Late again. Or didn’t you notice ? Our staff was depleted by 50% during the month when brother Leland decided that matrimonial duties must come before magic paper distribution. The loss is somewhat offset by the fact that I am now being called “uncle”, but after three and a half years of paying no attention to the business end of Jinxiana, I find myself appreciating very very much the work he did for me.
What became of that meritorious effort on the part of the S.A.M. to contact all publishers and editors on the subject of expose material ? The Jinx was read before the society. The members liked it. Julian Proskauer thought well enough of the plan to mention it in press notices as a worth while effort to curtail exposing. Well known newspaper men and editors were on the committee to handle the strategy. Nothing happened. It couldn’t be money for the S.A.M. has plenty laying idle. For a few hundreds of dollars an acknowledged system is null and void. Or did someone somewhere put their foot down ?
PIC for September 20th ran two pages of stuff by Russell Swann, the mysterious sliced banana, egg in bottle, and how to tear a deck. Not withstanding possible pro and con, the payoff line was “Mr Swann says that these tricks are simple, not new, BUT ALWAYS MYSTIFYING“. The second mentioned may be left out. Nothing is a trick or mystifying which must disclose itself in the working. Then it’s a puzzle. That is our contention as to what is a trick or what is not. It could very well define the much argued word, exposing. But still magicians (?) get up at meetings and yell “What is exposing ?” LOOK for October 11th depicted and revealed the basket and sword box trick. The face of the sword wielder is unknown to us at the moment. At the last S.A.M. meeting, a well known professional argued against any action being taken against Dubois in the radio broadcast expose hearing. He doesn’t use any of the material exposed. But this professional has made good use of the sword box in night clubs for several years. Is this case different ?
Two deaths during the last month hit us a bit hard. Tommy Downs passed on to join the masters and somewhere at this writing perhaps Kellar, Thurston and Houdini are making a foursome and discussing the greatest secret of all – one no one yet has been able to expose. The other hit closer to home. Ted Arnold left very suddenly and if it’s at all possible is sitting with John Northern Hilliard in a remote corner of some heavenly eating-place, talking about their mutual love – magic. Knowing Ted was to know an enthusiast if ever one lived. For six years he was a stimulation to me when I became bored and disgusted. He tried all lines of mystery, taking up each phase separately and draining the cup before avidly shying away to another when his interest waned.
I saw him last in Cincinnati in June. We got our usual round of laughs and enjoyment out of the art. I’m that much happier for it. Other magazines will give you dates and places pertaining to his departure. Such things mean little to me. I simply know he’s gone.
Dorothy Wolff is back at the Sphinx desk. That makes us 3000 miles wrong in our remark a couple months ago. We always do things in a big way. — Robert (Rajah) Rhinehart, magic editor of Variety, is wearing a vandyke now, refusing to give a practical reason. — Clayton Rawson’s book, Death From a Top Hat, has been bought for screening by MGM. Watch for it. — A snicker from out of the past. Rummaging around a February 1929 issue of the Sphinx came to light. From Dr Wilson’s editorial : “a well meaning friend duplicated addresses of more than 100 subscribers.” John Mulholland, the well meaning friend, had an article in the same issue, entitled Misdirection. — Dai (Harlequin) Vernon developed a very pretty and clean cut routine with 4 linking rings for his act. It is different and doesn’t bore. Al Baker overheard one magical watcher remark “Huh, I do it with 8 !” — Not content with Tips on Thumbs, Stuart Robson has on the press a 20 trick booklet Tips on Flash Paper. — A resort hotel in the Adirondacks during the summer put in an order with a Broadway agency to send up a six piece band whose members could lend a hand at housework and bed-making ! What would some magicians have to do ? Go back to their plumbing ?
New prospective members : In even the most important conferences with his army and navy leaders, Emperor Hirohito of Japan takes no part in the discussion himself – his person is regarded too sacred for such mundane things. The Emperor’s divine will is always expressed through three princes WHO INTERPRET THE THOUGHTS of His Sacred Majesty’s mind. — We should have mentioned it before but that back cover of the I.B.M. convention program was ingenious. An insurance company advertised by reproducing the $25,000 check paid Mrs. Houdini after Harry’s death. There were plenty magical wives who saw that ! — New York has a downtown bistro where you can get a reading from the beer rings left in the glass. The beer seer should tie up with a brewery who could advertise “Our beer leaves more rings for bigger and better readings.” I’ll return one issue of The Jinx for every news clip or mention of the bullet catching trick as done at the Piff-Paff-Poof convention in Fort Eerie, Canada on Labor Day. So far I have 190 such items as carried by the UP and AP across the country, but send them on with date line if possible.
If the magical conventions would study press relationship like Bob Weill does for the Poofers, magical NEWS rather than exposes would really help to popularize the profession instead of making it appear to too many like a box of simple tricks anyone can do.
Can you imagine yourself being able to leave the room to return later on and perform any test decided upon by your guests without the aid of a confederate; tests such as naming selected cards, the total of a set of figures and other data, finding hidden objects, etc. ? Or be able to have your medium, while stationed in a distant room, accurately write regarding events which are transpiring in your presence, without the use of any code ? It may sound like a Persian pipe dream or a marihuana melee, but Mr J.G. Thompson, Jr., has forwarded data regarding a new commercial device which seems to have unlimited possibilities. The Zenith Radio dealers have what is termed a “radio nurse”. This outfit consists of a super-sensitive transmitter and receiver, no aerial and no wire connections being needed. One merely plugs the transmitter into a socket in one room, and the receiver is plugged in in any other room of the house. With the transmitter concealed in the room where the tests are being made, and the receiver in a distant spot on the same circuit, wonders can be made to unfold. It is advertised to transmit the slightest sound from the nursery or sick room, so why can’t it be put to the practical use of sending a card, name, number, picture or what have you ? Retail cost is only $29.95.
Mail box : Oscar Paulson writes from England “That Sacred Script idea in Jinx #45 is excellent. Was ideal at a recent Church Show here. I gave the Parson the tip beforehand, and he was able to read out the verse as if from memory and greatly impressed his flock.” — From Stewart James : “There has been a lot of talk about Newmann’s library, but did you remember he listed what it contained in the Linking Ring, Vol 6, #5 ?” — From [censored for betterment of future marital relationships] : “Clayton Rawson had a delightful plot in presenting his page 302 July Linking Finger Ring effect. I enjoyed reading it even if it did require ‘sending your wife out of the room’. I’m not married, but if I were I certainly would send my wife out of the room.”
Chester Morris making personal appearances in N.Y. between pictures. An S.A.M. group were present in blocked off seats on October 7 to welcome one of magic’s best ambassadors. — KEN for October 6th front covered an article “I Am A Psychic”. What fellow is now burning to high heaven because the editor left his name out of the credits (the check came through all right though) and ran the piece anonymously to give more authenticity ?
Stewart James gave a sweet reply to my request about “What is rehash ?” when it comes to writing tricks. — “A trick is NOT a ‘rehash’ if its entertainment value is improved, the method of working simplified, or the mystery deepened.”
