Dunninger
“Unveiling Mysteries Of The Telepathic Mind”
Fisher Theatre, Detroit, Michigan, October 11, 1939.
Time : 1 hour 15 minutes. Reviewed by Stewart James.
All apparatus is on a nondescript table covered with a black cloth. A swivel office-chair completes the stage setting.
In his opening remarks, Dunninger asserts that he will give several demonstrations of his ability to read another’s mind. Although it will be necessary for him to go down into the audience at various times, he wished to have it distinctly understood that no part of his presentation was performed there. He would always return to the stage for that.
1. A lady in the audience thinks of one card as the deck is fanned in front of her. Returning to the stage, Dunninger removes one card and holds it, with the back to the audience, above his head. She names her card. It is the one he is holding aloft.
2. Two spectators each decide upon a card. The deck is placed in the pocket of a volunteer. Dunninger reaches into pocket and removes the chosen cards, one at a time. Spectators name their cards before they are displayed to the audience.
3. The next test was introduced as having been suggested by Edison. The volunteer takes the deck, walks down aisle to near back of theatre, cuts deck anywhere and notes card at face of cut. Without handling deck used by volunteer, Dunninger removed a duplicate from a second deck.
4. A spectator thinks of any card. He may change his mind as often as he wishes. Naming his final decision, that card is found reversed in the deck and it has a different colored back from the rest.
5. Questions are written on slips, sealed in glassine window envelopes after folding, and retained in the audience. Dunninger sits on the stage, making occasional notes on a pad, describes the questions and gives amazing answers.
6. Several spectators think of numbers. Dunninger writes a prediction on a large slate. The spectators write their numbers on a second slate. The numbers are totalled. The large slate is disclosed as bearing the same total.
7. Dunninger writes another prediction on large slate. A spectator opens a phone book and puts his finger on a name. He announces the name he has chosen and the performer turns the large slate with side bearing prediction to the audience. Written thereon is the name selected.
For the ten minutes that remained, Dunninger answered any verbal questions that were put to him concerning his gift of telepathy.
Comment : Dunninger’s personality is virtually hypnotic. Throughout his demonstration, one frequently heard startled exclamations of amazement. To witness his act is the greatest object lesson of which I can conceive.
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