Clayton Rawson’s second book Footprints On The Ceiling with further detective efforts of Merlini, the sleight-of-hand sleuth, is in the hands of his publisher. Exact release date is being held up pending serialization. Rawson’s first magical “whodunit” is ready for MGM filming. Tod Browning will direct and the book title Death From a Top Hat has been altered to movie title Miracles For Sale.
The March Sphinx carried a group picture of Sam Margules’ Heckscher Theatre Testimonial cast. The height of something or other lies in the fact that the two persons who received most comment, in fact practically carried the show, namely Dorny and Dai Vernon, are in the very back row with their heads barely in sight!
Recently a N.Y. magus got to his club date and found another hokus-pokus man on the bill. When it came to lining up the show, the committee man told him “We’ll have to put —- on first. He’s got his cigarettes all lighted!”
Mulholland arose for a speech at the Mar 13th SAM Ladies’ Night and said that, like the real Sphinx has done for 3000 years, the Sphinx magazine keeps its mouth shut. We haven’t the least idea what he meant. — Incidentally, the mail brought a card from Max Holden saying that we weren’t to be misled by subtleties into thinking he again was buying ads in the Sphinx. He isn’t. — False is that rumor that Bob Weill will take over the makeup and layout department of The Jinx. He has the facilities and temperament for making a good looking job, but we’ve kept the sheet a one man job throughout so far and will try a bit longer. — True is the rumor that a magical monthly seriously is toying with the idea of appearing weekly. Such an effort would put the rest far behind with news breaks but the boss better thoroughly review Max Sterling’s similar idea with The Magical World. It was O.K. while it lasted, but the strain was too much. — True, also, is the whisper that Bill Larsen is on the Linking Ring staff only during its rehabilitation.
In the mailbox was a secretary-signed, mimeographed letter from Charles Larson. “Mr. Larson received word from the Curtis Publishing Company that they have given “Magic” some space in this issue.” We tossed a nickel out for a March 25 copy and got a terrifically “solid break” as the result of an interview with Mr. Larson. The only way it rubs us wrong, however, is through the blanket impression given that all magic is simply a matter of mechanics and tricky paraphernalia, such material pieces being about the only thing Larson can collect and show. It might pass muster were the readers left to assume all apparatus is in sight, but out comes data regarding secret pockets (called profondes” and “pochettes”, no less!) gimmicks to switch articles from pocket to pocket by powerful spring pulls, gadgets up the sleeves which come and go with needed cards, and the bit about the birdcage which “on the release of a spring, it folds up into one small tube which can easily be made to vanish.” Even the Chinese acts are “a walking museum.” Elaborate harnesses holding a number of articles are easily concealed by the long robe.
No one who has known Charley Larson for an hour can doubt his incapacity for ever wanting to hurt a magician or magic in any way. But, let’s muse. A man picks up the art as a hobby. He can afford to purchase anything and everything his heart desires, look at, display and cherish paraphernalia no end. He gets a tremendous “lift” or “kick” out of world wide trade paper and personal recognition. So far, so good. An outsider writer, reporter, journalist, or what have you comes along as did Parker Morell, sees material for a story and interviews both the collector and the apparatus. The assembler of magical mysteries is quite emphatic about the penalties (?) for exposing and forever more will insist that he has done his duty. The scribe leaves, puts together the article, and, thinking only of what he calls “public interest”, embellishes it all with bits of inside knowledge and ideas of his own. The subject, however, could have made one circumventing move. He could have asked for, and in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred received, a proof of the article for correction purposes. A blue pencil here and there hurts no one. This particular story “It’s All Done With Mirrors” was excellent publicity for magic in every respect except those few points mentioned. We know Charley Larson wants only fun and good will from magic and magicians. His group dinner parties and globe junkets run into thousands a year. And his purchases are so many and varied as to command practically wholesale prices. We’re blowing off because we always will insist that a person who does not depend upon magic for his living and existence has no right whatsoever in deciding what secrets or methods of procedure can be revealed without harming a performer.
Greater Magic has gone into its second edition. When a $12.50 book sells 1000 copies in as short a time as did this one, it certainly must have “something”. — Nostalgia hit us this morning when we saw a postcard. Our old pal Burling Hull worded from Cuba “Played this club and Palace Theatre doing “Mental Telepathy with Songs”. Many write-ups about “The only act of its kind in history of the entertainment world. A modern version of Svengali and Trilby. Return bookings in Nassau, Kingston and Havana.” Volta. It sounds like one of his old advertisements. Those were the days. — Peter Warlock sends a tip from England. If, when pencil notes on nails are finished, a drop of natural shade Cutex nail polish is lightly smeared over the penciling, such writing is good for the next 24 hours and will stand up under washing. — You’ve seen the small one cent magic and fortune books in the Woolworth stores? Orville Meyer bought up a big bunch, imprinted his name, and uses as giveaway ads. — We mentioned Jacque Romano last month and mentioned his not sticking his neck out for scientific check on his claims. Well, he did, in one instance. At Columbia’s Psychiatric Inst. he failed mightily to impress or convince. At the time we found this out we were seated in a chair while a skeptical doctor was attaching electrodes to our skull.
Now we possess screwy looking brain records of the forces at work both while normal (?) and while in the midst of a thought reading experiment. You can see what happened in our new circular next month. Three cents postage will get you one in case you’re interested in the studious and scientific aspect of billet switching and hysteria.
Over 20 English magicians are coming over at convention time. This is the biggest of such parties in the history of magic. There is not truth in the rumor that they are skipping the SAM convention on purpose. It’s just that the IBM and SAM conventions are too long apart to make attendance at both practical. However, it still is a moot question as to why they picked the one they did. That is, as far as the SAM’ers are concerned. From the scoop department we get the info that Max Holden is arranging a Heckscher Theatre showing in N.Y. on their way back. The English magi will give the whole evening’s performance, profit to be whacked up between them for expenses, and we think there is no question that the place will be jammed. Imagine a Heckscher show, no act of which has appeared there before! While on the convention subject, we may as well boost the idea that the heads of both groups get together and make their dates within two weeks time each year. Unlike that combination convention idea propounded by The Billboard several years ago, and which never would have worked out anyway, such date setting would allow many to figure their vacation time so as to attend both. We’ve heard of that desire from quite a few people.
Allen Prescott starts an NBC quiz show next month called How’s Your Memory? Allen promises to explain the science of remembering dates and facts. Maybe it will start a run on those very cheap at the price Roth Memory Courses now available in single book form. — Elmer Ransom found an ancient Tony Pastor program from the year 1890. The store charged him $5 for it, including the cellophane wrapper, but Elmer had to have it. He was on the bill! — There seem to be different opinions about the mindreading sequence in the Norma Shearer-Clark Gable picture Idiot’s Delight. Some say that the line where Norma steals the code in order to get set and work into Clark’s act, to wit; (Gable) “Don’t you know the American Society of Magicians could put you in jail for that!” is a tribute to the power of the order. Others say, and we are siding with them, that the while thing makes it only too apparent how the thing is done. Of course, the “What is it, quick now, hurry up, tell me soon, Princess”. “It’s a pin.” business is sadly out of date. Looking over our file of such acts that sold for from $25 up in manuscript form is quite a torture. However, we still think the principle of coding shouldn’t be kicked around. It’s the fundamental basis of two people acts and no matter how cleverly the stuff is revamped and modernized, your spectator is going to mention code and possibly Idiot’s Delight, the latter crack being perhaps more or less of an ironic remark.
An advertising man collared us this month for saying recently that a magical monthly was the only publication not giving circulation figures to advertisers. We hear that it’s not uncommon in the various trades and mags. However, such a practise is looked upon with askance, and the assumption drawn by class advertisers who shy away that the circulation just doesn’t rate the prices charged for space. — Forget the possibility that magical dealers will get together in a so-called union, with ad and trade rules and such. Those who try to foster such a thing are just kicking human nature in the pants. And you can’t do that. That Lyons’ bill switch and subsequent routine in the Winter Extra hit the spot with a number of the profs. Robert Sharpe, who does all right through his eastern lyceum affiliations, had the thing working within a week after publication. And may I ask right here for effects? I mean those ideas which you and you may have without a method. L. Vosburgh Lyons is ready to take on all comers, and it’s not a joke! Send them to The Jinx. It’s worth a try, anyway.
Chester Morris was on the Bing Crosby airing again March 31st. Introduced as Chester “The Mysterious” Morris, this magic movie star never as much as intimates that he knows what exposing is, amusing and mystifying through rabbits from hats, etc., and just giving magic a good solid plug legitimately. Were that there could be many more “Mysterious” Morris’.
I wonder how many of the readers remember Betty Jane Kolar? There was scads of articles and pictures in the press only a few years ago. Now England has a counterpart, seven year old Daphne Smith. The reporters go for her in a big way. — The Zomahs (Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Giddings) of England just won a case of libel against The Psychic News, picking up about $1000. The paper called their telepathic act “farcical” and mentioned “confederates”. Clipping, next issue.
Magic magazines, when reviewing acts at the various shows, should take a lesson in succinct criticism from the theatrical trade journals where they know the realities of life and the profession from the “eating” standpoint. The weekly Variety, of March 8, covered a mindreading act and herewith we reproduce the review which told managers, in few but pertinent words, just what they were buying. Imagine such a writeup in the columns you find in the magic press!
John Scarne (N.Y.) has, so he charges, $2500 in hard money to prove he’s the champion of card manipulators. His backer is a former champ himself, Jim Braddock. This challenging business has been going on for years, but still nothing has happened. Clinton Burgess once claimed the belt. Hugh Johnston also made his stand. Houdini and Dr. Elliott (from Elliott’s Last Legacy) stood at a stage door and made the cards talk — “we recognised no one as our peer.” Jeans, whose litho ultimatum we reproduced last month, had his say. Back in 1920 Al Flosso, through Billboard pages made his stand for the devil’s prayer book championship. At the same time Julius Dresbach, also of N.Y. said that HE was the man. (That feud between Al and Julius must have duplicated today’s battle – verbal, so far – between Scarne and McDougall) From Chicago came a reply from Hugh Johnston. He put into print “Whoever accepts this challenge would be required to post the sum of $5000, which is guaranteed by a devotee of magic.” Al Flosso came right back in print “I hereby challenge him (Johnston) or any other magician, bar none, to a trial of skill with the pasteboards, and am ready at any time to put up the $5000 required by Mr. Johnston to bind the contest, same being guaranteed by Bobby Fountain of the Al G. Barnes Circus. Contest can be held anywhere, and must be with ordinary unprepared cards.” Dresbach lapsed into silence, and after Al and Hugh had offered the price there was more silence. So what? N.Y. harbors a couple of “finger-flingers” who have almost come to blows. We’re going to try and get something “done” during convention time this year. The stunt has a lot of sweet publicity angles if the boys have the nerve to actually back up their claims and not stall around fighting each other’s “conditions”. Otherwise they both should keep their mouths shut like the Sphinx has done for 3000 years, and if they must talk, merely say “He’s good too”.