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Ty Argo Special user Columbus, Ohio 525 Posts |
I just would like to say that I love the McCombical deck, and even more so, the Jumbo McCombical, as I use it all the time in stage and parlor shows.
I also wanted to let you know that this, and much of your other work is very much appreciated by your brethren. Have you developed any alternative presentations for the McCombical deck, regular or jumbo that you would be willing to share with us? Thank you very much for your time and for all your work. With much respect, Ty Argo
Dyslexics UNTIE!!
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Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
I will second Ty on that one. The McCombical Deck is one of those props that stays with me all the time. I can pop it out of the briefcase and be ready to go. (I even have accumulated nearly a dozen different force cards over the decades.)
One of my business lecture topics is "Jumping to Conclusions" or "Thinking We Know". The McCombical deck puts them on notice about that! It gives logic to “wait and see”. I also use it in government for "If you can't hit the target, Move the Target!" (That lesson they tend to get.) For medicine, it would be "If you can't afford treatment for the right disease, Change the Diagnosis!" That still fits government very well too. It never fails to hold attention and get a laugh. Thank you for sharing it with us. Bob Magic By Sander |
MField2000 Special user Hastings, East Sussex, England 590 Posts |
I'll add my praise for that great trick.
Like all of Dr. McComb's ideas, it is first rate and a real crowd pleaser. Matt Field |
Dan Monroe Loyal user Indiana 209 Posts |
I have to go along with the crowd on this. It's a great trick I use it for my closer. I like to leave em with their mouth wide open in amazement. I would also like to know if you have any other routines with this deck you would like to share.
-Dan
The power is within us all...I'm just a little more full of it.
danmonroe.bravehost.com |
Jon Gallagher Veteran user Elmwood, Illinois 395 Posts |
Let's just make this unanimous. I use the Jumbo deck in my stage/platform show and get more laughs out of it than any other effect I do.
Thanks for sharing it with the Magic Community! -Jon |
Billy McComb V.I.P. 1922 - 2006 57 Posts |
Bless you lads for the praise !
Ton Onasaka has a great idea where he incorporated it with credit to me and the John Breeds effect where an image appears on a blank card. Geoff Maltby of Repro has the rights for the Breeds effect. Ton calls this "Royal Revision" but I got mine from Max Maven because the basis was The McComb-ical and Ton wanted me to have one. Maybe Hank Lee or Joe Stevens has it in stock. It had a great response when I did it at the Castle Palace about two or three months ago. Originally in the USA I gave the McCombical to Jay and Frances Marshall in 1960 tho' I'd been doing it for years. They gave it to Haines and from that everyone seems to make it. In 1974 Ken Brooke did a near copy as "Potty Prediction" and buyers complained to ME that it was the same effect, although Ken never even asked me if he could put it out! David Copperfield did it on TV with Debbie Boone using record covers suggested by Don Wayne, and graciously mentioned me in the instructions and gave me a copy plus a check for $300! Haines in 1960 (on my suggestion) made me the effect using Jumbo ESP Cards and I showed it to Dunninger and brought it back to the UK for my old friend Al Koran. Dunninger said he wished he was still working because he'd do it, but Al thought it was too comedic for his show. Then Don Alan put it out as "The Great Put-On" without permission. About ten years ago I gave this ESP version to Dick Drake in San Diego and he sells it in standard size cards. Larry Wilson used to do a good version and an even better version was done by Mac King. Lots of folks use it in The Magic Castle so I just quit doing it, back in the days when they'd book me for all the rooms, not just The Palace. I usually work front-cloth in The Palace and it's hard to get someone seated well behind me in that situation. I bought TWO split decks with different cards and made the revealed card a half and half card. I did it at some magic convention or meeting and it went on the market.
Billy
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
I use it with a slate... great effect Sir William.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts |
Quote:
In 1974 Ken Brooke did a near copy as "Potty Prediction" and buyers complained to ME that it was the same effect, although Ken never even asked me if he could put it out! Really! I always thought it was yours, and wondered about the similarity to McCombical deck myself as well. The "Potty Prediction" that I bought in the '80s clearly had your name on it. What I had no way of knowing was if it was an "authorized" version or not.
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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Dennis Loomis 1943 - 2013 2113 Posts |
I seem to recall that Supreme released a version with no gaffed cards. Your name was all over it, so you may have come up with the variation. Do you recall the name?
Dennis Loomis
Itinerant Montebank
<BR>http://www.loomismagic.com |
Billy McComb V.I.P. 1922 - 2006 57 Posts |
Dennis Loomis...you are right. Edwin of Supreme put it out with a dozen red and a dozen blue backed cards. He oddly never asked me....Just did it. but we were old friends so I didn't complain. I wrote for his MagiGram for 20 years and he kept asking "What props do you need" Mostly I'd just get the odd bag of balloons for balloon animals on cruise ships or doing baskets of fruit for special passengers.
Anything else I got like one time I asked for a "Curious Cottage" and re-rigged it to produce the cockerel "Humphrey I had in the act at that time. I did it for his big UK/USA show he did in the Russell Hotel when a whole flock of Americans came over for some Convention. It was a great effect but got soaked and warped in one of my basement floods in the old Victorian nine-bedroom house I had in London.
Billy
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cfrye Special user Portland, Oregon, USA 940 Posts |
I just stayed in the Russell Hotel...one block from the Russell Square tube stop and three blocks from the British Museum. One of my goals in life is to find a way to animate the shields on the staircase landing just before you turn down into the lobby. And what a lobby! It's like you're walking into a palatial ballroom, complete with lit chandelier and full-length mirror.
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Paul Inner circle A good lecturer at your service! 4409 Posts |
The Supreme version was called Jumbo Jest. Eddie Burke of Magitrix also put out a variant on it.
Very commercial routine. Paul. |
Dennis Loomis 1943 - 2013 2113 Posts |
To Paul,
Thanks for the name... Jumbo Jest. I used that version for some time and then in a freak accident the cards got soaked and were useless. It was a clean, direct version of the great "McCombical Deck" plot. Anybody got a copy of the instructions? Dennis Loomis
Itinerant Montebank
<BR>http://www.loomismagic.com |
tgcramer38 New user Longview, WA 35 Posts |
Shamefully I do not know what a McCombical deck is.
What is the effect? Sounds like something everyone with some experience is using. |
Ty Argo Special user Columbus, Ohio 525 Posts |
Close-Up:
http://daytonamagic.net/customer/index.c......tId=7462 Stage: http://daytonamagic.net/customer/index.c......tId=7463
Dyslexics UNTIE!!
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stephenbanning Regular user United States 178 Posts |
Hi Billy,
They still market the two split deck cards. I didn't know you had invented it. It's being marketed as "Split Thought". I also saw David Copperfield about three years ago do the McCombical Deck with cue cards on a late night show. It may have been on Jay Leno. It wasn't introduced well and the camera switching destroyed the illusion. The McCombical Deck is a great effect. Steve |
Billy McComb V.I.P. 1922 - 2006 57 Posts |
I always say with any trick I put out.
PLEASE try it MY way first...after all I've done it for years. If it doesn't go good for you after a fair trial THEN try your variations.
Billy
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NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
I've always loved this effect for its comedy but I know of one magician who is not a fan because he feels that the ending is telegraphed the moment the 'wrong' card is selected because there is no way there could be a wrong card in a one way forcing deck.
He feels that it SHOWS that there is a trick happening before anything magical happens. Also, it only uses two cards (right and wrong), so the magic isn't strong. Not sure I agree but it raises some thought.... Maybe its more entertaining then magic |
Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
Maybe entertaining is the function of magic?
And then you might say if magic isn't entertaining is it dysfunctional? Perhaps! I haven’t performed the McCombical Deck since Tuesday night. Perhaps the thing to telegraph is “We’re having fun!” (Even if it is a magic trick.) I like it so much better than I did when it was “We’re having fun!” (Even if it is a rodeo event.) Or “We’re having fun!” (Even if it is a music stage show.) And I’ve been there. There were people to be entertained. I never had anyone ask, “Yes, but is it rodeo?” I really believe that the people who bought the tickets expected entertainment. Having just two choices does not determine what is magic. What are you telegraphing when you bring an obsolete straight jacket on stage? I might get out; I might not get out. It must be magic; only magicians use them anymore. I don't buy it. It is an act aimed at entertaining. The magic there is questionable. Straight jackets weren't for sane people. Magic is! It is flirting with the opportunity to escape reality. The McCombical Deck definitely passes the test. It entertains like magic! Thank you Billy McComb! Bob Magic By Sander |
Billy McComb V.I.P. 1922 - 2006 57 Posts |
Nick Johnston
Your friend is the sort who could explain to a bumble bee that aerodynamically he can't fly. Which is apparently true ! But then being maybe an idiot and not knowing the bumble bee does fly Ask your friend........ with his theories !
Billy
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