Off again on a prophecy bender we want to say that the time is ripe for a new escape act to make a name. Escapes have been one of the most intriguing phases of magic ever, probably because they more closely approach the supernatural than other types of trickery. However, some smart showman, undoubtedly one of the newcomers (the oldtimers are too set in their ways), will build up an “extrication” routine in the modern nite club manner, perhaps from thread to string to ropes to chains to a box to ??? — but the entire presentation must be away from the side show atmosphere to click.
When we started the puzzle business in order to spread Jinx Extras around it was whimsey. We sell (averaging 8 of them) the semi-annuals to 59.146% of the monthly buyers (averaging through 55 issues). But we have yet to find the reason why the last (Winter 1938-39) Extra, the first of the puzzle prizes, SOLD better than any preceding one. And on top of too, too many correct answers which didn’t help the printer’s bill no how! We are tempted to spend a night near Sam Lloyd’s grave. The mail flood SHOULD have affected dealer sales but it didn’t. Business is picking up, the last Extra was better, or some of the winners are also buying just to help the cause of independence. Compared with the other seven, the last Extra showed an 11.062% gain in sales. We hope we have the combination but we’d like to be let in on it. By the way, the answer for that last issue stickler (?) is merely to move a single row of 3 cards into a new position at the top or side. There are several ways. An interchange of cards makes two moves, not one.
Genii made a swell gesture in refusing the ad for McDougall’s book. It couldn’t help but make a little impression on the publishers that they were against a certain grain. — That S.A.M. (Parent) M.U.M. bubbling, with a white cap showing now and then, is amusing in the light of the fact that the erstwhile prexy asked us to make a contract price for producing the thing. Those who have seen the file of M.U.M. that the Assembly once printed monthly would like such a record of what actually happens at meetings. — not the edited and edited “wonderful – wonderful” verbiage which soothes the non-attendants and pulls them into thinking there are no issues at stake for the betterment of magic. It won’t go through, though, because the S.A.M. independence is too sentimentally (what? No stockholders?) tied in with the present official carrier, The Sphinx.
It doesn’t seem like a year since Jean Hugard produced his first Annual. In six years Jean has turned out a lot of writing on magic. His name has become that of a standard and asked for author. It’s a case of a reputation for workable material. The buyer says “What’s new from Hugard?” The 1938-39 Annual is a well produced book of many varied tricks.
One can’t help but get some worthwhile material from all that he has gathered in and selected as worth while. When we read Hugard we sort of feel that he does know what he’s talking about. There are plenty of years experience and many miles of trouping behind what he writes. — A current release in super trickery is Vernon’s Mental Choice. Dai is well known as a genial person — but no tricks for magicians. What dug this bit of information out of one of the most talked about of magicdom’s planets, we don’t know, but what we do know is that the stunt has been, for several years, upsetting the eastern seaboard’s most elite. — You saw the Indian Rope Trick, using a tow chain, pictured in Look magazine for April 26th? The editors could only think of “freezing” — and in California with a woody background, no less! We got the answer — and will either explain or picture it next month. It’s a sweet publicity photo item. — Dunninger’s publicity breaks re the scheme for making battleships invisible and an army look where they aren’t show most of us up for inactivity and inertia. Thurston had a similar idea of camouflage during the world war, patented it, gave it to the U.S. and reaped a hundred times the cost in front page data. We, too, have an idea. Those novelty spectacles you put on a person would do the trick. If he can’t manage to shake hands with you, or light your cigarette, (inset prisms throw him off 45%) how can he shoot you? You can figure out how to convince the invading forces they all have astigmatism and should wear glasses. — Who’s Who In Magic, a “to raise money” effort in the East, is much too blatant and evident in purpose. Such a publication, if produced as a non-profit benefit to magicians at large, would help no little in fostering world wide acquaintances for a mutual purpose. As it is, no tickee, no shirtee — no extra two dollars, no photo. No three dollars in the first place — no biography, except what the editors may allow in the very few lines of listing. If a book like Greater Magic can be produced to retail for $12.50 a solid tome could be made to break even on costs at possibly less. There wouldn’t be any favoritism, and one and all could lay down their cards at no cost for a picture and informative data to make up the most exhaustive and wanted book of its kind.
Alvin Plough’s pertinent words in the April TOPS should be framed by all sincere magi. — And in the Linking Ring, John Braun’s From the Dealer’s Shelves trick reviews should be followed as a close to perfect guide for those who want to know if a trick is practical for their average conditions before otherwise wasting the cash. — Off beat: We wonder why the Linking Ring publication notice background has only a SIX link chain instead of our accepted EIGHT. A new method or routine? — The Cardini menage will be having a new “Paging Mr. Cardini” possibility real soon. Right after June 1st Swann will be glorified by a girl, even if Dick does want a boy. — John Scarne just finished a “short” movie subject in cahoots with Robert Benchley. We don’t know the details, but might suggest that Benchley call it How To Be Fooled From All Angles. — Jud Cole, the only man who likes the spoke in the nose trick, shortly will hie himself to Chicago for an indefinite stay. Windy City nighthawks will have a treat for Jud is generally the life of all parties.
IMPORTANT: Heckscher Theatre, N.Y.C., June 23. That’s the evening set for the big ALL English show by those troupers who are coming over here for the I.B.M. convention in Battle Creek, Mich. Tickets will be $1.00 and $1.50. It’s a sure sellout so dig down in a hurry and get your advance from Max Holden who is in back of it all.
The achilles heel of most magi lies in the void between the learning of tricks and the doing of them for pay. In comparison with “tricks” books few efforts have been made to pass on the information necessary to “sell” talent.
H. Syril Dusenbury produced a manuscript called Making Magic Pay. Herman Weber published Money From Magic. Tarbell used space in his monumental course on the subject. Lionel T. Scott mimeo’d one of the pioneer approaches. Joe Ovette conceived a proper but atrociously birthed Publicity Miracles, and Laurence Glenn authored the most pretentiously illustrated and bound volume, The Road To Fame.
All of these mind-children were harbored and given sailing papers by people who knew that tricks, by themselves, are valueless, except, possibly, for fun. It takes a lot of angles to make the public magician conscious. Especially any certain magician. We all wonder, at times, why so-and-so gets publicity and jobs. In some cases we know we can do the mechanics of his tricks better. Be he gets the work. I’m merely trying to bring out that no one magus in a thousand spends as much of his time on “selling” as he does on “tricking”. Those aforementioned writers, of whom we know but two personally, tried their best to promulgate that which they knew was most lacking in magic.
John Booth’s Forging Ahead In Magic, is a current book on the “selling” of what you now know. 134 pages of hard won material are yours. From the lowlands of Death Valley, to the peaks of Pike and Popocatepetl, John has seen magic and met magicians. He’s given credit and mention to all of those professionals from whence came the twists, quirks, angles, bits of business, light and music cues, booking office byplays, and the what-nots that a guy runs into when he leaves home. If you’re an amateur and don’t want a dime for performing, if you aren’t a collector, don’t buy it. Otherwise, don’t miss it.
Footprints On The Ceiling – further adventures of The Great Merlini – that cerebrally conjured up past master of prestidigitation and the Gutenberg zombie controlled by Clayton Rawson, will be on sale in book form at all magic depots during the coming conflabs. There is planned a free trick for each magus, and N.Y’s Hotel Capitol display room of the publisher should be a terrific “bang” if the rumors and plans work out. — Incidentally, Mr. Rawson, like Mr. Pritchford, heretofore mentioned, expects a “special delivery” at his home right after June 1st. We are sorry (or glad) to inform the Svengali of Merlini (and who will get this while on the road with a circus — looking for new murder material) that ’twill be a prospective enchantress, not an enchanter. — Last month we mentioned Betty Jane Kolar while paragraphing about an English 5 year old who is stealing all press notices with her magic. Ned Asbury, way from Texas, told us to buy 2 “Whiz” candy bars, send the wrappers and 6 cents to the sweet maker, and back came a book of magic tricks written by Papa Kolar (Remember Me To The Chief Of Police) with Betty Jane resplendent in many medals. The Chiefs of Police must have forgotten the erstwhile escape artist, or maybe the public beat them to it, otherwise he wouldn’t be taking shekels for giving away good stuff. Betty now is a grown girl and cares as much about magic as did Jane Thurston when she asked of Hilliard one night at about curtain call time, “Uncle John, do I have to do this?”
Last minute blow: Both Cardini and Rawson will have family additions shortly after June 1. The zodiac sign encompassing and dominating that period is Gemini – sign of The Twins!
