* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #545 Date: Sunday 18th November 2007 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.Alan-Watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Bradley Jacobs - "Magician Of The Year" 3. McBride In San Francisco 4. Broken Wand - Richard Stupple MIMC With Gold Star 5. Blaney Seeing The Hooker Rising Card Trick 6. Remarkable Magic #29 - Nick Lewin 7. Creativity - The Loss of Imagination: By Kyle Peron 8. Entertaining On The Ocean #8 - Paul Romhany 9. Magic Santa Claus Appears At Six Local Marine And USO Events 10. Fabulous Show At The Melba Spielgeltent, Melbourne 11. The Amazing Orchante Saga 12. e-zine Archives 13. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- IBM Ring 160 proudly announces that the 29th New Zealand International Magicians Convention will be held in Auckland, New Zealand from December 27th 2008 to January 1st 2009. Before the final decision is made on our convention headliners the committee would like to know if there any other professional magician wanting to be added to the selection list? For more information please contact or e-mail your CV to Tony Wilson: tony@twmagic.co.nz Convention registration forms can be downloaded form: http://www.ibmring160.com/registration.pdf ----------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Bradley Jacobs - "Magician Of The Year" -------------------------------------------- Message from George Schindler Dean of the Society of American Magicians Bradley Jacobs - Voted S.A.M. Parent Assembly 2008 "Magician of the Year". Brad Jacobs will receive his honor at the annual "Salute to Magic Show" March 29, 2008 in New York City. -------------------------------------------- 3. McBride In San Francisco -------------------------------------------- Message from Abbi McBride November 29th and 30th, Jeff will be sharing his magic with all of our friends in San Francisco, sponsored by Misdirections Magic Shop. You can find information at: http://www.misdirections.com/calendar.html or by writing to Misdirections' proprietor, Joe Pon: Info@misdirections.com. Jeff will be doing a show / lecture and a one day Master Class. We'll look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming classes, lectures or shows! Until then, I send you my very best magical wishes! -------------------------------------------- 4. Broken Wand - Richard Stupple MIMC With Gold Star -------------------------------------------- Message from Alan Shaxon & Alan Martell (UK) The following Obituary was received from his son Ian. Richard was a member of The Magic Circle for 50 years, a member of Council for 30 consecutive years and brought a wealth of management and magical knowledge to the society. He was the Regional and International Representatives Co-ordinator, a Benevolent Fund Trustee, Member of The Welfare Committee, an Examiner and Vice President of The Young Magician's Club, which he formed for The Magic Circle in 1996. In addition to his work for The Magic Circle, Richard was a Director of The Centre for The Magic Arts Ltd, a Board Member of IBM at International level, and Past President of The Northamptonshire Magicians Club. He was also a Past President of The British Ring IBM. Richard was interested in magic since the age of ten and for a number of years was Assistant to the late Edward Pearce MIMC. This was an excellent training ground, as Edward insisted that Richard learnt something about all aspects of magic. At about 14 Richard gave his first public performance whilst continuing as assistant to Edward in cabaret, concert party, and children's shows. At the age of 18 Richard went into the Royal Air Force for National Service and, apart from his duties in Air Traffic Control, worked quite regularly on the base married quarters doing magic for children's parties' etc. A couple of years after National Service, in 1956, Richard married Mary. They have two married sons, Mark (married to Debbie) and Ian (married to Emma), and five delightful grandchildren, Katie, Laura, William, Matthew and Edward who Richard was immensely proud of. In the early days of married life, he trained for and held a variety of management jobs in industry. However, magic never took a back seat and he became a very busy semi-pro. In 1970 Richard, overnight, changed from being Manufacturing Manager with a large multinational company to a full time Entertainer. Over the last 37 years he established, with help from Mary, a successful entertainment business and became known as one of the UK's top children's entertainers. Apart from his professional work and many interests in magical societies, Richard was for years in demand as a lecturer and performed and/or lectured at most of the UK's biggest conventions In addition to lecturing on children's magic, Richard also gave talks about The Magic of Eric C. Lewis, and also about Postcards with a magical theme. He also appeared twice for both The Magic Circle and IBM at their Collectors Seminars. Richard also had many other interests apart from his family and magic. Since his schooldays he was a talented swimmer and represented Bedfordshire at both swimming and water polo, and became President of his County Swimming Association. Richard was also a keen Rugby Union fan and was a talented player in his younger days. His other interests were Bedford Sea Cadets, which he joined in his teens. In the late 1980's, after many years away from Sea Cadets he volunteered again and became their Chairman for several years. His other volunteering duties included being on the Grant Assessor Panel of The Princes' Trust. Richard was a very talented, caring and loveable man, who touched a great deal of people, and he will be fondly remembered. ----------------- 5. Blaney Seeing The Hooker Rising Card Trick ----------------- Message from Walter Zaney Blaney (US) I have just returned from the tenth bi-annual Conference on Magic History in Burbank. The feature attraction this year was Johnny Gaughan, a premiere builder of magical illusions, presenting a fabled trick known as the Hooker Card Rise. Dr. Samuel Hooker was an American amateur magician, a renowned scientist, and he developed the Hooker Rising Card Trick around 1917, ninety years ago. It's written up in Greater Magic, but not the secret. No one ever figured it out. Most of the famous magicians of the day saw it performed and were fooled. In Hooker's retirement it was handed down to John Mulholland, and in turn to Johnny Gaughan two generations later in the 1990's, with the proviso that the secret be told to no one. Johnny presented it first at the Conference on Magic History in 1993 and again this past week. No one can even begin to guess the secret. It was the much anticipated attraction at this conference, and each attendee had a ticket to see one of about nine shows at an appointed time, maybe 22 people in each group. It had everyone going crazy. It was shown to several magician groups prior to the convention for a $100 ticket. Why would anyone pay $100 to see "a card trick"? Read on. In a tiny theater built in the conference hotel it appeared like a small living room, just like Hooker's living room where all his performances took place in Brooklyn. Two small pedestal tables were seen. A small metal and glass houlette was on one table, just large enough to contain a pack of playing cards. On the other table was the head of a teddybear. it could move its jaws as if talking, shake its heard up and down for "yes", right and left for "no", and its eyes could turn right or left as it looked around. It was delightful to see it move, and had a personality all its own. A deck of cards was shuffled and placed in the houlette which was then placed back on the table. Anyone could call out any card and it would rise from the deck and return. This was done several times. The cards were removed and anyone could bring up their own deck, shuffle it thoroughly, put it in the tiny houlette and place it back on the table. Again any card called for would rise from the deck. A clear glass dome was placed over the houlette on the table. Still cards would rise, this time up into the air to the top of the clear dome and return back into the houlette below. Then the glass dome was placed over the bear's head. The head levitated up to the top of the tubular dome and back down. That is the story in a nutshell. There were more moves, a cute byplay between the bear's head and the magician, the head being a distraction to allow a bit of time before each card would rise. But no one knew why. Needless to say we were ALL extremely impressed, AND ALL COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY FOOLED. Thanks to Johnny Gaughan for all the many hours to construct and rehearse and perform this once in a lifetime magical experience. -------------------------------------------- 6. Remarkable Magic #29 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (US) Remarkable Magic: Nixon was the one. When you talk to a magician there is always a performer that they remember seeing on television that was an early inspiration. I guess this might not hold true for anyone just a little older than me but in my case I was born squarely into the TV era. Although I know that Sooty was my very first 'magician' on television I am not sure that he really counts, as he was a hand puppet! I have to wind the clock forward a few years to my discovery of the king of smooth Mr. David Nixon. If you didn't grow up in England then this name may mean nothing to you but if you are a British magician of my age then chances are you are a fan. Nixon was a very tall, and very bald Brit with the elegant manner of a Harley Street physician. Immaculately attired in a stylish suit, he was one of the most assured figures I had ever seen on the small screen. What made Nixon even more enjoyable was that he was often accompanied by his friend Basil Brush a chatty and highly personable fox. I hasten to add we are back in hand puppet territory when it comes to Basil. He was the funniest Basil on television until Mr. Fawlty came along a few years later with his furry friend Basil. David Nixon performed his magic leaning in nonchalant manner behind a 'bar' style counter which made Basil's contribution a great deal more convincing. It didn't make his magic any tougher to perform either and I later discovered that Ali Bongo spent a great deal of time under that bar making the magic more convincing also! The curious thing is that I only remember Nixon perform one trick; the borrowed note in cigarette. I know he did plenty of other tricks but they have all faded from my memory and I would swear that week after week he re-entertained me with that same trick! He performed it so smoothly that I can still remember the 'feel' of his routine and how effective it was. I would be remiss in my personal memories if I didn't mention the beautiful Anita Harris who was not only his illusion partner but also a superb singer. She was a very real addition to the show and my early years. As any longer term readers of this series will know by now, many if not most, of my meetings with remarkable magicians are brief and fleeting and generally fairly oblique. It never worries me because the important things I have learned have been personal and fairly oblique also. I never even got to meet David Nixon; although he was once a guest on a ship I was working on in the very early 70s as he wisely kept his personal life 'magic free' on his vacation! Nixon was a great early influence on my style and also a very happy memory from my early years! As always send any bricks or bouquets to nicklewin@earthlink.net and check out my website at http://www.NickLewin.com -------------------------------------------- 7. Creativity - The Loss of Imagination: By Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message from Kyle Peron (US) Magic4u02@aol.com In a continuation of my discussion on creativity in the art of magic, I wanted to talk about something that has always fascinated me. How do we lose the power and the ability of imagination? You may be asking yourself if we ever really had total imagination in the first place. Well, it is my belief that every single person has an innate ability to be as imaginative as he or she wants. Allow me to explain if I may. It is my belief that every person as a child had great creative skills and great use of imagination. This can be proven easily if you simply take time to watch the way children play. Children can entertain themselves or other children for hours with next to nothing but a simple prop and the creativity that stems from their own imaginations. They can pick up a simple stick off the ground and suddenly that stick can become a rocket ship, a gun, a magic wand, an oar or a light saber. The area they play in can totally be changed into literally any world their own mind makes up. They all can play like that for hours entertaining each other with pure creativity stemming only from their amazing ability to use their imagination. That is quite a powerful gift. As children, our minds are open to a world of play and creative thought. The ability to be creative and use imagination is so powerful at this time that it simply must be something every one of us is born with. We are born with this ability to be creative. As a child, we are not afraid to allow ourselves to be taken on journeys and create wonderful fun. But where does it all go? How and why does our creativity and imagination lose ground or become dormant? I have a belief that the reason we lose this ability is because of the way culture tells us to change. Could it be that the simple notion of "grow up" becomes the norm in many cultures? This feeling of "acting our age" tells us we need to forget those childhood creative ideas and give up imagination to be a grown up person. When we start to "act our age" or "grow up" we shut this big door to the imagination and creativity that exists in our mind. We cease to tap into it because we are basically told not to. However, I strongly believe that those ideas as a child have not gone anywhere. We still have those abilities we once had as a child. We still all have them and can tap into them. We have to open ourselves up and allow ourselves to recall these ideas and to know that being creative is not childish... but healthy. As a magician, we must learn to open that big door that was shut so long ago. Open up the door wide and keep it open and allow us to tap into the wealth of imagination and creativity we once had as a child. We must not be afraid of how we look or what others will think. Opening that door in your mind can be the biggest tool you could ever have as a magical entertainer. As always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly at magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you. Kyle Peron Magician and Illusionist Graphic Designer and Illustrator (Specializing in Logo creation) www.kyleandkellymagic.com Chair Suspension Ebook Author http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html -------------------------------------------- 8. Entertaining On The Ocean #8 - Paul Romhany -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) This week I would like to introduce Nick mMcCullock. For the past five years Nick has been voted the best in the world at what he does . playing tribute to the legendary Neil Diamond. A man who was once Nick's singing idol is now one of his friends .. Nick has been invited to sing at two of Neil's own birthday parties! Neil was so impressed that he once said, "Only Memoriex can tell the difference between their voices, and "I hope Nick never gets bored of singing my songs!" Sitting down with Nick one night on a ship we were discussing stories about 'escorting' tours . something a guest entertainer can do on a ship is put their name down to do a tour. All that is involved is making sure the correct number of passengers get on the tour bus at the end of the tour and get on the ship. All guest entertainers will have their favourite, usually horror, stories. As a side note I remember talking to a social hostess on a ship after escorting a tour up Manupicu where a passenger died on their way up. It was up to the escort to take this lady down and back to the ship!! Anyway, back to Nick's story. He was lucky enough to get a helicopter tour and there were five passengers on the flight. They had a fantastic time until near the very end when about 20 feet before landing a lady sitting in front of Nick decided she would just open the door and get out!! That's right, she landed on the ground as the helicopter was about to land. Once they landed Nick's job was to look after this lady who was in shock and has a bone sticking out of her leg. Nick spent the rest of the day getting this lady back to the ship in a taxi and to the doctor. Eventually he was called in to the captain's office to tell the story. Nobody could figure out why this lady decided to open the door and jump, but all the captain wanted from Nick was a signed piece of paper saying the ship had nothing to do with the incident! It just goes to show that anything can happen and usually does. Escorting tours are a lot of fun and a great way to see parts of the world and experience tours you might not otherwise do. Tomorrow Natalie and I each travel to the Pyramids and down the Nile as we escort two tours, this would normally cost over $250, but because we are guest entertainers we were able to get this for free. An escorts job is to simply count the people who get on the bus and make sure the tour is up to standard. Another amazing story from Nick happened over eight years ago when he was working on Ocean Village cruise line. An elderly lady passenger came up to him after his show and kept asking him very specific questions about his favourite Neil Diamond song, this went on for some time. Neil was polite and everytime he saw this lady she would start in to the questions again. He finally got off the ship and went to another ship. At the dinner line there was a tap on Nicks shoulder, it was the SAME lady. Nick couldn't believe it, he asked what she was doing on this ship. She told him that her son was kind to her and paid for her to go on cruises. Upon asking what her son did for a job she replied, "He does exactly what you do". It turned out she was Neil Diamond's mother!! A few weeks go by and Nick gets a phone call from Neil Diamond thanking him for being kind to his mother and invited Nick to sing at his birthday party. Another amazing cruise story. -------------------------------------------- 9. Magic Santa Claus Appears At Six Local Marine And USO Events -------------------------------------------- Message from Loch David Crane (US) (San Diego, CA) The Magic Santa Claus--who can read your mind as easily as he hands out gifts and candy canes--will appear at six local Southern California bases to thank troops and families for their bravery and sacrifice. Each of these shows includes exciting close-up Magic effects for troops and their kids, either on stage or in the cafeteria. The Magic Santa Claus is portrayed by Magician Loch David Crane, who grows a real beard for these performances. Each year he needs less makeup on his full beard! Military service members and families with ID may attend any of these events on base, and the general public is invited to other events. Here's his hectic Ho-Ho-Holiday schedule of public and military appearances: 20 November, 2-4pm Chargers' Blood Drive at the Town and Country Hotel (public may attend if they donate blood) 22 November, 11:30-1:30pm Thanksgiving Family Dinner at the USO downtown 29 November, 1-1:30pm Military Day of the Family at the Bob Hope Theatre, MCAS Miramar followed by a screened movie! 1 December, 5-6 pm Ocean Beach Parade down Newport Avenue (public event) 6 December, 9-noon Magic Santa Claus appears at Camp Pendleton, CA 8 December, 12-3pm Pacific Beach Holiday Parade on Grand Ave. (public event) 9 December, 4-5pm Fund raiser, Rancho Bernardo High School (public event) Additional Magic Shows are now being scheduled for Marine Corps Air Station 29 Palms and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, during December 2007. All these military shows are donated without charge by Loch David Crane. ---------------- 10. Fabulous Show At The Melba Spielgeltent, Northcote Town Hall, Melbourne ----------------- Message from Bruce Browning (Aust) I recently had the privilege of attending a magnificent performance of La Soiree, at The Melba Spielgeltent, Northcote Town Hall, Melbourne. This is a new, semi-permanent version of the Spiegeltent, which tours to Melbourne annually for the Festival season, and is a cabaret style eating and entertainment venue. Directed by Doug Tremlett, this is an old style vaudeville/circus/variety show comprising a talented cast, singing, dancing and performing their way through a thinly-threaded storyline, and held together most admirably by Sam Angelico, as M.C. Lots of fun, flashes and bangs, audience participation and fast moving action, keeping the audience glued to their seats, and their eyes forever darting to not miss a second of the action. The four course meal was more than adequate, served in style by the cast themselves, and I would highly recommend this entertainment for a party of two, or twenty. I believe it will be moving to a different locale around Melbourne for a further season soon. ---------------- 11. The Amazing Orchante Saga ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page 24 Neither Veronica nor I can remember who, how, what or why we started playing backgammon but, we became completely hooked OK, let's be honest - fanatical, playing the game! It was demanding almost every spare moment (apart from 'you know what') we had. Although you can play it just for fun with matchsticks, it is, essentially, a gambling game played on a board with thirty checkers or 'men', two pairs of dice and a doubling cube; where you can start off modestly betting as little as 50 pence (half a dollar) and in a very short space of time, lose or win thousands! The doubling cube is a special dice used to double the betting stakes. The lowest Number is 2, the next is 4, then 8, then 16, followed by 32, and the last is 64. Each player has the opportunity to double the stakes when it is his turn to play, and before he throws the dice. A double may be accepted or declined, but the player declining loses whatever the stakes were before the double was offered. You can see now how a small 'pittance' can quickly escalate into quite a hefty bundle. World famous players/gamblers like the actor Omar Sharif, whose primary passion is 'bridge' and is recognised in card-playing circles as a bridge expert, is also an acknowledged master of backgammon. The games he gets involved in can easily start by betting a 'measly' thousand dollars, and doubling it! The final stakes on the table can quickly run into the millions! Several boxes of matchsticks suit us fine! Though the history of backgammon is incomplete, we do know it is definitely one of the oldest games known to man. The oldest known source of backgammon dates back to some 5000 years, however it is believed that the present form of the game evolved in the 10th century. In 1743, the famous Edmond Hoyle codified the rules and strategy and since then, the only change recorded has been the addition of the doubling cube, which has added to the challenge and stakes of the game. Backgammon has remained alive throughout these many years probably because of its continual intrigue and challenge. Even when defeat seems certain the tide can change and even the underdog may win. It is said that you can learn the fundamentals of the game in thirty minutes; it is a life's work to learn the secrets of the strategy of backgammon. Why is it that when I go off the trail I somehow finished up in the next county? One minute I'm writing about our parrots and cockatoos - which I haven't finished with yet, then somehow it's about Judy Stone and the gang, then it's Neil Diamond; next, I'm writing a history about backgammon! Could it be true; the mind tends to wander with 'old' age? Wander on, who cares!!! Delving into some ancient photograph albums, I discovered a heap of Polaroid photographs taken with my old SX70 fold-up camera. Several were taken whilst on tour with Judy - Oh, the memories. One shows the complete cast crammed into our motel room, intently watching a backgammon game in process. I don't why it was, but everyone seemed to congregate to our room after shows. Another group photo was taken outside the motel. On the left of the group was the compere/comedian who, on this particular tour was - Johnny Holmes, a very funny and popular comic on the Sydney club circuit. It wasn't until after the tour, when Veronica and I were going through the photos, that we noticed something odd. Using a magnifying glass we could see that Johnny, smiling and standing causally, had quietly pulled his 'dick' out for the photograph. Nobody had noticed 'it' before; and everyone had seen the photograph after it had been taken - being a Polaroid. The next time we ran into Johnny at one of the clubs, we told him that we had discovered his 'naughtiness'; he laughed and said that he didn't realize at the time that I was using a Polaroid camera, and expected everyone to spot his 'manliness' there and then. He stopped laughing when I told him we needed a microscope to see it! Most times on the Judy Stone tours, we were the only specialty/sight/variety act on the show but occasionally another act, the 'Duo Angelos' would come out as well. They were a brother and sister Adagio/Acrobatic act. Billy and Angela, hence the act's name, were a very likable couple. Angela, who was a most extremely stunning, and beautiful young woman - with a body to dream for, just happened to be the girlfriend of John Doyle, who ran his own agency, 'Jon Doyle Promotions'! John, an ex wrestler, also had his own, very successful bodybuilding studio and, apart from being a singer in his own right, was Judy Stone's Personal Manager! He ran all of Judy's tours, and had many others out on the road as well. Billy and Angela, as well several other similar types of dancers/acts/artistes, worked out at John's studio, keeping fit for their physically demanding act(s). Continues next week -------------------------------------------- 12. Magic New Zealand e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/fezine.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 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) -------------------------------------------- 13. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html. Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson 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 they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, 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 2007 Alan Watson