Buzz-buzz (meaning phone). "Yes?" (meaning us) "The board of directors calling, sir." "Yes." (tremulously but with thanks for the 'sir') "Professor Humdrum speaking." -- "Well?" -- "We know you do your best, and we stand for an awful lot, but why do you lay yourself and us wide open to "come-backs" as of that S.A.M. public night on November 18th?" "You mean ---" --- "You know what we mean. You should time your Editrivia better, maybe take lessons from Fulton Oursler who gets Liberty magazine on the press from four to six weeks ahead of publication dates." "But we never…
Dante, playing strictly to form, is the BEST MAGICAL SHOWMAN on the American stage today. He also is one to be gambled on, for, at least one of the recent performances saw him well under the influence of Bacchus. Dante has a banner to carry over here. He may have done "under the weather" shows in other climes during the 14 years of his absence, and there are but few of use who will begrudge him the same privilege over here. But -- Dante has it in the palms of those graciously handled appendages above his waist plus a demeanour…
Issue of October 5, 1940. Press time rumor has it that the Dante show closes its N.Y. run this Sun. night, Oct. 6th. We hope it's untrue for the same source informs that Dante may not be satisfied with the box office arrangements. To us this sounds silly for one of Dante's business acumen and sagacity. The public likes the show and every week in New York, down to the vanishing point of profits, is worth plenty when the production takes to the road. Perhaps Dante doesn't yet realize how magic shows of the big type have lost favor here…
The letter which follows has been mailed to stockholders in The Sphinx Corporation. It speaks for itself. October 4, 1940 Dear --------; I wish to interest myself in The Sphinx Corporation to an extent which will provide me with not less than 51% of all outstanding shares. For all such shares as have been issued by that corporation I am prepared to pay four thousand dollars ($4000.00) cash. For not less than 51% of all shares issued to date I will pay pro rata for the transfer of such shares to my name. I understand that you are a stockholder…
The Jinx - Issue of October 12, 1940 We're going home in the spring. For thirteen years we've existed in New York City, the last five at the same address. Our Waverly, N.Y. spot for mail was kept, since that first advertisement in The Sphinx about fifteen years ago, because it was easily remembered and also because we sort of expected to return there one day. Countless times we've explained why we were living 200 miles from the mail deposit box. Countless times we'll probably wish we were back among our friends to "talk tricks" "do tricks" and ask "Who's…
It is with regret that we have to correct an error in Jinx #105. The effect was by Paul Rosini. Its title was A Futile Lesson In Magic. It was "futile" for a certainty because the essential "set-up" of the cards was inadvertently omitted. From back to face the cards, of any suit, read - 3-5-K-A-Q-10-9-2-8-7-J-6-4. All cards are black except the 9 spot which is red. Our apologies for the mistake. It must have been vacation madness.
"Sim Sala Bim," my friends, Walter Gibson, Harlan Tarbell, William Larsen, John Mulholland, for your generous aid with Editrivia during my absence from the factory. "Thanks to you" is Dante's interpretation of those title words to his show which opened in New York on Sept. 9 and can be seen at the Morosco Theatre every evening, including Sunday, matinees Wednesdays and Saturdays. Our comment is being held over for next week's issue so that it can be complete in every possible detail. We'll still be far ahead of other magical reviewers. Before going farther let us think for a moment…
THE RATTLESNAKE ISLAND GROUP. Reading from left to right, in the direction that the toasted marshmallows were passed, are, "Voz" Lyons, instigator and sea-sled operator; Ted Annemann, self-styled editor and connoisseur of poisonous leaves and ivy; the happy man next is Clayton ("Merlini") Rawson, who, by pony express and smoke signals had only just learned his latest book was selling out; and the "not a thing to hide" expression belongs to Walter ("The Shadow") Gibson, who had a hard time standing on damp rocks whereas his fictional character does a "human-fly" act up sheer sided buildings. Picture taken on Rattlesnake…
If ever there was an example of showmanship and downright personality making itself a success - that example is Dante. We've been a great advocate of David (Fu-Manchu) Bamberg and we've certainly extolled his merits here while lamenting conditions in this country that make it hard for a theatrical venture to succeed. Dante came to New York with a deprecating air. He wandered (?) westward, bought himself a piece of property, and, ostensibly retired. Rupert (Danton) Howard, for all that we boys knew, had the show. Dante came back. Mrs. Jansen and Mary remained in seclusion. Without so much as…
Dr. A. M. Wilson, he who published and edited The Sphinx for thirty years, once put into print a most biting remark, to wit; "The shores of time are strewn with the wrecks of failure in the magic game, the majority of whom had no adaptability or were wrecked on the rocks of sameness." Now that the first metropolitan-type of excitement has passed we New Yorkers can sit back and accept Dante in a position no other magician has been able to fill. He hasn't done it in the latter bracket for the show reeks of Thurston and depends entirely…