* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * New Zealand's MagicNZ e-zine * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #48 Date: Sunday 19th November 2000 Editor: Alan Watson www.magician.co.nz e-mail alan@watson.co.nz ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editors Message 2. Bar Stool Gag advertised in 'The Gen' for November, 1963 3. Rip offs 4. Five months run on the Grand Princess 5. Ideas from the Russian Circus 6. Cookietime Simply Magic! Wellington 25th November 7. Charlie Chaplin in their 'onflight' magazine 'Southern Skies' 8. Convention Waterloo Ontario - June 8-10 9. P C Sorcar makes Taj Mahal vanish 10. Origin of the magician's wand 11. Contributors and advertisers in "Magicana" Magazine 12. A Brief History Of The Appearing Pole 13. 24th Central Illinois Magic Get-Together 14. The Orchante Saga The very early years. #5 15. Diarise these events 16. MagicNZ e-zine archives 17. Subscription Management ------------------------------------- 1. Editors Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One Peter Zenner did some excellent detective work for us and researched the history of the Bar Stool Gag - refer item 2. Also check out the Web page www.watson.co.nz/stool.html showing an advertisement for the Bar Stool 37 years ago in 'The Gen'. The Australian Club Entertainment Awards were held in Sydney on the 15th November 2000. In the category of Sight Act Of The Year the nominees were illusionist Brendan Montana, comedy magician Phil Cass, ventriloquist Darren Carr (who is also a magician), juggler Rick Allison and puppeteer Murray Raine. CONGRATULATION to Phil Cass, this year's winner for an unprecedented 3rd year in a row. This combined with his 7 Australian 'Mo" Awards tops off a brilliant decade in Phil's career and makes for one heavy display case! Next week's issue will carry a very interesting article from Jonathan Acorn on performing in Japan and dealing with the Yakuza (Japanese mafia). It's hard to believe I will be celebrating the big 5 0 this coming Friday. NZ "World Festival Of Magic" Tour 2000 November Thursday 23 Invercargill 2pm - 5pm - 7.30pm Civic Theatre Friday 24 Dunedin 2.30pm - 7pm Regent Theatre Saturday 25 Timaru 5.30pm Theatre Royal Sunday 26 Christchurch 2pm - 5pm - 7.30pm Theatre Royal Monday 27 Christchurch 5pm - 7.30pm Tuesday 28 Christchurch 5pm - 7.30pm Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: alan@watson.co.nz ---------------------------------- 2. Bar Stool Gag advertised in 'The Gen' for November, 1963 ---------------------------------- Message from Peter Zenner (UK) I don't think that Harry Stanley has been forgotten by anyone who was alive during his days as a dealer. What may not be known is that, before his dealing days, he was a musician with the Jack Hylton Orchestra. Way back in the 1960s, Harry sold this very same prop through his Unique Magic Studio and one of the purchasers (and users!) of that gag was Tommy Cooper. Before committing myself to e-print, I phoned Derek Lever, well known dealer and collector of such apparatus. He confirmed the above and added that the stools were made for Harry by 'Yimka'. I then set a few friends the task of finding an advertisement for the gag. It was called 'Surprise Stool' and was advertised in 'The Gen' for November 1963 (Volume 19, Number 7). It sold for £12.12.00 (12 guineas) --- £12.60p in modern day currency. The USA price was $36.00. Harry Stanley is long gone. After selling the 'Gen' and book rights to Supreme, he sold the business to the Fahn Brothers. They in turn sold the business to Ron MacMillan of International Magic. I have spoken with Martin, Ron's son, who tells me that, technically speaking, they own the rights to all of the Unique props -- all bought and paid for and they still have the receipt. So there you have it. The rights remain BRITISH, although International have never made any of the stools up and have no intention of doing so at the moment. http://www.pzenner.freeserve.co.uk ------------------------------------- 3. Rip offs ------------------------------------- Message from John Cornelius (US) There is an item being advertised as being able to produce flashes of light from between your hands. Some of the ads make it sound like it is the FISM FLASH with a different name. If the instructions don't say FISM FLASH (by John Cornelius) it is not the Original. I have my new version available now. Check out: www.johncornelius.com Along the same lines, the Pen Through Anything was invented by John Cornelius in 1993. There have been probably ten different knock offs on the market, one currently being advertised. If it does not have John Cornelius' name on the instructions, it is a knock off! All I can say is that if people continue to buy KNOCK OFF products, new effects from inventors, are going to slowly disappear. I have seen it happen many times. ------------------------------------- 4. Five months run on the Grand Princess ------------------------------------- Message from Jason Byrne (US) I have just returned from a 5 month run on the Grand Princess (the 2nd largest cruise ship at sea). The itinerary was fabulous, stopping in such ports as Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Livorno, Naples, Venice, Athens, Kusadasi and Istanbul. Needless to say I had a wonderful time. During this run I featured for the first time my full evening illusion show. The theater was perfect with state of the art lighting, sound and stage. Better than most Vegas venues. Currently I'm getting settled here in Akron, Ohio at the Carousel Dinner Theater. The weather is a nice change of scenery. I haven't experience a fall season in years. The cast and crew are very welcoming and I'm sure I will have a great time here. This run carries me until January 7th. I will take a short visit to Channing Pollock's mid January and a possible stop at the Las Vegas convention. Then I'm off to Germany for February and March at the Apollo in Dusseldorf, Germany. ------------------------------------- 5. Ideas from the Russian Circus ------------------------------------- Message from Clive Court (Canada) My good friend Bernard Reid (who worked with me on A History of Mystery back in '65) points out that the great Australian entertainer Rolf Harris did a three-legged routine to Jake-The-Peg in his very successful cabaret act. Rolf is on my list for the 10 best entertainers of the sixties. He was what we used to call an all-round entertainer-- a concept rarely mentioned today--when a singer-songwriter is a versatile performer. Although Harris made hit recordings, he was very visual in his presentations using many elements of show business. Rudy Colby's routine does not copy Rolf's. Rudy expands on it by using two fake legs. Rolf used one--so well, in fact, it was difficult to work out which of the three legs you saw was the fake one. It does not surprise me that the origin is Russian. In fact, I would venture it may even be Ukranian. I have found that some of the most creative visual concepts in the entertainment business can be found in the cultures of the Russian peoples. Indeed, the traditions of the Russian circus, puppet and magic theatres are rich sources to be mined for ideas. And as long as you are developing the concept, adding some creative input, this is a legitimate process. This is how the world evolves building on previous ideas and research. I think we only object when someone just copies another's signature idea(s) directly without adding anything to the creative process. ---------------------------------- 6. Cookietime Simply Magic! Wellington 25th November ---------------------------------- Message from Greg Britt (NZ) Elgregoe the Magician will be making a guest appearance at the Special Children's Christmas Party, Queens Wharf Centre next Saturday the 25th. His appearance will be the 1st up at 11am, he will be appearing with Cookie Muncher and between the 2 of them should create some magic and mayhem for 15 minutes with their show Cookietime Simply Magic. The expected crowd is 20, 000. Elgregoe will be appearing the same day at Merivale mall Christchurch from 2 to 4pm for their 21st Birthday. As part of the celebration he will be giving away a trip for two to Australia. ---------------------------------- 7. Charlie Chaplin in their 'onflight' magazine 'Southern Skies' ---------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) Anybody travelling around the world this month using Quantas Airlines will notice a full-page photo and unusual article about Paul Romhany as Charlie Chaplin in their 'onflight' magazine 'Southern Skies'. The article is actually about the Hong Kong Bank and how Paul uses their unusual savings account - CombiNations, a unique service from the HSBC Bank. This could be of interest to any other acts travelling the world. CombiNations accounts are available in US dollars, Euros, NZ dollars, pounds Sterling, Australian dollars, Deutschmarks, Hong Kong dollars, Japanese yen, Swiss francs, Singapore dollars and Canadian dollars. ------------------------------------- 8. Convention Waterloo Ontario - June 8-10 ------------------------------------- Message from Joan Caesar (Canada) We now have the final line up for our convention being held June 8-10 in Waterloo Ontario. We will be having David Acer, Carl Cloutier, Jeff Collins, Julie Eng, Richard Forget, Greg Frewin, Derick Finn, Tom Mullica, Richard Sanders, Murray Sawchuck and Wij. We will be having both stage and close-up competitions, 5 lectures and an Awards Banquet. ---------------------------------- 9. P C Sorcar makes Taj Mahal vanish ---------------------------------- Message from CordiaLEE (US) "P C Sorcar makes Taj Mahal vanish Agra, Nov. 8: The elegant 16th century embodiment of love, Taj Mahal, on Wednesday had an altogether different date when noted magic wizard, P C Sorcar Junior, made it "vanish". Sorcar, master of the Indrajaal magic show, performed the feat at 1.50 pm hours for over two minutes from a distance of about 400 metres behind Taj at a spot called Kachpura across the river Yamuna. The "mysterious entertainment", as Sorcar described it later, left hundreds of on lookers including policemen, administration officials and media persons absolutely stunned. The magic made the mughal architectural marvel disappear in the thin air leaving a blank space at the site. The magician was assisted by his daughter, Maneka, who made the historic monument reappear after two minutes. "No it was not mass hypnotism," a jubilant Sorcar said, adding "on the contrary, it was a case of application of adrishya (disappearance) rasa of the science of magic." "I just kept the ! Taj away from your eyes. It was a perfect illusion," the 53-year old magician, whose late father had several incredible feats to his credit, said. This was the junior Sorcar's first major performance since 1992 when he had made a running train disappear at Khana junction near Bardhaman in West Bengal. Sorcar is also credited with having made Kolkata's famous Victoria memorial "vanish" in 1990 and an aircraft at Hamamata in Japan. "I don't possess any supernatural powers. I perform with the blessings of god and good wishes of the people," the magician, who had challenged a famous godman of the south in the eighties, said. A beaming Sorcar, who says magic was in his blood since eight generations, maintained that there was "nothing supernatural in his feat". "This is all science, the science of controlling the mind and the willpower to create a psychic balance with the environment," he added. Crowd gathered at the monument hours before the programme was scheduled to start and several foreign tourists were spellbound by the feat. The world renowned magician thanked for the support and hoped to perform many such feats in the future." http://www.LeeJacobsProductions.com ------------------------------------- 10. Origin of the magician's wand ------------------------------------- Message from Donnie Hodges (US) Does any body know the origin of the magician's wand that we have today? ------------------------------------- 11. Contributors and advertisers in "Magicana" Magazine ------------------------------------- Message from Michael Woolf (NZ) This is a final reminder to all contributors and advertisers in "Magicana" Magazine. All items for the December-January issue (#286) are required immediately. Please send your material at once. Michael Woolf Editor/Publisher, "Magicana" Magazine Box 38046 Wellington Mail Centre Wellington New Zealand 64 4 587 0045 fax 64 4 587 0042 mobile 25 577774 ------------------------------------- 12. A Brief History Of The Appearing Pole ------------------------------------- Message from Wayne Rogers (NZ) Since 1996 I have devising and manufacturing magic props that employ what is commonly known in magic circles as "Appearing Pole" technology. The system, based on the natural properties of a special plastic tubing, is one of the most versatile magic principles I have worked with. I am not aware of the system being used except by magicians. I consider that the principle has been around long enough to be in the public domain. However specific props that employ the principle are the property of their individual creators. In researching the origins of the pole system, I have spoken to key players like John Ferrentino and Dan Sylvester, and corresponded with several others. The following brief account is written from my own perspective, based as I am in New Zealand. There will be gaps in the story and I would like to hear from anyone who has further information on the subject. The first reference I have of "Appearing Pole" technology being used was sent to me by Billy McComb. An English magic catalogue from L. Davenport & Co circa 1937 carried an advertisement for the Demon "Cigarette to Wand". The inventor was A. Meyer. Billy notes that he believes this was French magician Agnosta Meyer. An edited description of the effect is as follows: "A Brilliant Wand Trick. The most astounding effect with a wand that has ever been offered to magicians. The conjurer takes a cigarette from his case. He is about to light it when he changes his mind and throws the cigarette into the air. Instantly it becomes transformed into a wand some twelve inches long. This takes place in full view without covering of any kind. The effect can be worked anywhere and at any part of the programme. Entirely self working. Simply throw the cigarette into the air and in a flash it becomes a wand. Self contained and really new." Remember, this was pre World War 2. Billy had one, made from celluloid and painted. He recalls the paint rubbed off. My own first encounter with the Pole was in New Zealand around 1973. A young Auckland magician named Martin Taylor (Tara Okan) sold me an "Appearing Wand" he was manufacturing by rolling a sheet of x-ray film. Like the Davenport version, it was about 12 inches long. I remember how it appeared with a loud CRACK and startled everyone. In 1978, in the United States Joe Silkie and comedy magician John Ferrentino came up with the "Original Pole From Box" and (re)introduced the principle to the magic fraternity in their lecture notes. Their pole was a modern version of the old Barber's Pole in red, white, and blue stripes. In 1990 they formed a corporation Spooky Stuff and marketed the Pole along with other original magic. Other manufacturers began to use the pole system to create an "Appearing Wand", and the "Appearing Pencil". Dan Sylvester, better known as Sylvester the Jester, discovered an alternative tube to construct the Poles from. He covered them in a wood grain contact plastic and produced the "Jester's 10 ft Pole". In this new guise the Pole gained wide popularity among magicians. The marketing and promotion was so successful that many magicians today believe the wood grain pole was the first. The rights were eventually bought by Sorcery Manufacturing. The initial effects using pole technology were just straight items with different coverings. To my knowledge the first prop to be marketed using any form of attachment to the basic straight pole was an "Appearing Microphone Stand". Meanwhile back in New Zealand, in 1995, I was building props for the McDonalds Hamburger chain. I had to find a way for Ronald McDonald to magicially produce a road safety sign from his pocket. An Appearing Pole provided the answer. From George Schindler of Show Biz Services in New York I purchased a couple of the Silkie/ Ferrentino "Original Pole from Box", also known as the "Appearing Straw". Jon Zealando, an Auckland based professional magician, put me in touch with a local supplier who just happened to stock the right material for making Poles and Straws. The road safety signs were made from the locally supplied material and the Straws were sold to other magicians. In 1966 I continued experimenting with the basic pole system by adding other components to the straight tube. My aim was to make recognizable items that could be magically produced from small containers. Items that did not look like regular magic props. My first success came from trying to improve on an existing trick. I owned a New Zealand made comedy card trick called "Saucy Horsey" manufactured by David Taylor Magic of Dunedin. The climax was the surprise reveal of a picture of a garden spade. From this beginning I developed my own card trick the "Missing Spade". In the "Missing Spade" routine, a vinyl prediction banner depicting the Three of Spades unrolls but the chosen card turns out to be the Four. So there is a spade missing. A realistic looking three dimensional garden spade/shovel is produced from behind the banner. There are no external loads. It is all in the banner from the very start. The prototype was shown to Chuck Jones and Ricki Dunn who were touring New Zealand at that time. Their reaction encouraged me to continue experimenting with pole products. The "Missing Spade" was closely followed by an "Appearing Garden Shovel"(Long handled Spade) The Shovel handle was originally covered with wood grain contact plastic like the 10 ft Pole. My current wood grain is a sign writers vinyl dulled with fine sandpaper, and the grain effect applied by hand. In 1998 the "Appearing Ladder from Briefcase" was launched. This is the largest and most complex production item using poles I have made to date. In 1998 I wrote and published "Out Of The Pole Vault", a collection of routines and ideas that incorporated the Pole principle. These items included a "Blendo Pole", "Parking Meter Production", "Appearing Hat Rack", "Basketball Net and Pole", "Butterfly Net", "Hobby Horse" etc. All of the routines involve changing the look of the Pole. Most extend the basic effect from a quick production into a story based entertainment that can play for several minutes. A good example is "Pinocchio's Nose" which changes the whole Pole concept from a mere production, into a growing effect. This children's item was launched through Kaymar Magic in the UK in September 2000. In 1999 I marketed the first "Appearing Broom", and early this year the "Quick-Draw-Straw". The "Appearing Broom" was the first pole product to be produced upside down. You usually pull a Pole upwards to produce it. The broom drops down head first from an open paper bag. You literally turn the bag over and pour the broom out at your feet. A simple but essential gimmick does the work. George Schindler of Show-Biz Services New York bought the rights to the Ferrentino Original Pole From Box in 1999 and continues to manufacture the striped Pole. I make a "Rainbow Pole" and have also custom made poles in Corporate Colours for special promotions. Sorcery Manufacturing make the "McDonalds Straw." Recently they added an "Appearing (Whisk) Broom", and an "Appearing Mop" to their pole creations. Another original product first marketed in 2000 using the Pole system is an appearing fluorescent light tube. "Lite Lunch" is made by Steve Bent. That brings us up to date. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, I would welcome any further information on the history of the Appearing Pole and the various effects created using this system. Wayne Rogers chicane@nzmagic.com http://www.nzmagic.com ------------------------------------- 13. 24th Central Illinois Magic Get-Together ------------------------------------- Message from Dennis Reed (US) IBM Magic Wand Ring No. 236 of Champaign-Urbana, IL Presents the 24th Central Illinois Magic Get-Together on Saturday --- May 5, 2001 at the Urbana Civic Center - 108 East Water Street - Urbana, Illinois 61801. There will be Lectures ---- Dealers ----- Shows ---- Door Prizes --- Raffles --- Lots of Fun The Dealers will be Big Dan Evans - Dallas & Co. - Craig Dickson - Ron London - Vegas Pace and Rick Fisher. The Lecturers will be Craig Dickson - Rick Fisher - Terry Murphy. The Close-Up Performers will be Craig Dickson - Terry Murphy - Gary Slater. There will probalby be a Special Afternoon Show by the Society of Young Magicians. The Evening Show Performers will be Ron London - Andy Dallas - Rick Fisher - Terry Murphy - Don Schultz & Dorothy - Maria Schwieter. Registration to: Dennis Reed E-mail: DReed45@Prodigy.net Advance Registration >>> $ 25.00 per person Registration after April 21 and at the door >>> $30.00 per person ------------------------------------- 14. The Orchante Saga The very early years. #5 ------------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Raupunga 1954 - 1958 - Wairoa Carnival -The White Yogi and The Canadian Magician G'Day everyone. Last week I finished on the Railway viaduct at Raupunga. Let me relate one little adventure regarding this. Most of the farmers in the area used aircraft to dust their crops. Usually the aeroplane was a Fletcher - but one pilot, a Dutchman named Hank de Huse had a Tiger Moth. The hopper was filled with phosphate and by pulling a lever in the cockpit, the hopper bottom would open and out fell the phosphate. Anyhow, my dad and I were at the farm where Hank was spraying - he took me for a flight - I had to sit on a board jammed into the empty hopper and hang onto the edge of the hopper for dear life. The 'take-off', the wind in my face, then Hank must have pulled the lever - looking down past my dangling legs was this bloody great hole - the ground seemingly miles below me. In my imagination that now very flimsy, almost non-existent board I was sitting on was the only thing that stopped me going the same way as the phosphate would. Flying along the Mohaka River, up looms the railway viaduct. Mad man Hank ambles under and through it, between the spans - WOW! That viaduct is 312 feet above the river. That's nothing - these days I regularly buzz/throw steep turns around the famous Sydney Opera House, and fly under the Auckland and Sydney Harbour bridges in my Cessna 182, - sometimes even in the Lear jet!! "YOU WHAT?", screams the Civil Aviation Authority - calm, calm, it's okay, I'm using a Flight Simulator, and before you laugh, the United States Navy hands out the same flight Simulator (Microsoft 98/2000) to all their pilots as standard issue - it's that good; as real as it gets! Wairoa Carnival Mum and Dad decide to take the kids (my sister and I) to Wairoa for the day - do some shopping and treat us to the 'fun of the fair'. Enduring 'the road from hell' and the towering clouds of dust, we head off for the big smoke- actually Wairoa is only a small town, but compared to Raupunga, it could be New York City! It's my first Carnival, the milling throngs of people, the mouth watering smells of hot-dogs, fried onions candy floss, pop-corn, etc. wafting through the air. (Dammit - now my stomach's rumbling at just the thought of it) The merry-go-round, ghost-train, ferris wheel, the hurly-burly. There was Christine, the Mind Reader - 'she knows all-sees all'. She worked a code system with her husband Jimmy "What is this - tell me what this is". (I got to know them years later). Then, I found myself in front of a big white tent with a long banner right across the width, 'screaming', in bright red paint, "The Incredible White Yogi" and "The Canadian Magician". To my astonishment I beheld the amazing sight of a man who, looking like a Genie, blew huge balls of fire from his mouth (mine must have looked like the Grand Canyon, my eyes like dinner plates) then he shoved a sword down his throat, and, if that wasn't enough, he hammered a six inch nail up his nose! Having paid his admission, the young boy entered 'the portals' and was immersed in the wondrous world of Magical Illusions - "transported" to the far Eastern mystical Lands of Ali Baba, 'Hindoo' mystics and Fakirs, and their fantastic feats. I can't recall what illusions 'The Canadian Magician' performed, but do remember wonderful card fans which 'appeared ' from nowhere, and then just seemed to melt away. But it was 'The White Yogi' who really had my complete attention. He ate, blew, and rubbed fire over his body - hammered more nails up his nose, close to a microphone; the resulting amplified BANG of the hammer hitting the nail, was most dramatic - what a nice touch! 'The White Yogi' lay on a bed of nails - a block of concrete on his chest. Then, two burly blokes selected from the crowd began swinging sledgehammers with all their might, smashing the great block into smithereens!! Rising unscathed, the White Yogi then started swallowing daggers, bayonets, sabres and swords of various lengths, but, it was his finale which floored everyone PROOF that the swords did not fold up (as many people think). He swallowed a LIT Neon LIGHT TUBE!! Grown men staggered, stomachs convulsed - women screamed, and people dropped like flies - me? I was totally enthralled! This was 'real magic' - not just clever tricks. The eleven year old boy, already badly bitten by the 'MAGIC BUG' copped another huge dose, from the 'FAKIR BUG' - he just didn't stand a chance, he was 'infected' by their spells, for the rest of his life. That's it, folks. More of the White Yogi next week. ------------------------------------- 15. Diarise these events ------------------------------------- New Zealand National Magicians Convention - 27th 2001 to January 1st 2002 ------------------------------------- 16. MagicNZ e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the MagicNZ e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: ezine Password: newzealand When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001nov0699.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (nov06) and the last next two numbers the year (99) If you want to print copies of MagicNZ e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine-archive ------------------------------------- 17. Subscription Management ------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the MagicNZ e-zine: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html MagicNZ e-zine is published weekly, late on Sunday night. The opinions expressed in this e-zine are those of the individual contributors. Neither MagicNZ or Alan Watson can vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via MagicNZ e-zine. We reserve the right to correct any errors or omissions as we see fit. >> This publication may be freely redistributed to other magicians if copied in its ENTIRETY << (c) Copyright 2000 Alan Watson