Editriviette is a quite proper name for this short space filler. There isn't much in the way of news after the monthly issues are put together. We have to concentrate a little on the tricks. L. Vosburgh Lyons rather dominates things herein with a beautifully natural bill switch which wouldn't have taken much room had he not wanted to reveal a trick. The trick, as you will discover, is one made possible by the exchange, and an item I have proven seaworthy several times over. It would be appreciated very much if those who make use of it will let…
One of the "opinion very much to be respected" boys has been boxing my ears verbally since last issue's denouncement of the LeRoy show, and with good logic. His view is that Servais was more or less stampeded into the attempt by the overenthusiastic producer who should have considered what time and inactivity can do to a magician. An awfully strong point is the assertion that LeRoy did not "break" when he saw everything going to "pot" but carried on as a showman should. However one may discuss and argue that angle there still remains the fact that he didn't…
July 6, 1940 The funniest story to come our way during the week was recounted by Bert Kalmar. He talked with John Booth just after the latter had made all arrangements to enter the ministry and let his professional magic career drift. Bert asked when John was starting his new line of life. John, among magi friends of years standing, spoke without thinking, and then caught himself, "I open on the --!! I mean that I take up my duties, etc." Mr. Kalmar, he of the song writing team of Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, spent some of his time…
The editor of this less than erudite sheet looked us over with more than a bloodshot eye when we returned from a Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year's survey of our personal first line defenses against old age and a threatening pile of worn out typewriter ribbons. He depends upon our fancies for finding fairly decent material for him to cut and slash into workable wizardry. We had let the fellow down, and through him, he made it all too clear, we had let the readers down. Somewhere in a well hidden recess of our mind there lays a thought we had during our…
Servais LeRoy, a name to conjure with. I can only too well remember when I used to absorb every word and every name in the magic books and papers, wondering if I'd ever see any of them perform their illusions, not daring to expect ever knowing them personally. Well do I recall the magic pages of the Billboard (they had 3 full pages per week then) with probably the most militant fight against exposing ever waged by any magus. It was Servais LeRoy. We saw him but a few weeks ago and doubt if he was ever more dapper and…
The main thing that appeals to our somewhat jaded sense of mystery is that the Invisible Pull effect in this issue is the only such type of gimmick that will work even after the elastic breaks! Certainly no slight was intended in issue #81 when we talked about being conversant with only two lady magi in this country today and heralded the coming of a Miss Blanche from the other side. The word "professional" should have been inserted and that would have saved us from criticism for not mentioning Roberta and Marion Byron. The sisters in magic have shown their…
Editor's note : This rare and unpublished photograph was given to me several years ago by Frank Ducrot. It was taken in the rear of Houdini's home at 278 West 113th Street, New York City, on the occasion of one of Downs' few trips east after his retirement. The exact date is doubtful but evidently it was 1924 or 1925. The Jinx would like this issue to be something of a memorial issue to four great men of magic. The material has been searched for over a period of two years and we trust that it will not be found…
With spring making a belated appearance in New York we are trying to find a substitute for sulphur and molasses in a valiant effort to miss the nauseous effects of grandmother's favorite old remedy while warding off the sleepiness and indolence that always comes with the thinning of our blood after a long winter. It may be little or no excuse to the readers who live the year around in sunny climes, but if their imagination can normally reach the heights that it does in some of the effects we have received lately, it shouldn't be difficult to picture (mentally,…