Pages from tips on tricks

TRICKS • SUGGESTIONS . ROUTINES • PATTER • PRESENTATIONS

TIPS ON TRICKS TRICKS, SUGGESTIONS, ROUTINES, PATTER, OPENINGS, CLOSINGS, PRESENTATIONS With a Chapter on Night Club Magic Written in Collaboration with Russell Swann

Million rue Christopher Introduction by William Larsen Editor of "Genii"

Published by

522 SO. DEARBORN ST. CHICAGO

Grateful acknowledgement is made to "Genii", "The Sphinx" and "The Linking Ring" for permission to use material which first appeared in their pages. Thanks, too, to the Baltimore Sunday Sun, in whose magazine section "Up from the Audience" was first printed.

Copyright 1942

By MILBOURNE CHRISTOPHER

Printed in the U.S.A.

NTRODUCTION No other writer can pack as much practical prestidigation in one brief paragraph as can Milbourne Christopher. For example, his patter for the vanishing alarm clock is exactly what the trick needs. It is fast. It comes to a definite climax. And the climax supplies a laugh. Laughs bring applause. Applause warms the hearts of managers and, of course, results in hold overs and repeat engagements.

Milbourne Christopher's magic is always entertaining. From long experience he knows what modern audiences want. They not only want it, they demand it! And if the conjurer is to keep his date book filled, it's up to him to supply the demand. That Milbourne Christopher has kept busy, booked steadily in the best spots in the Western hemisphere, proves that he has the magic that the customers in these places desire.

Sometimes Milbourne Christopher plays football with the old and long cherished ideas of his fellow magicians. He kicks tradition around without mercy. Whimsy has no part in his offerings.

His magic is of a sturdy nature. In its course a venerable prop may be used to perpetrate a "gag". Contra, a novelty store item may be cloaked with such a presentation as to make it a grade A mystery.

Mr. Christopher is well known to the magical fraternity as the author of many articles that have been featured in the leading magical periodicals. As publisher of one of these, I concur with the thought expressed in a recently received letter. It said, in part—"Thanks for running the Milbourne Christopher material.

It is so good, so practical, that as far as I am concerned you could leave out everything else. I wish we could have an all Christopher issue".

Well, as editors and publishers we couldn't do it. None the less, it has been done, and this book is it! It's an all Christopher volume And that is synonymous with practical magic. That the material is thus presented in a single unit should make magicians very happy.

Wm. Larsen.

CONTENTS Introduction

.3 — Part One — TIPS ON TRICKS

A Surprise Opening; Watch the Handkerchief „ . .. 5 The Secret Snake; Vanishing Alarm Clock 6 Up In Flames; Cafeteria Close-Up; Wintery Wind-Up; Propaganda Payoff; Magical Marksmanship .. .7 Silent Fourth; Chalk One Up; Cigarette Holder to Silk; Single Stamp 8 Wand Suggestion; Scotch Finish; And How; Opening Lines 9 Flash Flowers, Tied Up; Encore; Square Circle Suggestion; Two Toppers 10 "Ronald" Magic Rabbit ...11 Telltale Flower; It Shrinks; Dolling Up the Doll House; Fancy Finish; Clear Count 12 Making Money; The Go Between 13 Further "Out of this World"; No More Gas; Zipper Banana; Papa Gag 14 Pencil Tip; Getting the Bird; Sagacious Rabbit; Rope Openings 15 Sock Finish; Patriotic Bunny; Into the Stretch; Rubber Covers; Cigarette Tips 16 — Part Two — NIGHT CLUB MAGIC A Blare of Trumpets ..

A Pin Please; Introducing the Magician; The Rising Cane; The Vanishing Glass Successful Conclusion; Money to Burn Bullet Catching; Spilled Goldfish; Premiere; His Super Set Red, Yellow or Blue; The Lemon Again

.17 18 19 20 21

— Part Three — UP FROM THE AUDIENCE Spectator-to-Stage Strategy Getting Numbers; Mustache Tipoff Taking Advantage; Surprising Assistants After Piece

23 24 25 26

T I P S ON I R I C H S A Surprise Opening

The magician steps to the microphone a telegram in his hand.

"This just came," he says by way of explanation, "it's from the Society of American Magicians. It reads 'Success on your opening. Our best regards. Magically. The S.A.M.' " "It's very nice," he continues with a little shrug, "but frankly I expected flowers." Zip—the telegram changes into a bunch of flowers!

A spring flower bouquet (about 20 flowers) is attached to the edge of a Western Union telegram. The flowers are folded and held in the left hand, which by curling its fingers hides them from view, yet at the same time holds the open telegram pressed between the thumb and first finger. After the message is read, the magician crumples the paper, and takes it in his right hand.

Instantly the concealed flowers expand and cover the wadded wire.

The change is lightning-like and thanks to the patter build-up very effective.

Watch the Handkerchief

"I went to the magicians' convention this summer," the magician begins, " saw there some marvelous magic. One evening in a hotel lobby a magician rushed up to me, draped a red handker-