Pages from precursor no 57 39161

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n mnGnzin€ OF innovnTion LVII

P R E C U R S O R

L V I I

This is PRECURSOR LVII and is published in January 1997. PRECURSOR is edited by William P. Miesel and is published by unikorn magik. The editorial offices are at 2215 Myrtle Street, Erie, Pennsylvania, 16502-2643.

PRECURSOR will be published more than three times a year, and it will be sold for $18.00 (U.S.) for three issues. Outside the United States, Canada, and Mexico, three issues are sent Air Mail for $20.00 (U.S.).

"Spell It Out" by Lou Gallo is a great card routine that has many other possibilities. This is an interesting application of John Hamilton's "Eyes Of The Gods" and the Gene Fine 11 "Free Cut Principle."

At the last "Original Close-Up Convention," Hippie Torrales was the hit of the PRECURSOR Suite on Friday night after showing "Slap It Up." This is a very impressive discovery of a selected card that will require some practice, but it is well worth it. The routine is a development of the "Longitudinal Palm" which is described by Ed Mario in the Kabala, Vol. 3, #2. I first discovered it in Mario's TABLED PALM. It was also described by Roger Crosthwaite in January 1965 in the Gen, Vol.20, #9 and more recently in ROGER'S THESAURUS. Dan Block loves Four Ace Tricks and his "Ace Cutting Discovery" is a very deceptive production of the four Aces.

David Neighbors' "Quick Trip To China" is a very open transformation of three half dollars into three Chinese Coins, one at a time. At first glance, this might seem difficult, but the Classic Palm, Finger Palm, and Back Clip, the only sleights, are standard; even so, the routine is going to take practice to get the flow.

In the PRECURSOR Suite at the 1996 Original Close-Up Convention, Mike Powers and Kevin King were discussing Roy Walton's "Collectors" and came up with "Precursor Collectors" between them. Since they came up with this method in the PRECURSOR Suite, they thought it appropriate for it to appear here.

"The Spectator Predicts" by Howie Schwartzman is an unusual prediction that uses standard moves to create a surprising effect.

"Doc Dixon's Reshuffled" is Doc Dixon's handling of the Paul Gertner/Bob Wicks "Unshuffled." This is not necessarily an improvement, but it is an interesting variation. One strong point is that at the climax, the deck has reset itself for the next performance.

"Fooling With The Prayer Vase" by Warren Stephens is a fine demo item that will fool those who think they know a bit about magic.

In November 1970, Karl Fulves' "Oracle" appeared in Pallbearer's Review, Vol. 6, #1 and for the next few years variations of "Oracle" were all the rage, but I haven't heard it mentioned much in the last few years so some of my younger

readers may find the principle interesting.

Ron Zollweg described his presentation of "Oracle" in a letter to me in July 1973. I do not recall seeing this presentation in print before, so let's start the "Oracle" craze all over again.

In 1975, Rick Johnsson did a trick I call "The French Card Trick" during a session which also included Ed Eckl and Ron Zollweg at the Tannen Jubilee. It completely fooled me, and he explained it to me later. As presented here, this is not a trick for a set show, but rather one to use in sessions because of the time factor plus the fact that this effect is much stronger when it is repeated.

I have yet to perform this for anyone and have them figure out the method.

Actually, there have been magicians who couldn't understand the procedure even after I explained it. Unfortunately, the method is much better than the effect.

William P. Miesel September 1, 1996

A REVIEW From A Shuffled Deck In Use is the title of Paul Cummins' Lecture. To go along with this lecture is what Paul describes as a two-part set of lecture notes.

This is a misnomer; they are not notes but complete descriptions of thirty-two audience tested tricks and routines explained in seventy-six pages. All of these tricks and routines are right out of Paul Cummins' repertoire and have been performed by him many times in his restaurant, bar, and hospitality room engagements so they are thoroughly practical and entertaining.

Actually, there are a half dozen coin routines that are an integral part of Paul Cummins' work to provide variety in his performances just as the "Flying Eagles" played an important part in the work of Eddie Fechter. The remainder of the material is Card Magic, and with the exception of a transposition and a wild card routine, all of them are impromptu and can be performed with a shuffled deck at any point in a close-up act.

I am sure that everyone will find a number of favorite routines from among the thirty-two effects described here, but a few that stood out for me were: "The Trick That Never Happened," "Case Break," "Almost Open Prediction," and "Intuitive Poker."

From A Shuffled Deck In Use is $25.00 for both parts and available from Paul Cummins, 3703 Foxcroft Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32257.

For further information, Paul can also be reached via email at <pcummins@Jaxnet.com>.

William P. Miesel October 1, 1996

SPELL IT OUT

This is an almost impossible discovery of a spectator's selection along with a card selected by yourself. It is entirely impromptu and can be performed with a freely shuffled deck, even one belonging to the spectator.

1. The first thing that is required is that the first name of the assisting spectator must be learned. This is very easy, simply introduce yourself at the beginning of the performance and get the name of one of the girls for whom you will performing.

2. When ready to perform this trick, hold the deck face down in the left hand and say, "For this trick I don't need the whole deck, only a few cards." The number of cards that is required is the same as the number of letters in your name. So, for this explanation we will use my name, "Lou Gallo;" thus, eight cards. If Bill Miesel were doing the trick, he would use ten cards.

3. With the deck face down in the left hand, start to spread cards from the top of the deck into the right hand. After a couple of cards, pause, split the deck and thumb off two cards, face down, onto the table. Spread a few more cards and then thumb off three cards, face down, on top of the first two. Do not call attention to the number of cards. Continue by spreading over a couple more cards and then thumb off a single card onto the first five, and after spreading some more cards, thumb off two final cards to make a total of eight cards in a small packet on the table. This is the way I get a packet of eight random cards; you can get the eight cards in any way you like just so the procedure appears to be a random selection and the spectator does not realize that a certain number of cards is necessary.

4. Hand the deck to the spectator and instruct her to get a small packet of cards by following the same procedure. Stress, "It doesn't really matter how many cards, just a small packet." When you each have a small packet of cards, set the rest of the deck aside.

5. The spectator is now instructed to follow your lead. Pick up your small packet and give it a good Overhand Shuffle and replace it face down on the table in front of yourself. The spectator does the same as you, shuffling her packet and replacing it in front of herself on the table.

6. With the two small packets face down on the table, the spectator continues to do the same as you. Cut off a small packet of cards from the top of your packet, tilt the face of the packet towards yourself so that you can see the face card of this even smaller packet. Now, two things must be remembered, the name of this card (let's say it's the King of Spades) and also the number of cards in your packet (in our example here, that would be eight). At the same time, the spectator is duplicating your actions and is remembering the card on the face of the tiny packet she cut off the top of her small packet. Let's say that the spectator's thought of card is the Two of Hearts.