We feel somewhat the way a certain foreign infested political faction must have felt when the mother country up and made what newspapers have called an unholy alliance. We admit that we’re human enough to gloss, at times, the doings and capers of friends, but in this instance the mail has carried too many letters of complaint to ignore. Strangely, most of the writers have concurred with my original view that Max Holden didn’t “expose” anything in the Oct. 6 issue of The Family Circle, a give-away mag that is stuck into grocery bags and stacked before “Free – Take One” signs for a country wide circulation of a million and a half. Entitled It’s a Fake the article is lengthy and replete with posed pictures. The “different” aspect of the publicity break is that paragraph “in betweens” take the form of ads from his catalogue, a few of which we reproduce.
The theme of the article, and it can be laid at the door of its writer, Stewart Robertson, is that tricks are more or less the bunk and very easy to do, the “gimmick” being the piece of unseen apparatus which does all of the work. As the writer quotes Max, “A gimmick is a clip to hold and keep out of sight any small object that may be needed in the business of a trick. There are finger gimmicks, also gimmicks for the vest, trousers, and all sorts of places on your person“. And again, in describing how fakirs made a handkerchief untie by tying it with a snake inside, Max is quoted “Now, for $1.25 I can sell you a similar illusion in silk which is controlled by almost invisible threads“.
A representative letter received goes like this. “Altho this is not an expose, it has been somewhat of a blow to me to have my friends, who until now had been impressed by my remarkable (?) skill, cynically say “Hell — this magic stuff can’t be so hot. Why I see where I can buy all those tricks I thought were so swell for a couple of bucks a piece.” And when I said it’s skill and not the cost they say “Don’t kid me – he told all about the gimmicks, you don’t need skill“.
That the article was a terrific ad, due to address and the price marked catalogue items, cannot be denied. I don’t think I’m violating any confidence when I say that it resulted in over $700 worth of business. That it hurt my moral sense of values is also not to be denied, for it presages an era in which magic as an art will become magic for the masses, and the aura of mystery will have left the vicinity where abide those people called magicians. It would be interesting to receive comment regarding the article and I’ll make use of any outstanding views, not looking at it as an expose, but as business versus whatever you want to call it.
Early in the spring when the headless woman illusion started its skyrocket career we wrote that it would be a one season stunt and be exposed by some out of work magician or snoopers from the mags of the type who love to debunk all professions but their own. Mechanix Illustrated, for December, 1939, and NOW on the newsstands for 10 c. has given over a page to photos and explanations as to where the pretty head really goes. — Gamage’s magic mag The Magician has suspended publication for the “duration”, as the Britishers are calling the “who fires the first shot ?” period. — Danton, better known to many as Rupert Howard, is with Dante in this country. Dante, in his agreement with Danton reserved the right to bring the show to the U.S. for a nine months’ tour, bringing his successor with him so that he could get the lay of the land, meet the various managements and “grow” into the show. Then Dante would retire in California. Actually, however, and due to union labor and stagehand difficulties, etc., which we predicted a week or so ago, Dante and the family are setting out for the West coast immediately with a stop-off in Chicago where he used to run a magic business as Harry Jansen. To climb out on a limb we’ll make a bet that the show moves into South American territory within six months. And that, despite all of those pounds sterling cached in London, Dante will go along for a farewell look from behind the footlights.
Mr. and Mrs. Sigurd Nathan, close friends of the Dante menage, held a joyous reception for them on Nov. 1. After varied entertainment by the magi present, Dante recounted his travels during the period of 12 years since he left the U.S. under the Thurston banner and said that he had worked hard in order to retire and enjoy magic as a hobby. — Al Altman has informed us that the National Association of Broadcasters (over 400 stations) adopted a code in Sept. and that Art. 12 makes pertinent that no profession may be injured. That takes care of exposing there and an effort is being made to include an Article of similar nature in agreements with the film producers.
Caryl Fleming has written regarding our queries re Le Paul being feted while working as a technical director on the picture Eternally Yours. He says that few if any of the boys in L.A. knew that Le Paul was so engaged for “he was strangely silent on his activities and it was only when the picture was completed that we even learned that he was on the picture”. Caryl also makes clear an important point, and that is that a technical advisor cannot give orders. He merely makes suggestions. Then if the director, scenario writer, producer, etc., want to accept them they may or may not. This is offered, not as an alibi in behalf of any technical advisor, but because in all fairness one should wait until such time as one gets definite evidence that a person who has served as a tech. deliberately has offered information that would result in offensive exposures. Caryl also says “Again, were I just a director, and not a magician, I am sure that if I thought for one moment that the exposure of magical secrets would add audience appeal to a picture I was making I would go to town on it in a big way“.
Although there is a B. Hull listed in the local phone book, readers are advised that it is not Burling. The lady of the house where the B. Hull calls land is too, too annoyed and wants to know “who and what is Burling Hull.” We just want to save you the nickel. — The British Journal of Astrology has suspended publication because of the “uncertainty of the immediate future.” — Miss Moi-Yo-Miller, whom Dante has billed as “Australia”s Most Beautiful Woman”, had not a few of the local magish a bit ga-ga. The most descriptive and overheard muttering was “Moi-yo-Moi-yo-Moi !” You have to say it reasonably fast with accent on the Moi’s). And just to beat Dorny to the PUNch, when that Chicago maestro who is the King part of the Nanking Restaurant where he daily holds court has the Dante retinue behind the festive board he’ll pound the table with his wooden cigar and demand of his minions “All in favor, say Moi !“
At the Nathan party Al Baker was at his very very best. His top witticism of the eve was that if Germany gets really hard up and in a tight way, Hitler should call for a truce while Charley Larsen makes a quick trip over and buys some magic. — Jerry Kahler, an excellent bridge table card trickster, and whom, when we were with him in Miami a couple of years ago, assured us that he got all of the Jinx copies for the good material therein, did a “bar effects” article for Towne and Country, a swank set mag, and included (Oct. 1939) the torn out center paper gag featured both by Mogul and Rinaldo. (I do it myself, you mugwamp !) There are too many such stunts that can be used in articles without digging back to the #6 Jinx for material that other professionals are using to make a living. The mag goes to the spots where dates pay money and now Mrs. Astorfelt will be able to look nonchalant when the seer says “– and your son’s nickname was Pluty,” and merely remark, “Oh, yeah ?”
There are strange goings on around Springfield, Mass. where I.B.M. Ring #14 has held sway for many years. What with real magical happenings like disappearing charters, and people who talk like they’re here one minute and sound like they’re over there the next, ordinary things like headless women pale into insignificance. What we can’t seem to fathom is why a new Ring should be forming ? Springfield can’t honestly support two Rings and the old regime consists of men, especially one, who have spent plenty pocket money and time trying to keep the whole thing on a harmony basis. I say this because I know several of them fairly well and am absolutely convinced of their sincerity. What may be a clue as to the attempt to make the order change is a resolution being sent around by members of Ring 14 in protest to the forming of another Ring to be numbered 10. (That’s a bit of a slip back, isn’t it ?) We quote, in part, “We believe that when a member resigns to form another Ring in the same vicinity in order to create dissensions, it is bad moral business and not worthy of our support.” If that’s as true as it sounds we don’t like it either. Why can’t a group of good fellows, all of whom profess to think that magic is “tops”, forget their petty personal grievances and have a good time while advancing, in outsider’s minds, the belief that magic as an art can be ranked with other professions, if not as remunerative, at least to be as respected.
Trick coming up : Stop press : Walter Gibson air mails an idea in connection with the old 21 card trick where you deal the aforesaid 21 cards face up into three piles, the spectator mentally selecting one card and telling, after the deal, into which pile the card has fallen. The piles are assembled the indicated pile in the middle, turned face down and again three piles are dealt face up, one at a time to each. Again the spectator indicates the pile into which his thought of card has fallen. Again they are collected, the favored pile going in between the other two. After the third deal and when the pile which contains the thought of card has been pointed out, the performer picks it up and pushes the other two piles aside.
He turns the packet face down and spells “THIS IS THE CARD YOU TOOK“, shifting a card from top to bottom with each letter and tossing away the top card after each word. The chosen card (which is always at the center of the heap after the third deal) will be in your hand at the finish.
English magi are lucky in one way — they can buy luminous buttons for spirit effects and wait for the day when a ghost show can be done. We are prompted by a London ad which offers Gas Mask Cases and LUMINOUS BUTTONS. These blackout specials, the size of a Two Shilling Piece (the U.S. half dollar) are offered at “Splendid Value” for 9/- per gross. (about $1.60) Shades of Bob Gysel ! HE would have subsidized the British movement for buttons at that price.