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PUBLISHED BY L.L.IRELHND-CHICHGO, iui^^tfii-i^^
Action With Cards by WARREN WIERSBE
I dedicate
this book
to B I L L MEYER in spite
of
everything
Published by L. L. IRELAND
109 N, D e a r b o r n
St,
Chicago, 1944
111
I was recently asked by Laurie Ireland to check over an original manuscript by a card enthusiast. Many such are submitted to magic houses. But in this case, after I had read the material I was very anxious to meet the man who wrote it. We had several visits and it was a joy and pleasure to become acquainted with Warren Wiersbe and watch him perform the various effects he has given the magic public in this book. I am only sorry I didn't think of this dandy crop of tricks myself. When the book was ready for the printer, Warren showed me a brand new one, which he said he'd save for another book. I almost broke his arm, insist ing he put it in "Action With Cards", and he finally consented. You'll be crazy about Perfect Prediction, which is the one I squeezed out for you. Ed Mario
INTRODUCTION After I had completed the manuscript of "ACTION WITH CARDS" I became aware of the fact that it needed an Introduction. After brooding over the matter for awhile, I decided that if I were to write an Introduction I would make it different from any that I had ever read. This idea gave birth to this Introduction. I thought that if I were to relate the experiences I had in the writing of this book, and then tell of its final publication, it might prove to be the incentive behind future volumes by other magicians. So here it is. "ACTION WITH CARDS" was evolved out of a series of original card effects I had devised in my spare time. I had always liked card tricks, and when I thought these up I wrote them down. fly next step was to show these tricks to some friends of mine, who were also magicians, and there I had my first defeat. As soon as I said that they were original, they immediately condemned them, and I got the impression that they were not good enough. So they got no further than being written on a piece of paper. But I was not defeated altogether by any means, and went on and devised other tricks with cards. All of these tricks, like the others, were written down on paper, and then I even added i llustrations for novelty. And so, unknown to everyone including myself, I had "ACTION WITH CARDS" written and illustrated long ago. Then I had the rare privilege of meeting an honest-to-gooaness magician, and then "ACTION WITH CARDS" became a reality. I showed him the tricks, and decided not to say that they were original until he had passed judgment upon them. And when he did, I had the surprise of my life. He thought that they were swell! So with that in mind, I whipped my notes into shape and sent the manuscript into Ire land's. After that, my life was one trip after another into Chicago. Ed Mario had read the manuscript and thought that it was good, so Ireland's decided to make a deal. Ed and I went over the tricks, made a few changes, and even added a new trick that I had shown him in one of our meet ings, and soon the manuscript was ready for its final test. Ireland's accepted it, the deal was made, and the wheels began to turn. The final outcome was the book you now have in your hands. In conclusion I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Ed Mario for his efforts to make this book possible. He painstakingly went over each trick, simplified when necessary, and aided with the final manuscript in order that this book would be a success. Without his efforts this book would have been impossible. So if in these few paragraphs I have put the germ of a new book into your heart, let it grow! Work on it, develop it, and perhaps in the end your efforts will be rewarded. I know that it's possible; I have "ACTION WITH CARDS" to prove it! Sirrerely, WARREN WIERSBE
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THIS CARD GETS AROUND! (Wiersbe's version of Everywhere and Nowhere) The following is an impromptu variation of this popular routine. In effect a card is chosen and shuffled into the pack. On showing the top card, it is seen to be the chosen one. This card is placed on the table. The bottom card is then exhibited and seen to be the selected one also. This, too, is placed face down on the table. A card in the center is also found to be the chosen card. Each card on the table is shown as the selected card, and all are replaced. On going through the deck it is seen that the card has vanished, whereupon it is reproduced from the magician's pocket. METHOD: This effect is brought about by a combination of several principles. Have the card selected, and then replaced. Control it to the top by whatever method you choose. You must now get it second from the top in readiness for a double lift. To do this, hold the deck in the right hand with the faces up. Now grasp the pack with the left hand and draw off the bottom card singly with the right. Now drop the pack on this card bringing it to the top, and immediately take hold of the bottom half of the deck with the left hand and continue with a shuffle. This brings the original top card (the chosen card) second from the top, and that is the position you want it in. Continue by asking the spectator what his card w a s , and get the two top cards ready for the double lift. After he has named the card, turn the two top cards over as one and lay then on top of the deck, separating them from the pack with the little finger. Show the card as their chosen one, and turn both over to their original positions. Deal the top card, (really an odd card) as their chosen card, and lay it face down on the table. Their card is now on top of the pack. You must now get their card which is on top to the bottom. It is a simple matter. Merely hold the pack backs up in the right hand, and begin shuffling. Draw the top card off singly as above and lay the pack on it. Continue shuffling the upper half as above. Their chosen card is now on the bottom. Remark that sometimes a thing is two places at once, and turn the pack face up to show their card on the botton. Turn the deck face down again, and apparently deal it on the table, but do the glide and deal another odd card. This card is placed next to the other one, both being face down on the t a b l e . Yon now have two indifferent cards on the table, and the chosen card on the bottom of the pack. Continue by saying that aside from being on the top of the deck or on the bottom, the card may just as well be in the middle. Here you begin a Hindu snuffle and request them to tell you when to stop. When they do, turn the packet face up, show their chosen card on the bottom, and actually deal it face down on the table. You now have two indifferent cards and their chosen card face doVn on the table. To show each card as the chosen card, you utilize the wel1-known "Mexican Monte" move. I refer the reader to Erdnase, pages 122 to 121. I will briefly describe it here for those who do not have a copy of Erdnase handy. Take the chosen card and show it as their card. Turn it face down and hold it by the lower right hand corner between the thumb and first and second fingers of the right hand. Now slide the card under one of the indifferent cards on the table as in Figure I. The card in the right hand (the chosen c a r d ) should project above the card on the table about a half an inch. Now begin turning the chosen card over - 2 -