Now that the summer has passed by, the procession once more is starting to pass through the portals of the magic shops and the "What's new ?" plaint will rise in volume until, with cymbal crashes and such after New Year's incoming, the season's output of acceptable (and some not so) mystery wares will subside to a trickle and by the first of June everyone will be asking what has happened to "magic". During the season that is before us there will be at least two "terrific" cases of exposing, one of which will be perpetrated by an "officer" of…
Back, and it seems away back, The Jinx advocated a "silent system" of combating exposers. Then later we added to this by talking of a method for getting the publishers and editors on our side. That was a system for combating exposures. Together the orderly process of each would be by far a more decided move upon the part of some existing magical organization and against the one thing which seems to raise tirade after tirade without a thing being done other than that yet attempted. As citizens we accept now as in the past governmental experiments both good and…
Dante (Harry Jansen) spent $750 for a full page Variety (Oct. 18) ad to entice theatre managers throughout the U.S. Main line read - "And now America - Radio - Pictures - Cinemas - Theatres - Variety - Try Wm. Morris, N.Y. To my mind Dante is the personification of a magician. He's a great and suave showman. But after 12 years away from this country he will, as did Dave Bamberg (who was away 15), find show business decidedly different from that as he knew it. When Dante left the country there was vaudeville and many continuous weeks of…
Superstition is a great thing. No matter how carefully and scientifically the Dionne quintuplets have been reared, press reports have it that their individual rabbit's foot charms are highly treasured. As birthday presents recently, the voodoo gadgets were explained to the sisters in all seriousness. However, we can be certain that the five feet combined will not bring them ever as much luck as did mama and papa Dionne. And if rabbit's feet are supposed to be lucky, what about the poor rabbit who has four ? Variety, termed the actor's bible, gave us a puzzle in the June 14th…
This issue completes five years of struggle against the existence of "dud" tricks. The longevity of the sheet is both astonishing and satisfying. The former because of the letters calling me what I hope are most unlikely names, and the latter in view of the slow but steady climb in circulation from the very start. Of one thing I am certain. Never have I pretended The Jinx to be anything but a purveyor of so-called magical wisdom. If the material and information contained within its pages have been of use to you in your program, you alone can say the…
Certainly it was a better show in many ways from those of the past. We're lauding the Heckscher (N.Y.) Theatre testimonial for Sam Margules held on February 25. Without detracting, and other mags will give complete reviews, it has been practically unanimous that Bill (Dorny) Dornfield as M.C. from Chicago, and Dai (Harlequin) Vernon with his strictly, but strictly, manipulative turn did pick up all of the critical posies. Agents in the audience beat the magicians backstage for these two. Then the growls and mutterings from not less than three S.A.M.'ers started. Why was it that Margules had a better…
Clayton Rawson's second book Footprints On The Ceiling with further detective efforts of Merlini, the sleight-of-hand sleuth, is in the hands of his publisher. Exact release date is being held up pending serialization. Rawson's first magical "whodunit" is ready for MGM filming. Tod Browning will direct and the book title Death From a Top Hat has been altered to movie title Miracles For Sale. The March Sphinx carried a group picture of Sam Margules' Heckscher Theatre Testimonial cast. The height of something or other lies in the fact that the two persons who received most comment, in fact practically carried…
One couldn't have wished for a more spirited gathering as that at a testimonial dinner given Al Baker on Friday, Jan. 13th. About 150 friends and admirers turned out to dine and do Baker tricks. Paying homage were many unknown to present day magi and it was evident that only a tribute to this royal figure of subtlety had brought them forth. Abril Lamarque arranged the jinx-busting party and provided large photographic souvenir folders. It was a memorable occasion for everybody, including Al. Looking back 12 years we find what well might be termed a super group. Cliff Green, Arthur…
One of these starlit nights I'm going to get up in front of an assembled bunch of magical membership card bearing people and request that those willing to give up their business connections and all sources of income for the profession of magic and allied arts and what it may bring them to stand. On that night there will occur a sit-down strike the like of which has never been seen. That is, insofar as adherence to the chairs is concerned. Some of us will stand, but quickly and sincerely. We have nothing to give up. Magic IS our business.…
Buffalo, N.Y. had honor of first showing of Religious Racketeers the medium expose movie by Beatrice Houdini. The Lily Dale crowd dusted off the photostat of the Houdini code message received by Arthur Ford (pastor First Spiritualist Church, Manhattan) back in January 1929, and went to town. On January 10th, the N.Y. Evening Graphic denounced the communique as a hoax, diagramming an apartment where Ford was purported to have admitted it a fake. Most intriguing detail was that Mrs. H. and Ford immediately protested and claimed message genuine. Pay off came when feature writer Rea Jaure admitted possession of the…