Mr Lorayne,

you're back in your youth again. Unknown, no books written, no inventions, no money made from magic or memory, but with some basic knowledge in the areas. Also, you don't have any education or degree.

What do you do? What would your life and career goals be? What would you not do?

Thanks

/Matias

Well, Matias - to answer your question would take part of an autobiography. And I've already written one; it's with my literary agent right now. Truth be told I had no life or career goals. My goal was to SURVIVE. I was the shyest kid ever - to the point of sickness. Then, I saw a card trick. That did it. It took me out of that cage of shyness. Prior to that I couldn't make eye contact, never spoke unless I was spoken to. Suddenly, I HAD to speak to people - at least three words worth. I had to say "Pick a card"!
Not only that, I realized that I LOVED the attention. Most, if not all, people who do magic want, need, that attention, don't they?
Then, it's not "what would I not do" it's what COULD I not do? I started to love the attention so much that I started to dream of being in show business. Maybe it was in my genes. My maternal grandfather had been in what they called THE show business. Anyway, what I could not do was sing, dance or tell jokes. It was, after that - it took years, of course - but the card magic started to "edge" me in that direction. The show-business direction.
My memory work started from and because of the card magic. The first memory stunt I ever did was to memorize a shuffled deck of cards. It's a long story, but the substance of it is that people liked my card stuff and LOVED my memory stuff. It EVOLVED.
There you have it, Matias. A short, very short, autobiography. Thanks for asking. HARRY.

Mr Lorayne, sincerest thanks for your answer. I realize however that I phrased my question unclearly. I more meant "what would you do if you could start over again" but with the insight you have now. Kind of like if you could travel back in time and choach yourself when you were a kid with a burning desire. "Do this, not this". Sorry for my unarguably poor way of expressing it previously.


And, out of curiosity, regarding:...what actually does that refer to? From those days, all I can think of is can-can dancing in saloons and 'pleasure-houses', but you said it was your grandfather...?


Thanks again


/Matias

Matias: I think if I had to atart over again in magic, I'd do it the same way. But, as I say in THE MAGIC BOOK - I want to save the beginner the forty years it took me to know which sleight to learn, which not to bother with, and so on. So, of course, it'd be different in that I'd practice, learn, spend the time with, only the sleight, effects, ideas, that I now know are worthwhile.
My grandfather took out a traveling vaudeville group of performers, actors. This was in Europe. The parents of academy award winning actor, Paul Muni - Mr. and Mrs. Weisenfreund (Paul's real name was Muni Weisenfreund) were part of his group. My mother, who was a teenager at the time, used to babysit Paul when his parents were out with my grandfather.
My grandfathers "big number" was - he'd have his ankles tied together, placed on a tabletop, and he TAP DANCED! HARRY L.

Dear Harry,

Those sentences brought a question into my mind: Is it a good way in your opinion for someone interested in card magic to practice every sleight in a book like card college for example, or it's better to pick tricks and learn their required sleight after learning basic material?

Hello Mr. Lorayne

We are so fortunate to have you with us!

You wrote:

"So, of course, it'd be different in that I'd practice, learn, spend the time with, only the sleight, effects, ideas, that I now know are worthwhile"

Here we are in 2004...

Can you give us a some examples of the ones that are worthwile to practice, study and perfect?

Thank you very much for your time!

MoonBeam

Axio: I don't have Card College, so can't speak to that. One of the things I've written many times is that I don't like, nor do I teach, sleights for sleights sake. I'll teach a sleight like, say, my HaLo Cut, and then teach quite a few miracles (in my obviously biased opinion) utilizing, based on, that sleight. The same with The Ultra Move. And so on. I don't want to list all the sleights I've taught. But, you get the idea, right? Of course, you do have to learn the basic sleights. See my answer to the next post. HARRY.

MoonBeam: I've written, a few times, that you can do miracles with a GOOD control, double lift, palm, not necessarily in that order. And that's true. Bear in mind that thee are many different controls (I would include the Classic Force in that category), lifts and palming methods. Knowing more than one of each can't hurt. But, I also do "miracles" with my HaLo Cut, Ultra Move, Universal Reversal, Illogical Double Lift, and so many more.

Thank you Mr. Lorayne

What are your favorite non-card sleights, effects and ideas that, in your opinion, should be perfected?

MoonBeam

MoonBeam: Wish I could help you, but I don't have any favorite non-card sleights or effects. My mind just went to cards all through the years. HARRY L.

Thank you very much Mr. Lorayne. I will take your advice on the cards!

MoonBeam

Mr.lorayne may I say I love apocalypse and I thank you publishing it . I'm looking in to dice and I'm wondering if you can recomend a website that would have dr.sacks dice trick video or any other video thanks

Six: Sorry, I really don't know any dice websites, nor do I know where you can find the Sacks dice routine, which is a wonderful routine. I did it for years. But, I just don't know off-hand where to find it.
Wait, hold it - I'm back after about 10 minutes of thinking and searching! Bruce Elliott's Classic Secrets Of Magic, copyright 1953. If you can find a copy, the Sacks dice routine is there, among other classics. HARRY L.

Please forgive the intrusion... SIX, there's a 30 min video called 'James Lewis Tips Dr. Sacks' Amazing Dice Trick' which might be of interest. Do a search and you should find it.

Mr. Lorayne:

Following along the line of MoonBeam's post, if you had to recommend one or two (or more) handlings that a card magician should work to perfection, what would they be? I realize that each control has its place in different effects and that true miracles can be developed around several different handlings, but, my question is, which would you recommend as definite, must haves, don't leave home without them, for the card worker.

By the way, I'm planning on spending some time in Manhattan visiting my son later this spring; can I buy you a cup of coffee?

Dragunsfyre: I don't think anyone can really call himself a card "handler" without being able to do a jog shuffle, which enables you to keep the top card or cards in place. For one card, forgive my saying so, but nothing - repeat, NOTHING - can beat my own Status Quo shuffle.
Of course, a good palm is important. Particularly a good one-hand top palm. And a good double lift. I said this in another answer, and I said it in a few books - "You can do miracles with a GOOD control, double lift, palm." Not necessarily in that order. HARRY.

About a year ago, I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of hours with Michael Ammar. During our discussion, Michael said that he had stopped using the pass and that he felt it was over-used. Some of the newer street magicians like to tout the pass as the best thing since peanut butter and white bread.

Styles come and go, even in the world of magic. Is the pass in or out?

Dragunsfyre,

The pass has many variations,so many that it is over used. But remember one thing,if you feel confortable using it,use it;if not,don't. A good sleight never goes out of date really. The problem for me is this: When I need to do a pass,i pause for a fraction of a second. Why? I can't make up my mind on which pass to use! So eventually I endup cutting the deck! But,when you place a specific sleight for a specific use,then its more valuable than any jewl in the world, especially if the thing works!
Also,in my opinion, if the pass is overused, then the many palming techniques are by now printed on the back of the cards! Just ask Marlo...but they work don't they?and they are genious!

PS: Have you noticed that everyone talks about card magic these days? Long live cardicians!!!

Vernest