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magicgettogether Special user Michigan 556 Posts |
We will be resuming a very popular portion of our website called "Interview with Greg Bordner" which can be found at http://www.magicgettogether.com/interview.html
As many of you know, Greg has had a ringside seat to magic history all his life and is a very good story teller. Last Spring we stopped doing videos because of his health and recently he had a successful heart transplant and has returned back to work healthier than ever. If there is a topic you think we should be covering from magic's past please PM or email me and I will try to make it happen. Thanks |
MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2869 Posts |
Yes! Great to hear Greg is doing better. Lots of stories I'd like to hear from Greg including: I recall as a youth about 1971 or so a fire started on stage when a performance was going on- I think it was Spurlock. Would like to know more about Spurlock- he had a huge semi load of stuff. Was super rich, bought a zillion dollars of Abbott's biggest items. Did a few shows, then disappeared from doing magic forvever. True story? Also, Clarke Crandall used to be on the showroom stage and sit on a chair and just talk for an hour or so- wow. Funny stuff. I also loved Duke Stern doing card tricks with the rabbit in the hat puppet or always talking how every Abbott's trick was "no fuss, no muss." Great memories. Or even two years ago when Jeff Hobson performed- how hot was it backstage? 120? Exactly how many Abbott's vanishing bird cages has Abbott's made? (a good example of this trick being performed is by Alan Kazam at http://www.ChristianMagician.org, More Than Magic! show #1). Any way some old Karrel Fox/Duke Stern/Abb Dickson tapes can be posted online? Who has been on the GetToGether programs more than anyone else? Mike Miller? Jay Marshall? How does one go about buying a Colon Magi XXL football jersey? How many times has Norma been picked to be on stage? How can Wilma Rench be so good? I still can't figure out how all the out of towners find a place to stay- how do they find a place to stay in Colon? Last but not least- how many products does Abbott's currently manufacture in Colon- and will that line be increasing? Can Abbott's copywrite any of these items and then sue the Masked Magician for exposure?- I hope so! Did the Colon school mileage pass- a new elementary school in the works? I've got lots more- Abbott's is the greatest!
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MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2869 Posts |
Whoops- other stuff to ask Greg on Abbott's history. If I remember right, didn't Jim Sommers claim from the Abbott's stage he invented Zig-Zag? (Robert Harbin did). I really miss Neil Foster and Earl Ray Wilcox- class acts. The best illusion I ever saw perform at Abbott's was a guy that did one trick only: THE ECLIPSE. Any chance of bringing that back? Who performed it anyway? Just a fantastic illusion where a huge (enormous)round steel plate jumped across the stage to where a round paper frame was. Incredible. Does Abbott's still make much of the Arturo line such as the checkers/rice? Wasn't Abbott's the first to manufacture Carson's fine cube on release- or the Zombie- and now everyone on the planet makes their own version? Can Tom Mullica come back sometime? Sure would be great if someone in a tribute to Harry Blackstone, Jr. could float a lightbulb over the auditorium again...Did Dorny smoke a cigar backstage? How did Mike Caldwell's back ever make it?- any videos on that? Any magicians ever booed at Abbott's? Was there more standing ovations ever in one program than the "Chinese/Japanese" program several years ago? How magicians currently live in Colon or work at Abbott's? Wasn't Abbott's once painted blue with white skeletons? Did Duke Stern live in the paint shop? And Jeff W. from Ann Arbor- performed the best THIMBLE act EVER at Abbott's with the production of a giant thimble at the end. An early day Arthur Trace...
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hugmagic Inner circle 7655 Posts |
The eclipse was orginlly done by Joe Palen. Later, Phil Wilmarth and Peter Tappan did the routine. The apparatus is still around.
It was so hot two years ago that as Hobson did the egg bag, water literally dripped out of the bag. Richard
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
magicgettogether Special user Michigan 556 Posts |
Thanks Magic Bus, I am taking notes.
There are so many great stories at Abbotts and I am sure your two posts will find a few more. Interesting that you mention Spurlock, Greg found some old posters and I have been doing research trying to find out more about him. There is a gentleman from the Café that was with that show, his handle here is spurlock and he told me that Spurlock simply got tired of traveling. Here is a picture of the Spurlock poster from a future update http://www.magicgettogether.com/percys_chest/spurlock.jpg There is a tour of the stage show (Behind the Scenes at the Get Together) by Mark Holstein that you might be interested in, Richard is on it too. Currently it is on http://www.magicgettogether.com/ |
hugmagic Inner circle 7655 Posts |
However, we will never release the real behind the scenes on Abbott's backstage. There are too many bodies buried (or should be!).
Richard
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2869 Posts |
Wow, thanks for the interesting posts. I will be in Colon this Saturday 12-6-08 for the Colon Christmas parade and to visit Abbott's as well (hopefully my wife will buy some presents for me). Colon is only about a 40 minute drive south for our family, so it will be a fun little trip. I remember that Arthur Trace performed before Hobson on the "oven" Saturday night evening, and just did a marvelous job. I remember once seeing a magician take his tux coat off, his shirt was basically a "dickie" with absolutely no sleeves and virtually no back. Great idea!
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magicgettogether Special user Michigan 556 Posts |
Hi
I'll be there as well taking pictures for the Abbott site and the Colon MI site. I have the first two videos uploaded to youtube , in the first Greg and Mike talk about some acts that did not go over so well at the Get Together. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpgiFIAFv9o The second is Greg speaking briefly on his heart transplant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99Poqp_OQnk Sorry about the phone ringing. |
MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2869 Posts |
Thanks, I will review those immediately! Looking forward to this Saturday and the 2009 Abbott's GetToGether. I have going to shows in Colon since about 1965 or so, would not trade it for the world. I'll never forget the day when my Dad took me to Abbott's show room as a lad, and I thought Blackstone, Sr. was sitting there in a folding chair. It turned out to be Peter Bouton, Harry's brother, wish I had a camera with me! My Dad (a wine maker) used to give Neil Foster a bottle of vintage home made wine and ask him to watch me when he dropped me off to stay during the GetToGether- I stayed in Mrs. VanVorHee's white house on her couch directly across from the Abbott plant. Over the years, a lot of fairly famous young magicians stayed there, and she made us breakfast too...
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magicgettogether Special user Michigan 556 Posts |
That sounds fascinating, if you ever want to write a story about one of your experiences at the Get Together we would be more than happy to publish it at the site. You can see other stories at http://www.magicgettogether.com/stories.html
I think the story about the wine bottle is classic! |
MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2869 Posts |
Thanks, a pleasure to meet you at Abbott's 12-6. I was the doofus that bought the Abbott's Goofus Plant. Greg seemed in good and healthy spirits and gave me a great deal! I also got my registration for the 2009 GetToGether- so you there.
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MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2869 Posts |
Hi again- as I mentioned to you Saturday, feel free to put on the Abbott's site (or http://www.youtube.ocm or http://www.Godtube.com) anything from Now That's Magic! or More Than Magic! that you might like to use. For example, Alan Kazam (Alan Smith from Kalamazoo) does a really good Abbott's Vanishing Bird cage twice (and you have his permission to use it to sell more cages!) on More Than Magic!, show #1, after the intro magic and juggling act of Sheldon Rhodes and the disclaimer by Bill Blakeslee. We shot it in one take with several cameras in studio with children there, and Alan did a great job with it.
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hugmagic Inner circle 7655 Posts |
Boy, I am going to pack a box of tea bags this year for backstage!!!!
Richard
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
Wow... I am so happy for Greg to have had a successful transplant! Now that's magic.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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magicgettogether Special user Michigan 556 Posts |
Its really amazing Pete, its been like working with a college kid lately.
Richard, in addition to your box of tea bags you may want to get one big tea bag to throw at the organist. It was great meeting you too Magic Bus. I saw the movie you mention and it is good, I have not had time to splice it yet. Glad you got back home ok, that was a wicked day to be out driving considering its only December. |
hugmagic Inner circle 7655 Posts |
I think it would funnier to throw it at Artie. Wilma might beat me up.
Debbie better be careful. You know Greg has the heart of a young guy now and you know how those kids are. Richard
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
magicgettogether Special user Michigan 556 Posts |
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hugmagic Inner circle 7655 Posts |
This was a feature of the Bill Neff show.
I guess I can't say Greg has a fat head anymore. Richard
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
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