I've read on one of the posts here that Karl Norman invented the effect Card on Ceiling. What is the history of this effect? Did Michael Ammar popularize this effect? Hope some of you guys can enlighten me on this.

Sam

I wrote that post. Yes, Karl Norman, the world famouse bar magician from the Forks hotel in Buffalo, New York invented the version that uses wax and was the originator. However, from what I hear, other methods could have been in practice at the time, but propably not. Karl is 86 years old and as sharp as a tac. He still resides in Buffalo and is still regularly performing at resturants where he performs the Card On The Ceiling. If you're interested in learning his magic check out his DVD that you can get through Mer Yedid. Karl's one of my mentors and a good friend.

Thanks for the reply Joe! Anybody who has any more information on this?

Do a little research on Matt Schuliens "Card On The Wall." The thumbtack method he used with that trick seems to have migrated to the ceiling.

Mr. Norman's DVD is available from Meir Yedid as Mr. Russell posted. here's the link:

http://mymagic.com/norman.htm

Wesley James researched the Card on Ceiling and found it in "The Merry Companion" by Richard Neve in 1716.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was older than that.

I credit Karl with wax method.

I have an old book "Thurston's 400 tricks you can do" and it tells of the thumbtack method.

Richard

Thank you for all your replies. And thanks for the link Bill.

My dad did it with a tack when he was in the Army in WW II. I susbtituted a loop of scotch tape. Sure is cheaper than wax. Always works. Easy to do.

Jack Chanin was doing card on ceiling LONG before Karl Norman...get ahold of the Chanin routine...somehow I think you'll find Karl's may not be all that original!

Mike

Jay Bedsworth was doing this on the West Coast at his Bar, The Tunnel Inn, back in the fifties, and he learned it from Carl Zamloch, who was doing it in the teens! They, of course, used a thumbtack...




Carl Eugene Zamloch was born in Oakland, California on October 6, 1889. He pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 1913, and was a teammate of Ty Cobb. At 6' 1", 176 lbs., the right-hander chalked up a 1-6 record, with an ERA of 2.45, and batted .182 in 22 times at bat.

From 1916 to 1930, he was head baseball coach at the University of California at Berkeley. The Bears under his leadership between 1925 and 1931 won 34 games with only 17 losses and 7 ties.

In 1929, when Victor "Cookie" Devincenzi and A. Robert Miller acquired the Oakland Oaks, Zamloch was made a minor partner. Later he was named manager as well. In 1932, because of the Depression the directors of the team abolished the salaries of all officers. Since Zamloch was an officer as well as manager, the club stopped payments on his $10,000 salary. He filed suit to recover the unpaid balance of his salary and won, but did not return in 1933.





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Between baseball seasons, he toured the United States and other countries as a magician. His father was Anton F. Zamloch, who married Mary Marks in San Francisco in 1877, and was one of the world's outstanding magicians at the turn of the 20th Century.
Under the pseudonym of The Great Zam, Carl Zamloch published "17 Simple but Mystifying Tricks to Entertain your Friends." In his later years, he worked as a sales executive and legislative consultant for the Signal Oil and Gas Company. He died of a stroke at the age of 73 in Santa Barbara, California in 1963.

Best, PSC

Mike,
I believe you are probably right. Karl just always added his own touch. There is nothing new under the sun.

See you in April.

Richard