The main thing that made TV Magic Cards a success was marketing. He advertised everywhere. Being in Chicago, that put him near the HQ of Walgreen's. Once he had the cards in Walgreen's he could guarantee huge sales. The television ads had to be simple, though. He had less than 60 seconds to get his message across.

Reading his bio, as well as I know him, there was so much ther that I didn't know about his amazing man. One of the greats.

I got to meet Marshall and his wife last year at Abbott's Get Together, great human beings and very approachable.

Marshall still does his commercial in person
as well as his sideman show.

He was so happy at the wedding.
Mary and I were talking about how he was looking
forward to it and being with good friends.

Marshall is a blast!

I just talked to Marshall on the phone this week.

He's one of the nicest guys you'll ever want to meet and has, literally, a lifetime of great, TRUE stories encompassing his life in magic, including introducing, along with Johnny Thompson, the field of trade Show Magic, and his amazing stories about working at a Mob bar in Cicero, his 28 year tenure at WGN-TV as Wizzo on the Bozo Show, etc.....

His book is, in my opinion, a must-read for every serious student of the art of magic.

Marshall's had a life-long love affair with Magic, and it shows when you meet him.

You'll always be able to see and meet him and talk to him every year at Abbott's and at the annual Houdini Club of Wisconsin Convention.

I also seem to remember that Marshall demonstrated a kit on TV with rice cups - the bowls started empty, and then suddenly were brimming over with grains of rice.

I think what made Marshall Brodien so great was his very straight forward "everyman" delivery - nothing like a Copperfield or Doug Henning. Kind of a Gary Cooper or George Cloony in his day.

That to me made him even more interesting, as (others have said here) if he could do these things on TV, so could I...

I loved those commercials - they were far ahead of their time, and along with Ron Popeil they changed the way consumers bought things...

BRETT

I wanted his magic set sooooo bad for Christmas when I was 9 or 10. I remember my parents hid it behind the couch next to the tree, and pulled the old "well, that's all the presents for this year" trick. Then, when they saw my heart breaking, my dad piped up and said, "Hey, what's that over there by the couch?" It was just like out of the "A Christmas Story" movie. I loved that magic set.

TV Magic Cards. TV Mystery Cards. I don't care if Marshall made millions of dollars. He made us all richer for it.

I think he`s got a new blank deck out.

John

I didn't see a link to the actual commercial in this thread. Here it is:

http://www.gawkk.com/original-tv-magic-c....../discuss

Magic is EASY once YOU know the SECRET!

Love that line.

We had dinner at his home with marshall and mary
a couple of weeks ago.
it was great for he and dad. they are like brothers.

he gave us some of his stuff that is now with a new
company and the new wizzo/eight ball poster.
I don't know what I'll do with his stuff...
maybe learn from it? but I do like the wizzo/eight
ball poster.

anyway the new company is producing many of the stuff
plus in packs like his deck of cards. All three in one.
etc etc. nice pacakaging!

Great stories! It's so neat to hear he's still doing it. I had the Magic Cards and loved them.

I have "Quacky the Duck" to blame!

Posted: Apr 5, 2011 11:07pm
I would love to contact Marshall to thank him for his part in my interest in magic, as well. Does anyone know how to get in touch with him? PM if you do...

I'm looking forward to seeing Marshall in a few weeks at Abbott's Get-Together and also labor Day Weekend here: http://www.houdiniclubofwisconsin.com/Ho......ion.html

Enjoy These Lads:

1971 Magic Set Commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t_QqSvy_WM&feature=related

1971 Svengali Commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLyeMe-kONM

Or Go here to see all three commercials for:

Magic Cards
Mystery Cards
Miracle Cards

https://nowstalgictoys.com/index.cfm

Jay Marshall had some tapes of "out takes" of Marshall (Brodien) doing his own TV commercials.

Marshall was demo-ing the rice bowls. He had apparently forgotten to put some rice grains under the bowl that was to produce the water! He was pattering along and showing the bowls, etc When he picked up the water bowl, the water gushed out and flowed over the table. He kept on talking and with the hand that he had used to pick up the water bowl, he was trying to "scrape" the water back into the bowl! He just kept on pitching. IT WAS BEYOND HILARIOUS!!!

Jay and I worked a private date with him and Cookie (Roy Brown) many years ago. I'm still laughing! Someday, I'll tell the story of the Chival Regal bottles. Jay Marshall, Marshall Brodien, and I were flying back to Chicago from Miami and Marshall bought a round of drinks and then.........


Marshall is a very good friend, a gentleman, and a fine talent