Very foolish are the magi who do tricks in front of cameras. And it is a weak alibi that they 'didn't know it was a fast one.' You can't beat a lens that will catch a bullet in flight and there is no sense trying. Dave Allison tried it with the bird cage and Russ Walsh with his golf stick to handkerchief, and both of these men present their effects in a manner far above average. Mr. Walsh's position in the world of magic is such that no one can suspect him of exposing deliberately. Therefore, it was ignorance of…
In the learned legal opinion of a noted attorney, who is also a member of both the I.B.M. and S.A.M. and should therefore understand the magical significance as well as the legal angle, the unprincipled attack appearing in a 25 cents publication folder constitutes what attorneys call a "perfect case" of libel by innuendo. We gave the young man an opportunity to make amends, and it appeared in his next issue that he was about to do so. The second following issue of the "STINX" continued the attacks. We have no choice but to immediately proceed with our suit for…
Doing a trick well before friends or in your room is not enough. You must know it better than this to put it over well in public. In addition to the patter, you must create the proper atmosphere, and figure accurately where on your program it will be shown to the best advantage. Routining of effects is an art in itself. When part of the audience is at a distance and you are doing card tricks, always pick the cards that may be seen best at a distance. These are not sevens, eights, nines and tens. Even the court cards…
Publicity is always waiting to serve enterprising magi. The picture inside of Otis Manning is a super example of spontaneous press perversity. And to get a three column picture on the front page of any city daily calls for an unusual news angle or idea of a different sort. I haven't his permission to print the secret of the stunt as pictured, but for a stamped and addressed envelope I'll pass on the 'mysterious how' of the illusion. I know I have his sanction to reveal it to those genuinely interested in publicity angles. The clipping displayed here mentions a…
Boston's gift to the world of funny men, Mr Lane, is muchly overdrenched when he persists in advertising the Famous Three Pellet Card Trick as his own, or method either. Originally the idea was Al Baker's. I know of one individual who bought it with two other effects from Al over 15 years ago and paid $75 cash. I learned it just ten years ago this past summer. Baker gives me credit for having worked on it a good deal and being the first to put switches on it. John Northern Hilliard used to do it (over five years ago)…
I had a compliment the other day. In part, it read "and your own pet secrets are an amazing lot of magical ideas and principles that are simply knockouts. In addition, you seem to have the knack of securing original and unusual stuff from your contributors - this being due to careful selection of material on your part, I am sure. You just don't accept any old thing because somebody else thinks it's good." I liked that. One needs a pepper-upper occasionally and it can't be said that I don't try to make the sheet worth a quarter. This issue…
This number of the erstwhile Jinx makes the fourth issue that has successfully appeared and ye editor is gratified beyond words at and for the letters that have been received in regards to the contents of said periodical. I'll admit that I started out with the idea of putting before the magical world a sheet of three good tricks a month. Whether I've done that or not is a matter of history since the first three issues included thirteen separate and complete effects (with nothing to send for or buy from the publisher) and I wish to state now that…
Down through the years have come many books on the art of magic and allied subjects. Of late the production of such literature has increased until hardly a week goes by without the appearance of a book, brochure or manuscript. Many are good and many are not. The titles given here is an impartial and unbiased opinion of my own as to what books constitute a working library on the art of mystifying. Every included work has its value and I take my stand now that the shelf of magic, as herein listed, covers every phase and known principle necessary…
Magicians have found the vogue for chain letters of interest. I received ten in 9 days and four were from magi! If a chain did keep moving until your name hit the top, you couldn't help but get a return. They don't however, so what? It's the age old 7 or 9 lucky charm chain foolishness with shekels and despite Federal warnings there is little that can be done about it. Supreme Court decisions have made necessary an individual search warrant for each letter or piece of suspected first class matter. So in your morning mail there is an innocent…
Conceived, written and published by Theodore Annemann, The Jinx is not a magazine, neither is it a crusading sheet with a chip on each shoulder and a woodpile in reserve. All offices, both in an artistic and business sense are held by one individual who has but a single thought in mind, that of supplying magicians and mystery entertainers at large with practical effects and useful knowledge. Where the editor (also owner and head office boy) finds his own knowledge lacking, he steps out with the ever-at-work minds of the country's best amateurs and professionals and therefrom gleans the necessary…