There are too many tricks which seem to have no reason or excuse for what occurs. As one person remarked to us, when a late amateur of high renown and exalted position made an alarm clock vanish from one side of his cluttered-up stage only to reappear, ringing raucously upon the other, "Why?" The effect which follows is not too much better, but the several who have been asked about it have said that some sort of an idea was there. So, we've tried to give the thing a theme and let it go at that. Undoubtedly you and you…
5610 Dorchester St., Chicago, Illinois Dear Ted; I've been having fun with this cute dodge lately. It's probably original. You notice someone's fountain pen, or automatic pencil. Ask to see it. Take it -- saying, "Nice looking," and nonchalantly appear to clip it inside your coat's inner pocket. He, the owner, naturally is going to protest. And you suddenly produce the pen or pencil from behind his neck with your right hand, remarking, "What are you getting worried about?" A man's inside coat pocket is on his right side and approached with his left hand. You have the pen in…
(Note by editor: Mr. James has furnished us with several of his strangely concocted mysteries. Both he and his effects are known for the tangent lines they make while shooting away from the boring similarity of most magicians and their magic.)
Every magician desires an effect which he can perform with people all around him -- something which requires no gimmick or fake -- and something that won't allow of detection, visibly. The present day nightclub entertainers will find this secret invaluable, and it will be a boon to those magi of the semi-professional field who dote on close-up mysteries. First let me tell you how the idea started. About eighteen years ago I saw an Indian magician fill a brass bowl with rice. He dug a knife into that rice and suspended the bowl and its contents from the end…
Finale effects are not too easily found, so this idea should be favored by more than one magus needing an exit number. The effect is not mine, for it was culled from some spot quite a few years ago and used for several seasons. I added the patter gag line and discovered the trick to be just what was needed in many cases. The magician shows two pieces of heavy tissue paper. One is red and the other white. Both are 5 x 14 inches in size. They are placed together and torn into small pieces and folded together. Upon…
How is this for an effect? You hand a man what you say is your professional card. It is blank, so, naturally, he turns it over. The other side is blank also. Taking it from him momentarily you say, "No, here", turning the card over once more. The man then sees, printed across the surface, the words "SEE OTHER SIDE". So, of course, he sees the other side by turning the card over for the third time, and there, in print, is your name, business, (he should know by now) phone number, etc... If any reader can suggest a "clean"…
Dear Ted : I've evolved this different presentation of the vanishing wand. Use your regular assistant or a volunteer. Show a piece of newspaper, tap wand to show solid, and roll it up twisting the ends. Hand to helper. Show a second piece of newspaper, roll it up empty, twist the ends, and also give it to helper, taking back the first package. Tear this into bits and throw aside. Then take the remaining paper roll, tear off an end, and withdraw the wand. ******* It is, of course, that standby, a heavy black paper shell with white wood inserts…
Most of you know Ralph Read. He authored the Calostro Mind Reading Act and other books. He was the "daddy" of the Induction Mind Reading System, the Talking Tea Kettle, and lately produced the newly perfected Mental Masterpiece, an improved version of my original effect. In connection with this latter, I referred to him as the "anonymous Ralph Read" but was wrong. His name appears on the instruction sheets as the copyright owner. The surprising thing about his Animal Magnetism routine is the fact that very few of the present generation have ever seen it presented completely. There is one…
For this perfect little bar or counter stunt two packages of chewing gum are purchased on the spot. One stick is removed from each pack. While still in their tinfoil and paper wrappers the performer tells the gums to change places. The gum of one flavor is found in the wrapper of the other, and vice versa. It all is a subterfuge but the conditions under which the trick is done are what make it so clean. In your pocket have a prepared stick of gum ready for any occasion. From a package of spearmint, for instance, remove one stick…