Eddie? The only version of the 2 card monte trick is the one done by David Blaine and also the one which i saw in Brad's video. Can you show me a link where is can see Eddie performing this trick? Thanks alot

Um.... Eddie Fetcher, the guy who INVENTED THE TRICK BEFORE IT WAS RIPPED OFF.

I don't think their is an online video of Eddie, but just to let you know there is more to magic than the downloadable video's on the internet. Like books and lecture notes, which is where you would find the trick, which is called, Eddie Fetcher's "Be Honest, What is it"

It might be good for those who are turned on by Blaine, for whom I have a lot of respect, to look to the sources of his magic.

He learned from studying others--the greats--and they are where you should go to learn how to be, not just a copy of him, but a good and unique magician in your own right.

You will never really understand what Blaine is trying to accomplish without understanding what has gone on before.

Without that understanding, you will always just be a copy of him.

You can't really understand Bob Dylan, without becoming familiar with Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie, Lightning Hopkins, and the other blues, rock, and folk musicians that he admired and studied.

If you are an admirer of Blaine, go seek out the sources of his inspiration and get yourself inspired.

A good start would be "Fechter, The Magic of Eddie Fecter" by Jerry Mentzer. That is where you will find "Be honest, what is it?" (two-card monte), and a boatload of similarly powerful, relatively easy magic in the same quick and forceful style.

Eddie owned a bar and restaurant in Buffalo, NY for many, many years. He created magic for common people that was fun, exciting and unfathomable. People came to see him from all over the world.

He taught some of the best and most successful magicians in the country. His influence on Mike Skinner, Karl Norman, Bill Okal, Brian Gillis, Harrison Carroll and many other great performers was profound.

Eddie's magic and his humor were easy to follow and very direct, even for drunks and rowdys.

If you think "Two-Card Monte" is a great trick, I guarantee you will find the original version, Eddie's "Be Honest, What Is It?" even stronger and funnier. Besides, it is just one of many similar, incredible effects that Eddie created.

Some of the tricks included are: "I've Got a Surprise for You!", "Fechter's Aces," "Snapover Aces," "6-4-5 Coin Trick" (a trick that Fred Kaps loved to perform), "Eight to Twelve" (a great trick for adults, but one of the few card tricks that a five year old can participate in, understand, and find very funny. Want to entertain some children for five minutes with a deck of bycicles?), and many others.

Eddie created a slew of moves with coins, cards, and dice; and his peek work was very influential on Marlo. He invented the "close-up pad."

Everything in the book is practical--sitting or standing and surrounded by drunks. Everything has been polished in thousands of performances for thousands of people over many years.

This is all real working stuff that is easily adapted to different personalities.

Want to get really good and really professional really fast?

Why go look at pale copies of this thoroughly entertaining, surprising, and truly mind-blowing magic? Go find the real stuff and take it and use it. It is a gift.

I believe it would better read "..Eddie performing HIS trick".

Dave

Thank you Mr Haydn for your great insight. I look forward to the re-print of Fechter, The Magic of Eddie Fechter by Jerry Mentzer this fall.

I just found this by accident (I was Googling Eddie Fechter!).

It's the credits page!

http://www.ellusionist.com/credits.htm

...Two Card Monte- Eddie Fechter is the sole creator of this famous card effect. The handling David Blaine used on Street Magic, as well as the current handling Ellusionist is selling at the moment, belongs to Eddie
Fechter. Origianlly Theodore Deland came up with a different version involving gaffed cards...

Sorry, but...

Wow thanks guys! That was a whole lot of imformation regarding the origin of this trick. And whithaydn, i could not thank you enough for sharing so many information regarding Eddie Fetcher with me. Well as an amatuer, it's indeed a shame of not knowing who the inventor of a certain effect is. But we simply cannot ignore the plain fact that it is always the effect that caught our attention in the first place first before we attempt to do a research on the origin of the trick. I mean, we have to be showed a certain magic in the first place beore we even bother to learn the science or secret behind the trick let alone be interested in searching for the creator of the effect. Well i guess i have to thank David Blaine for this one. I do not know about you guys but it is after watching David Blaine's trick that the interest of this trick grew in me. Or we can say that he did a really terrific job of bringing the trick to our tv screen. Well that's the way things work for me. I believe that's how it works for other people too. So i guess for those of you who thinks that the whole process of :seeing the magic for the first time, the magic sparkled an interest in the person, the person find ways to learn the magic and finally the person is interested in the creator of the magic" pretty funny. I guess you will find the fact that baby crawl before they can finnaly learn to walk, let alone run very, very, very

I'm fortunate enough to have gotten a copy of his book last year and I really like it.

One of my favorites that I use constantly is ... "That's It" by Fechter.

I originally learned it from the Ammar tapes and when I learned more about Eddie Fechter, I just HAD to find the book to see how it was originally done (because Ammar's method didn't seem quite right) and to see what other gems he came up with.

Frank,
I know of two of Eddie's tricks and they seem simple yet very effective.

What level of skill should someone have before they purchase his book? Are the tricks described in written detail or through illustrations?

I'm an advanced beginner and see myself being here to master the basics for quite a while. I just wanted to know if I should wait before purchasing this book. It seems fascinating as I like his style of magic.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

The book is well-written, and I think the majority of stuff is within the range of an advanced beginner or intermediate performer. A control, force, double-lift, and some palming is all that is required for most of the card work, and the peek forces and controls are taught in the book.

The coin tricks are superb, and easy to do.

I think that an advanced beginner would find it an excellent way to move from beginning moves to expert routines that utilize these moves. If you enjoyed the two routines you have learned, you will find most of the other stuff within reach.

Whit,
Thanks for your earlier posts in this thread and for your most recent reply and insight. I understand your comparison regarding the practice of studying the masters. For some odd reason, I didn't equate that with magic, but I do now and it shows I have much to learn.

There is one source that notes they have "Eddie's" book. It seems to be the only one so the challenge in finding this book may be half of the fun.


Mike

It should be back in print in a couple of months, as I understand.

Is this the trick which David Blaine does where the 2 red queens change into the 2 black aces? If so, you don't do a top change. 1 black ace is on the bottom, and as you switch cards for real, you put their red card on top of the deck casually, keep talking, and transfer the deck from 1 hand to the other, stealing the bottom card. If you want to as well, you can do a charlier cut or another 1 handed cut to lose the 2 red queens in the deck

The origonal question, Aminesco wanted to learn a very good top change.
Contact Steve Youell a Café member he has a cd out and he teaches the top change besides other slights and controls.
vinny

Chuds:

Read the rest of the thread. Your point has been covered and answered on page one.

Cheers!

Whit gives you good advice.

If you can find a copy go for it.
There are some great stories and magic history in that book as well. It's a
good read.

Was there a question back there about the topchange?There was a very concise desription of David Williamsons handling of the top change in the "Expert talk" column in a 2002 Magic Magazine( I forget which month, maybe someone else will) well worth checking out. Of the top change in the Workers video, Mike Close said " you don't have to do a perfect top change"(of its use in his 'The Frog Prince'), which is true if the audience misdirection is strong, but, its like drinking a fine wine, for the extra effort involved in its discovery, what a difference it makes!

I couldn't find "Magic of Eddie Fechter" even among stores and sites that "had it in stock."

However, I sent an email to Jerry Mentzer. He's anticipating the reprint will be available September 15. If you have a good local magic shop, they'll be able to order it for you. You will also be able to go to magicmethodsonline.com, Jerry's site, to purchase it once it's available.

There will be a limited number for the reprint.
Mike

Wow, I must say that as someone who originally got into magic seriously after watching David Blaine, esp 2 card monte which I felt was the most impressive trick in his first special, this thread has been very very informative indeed.

Whit, thanks for the history lesson. Will try to check out Eddie Fletcher's book when it comes out!