One couldn’t have wished for a more spirited gathering as that at a testimonial dinner given Al Baker on Friday, Jan. 13th. About 150 friends and admirers turned out to dine and do Baker tricks. Paying homage were many unknown to present day magi and it was evident that only a tribute to this royal figure of subtlety had brought them forth. Abril Lamarque arranged the jinx-busting party and provided large photographic souvenir folders. It was a memorable occasion for everybody, including Al.
Looking back 12 years we find what well might be termed a super group. Cliff Green, Arthur Finley, John Kane, Sam Horowitz, Dai Vernon, Bert Rubin, and Al Baker were more or less of a closed corporation. They were guarding double lift work for five years before magi at large found out about it and made it common. And if you think a short card is simple, check back a number of years and discover that Vernon was fooling the best in the business with applications of the principle long before magicians recognized its value. Double backed or faced cards had to be made by hand, with accent on the hard to get pliability, and this eight or nine years before manuscripts and articles began to appear. Daub is now getting a play. This group had analyzed its worth and was “going to town” more than six years ago. And it is no fabrication when I say that right now they are using principles which are unknown to those who wait for someone else to “do it first” and which, in from four to eight years from now probably, will be “found” written about, and practically made useless by being kicked around.
At the Baker testimonial, one critique of magic remarked that there wasn’t much left to do in the way of new things. Milton Bridges took exception and gave pertinent advice that one should read old magic catalogs. While most of us have been sitting around wondering what to do, a little woman has started north from Miami scheduled to devastate nite table sitter rounders with the talking teakettle! Shades of David P. Abbott! The minute this breaks, every dealer will get orders and it will be but a comparatively short time before one of those who won’t do so well will expose it for a ten spot and picture in the paper. (Houdini, who exposed it years ago in Popular Radio—read the Sphinx around 1923 for one of the greatest Abbott-Houdini-Wilson battles—was whitewashed by editor Kendall Banning, and, of course, was not expelled from any magical society.) And we say there is nothing new with which to intrigue the present day audiences.
Following the last paragraph I present Jinx readers with a gratis idea that should be worth quite a few thousands. One of the funniest, oddest, and most practical illusions ever invented would be a riot on nite club floors today. P. T. Selbit originated, among many other effects, a one man feature called The Wrestling Cheese. It can be worked in a circle and someone may have the energy to check up on it and work himself right around the world. Don’t say I didn’t tell you.
Khaldah, the Egyptian mystic (actually an Assyrian rug dealer) passed away in New York on January 12th. Practically unknown to magicians, this master of deception lived in the city for about 40 years and did his stuff for the most exclusive parties and social gatherings. Khaldah was essentially a billet reader with a great command of answers and knowledge of psychology as it pertains to “fortune-hungry” people. Insiders recognised him as the peer of pencil readers, through the use of which principle he could reach high pinnacles of mystery. As far as we know, pencil readings is a lost art today.
Jacob Steisel and law partner recently purchased at auction many of the Earl Carroll show scripts together with all rights to the songs and music used therein. Resales, made as the opportunities arise, can result in nice profits so Jack can buy more magic books. Me thinks he has television in view for most of the material. — Two weeks after Glen Pope’s appendectomy he had another opening at Richman’s new club in the Hotel Delmonico (N.Y.) Slated for the International Casino, that spot closed suddenly, paying off the foreign acts but not the Americans. Glen was just as well off in bed. — As previously predicted, no mention of the Lamarque-Dubois broadcast battle reached print. The former’s master stroke of digging up the actual half hour recording served to change National Secretaries quite rapidly. And the next time an “over the line” book appears watch all correspondence and data between writer and publisher mysteriously appear. For the first time in many moons the S.A.M. has a sincere (and growing!) group ready for all comers regardless of whose head may get the axe. Making a good pass or being a great host won’t save much skin.
A magical monthly recently checked on the number of countries to which it goes but, like circulation figures to advertisers, didn’t reveal the results. However, it was an idea so we checked our subscription list. The Jinx goes to 21 countries outside the U.S.A. It was 22 before Austria disappeared. In this country the mail goes to 32 of the states including District of Columbia. — In the January Sphinx Nate Leipzig mentions valuable lessons on stage deportment in his early days from Henry E. Dixie. In Jinx #10 for July 1935, going on four years ago, we printed the Henry E. Dixie Cigarette Vanish which always will be a masterful presentation by a wonderful actor. Yet, at the time, some of the boys grunted “Never heard of him”, and added “What’s new about that? It’s just a pull”. — Fairfax Burgher, the only magician in the social register, is currently at the Hotel White during 5 to 8 cocktail hours. One columnist (N.Y.) said “He has no use for such old tricks as frying eggs in a high hat. His best stunt is making magic pay.” That’s one thing that too many acts won’t copy.
Russel Prunier, whose Mutilated Card high spotted Jinx #28, does a linking routine with wire coat hangers. He can prepare a set right on the spot and throttle club audiences with their own coat supports. I’m trying to get his O.K. to print it. — Time clock magic? The California State Employment Service recently listed available jobs. Under #RO-12: Opening for a man who is able to perform magical tricks, card and coin. Must have tuxedo. — When magi hear of the annual Heckscher show in N.Y. they automatically think of Sam Margules, the impresario who has managed it for over ten years. On February 25 a testimonial Magic Festival will be held there for Sam, in appreciation of his untiring services to magic and magicians. Sponsored by personal friends, the show should have some great names, not the least of which will be Dai Vernon with his much talked about Harlequin act. Reserve tickets through Dr Jacob Daley, 317 E. 17th St., N.Y.C. for $2.20, $1.65 and $1.10. The $2.75’s are gone already. — John Booth’s forthcoming book, Forging Ahead in Magic, is appropriately named. John has made long strides since he beguiled Linking Ring readers with his hitchhiking tours around the country. — Wednesday nights, at 12:30 A.M., WEAF has a “Lights Out” horror story with plenty of blood. On January 18th was enacted the life of a crazy magician (what a redundancy that is!) whose obsession was actually to saw the woman in two. Tiring of his wives he would leave the rubber legs out of the box, clamp the trusting assistant firmly in, and proceed to halve his better half. Punctuated with demoniacal laughs and realistic sound effects the whole butcher shop episode was great inspiration for the kiddies and their Xmas boxes of magic. Perhaps Abril Lamarque can secure the recording for some future Ladies Night program.
Submitted, acted upon, and in effect as of December 13, 1938.
Mr Eldred Hall, Sec’y., Solvay, New York.
Dear sir; Please accept as effective on this date my resignation from membership in the Syracuse Assembly #14, Society of American Magicians.
My association with its members, and especially those affiliated with other assemblies, has been most pleasant in all ways. I feel, however, that the art of magic, meaning the presentation of it to the public, both in performance and in print, knows no boundaries as imposed by the various societies, to none of which I now belong.
It is with regret that I must herewith enclose my card of membership, an identification with which I have not been without for nearly ten years.
Trust that I shall always be “en rapport” with he who is “crazy” about “tricks”.
For M.U.M. I remain wholeheartedly,
(Signed) Theo Annemann
There are no personal reasons for resigning. I want to feel free to do and say what I think good for magic and magicians.
I’ve turned down letters and statements of real interest simply because they seeped into so-called “closed meetings”. Time after time I’ve been present when someone would flatly say that what was being discussed should not get into The Jinx. The person giving me more or less of an ad couldn’t have read the sheet much or he would have known how closely I watched that barrier.
Even after being out for a month the official reporter stated before members that regardless of what The Jinx printed about a recent Ladies’ Night incident he would not report a bit of it in the official organ. This issue was ready for the printer when that occurred and had not one line about the happening which was purely accidental and not the result of clumsiness or carelessness on the part of a sincere lover of good magic.
If certain people can’t wait until something is printed for them to bite on, it makes me feel they realize how many things there are I might mention. All sharpshooters and admonishers please take notice that, though free, I’m not interested in personalities or scandal; just good magic by good magicians and anything which pertains to the general welfare of the art. Your skeletons are safe. If I hadn’t promised a friend to stop swearing in print, I’d add “because nobody gives a damn about a lot of old bones unless you’ve got a good trick with them.”
David Egg Swift of Minneapolis wrote to Time magazine saying that Hilliard’s book should be reviewed for the masses. Time replied that in such a case they would feel duty bound to explain some of the tricks. Several of the staff are interested in magic and therefore understand that it would not be ethical. That’s the only way to stop exposing, i.e., at the editor’s desk.
The Jinx plan, that we already fully described, started enthusiastically and then scuttled by the S.A.M., advocated that type of campaign. Incidentally, the publisher, also of Minneapolis, has been sending out feelers regarding a second edition of Greater Magic (at no cut in price), getting the answer from at least one that it would take time to break even, for the magical mart is not of such proportions that an expensively produced book ever can pay.
It’s true that a $12.50 tome would not be purchased by anyone unless interested, but “Egg”, I feel sure, wouldn’t want a public review at the cost of exposing good material for which magi are plunking down puhlenty. I can say safely that Jean Hugard feels the same as myself, for his letters, writings, and views on books for the public have remained always constant. Don’t tell me, though, that distant hum and rumble is J.N.H. preparing for an Immelman turn.
Rev. Herbert Richmond, the magic patter writer of Western, Nebraska recently broke into the Ohio State Journal for his vent ability to make two dummies sing “Sweet Adeline” together. The February American Mercury reprinted the clip with tongue-in-cheekiness at “the splendid culmination of thirty-six years labor in the Vineyard.”
Dell O’Dell, smarter than most male magi, pays scads of dough for professionally written patter to fit tricks she uses in the better class niteries. $50 for class conversation with her feature silk effect isn’t much when you remember that such up-to-dateness kept her in N.Y.’s Hotel Warwick for 16 weeks.
It checks up with what we said in these pages many times. A magician does need direction and does need lines the same as any other actor. If I could get just one convert each time, I’d write that every month.
Paul Rosini opened at Detroit’s Book-Cadillac on January 26 and will befuddle locals by finding cards they but think of. After 15 weeks in N.Y.C., a lot of us will miss that nightly trek to Room 1214.
Chest expander in the mail from Liberty‘s magic-minded editor, Fulton Oursler: “Congratulations on getting the Stanwyck story [Jinx #52]. I greatly enjoy your lively and well edited magazine.”
GABBATHA!