As of August 25, 1941 - - - Our honor, presuming that we have such a thing, is at stake, at least to us. Some years ago Thayer advertised a Knock 'Em Dead effect of Arthur Buckley's (and, by the way, whatever has become of he and his wife, who, as "The Australian Buckley's", did a very neat telepathic act and horoscope business?). The stunt depended upon the securing from the pocket of one of ten paper pellets, the container being a block of wood with holes bored for the carrying of rolled papers. The effect was exceedingly nice, and…
As of June 18, 1941. - - - - - We were glad to be wrong in thinking that the S.A.M. wouldn't expel George Karger for his participation in the Life-Clark expose. The present ethics committee really isn't pulling any punches in such matters. Tom Worthington is no doubt sad, in one way, for his Tablets of Osiris monthly has for over ten years carried a continuous challenge for the S.A.M. to name one member expelled for exposing. Now they can do it. Baltimore papers will no doubt carry an ad such as, "Wanted - something worthy of a crusade."…
As of June 25, 1941 - - - - The mailman just brought a letter from England in which Edmund Younger spaced his mentions of magic with, "We are still waiting for the invasion, and so are the fishes. It will be the greatest vanishing illusion of all time." And yesterday came a rewrapped letter from India and The Indian Magician. The rubber stamped notation read simply, "Damaged by immersion in sea water and rewrapped at Glasgow." It all helps to bring the war pretty close, but withal, magic seems to be keeping in step. From Roger Barkann (Rosinoff): "Ever…
As of April 30, 1941 --------- We have just seen the light which shines on Russell Swann. It has taken a good many shows, with us at front tables and at far bars, but, it has made an average, and now we feel safe in saying that The Swann duplicates in magic the effervescent qualities of radio-picture's Bob Hope. This man Hope exudes some sort of spontaneous appearing talk less looks, and Russell does the first in as perfect a manner while outdoing Hope in the latter part by being quite genic as well as photogenic. This all has to…
The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune for April 20th did right well by the non-exposers of that city. The roto-gravure section carried pics in action of Arthur Nelson, Arthur Johnson, Al Gufstafson, Judge F.W. Carter, and James DeVoll with his one man levitation. Following closely upon the Sunday spread given those Daytonians (Ohio) it gives us hope that an era of legitimate magical picturizations may be coming up. After that recent LIFE mag expose wherein the Keith Clark lent himself to a revelation of a principle which wouldn't have been noticed except for the model's legs and editorially mentioned pants, the western…
When magicians, as public minded citizens denounce the many laws which have been carried on the books for umpteen years and which are ridiculous when looked at and enforced in present day light, they should go back through their own literature and demand that formulae for accomplishing this and that be tested and thrown out if found lacking. Too often we find articles and tricks which refer to a certain chemical way of doing something, and, upon trial discover that it just won't work. Of course, it all could work itself out if someone sincerely wouldn't print such tripe unless…
Now that convention time is here it is well to consider a letter lately received from one of the established dealers. We're sorry it wasn't possible to bring the matter up before. In part it is quoted: "Why don't you take a side on the dealer situation at magic conventions? We've always felt that the dealers are the hub of a convention. They keep things going when the shows, banquets, etc., are not on. They actually are the reason many men come to the affairs - men who are from rural districts, especially. Any dealer with a mailing list advertises…
Somebody stuck a pin in the balloon. It blew up in Johnny Mulholland's face while he still was trying to stretch it (the balloon) just a bit more. With angular John labeled "The Sphinx", the balloon "S.A.M.-M.U.M.", and the wind "Arrogance", the picture becomes clearer. We guess that the 40 year old monument to magic means a lot to the Mulholland. Beginning with the May 1930 issue of The Sphinx, he picked up the reluctantly dropped reins of "Doc" A.M. Wilson, M.D. when the latter suddenly passed away. Dr. Milton Bridges (N.Y.C.), now deceased, was to have a little to…
The Parent Assembly #1 of the Society of American Magicians held a special meeting on March 25 at N.Y.'s Barbizon-Plaza Hotel. In accordance with Article I, Section 3, M. Ill. President Trepel arranged the party to discuss and review the action of the National Council in reference to the "Sphinx". Readers of the last Jinx (#131) will know about the actions of the Council in awarding the M.U.M. contract to "Genii". In fact there were plenty of Jinx issues present at the meeting, for it was only through this honestly "independent" journal for magicians that certain letters, "state" papers, and…
The April 7th LIFE magazine magical expose, as partly depicted at left using but one of SIXTEEN photos, show a modern method of eye-catching by means of "cheesecake", a camera-man's slang term for pictures predominantly featuring girls with legs. The technique exhibited in this still another violation of a magician's rights to some privacy is a fundamental policy of Mr. George Karger, a New York photographer, and member of the Society of American Magicians. After joining the Society during the past year, Mr. Karger requested co-operation in picturization of magical revelations but was turned down quickly and emphatically. His view…