Hugard's DEVOTED
SOLELY
TO THE INTERESTS
Vol. Xm, No. 1
OF M A G I C
AND
J U N E 1955
MAGICIANS 40 CENTS
MY $2.00 TRICK By SAM AARONSON
Effect: Four half dollars, placed in one hand, change to a small rubber ball. The performer states that the four half dollars are inside the rubber ball and to prove it, at his command, the four half dollars drop down, one at a time, into the other hand, apparently coming from inside the rubber ball. Sleights: Two special coin sleigths are required, one which might be called the "Multiple Coin Thumb Palm", and the other the ability to hold four coins in the standard or "clasic" palm, and to release them one at a time. Neither sleight, in my estimation, is too difficult, but serious practice is needed to give the performer the necessary ease in handling. The practice required is well worth the effort as these two sleights can be utilized in many effects and routines: 1) Multiple Coin Thumb Palm: This is simalr to the regular thumb palm with coins but its adaptation to four coins is, I believe, original. In fact, Henry Hay states in the "Amateur Magicians Handbook": " T h e o n l y drawback to the flat thumb palm is that it rather cramps the position of your thumb and it cannot be used for
more than one or two coins". Henry Hay to the contrary, I have done this sleight with five coins, and the thumb is not too cramped. To perform the sleight proper: The four coins are held slightly fanned, between the tips of the first and second fingers of the right hand, resting on the second finger (Fig. 1). These two fingers curl inwards until the edges of the coins touch the crotch of the thumb, which automatically brings the four coins into position (Fig. 2). Bring the thumb, down and clip the coins by the edges as the fingers straighten out. (See: "Modern Coin Magic" by Bobo, page 3, for the thumb palm with one coin. The moves are almost identical with four coins). 2) Multiple Coin Standard Palm: The coins are held in the palm of the right hand, in the same way as when palming a single coin, with the fleshy part at the base of the thumb holding the coins securely in place so that they do not "talk" (Fig. 3). It will be found that a slight relaxation of the fleshy part will allow one coin at a time to be released. Practice will teach the performer just how much effort is required to release the coins one
at a time. Once ease is acquired, the hand may be held horizontally (parallel with the floor) or vertically (at right angles to the floor). NOTES: a) Two additional though minor sleights are used, in connection with the small ball; the regular palm and the finger palm, but these should give no trouble, b) Throughout the effect, performer should stand facing slightly to the left, so that there will be no tell-tale flash of the coins or the ball when palmed. Preparation: Four half dollars and a small rubber ball are in the right hand coat pocket at the start. Presentation: Come forward and announce that you will do your "TwoDollar Trick", for which you need — reach into your pocket and bring out the four half dollars, meanwhile getting the ball into the standard palm, in the right hand. State that for the $2. trick you use four half dollars. Count them out one at a time and drop them into your outstretched left palm. As the fourth coin drops, hold up the four fingers of your right hand, back to the spectators, counting: (Continued on page 299)
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MILBOURNE CHRISTOPHERS COLUMN MAGIC CIRCLE JUBILEE DANTE
Dante died of a heart attack at his ranch in Northridge, California, on Thursday, June 16th. A week before he had made his last public appearance at the S. A. M.-P. C. A. M. Convention in Santa Barbara. He presented brief speeches on the two public shows and another at the banquet. As he talked during the latter he clutched his heart but made no mention of it afterwards. Dante was born Harry Jansen Oct. 3, 1883 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He came to St. Paul with his family at the age of 6. Earlier in his career he worked a s Herr Jansen. Thurston gave him the name Dante when he sent him on tour with the No. 2 Thurston show. Dante's claim "the most traveled theatrical organization in the world" had ample justification. He had long runs in Moscow, London, Paris, Buenos Aires, New York, Tokyo and other capital cities. He introduced t h e magic-review type of presentation. A master illusion builder and ingenious inventor, "The Un-Sevilled Barber," "Backstage," "Magician's Rehearsal" a n d "Black and White" were a few of his outstanding illusions. Around the world newspaper critics hailed him as the greatest magician of his time. His personality on the stage was at once commanding and magnetic. His was a tongue-in-cheek style. He spoofed the traditional procedures and played for entertainment first and foremost. I saw his wonderful "Sim Sala Bim" in England in 1936. It was the most completely enjoyable evening of magic I had ever seen. I saw him later in 1940 at the Morosco in New York and still later in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Chicago. Friday, June 10th, after the banquet in Santa Barbara, we sat up past 3 a.m. as he filled me in on dates and details of his career in magic. Then, Sunday evening, June 12th, Jim Conley and I visited him at the Rancho Dante, on the outskirts of Hollywood. Four days later Jim phoned from Idaho with the shocking news of Dante's death.
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The first magician I saw in London was my old friend George Braund at Oddenino's. He patters along with vanishing cane, rope and silk tricks and a prediction on a disk wrapped in a ball of wool. Tommy Cooper was one of the big hits at the Prince of Wales. He is tall, roughhewn in features, wears a red fez and his black hair long. Strictly a burlesque magic act and very funny. Quick gags, like lighting paper in a frying pan and cracking, "Flash in the Pan." Repeat gag was the Hippity, Hoppity Rabbits.
Hu-Gardenias to THE MAGIC CIRCLE (London)
for the remarkable success of their Jubilee Celebration which was conducted in such a manner as to enhance the dignity of Magic. The occasion will undoubtedly remain a landmark in the memory of those who were fortunate enough to be present. Congratulations to our brothers across the sea!
The Magic Circle Jubilee was a great success. David Nixon and I introduced the acts on the International Show. Jimmy Rogers produced birds and worked with sight tricks. Ade and True Duval rang up an ovation. Fred Kaps, Dutch manipulator, stopped the show with cards and cigarettes. I did ropes, magazine test, remote card game and several others. Voltaire, in space suit, offered a new one— stopping a motorcycle with an "atomic gun." Elizabeth Warlock, Peter's daughter, did her competitionwinning act with silks, plumes, tambourine, etc. Rezvani performed his famous cups-and-tomatoes routine in pantomime. Holden offered the cardsacross with spectators. Kalanag had the biggest act. Excellent lighting, costumes and production plus attractive assistants. He flew from Germany just for the show. Girl in balloon, van-
ishing lamp, Gloria in mental routine, and a fast magic barman session to close. Jay Marshall was a solid hit with his comedy. Li King Si and wife closed with rapid-fire productions and vanishes. Herbert Collins lectured on Chinese costumes a n d customs. Cy Enfield talked on gambling sleights, and I held forth on "New Ways to Deceive" on different days. Robert Harbin did a fine spirit cabinet stunt with a surprise comedy ending. Peter Warlock had a rapping table and floating block in sealed cylinder. The Salvins offered mental experiments, and Fogel showed his thought-reading act, with an effective phone-book s t u n t t o close, on the "Invitation to a Seance" show. M. C. was Claude Chandler, with an amusing voice from a trumpet to assist in the introductions. Michael Bailey and Alex Elmsley produced "Abracadaborough," an entertaining review featuring the younger members of the Circle. Costumes, music and production were delightful. Several of the skits were worthy of a spot in any review. Sorcar flew in from India; Sardina journeyed over from France. Henk Vermeyden, Dutch dealer had a novel pair of scissors on a stand that opened and closed at his command. Chris Charlton, Mrs. Cecil Lyle, Edward Victor, Geoffrey Buckingham, Wilfred Jonson, Jerry Lukins, Frances Ireland, Graham Adams and Geoffrey Robinson were among the more than 400 who attended. Francis White was a witty speechmaker on two occasions. Goodliffe brought out three daily issues of his Abracadabra. David Nixon, Rezvani, Gus Southall, Vermeyden, Fred Kaps, Anne Hardy, Francis White and I were on the special BBC telecast. In Paris the AFAP invited me to an affair at the Press Club. I did a few rope tricks a la Francaise. Visited Dr. Dhotel. Saw Odips at the Musee Grevin. Visited Robelly in Orleans. Got 5 0 prints, engravings, playbills a n d books for my collection in England and France. Also two magician statuettes. First day in Lisbon found another figurine in an antique shop. As I write this, I'm taking it easy in the sun at the beach in Estoril. Happy to hear that my film commercials are still running on TV in the States.
Hugard's MAGIC Monthlj
FARELLI S L O N D O N CAN YOU TELL FORTUNES? (A convincing Card Trick) Gentlemen, It may safely be said that this question has been put, at some time or other, to every conjurer who ever handled a deck of cards. It used to annoy my old friend Ernando Veneri extremely, and he often remarked to me: "How stupid these people are! I show them my beautiful tricks—that have taken a lifetime to perfect—and after the entertainment some silly woman says: 'Oh, Mr. Veneri,* would you tell me my fortune?" Although such requests upset him a good deal, he was shrewd enough to realize that it pays a drawing-room entertainer to humour his audience, and, with that end in view, he devised a rather elaborate fortune-telling trick for the amusement and bewilderment of the superstitiously inclined. At this distance of time, over thirty years, I cannot recall the exact details of working, but I remember that he used a pre-arranged deck, and it is now generally recognized that "set-ups" are to be avoided, except when it is impossible to obtain the same result by more simple means. The routine described in the following lines is equally convincing, and it is due to the ingenuity of the late Max Cadet, a French magician of repute to whom the fraternity is indebted for many brilliant inventions. I first came across an explanation of this particular effect —the simplicity of which will be appreciated by experienced performers—in Passez Muscade (No. 16), a now defunct magical magazine. The method itself is almost perfect but I have altered the "patter" to suit English-speaking audiences. * * * I wish to make it perfectly clear that I do not advise the reader to add the effect to his "bag o' tricks", but to keep it in reserve for occasions when some blushing damsel, or dignified dowager, inquires: "Oh, Mr. So-andso, can you tell fortunes?". When the trick is included in the regular program, the effect is greatly diminished, if not entirely lost. A bor* Veneri's name is mentioned in various works on conjuring, including: Hilliard's Greater Magic, Edward Victor's Further Magic of the Hands, Farelli's Card Magic, Lend Me your Pack and also in the quarterly magazine, The Magic Wand. An Italian by birth, he was well known in Glasgow as a drawing-room entertainer.— V. F.
rowed deck may be used, and the performer need not manipulate the cards. All magicians, principally those who specialize in drawing-room work, will find this routine most useful. ROUGH OUTLINE OF THE EFFECT Briefly, the effect is as follows. Having been requested by a lady in the company to tell her fortune, the magician asks her to give him the date and the month (not the year!) of her birth. Pretending to make some intricate calculations, he informs the sitter that her "lucky" card is (say) the Ace of Clubs. The conjurer also tells her her lucky number. A card having been freely chosen by her, it turns up in the pack next to her so-called lucky card. •
•
•
Having finished the trick, the entertainer can then give the lady a "reading" using, should he judge it advisable, a deck of Tarot fortune-telling cards. See sketch.
PRESENTATION AND "PATTER" As the whole success of this little mystery depends on the patter and on the novel mode of presentation, I shall give them in full. 1. The conjurer, adopting a light and bantering manner, remarks: "Yes, I can tell fortunes! But do you really believe in the Occult Arts? You know you don't, and if I were to cast a horoscope you would think, or you might even say: "I don't believe much in that nonsense, but it is amusing and helps to pass the time!" 2. Then, suddenly becoming serious,
LETTER the magician continues in an emphatic and dogmatic tone: "But you would be mistaken! Each one of us has not only his lucky star, but also his lucky card and his lucky number. We are, all of us, the children of Destiny, and all our actions are controlled by Fate and preordained from the commencement of the ages!" 3. The artist pauses a moment, and then inquires in his natural voice: "Would you like to know your lucky card and perform, by yourself, a little experiment to prove its power? Yes. Very well. First of all, can we borrow a deck of cards? Thanks. Would somebody be good enough to shuffle the cards, and then lay the deck, face down, on the table. Very good." 4. Note. For reasons that will presently appear, it is better to get the deck shuffled by one of the company: not by the lady. 5. The "Lucky" Card. The performer continues: "Would you please tell me the month in which you were born? August? August... yes, therefore you come under the sign of the black cards." "Were you born in the first or in the second half of the month? In the first half? Very good. Your life is ruled by Clubs." "Now please tell me the date of the month. The twelfth. Let me see. The twelfth ... that is more difficult... Yes... that gives us the Ace. Consequently, your lucky card is the Ace of Clubs". 6. The "Lucky" Number. The entertainer proceeds: "We must now discover your lucky number. Madam, with your left hand please cut the deck into two portions. Cut high or low, wherever you like. Thanks. Place that packet aside, and pick up the lower portion." "Please count the cards you hold, one by one, faces downwards on the table ... Twenty. That is your lucky number." 7. Selection. The magician remarks: "Now for the little experiment you said you were willing to perform. I shall prove that your lucky card and your lucky number rule all your actions! The next step is to take the packet that you laid aside. Cut it three times with the left hand. And once again for luck. Thanks." "Now, without letting me see it, look at the bottom card. Please show it to your neighbor. If you think that I have caught sight of it, you may cut again. No. Very well. Place the pack(Continued on page 296)
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BACKSTAGE with FRANK JOGLAR
After a long hiatus TV magic is booming. Dunninger will begin a summer series for Hazel Bishop on NBC. CBS has readied a kinescope of Paul Tripp's "It's Magic," which may be slated in the fall. Fred Keating and Gali Gali are among the acts in the test showing ... Dominique played a repeat at the N. Y. Copa . . . Ricky Dunn was a feature at Ben Maksik's Brooklyn Town and Country Club ... The Rigoletto Brothers brought their magic novelty act to the N. Y. Palace for the umpteenth time. FARELLI
Victor Farelli died May 12 in London. His copy for HMM was always letter perfect. Then last month there was a hazy paragraph when his contribution came in. A quick air mail communication requesting clarification brought the sad news of his death from his solicitors. Farelli's contributions to the literature of magic were monumental. We mourn the passing of a great technical writer, a lifetime lover of the deceptive arts and a good friend. I. G. P. Add to the long list of magic societies another new one. Tagged the International Guild of Prestidigitators, Stewart Lindsay of Alhambra, Cal. is the prexy. Julie Atterburg handles the correspondence. The outfit is said to limit membership to adepts at sleightof-hand. JOTTINGS
Joan Brandon is racking up some impressive publicity and attendance figures with her hyp. show ... Lee Grable whets interest in the middle west for his full evening show with his featured "Floating Piano"... The Magicians Guild had a corking show for their annual banquet at the Henry Hudson: Senator Crandall, Al Flosso, Viggo Jahn, DeLage and Shirley, the Clintons, Court Artell, The T h r e e Wiles, Derby Rogers ... Was Dorny amazed? Booked in Chicago to emcee a banquet he was taken completely by surprise to find the affair was a testimonial in his honor staged by Chick Schoke and the Chicago Round Table. It was a heart-warming evening and a timely honor to the vet comedy magician. GLEANINGS
Ching was on the bill when the Metropolitan theatre in Providence reopened with vaude ... "Mr. Ballantine comes up next with his bag of magical tricks that don't work. His 292
brash stream of patter sustains the frivolous mood and he clicks all the way"— reported Variety when Mr. B. played the N. Y. Palace ... Jerry Lukins reports that the Golden Jubilee of the Magic Circle in London was a super success. He was impressed with the cordial manner of British wizards and saw many first class close-up conjurers. He reports Jay Marshall, Ade and True Duval, Milbourne Christopher and Frances Ireland were American ambassadors par exceUence during the festivities ... Paul Morris notes that the May 7th Saturday Evening Post carried a story titled "Death Trap." All about the exploits of the Great Armando, an escape artist.
Hu-Gardenias to GEORGE COOKE
for his delightful act at the after-the-meeting show of the S. A. M.'s closing meeting of the season. It is rare indeed to see an act of this calibre at any aftermeeting show of any society. Using black light and fluorescent effects, George staged an act worthy of the professional stage. Completely novel and a •welcome departure from the beaten track, his presentation will be long remembered by all who were treated to it.
CARDINI
Cardini, the old master, was revdewed at the Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis by Variety: "With t h e passing years Cardini's magic seems as baffling and bewildering as ever, and repetition of his cards and other tricks apparently makes them no less acceptable in this supper club. On this return visit, Cardini brings a parakeet to help him with some of his adroit card tricks. The bird obeys the prestidigitator's bidding to pick named cards from an encased pack and contributes a diversity to the performance. Piece-de-resistance of Cardini's repertory is the amazing manipulation of lighted cigarettes which seem to emanate continuously and in endless numbers from his mouth and the thin air. And again his urbanity, sophistication and polished Continental manner impress. The inclusion of some chucklesome patter and comedy business with his feminine partner enhances the act's value."
December 16th at the Beekman Tower Hotel in Manhattan . . . M. A. E. S. stages its 13th convention at the PennHarris Hotel in Pittsburgh, Sept. 8-10 ... Joe Karson tossed a "Carnival of Magic" Saturday and Sunday May 14th and 15th at the Hotel Bridway in Springfield, Mass. ... Tenkai and Qkinu were featured on the I. G. P. show April 23 in Los Angeles . . . Prince Julian is back at his own stand in Hubert's 42nd St. Museum ... Richard Himber pitted his magic against Chester Miller's mentalism on "An Eye on New York," the CBS around town TV show. PAULA DORAN
A new, to us, femme magician, Paula Doran mixes magic with acrobatics. As she twists and turns, posies bloom, a rabbit pops up from a pan and flowers appear from nowhere. Attractive and versatile, she appeared recently at the Fairmount in Ottowa, Canada.
BITS AND PIECES
DR. DAHESH
They're still talking about the wonderful Magicale that Herman Hanson staged this year for the S.A.M. in Boston ... Royal Vilas Assembly 20 and Park City Ring 100 are joining forces for the 18th Annual New England Magicians Convention at t h e Stratford Hotel in Bridgeport, Conn., Sept. 30-Oct. 2 ... Open House Christmas Party this year will be Friday,
Just to keep you chuckling here's some more dope about Dr. Dahesh from Michael Noayme in Beirut: "A political personality invited D. Dahesh to an evening party and 60 persons were also invited. A picture representing a portrait of Rembrandt and a pi c t u r e representing Beethoven playing on a piano were hanged on the wall of the saloon. Dr. Dahesh pointed his finger at the portrait of Rembrandt and addressing him told him: 'Leave the picture.' Rembrandt went down f r o m t h e picture and greeted the persons there, and the picture remained as it was, but without Rembrandt. Dr. Dahesh told Rembrandt: 'I order you to paint a pic-
The opinions, criticisms and approvals which appear in this column have the full endorsement and are the sole responsibility of the editor and publisher, Jean Hugard.
(Continued on page 297)
Hugard's MAGIC Monthly
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IMPROMPTU TRICKS By MARTIN GARDNER
(Continued from last issue) MNEMONICS Mnemonics ( f r o m Mnemosyne, Greek goddess of memory) is the art of memorizing difficult material by means of ingenious mental "systems" or devices. References to such memory aids are found in the writings of many Greek and Roman authors. A popular ancient device for recalling a list of items was to imagine each item at a certain spot inside a particular room of a large house or group of houses with which one was familiar. By making a mental tour of the rooms, along a predetermined route, the items could then be recalled easily. This device, still used by memory experts, was credited by several ancient authors to Simonides, a Greek poet who flourished around 500 B.C. Legend had it that after leaving a banquet, at which he had recited some of his poems, the roof of the building collapsed, killing the guests. The bodies were so mangled that it was impossible to identify them. Fortunately Simonides remembered each guest's position in the room and thus the identity of each body was established. On the basis of this legend, Simonides was popularly regarded as the founder of mnemonics. It was not until the late Middle Ages that special treatises on the art of memory began to appear. In the Renaissance, mnemonics enjoyed a huge and fashionable popularity. Giordano Bruno, elaborating on the geometrical mnemonic diagrams of the Spanish mystic, Raymond Lully, produced many weird treatises on the art, and for a time earned a living by teaching mnemonics to wealthy Italian dilettantes. Original works in English began to appear in the latter half of the seventeenth century. The most popular and influential early British work was Richard Grey's Memoria Technica, 1730. In the United States, the first book on the subject was Mnemonika, by Edward J. Coale, Baltimore, 1812. The first published bibliography seems to be the one which appears in a nineteenth century British work, The New Art of Memory, 1812, by a German monk, Gregor von Feinaigle. Since the time of Feinaigle, hundreds of books and pamphlets on the subject have been published. David M. Roth's Memory Course, originally issued as seven booklets in 1918, later reprinted as a single volume by Sun Dial Press, is still one of the best references on modern mnemonics. The
recent books of Bruno Furst also are excellent and readily obtainable surveys of the art. A brief history of mnemonics may be found in the current edition of Encyclopedia Brittanica. As is so often the case, this is a cut version of the article which appears in full in the same encyclopedia's eleventh edition. The article in turn is based largely on the history by A.S. Middleton and the bibliography of G.S. Fellows, both of which were issued as a single volume, titled Memory Systems, New and Old, in England in 1888. The world's largest collection of mnemonic literature, containing more than a thousand different titles from 1466 A.D. to the present, was gathered by Bernard Zufall, of Forest Hills, New York.
Bernard Zufall The collection is now owned by the Yale University Library, in New Haven, Conn. An interesting description of this collection, by H. Adrian Smith, appeared in The Linking Ring, June, 1939. The assistant commercial vice president of General Electric, Mr. Zufall is well known for his club appearances as a memory expert and as the author of six booklets which he issued in 1940 under the general title of Zufall's Memory Trix. What follows is a brief glance at some of the current methods employed in the presentation of memory feats for entertainment purposes. Word Lists A long list of words called out by an audience can be memorized quickly without the aid of a previously memorized list of key words. Simply link the words in a continuous chain of fantastic mental associations. The list
can then be repeated forward, and without too much effort, backward. However, if the words are numbered you cannot quickly call out a word for any given number. To be able to state quickly the word at any given number on a list, or conversely, the number of any calledfor word, you must previously fix in your memory a basic list of numbered words. As spectators call out each word, it is associated mentally with the corresponding word on your basic list. Dozens of such lists have been published, with many ingenious gimmicks to aid in memorizing them. Al Baker, in Ways and Means, offers a useful suggestion. After each word is called out, ask the person who called it to give you some additional details. For example, if his word is "wine", ask him what type of wine; if imported, from what country, and so on. These details are extremely easy to recall, and by reciting them later the feat is made more impressive as well as more entertaining. Numbers A tremendous advance in mnemonic methods occurred in 1648 when Stanislaus Mink Von Winckelmann, of Germany, proposed that digits be symbolized by consonants. Numbers could then be transposed to words and the words memorized by systems such as those discussed above. To recall the numbers it would then only be necessary to translate the words back to figures again. Winckelmann's original number alphabet was a crude one, but it was quickly improved by later memory experts. The German philosopher Leibniz was fascinated by it and wrote a brief treatise on the number alphabet. Lewis Carroll worked out an alphabet which he considered an improvement over the one he found in Grey's Memoria Technica. Carroll's alphabet is printed on p. 268 of The Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll, by Stuart D. Collingwood, 1898. Carroll used it for memorizing history dates, first forming a word for the date, then composing a rhymed couplet which ended with the key word. Thus to remember 1492 Carroll devised the word "found" from the three numbers 492, then memorized the couplet: Columbus sailed the world around, Until America was FOUND. The modern number alphabet, used by almost all contemporary memory experts, is basically the same as the one developed by Feinaigle, the consonants arranged by various vague re-
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semblances to the digits for which they stand. Once the alphabet is committed to memory, it becomes a simple matter to memorize dates, phone numbers, addresses, license plates, population figures, numbers on dollar bills, and so on. For entertainment purposes, long lists of random digits called out by the audience can be memorized rapidly. In memorizing a long series of digits the best plan is to break them into groups of three, forming a word for each group. It is not necessary to limit yourself to words in which only the three required consonants appear. Longer words may be used provided the first three consonants correspond to the desired digits. Another method of memorizing a list of random digits is by means of a key list in which several words, rather than consonants, symbolize each digit. For example: the number 1 may be symbolized by such words as bun, gun, nun, sun, (with which it rhymes), or such words as candle, pencil, smoke stack (which it resembles in form), or any list of random words you choose. Similarly with the other digits. As each number is called off, you pick a word that stands for that number. The list of words is then memorized by associating them in a chain of images, or by hanging them on a basic word list. An extremely long list of apparently random numbers can be called off at any time, while someone records them, then repeated without an error simply by reciting to yourself a poem you have memorized. Each word of the poem is translated into digits as you go along. An amusing New York City trick is to exhibit to the audience a list of twenty apparently random digits, then state that you will cause anyone to memorize this list instantly merely by whispering something in his ear. The list of digits is: 34425059667279869196 What you whisper is the information that the digits represent the stops on the Seventh Avenue IRT subway from 34th Street to 96th Street —a series of street numbers which most New Yorkers recall. A similar parlor stunt can be performed in Chicago by using Illinois Central stops, and doubtless there are variations suitable for other large cities. Cards Memorizing a deck of cards after it has been shuffled is always a dramatic parlor feat. The usual method is to have a key list of 52 words, one for each card. The words are then memorized, either in a chain of associations, or by linking them to a basic word list.
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In preparing a word list for the deck, it is convenient to have all the words for the Spades begin with S, Clubs with C, and so on. Aside from this it is best not to have other memory aids for linking the card to the word. The trick is entertaining only when performed rapidly, and for speed it is best to memorize the words directly, so that as you deal through the cards to memorize them, each card immediately brings the necessary word to mind. Victor Conrad, in the Genii, Feb., 1933, suggested using a basic list of 52 dramatic situations rather than words. For example: riding a bicycle, flying an airplane, etc. Each card is then symbolized by either an animal (dog, cow, etc.) or by a personal friend or relative. Thus if your first dramatic situation is riding a bicycle and the first card stands for Aunt Charlotte, you think of Aunt Charlotte riding a bicycle. Zufall's system for memorizing the deck is fully explained in booklet No. 4 of his memory trick series. Miscellaneous Armed with a memorized basic word list and the number alphabet, it is a simple matter to devise special systems for memorizing almost anything —a game of chess, throws of dice, the first name on each page of a telephone directory, the chess knight's tour, and so on. Zufall originated and has long featured the feat of memorizing what appears on each page of any magazine handed to him. His method is detailed in the first booklet of his series. Mel Stover writes that Koltanowski, a blindfold chess wizard, performs the following version of the knight's tour. He places on each square of a large wall chessboard the names of 64 spectators present, then without looking at the board he calls out the 64 names in the order of the knight's tour. The names of 64 objects could be substituted for the names of people, and a mnemonic system used for memorizing them. Stover suggests that a "re-entrant" knight's path (that is, one which starts and ends on the same square) be used. You could then decide the starting square of the tour, he points out, by having a spectator throw a dart at the board. Many experts make a practice of being introduced to each member of the audience before they present their club act, then as part of the act they call out the name of each guest as he rises. This is done by associating the name (using as fantastic an image as possible of course) with some outstanding feature of the person's appearance —an unusual necktie, an odd - shaped nose, his resemblance
to a famous person or to a personal friend, etc. In addition to the person's name, many experts also memorize the person's home town. This is easily done by fixing the name in mind first, then Unking the town to the name by means of some unusual association image. Some effective mental effects make secret use of mnemonic skill. The following trick, based on a similar trick with cards, is one of the best. A spectator calls out five words which the mentalist writes on a strip of paper. He hands the strip to the spectator with the request that he think of any one of the words. After this is done, the strip is torn into five pieces, each piece containing one of the words. These pieces are rolled into pellets and dropped in a hat. The same procedure is followed with four other spectators, making 25 pellets in all. The hat is shaken, then someone takes out any five pellets and hands them to the mentalist. The mentalist opens them one at a time, reading each word aloud. He asks the five spectators to raise a hand if they hear their chosen word called. Perhaps no one raises a hand. Perhaps one or more raise their hands. In the latter case, the mentalist immediately tells each person who raised a hand the word he is thinking of. Five more pellets are then taken from the hat and the same procedure repeated. This continues until all five thoughtoi words have been correctly identified by the mentalist. It is necessary for you to memorize each spectator's group of five words. Later, when the pellets are drawn from the hat, you open them carefully and pretend to read them, but actually you ignore their words completely! What you do is call out the first word of each spectator's original list, taking the spectators in numerical order. If the first spectator raises his hand, you know that his word was the first one called. If the second spectator raises his hand, his word is the second one you named. And so on for the others. Another group of five pellets are now taken from the hat and opened. As before, ignore what is written on them and call out instead the second word on each spectator's original list. If anyone raises a hand, you identify his word as previously explained. Since it never occurs to the audience that you have committed all 25 words to memory, the trick is very difficult to explain. The mnemonic work involved is relatively simple. All you need is a basic list of five words to stand for the first five digits. Gun, shoe, tree, door, (Continued on page 296)
Hugard's MAGIC Monthly
THE ROYAL ROW By JEAN HUGARD
Effect: The King and Queen of Clubs are removed from the pack and shown and then replaced together in the middle of the pack. A commotion then ensues and the Queen is shown to have gone to the top of the pack and the King to the bottom. The separation was apparently caused by a violent quarrel. The two cards go through various evolutions but finally when the pack is spread face down on the table the royal pair have come together again and appear face upwards. Requirements: Any pack and facility in making the Riffle Pass. Procedure: 1. Remove the King and Queen of Clubs and make some comment about playing cards having acquired some of the peculiarities of humans. Replace the two cards in the middle of the pack, the King above the Queen. In doing this insert the tip of the left little finger between the two cards. 2. Riffle the pack and remark that the royal pair are evidently quarreling. Riffle again executing the Riffle Pass. Riffle the pack a third time. 3. Remark: "Let us see what has happened." Turn the top card face upwards on the pack showing the Queen of Clubs. Continue, "I thought so; whenever the royal couple have a row the Queen always rushes up to the roof garden." Turn the Queen face down and take it by the ends between the tips of the right fingers at the outer end and the thumb at the inner end. At the same time, with the left thumb, push the top card of the pack slightly towards the right and hold the Queen in the right hand a little to the right of the pack. 4. "Let us see what has happened to the King." Turn the left hand over in order to show the bottom card and in the action leave the Queen on top of the pack and seize the protruding corners of the top card with the right thumb and fingers and carry it away. Show that the King is now at the bottom of the pack. "Whenever they have a quarrel the King always goes down to his private den in the basement." 5. Replace the card in your right hand (supposed to be the Queen) on top of the pack and continue: "The Queen knowing the habits of her spouse so well decided to go down to his den." Take the top card and slide it to the bottom of the pack. Riffle the pack again and say, "Evidently more trouble." Turn the top card and show that the Queen has returned.
6. "To soothe her ruffled nerves the Queen goes into her boudoir to have a hair-do and a facial." Slide the Queen under the top card of the pack and hold a break below the two cards. 7. "The Queen then returns to the roof garden." Make a double lift and
show the Queen. Turn the two cards face down on the pack. 8. "The Queen then decides that perhaps the King has calmed down and may have returned to their living room so she goes to find out." Take the top card without showing the face and insert it in the middle of the pack. 9. Riffle the cards and turn up the top card showing that the Queen has had no luck and has returned to the (Continued on page 299)
CARD CORNER
REVERSAL OF BOTTOM CARD By Dr. BEN BRAUDE
One of the most frustrating moves (because of lack of good cover-ups) to many men doing card magic, is the clean reversal of a card or cards in a pack. There are many sleights extant towards this end and they are good... but only in the hands of the expert. Most of these sleights re-
the bottom of the deck, take the pack in your right hand holding it between the thumb at the inner end and the fingers at the outer end. 2. Bring your left hand to the face of the deck, the thumb at the inner end and the fingers at the outer end. 3. With the thumbs, split the deck
quire motions that must be cleverly covered up by good timing and presentation due to the fact that there are present, most of the time, too many superfluities in action. The tendency today (I feel and hope) by sleight-ofhand adherents is to remove these superfluities from their sleights, if possible, and substitute innocuous and natural actions, which actions themselves would serve as misdirection. The following is such a move. Ostensibly only natural action is observed by the spectator. It is quite difficult to describe though it is quite easy to accomplish with a bit of practice. I hope therefore that the drawings will supplement the description. Since I am about to describe the move only, I shall assume that a card has been selected and brought by any good means to the bottom of the pack. Of course, at no time must this bottom card be flashed. The avoidance of this must be worked out by the performer according to the circumstances. 1. With the card to be reversed at
at about the middle, holding upper packet with right thumb and fingers and the lower portion between the left thumb and fingers (Fig. 1). 4. Slide the left fingers down the face of the lower packet thus holding it between the tips of the left thumb and fingers and turn the packet over lengthwise (Fig. 2). This brings lower packet face to face with upper packet. 6. With left thumb, release inner end of bottom card and slide the left hand forward, supporting the outer end of the released card with the fingertips of your right hand (Fig. 3) thus plastering it against the right hand packet. Now, holding the two packets together and face to face, tap the lower edges of the cards on the table as if merely to square the deck. 8. Proceed to riffle shuffle the pack releasing cards from the left hand first and conclude the shuffle. 9. Cut the deck so as to bring the reversed card nearer the center. More than one card can be reversed in this way, if you wish, by merely thumb counting the required number. 295
Hugard's MAGIC Monthly
LONDON LETTER (Continued from page 291) et on top of the one which indicates your lucky number. Square up the deck. Cut it three times with the left hand. And once again for luck". 8. Important Note. It is advisable to tell the lady to show her card to somebody, preferably a man. Women often forget the name of a chosen card. 9. The Climax. Emphasizing each word, the artist concludes: "I said that your lucky card was the Ace of Clubs. You will get proof that it guides all your actions!. For the first time, I ask you to name the card that you selected a moment ago. The Eight of Hearts. Take the deck and deal each card—face upwards—onto the table, until you come to the Eight of Hearts ... Stop! Now turn over the next card. It is, as you see, the Ace of Clubs, your lucky card!" •
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•
The fact that a borrowed deck is used and that the lady herself does the cutting and counting, invariably impresses an audience composed of "laymen." It should be unnecessary to add that without the convincing and somewhat dramatic method of presentation, the trick would not prove effective. WORKING I. The secret, like that of all good tricks, is very simple. All that the operator has to do is to catch sight of the bottom card of the deck. I have found it much easier to do this when the deck is shuffled by one of the company instead of by the "sitter" herself. (Para. 4 ante). If necessary, another member of the audience can be requested to shuffle the cards: this gives the conjurer an extra chance of seeing the bottom card. In any event, the magician MUST know what that card is. II. Assuming that the Ace of Clubs is at the bottom of the deck after the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IMPROMPTU TRICKS (Continued from page 294) hive are as good as any because they rhyme with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. When the first spectator names his five original words you first think of "gun", then take the five words in any order you please, linking all six words together in a continuous chain of fantastic associations. The same for the other spectators. Dai Vernon called this fine effect to my attention, but did not know the originator. Does any reader know? 296
VICTOR FARELLI It is with the deepest sorrow that we record the death of Victor Farelli in London on May 12th. His death was a great shock as we had1 heard only a few days previously that he was in excellent health. Mr. Farelli was one of the best-informed men of Magic of the past and present and was the author of several successful books on Magic. His passing will be deeply regretted by admirers all over the world. With his habitual punctuality and foresight, Mr. Farelli had supplied us with two of his London Letters "in case of emergency". This month we give you the first of these last two contributions from our good friend and fellow-magician.
shuffle, that card becomes the so-called lucky one. Obviously, asking the month and the date of the lady's birth is pure bluff, but it is good misdirection. III. The counting of the lower half of the deck (by the lady), professedly to ascertain her lucky number, brings the bottom card —Ace of Clubs— to the TOP of that packet (Para. 6 ante). IV The lady herself, acting on the instructions given, places the card that she chose (which is at the bottom of the UPER half of the deck) next to the Ace of Clubs: the latter being on top of the lower portion. Quite clear? (Para. 7 ante). V. The chances are fifty-two to one against the two cards —the Ace of Clubs and the Eight of Hearts— being separated by the assistant when she cuts the cards. (Para 7 ante). But provided that the routine be performed often enough, sooner or later the lucky card (Ace of Clubs) will be cut to the TOP of the deck, and the selected one (Eight of Hearts) to the bottom. When that happens, the climax will need to be altered as will be explained in my next letter. "GLIMPSING'' In the previous section, I pointed out that it is absolutely essential for the conjurer to catch sight of the bottom card and, of course, this must be done secretly. The performer must not peer at the deck. Assuming, therefore, that the cards have been shuffled by the audience and that, unfortunately, the magician has been unable co see the bottom card in an indetect-
able manner, let him proceed as follows: A. "Scrambling." First of all, the conjurer instructs the lady to "scramble" the cards. This is a form of shuffling used in some gambling games. It is done by placing the palm of one hand on top of the (face down) deck, and by a rotary motion of the hand and arm, causing the cards to scatter, faces down, on the table. B. Mixing. Using both hands for the purpose, the cards are thoroughly mixed. Still faces down. C. Re-assembling. The pack is reassembled with both hands after the fashion in which children make mud pies. The process being rather difficult, it is quite natural for the entertainer —a most courteous individual— to assist the lady.* D. "Glimpsing." When the deck has been re-formed —or almost so— the edges should be squared by tapping them against the surface of the table. The deck is still held with both hands: the tips of the fingers on the back of the top card, and both thumbs against the face of the bottom card. While in this position, it is an easy matter for the magician to "glimpse" the bottom card. E. Caution. The greatest care must be exercised to prevent the lady, or any of the audience, from seeing the card in question as it will be the "lucky" one. F. Carry On! The deck is left, face down, on the table, and the routine is continued as explained in para 5, ante. G. No Fancy Cutting. Should the reader happen to be an expert in false cutting, I sincerely trust that, when presenting this routine, he will refrain from giving an exhibition of his skill in that direction. The less he handles the cards the better. Of course many other methods of "glimpsing" are known to all readers of this magazine, but I have found that the one above explained is the most practical for this particular trick. Next month, I shall explain an Alternative Climax to the trick, and I shall add a few practical hints on fortune telling —stratagems used by profesional soothsayers— which, to the best of my knowledge, have never been mentioned in any magical periodical.
* This method of mixing a deck of cards is known, I think, as the San Francisco Shuffle. V. F.
Hugard's MAGIC Monthly
THE HUMAN CALENDAR From Roxy (Jose A. Guerra) in Rio, comes a letter: On looking over the description of my "Human Calendar" in the February (1955) issue of your magazine, I found that I inadvertently made an error when writing the key numbers. So, I beg your and your readers' pardon and submit the following correction: In the last row of figures the key numbers chart, instead of 3-5-1-3 standing for the year 1955, it should read 4-6-2-4 (respectively, September, October, November, December). The remaining two first rows are correct. Here are a few more key numbers:
PATTER Collected by CUFF GREEN
1952 2-5-6-2 4-0-2-5 1-3-6-1
1953 4-0-0-3 5-1-3-6 2-4-0-2
1954 5-1-1-4 6-2-4-0 3-5-1-3
1956 0-3-4-0 2-5-0-3 6-1-4-6
1957 2-5-5-1 3-6-1-4 0-2-5-0
1958 3-6-6-2 4-0-2-5 1-3-6-1
1955 CORRECTED 6-2-2-5 0-3-5-1 4-6-2-4
From what I read in the papers, in order to be a successful farmer one must have faith, hope and parity. •
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An interesting definition of Mother Earth: A big ball that revolves on its taxes. Add "Lumberjack": They are those wooden nickels you are so often advised not to take. * * * There's really only one thing wrong with the younger generation... a lot of us don't belong to it anymore. * * • One way to save face is to keep the lower end of it closed.
You can lose a job because of illness — especially if the boss gets sick of you. • • • Just when you think you can read the young lady like a book you find that she's from a circulating library. • • • Friends of ours recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary. Husband claims he's had only two quarrels with his wife — the rest were the fiercest fights you ever saw.
MAGIQUOTES
BACKSTAGE
The curtain rose again and I approached my audience with a smile on my lips. I judged of this change in my face by those of my spectators, for they began all at once to share my good humor. How many times since have I tried this imitative faculty on the part of the public? If you are anxious, ill-disposed or vexed, or should your face bear the stamp of any annoying impression your audience, straightway imitating the contraction of your features, begins to frown, grows serious, and ill-disposed to be favorable to you. If, however, you appear on the stage with a cheerful face, the most sombre brows unwrinkle and everyone seems to say to the artist: "How d'ye do, old fellow, your face pleases me, I only want an opportunity to applaud you."
(Continued from page 292) ture in 10 minutes.' As no canvas was ready a sheeting was brought to him. Dr. Dahesh told Rembrandt: 'Excuse me for having disturbed you and let you come from the world you arrived at, as the prophet Samuel w a s disturbed by t h e divineress (what's that?) of Ain-Dor when she sent for him from this world at the request of King Saul.' And Dr. Dahesh continued 'You must paint the picture in 10 minutes and naturally you need brushes and colours.' Dr. Dahesh raised his hand and all persons in the saloon saw brushes and colours coming from the air. Rembrandt took them and painted the picture in 10 minutes and all persons in the saloon were represented in the picture. Dr. Dahesh told Rembrandt: "You may now return to your world in coming back to your picture.' Rembrandt raised up and returned to the picture as it was previously. Then Dr. Dahesh looking at the picture representing Beethoven playing on a
—MEMOIRS of Robert-Houdin
SHADOW MAGIC
piano, addressing him: 'Leave your picture with your piano and play.' This being made, Beethoven played a celestial music no human creature could play. "We were really transported (English translation: they flipped) and this music could not be forgotten for life. Dr. Dahesh told Beethoven: 'Return where you were but alone without the piano.' And Beethoven returned to the picture and took the same posture as before, his hands being as he was playing piano, but no piano before him. At loud voice, "The piano will remain in your house, that you could be certain that this manifestation really took place and that you were not sleeping." (Book Dr. Dahesh and get a free piano!) . . . So, you see, you guys are wasting your time with the double lifts and cigarette passes. Why buy science fiction books? Get on Noayme's mailing list; you're set in the dream department. We just can't wait until Dahesh makes Nero fiddle and G. Washington cross the Delaware in our own saloon. NOTES
Ballantine a d d e d his comedy to CBS-TVs "Stage Show" a n d "The Garry Moore Show"... Jay Marshall is booked for another repeat on the latter stanza ... Jay and Frances have been authoring a series for Bill Sachs' "Hocus Pocus" column in Billboard telling their impressions of British show business, complete with descriptions of tickets, theatre heating conditions and the shows they've seen. Milbourne Christopher penned a piece for the same spot telling about the Magic Circle Jubilee ... Paul Fleming has a string of dates booked for his full evenng show . . . Another interesting offset advertising sheet received from George and Betty Johnstone in Chicago.
Hugard's MAGIC Monthly
BOOK
PROFILES
By JOHN J. CRIMMINS, JR.
VICTORY CARTON ILLUSIONS — by U. F. Grant. A 21-page mimeographed booklet edited and illustrated by Don Tanner with 11 full-page drawings. Published in soft board covers by U. F. Grant, Columbus 4, Ohio. Price. $2. Here's a booklet that should be of real interest to every magician for it explains in detail how to construct some excellent large illusions out of cardboard cartons. The advantage, of course, being that they are light in weight, will fold flat for transportation in the back of your auto, and provide you with "big time" illusions for your act. U. F. Grant marketed several of these during the war —The Victory Girl Production, Victory Substitution, Victory Costume, Victory Rabbit Carton, and Victory Headless Illusion. All were used successfully by magicians and G.I.'s on U. S. O. shows. In this booklet he describes the construction of the above illusions, and has added full details for building In Again Out Again, The Doll House, Sawing Through a Girl, Dog Vanish, The Victory Sword Box, Victory Levitation and Victory Spirit Cabinet. Actually, any of the above can be constructed in an evening with nothing more than cartons obtained from a Department Store, a little gummed tape, a razor blade and the booklet to guide you. You'll be surprised to find, too, that such illusions will give good service for a year or two, and if you like they may be painted or decorated to look like wooden cabinets. Here, then, is an opportunity many have been looking for to make their acts more impressive. You can thank "Gen" Grant for the idea, but pay heed to his advice if you're never presented a large illusion. He reminds you, "Please remember, to present an illusion right requires just as much or even more practice than presenting a small trick. We ask you not to present any of these illusions without rehearsals. Then we know that you will be sold on the effect they have on your audience." Excellent advice, and an excellent booklet. SAFETY PIN-TRIX — by Jerry Andrus. A 70-page offset printed book with 135 illustrations by the author. Published in soft boards by Star Magic Co., 3105 North Holman, Portland, Oregon. Price $4. Let me preface my comments by saying that you receive with the book seven giant pins including the "key" pin, plus an additional gimmick so that actually the 298
props and the book provide you with several smart routines for this fine close-up trick. I can't recall when I've been so fascinated with a trick as I have been with these "Linking Pins." As you know, the original trick ($2) won the "Genii Award" as the best of its type in the field; and if you haven't purchased yours as yet then I recommend you to do so without fail. The original trick is a winner, and its amazing routine is now supplemented by this compilation of 17 new effects you can work with the linking pins. Getting them together in book form, as Jerry Andrus has done, should make the trick even more popular than before. Actually, t h e possibilities w i t h these linking pins are endless, and it's real Magic to boot. To see these pins melt through one another, link themselves even when held by a spectator —and him not able to see how it works— borders on the miraculous. You'll baffle yourself at times with the pins, and the new twists offered in the book seem incredulous to say the least. Actually you'll have to try them to believe them! In addition to the 17 new twists described with the "key" pin, Jerry also gives you 10 effects you can do with unprepared safety pins, plus an additional 9 effects such as multiplying pins, diminishing pins, string escapes and vanishing pins, all of which provides additional feats to be worked into whatever routine you use. And in bringing the book to a close, Jerry Andrus gives you two complete routines either of which will leave your audience starry-eyed. Recommended. THE BOOK OF MODERN PUZZLES — by Gerald Kaufman. A 188-page printed book, copiously illustrated and published in a soft board edition at $1. and a cloth edition at $2.50. Second revised edition by Dover Publications, Inc., 1780 Broadway, New York 19, N. Y. There isn't much more I can add to my original review of this unusual puzzle book than what has already appeared in this column within the past year. It is probably the finest of the modern puzzle books and the most up-to-date. No old rehashed puzzles, but an ingenious array of unique problems with wordlabyrinths, design and pattern puzzles, a whole section built around playing cards and E. S. P. cards, and others calling for logic and observation. The whole collection is most fascinating and if you have any int-
erest at all in puzzles then this book is for you. CRYPTOGRAPHY — by Laurence Dwight Smith. A 164-page printed book published by Dover Publications in both a soft board edition at $1., and a cloth one at $2.75. Cryptography, or the science of secret writing, is a subject of which I knew nothing at all until I had an opportunity to read this book. I can see where it can be an absorbing hobby, if you're looking for something else beside magic, and can venture the opinion that this book probably introduces the subject in as easily understandable a way as you'll find. At least I know of no other that may be obtained at such a reasonable price. Secret writing is probably one of the most intriguing facets of any war, and many of the most thrilling cloak-and-dagger stories depend upon it as a basis for suspense. The author gives you the history of secret writing and then goes into the various types of ciphers and codes with their problems and their solutions. In Appendix D the author gives a selected bibliography of a dozen books which he considers the best in the field on this subject. LOUIS TANNEN'S NEW CATALOGUE. A 561-page printed b o o k profusely illustrated and published in soft board covers by Tannen's Magic Shop, 120 West 42nd Street, New York 36, N. Y. Price $2. (Cloth edition $3.) Not since Abbott's mammoth catalogue of a few years back have I seen one to match this one by Tannen's. As the cover says: "Like Alladin and his magic lamp, all these wonders of magic are here at your finger tips. Open Sesame!" Literally that's true, for no matter what you're looking for in the way of magic you'll find within the covers of this 2% lb. book. It's divided into 18 sections with an ingenious "quick locator index" so that you may immediately turn to any chapter you choose simply by beveling the edge of the book. It advertises a complete line of items from parlor magic to illusions, and for good measure gives you a 16-page supplement "Tricks of the Trade" reprinted from "The Magic Wand Year Books." These are tips, hints, suggestions and worthwhile bits of knowledge you'll find invaluable. There are literally hundreds of tricks advertised and all indexed in 24 pages at the back of the catalogue. This is really something! Don't miss it! BOOKS FOR REVIEW should be sent
to John J. Crimmins, Jr., 265 Park Hill Avenue, Yonkers 5, New York.