[quote]On Apr 30, 2018, Bill Hegbli wrote:


I remember sitting next to Neil Foster at a convention watching the big show. The magician on stage was doing good magic tricks but was not entertaining. Neil leaned over to me and said that 'I hate watching magicians (edit in word for self gratification) on stage.
The magician was entertained with his show, the audience, not so much... ~polite applause at the end~

YUP! Neil and I were of the same general opinion, regarding the situation of which you speak.

Okito, usually sat in the front row (deaf) at convention shows, and, if the performer was really poor, he would take out a newspaper, and, read it, while the act was on.

[quote]On May 23, 2018, Wravyn wrote:



Wravyn, Clearly, you don't understand what having a favorite trick or effect means. Unless you are just wanting to argue that your posts are correct.

If a person has a favorite effect, he will do all that is necessary to make it entertaining for his audiences as well. He will work hard on patter, and practice until he wears out the prop and have to buy replacements. The effect will be tested and discussed with close friends he trusts for their opinions. He will look constantly for improvements.

I did not mean at all, he likes to entertain himself, and he thinks he is gods gift to magic.

Dick, it seems you don't understand what having a favorite effect means either. It is to bad, as you have done only your favorite, easy, silk tricks all your life. Surely, you understand that or maybe not, that Okito would have read the newspaper while you were performing, only all your favorite tricks.

Bill, did you miss that I also said prior to the words you quoted... #3 is the most difficult.
It takes time, practice, understanding, and also one must able to accept useful criticism while working on the trick. Hence, #3 is the most difficult.
Those that do not listen to the criticism and keep doing their favorite trick the same way is doing it to entertain themselves and not the audience.

Yes! #3 is most definitely, the most difficult! I remember when I was a teenager in the '40s, experimenting, practicing, performing, then, thinking it over, and repeating! (No video tapes, etc. THEN!!!) It took time, and, considerable effort, to achieve #3! Often, it was only after MONTHS of "try outs", that there was at least relative success! (Persistence, eventually paid off!)

Of the 15 tricks and routines in my show, half came from Tarbell! I LISTENED to my audiences! --AND, MY MENTORS!!! (and, my agent!!!) The other half of my repertoire, is tricks/routines that I "picked up" along the way, from reading, seeing other successful performers, and, then, more practice, and, rehearsal. Those were added one at a time!!!

Bill...After 50 years of making a full time living, performing, I think that I KNOW my business! I have never had A (singular) "favorite EFFECT". [THE EFFECT is not a TRICK. The EFFECT, IS SIMPLY WHAT THE SPECTATOR PERCEIVES! --See Fitzkee!] I have 15 favorite TRICKS (plural) that PRODUCE 15 EFFECTS! NONE of the TRICKS, that I PERFORM, are EASY. I don't do BOX, TUBE, CAN, PAN, OR RED VELVET BAGS ON A STICK, TRICKS! (Well, OCCASIONALLY. I use a Demon Wonder Box to pad out my 2oth C Silks routine, and, I've used my old friend, Don Lawton's Mutilated Parasol routine, for elementaries, as it's ALMOST INHERENTLY ENTERTAINING. (I rewrote the patter, but retained his premise, to keep his premise "alive". You've read my book. You KNOW that I don't use a change bag to vanish an 18" silk, or change the color of an 18" silk. I use skill to do the "Slydini Knots" (which I learned in the Bud E. Anderson Circus Sideshow, when I was 10, on July 4,1941. My golf ball routine is entirely performed with sleight of hand skills. My rope routine goes back to Ralph Hull's "15 Minutes With A Piece Of Rope". The knots are from Hull, It took 11 years to put the Professor's Nitemare into the show. (I didn't like the moves to set it. My Norwegian YOYO, is MINE! I've done my card flourish & fancy shuffle routine, since I read Erdnase, My 20th C Silks routine, is MINE, and my Misers Dream is MINE. I think that that's enough to make my point, but, if it should be necessary, I could write another couple hundred words. I did white glove card fan productions in the very early 50s. I did them well. My agent said, "Cut the fancy card work. Make 'em laugh, and, I'll get you lots of work." I did, and, he did. It was, and, IS, $HOW BU$INE$$!

Okito appreciated SKILL AND PRESENTATION. I learned from him, in 1950, to be "natural", and, that lesson has remained with me, for 68 years! I KNOW that he would have appreciated my program. Jay Marshall and I worked many club dates, together. After an early date, Jay said to me: "From now on, YOU folloW ME!" (THAT story is in my book!)

Before I retired, the Lyceum Managers would call ME, to find out my open time. I never had to call them! I was never at liberty! I toured coast to coast, and, border to border.

Paul! I've just been too darn busy to write my thoughts on comedy. Let's wait 'til this summer in Minneapolis. BTW, the mayor of St.Paul, has said, that, he went through the entire Bible, and, didn't see Minneapolis mentioned, even once! heehee

Dick you like to carry things to far, the use of the word magic trick, is used to describe the purchase of magic in trick stores. There is time and a place for certain language. I don't know anyone ever walking into a trick store and ask to see a magic effect, because most magic shops do not show effects, they show demonstrations of the item might look like.

Glad to know there is not one magic trick described in your book.

Sorry, Bill!, BUT. words have meaning! I am not "carrying things tOO far. (note the two "oo"s (It's an adverb, not a preposition.) Your third sentence, above, wanders, and, makes little sense.

NO magic shop can show EFFECTS! I would recommend that you read, Dariel Fitzkee's "Magic By Misdirection". EFFECTS don't come in "boxes" at magic shops. An EFFECT, is "what the spectator perceives". Spectators, see a trick performed, and, each spectator perceives, according to his/her imagination, intelligence, and experience, an EFFECT. When they describe what they "saw", none tell the same "story".

I beg to differ. There are SEVERAL TRICKS that are described in detail, in my book, move by move. My cards to pocket, which Karrell Fox, immediately put into his close up "act", is a good example. Most of what I perform is relatively "classic material". I felt, (and, still do) that, "PRESENTATION is much more important, than METHOD. (All the professionals that I know, or knew, are/were very aware of THAT!) Methods are readily available. Presentations are not. I studied Tarbell, and learned more methods than I could ever live long enough to use. I read through 5 volumes of Tarbell (all that were in print, at the time) in a year. I HAD METHODS! It took more than a few years to develop PRESENTATIONS, for the trick methods that I had learned from Tarbell. Tarbell's PRESENTATIONS, written in 1927, were, for the most part, woefully out of date, by 1946, just 29 years later.

I was fortunate to meet and know, and, be mentored by, some very successful professional magicians. I kept my eyes, ears, and, mind, open, and, my mouth shut. So, they shared, not just methods, but their philosophy of "...not, WHAT ya do, but, HOW ya do it..." I consider myself, most fortunate, to have had the opportunity to share their experience, knowledge, wisdom, and, fellowship. As a result of their kindness, I was able to develop a program that kept me working steadily for almost 50 years. I was able to retire, with a comfortable estate. --And, when, a few years later, I got bored, and, wrote to a former manager to ask if he could use a "tired, broken down old magician", he responded: "How much time do you want to do, and, when can you start?" I did ten weeks, and, was happy to retire AGAIN.

I have said, that, "Bill and I often have minor differences of opinion." (This is a free country!) But, I draw the line, when it comes to differences of fact!

Now, if you wish, let's forget about differences, and start fresh.

P.S. (It's a known fact that people always read a "P.S."!!!)

I had to look in my book, and "count". I found that, in addition to the cards to pocket routine, which I mentioned above, there are 12 other tricks and routines, described in detail, with the MOVES AND, PRESENTATION, described in great detail. Others are well known "standards" and, "classics", which any magician who reads, at all, will either know, or be able to learn EASILY.

Here's the list of tricks and routines, which I described in detail: Coin-Go, Crystal Tube and Silks, Tip-Cee Bottle, My ball routine, Notes on the Multiplying Balls, Parts of my rope routine, that were not commonly known (Jack Chanin ideas, Dr. Daley knot, Scotty Lang's Sucker Cut Rope Routine (simplification and improvements) Hull's Elusive Silk, Knotomatic, Square Knot Vanish (commonly known as the Slydini Knots.

Because I did. basically, the SAME SHOW, every day, at least 13 times a week (sometimes as many as 17/week.) for about 35 to 40 weeks a year, for about 50 years, I was able to "polish" both the "prestidigitation" AND, the "presentation"!

Seeing Neil Foster perform at a SAM St. Louis Assembly 8 Magic Show when I was 7 years old made me want to become a Magician. In later years, after meeting Neil in Colon decades ago and 'picking his brain"....I was totally convinced, then, and still remain so today, that Neil could "walk on water."

When reading Greater Magic...there, in the preface, is the story about "The Procession of The Mages"...in other words.....the long line of magicians who came before us and paved the way for the rest of us.

So, since this has been a 'Mantra" for me personally, all of my life performing as a Magician: If a youngster sees you perform...will he or she be so impressed with your performances as a Magician that they will know, right then and there that "That's what I want to do for the rest of my life."

The last time I saw a Magician in "That Mode" was Denny Haney's performance during the Abbot's Get-Together nearly 3 years ago. He was so good, he got a standing ovation, and, with tears rolling down my cheeks, I said to myself...{and later that night to Denny)...that somewhere in the audience, a youngster was saying to his Mom and Dad.."THAT's what I want to do in my life!"

Frankly, and in all sincerity, I honestly believe that nothing else really matters when we perform as Magicians........so I ask this question:

Are you truly good enough to leave a legacy that inspires someone to want to be a magician for the rest of their life?

I feel very honored to "admit" that this has happened several times to me. Those who have made that decision, are now successful full time pro's. I am quite proud of them!

In checking over the list of tricks/routines, for which I described 'moves and handling", I realize that I neglected to mention the TARBELL "DISSOLVING SINGLE KNOT". Karrell Fox had shared that with me about 35 years ago. I had never seen his handling in print, so, lest it be lost, I wrote it up, also. (It pairs up nicely with the Charlie Miller, "Left handed Knot". (I told the story of the Left Handed Knot, and, Karrell's sharing of that knot, in Jay Marshall's kitchen, back in the '70s Al Flosso, Harry Blackstone Jr., Jay, John Shirley, George Johnstone, and, I were having coffee, and talking "shop". Karrell hauled out a 24" silk, and, did the Left Handed Knot". Conversation stopped! Floss, said, "Do that again, Karrell." Karrell did. All of us, screamed (!) "Ya gonna show us?" After teasing a bit, he did. The whole group dashed downstairs and emptied the drawer in the stock room of 24" silks!!!!!

Well, Bill, the ball is in your court!

Let's see if we can get this thread back on track...
The key can be worn on a chain as a necklace and used as a pendulum. After doing a few things with it like that, take it off the chain and do the turnover.
It will be the script that sells the magic of the key. If you are showing the key turning over as just a key turning over... You will not have any success in the mystery of the magic.

Hellol Wravyn!
On April 27 I mentioned Jack Tillar's "BLISTER" which was written up when Harry Lorayne "wrote" TARBELL, Vol VII (page 379). When I first saw a friend, present BLISTER, I almost began to "believe" in voodoo! Presented well, BLISTER is startling. I strongly recommend that anyone who has Vol. VII, check it out.

Like the GHOST KEY, BLISTER is not a "quickie". But, it's a strong bit of weird magic!

As mentioned on April 27, I also use the old pendulum "sex detector".l

The 'trio" makes a nice change from sponge balls, and, paddle moves!!!

I totally agree Mr. Oslund.

Thanks much, for your good thoughts! BTW...My father was "MR." I'm "Dick"!!!

I would much rather spend what time that I have left, in sharing philosophies, and experiences, that might help someone, who is just starting, than "defending" myself. But, I felt compelled to tell "my side of the story". I have NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR! I have been successful as a performer, lecturer, and, author!

Yes Bill a real magic shop can show effects and really must. The ones that don't are either the tourist traps or shops that have people that really don't understand magic at all either.

And, Dick, you have been more than successful as my mentor for the past 30+ years. I will always be grateful for you sharing your thoughts and performance wisdom with me....you have made me a MUCH, MUCH better ENTERTAINER!