Hi, I’m Richard Fuehrer, a new Café member. I’ve browsed for a while, but this is my first post.

I am of the age when they call me a senior citizen. I hope you will indulge me while I introduce myself in more detail.

I got into magic before computers and TV, as a youngster in Washington, NJ, gave shows as a teenager in Trenton, NJ, in college in Bethlehem, PA, and as a young adult in Providence, RI.

All my magic shows were as a sideline for extra money in college, and while pursuing my main career in Advertising. When I moved to New York to be in the mecca for advertising, I stopped doing magic shows for money, and after a while stopped performing altogether, though keeping my membership in the S.A.M.

Now, after many, many years. I’ve retired from advertising, and have recently picked up a renewed interest in my old love of magic. And I have found this is a much different world from my past experience. Just look at the difference! Magic on TV, the internet, hundreds of performers, dozens and dozens of magic dealers, videos of tricks being performed before you buy them, and forums like this. I feel like a kid in a candy store!

I would like to say that all my shows were about fun, entertainment and audience participation. In fact, I even called myself Richard Fuehrer, Entertainer in Magic – not a Magician. And in those days, it seemed like magic was mainly a stand-up, parlor, and stage affair. Close up tricks did not seem as greatly popular, as they are today. And although my best trick was the wrist guillotine, most of my tricks were simple, standard tricks, like the die box, cut and restored rope, Chinese sticks, hats and pants paper tear, 20th Century Silks, etc.

This brings me to a question I have for the Café forum. Now that I have an interest in performing again (even at my age), I’d like to get your opinion on whether today’s audiences are too smart, hip and sophisticated to be entertained by these old chestnuts. Any opinions on this would be welcome. Thanks for your help. And thanks for reading this long introduction!

Welcome to the Magic Café from another ole chestnut!! I recently retired and am heading out to reinvent myself in today's magic world. I most definitely feel old codgers like us can bring some quality entertainment to the world. I think there is something to be gained by sharing some of the knowledge we have learned over the years. We just need to be good listeners and hear what the newbies have to say. There is certainly the opportunity to use some of the old good tricks, and just add some modern new patter.

Again, welcome and will see you around the old forum!!! MAV

Hi MAV,

Thanks for your welcome! Glad to know I've got a kindred spirit in the vast membership of the Magic Café. Yes, I think we've learned quite a lot of things, and can share quite a bit,too.

What type of magic did you do in your younger years? And how about now?

Regards,
Richard

Welcome Richard Fuehrer,

I have a lot of old chestnuts in my repertoire.

If you do them in an entertaining way, people will like them fine.

-Mary Mowder

Hi Mary,

Thanks for your reply.

Glad to know that some old chestnuts still live,
and are still used by current magicians!

--Richard

Richard,

In answer to your question: A number of years ago I was very active in our local magic club. From this I began substituting to do children's birthday parties when another club magician had a conflict. Great fun!! I have always been in sales and have used magic in many of my sales presentations, when one-on-one and when there were hundreds of people.

I chose to retire this year and so now have the time to get back into the fun of magic. I dug out my five boxes of collected magic (from lectures, travel and "just gotta have it" situations). The Magic Café is the place that will help bring me up-to-speed and back into presentations. I pulled out my old sport coat designed for my magic and somehow it shrunk over the years (Ha!). So, my next stop will be a clothing store. I will focus on volunteering to start but who knows where it will end up.

Richard, hope you enjoy your time going forward as well.

Hi MAV,

Sounds like you've got a good plan of action for today and the future. Good luck with it!

I'm also looking forward to input from magicians on the Magic Café, to get me up-to-date on the current magic scene. I've been out of magic for longer than you have, but still see that the interest is still there, and probably never left.

I still feel that I'm more interested in performing stand-up, parlor magic, although I'm amazed at the current popularity of close-up magic. It seems to be the featured offerings of many magic dealers.

Thanks for the input, and keep in touch!

--Richard