* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.Alan-Watson.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #722 Date: Sunday 17th January 2010 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Broken Wand - Gun Gallo 3. Sweden Loses Star Performer 4. Copperfield Cleared 5. Broken Wand - Ralf Wichmann - Braco 6. More Remarkable Magic #25 - Nick Lewin 7. The Snowball Effect - #150 - Kyle Peron 8. Tony Brook in Conversation with Dal Sanders - Part 2 9. Large number of Australians registering for NZ Convention 10. The Magic Castle Which Celebrates 47th Year 11. Attention Mentalists! Don't Miss Mindvention 2010 12. Update On The Innovention 13. January 25th Show Starring Dean Atkinson 14. St. Vincent Magic Convention - Italy, 19-23 May 2010 15. An Evening Of Amazing Magic & Illusion 16. Cosentino's Tribute To Harry Houdini 17. e-zine Archives 18. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Sad to report that Joan wife of Mark Raffles (UK) passed away on Xmas day. Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Broken Wand - Gun Gallo -------------------------------------------- Message from Tony Brook (Europe/USA) It is with a heavy and extremely sad heart I must inform the International Magic Community of the passing of Gun Gallo on January 11. She was the beloved wife and Magical Partner of Jahn Gallo of Sweden. Well known the world over, The Gallos, over the past decades had a brilliant career as they toured and lectured in several countries including the USA, all of Europe and Japan. She was a remarkable, charming and gracious lady. She touched the hearts of everyone she met and had the amazing ability to make everyone feel that they were special. She befriended and inspired literally hundreds of people both in Magic and out. An amazing and truly courageous lady, she fought an up-hill battle over the last several months with a rare form of Cancer. She passed peacefully in the arms of Jahn and is now enjoying a richly deserved standing ovation at that wonderful theater in the sky. Her cremation will take place on January 25. It will be a celebration of her life presided over by a family friend who is both a Clergyman and Magician. Another well known singer and life-long friend will provide music by singing “Stardust Melody”, Gun’s favorite song. All condolences to: jahn@gallo-magic.com -------------------------------------------- 3. Sweden Loses Star Performer -------------------------------------------- Message by Mikael Vanheden (Sweden) Gun Persson, born 1943, wife since 1967 and assistant / partners to the artist Jahn Gallo, Landskrona, died on 11 January 2010. When Jahn was booked for a six-month long tour of fashionable nightclubs in the Far East, so did his wife and assistant Gun leave office chair at the sickness fund - the now began to truly professional artistic life for the couple. They were doing shows in the top night clubs in the Orient, Far East and Southeast Asia around the same years that Geoffrey Hansen, Johnny Aladdin, Paul Potassy, Gali Gali and Silvan were also working the same first class venues. After this went on the magical career. It was performances such as at Liseberg, Skara Summerland, Casino Marienlyst, Brazilia Club Oporto, Casino Estoril, Valencia in Copenhagen, Casino Madeira, TV Stars of Magic in England, Blue Sky in Bangkok. Plus the 290 half-hour shows the couple did in Gulliver's Kingdom in Japan. Of course there was also involvement of the legendary music hall Hansa Theater in Hamburg, where they had engagements not less than seven times. 1993, the couple's first real cruise job and it took them to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Egypt and finally Italy. Since then there have been many wonderful cruises to exciting and interesting countries. Crowned the 2006 Gun & Jahn his magical career with the help of the Scandinavian FISM the show during the World Congress of magic in Stockholm. Gun has always been with her elegance and charm brought much to the couple's files - not least through its prison number and involvement in various illusions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLxaFIzADTk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtQAV5LQKRo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIJfZPw9hH4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Nebj2dhLs http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gallos+magic&search_type=&aq=f And his in Europe famous Osaka Bills: First minute is something else) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J4bLQSyv80 -------------------------------------------- 4. Copperfield Cleared -------------------------------------------- Message by Richard Stuart (US) AP Last Updated: 11:00 AM, January 13, 2010 Posted: 3:22 AM, January 13, 2010 SEATTLE -- No charges were filed against magician David Copperfield after a two-year probe into a former beauty queen's allegations of rape against him. The notice came in a brief court document filed yesterday by Assistant US Attorney Susan Roe. In a related civil lawsuit, the 22-year-old former Miss Washington said she met Copperfield -- whose real name is David Kotkin -- during a performance and was invited to visit his private island in the Bahamas in July 2007. Once there, she claimed, Copperfield, 53, sexually assaulted her. The illusionist's lawyers said he denied the allegations, and called the lawsuit "extortion for money, plain and simple." Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/copperfield_cleared_fO8QOSIJXZbNfKI3fY5nCO#ixzz0cWCA61sK -------------------------------------------- 5. Broken Wand - Ralf Wichmann - Braco -------------------------------------------- Message by Bill Palmer I am sad to report that Ralf Wichmann - Braco, the author of Schweberoutinenen für Tisch und Bühne -- Floating Routines for Table and Stage - passed away in a nursing home in Berlin on 31 December 2009. He was one of the foremost authorities on levitations in general and on the obtaining and use of invisible thread, long before it was available to the general magical population. His book, published in 1973 by the Magischer Zirkel Berlin, was the first bilingual book that the Magischer Zirkel Berlin ever published. It contained detailed descriptions of how to obtain and use several different strengths of invisible thread, different hookups and many applications. It was published in English under several different names, the legitimate one being published by Martin Breese -- The Invisible Thread Manual. He had a very droll sense of humor. He was a close friend of Ted Lesley, as well. He collaborated on several tricks with Ted, and during the last years of Ted's life, made certain that he was at least reasonably comfortable in the nursing home where he spent his final months. Ralf lived in a small flat on Wipperstraße in Berlin. His home was packed with magic props, books, documents, etc., all of which were cataloged and filed away neatly. The magicians of Germany in general, and Berlin, specifically, have lost a very strong supporter. -------------------------------------------- 6. More Remarkable Magic #24 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin (US) Get cooking on that iPhone! A very brief column this week as I am battling climate, schedule, fatigue and lots of other problems. I will try and get back on track next week! What I did want to do was to alert you to the very best iPhone/iTouch App on the market. It is so sweet that I can’t imagine anyone wanting to be without it. It was developed by Carl Andrews and is called ‘No Freakin’ Way.’ It is the cleanest, easiest ‘any card’ app you will ever find. I have bought many Magic Apps and some are rotten, some are OK and some are masterpieces. Just Like buying stuff in a magic store but MUCH cheaper! For an app like ‘No Freakin Way’ I use a stacked deck to find out the card. Sure you can just have the card named BUT…..you really want to take the heat of the phone or it really begins to look like the phone is doing ALL the work. The time delay of setting the App before the card is revealed is pretty strong stuff. A stacked deck (I use the old Sti-Stubbins set up) allows you to do a few tricks in a row also. Carl is the inventor of another of my favorite apps, his Sixth Sense and Coin Scan are also favorites of mine. Hey for 7 bucks you can buy them all. What a deal! Add Card Stab, Rising Card and Marty’s Card and you have a full little show going for about the price of a Mirage Deck! Mart’s Card is a curious little piece that can be added very in subtle ways to several other effects and produce a real kicker. Also don’t forget you can take a screen shot of some of these effects and email them as a postcard to your assistant. I use and heartily recommend SodaSnap. Doing this get’s their email address and gives them yours without it being too tacky! Talking about tacky, for God’s sake don’t go on and on doing iTricks. The basic mechanics doesn’t hold up to it for that long, perform a miracle or two and then quit while you are ahead! Do yourself a favor though if you own an iPhone/iTouch (and in my humble opinion anyone who doesn’t is nuts!) spend that $2:99 on Carl’s ‘No Freakin’ Way’ and you have an amazing trick, a perfect out and the hippest bit of digital magic in the iStore! Email me at nicklewin1@me.com -------------------------------------------- 7. The Snowball Effect - #150 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com As a children’s and family entertainer, I am often faced with incidents that happen that remind me of just how difficult it is to do what I do and do it well. If our goal is to be a professional at all times, there are many variables that must be addressed to ensure the success of the show. One such variable is what I refer to as the “Snowball Effect.” Allow me to give you an example. You are at a Birthday Party event and the Birthday child is having a great time. You notice they are behaving themselves and you sense this is going to be a great time for everyone. Everyone gets seated and you start the show. The kids are all watching intently and doing as you want them to do. You bring the Birthday child up to assist and then it happens. It is at this moment that this one little boy decides it is his moment to turn into a rabid dog. This child ends up making “Cujo” look tame. What tends to happen is this one child decides to start talking really loudly or starts to stand up or comes up and ties to grab a hold of the Birthday child’s legs. They cause a distraction and this distraction ends up changing the personality of the Birthday child and the kids in the audience. The Birthday child starts to act up and the next thing you know the entire audience starts to mimic what this terror child is doing. I call this the Snowball effect because of a close analogy that sums it up. Think of a snowball on the top of a hill. If you roll the snowball down the hill it gains momentum. As it does, it gets larger and poses more of a threat. This snowball will not be stopped or controlled unless stopped by an opposing force. I think we have all seen children act like this. There may be many reasons for why it happens. One of the biggest is the sheer notion that the child wants attention drawn to them instead of their friend. The other reason is that they may want their friend to think they are cool or funny by doing what they are doing. However, regardless of the reason, it is safe to say that the biggest mistake is trying to ignore it. Another mistake that many entertainers make is assuming that the adults or parent will step in and handle the situation for you. If you have performed even a few kids’ shows, you will know this simply is not the case. Many times the parent is 1) not there 2) too busy talking to other adults or 3) is too embarrassed to cause attention or focus on themselves. They may also simply feel that it is your job and responsibility. Like the snowball, if ignored, it will grow bigger and more out of control. The best idea is to take control of the situation as you notice it starting to happen. I try and combat this in several ways that I have found helpful over the years. The first thing I try and do is to get the Birthday child and his or her best friends on my side. I do this when I arrive at the event by simply shaking their hand, asking their name, asking if they like magic and just showing a genuine interest in them and their special day. By doing so, they start to see me not as another adult, but as a friend who is there to have fun with them. During the start of the show I set the ground rules. I do this by stating how I select my helpers. They must be 1) sitting down 2) have their hand raised and 3) have a big smile on their face. These ground rules are important because it shows the children what is expected of them. It does it in a fun way and I can always go back to these rules if I feel a child is getting a bit out of hand. If a child starts to act up I feel it is important not to immediately jump out of character. I am still there to entertain. I handle it usually in a 3 step fashion. The first time it happens I will remain in character and pleasantly look at the child and remind the entire audience how we select our assistants. I will ask them what we need to do and have them react back. Usually the problem child will see the other kids behaving and will jump back in line. If it happens a second time, I still remain in character but I become a little more strict in getting the point across. I might tell the children that we must stay in our seats cause if we do not someone can get hurt. I give them a reason for why we need to do the right thing. I then pause and wait for the child to react properly. They usually do. If it happens a third time, then I know I must confront this and I must step out of character to do so. I cannot allow the child to carry on and distract from the show or ruin it for the rest of the children. If it happens this third time, it is when I put on my adult voice and simply tell the child that they must do what I ask them to do or the show cannot continue. I will stop what I am doing until the child agrees. If it is too much of a problem, I might even ask for the parent or adult to step in and help out. This usually is not necessary. Keep in mind that this 3 step process is what works for me. You must learn what works for you and what you feel comfortable with. It is also important to remember that every effort is done to remain in character and to still have fun with every child during the show. The important thing though is to know that you cannot allow the incident to snowball out of control. Once one child knows he or she can get away with bad behavior, the other children will soon follow. If not addressed, it becomes a situation that soon is out of control. So realize that situations like this do happen and learn to best address them as they come up. By doing so you will remain a professional and your audiences will have more fun with you. 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. - I would like to let everyone know that I just released a NEW book and E-Book to the magic Community. "Blue and Gold! The Complete Guide to Working The Scout Market!" is now available as a soft cover printed book as well as an ebook download. - "Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic" Ebook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/Encore.html - "Tips and Techniques on the Chair Suspension" Ebook. Order online now at: http://www.magicenhancer.com/ChairSuspension.html -------------------------------------------- 8. Tony Brook in Conversation with Dal Sanders - Part 2 ------------------------------------------ Message by Anthony Darkstone Brook - Europe/USA TB: Do you prefer performing talking or musical routines? DS: Although I also do illusions to music, I am primarily a talking comedy magician. I love making people laugh and say WOW! When doing larger shows, I will often work with several stage partners (notice I don’t refer to them as assistants). They include dancers, a juggler, a fire eater, a mime and other variety artists. The people in my show are more than just props or moving tables bringing me whatever apparatus I might need. I try to make them part of the show by giving them lines and bits. It is not uncommon for the girls in my act to sign as many autographs as I do after a show because the audience has gotten to know them too. TB: As a Pro it is essential to stay fresh and create new routines, ideas, effects. How do you conduct that creative process for yourself? DS: I create routines backwards. Many times I share some sort of message in my routines so that is where I start—even though it is the last thing you communicate in the routine it is the first thing I write. I will then look for effects that will help me to communicate that message. The last thing I write is the first part of the routine. Most people will pick an effect and try to make the message fit the prop. I will write the message first and then find a prop that will help me communicate that message. The prop or effect is simply how I get the attention of the audience and get them to pay attention. This is called “winning the right to be heard”. I go into greater depth on how to do this in my lecture. TB: You told me that your Magical knowledge has been greatly influenced by books. Is there one book that shaped your thinking? DS: My favorite magic resource book is the Tarbell Course in Magic. OK…it’s seven books but you can create a whole show from them. My favorite book on kid’s magic is Professional Magic for Children by David Ginn. It’s full of great ideas and it was the first magic book to make me laugh out loud on a cross-country flight. My favorite close up book is Now You See It, Now You Don’t by Bill Tarr because of the classic effects and the clear illustrations. For magical history I enjoy Illusion Show by David Bamberg and my current favorite is Foundations: The Art of Stage Magic by Eberhard Riese. For Christmas, I received an advance copy of Beating A Dead Horse, which is about the life of Jay Marshall. Since Jay was the mentor of my mentor (and someone that I got to know while he was alive) I am sure that this will become one of my favorites too. TB: Have you ever thought of writing a magic book? DS: Even though I have made a career as an entertainer, I have always seen myself as a writer. As you know, I have some very strong opinions about our art and how it should be performed. Many of my friends in the business receive my monthly article The Magic Maniac where I discuss magic, the creative process, the business part of show business and anything else that might be on my mind. I suspect that these articles will eventually find their way into a book. TB: Keep me posted on that. I eagerly look forward to reading it when you publish it. Will it include dressing the part? I hope so, as I am not a big fan of some of today’s Magicians who perform on Stage wearing their “Street“ clothes. Yes, I know some of the big names do it and it’s a kind of ‘in’ thing to do ….. but it has always seemed to me that audiences get short-changed if a Magician looks ordinary and not dressed in some way that conveys Magic ability. I am not saying everyone needs a tux or the top hat and tails and the elegance of a Channing Pollock or Cardini, but I think that, to quote Robert-Houdin an “ actor playing the part of a Magician” should at least look like a Magician. I bring this up because this was a topic I was talking to Jeff McBride about recently …interestingly, you are one of the few people that impressed him because you looked like a Magician. Share that story with us and also the one were the young boy in Vegas asked for YOUR autograph. DS: It’s really simple. I believe that if you want to be successful then you need to look successful. I believe that entertainers should always dress nicer than their audience. I was told this by an agent who booked me for many of the television commercials and print jobs that I did in the eighties. She also pointed out that you never know when you might run into a client so you should always look good whenever you go out. Since I am a magician, I try to look the part. I will even shave and wear a nice shirt when I’m going to the Home Depot for supplies. When Jeff McBride performed & lectured at the Dallas Magic Club (S.A.M. Assembly 13) annual banquet, I dressed as if I were going to the theater. As he started the lecture part of his presentation he commented that in the room of magicians, I was the only person who actually looked like a magician because of the way I was dressed. He pointed out that we should be magicians and performers 24/7. I have always gauged my success by whether or not I was able to affect my audience (especially kids) and perhaps even effect a change in their lives. Several years ago, I was in Las Vegas in front of Treasure Island waiting for the Pirate Show. I was with several of the nation’s top magicians, clowns and a juggler, I was definitely outclassed and I was very impressed with the famous people I was getting to hang out with. Suddenly a kid ran up to our group shouting ? I know you - You’re that magic guy. Image my surprise when I realized that he was talking to me. ?You’re Dal Sanders-You came to my school and taught us about building good character, ? He went on. ? I’ll never forget you-How did you make that girl float in the air? I asked the boy where he was from and he told me that he was from Lawrence, Kansas (a town I had visited about 7 months earlier). I thanked him and sent him back to his parents (who were wondering, no doubt, who I was). I felt very successful that day. TB: I specifically asked you to tell the story about the young boy asking for your autograph in Vegas because one of your remarks that has been cemented firmly in my mind is when you said, “It is a sin to bore a child” . . . share with us that philosophy. . . . DS: Actually there are two parts to that remark, the second part relates to adults; “It is bad business to bore an adult.” I tell people in my lecture that if you don’t remember anything else from my lecture you should remember these two points. You see, what we do matters. It has an impact on people. I first realized this when I was pulled aside after a show and told about the little boy who had laughed so hard. He hadn’t laughed at all since his Mommy had died earlier that year. Another time a group of kids in a hospital show wouldn’t let me leave until they all had a chance to draw me pictures of my show for my refrigerator. As they drew, a nurse told me that for the most part they did not open up to many adults since it was the doctors and the nurses who always “hurt” them with their needles and procedures. At that point, I looked again and for the first time I realized that they were all bald. I can’t tell you how many times a teacher has come up to me after a show to thank me for using this boy or that girl. Some of the kids were so shy that the teacher thought they would never participate, other times they were thrilled that I chose some “special needs” child. It’s not just children who respond like that. Many times, I have seen adults turn into kids with my performances. I believe that everyone turns seven when they see a magician but this will not happen if we are not working on several different levels at once. We have to entertain the adults in the audience as well as the kids. It’s not just me who has these experiences. If you talk to anyone who performs magic you will find that they have similar stories. What we do often has meaning and impact far beyond what we understand. Being a magician is more than just a job. It is a calling similar to the calling that preachers have in the church. It is a calling to excellence. We have a responsibility to be the very best entertainer we can be. We should always push ourselves to raise the bar of our art. We (hopefully) get paid a fair price for doing something that we love and even though others might have more cash on hand than we do, we are in reality, wealthy beyond our wildest dreams. Let me say it again. For me, there are only two rules of magic 1. It is a sin to bore a kid and 2. It is bad business to bore an adult. TB: A calling. A calling to excellence. Yes! Exactly. Well said. Very well said. If only one magician reading this gets this crucial point, it will have been more than worthwhile creating this Conversation article. Let’s talk a bit about Awards & Trophies; you in common with many successful Pros have never entered a Magic Competition but you have several Awards and Trophies. . . . DS: I have never competed in a convention contest but I have received several awards for my work and my ideas including First Place in the 2008 ?Out of the Box competition from Creative Magic. My magic has also been recognized with several awards from corporations I have worked for. My mantel is also full of trophies and plaques that I have received for the work I have done on behalf of those less fortunate. They include accolades from The Women’s Auxiliary for my work entertaining the Patients at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas and for the work I did entertaining at shelters after Hurricane Katrina. I only got the chance to perform for the victims of Katrina because I refused to be told “no” by F.E.M.A. They were not going to allow me to entertain the kids until I told the guy with the clipboard who was guarding the door that his answer was not acceptable. Oddly enough, it’s the recognition that I have received for my volunteer work that means the most to me. TB: Yes, I can relate to that; it is in the giving that we can share our Art and indeed makes a real difference, even if it is for a few moments, in someone’s Life. But you also share in a different way as well. You and Cinde throw an annual party at your home and it is pretty much open house. How did that get started? DS: Sure Tony. You are referring to our annual Summer Splash where entertainers are invited to come out, jump in the pool, burn some hotdogs, burn our shoulders, watch videos of other magicians and lie to each other. It started when we bought our house in Dallas, which was next door to another magician, Bob Karlbach and his wife Eve. The first splash was on the Fourth of July when a few Dallas entertainers happened to be not working. We had such a good time that we decided to make it an annual event but the next year we had it on the last Sunday in July so more people could come. My friend John Shryock was in town and it was also his birthday. Since then we have kept with the last Sunday in July because that is a day when many of our friends are not working. We have magicians from all over Texas and in fact, all over the United States came out for a little fun. It’s a lot of work but it has become a bit of a tradition. End of Part 2 -Check In next week (Hidden in this article are deliberate grammatical & spelling mistakes. After much hard work, my proofreader & I have included these to please those who enjoy finding them.) Send comments & corrections to:- tbrook47@gmail.com -------------------------------------------- 9. Large Number Of Australians Registering For NZ Convention -------------------------------------------- Message by - Mick Peck (NZ) President Shore City Magicians Club Inc Large number of Australians registering for the 30th NZ International Magicians Convention June 5-7 2010 It's official - the 2010 New Zealand Magicians Convention has received the most number of overseas registrations ever for a New Zealand magic event! Interest from Australia has been fantastic and it's great to see how many people are taking advantage of the super-cheap flights across the Tasman. This convention will be a SELL OUT. If you are planning to attend register NOW! Spotlight On Our Headliner: Paul Daniels Paul Daniels' fame and achievements are not confined to the UK where he is a household name. The USA, Canada, Germany, Spain and Japan have all recognised him as a world-class entertainer. He has starred in his own hugely successful West End theatre show, headlined in Las Vegas and Broadway, as well as performing more unique magic on TV than any other magician in history. From the moment he burst onto the TV networks his magic shows topped the ratings. A recent book on TV facts calls him the most successful TV magician of the 20th century. His creative genius enabled him to produce consistently stunning shows covering small, close-up effects to enormous outside broadcast illusions. The BBC One series "The Paul Daniels Magic Show" ran from 1979 to 1994 and regularly attracted audiences of 15 million in the UK, as well as being sold to 43 countries. His TV career has not been limited to performing magic. As a presenter, he has hosted some of the most enjoyable game shows on TV. "Odd One Out," "Every Second Counts" and the highly rated "Wipe Out" have all had great success in the battle for viewers. There was also the wonderful "Wizbit" children's series, which featured a world of magic and wonder for the younger viewer. On radio, he was a BBC Radio 2 DJ for six months and for years presented a game show called "Dealing with Daniels." Always in high-demand as a celebrity guest on talk-shows, Paul's vibrant personality, love for magic and endless supply of stories and anecdotes from a lifetime in show-business make for riveting viewing. With a reputation as one of the most popular society and show-business entertainers, Paul has appeared before The Royal Family, The Sultan of Brunei, The Sultan of Oman, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Barry White, John Major, The Duke and Duchess of Wessex, and countless others. Paul will be performing his hour-long act in our convention gala shows, appearing in a very special career retrospective and Q+A, and presenting his exciting new Masterclass "Inside the Mind of Paul Daniels" on Friday the 4th of June. During this optional event registrants have the chance to spend a full day with Paul as he shares secrets of technique, presentation and showmanship. Visit our website for more information about this exclusive event, spaces are filling up. Convention Venue: Our venue is only fifteen minutes away from Auckland International Airport. Special discount rates apply to magicians attending the convention, visit our website for full details. With the current price-wars on flights both within New Zealand and across the Tasman, there's never been a better time to visit! Competitions: If you are planning on entering a competition and haven't registered please get your form into us ASAP to reserve your spot, positions are filling up. At the time of writing: Children's Entertainer: 100% full Stage Magic: 80% full Close-up Magic: 60% full MC Competition: 10% full Quick Trick: 40% full For More Information: Paul Daniels Masterclass, Friday 4 June 2010: www.scmc.co.nz/masterclass.html The 30th NZ International Magicians Convention June 5-7 2010: www.scmc.co.nz/convention.html If you're outside New Zealand and wish to learn more about payment options for international registrants just send me an email and I'll forward the information to you. Thanks, Mick Peck, President Shore City Magicians Club Inc www.scmc.co.nz 09 238 5167 027 404 8981 International Calls +64 9 2385167 Email mick@mickpeckmagic.com -------------------------------------------- 10. The Magic Castle Which Celebrates 47th Year -------------------------------------------- Article forwarded on by Mel Kientz (USA) Hollywood Pioneers Rollin B. Lane, And a Little Hollywood Magic By Allan R. Ellenberger While he is not well-known today, Rollin B. Lane was an early Hollywood resident; an admitted capitalist and philanthropist who donated large sums of money for parks, libraries and orphanages. However, if he is known at all it would be for a street named for his mother, and for the home he built a century ago, which is now one of the oldest still standing in Hollywood. One-hundred years ago Lane named his home the “Holly Chateau” but for the past forty-seven years the public has known it by its more celebrated name - the Magic Castle which celebrates its 47th year January 2, 2010! Rollin Benjamin Lane was born on May 28, 1854 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the son of Leonard Lane and Olive Pickett. The family home was located on Algoma Street, however his parents divorced (or his father deserted them) and Rollins and his mother moved to nearby Pickett when he was two years old. His maternal grandparents, Armine and Anna Pickett, were pioneer residents of Pickett and Winnebago county. Lane attended school at the old district No. 6 building which was built on land donated by his grandfather. He attended Ripon College and graduated in 1872. Later, he was for five years an associate editor of the old Daily Evening Wisconsin in Milwaukee before settling in Redlands, California in the winter of 1886. There he invested in real estate and owned a 17-acre orange grove. With other investors he established the Union Bank of Redlands, of which he was cashier for five years. In 1890 Lane moved to Portland, Oregon, where he took part in organizing the Multnomah County Bank, of which he was president for three years, selling his interest in 1895. In October 1896, Lane married Katherine Azubah Glynn, a teacher and the author of the fictional, “The Girl from Oshkosh.” Kate was born in March 3, 1864 in Bucktooth, New York to La Fayette Glynn and Mary E. Perry. She was also the great-granddaughter of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the early American naval officer. Lane, an ardent Republican, hastened his wedding to Katherine in order to return to California in time to vote in the presidential election for McKinley. Katherine evidently sympathized and consented to a hurried wedding and the couple left immediately for Redlands. There he purchased a house at the head of Center Street. The Lane’s slowly made their presence known in Hollywood, reportedly moving there around 1902, making friends with influential people of the fairly new community. They attended the formal opening of the new addition to the Hollywood Hotel in 1905. It was during these times that he most likely became acquainted with local real estate icons such as the Whitley’s, Wilcox’s and other Hollywood pioneers. Meanwhile, Lane continued with his California real estate investments including the San Fernando and San Joaquin Valley’s. In 1907, Lane became one of the backers of the new community of Corcoran in central California. Founded by H.J. Whitley, who also had a presence in Hollywood (Whitley Heights, Whitley Avenue), many of his associates in this endeavor were other Hollywood citizens including General H. G. Otis (Los Angeles Times), Arthur Letts (Broadway Department Store), and Dr. Alan Gardner (Gardner Avenue). Much later Corcoran became the location of the California State Prison, home to a number of notable inmates including Charles Manson, Juan Corona and Phil Spector. Already transplanted to Hollywood, Lane began construction in early 1909 on his elegant Holly Chateau at the foot of the Hollywood Hills at 7001 Franklin Avenue. The original house was designed by the architectural firm of Dennis and Farwell in the French “Chateau” or Gothic Renaissance style and adapted from a residence in Redlands known as “Kimberly Crest” [pictured at the right] which has been preserved as a house museum. A two-story frame and cement plaster house, Holly Chateau has a large basement and a finished attic under a mansard roof. The home initially had seventeen rooms including a roof garden and sun parlor. The basement contained a laundry, fruit and storage rooms and two large gas furnaces which heated the house. The halls, staircase and library were made of quarter-sawed white oak; the dining room was of mahogany and the den in natural redwood and of Turkish design. The parlor was decorated in white enamel with gold decorations in the Louis XV style, while the balance of the house, including the bedrooms and five bathrooms had white enamel finish. A large billiard room occupied the third floor. Other features included French windows, five or six fireplaces and carved mantels. The Lanes shared their wealth with causes that were closest to their hearts. Because of her interest in community parks, Katherine was known as the “Tree Lady.” Lanewood Avenue (named after Lane’s twice-married mother, Olive Pickett Lane-Wood), in Hollywood, is still lined with large pine trees which Katherine most likely planted since the Lane’s once owned the land. She was chairman of the tree-planting committee that procured 360 cherry trees from Japan for planting in and around Griffith Park. Working with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Katherine is responsible for the planting of the landmark palm trees that line Wilshire Boulevard. Katherine was elected president of the Hollywood Women’s Club and was also the founder of the Round-the-World Club, Lane Tree Club, Perry Art Club and The Juniors, and a member of the Hollywood Club, Oshkosh Club, Ebell Club, Women’s Press Club, Daughters of the American Revolution and Casa Del Mar. She was also the official hostess to the Wisconsin delegates of the 1932 Olympics, which were held in Los Angeles. The Lane’s adopted a son sometime after moving into the Chateau in 1909. The 1910 census does not mention a son, however in 1920, twelve year-old Rollin B. Lane Jr. appears. Some have assumed that explains a $25,000 donation for the construction of a building for the Los Angeles Children’s Home Society, but not much is known about the adoption. Discord came to the Chateau in mid 1923, when Katherine filed for divorce against her 69 year-old husband. In her complaint she charged cruelty and named another woman, asking for $750 a month in alimony. A restraining order was issued to prevent Lane from removing anything from the house. However, after a meeting between the couple and their lawyers, a reconciliation was arranged and Lane returned to living at 7001 Franklin Avenue. However, it appears that Lane atoned for his sins the following January when he took Katherine and their son on a world cruise. This was followed by a tour of Alaska two years later and another world tour in 1927. As the movie industry invaded Hollywood, the Lane’s kept their distance and refused to hobnob with the communities new residents. There have been legends about cowboy star, Tom Mix riding his horse down the mansion’s staircase (this story seems to follow him at several Hollywood residences) but it never happened. Also, the story that actress Janet Gaynor once lived at the Chateau are also false. The closest the Lanes came to acknowledging the entertainment industry was celebrating the birthday of composer, Carrie Jacobs-Bond, which was held at the Chateau for several years. Bond, who also lived in Hollywood, was a songwriter probably best known for composing the wedding standard, “I Love You Truly.” It became Katherine’s custom to celebrate Bond’s birthday with a garden party. During their world cruise in 1924, Katherine was on the Indian Ocean and the ship’s orchestra played “A Perfect Day,” - a Bond composition - and being so far from home, it touched her heart and there she decided that if she reached home safely, she would give flowers to Bond, honoring her living presence instead of her memory. One birthday celebration in particular, August 11, 1925, more than 300 people gathered on the Chateau grounds to observe Bond’s 64th birthday. Among those who attended were George H. Coffin, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce; real estate developer, C. E. Toberman; impresario, L. E. Beyhmer, and many others from Hollywood society. While no film people actually attended the festivities (or were invited), telegrams of felicitations were received from Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin and “other celebrities.” In May 1929, Rollin Lane presented his alma-mater, the Ripon College Board of Trustees with $100,000, to be used to build the Lane Library. Lane, his mother-in-law, Mary Glynn and Katherine attended the cornerstone laying ceremony in June 1930. The year before Lane gave $20,000 for the construction of a new school building and auditorium in his hometown of Pickett, named the Armine and Anna Pickett Memorial School, after his maternal grandparents. Today it’s known as the Pickett Community Center. “It was quite the party when he came back to dedicate it,” said Mary Callies, researcher and treasurer of the Center. “There were endless parties; everyone wanted to be with someone who knew somebody in Hollywood.” Day-to-day life, though slower, continued at Holly Chateau for the Lane’s. Around 1936, Lane became ill and rarely left the house. On August 23, 1940, Rollin B. Lane died of a stroke in a small corner bedroom of the Chateau. He was 86 years-old. Funeral services were held at the Hollywood Cemetery Chapel and burial was in the family plot next to his mother. Katherine continued to live at 7001 Franklin Avenue until her death at the Glendale Sanitarium on December 9, 1945. She was buried at Hollywood Cemetery between her husband and her mother (who is unmarked). During the years after Katherine’s death, the Chateau was divided into a multi-family home, then it was a home for the elderly and lastly it was altered into a jumble of small apartments. In 1950, Harry Stafford, a stage and screen actor, died in one of the rooms. The Holly Chateau stayed in the Lane family until it was sold to Thomas Glover in 1955. The fate of the house was in question until Milt Larsen a writer on the NBC game show, Truth or Consequences and his brother William, obtained the house for use as a club for magicians - a long-time dream of their father. After months of restoration, the Lane mansion was transformed into what is known today as the Magic Castle. Forty-seven years ago (January 2, 1963) at 5 pm, the Magic Castle opened its doors to members. It became a mysterious mansion with secret panels, a piano played by a ghost and weird overtones of magic. The mystifying features of the place began with the entrance, a secret panel known but to members. The “Invisible Irma” room boasts a regular piano and plays tunes at a verbal command. Original posters of Houdini, the Mysterious Dante, the Great Leon, Thurston’s “Wonder Show of the Earth” and Brush, “King of Wizards,” decorated the Blackstone Room, where card tables are provided for sleight-of-hand experts. The mansion has been altered since the days that the Lane’s lived there - both inside and out. Street lamps that adorn the driveway once dotted the original Victoria Pier in Venice. Decorative cast iron frieze work on the canopy overhanging the door was part of the entrance to the Masonic temple at Wilshire and La Brea. Paneling in the main dining room was taken from the shutters of the Norma Talmadge Building that used to stand on Sunset. And the chandeliers in the Palace of Mystery once hung in the first Bullock’s in Southern California. What would Rollin and Katherine Lane think of the transformation of their mansion? The room where Rollin Lane died is now the Houdini Séance room - perhaps one day Rollin will attend (or already has) to whatever goes on there and make his thoughts known. In any event, the only way you can see this magical place is if you know a member. If you ever have the chance, take it. You won’t be disappointed. Special thanks to George W. Siegel, the architectural historian for the Magic Castle and to Bill Goodwin, librarian and Lisa Cousins of the Magic Castle for their help with this article. Source: http://blog.allanellenberger.com/book-flm-news/rollin-b-and-katherine-lane-hollywood-pioneers/ -------------------------------------------- 11. Attention Mentalists! Don't Miss Mindvention 2010 -------------------------------------------- Message by Danny Archer (USA) Attention Mentalists! Danny Archer & Robert Allen Invite You to Join them at Mindvention 2010 October 17-19 Take Advantage of our Early Bird Special $225.00 p/p until January 31, 2010 $250.00 after that! Paypal and Credit Cards Accepted www.Mindvention.net To see Danny Archer's video review of the 2009 MINDvention on YouTube, please click the link below... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVNoGgwjH7M -------------------------------------------- 12. Update On The Innovention -------------------------------------------- Message by Paul Stone (USA) Just wanted to let you know that although there was a slight delay in finishing the website for The Innovention taking place at the Suncoast Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on October 4, 5, 6 & 7, 2010, it is now all up and running, and for a limited period anyone registering will receive the 'Special $50 Introductory Discount'. As an added bonus, if they register before January 31st 2010, they will also receive a superb 'Fred Kaps Wallet', from the Limited Edition Ken Brooke Signature Classics Range, valued at $159! Full details www.innovention2010.com -------------------------------------------- 13. January 25th Show Starring Dean Atkinson -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Morton (Aust) At Mitcham Magic we are starting the year off with a bang! I'm really pleased to announce a special January 25th show starring Dean Atkinson. Many of you may know Dean from his appearances on "Australia's Got Talent" where his hilarious ventriloquism acts wowed the judges and won him the "Judges Choice' award. Since then Dean has been traveling the high seas performing his act aboard cruise ships. He's back on dry land temporarily and this may be your only chance to see Dean's full show. It's a hilarious night of madcap fun and humour that is suitable for all ages. Supporting Dean will be mentalist Nick Morton with some amazing mind-reading antics so it will definitely be a show not to be missed. After the January show Mitcham Magic will be moving to a new quarterly format. We have decided to run the shows to line up with the school holidays to give both kids and adults a chance to enjoy the shows. The dates of the shows will be Mar 29th, Jun 28th, Sept 27th and Dec 20th. Tickets for Mitcham Magic are only Adults: $10, Kids: $5. You can book tickets by calling Helen on 0414 626 358 or you can buy them at the door - subject to availability. (Please note, anyone pre-booking ticket receives priority seating on the night). We are on at the Mitcham RSL, 26 McDowall St, Mitcham. Doors open at 7.00pm and show starts at 7.30pm. To make a Bistro Booking please call 9873 1792. The bistro will be open from 5.00pm and bookings are strongly recommended. Come along, have a great night, and help keep live variety alive in the suburbs. -------------------------------------------- 14. St. Vincent Magic Convention - Italy, 19-23 May 2010 -------------------------------------------- Message by Marco Pusterla (Italy) The Circolo Amici della Magia di Torino, Italy, is pleased to announce the 9th Edition of its Magic Convention, held, once again, in the city of St. Vincent, in north Italy. This Convention, from 19 to 23 May 2010, will bring to Italy some of the World's greatest artists, all together under a single roof for 5 days of non-stop magic: Steve Forte, Bill Malone, Michael Weber, Ed Alonzo, Bill Kalush, Lennart Green, David Williamson. These are only some of the great names that will perform and lecture in Italy. Four different competitions, for total prizes of up to 12,000 EUR, a large number of magic dealers, a new Guinness World Record in Magic and many, many other events will make this Convention a legendary one! For further information: http://www.mastersofmagic.it/saintvincent2010/ or email: segreteria@mastersofmagic.it -------------------------------------------- 15. An Evening Of Amazing Magic & Illusion -------------------------------------------- Message by Robert Segal (US) I’m presenting my full Magic & Illusion Show in Coconut Creek, Florida USA on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 8PM! One show only! Robert Segal www.magicofrober.com (888) 762-3711 (888) ROBER-11 -------------------------------------------- 16. Cosentino's Tribute To Harry Houdini -------------------------------------------- Message by Tim Ellis (Aust) An escape from the waters of Melbourne Aquarium On February 17th 1910 the Great Harry Houdini jumped manacled off Melbourne’s Queens Bridge into the Yarra River. One hundred years to the day, escape artist Cosentino will attempt the greatest feat of escapology since Houdini’s time. Handcuffed, chained and shackled to a 60kg concrete block, Cosentino will be sunk to the bottom of the Melbourne Aquarium. Isolated, alone and surrounded by creatures of the deep sea, with only lock picks to aid his escape, he will attempt to free himself from a 2.2 million litre watery grave. Wednesday February 17th, 2010 @ 8:15am Live at Melbourne Aquarium Cnr King & Flinders Streets Melbourne 3000 Front Desk: 03 9923 5925 www.melbourneaquarium.com.au www.cosentino.com.au -------------------------------------------- 17. 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) -------------------------------------------- 18. 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. 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