Hello all,

First of all; I'm not a magician but as I found this message-board and especially this topic, I simply have to register and ask the members:

Who is the originator of (what I call) "The Professor and the Robot"?

I saw this act once, a looong time ago, presented as a magic act, although it's not - the way I see it. It was a filmed event, and it was old (or at least gave the impression of being an old film).

The scene is a professor that remotely controls a robot and eventually the robot rips the head of the professor...(!)

Why I ask? Because we (the local teatre-group) will set this act up in november. It will be done with black-light and done as a silent movie (piano music, dialogue and texts on giant signs)... The professor and his control-center at the right, the robot - a "skeleton" of metal (like a stick-figure) without a head hanging off a hanger - at the left and a cabinet with a "loose" head in a glass-bowl in the middle.

After the professor has done some tests of the "robot", the assistant Igor assembles the head and the "body" and then... well.

And of course we want to acknowledge the originator in the programme - if possible. So if you know; please let us know!

Thank You In Advance,
Gene Fornby

This is a rather sensitive issue. Although the act has been around for a long time, it belongs to Al Carthy now. It was originated by Ronay, who passed away recently. He sold the rights and all the props to Al Carthy. I saw Al perform it at the Magic Circle Centenary. You might want to contact someone at the Magic Circle Headquarters for more information.

There may be performing rights issues involved here.

Thank you for your reply, Bill!

For pointing me in the direction of Al Carthy and the Magic Circle.

Also thanks for the originator's name. Will look up more...

Regards,
Gene Fornby

Glad to help out.