Hi I have been playing with the shell for some time.

My finish is weak. Do you have any thoughts on a good finish? What do you do with a shot glass? What is your finish?
Mario UK

Check out my shell routine that is on a video clip at my web site http://www.mrhypnotist.org

This routine and several other effects will be on my next DVD that will be released in about July 2004...

Glenn Bishop
http://www.mrhypnotist.org

Glenn: Your dad's rope tie was one of the greatest routines in all of magic.

Folks, go to Bishop's site for one of the best there is in magic.

Thank you for remembering Pete Biro...

He won an award at a PCAM convention with that effect... For showmanship and general excellence ... And the last Houdini award that was awarded by Mrs. Harry Houdini.

This was just after he joined the Army Air Corps and went off to play the big one called WW2

I have been thinking of putting video of my Dad doing the rope tie at my site...

I wrote this routine up and put it in a book I wrote that was published by David Charvet. Called the life and magic of Billy Bishop Bish the magish...

And Reed McClintock is using it in his show from that book!

Thanks for remembering the first Bish the magish.

Glenn Bishop
http://www.mrhypnotist.org

Many "purists" believe that the shell game should not be tarnished with "loads" or non-linear suprises. Their most radical approach would be to have the pea, say, appear under all three shells, then disappear and reappear under the shell under the shot glass. Regardless, I do believe this IS strong.

I do, however, like surpises. So I do loads and change the nature of the pea. It's fun and memorable, but I admit, not the purist's approach.

It may be worth the effort to incorperate a different colored pea for the finale. Example: Do your routine with the standard green pea, and at the end flash a move. When they point to the shell, say "Did you see it? Your good, what color was it again?" When they say green, to busy being happy with themselves to worry about such a question, respond with, "Well, you almost got me. The only problem is I was useing an orange (or whatever) colored pea this time." It may not nessesarily be a great finish, but a nice segment in the middle.

Of course, all you would have to do is alter the patter a little and you have yourself quite a finish.

I have often thought that a great finish for the shell game is the glass through table.
In most shell game routines there is a glass already in operation.
I bet you could put the pea under a shell (or perhaps all 3 shells stacked on one another). Cover with the glass and then cover with paper. Say that you are going to make the pea disappear. Remove the glass and paper. The spectator lifts the shell (or shells) to see if the pea has really gone. The misdirection is perfect for dropping the glass into the lap as per the usual method. Then of course you say you will try again. Say you will do it another way. Then push the glass through the table as per normal.

I do the shell game but have not incorporated this idea since I already do the glass through table in another way. I do the Slydini coin routine (much edited and I think improved) and then finish with the glass through table saying that the coin will disappear.

Anyway, try it out if you wish with my full blessing. I have always been full of the milk of human kindness.

You can see my routine here:
http://www.mastermagic.info (click on videos)

Glenn,

I love the finsh for the three shells.


Caught me off guard, I love that.

Thank you James...

The first finish I worked out was handing the spectators the three shells and then in his hands they would change to three walnuts.

To do this it was easy. I would put the pea in my pocket and finger palm three walnuts in my right hand. The left hand would pick up the three shells on the table.

I would make a pass (like a shuttle pass) and hand him three real walnuts insted of the three shells.

They would take them and see that they were now holding three walnuts instead of the three shells.

This of course you need to be using three real walnut shells for the routine.

Although I used it a lot when I first started out with the shells but found that you have to reload walnuts if you are working tables in restaurants.

Then I came up with this other ending and I have done it ever since.

As a quick note. I have added my Father doing the rope tie and Buddy Farnan doing close up magic to my web site.

Thanks,

Glenn Bishop
http://www.mrhypnotist.org

Glenn,
Your finish with the glass and pea is quite nice. It's a wonderful "I can't believe I didn't see that happen" moment.

An ending I've done a couple times when the opportunity presented was to load a second pea under a full coffee mug before I start. At the end, show there is no pea under any of the shells and reveal it under the spectator's cup.

Erik...

I like your ending too... Would you mind if I use it once in a while? It is very useful to have more than one ending because you can change it when you have the same people hang around...

Your ending would be great at a bar or a pub and I can see that you could load the pea under someone's drink if the glass had a recessed bottom or room for a pea under it.

A very nice idea Erik...

Thank you,

Glenn Bishop
http://www.mrhypnotist.org

I know this is off topic but it does have to do with final loads and the 3 shell game. I always thought that loading 3 shells under the cups in cups and balls as a final load would be great because you could go into a 3 shell game routine.

Why go from big props to tiny props at the end of a cups routine?

Bring clever, you could use a walnut in the cups routine and stop when the walnut splits to become the shells. The shell trick could serve as an intermission in the cups routine.

Glenn,

Just viewed your video - nice ending and it IS different to the one I was thinking of (the standard 'escape' from under a cover, or the transpo under another covered shell).

Can't wait for your DVD.

cheers
Andrew

Glenn (and anyone else),
You're absolutely welcome to the idea. If I didn't want anyone else to do it, I wouldn't have posted it (and for that matter, I'd be deluding myself to think that no one had thought of it before).

I used to worry about spectators going for the loaded shell and getting away with my aquittments. And most of the time they do go for the shell I want them to but I've come to really enjoy the occasional spectator who's chasing me the whole way through. That's when I'm learning and growing. Some of my best handlings with the shells came from having to come up with different outs when they go for the "correct" shell.

My favorite way to deal with kids who come up to my table and want to see the shell game again and again is as follows. I leave the hard pea on the table. When they ask to see the shell game again, I push the shells toward them and say "Here, YOU try it." They mix the shells (usually VERY clumsily and they laugh about that while trying to do it). When they're finished, they ask me to guess where the pea is. I reach over to one of the empty shells and load it with a perfect pea as I pick it up saying "I would guess this one." And then of course I steal the pea as I set the shell down again. The look on their face is absolutely priceless! They pick up the shell to find the pea gone and appearently back under the original shell. You can keep 'em busy for the longest time letting them do it themselves (with the hard pea of course). I don't have to be in the position of refusing to do the game for them for the umpteenth time. They have just as much (if not more) fun, and I'm not doing the routine over and over till they actually catch me. Everyone wins...so to speak.

Wonderful ideas and ending on the shell game Erik... I grew up in the old school of magic. You don't take a routine or an idea from someone without asking first...

Point in fact... Much of my card work is based on the stacking methods and culling methods of Jimmy Cards Molinari.

On my next card DVD I want to put a routine on that uses his culling method. This method has now been explained by him on his fantastic DVD.

I use it in several routines and he showed me these and other moves back in the days he performed at Mr. C's magic lounge. And when he sold out his lecture at my Dads magic shop.

Back then he said keep it to yourself... And I kept that word...

Now he has published it on a DVD and I am producing my own DVDs and I want to include this routine with his cull on it.

So I asked him and he of course granted my request.

Professionals often ask permission because it is in a way a show of respect... And it is a way of saying I love your work or I love your ideas. And I have always found it nice to be polite among professionals in a profession where the young just often take the ideas. And then take it for granted...

Another case in point. My Dad did the rope tie in his act. People took the idea. This bread and butter routine was taken for granted...

I published it in a book about my DAD and Reed McClintock got the book. He called me on the phone and asked if it was OK with me if he could add this rope tie to his act.

Of course because it is published now it doesn't matter. But Reed is a pro and he has class - so he called me up and asked me.

Of course I said yes feel free to use it and I hope it makes him money. But the point is pro's like Reed ask and they don't take magic for granted...

I have the same respect for your ideas and others in this group and in the world of magic today.

By the way Erik... I know you and the others in here know all that about asking permission - but I wrote it to help the young in magic... For the people in magic a long time it may have went on a little to long.

Thank you for letting me get on a soapbox for a moment for a point.

Thanks again,

Glenn Bishop
http://www.mrhypnotist.org

Glenn-

As one of the "young in magic", let me say your point is well taken. Thank you for taking the time to give me and others the benefit of your insight and wisdom. I am just beginning to learn the shell game, and your film clip is a source of inspiration.

Thanks again,

Jeremiah

P.S. I agree with Mr. Biro- that rope tie is amazing!

Mario,

A few months ago, I had an idea for an ending to the three shell game. It might be brilliant, it might be rubbish. It might be what you're looking for.

Have you ever thought of ending the Game with a Pea can? You know, a final "test condition" phase, a shell is shown empty, the pea is stuck in a little metal tube, and corked. Where's the pea? In both.

Assuming you won't do this where it's wildly inappropriate, would you do it at all?

I think that's a great idea Curtis. Because I don't actually do the shell game I would end it like the cups and balls showing walnuts under each of the shells. Or I would try to tie in the Princess and the Pea story somehow and have it appear under a woman's seat if I was doing it formally where I invited spectators up to sit close at a table with me. Having it appear under a person's bottom would certainly be memorable.