A living and dead test should concentrate upon the wallop of the effect rather than the method. This is impromptu, and while the presentation idea belongs to Eddie Clever, the method of handling and using billets instead of envelopes and cards is mine. In this form the billets can be torn out of borrowed paper without preparation or notice. Use 5 or 6 billets about 2x3 inches. These are folded three times, or to a manipulation size. One is secretly dotted on the outside, or given an extra bend or kink. The slips are passed out, and the person getting…
Excellent for press and publicity work is this very effective and out of the ordinary trick. The preparation is very simple and quickly done with a minimum of material, all of which is essential to modern magic. Effect The performer hands a spectator seven blank cards, one of which he is asked to take and write upon it the name of a dead person. He is then told to shuffle the seven cards and they are placed in an envelope, sealed up and the envelope initialed, whereupon the spectator may pocket it. Then seven more blank cards are shown and…
Here is an effect which is original with me and one that has been reposing in my notebook for several years. My idea originally was to market it in the usual fashion as a dollar secret, but those days are past. All you need is a packet of 20 or more blank cards, but I prefer at least 35 because it makes the handling easier. Hand them to a spectator and ask that they use any one of them. Take back those left and ask the person to think for a moment of a relative or friend who is not…
This is a clean and simple method for an effective living and dead test. At the finish all material used may be left behind as there is nothing wrong to find. Use five or six blank cards and a drug envelope. Four people write the names of living persons and the fifth writes the name of someone dead. The performer has them collected by someone and mixed. Taking them with the writing sides down, the performer also mixes them a little more and puts the entire packet into the envelope. Holding the envelope to his head, the performer slowly and…