* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand e-zine * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #133 Date: Sunday 25th August 2002 Editor: Alan Watson www.magician.co.nz www.alan-watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor’s Message 2. World Wide Magic Publicity! 3. Coquitlam, BC Canada PCAM 2003 4. Australian Magicians - Public Liability 5. Princess Tenko Opens At Keio Plaza Hotel 6. Mark Wilson’s Daily Reminder Book 1949 7. NZ Magicians Web Addresses Required 8. Magicians Prop Stolen From Car 9. Trying To Contact John Ferguson 10. Tampa Bay Magic Club Annual Magic Competition 11. Interview With Walter Zaney Blaney 12. Amos Levkovitch Lecture Schedule 13. Videos For Sale 14. The West Australian Society Of Magicians - 80th Year In 2002 15. 8-Hour Kidshow Workshops 16. 4th Eddy International Magic Convention - Hong Kong 17. The Orchante Saga #117 18. MagicNZ e-zine archives 19. Subscription Management ------------------------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One Welcome to Dave Upfold professional magician/hypnosist who has emigrated to New Zealand from South Africa. Wesley his son who is also a professional magician, plans to emigrate to NZ in February 2003. -------------------------------- 2003 New Zealand Magicians International Covention? Which NZ club or organization is going to take up the challenge to run the next New Zealand International Magicians Convention??? -------------------------------- The “World Festival Of Magic” tour of Australia - Sunday 22nd September to Sunday 17th November Performers are: Chuck Jones and Co Elio and Eva Cristof The “World Festival Of Magic” tour of New Zealand - Sunday 24th November to Thursday 19th December Performers are: Chuck Jones and Co Sylvester the Jester Enrico de la Vega and Lisa For the full performing schedule of the tour refer Magic New Zealand e-zine issue number: #132 -------------------------------------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ---------------------------------- 2. World Wide Magic Publicity! ---------------------------------- Message from Dan Garrett (US) Magicians appeared on special spots live (and replayed on tape) on CNN Headline News on Thursday, August 8. Those appearing included Michael Ammar, Dan Garrett, Jessica Reed, Robert Bengel, Ken Scott and Joe Turner. The President and General Manager of CNN Headline News Rolando Santos (also a member of IBM Ring 9 in Atlanta), was instrumental in arranging this special programming to publicize the highly-successful S.E.A.M. convention (South Eastern Association of Magicians) this past weekend. In addition, world-wide publicity was gained for the IBM, SAM (and its 100th Anniversary), and the Houdini postage stamp. Plus, some pretty darned good magic was seen performed, using Headline News on-air anchors as participants and reactors. The S.E.A.M. is a regional convention composed of IBM Rings, SAM Assemblies and independent magic clubs throughout the south eastern United States. It moves from city to city each year. Next year's convention will be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Information should be forthcoming in a few months. Visit the Ring 9 website for further follow-up information. www.gamagicclub.com --------------------------------- 3. Coquitlam, BC Canada PCAM 2003 ---------------------------------- Message from Shawn Farquhar (Canada) It's the PCAM's 70th Anniversary and it will be a blast. The PCAM 2003 convention has a new website at: www.magichampion.com/pcam/pcam.html The Pacific Coast Association of Magicians is celebrating their 70th Anniversary and you are invited. This once in a life time event will be held in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada (a suburb of Vancouver). If you recall they celebrated their 60th Anniversary here and folks have been talking about that for nearly a decade! The same team that brought you that incredible event will be producing this event. Stage shows, Close up shows, General Contests, Pacific Rim Pro Challenge Competition, Bag "O" Tricks, Lectures and Dealers will all be part of this event to remember. ---------------------------------- 4. Australian Magicians - Public Liability ---------------------------------- Message from Tony and Juleen (Aust) With the problems that everyone is experiencing in getting Public Liability, not only in our industry, it has become difficult to find companies that are prepared to insure entertainers. We have found a couple of companies that will cover Magicians here in Australia. With an initiative by Dave Lord in e-mailing as many magicians he knows with his new insurance company I have decided to contact Magic New Zealand e-zine and ask if you could post it in your newsletter as I know most Australian Magicians receive it. Duck for Cover is one of the cheapest Companies that will insure performers. They however don't cover performances with fire or piros. There are only two other companies in Australia that we could find that cover for piro's and fire and they were A.O.N. Risk Services which calculate per show and the company that we have gone with Premier Auspac that will insure us annually with no show limit. They will also extend the cover to include some overseas countries. (not the USA) A.O.N were too expensive for us due charging per show and the volume of shows we do with piros and fire made it too expensive. Other performers may find them cheaper depending how many shows you perform with piros or fire, they may come in cheaper than Premier Auspac. If anyone is looking for details for Premier Auspac, feel free to contact us and we are more than happy to hand on our information freely. We have just paid $4125 for annual cover. Premier Auspac: 07 3844 4288 Danielle. If anyone has a company that covers them for the above I am always curious to compare policies and prices. Dave Lord has the information for Duck for Cover if you have any questions, and is also happy pass info on. Duck for Cover do have a web site as well. www.duckforcover.com.au I know John Taylor has his public liability with A.O.N. Their phone number is: 07 3223 7400 Jason Holmes I think sharing this type of information is good for our industry and we should be trying to help each other in these matters as prices are becoming increasingly expensive and it is harder to find companies that will cover performers. Again, everyone feel free to contact us for any other information and we look forward to hearing from anyone who may need help or uses a company that is cheaper. magic@TonyandJuleen www.TonyandJuleen.com ---------------------------------- 5. Princess Tenko Opens At Keio Plaza Hotel ---------------------------------- Message from Ron Ishimaru (Japan) Princess Tenko opened to a sell out crowd at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, Japan on August 11, 2002. I believe it has been awhile since she performed in Japan. I think she just returned from the United States. Her illusion show was dramatic, beautiful and choreographic like a Las Vegas style show. She open with the Book, then into the Ashra, Lady in Half, The show shifted to the metamorphosis, origami box, four box illusion. Her Pyramid Fantasia was awesome as ever. What a sight to behold. Amazing! The Robot was powerful finale. If you missed this opening stage show, don't fret, she and four other Japanese magicians will be performing at a dinner show till the end of this month at the Grill Medallion, "Magical Restaurant" in Keio Plaza Hotel, Shinjuku, Japan Sorry, My Japanese is poor so I missed a lot during the show. But magic actions performance is universal. ---------------------------------- 6. Mark Wilson’s Daily Reminder Book 1949 ---------------------------------- Message from Mark Wilson (US) Here’s something that happened the other day. I was looking through some old boxes in the warehouse and came across my Daily Reminder book for 1949. It brought back a lot of memories. At the time I was 20 years old, a full-time student at Southern Methodist University, majoring in Advertising and Marketing. In the book, I had listed all of my performances in 1949. I did more than 500 shows, plus 130 more at the Texas State Fair, for a total of some 650 shows that year. The shows were part of a public relations program I had created for Morton’s Foods, then the largest potato chip company in North Texas. If you had more than 25 people scheduled for your affair, as the Morton Magician, I would present the show at no cost to you. And, of course, the magic words to make all the tricks work were “Morton’s Potato Chips.” I was paid $5.00 per show, supplied all the magic and drove my car to every show. It was really not so bad. I gained great experience performing under all conditions - birthday parties, church affairs, in theaters, at grocery stores, even in correctional facilities and funeral homes…all kinds of venues, large and small. As I glanced over the Reminder book, I happened to look at Tuesday, July 12, 1949. I noticed something I’d remembered but didn’t know I had recorded in the book, a show at the “Silver Spur,” a country and western night club, at 10 pm that night. This was very late for a show on a weekday evening in Dallas back then. I was to report to a Mr. Rubin, the club owner. The show was a benefit for the family of a Dallas Police officer who’d been killed in the line of duty. As I recall, everything went quite well. The owner was very impressed. As the years passed, I found that everyone in show business in Dallas knew Mr. Rubin. He owned several other clubs over the years. I met him again many times before we moved to Los Angeles in 1960, after I finally sold the Magic Land of Allakazam series to Kellogg’ s. Mr. Rubin even wanted to be my manager. I also recall he continued to have a very good relationship with the Dallas Police Department. I vividly remember that, in 1963, I was in my office in Los Angeles when I - along with the rest of the world - first heard that John Kennedy had been shot and that it had happened in Dallas. In Dallas! I called my parents. My mother and father had just seen Kennedy in the motorcade a few minutes before he was shot and taken to Parkland Hospital. I had driven by that Emergency Room entrance many times and had done shows at Parkland, especially in their children’s facility, located across the way. Then, we were told that the shots were fatal. Many of the regularly-scheduled television and radio shows and public events were canceled. We listened to the radio constantly. Here comes something new, looks like they caught the man who fired the shots. The police arrested him in the Texas Theater. The Texas Theater! When I was a teenage boy, I used to walk the four blocks from where we lived to see the latest movie at the Texas, usually once or twice a week. I’ll bet I had occupied the very seat where they caught him. Now he was in jail only a few blocks from the Triple Underpass and the Book Depository Building. Nani and I couldn’t believe all this was happening… and all in Dallas, our city, and to people we knew. It was then that the most unbelievable thing of all happened. The accused man, Lee Harvey Oswald, was shot and killed. Completely unexpected by everyone; the police, the guards, the world, and - of course - Nani and me. It was only a few hours later that we heard who was the shooter. When I met him at the Silver Spur that night half a century ago, I discovered that I had made a mistake when I wrote his name in the Daily Reminder. His name was not Rubin. His correct name was Ruby. Jack Ruby. Happy Magic! Mark Wilson If you’d like to see a picture of Mark’s 1949 Daily Reminder book, the page with his notation for the show for Mr. Rubin, and an advertising flyer for the Morton Magician, go to the newsletter section of Mark’s website, www.markwilsonmagic.com ---------------------------------- 6. NZ Magicians Web Addresses Required ---------------------------------- Message from Sean Piper (Aust) I'm just about to give the Oz Magic website a complete overhaul, and I'm planning to include NZ magicians in the contacts list. Hoping you might know a few performers that would like to be included. --------------------------------- 7. Magicians Prop Stolen From Car ---------------------------------- Message from Maria Ibanez (US) I've been asked to send out this e-mail with regards to a colleague whose entire show and sound system has been made to vanish from his vehicle -- sound system, props, rabbit vanish, night club table and more. Ulloa, a magician in the Miami area, had everything he uses in his act stolen out of his car last evening -- it is his hope that the "borrowers" will attempt to sell the props and that he might be able to get some of his stuff back.....he owned a red night club style table which was full of props and magic tricks which he uses to make his living. Additionally, his sound system complete with speakers, music, amp and more was also taken. Please keep your eyes and ears open and if you should run across something, he asks you contact him at: 786-388-7553 or 786-512-7874. ---------------------------------- 8. Trying To Contact John Ferguson ---------------------------------- Message from Tony Wilson (NZ) I am trying to contact John Ferguson who used to live in Hawkes Bay and has like a good magician "disappeared for a spell". Would any Magic New Zealand reader that can help me locate John please e-mail me at twilson@xtra.co.nz ---------------------------------- 9. Tampa Bay Magic Club Annual Magic Competition ---------------------------------- Message from Mark Byrne (US) Where? ........ Largo, Florida USA Tampa Bay Area When? .......... October 12th 8:00 pm What? ........... Tampa Bay Magic Club Annual Magic Competition The Tampa Magic Club and the Largo Cultural Center are hosting its first annual Magic Competition. See magicians from across the State and the country competing for over $600 of cash and prizes. This is an open competition for magicians of all ages. If you would like to be considered to enter the competition you need : A stage act no longer than 10 minutes in length A video Demo of a performance of yours (not necessarily the act you are doing) A $20 entrance fee. Refundable if you are not selected to compete Also include a short letter with your name, telephone and address so we may contact you. Tapes and entry fee can be mailed to: Tampa Bay Magic Club 1225 Hermitage Ave Clearwater, FL 33764 USA Deadline: The video and registration fee must be received no later than September 20th, 2002 or they will not be considered this performance is open to the public, see these stars of magic before they hit the big time. Our masters of Ceremonies will be James Songster and Joseph Vecciarelli, James & Joe are regular performers at Disney World and Universal Studios. Admission is $10 at the Largo Cultural Center box office Call 587-6793. Catch this ticket before it disappears ..... ---------------------------------- 10. Interview With Walter Zaney Blaney ---------------------------------- Message from Walter Zaney Blaney (US) "This month an interview of Walter Zaney Blaney by Tony Brook appears on Steve Dacri's www.magicwebchannel.com It's another in Tony's series "In Conversation With...". For those interested, you will learn the history of some of Blaney's stage illusion inventions, a bit of his personal history, the beginning of the World Alliance of Magicians (WAM), and also some of Walter's philosophy of life and magic." ---------------------------------- 11. Amos Levkovitch Lecture Schedule ---------------------------------- Message from Amos Levkovitch Amos Levkovitch, The Academy of Magical Arts "Stage Magician of the Year" and Magic Castle "Lecturer of the year" nominee will perform and lecture: On August 24 at the "World Magic Symposium" in Sapporo, Japan. On September 28 in Portugal at "Magic Valongo" National Convention. On October 10-12 in Sweden at El Duco International Convention. Amos lecture is on dove magic. You will learn what to do, and what not to do. It will also teach you how to train your animals humanely (It's possible.), in order to make your animals happy to perform with you, for the benefit of your magic act. Until August 18 you can see Amos perform at The Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles at the closing ceremonies for the The16th National Veterans Olympic Games sponsored by the United States Government. www.amosmagic.com www.traineddoves.com ---------------------------------- 12. Videos For Sale ---------------------------------- Message from Heath Sharman 9Aust) I have some videos to sell (from my collection. out with the old). For my full list e-mail: heaths@midcoast.com.au ---------------------------------- 13. The West Australian Society Of Magicians - 80th Year In 2002 ---------------------------------- Message from Ray Haddad (Aust) Editor, The Western Wand The West Australian Society of Magicians (WASM) is celebrating its 80th year in 2002. We have been active all 80 of those years with membership ranging from just a few to a current level of 48 active members. Our members currently range in age from 16 to 92 years. Wynsome Downes is our youngest member and Fred deCampe is our oldest. As editor and publisher of our club newsletter, The Western Wand, I am requesting anectodal stories of WASM members or of the club itself from any of you who have somehow touched one or more of our members. Tell me about the time you had with us or one of our members over the past 80 years. Be as specific as you can supplying dates, times and names to the best of your recollection. Please, send your items by e-mail to rhaddad@iexpress.net.au before 21 September, 2002. I will send you a PDF copy of our newsletter after the anniversary issue is completed. ASCII text or Word 6.0 document formats appreciated. ---------------------------------- 14. 8-Hour Kidshow Workshops ---------------------------------- Message from David Ginn (US) After seven years of touring with our 8-hour kidshow workshops, Sammy Smith, Steve Taylor, and I, David Ginn, are "wrapping up the tour." "Since 1996 we have presented versions of the Komedy Kidshow Klinic for magicians and clowns and family entertainers in every major USA and Canadian city, and many smaller cities as well. (The original version is available for sale on three 2-hour videos, sold only as a set.) It's time we took a rest from the airplane flights, rental vans, and hotel rooms . . . and did some other things independent of each other. We are still all friends want to keep it that way!" If you live in the continental USA, or if you're visiting, here is the final schedule for the fall, ending with Workshop #147 on November 17th: Aug. 21 Pigeon Forge TN (at Kidabra Conf) Sept. 14 Norfolk VA Sept. 20 San Diego, CA Sept. 21 Hollywood CA Oct. 12 Yorktown Heights NY (1 hr N of NYC) Oct. 13 Worcester MA (Boston) Nov. 2 Orlando FL Nov. 3 Tampa FL Nov. 16 Stafford MD (Wash DC) Nov. 17 Frederick MD (near Baltimore) These are our FINAL WORKSHOPS with the newer version, called the CREATIVE KIDSHOW CONFERENCE. We each do two lectures plus an inspirational wrap-up at the end. Saturday workshops run 9 am - 5 pm; Sunday workshops go 1-9 pm. Tickets are $35 single in advance; $50 for a couple (husband/wife, father/son or daughter, magician/assistant). At the door everyone is $45 USD. We allow up to a dozen well-behaved children (of attendees) free to help in demos of routines; just email David Ginn to get child's name on the comp list. ---------------------------------- 15. 4th Eddy International Magic Convention - Hong Kong ---------------------------------- Message from Chun The 4th Eddy International Magic Convention concluded in Hong Kong: www.eddysmagic.com/ltd/convention.htm Performances by Kelvin Chun & Steven Kline ---------------------------------- 16. The Orchante Saga #119 ---------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) THE BIOGRAPHY CONCLUDES The last, and what became the most sought after and sensational part of his performance, was only attempted after much study and practice of Yoga techniques. Indeed, his first ever performance landed him in the Whakatane hospital but, he persevered and perfected what he called his ‘STRING THING’ (‘Psychic Surgery’), where he swallowed 6 ft of string, cut into his stomach with a knife and then invited members of the audience to pull, with the aid of surgical clamps, the string from the self inflicted wound, extracting it slowly, inch by inch, out from within his stomach! It was: ‘The most ‘mind numbing’, never to be forgotten experience, for both volunteers and audiences alike’! 1968, Tom married his first wife Sharon, who bore him two sons, Jason and Darin; then in 1971, he met Veronica. They toured continuously, all over New Zealand with Tom's show, with Veronica an integral part of the performance. They married in 1976, and emigrated via Fiji, to Sydney, Australia. It was a good move. Tom and Veronica, better known throughout Australia as: ‘THE AMAZING ORCHANTÉ and KIM’, were an immediate success. They toured extensively, performing in various Top Line clubs/cabarets & theatres, and were often booked to support national and international stars, such as the late Sir Harry Secombe and appeared regularly on major television shows. Tom had a regular spot as ‘resident close-up magician ’on Channel 10 - a LIVE, NATIONWIDE BROADCAST called ‘GOOD MORNING AUSTRALIA’, as well as performing ‘close-up’ sleight of hand magic (the MOST difficult branch of magic to perform), in Sydney's most exclusive restaurant, the ‘Manor House ’ - which opened up that particular market for other magicians, in Sydney. They also entertained, with their various shows, several times a year on the cruise ship: The M. S. ‘MINGHUA’, each a six week voyage that took them from Sydney, up the east coast of Australia to New Guinea, the Philippines, Japan, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guam and back home to Sydney. Sydney was quite polluted at that time and it was affecting Veronica's health, so they moved up north, between the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Unlike Sydney/New South Wales, where the revenue from poker machines paid for everything - entertainment etc; poker machines were banned in the State of Queensland, - so money for their performance fees was not readily available and work was very thin. They emigrated to England in 1985 - where they soon became one of the most sought after acts on the U. K. Club and discotheque circuit, and were awarded the coveted - Speciality Act of the Year in 1988! They toured Europe extensively, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, Sweden, including several tours each year of both Ireland and Norway where they were extremely popular. Tom’s first appearance on British television was in 1987, on a live, Nation -Wide Show called ‘The Last Resort’ - hosted by Jonathan Ross, who nearly redecorated the studio floor, when Tom performed his famed ‘psychic surgery’! It caused a nationwide sensation and with the resultant public reaction throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, it became the major topic on both RADIO and TELEVISON CHAT SHOWS, for several months afterwards! The Amazing Orchanté and Kim - had most definitely arrived in the U.K.!!! Sal Murillo, President of the ‘Unique Entertainment Agency’ in Las Vegas, contacted Tom in 1993 - offering him a place in his ‘very exclusive stable of acts’ – “only The Best Of The Best” was Sal Murillo’s motto! Tom was delighted and accepted immediately. Tom and Veronica’s Television/Club performances were now being watched LIVE, by millions of people across Asia, Europe, Scandinavia and South America! Japan, Spain, Sweden, Chile and Mexico – New York was next then - Las Vegas! Page 120 1995 - tragedy struck! While touring in Ireland, Tom found that he was having difficulty breathing during the shows and, carrying equipment into and out of clubs. He thought that he had contracted a nasty strain of a viral infection. On arriving back in England and, after various breathing tests, X Rays and CT scans at the hospital, it was found that he had - ‘Chronic Emphysema’! They did one more tour, in Norway, followed by a television appearance in Stockholm, Sweden. That was the last time Tom was to work. He was forced to give up his profession (which was also his hobby), his beloved magic, and his career in show business, which spanned more than 35 years - travelling the globe! Tom is now busy writing, by request, his autobiography called: ‘The Amazing Orchanté Saga’, which at this point in time runs to 120 odd foolscap pages and 80,000 words! It is being read by over 5000 magicians in 56 different countries, via a ‘Magic New Zealand’ E - Zine (Instigated and run by N.Z ’s top International magician, Alan Watson and his wife Michele), on the Internet and is ‘for magicians only’, although copies are being sent out to friends and family. Apart from telling Tom’s story, the Saga also contains some interesting story ‘bites’ of many other New Zealand’s show business artistes. The feedback from his ‘tales’ has been tremendous and, his style of writing has, only just recently, brought an offer of publishing rights! It will probably turn out to be quite a hefty tome by the time it is finished, as it starts in 1954, and he has only just started on the 1970s. Apart from magic, his hobbies and interests also include: gardening and music, particularly the Sixties. Easy listening and Jazz are right up there as well. His favourite singer is Neil Diamond, closely followed by Frankie Laine and Frank Sinatra (he has an extensive vinyl record collection - both 45s and LPs, in mint condition). He is also, to put it mildly, an avid ‘Film Buff’ and on last count, has in excess of over 750 videos with at least two films on each, which equates to well in excess of 1,500 films! This is not counting a further 100 videos on various subjects, in a special purpose built cabinet, or the entire set of the James Bond movies or, the almost complete collection of The X Files! The films cover everything from Westerns, Sci - Fi, Drama, major ‘Block Busters’, Musicals etc., as well as Factual and Historical documentaries. He also manages to fly all over the world in his Cessna and Learjet, with his Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002, the latest version, as well as writing his Autobiography/Saga! ------------------------------------- 17. 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: magic Password: kiwi 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 ------------------------------------- 18. 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 Magic New Zealand e-zine: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Magic New Zealand e-zine is published weekly, on Sunday. The opinions expressed in this e-zine are those of the individual contributors and not those of Magic New Zealand. Neither Magic New Zealand or Alan Watson can vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand e-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree that they will not hold Magic New Zealand and/or Alan Watson liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed herein. We reserve the right to edit, correct or, in our discretion, choose not to publish any submissions provided to Magic New Zealand for potential publication. Magic New Zealand welcomes readers to submit timely articles or news items which appear to be of interest to our readers. Those submitting to this e-zine agree that we have permission to publish their submissions and that they have the full copyright to the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand are fully protected by international copyright as provided by law, and articles cannot be published for profit by anyone other than the individual author without the written permission of Magic New Zealand. >>This publication may be freely redistributed (but not sold) to other magicians if copied in its ENTIRETY including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer.<< © Copyright 2002 Alan Watson