounds kind of arrogant, but let me explain.

There are plenty of magic web sites on the internet. And there are some very successful magic magazines. But perhaps like me, you too have noticed the proliferation of what I call "crap" magic. I recently read an article in one magazine or on a web site that opined how silly it is of certain magicians to think that they are really fooling their audience. I can think of a couple of tricks, done by major illusionists that fall into this category.

For example, take a look at this David Copperfield video, "Pole Levitation." At 3:54 David starts the levitation presentation. DESPITE the fact that he has the poles demonstrated (and please note he doesn't tell them what he is going to do with them) does anyone really think that the last pole that he is touching has nothing to do with the illusion? I think the same can be said for several other illusions such as the recent crop of "saw through the spectator" genre.

This leads to what I call the 'back door' theory of magic. Henry Hay noted that if a spectator has an explanation for the trick in mind, it makes little difference whether or not it is the actual secret. It is plausible enough for them. In other words, there is a "back door" for them to mentally walk through. BUT...if you construct an effect in such a way that there is no possible answer then there is no mental back door. It is effectively shut and there is no possible explanation.

I'm often asked by my non-magic friends if I saw magician "so-and-so" recently. If so they ask me how in the world he did a particular trick. I can't count the number of times someone has been spot-on to the solution. For example, my wife recently commented about a particular dove magician- "Oh...I always enjoy watching X come out and unload his coat." Here's another example.

In the video below, watch it at 3 minutes into the video. This young Japanese magician is very effective in his manipulations until he hits this juncture. He tips his hand a few times before this because the misdirection is not that strong. But does he really think that holding his arms in this position that the audience doesn't know that he is getting the cards from under his vest, or that he is attempting to hide where they "come from" making them appear one by one?


To cure this, I think probably the best way to work through the problems is an approach that Daryl had. Some magicians don't want to be "tainted" by what has come before and want to try a fresh new method. But what we tend to do is to re-invent old methods, or worse, use methods that were discarded by others. Daryl, for example, researched the Ambitious Card routine(s) and ended up using only what he considered the best. The result was that he won at FISM. More later.