http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcAdOV1eDDI&feature=related
WOW! Is all that I can say!
Enjoy!!!
Hansel!

Last of the Coney Island Faikers-- Al was something else. You should have tried to deal with him in his magic shop.

How about a funny Al Flosso Story?

A few years ago I was working with Mark Wilson and Nani Darnell on a video project. I think it was the "Mark Wilson on Illusions" series.

We had taken a break to reset the camera and Mark told me a story about Al Flosso.

In the early seventies Mark was traveling and performing all over the world. He always believed that a levitation (suspension) shot made a great publicity photo. So he used to set up the shot for most of the newspaper and magazine articles he was giving. Based in Los Angeles and doing interviews on both coasts, Mark decided to ship a duplicate "Super-X Suspension" to the East Coast to have there at his access.

Mark makes arrangements to leave the prop at a hotel he stayed at each time he was in New York. One day, after a few months of storing this prop in the hotel, the hotel's manager tells Mark he can no longer store the illusion.

So, Mark decided to take it to Al Flosso's shop for storage, which Al agrees to immediately.

Problem solved, Mark returns to Los Angeles.

A month goes by and Mark finds himself back in New York and needing to do another publicity shot for another magazine interview. Mark arrives at JFK and hopping in a cab, goes immediately to Al's to pick up the "Super-X".

Mark walks into the shop and says "Hi, Al. I came to pick up that "Super-X"."

Without blinking Al says--

"You want the "Super-X"? But, I sold it."

Mark laughed and said. "Al would have sold his mother, for the right price."

Mark has so many great stories. I'd love to sit him down and record them all.

You should hear the one about Mark and Richiardi, Jr. in Paris.

Calimagician, why don't you tell us that story... please?

What a great video thanks so much for sharing.... Made my day!

I used to take Al to dinner every night I was in NY... one night he says, "You got a marker? I want to mark the bread rolls we don't eat... I'm sure we get 'em back every night."

He told so many stories I wish I had worn a recorder. Oh, well.

I met Al Flosso in the early 70's in a trip to New York, I was around 20 at the time. In Panama, where I am from, we use the US dollar as currency but the bills that circulated here were very worn out in comparison to the crisp new bills in circulation in New York at the time. I bought some stuff from him and when I handed him the bills I had brought with me from Panama he said: Where did you have these bills, son, in your shoe? I was so embarrassed but the way he said it was so funny I couldn't help laughing myself silly.

He sold me a copy of a book he had reprinted: "Our Mysteries", where a trick of his was explained. He told me this was the only one of his tricks ever explained anywhere and he even performed it for me. It was a trick where some coins pass from one hand to the other. He also autographed the book for me and told me he didn't autograph many so I was lucky. There was a guy in the store, an old customer or friend I suppose and he was having the time of his life seeing Mr. Flosso putting his act on me.

He let me rummage in the back where he had some old books on shelves and I bought some very rare ones I still have. All the while he talked he mentioned the "Island of Walamoola" and that sort of thing. It was really funny and as I write this I can almost live again my brief encounter with such a great character.

Marko

Great Story!

I was around 20 when I first visited Al's shop in the late 60's. There wasn't much visible--not a lot of displays and cabinets. When I came in, Al gruffly asked, "What do YOU want?"

I was a little put off.

I said, "I need a billiard ball holder."

He said, "What do you want that for?"

"To hold a billiard ball under my jacket so I can steal it."

"Here, kid. Let's see your billiard balls..." He pulled a set of wooden billiard balls out and handed them to me. I did a couple of moves, and he stopped me, without commenting on whether he liked it or not.

"I got what you need." He found a cardboard box filled with all kinds of stuff and rummaged around in it.

He finally finds what he is looking for and hands it to me.

It is a simple billiard ball holder made of twisted wire soldered to a safety pin.

"How much?" I asked.

"$29.95."

"Oh."

"How much you got?"

"Five dollars."

"$2.50."

"Okay, thanks."

"It's my contribution to the art," he said. "I'm a giver."

That was Flosso.

Reminds me of a show we worked. Dr. Albo had a party for release of his first book. He flew Flosso in (to Piedmont, Calif.) to be on the show.

I was the MC, and at that time VERY INEXPERIENCED. Doc also flew in, from the Magic Castle two other acts.

The site was a country club with not so good conditions. No real stage.. no spot.

Anyway the audience was comprised of mostly Doctors and Lawyers and they didn't seem to be caring about the show... almost not even watching... just standing around talking and drinking.

One of the acts I was about to introduce said, "This is awful... I'm only going to do three minutes and split."

Just then Albo says to me, I was going to do my spot, "PUT FLOSSO ON NOW."

WHAT A LESSON.

Flosso came out with his... "HERE IT IS... HOLD IT... blows whistle... ETC... AND HE GETS THEIR ATTENTION!!! HE KNOCK'S 'EM DEAD.

Then when he finishses he says, "That was nothing... the next act is our HEADLINER... welcome the magic of Pete Biro."

wow... HE GOT EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION... and the way he set me up worked and I had a great response.

Again... WHAT A LESSON FROM A GREAT PRO.

Great Story, Pete!

Thank you for sharing.

You gotta love the "old pros".

It's all about the showmanship.

Lessons we should all learn.

Thanks again.

Pete:
This may be an obvious question, but have you ever considered writing a memoir or autobiography of your life & times? There are so few classic magicians like you around who span so many generations of entertainers. Your stories would make a great read. Maybe you've already done this, if you have, let me know...
John

I think we were all amazed at how Al could plow into that mass of chaos he called a magic shop and come up with one particular item. There is no way any other living human being could find anything in there. Al could talk your ear off and clean out your pockets at the same time. I bought more stuff from him that when I got home I didn't even know what it was. One of the very great characters in magic. His biography Gary Brown is a must read for any serious magician. A portrait of a truly one of a kind great magician.

Ruppenthal... I am publishing a series of booklets... No. 5 just in from printers. And...in each I include anecdotes, etc. See ad for first three at http://www.petebiro.com

The two new ones will be online shortly.

AND... thanks to push from Tabman, and others, I am going to print a collection of the four years of stories I had written in my "Pete's Leaflets" monthly magazine.

Hope to finish in about 30-60 days.

I promise

I have seen an old movie clip of Al Flosso, he was great. I seem to remember reading that he played a bit part in the Marx brothers movie 'A Night at the Opera', but I have never been able to find him in it. Does anyone know what I am talking about?

He played the Punch and Judy puppeteer (uncredited) in the Marx Brother film "Monkey Business."

He has a film and television bio in http://www.IMDB.com/name/nm1778371/

Whit should write down some of the Billy McComb stories.

Jim

I post this video and never I though the very nice stories that many of you tell!
Bravo for the Coney Island Fakir!
:applause:

Thanks Whit, guess I remembered wrong.