Ladies' Night - S.A.M. Parent Assembly - Hotel Barbizon-Plaza, New York City - April 14, 1941) Reviewed by Robert Houdin, Jr. VYNN BOYAR opened the show. Silent act with nothing in the way of novelty to recommend it. Run-of-the-mill tricks presented in a pedestrian manner. No showmanship - no stage presence - no nothing. PAXTON followed with an act that could have been outstanding but wasn't. The act was a tribute to a good mnemonic system. Endless reeling off of unimportant data about cities and their hotels, newspapers, etc. A lot of audience participation helped a little. He finished with…
President Jack Trepel, in a foreword to the program, wrote, "... every performer tonight is a Star in the Magic Sky". Well, maybe so, but the weather was a bit cloudy. If the rumor is true that the talent cost one grand then somebody got short weight. There were five good or better acts, five that ranged from middling to not so hot, and only twenty tricks in the whole evening. The five good acts consisted of a juggling turn, a dance duo, a humorous monologue, a comedy magic routine, and one act of straight magic. "The Hocus Pocus Revue…
(Writers under this column heading are chosen for accurate reporting and capable, sincere interest in magic as an art. Opinions expressed by them are their own, and not necessarily in agreement with views of the editor. Annemann.) Program reads, "THE OLD TIMERS OF THE Y.M.H.A. PRESENT MASTER MAGICIANS IN "A NIGHT OF MAGIC, Sunday evening, March 9, 1941, at 9:00 P.M. in the Theresa L. Kaufmann Auditorium, New York". Rod Rogers was master of ceremonies, and opened the show on time, thus breaking the rule for all but strictly professional magic shows. Rod has a pleasing appearance and worked hard.…
Were one to sit in on a Saturday afternoon klan-like gathering at most any magic shop throughout the country, and casually mention, "That principle certainly has stood the test of time since Ed Parsons thought of it," he'd be correct a goodly percentage of the time, no matter what current trick was being talked about. Beyond that, not one present day magus in a hundred could help but reply, "And who is this fellow Parsons ?" The answer would necessarily be, "He used the name of Henry Hardin, for magical purposes." Then the percentage might drop to one in fifty…