When we say we don’t take advertising, you readers are supposed to pass over letters (that we must honorably reproduce because of having made a crack or two in someone’s direction) in which the writer gets back at us by unmercifully plugging his product. I like Keith Clark. I have since 24 hours after he first put a foot on our soil. He knows the psychology of deception. And he can talk intelligently about subjects other than magic or trickery. I like Jean Hugard. He’s natural. He’s as nice to the lowliest of amateurs as he is to the highest of professionals. Jean has been through the magic mill and can divulge lore by the hour. I’ve never known him to hedge on helping when or where a needy case might turn up. The previous page of The Jinx will always seem wasted to me. However, I started it by upbraiding Keith for something which didn’t seem right, so his letter goes in as does Jean’s. I hope things are settled and forgotten.
William (Foo Ling Yu) Arenholz is the only magician impersonating a Chinese who wears one of those too perfect (and too expensive !) masks throughout his entire performance. Look at the makeup trouble he saves ! — What N.Y. mindreader recently gave a new hypnotic demonstration using the technique of a record of his voice and a picture of his eyes ? And what N.Y. magical dealer happened (?) to be his stooge ? Anyway, it made a swell story. And if dealers are supposed to supply magi with gimmicks, why can’t they also act as the willing assistant ? — I hear John Scarne’s new manipulation act is way ahead of what has been seen in skill. John himself remarked “I produce 90 cards – two of them from nowhere !” — We all are hoping that Bill Larsen is over the shock of that exploding furnace which laid him low. We were close to an explosion once — a keg of fermented grape ! — If you or you have one of those quite perfect glass penetration frames, take Stuart Robson’s hint and present it with a large plume or feather. It is started, and then pulled through with one fell swoop. It appears enormous and gives great effect.
Jean Hugard’s Annual of Magic has been given a swell publishing job by Holden, who believes in plenty of pictures. Anyone who has ever seen Jean do his floating ball will revel in the details. Holden’s smoke pictures are worth the price because no one is using them today. It’s an awfully solid book of well over 100 pages.
Guy Jarrett Points Out The Future In The U.S.A. It’s the title of a 40 page book printed and put out by the author of that much discussed tome Jarrett. Although it has nothing to do with magic, those who read his first book and liked it a little bit will want this continuation and diatribe of a most picturesque personality. — Calling All Magic Dealers !! An ad in a current bargain list reads “Doll House Illusion. Built by General Motors for use in their own official programs !” Any day now we may see a combination Frigidaire and Girl Without a Middle. ‘Twill be perfect for those magi who troop around with a trailer.
In the mail from Val Evans : “About ‘Call Your Hand’ (Jinx #36) under your name with credit to Michael Zens — Mr Zens elaborated on a trick I put out in 1920 and 1921. It was one of five tricks, in either ‘Pasteboard Perplexities’ or ‘Five Little Bafflers’ and was called ‘The Poker Hand’. The setup was originated by myself. The changes are yours and Zens. My setup was and is the same except that I have the King of Spades and King of Clubs changed in the order. All power to Mr Zens, but I do like credit for my own.”
This thing has been brewing for several months and it’s about time it was brought to a head and cleaned up. As we go to press, the result of the “ethics committee” in action is unknown but we’ll try to let readers in on all of the news as soon as possible. When things become so putrid that an “out house” cartoon can be circulated anonymously, presumably by a member of high office in what has been looked upon as the greatest and most dignified of the societies, it’s time for the disinfectant. Just as we were going to the printers last issue we were called on the phone and the cartoon offered to The Jinx as a paid insert. It was obviously in favor of Julian Proskauer inasmuch as it portrayed utter disrespect for various people and a magazine whose comments upon Julian’s penchant for exposing and capitalizing upon his S.A.M. position were tempered with vitriol. We turned it down, together with modifications. Two days later it was in the mails, postmarked N.Y.C. but in Albany hotel stationery. Julian Proskauer was the man who called us on the phone. After the S.A.M. Ladies Night of November 15th I asked Julian why he had let such a thing go out. He replied “I don’t know anything about it.” I said “The giveaway was that Dewitt-Clinton Hotel envelope postmarked N.Y.C. You do their printing.” Julian remarked “No, never.” So I dug out the letter I had from Jack Hyland, the manager. It reads, in part “Our stationery, for the past few years, has been printed by Wm. C. Popper & Co., 148 Lafayette St., N.Y.C., and by the Berinati Press, 18 Vesey St., N.Y.C.”
Mr Proskauer is president of Popper & Co. He looked at me and said “Have you investigated Berinati ?” So we quit. It’s jsut as well the ethics committee, which was interested in seeing the letter and wanted it, (but couldn’t have it without me) didn’t invite me to their pow wow. In that case I would have been bound by the rules to keep quiet on everything that took place. Now I’m free to tell whatever I know and can find out, if I think it of interest to magi in general in the cause of better magic and saner magicians, regardless of one’s affiliation with this or that society. Is there any wonder, though, that the S.A.M. misses Bernard M.L. Ernst ?