Editrivia

Just as we warned, the DeLaurence Co. has clamped down a bit on their majestic catalogue of the occult influence on life in general. This is especially so in the cases of those who wrote on their “rabbit from a hat” stationery and even mentioned The Jinx. The company of “messages for the multitude” is not in sympathy with wand wielders who, for the most part, are unbelievers. In a letter to one such higher plane aspirant, they quoted a price of 50 cents (it’s well worth it) and asked for a copy of the publication in which they got such a responsive free ad. The catalogue however, is still free to the sincere, an accompanying letter asking for a contribution to cover its undoubted high cost. We hereby recommend the tome only to those whose desires are far above the comparative low plane of trickery and manual deceit.

Jinx Quiz Dept: Why did Philadelphia’s WFIL station cancel the DuBois expose broadcast after their representative watched the rehearsal? Did Kuda Bux get hospital care after that very burny-burny bit of fire walking which sounded O.K. over the Ripley network but went kinda haywire before the witnesses? Is Dr. Ervin getting a sales commission from that Lloyd Jones’ Genii ad for his silk production gadget? The trick (June Genii) should tie in very well with the Ervin production described in Charles Jordan’s book, Ten Miscellaneous Tricks.

Harry Opel’s publication Voice From The Attic finishing its tenth year (the offer of a year’s Jinx subscription for every copy sent us regardless of condition still holds good) offers a provocative query. Why be so down on the fellow who gets $5 for 20 or 30 minutes? There are many professionals working nite-clubs for $50 a week less 10% for the agent. Three shows a day, seven days a week, makes for about $2.15 per spasm.

Those gentlemen who passed public remarks about “scandal sheets of magic” should know that our policy originated from Max Muller’s pertinent scribbilage “All truth is safe, and nothing else is safe; and he who keeps back the truth or withholds it from men, from motives of expediency, is either a coward or a criminal, or both.” Perhaps we’re too ready to put on the shoe, but Cinderella didn’t hesitate and she didn’t fare so badly for doing so. There’s a big difference between data for scandal’s sake, and exposes of shortcomings and dumbness which affect the art of magic in the public eye. We have heard sotto voice accusations of one or another being of this or that creed and belief at Eastern city parties given only because of a common interest – magic. This is an era when communism, socialism, anti and pro nazis, color lines, soviet adherents, tories and rebels, all tend to disrupt the existence of a common animal – man. The Jinx wants no part of that. Magic as a hobby or profession does not need it. It’s a universal love if at all. We’re interested only in furthering the aims of those who wish to entertain sincerely and expertly. The politicians and tradesmen who are complacent in the belief that a few books, titled position in a society, and a double hinged box make them authorities and professional equals are anathema to us for their dumb bunny pinpricking the balloon of illusion. Their personal life has no place in this or any other publication devoted to magicians, by magicians and for – the public.

Those who want a weekly barrel of magical news and information should subscribe to the World’s Fair, London’s theatrical bible. The Brunel White coverage goes on for pages and makes one wish this country’s trade papers would give as much space to the doings of those mystically inclined. Tricks and books are reviewed, human interest stories recounted, and there is as much told weekly as one can find monthly in the news sections of our own periodicals.

Aside thanks go to Ellis Stanyon for his advertisement reading “In how Jinx, Editor Annemann gives list of the Forty Best Books for Students. FIRST on this list is the Fifteen Volumes of Stanyon’s Monthly Magic”. That takes us back to issue N°8 – 40 months ago. It still stands.

The Ripley hour recently featured a man who demonstrated how a place could be robbed by a pin tumbler (Yale, Towne, Corbin, etc.) lock being opened with the fingers alone. Newsreels did the same. A N.Y.C. store was cleaned out by the process. I have a letter from Bob Gysel dated July 5, 1933 in which he explained the dodge as his theory regarding a Toledo burglary. Eccentric though he was, Gysel knew the REAL inside on both spiritualistic fakery and lock work. I sincerely regret his death. I have a five and a quarter inch stack of his correspondence dating back to 1922. Maybe I can make up a Jinx issue of Gysel secrets which haven’t been published.

Jean Hugard is in Minneapolis again, this time to collaborate with Harlan Tarbell on the drawings for the Carl Jones publication of the John Northern Hilliard monumental tome. One can imagine the expense account acting like a thermometer under the breath of a Casanova, but Mr. Jones is determined to make it a book of books.

Cedric, the London legerdemainist, and whose overseas column enhances Genii monthly informs we were sadly late with our (#46) mention of the necromantic nudist who created quite a furore throughout the April London press. The name of the profonde and pull dispenser, says Cedric in case anyone wishes to reach him, is Anthony Alexander who is, for the summer, at The Show Folk’s Concert Party, The Pier, Hunstanton, England. (According to our file card, real name is Blair. Ed.) Wastebasket Dept. : I might be interesting to read a nudist magician’s ad for a trick (summer type, of course) which contained the line “At finish, spectators can find nothing on you”.

The cause of that last paragraph wants to correspond with all those so inclined in the USA. You may reach him – Cedric – 13 St. Peter’s Avenue – Forest Rise, E.17 – London, Engl. And give him my best.

Some people always want to beat the gun. Collector-magi have already started binding the five Jinx program books just released. Why don’t they wait until there are 10? Then they’ll have 10 complete changes of program and no excuse ever to ask what to do for that particular engagement. I wish I’d started that years ago. It’s something that really is useful. Do you, you and you, with a houseful of magic, ever say, a day before the big show “What shall I do ?” (Just because you’re getting a lot of letters, don’t be too cocksure of yourself ! Ed.)

Mail box : Now that you have corralled all the bright minds in magic, how about giving them something to exercise said bright minds? I have always been intrigued with a trick of Robert-Houdin’s that he described in his autobiography. Person writes message on a paper, this burned and immediately he is handed a sealed envelope, in this another, in that another, in that another, and so on for half a dozen. In the innermost is the paper uninjured. I have never been able to work out a satisfactory way to get that effect. Perhaps someone else may get a happy solution. – Jean Hugard. Well, how about it?

Philadelphia magi had an exceptional day on August 27th. Max Holden opened his second branch store and handed out complimentary tricks to all comers (I got a color changing hank, no less!). Harry Otto will be in charge. He’s an old timer and knows magic from p to v (production to vanish). The boys went back and forth continuously between there and Kanter’s, looking always for “something new”. The Quaker town should easily support two magic shops. Johnny Taylor told me there are over 35 magi listed with the local agents, not counting all of the Philly and nearby amateurs. Both shops have a goodly supply of “exclusives”, but wherever you buy your magic, please try to do it a little bit better than the directions read.

Puzzle Dept. – Two teasers. The first requires the actual names of cards A, B and C.

The second requires the identity of the poker hand to beat the four shown. Deadline? Your postcard postmarked before midnight September 20th. For what? All complete and correct answers get a copy of the Summer 1938 Extra. You already have it? Mention it on card and you’ll be marked up for the Winter 1938-1939 Extra. The solutions? Next Jinx. Reason for all this? I had to complete this column some way so I could get away for the Piff-Paff-Poof convention at Fort Eerie!