Rolando Medina. Born to Make Magic.

•August 17, 2022 • Leave a Comment

Rolando Medina was born in Mexico City in the late 70s and was quickly intrigued by the world of magic with childhood experiences of seeing magicians on TV and magical performances at birthday parties. When Medina was lucky enough to see David Copperfield performing live in the early 80s in Mexico City, it made a big impression on him and solidified his interest. Rolando’s other interests while growing up were art and crafts; there were many wonderful opportunities to watch artisans and craftsmen demonstrate their skills in Mexico City, and this sowed seeds that were to bear fruit in his future life as a creator of magic and magical props. 

At the age of 13 Medina moved to the United States with his parents, when his father accepted a position as a professor at the University of Texas in beautiful San Antonio. It was here that the influence and accessibility of magic became even more prominent in his life. One of Rolando’s first actions upon learning to drive was visiting the various magic shops in his new hometown. He quickly acquired his first job in the magic world and began working at the Elbee Magic Company. This thriving magic store was owned and run by Louis Berkowitz aka 

El Bebo or Berkie, who was something of a legend in the world of magical dealers, launching quite a few magical careers from his store. Berkowitz became a magic mentor to Rolando and introduced him to the various local magicians and San Antonio’s magic clubs. Berkowitz was also known as the King of Wooden Nickels, but that is another, rather fascinating, story.

Medina became interested in the business side of running a magic shop while working in Elbee Magic, and he started to learn about the manufacturing of magic products.  Within a few years, Rolando would open a magic store of his own and start the journey to becoming the maker of the high-end precision props that he is now celebrated for. I asked Rolo what it was that initially intrigued him about the nature of the props he was selling. “I became fascinated by the ‘cleverness’ of the props,” says Medina, “and the nature of the mechanics involved in them. For example the cigarette through coin, and items of that sort.” Rolando not only learned how to sell magic from behind the counter but got a taste of how magic props were constructed and the ways they could be improved. When not working in the magic store, Rolando was also learning how to perform and entertain real audiences with his magic. 

Medina became a strong and seasoned magical performer during these years presenting his sleight of hand magic show whenever he had the opportunity. By the mid-2000s he became a very successful “Cafe Busker,” which is akin to working in restaurants, but based on the concept of having access to a lot of different establishments side by side and barnstorming your way from one to another performing your magic. The performers weren’t under contract to any one venue, but were free to come and go at will plying their trade. This was an ideal situation in San Antonio with its famous River Walk area, and in a couple of years, Medina successfully honed his performance skills. Rolando also took his magic from the cafes and onto the street quickly mastering to art of Street Magic. During this time Medina enjoyed interacting with other local Texas magicians including, Paul Mims, Bro. John Hamman, Alex Gutierrez, and Jeff Gifford all of whom became very influential to him. Medina’s ever-increasing sleight of hand skills also won him first place in the T.A.O.M. close-up magic contest.

Rolando’s performing career took something of a different path now and his deep interest in street magic branched into the rather specialized area of Carnival Magic. I asked him how he progressed from doing a Bro. John Hamman card trick to walking up a ladder of swords. Medina responded, “I had the opportunity of working at a thriving local haunted house for several seasons, where the operators had installed a small carnival area outside to accommodate the waiting crowds. I also had access to the Haunted House workshop where I was able to build various performance props. In this way, I was able to master some Sideshow Magic to entertain the lines of people waiting to enter the haunted house. At the time Sideshow Magic was not nearly as mainstream as it is now.” This opportunity lasted for five or six years and left him able to build and perform some of the more esoteric peripheries in the “Carnival Magic” arsenal.

One thing that both Medina’s street performing and his limited, but very work intensive, 28-day Haunted House seasons had in common was that they were both in effect “grind shows” or non-stop performing events. This is a grueling pace to work, but a superb way to learn and develop your performance. I asked Rolando what the top secret to becoming a good street performer was and he instantly replied, “ Being fearless, tenacious, and not being dissuaded.” This seems to me to be a fine roadmap for any kind of career in show business, but existentially more so in the field of Street Magic. “When you busk,” added Medina, “there is something very tangible at stake; your livelihood and making money from your performance. The priority of things changes quite a bit, and you have to get good when you need to pay your bills and buy food to eat. ” Amen to that!

Street Magic is an art that Rolando has certainly mastered and to this day he can hit the crowded streets of San Antonio for a few hours and return with more cash than other performers might make doing two-set shows. One other factor Medina stresses about Street Performing is the need for fearless experimentation in one’s performance material and the physical props you need to utilize to achieve your goals. Having fully honed his performance skills, Rolando redirected his vision and in time went on to achieve success in an area that every magician relies on, but very few master. Medina became a superb creator and manufacturer of high-precision props and a specialist in the design and creation of custom props. I would now like to turn my attention to Rolando the maker of remarkable magic props and devices.

Medina has built up an impressive workshop filled with highly specialized and customized equipment. I asked him what was the very first major piece of equipment he acquired. He responded instantly, “A precision metal lathe that allowed me to dive into a process that few people attempt–the coin gaff. The very first things that I made that were real winners were coin bites and folding coins for the coin in bottle.” As someone who spends more than his fair share of time putting coins inside bottles, I can affirm that Rolando makes the finest folding coin on the market. Rolo added, “As makers, we soon become collectors of equipment that is utilized in different ways, often in ways for which it was not intended, including all the new technologies such as 3D printing for prototypes and development. The sky is the limit!”

I asked Medina to elaborate on the process of creating new magic. He replied, “The manufacturing and creation process breaks down into two basic forms; there is both the subtractive manufacturing and the additive manufacturing process. Each field gives one the ability to make anything. The possibility is there to make your goal or idea into a reality. The way my process works is that I have an idea for a prop, figure out in my head how that device would function in a performance environment, and then begin to reverse engineer the prototype from there. Next, I make one and test it as much as possible before going back to the drawing board. It is a repetitive process.”

I asked Rolando about some of the items he currently creates, “I manufacture a line of Studare eggs that I am very pleased with, a Voodoo Stick Man, and a state-of-the-art Three Shell Game. In addition of course to the line of gaffed coins which I am most identified with.” I asked him to tell me more about the rather unique Studare eggs that he makes utilizing a real egg. “To me, the legitimacy of the real-life object is very important when applied to magic. Why would you use a plastic egg, when you could use a real egg?” Medina recently collaborated with Bizzaro to make an item called“Overstuffed” for Theory 11. This saw him constructing a stash of over 1000 molded plastic Oreo cookies that were so realistic that anyone with a sweet tooth might be tempted to chip a molar by taking a bite.

I enquired about the various coins that Rolando constructs, “I make a swizzle stack of coins, a Ramsey Coins and Cylinders, Scotch and Soda sets, and shell coins of every kind,“ said Medina. “I also make specialty wands, which is another item I create that is reverse engineered for real performance environments. The wands you buy nowadays are mostly decorative or ornate and they do not last very long. I now make a busker wand based on the one I have used for many years. It is made from one solid piece of material to withstand wear and tear.”

One of my favorite Medina’s creations is his woven “Monkey Fist” leather balls for the “Cups and Balls.” This is yet another prop that combines a delightful visual aesthetic with a practical hidden purpose. Rolando’s performing skills have tempered and informed his vision of design in their manufacturing process. Anyone performing this classic of magic knows that for viewing by larger crowds it is necessary to perform the routine on a raked table to afford maximum visibility. With the textured surface of the “Monkey Fist” balls, you will not find yourself breaking the flow of your show by scrabbling for balls that have rolled onto the ground. The intricacy of construction of these balls appears to a lay audience as a pleasing artistic choice, but it also conceals the practical nature of the magical design.

What is upcoming in the future for Rolando Medina? Well, like all good innovators, Medina is a little tight-lipped on his upcoming releases. However, the one thing that Rolando keeps as a constant goal in his plans is maintaining the high standard of his line of props. Medina’s work has become the gold standard for discerning magicians around the world and that is something that he plans to keep center stage as his work expands and as he explores new territories and horizons. I strongly suggest you take a look at

Rolando’s online retail store at www.rolandomedinamagic.com  He makes some amazing products!

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Shimada. The Passing of a Master

•June 18, 2022 • Leave a Comment

On April 30, 2022 with the passing of Shimada, the magic world lost one of the true masters of our artform. His legacy is remarkable and the impact of his skills as both magician and showman changed the magic world forever. It is impossible to detailing his many achievements in a short tribute, but I will try to cover some. There are many personal stories and memories I would like to share, however, in this formal tribute I will restrict myself to his basic life story, which even in a skeletal form is as amazing as the man himself. 

I would encourage any of our readers who were not lucky enough to have seen Shimada perform to carefully study the videos of his work. There has never been a magician who could achieve quite so much with a stare, or a momentary freeze of their actions the way Shimada could. He would create tension with his eyes and then dissolve it with a brief smile flashing across his face. There are mountains of knowledge to be gleaned by watching his presentation even before one begins to dissect his phenomenal magical skills.

Haruo Shimada was born on December 19th, 1940, in Tokyo, Japan. It was the Year of the Dragon. By the time Shimada was 15, he was already eyeing a future in magic. It was at this age, young Haruo discovered the Tenyo Magic Corner at a department store in Tokyo. He started visiting the store every day, finally buying a thumb tip, before moving on to learn the multiplying billiard balls. The young Shimada was now officially on his way to becoming a magician.

Shimada was then hired to demonstrate in all six of the Tenyo Magic Corners at various department stores. This is where Haruo learned the core of close-up magic skills that always remained hidden, just a tiny distance, beneath the dove and manipulative magic that became his trademark style of magical performance. Those of us who were lucky enough to see Haruo perform close-up sleight of hand were unanimous in our awe at his talent in this area.

Soon Shimada was traveling with Tenkō Hikita, who had also been a demonstrator at the Tenyo Magic Corners, and was acting as an assistant in his illusion show. In the show Haruo also performing his 35 Billiard Ball routine and a card routine. In 1957 the Grand Master of Japanese magic Tenkai Ishida came back to Japan after an extended absence and Haruo began taking lessons from him. In this way he began his magical path by mixing elements of Tenkai, Tenkō, and Tenyo and fusing them with his personal style. In 1960, along with Tenkō, he performed at the Kanreki (a very special 60th birthday party in Japanese tradition) for Emperor Hirohito. His solo career, however, was not yet launched until the arrival of Channing Pollock.

It was when Shimada created his dove act that his solo magic took off commercially. This clicked into place when Shimada was 19 years old and saw Channing Pollock in the movie European Nights. What he saw entranced him. Haruo watched the movie many times and decided on two key goals; firstly, he wanted to learn the art of dove magic, and secondly, he wanted to explore the intense romantic charisma that Channing had introduced into the art form. Working independently from Pollock’s magical methods, Shimada began re-inventing the structure of dove magic. He developed his bare hand production of a dove on a cane, his dove on a fan of cards, and the splitting of a dove in two. Shimada’s dove magic was original, groundbreaking, and beautiful to watch.

In the early 1960s, while still developing his dove and manipulation act, Shimada got a big break during the XV11 Olympiad.  Shimada’s performance was seen by an Australian producer who hired him to tour Australia with a large-scale production show. The tour was a great success. Haruo preferred the more demonstrative Australian audiences to their quieter Japanese counterparts and decided to start his quest for stardom in Australia, while always seeing America as his ultimate destination. 

Shimada returned to Australia in 1965 and quickly formed a working relationship with the beautiful Deanna Perkins who was to become an integral part of his work as his onstage partner. In October 1965 they became husband and wife and created an onstage team that many people consider one of the finest that the magic world has known. Shimada became a highly respected performer in Australia, performing on numerous TV shows and live venues. In 1966 Haruo and Deanna’s marriage was blessed with the birth of a daughter Lisa. Born into such a magical background it is little wonder that Lisa (who grew up to become Luna) has become a highly respected magician in her own right and continues the Shimada legacy. In 1979 the Shimada family was completed with the birth of their son Jason.

Shimada & Deanna worked together for three years performing shows throughout Australia before setting off for Mexico. Arriving in Mexico, the duo was hired to appear in the Teatro Blanquette which was home to most of Mexico’s top performers. They also took detours to appear in London and Japan, but Shimada had his eyes firmly set on the American market. Advice from Tony Slydini and Jack Goldfinger set Haruo on the trail to booking the annual Los Angeles magic production It’s Magic! It would prove to be the very steppingstone he needed to achieve his vision and become a magical star in the United States.

Shimada made his first appearance in the America in 1971 in Milt Larsen’s It’s Magic! show performing the debut of his recently devised parasol act. His early hero Channing Pollock saw his act and approached him about becoming his personal manager. Over the years Haruo would receive much sage advice and counsel from Channing.

After It’s Magic! Shimada became something of an artistic fixture performing at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. It was here that he developed the somewhat mysterious and intense “samurai style” that became synonymous with his future image and persona. Bill Larsen was amazed and delighted when he first discovered that in addition to the parasol act, Shimada performed what he described as, “the greatest dove act I have ever seen.”

Larsen was not alone in this opinion and later in 1971, Shimada made the first of four appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Many international and national gigs were to follow, with Shimada eventually becoming a major Las Vegas attraction in the celebrated Casino de Paris Show at the Dunes Hotel. In 1975 Shimada put the finishing touch to his popular parasol act when he added a spectacular 60-foot fire-breathing dragon transposition as the finale to his show.

Shimada was given a contract in 1981 to be the featured specialty act in Liberace’s spectacular Las Vegas show. After this Shimada toured Europe and continued to appear in major Las Vegas shows, including replacing Siegfried & Roy in the Lido de Paris show at the Stardust Hotel. In 1988 Shimada started a five-year run in the show Splash at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. Shimada had well and truly arrived and was in the very top tier of magicians around the world. Four television specials in Japan were filmed around him in 1989; coupled with his numerous other television appearances, Shimada had achieved multi-medium star status in the entertainment world.

In 1993, exhausted from these lengthy Vegas contracts, Shimada decided to return to his roots in Japan. Leaving his family in Las Vegas, Haruo returned to Tokyo to continue the tradition and mentor several young performers in presenting the performances he had created. In 1998 Shimada returned to America performing the Parasol/Dragon and Dove Act with his new wife Keiley and proved that the master had not lost his touch. Shimada’s immaculate performances once more delighted and entertained magicians across the United States and Europe. Every award that magic could offer was bestowed upon Shimada over the years and he deserved them all. 

I first met Shimada in 1974, when I saw him perform in the tiny Magic Cabaret theater at the Magic Castle. I was knocked out by this magnificent entertainer and was lucky enough to get to know him a little and work with him throughout the years. He was one of the true grandmasters of our art, It is a privilege to have known such a giant of magic. The loss to our magic community with Shimada’s passing is a profound one. Shimada leaves behind his wife Keiley Shimada, daughter Luna Shimada, son Jason Shimada, and his grandchildren Tara, Adam, and Iona Losander Shimada.

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians

Martin’s Latest Miracles. Some great reading!

•May 19, 2022 • Leave a Comment

I first heard about Martin Lewis when I played the esteemed Magic Cellar in San Francisco in 1974. Sadly, the Magic Cellar is now long gone but Martin Lewis is still very much around and has just released one of the finest magic books that I have been lucky enough ever to get my hands on. The book is Making Magic, and within its 350 pages, it contains 38 Stage and Parlor routines and 22 Close-Up routines. This is a treasure trove of great magic and one of the best written and illustrated magic books ever offered to the magic community. However, the technical quality of a magic book doesn’t amount to much unless it is matched by great material, and this book contains Grade A magic and routines many of which have been perfected for years in Martin’s highly commercial act. The book is accompanied by a disc containing templates and plans of various props described in the book.

Before I go into more details about the contents of Making Magic, let me take the opportunity to tell you a little about the man behind the book. As I stated the Magic Cellar is where I first heard about Martin, and since Martin and I both hailed from England everybody assumed that we had been early friends back in the U.K., but England isn’t quite as small as many people imagine it to be. I didn’t meet Martin until several years later at the Magic Castle when we drifted into a very comfortable friendship. That friendship is tempered by a great deal of respect on my part. Everything Martin does, he does well, whether it is creating, performing, or writing about magic.

Martin Lewis was born in England in the city of Northampton in the Midlands, but left England at 20 years old and began a new life in America. Martin’s sister Valerie had married an American serviceman and moved to San Bernadino. Martin’s mom Gladys, who was a red cross nurse in the war, came out to visit Valerie and decided to remain and continue her career as a midwife. This was a job for which there was a great need in California, and she was easily able to get a visa.

About a year later dad decided it was a good idea for him to also move to the USA along with Martin and his brother, whose full name was Andrew Robert Harbin Lewis. From that name you immediately know that dad was a magician, in fact, his best friend was the great Robert Harbin. Indeed, Martin’s father Eric was not only a wonderful magician but also something of a Renaissance man, a writer, and an artist. However, he was not the kind of person the government necessarily wanted to bestow a working visa on. Finally, after ultimately suing the US Government, Eric acquired the paperwork necessary to reunite the entire family in sunny California on January 1st, 1968.

In England, after leaving school Martin worked in the leather clothing industry as a clicker, cutting out leather into different shapes to sew into jackets. He was paid by the unit in what is known as the clicking room. No one wanted to talk too much as they worked because they were trying to make as much money as possible. Everyone worked with wooden handled, sharp curved knives cutting the leather on a wooden surface, and all you could hear was a clicking sound, hence the name “clicking room. This detailed and precise work would doubtlessly have proven a great apprenticeship for Martin’s skills as a magical creator and manufacturer. However, Martin had very little interest in performing magic in his first 21 years. That was soon to change.

On his 21st birthday Martin, accompanied by his dad, visited the Magic Castle and at the 7:45pm show in the close-up gallery had an epiphany watching the amazing close-up magic of Albert Goshman. “I came out of that room just bewildered,” Martin says. “I told my dad that I must know about this! I had never seen anything like this kind of magic. I had just seen stand-up prop magic.” Eric gave Martin a copy of the Royal Road to Card Magic and said, “You might want to take a look at this,” says Martin. “I learned every trick in the book, I am like that, when I’m interested in something I get into it 110 percent. So, I went back to him a couple of months later and said, I’ve learned everything in here.” “You, mean you’ve read everything you haven’t learned it,” said Eric, who then made Martin demonstrate various tricks from the pages of the “Royal Road….” Eric then gave Martin a copy of Bobo’s Coin Magic to continue his education. “That’s how I got started,” says Martin, “and when I was ready my father gave me all the help I needed.”

Upon arriving in America, Eric Lewis worked for Jim Worth at Simon Magic in Sun Valley building props and was later to reprise this role working with Johnny Gaughn. Eric was no stranger to making magic props; in the 1930’s he had founded the Magikraft studio of magician’s props in England. Martin was later to relaunch the Magikraft business and turned it into one of the top boutique magic brands in the worldwide magic community.

 

From 1968 onwards Martin was at the Magic Castle hanging out with Dai Vernon, Kuda Bux, and the gang almost every night; he also began appearing in the Castle’s Close-Up Gallery. When Eric Lewis moved up North to restore the legendary Albo magic collection, Martin went with him anxious to explore the vibrant Northern California magic scene. He discovered the Magic Cellar in San Francisco where he became the house magician from ’71 through‘74. During his residency, Martin expanded from his close-up magic roots and developed his comedy magic stage show. He describes the transition to stand-up as being rather scary having to leave behind the safety of having a table between him and his audience. I know many magicians share those qualms!

Returning to Southern California in ’74 Lewis began playing the “big” room at the Castle, which was then situated in the Castle wine cellar and known as the Magic Cabaret. In 1974 he won the prestigious stand-up magician of the year award from the Castle’s Academy of Magical Arts. It was to be the first of many awards. In the mid-‘70s, booked by Ron Wilson, Martin tried his hand as guest entertainer on his first cruise ship and quickly became one of the most popular cruise entertainers on the circuit.

In the early ’80s, Martin began working in the burgeoning comedy club market, and eventually, this led to Martin opening casino shows for Debbie Reynolds and touring with acts like Hoyt Axton and John Stewart. Martin began performing illusions when he was working in the Doo Dah Daze production show in Las Vegas and “Could it be Magic?” in Lake Tahoe. By now Lewis had become the fully-fledged triple threat, performing close-up, stand-up, and illusion magic. It was during this time that Martin was a key participant in magic’s fabled “Left-Handed League,” along with Harry Anderson, Jay Johnston, Mike Caveney, Tina Lenert, Turk Pipkin, and Catherine Miller.

 

After Martin’s father Eric passed in 1988, Martin picked up the reins of his father’s iconic Magikraft magic company. For many years Martin had been making high-end unique collectible magic props out of exotic woods. At a certain point, Martin realized he was creating some tricks that could be mass-produced, and his move into helming Magikraft was a natural progression. Lewis released items such as Cardiographic,Technicolor Prediction, and The Sidewalk Shuffle that became worldwide magical favorites. Lewis is lucky to be married to the perfect dyadic partner with his beautiful Austrian wife Susanne, whose financial and business acumen blended perfectly with Martin’s creative magical skills. They make a perfect team.

Let me back to Martin’s remarkable new book. I recently had the opportunity to ask Martin for his other thoughts and insights behind the book. As accomplished a performer as Lewis is, his first love had long been building magic. “Since I retired from performing,” says Martin, “I haven’t missed going back on stage at all. I don’t mind if I never go back. My time in my workshop is precious to me, and that’s what I love to do.”

“I’ve been working on Making Magic for 50 years really, but I spent a lot of time on cruises, and if it was a choice of sitting in a stuffy cabin pecking out tricks on a typewriter or drinking Pina Coladas by the pool. I opted for the pool. I started writing up different tricks and putting them into a folder but I never really did anything with them. Then COVID came along, business dropped out and I said, “I’m going to write the book now. So, this is my effort to gather stuff I’ve created over the past 50 years in one place. Since my magic is constantly evolving, I have rewritten everything to bring it up to date. It contains material from my lectures, magazine articles, videos, marketed tricks, and notebooks.”

 “I started physically putting the book together in 2020. I thought the writing part would be the hard part, but it turned out that this was the easiest part of producing the book. The hardest part was physically putting the book together. I learned how to use InDesign to do the layout, which was quite a learning curve, also I wanted to have illustrations in the book, I didn’t want photographs; I think that illustrations are much clearer and easy to follow. There are over 300 drawings in the book, and everyone was taken from a photograph.

 I wanted to put things down in detail. A lot of the tricks in the book have been published before, but they have always been just brief magic instructions, just a few lines giving people the general idea. I wanted people to see my timing, the details of my presentation, and why I do what I do. My goal was to fill the book with things that were exciting for magicians. There are a lot of books on magic featuring different subjects, philosophy, stage handling, and other topics. However, ultimately this book is just about tricks, but they are damn good tricks!”

 Making Magic is the kind of book that the magic world does not see often; it aims high and exceeds its goal. Packed full of high-quality routines, the writing and illustrations are exceptional. When you catch the subtle wordplay contained within the title of the book you realize that much of the material requires a little construction and handiwork to bring the routines into being. That’s why the writing and illustrations are so important. I am not much of a “do it yourself” guy, but Lewis takes you by the hand and guides you with quiet expertise.

 The tricks themselves are high quality and very commercial, with many of them direct from Martin’s act or his company’s roster of marketed effects. There is even a separate disc that contains the templates and extra information that you will need to construct Martin’s latest miracles.

I heartily recommend this book and think it is destined to become a contemporary classic of magic. It is a perfect example of how magical content, methodology, and the way they are combined can coalesce into something special. I give this book a five-star rating and wish there were more stars available. The cost of the book, including the accompanying disc is $95. There is also a limited deluxe collectors special edition available. Making Magic can be purchased at www.Magikraft.com 

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Johnathan Szeles. Amazing to the end.

•March 18, 2022 • 2 Comments

When John Edward Szeles was born, in Detroit Michigan on September 9th, 1958, nobody realized that by 1976 the staid and demure magic world would be receiving the first tremors and shock waves from an entirely original phenomenon now known as The Amazing Johnathan. The Johnathan, that the world would come to know, earned his bones as a street performer in San Francisco. It was here that his magic and natural comedic flair coalesced into something new and singular. Another unknown magician performing on those same streets was Harry Anderson, and Harry may well have been instrumental in showing Johnathan how comedy and magic could create a synergistic force that galvanized those street audiences. Several times Johnathan attracted such large crowds that he was arrested for obstruction of the pedestrian traffic.

Szeles quickly progressed from performing on the streets of Fisherman’s Warf to appearing in outdoor shows at Pier 39. In the early ’80s, Johnathan made his first appearance at the legendary Holy City Zoo. His act was a smash hit and A.J.’s success started to pick up speed like an out-of-control locomotive. In 1983 Johnathan made his television debut on The 8th Annual Young Comedians Show. There followed a series of television appearances that continued throughout A.J.’s entire career, almost every TV show that featured comedy was listed on A.J.’s resume. From, Late Night with David Letterman, a record-breaking 24 appearances on Fox TV’s Comic Strip Live, to several specials on Comedy Central; The Amazing Johnathan was spread his blend of chaos, comedy, and magic on the airwaves. In 1991, Johnathan even hosted the variety/game show “Ruckus,” which he co-created with Merv Griffin. Along with his old compadre Harry Anderson, Johnathan became the hip new face of comedy magic. While Harry evolved into his smooth-talking, neo-noir, con-man character, Johnathan fully morphed into his Freddie Krueger of Magic persona.

The new phenomena of national comedy clubs in the ’80s created the ideal venues for Johnathan and allowed live audiences to enjoy his anarchic performances. From 1981 until 2001 Johnathan was the undisputed king of the comedy club circuit and he created a fan base that was unprecedented in the comedy magic world. In the ’90s A.J. visited Australia and characteristically took the country by storm due to his many appearances on Hey, Hey, It’s Saturday, and “take no prisoner” live performances. In 1995 Johnathan married his first wife Sandra Bowing.

While continuing his numerous television appearances, in 2001 Johnathan tired of all his road running and Johnathan stopped touring and took up residency at the world-famous Golden Nugget, in Las Vegas. A.J. received one of the most lucrative deals ever signed in Vegas and quickly became one of the biggest draws on The Strip. Accompanied by his new partner Penny “Psychic Tanya” Wiggins started breaking box office records. For 13 years Jonathan remained one of the top Las Vegas acts, moving from hotel to hotel, and taking his many fans along with him on the journey.

This era of his career was extensively chronicled by Mike Weatherford the Entertainment editor/reviewer for the Las Vegas Review Journal. On hearing the sad news of Johnathan’s passing, Mike offered this tribute; “Timing, as always, was everything. He got established just before the post-9/11 wave of other resident entertainers such as Rita Rudner, George Wallace, and Clint Holmes. But none of them “(came) onstage like a mean drunk, the kind you’d best let the bouncers tend to. As I wrote in 2003. Pulling a guy onstage and torturing for most of the show was ‘interactive’ before Instagram was a word.” Mike added; “Jonathan knew what worked in Vegas from playing Catch A Rising Star since the late ’80s, and his late-evening alternative to topless dance shows hit a groove that sustained him for the decade.” During these years Johnathan won “Best Comedian” award from the Las Vegas Review Journal, Comedian of the Year from Nevada Magazine, Top Ten Acts in Vegas (LVRJ), and also the prestigious Best of Las Vegas Award.

In December 2012, Szeles ended his one-year contract with Bally’s and ceased performing in Las Vegas. Johnathan spent 2013 performing special engagements in the Improv comedy clubs to sold-out houses and standing ovations. However, in 2014 shocked his many fans by announcing he was suffering from a “serious heart condition,” which his website identified as cardiomyopathy, and he announced that he was retiring from performing and his doctors said he had only 12 to 15 months to live. After performing an emotional, and characteristically raucous, series of farewell performances at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. However, with the help and loving care of his wife Anastasia Synn, A.J. seemed to be beating the doctor’s prognosis. He was recently featured in two different documentaries, both released in 2019, The Amazing Johnathan Documentary and Always Amazing: The True Story of the Life Death and Return of Amazing Johnathan.

There is so much more that can be said about The Amazing Johnathan. He was mercurial, rowdy, flawed, funny, endlessly creative and one of the most loveable “bad boys” who ever made an audience love him within minutes of walking onstage. Johnathan will be remembered, loved, and missed by a great many people. When magicians meet up his name will be mentioned frequently, stories will be shared and laughter will be remembered and continue for years to come. That’s the way it goes with legends, and there is no question that The Amazing Johnathan was a legend even during his life. He was a hero and inspiration to several generations of magicians. Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to Anastasia and Johnathan’s family; with somebody so much larger than life than The Amazing Johnathan it leaves a big hole in many people’s lives. 

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NickPod coming soon!

•February 25, 2022 • 3 Comments

An Exciting new project starting soon.

What exactly is a NickPod? A very good question. It is going to be beginning this Spring, and it will be a 45-minute digital show that will be fast paced, opinionated, anded just filled with the kind of material that will delight viewers. Interviews, commentary, reviews, performance, classic footage, and just about everything you can imagine to keep a magician delighted for 45-minutes. A new episode will drop every couple of weeks and you will be able to download it from our website initially. Things are going to change a little I am sure as we get in the groove with it. However, initially all you need to do is sign up for our VIP List if you are not already on it, and you will know every time a new episode is released. As I am planning to teach a little magic, and discuss some slightly “secret” topics I am not going to go for huge numbers, but prefer to keep it tightly in the magic community and away from non-magicians!

Join us on this new venture as we look for ways to add extra ideas for our fine community of friends and clients. The idea is to make this a really fast paced and entertaining production, so fasten your seatbelts! Please feel free to share this link with anyone you think would like to join us for the ride. If you are not on our VIP Mailing List you can join it by CLICKING HERE I promise we will not sell or share your email address and will not bombard you with too many mailers clogging up your mailbox!

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The 2022 Valentine Awards

•February 23, 2022 • 1 Comment

This is my 2022 Magic Valentine Awards Presented in Association with Vanish Magic Magazine.

This is the next in my series of magical Valentine Awards . The original article was published in Vanish International Magic Magazine. As you will notice the piece is written in a very tongue in cheek manner, however I am very serious about each of the five awards, and they come right from the heart. The official Awards are going to be mailed to the recipients shortly. The next awards will be issued in the February 2023 issue of Vanish. I know that I am stating the obvious but needless to say absolutely no influence can be made on our decision through any means. That was just me being a wise ass and taking a sideways swipe at certain other awards!

I know many people feel that too many awards are already being presented, however, I plan to fly in the face of this defeatist thinking. This column represents the first annual presentation of the Valentine Awards. The goal of these awards is to send out “Valentines” to members of the magic world whom our board of directors, board of trustees, and president feel deserve acknowledgment for their contribution to our community. Members of the Valentine Association have voted on the various nominations, and a highly respected accountancy firm carefully tabulated the results.

I rather like the high-toned and impressive stance of the opening paragraph. However, total transparency requires me to acknowledge that I, and I alone, comprise all the individuals referenced in the above statement. Unlike many other magic awards, I wish to clarify that cash payments, first-class airfares, and other expenses may directly influence my future choices for nominees and winners. Some ideas are just way too good not to appropriate. 

Having cleared up those initial details, let me say that it has not been an easy choice of award winners due to the continued erratic influence of the COVID pandemic that has hovered over the year’s activities. Therefore, the prevalence of virtual shows and events dictated by the current medical climate is duly reflected in these awards. However, some brave souls who persevered with live events are also celebrated in our choices. With no further ado, let me launch into our five awards, thus eliminating the powerful sense of tension and anticipation my readers will almost certainly be experiencing.     

The Zoom Communication and Virtual Fellowship Award.

Lance Rich

This award was pretty much a no-brainer to choose. With live shows, conventions, and club meetings so severely impacted in 2021, it is awesome that so many people have used the Zoom platform to create a feeling of fellowship amongst their fellow magicians. I think it appropriate that this year’s Valentine goes to David Sandy and Lance Rich for their spectacularly successful Magic Collectors Corner Zoom meetings. The Zoom cast that David and Lance created has been a source of delight and enrichment to magicians around the globe. From obscure props and arcane principles to up to the minute news, these themed meetings were a ray of sunshine to magicians amidst the wintery skies of our plague-infested boredom. The broadcasts were jam-packed with matters of interest to all the participants. David and Lance must be congratulated on creating a sharp and professional product that showed everyone the standards to which the Zoom platform could aspire. If you missed out on these events, check out their Facebook page for details about this ongoing series of events. Great job, guys, keep them coming!

David Sandy

I want to point out two very close contenders to this award, both of which deserve special mention. For 52 weeks last year, Drew Cardella has produced and hosted a lively and entertaining Zoom meeting every Wednesday. He continues this series in 2022, and if you wish to attend, I suggest you contact Drew at drewcardella@gmail.com for full details. One other honorable mention in this category is the Magic Castle. With the Castle’s doors closed for almost the entire year, the Castle shared superb video meetings and events for its members. The talented team of folk at the Castle threw themselves wholeheartedly into producing first-class entertainment for their members. They did a great job, and as an out-of-town member of the club, I hope this video content continues indefinitely as it made me feel much more included in club activities than I did previously. 

The Best Reason to Be Wary of Mentalists Award

Guillermo del Toro

While it has been a box office disaster, the Guillermo del Toro remake of William Lindsay Gresham’s Nightmare Alley is still a must-see event for many magicians. Gresham’s 1946 gripping novel was a masterpiece of pulp fiction that was as dark as one of Shin Lim’s tabletops. In 1947 the book was transformed into a movie starring Tyrone Power. Sadly it was also a box office catastrophe. The ‘47 production is now rightly considered one of the finest examples of cinema noir to be found. Will Guillermo’s movie achieve the same belated acclaim? Who knows, but a new black and white cut of del Toro’s movie is now being shown, and it is getting rave reviews. Whether you view the various movie versions or you read the novel, this story will make you very cautious of the dangers of getting too carried away with your mentalism or believing your own publicity.

Magician of the Year Award

Carisa Hendrix

There are many possible winners in this category, but I am sending a Valentine to Carisa Hendrix, aka Lucy Darling. Ms. Darling won the hearts of the magic world with her funny and polished comedy magic show when she performed it live. Without apparently pausing for a breath or a muttered, “Darling….” Carisa moved her performance into the virtual show mode, proving a well-built persona, carefully constructed comedy, and powerful magic work in whatever medium you perform them. Carisa is smart and funny, and I am looking forward to seeing what she does next. I give a very close second in this department to England’s Nick Einhorn, who took the virtual market apart and created magic for it that shone. Einhorn is a skilled performer whose grasp of this new performing platform was a total success.

Best Online Magic Store

Joshua Jay and Andi Gladwin

This award goes out to Joshua Jay and Andi Gladwin of Vanishing Inc. for the world-class job they do. While it is easy to lament the disappearance of brick-and-mortar magic stores, I find much that I like with the new breed of magic superstores on the Internet. The speed and efficiency that http://www.vanishingincmagic.com dispatch orders is exemplary, and on the very few occasions I have had any problem, their customer service proved outstanding. In honesty, Penguin Magic is also a terrific purveyor of magical items, but I must rate Josh and Andi a hairsbreadth ahead; maybe it is those daffy little “Thank you for ordering” videos the guys make.

I think it is time to accept the fact that those physical magic stores we all enjoyed so much in our early magical days are going the way of the dodo. If you have a great brick-and-mortar store in your town, then, by all means, support them. Don’t just pop in on a Saturday morning, though, shoot the shit, and leave four hours later after buying a deck of cards; buy something! Over the years, I was lucky enough to visit magic stores and be served by Jules Lenier, Al Flosso, Denny Haney, Pat Page, Michael Skinner, and Ken Brooke. I loved the expert advice and wisdom they provided, but those days are virtually gone.

Best Live Magic Event

This is an easy award to give out, and the winner is Bill Smith for his Magic Collector’s Expo 2021. Magic collectors events like this have a great heritage in the magic world, but Bill knocked it out of the park last year. The cherry on top of a already delightful magical sundae at the Expo was a visit to David Copperfield’s legendary Las Vegas Magic Museum.

Bill Smith

The Orleans Hotel and Casino housed the many lectures that comprised the body of the Expo. Still, it was a chance to visit David’s museum that resonated with every magician who had ever forced a playing card. The event sold out and received enthusiastic accolades from all who attended.

The 2021 event will be a tough act for Bill Smith to follow, but I feel he is moving solidly in the right direction by taking his Expo back on the road and visiting us here in Austin, Texas. The Expo will feature a tour of the spectacular Houdini Collection at the Ransom Center at the University of Texas and a special performance by Ray Anderson in Esther’s Follies. Of course, being Texas, barbecue, and tall stories will add to the fun! Very few registrations remain for this spectacular event that runs April 13th-16th, so snap one up by visiting www.magiccollectorexpo.com.   

Well, this is my five Valentine Awards for 2021. I hope, but don’t particularly care, if you approve of them. What is essential is to remember, as hinted at before, send me a first-class return ticket, have a paper bag full of unmarked $20 bills waiting for me, and you too can be featured amongst next year’s winners! Actually both myself and Vanish Magic Magazine wish to thank all our Valentine Award winners for their contribution to the Magical Arts.

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The “Nick Lewin Special Edition” Vanish Issue.

•February 14, 2022 • Leave a Comment

I was delighted, surprised and proud to discover that Paul Romhany and Susan had managed to put together a really great 44 page collectors issue of Vanish Magic Magazine to celebrate my 70th Birthday today. At the heart of of the magazine is a wonderful biographical story by magician, producer and best selling author Diana Zimmerman. I was knocked out!

I want to thank Paul, Diana, Susan and everyone else who made this happen. In addition over 50 magicians wrote great birthday messages and tributes. Paul did an amazing job creating the layout which features photos of me and my show from the last 54 years. You even get to see some of my crazy hair styles over the years. He included several articles and stories I have written in the last decade. It was a true delight to take this trip down my person magical mystery pathway.

If you would like to get this issue as a free download then just CLICK HERE

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More New Rules For Magicians

•February 8, 2022 • 4 Comments

At the end of each broadcast of his HBO show, Bill Maher details new rules he feels should be mandatory for improving the collective quality of life. In November, I wrote a Vanish article featuring my magical version of Bill’s New Rules premise. I had a great reaction to the piece and many positive responses from readers. Frankly, I was somewhat surprised that I didn’t ruffle a few more feathers with some of my rules. Maybe I will do better his time. So ladies and gentlemen, in a spirit of sincere helpfulness, I would like to present my latest list of “Eight More New Rules For Magicians.”

Rule #1.  Try to remember what century this is.

When you look at the design and nature of magic props, it isn’t difficult to guess when some of them made their first debut. The Victorian era is clearly stamped on some items. (Yes, I’m especially looking at your change bags, and they frequently look like they were retrieved from the Egyptian Hall in one of those old-fangled H.G. Welles time machines.) If you really must use outdated props, have some style and arrive at your gig in a classic model T Ford. The other side of this coin is those “futuristic props” that look like leftover items from the old “Lost In Space” series. Why not go for a happy medium and think seriously about using props that look contemporary. If your props look like they represent the year you are performing in, they may well look less like “props” and more like items that you happen to be using on stage.

Rule #2.  Because you are a mentalist doesn’t mean you can read minds.

Nowadays, more mentalists and mind readers seem to be around than magicians. I guess it is just a sign of the times; I remember the time when you could count the number of dedicated mentalists on your fingers. Not any more. Many of these mentalists will try and convince audiences that they achieve their results by an unusually profound understanding of psychology and a powerful mastery of neuro-linguistic programming. No, guys, it’s usually a combination of tricks, switches, phony wallets, fake books, and electronics. I have noticed something of a trend amongst certain mentalists to get a tad arrogant about what they are doing. Don’t get carried away and believe your website. You are not wiser or more intelligent than an audience member who buys into your bullshit, so don’t give them “profound life changing advice” about their problems. It is all trickery, just like magic. As entertainers, we’re not descendants of philosophers or psychologists; we’re descendants of court jesters.

Rule #3.  (Pretty much) stop asking for free tickets.

There are occasions when it is just fine to ask a friend if you can attend their show on a comp ticket. Sometimes, that same buddy is looking for extra seats to be filled. If you are lucky enough to get a comp, arrive on time, be polite, and tip well. However, there are plenty of other occasions when you should just reach into your pocket and pay for your damn ticket. If you are taking up a seat that a paying customer could fill, you should think carefully about asking for the comp. If it is an ongoing show, you should inquire what performance would be the best for you to attend. The Magic Castle has a strictly limited amount of free guests, and any performer who appears there will attest that 90% of their guests want to visit the club on the Saturday night of their engagement, so be considerate. If you ask for comps from a performer you don’t know expecting free admission to their show because “I am a magician” does not cut it. 

Rule #4.  If you aren’t funny, don’t tell jokes.

Not everyone is funny; this is an honest to God truth. Comedy may not be pretty, but it shouldn’t be painful. If you are not a naturally funny performer, then put away that Bob Orben joke book and instead find a trick that creates a humorous situation. No—this does not include doing the Baffling Bra Trick even if you do it with a guy! There are plenty of strong tricks with compelling situation comedy spliced right into their DNA. Why not skip the one-liners, but make a written note of any funny comments/observations/ad-libs that come up during your performances, and make sure they’re a regular feature of the effect. Eventually, you will end up with a humorous, laugh-filled sequence that doesn’t feature a single joke.

Rule #5.  Realize that most magic props aren’t great investments. 

The old joke is about the magician who panics in case, after his death, his wife sells his magic props for the dollar amount he told her he paid for them. Magic is not an inexpensive hobby or profession. A paper bag filled with new props from the magic store can often be carried with two fingers and still support a hefty price tag. I usually react in profound shock at the incredibly high sums paid for old props/books/posters at the latest Potter & Potter auction. My initial reaction is often to run to my magic room and survey the shelves for that special something that I might harvest for the big bucks. Sadly, I am left face to face with the realization that I am just not a savvy magical collector; I’m merely a magical accumulator. Damn! However, the good news is that there is a healthy secondary market for non-collectible magic props. Just remember to keep your auxiliary props protected in a Ziploc bag, complete with instructions, and perhaps you may break even on your purchases.   

Rule #6.  If they ask for 20 minutes, do 20 minutes!

Go on, be a professional. There may be a reason that the buyer asked for 20 minutes. Because the act is going over well does not constitute a legitimate reason for doing 40 minutes. It is a sterling exercise in self-discipline to stick to your running time and, at worst, will result in you getting home 20 minutes earlier and not irritating the act who has to follow you. Just as importantly, if the audience is not responding enthusiastically, don’t bail on your 20-minute show after 15 minutes. Feel free to ignore this ‘New Rule’ if the following act is something really annoying, like a mime. 

Rule #7.  Quit picking on David Blaine.

Why is it that picking on David Blaine is considered fair game in the magic world? The guy did a fantastic job of coming up with something new in magic. The scorn that some of magic’s top performers have poured upon Blaine seems more than a little like sour grapes. I have read quotes from people who should know better, saying that he doesn’t perform any magic you couldn’t buy for $50 in a magic store. Let’s see how many people out there can spend fifty bucks at Tannen’s and become an international phenomenon. We should be grateful for the fresh burst of enthusiasm, and new demographic David has brought to magic audiences worldwide. One last thing, don’t ever reveal Blaine’s tricks to laypeople—let them spend those fifty bucks for themselves. 

Rule #8. Don’t be a “Jack of All Trades” on your business card.

A magician’s business card is still a powerful tool for booking future gigs. However, many magical business cards try to convince buyers that the person who presented it to them can perform stage shows, banquets, corporate events, kid’s parties, close-up, Illusions, walk-around, television appearances, and keynote speaking. This scattershot approach just looks amateurish and desperate. It no longer costs an arm and a leg to print an excellent business card. If you must proclaim yourself as an expert in all these fields, visit GotPrint online and get a series of different (and different looking) business cards, each highlighting a specific magical talent. No one who plans to book a magician for a corporate show is impressed that he can also make balloon animals. On a related note, if you want to book corporate magic dates, do not, repeat not, have a business card feature tacky clip art of a rabbit in a hat. You’re welcome! 

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The Magic Collectors Expo 2022

•December 9, 2021 • Leave a Comment

Bill Smith is a successful and highly respected member of the magic community and has been for the past five decades. I fondly remember working with him in the old “Wine Cellar” Magic Cabaret showroom at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. Bill was a fresh and funny performer who had the audience in stitches working with his bowtie-wearing live duck Gaylord. Smith spent his formative years as a member of the iconic Long Beach Mystics. The more you know about the Long Beach Mystics, the more impressive is their legacy. I sometimes jokingly refer to them as “The Illuminati of Magic” because their members seem to be everywhere, hidden in plain sight, constantly quietly influencing the course and shape of magic. After a decade on the road as assistant to Harry Blackstone Jr., Smith set his sights on creating, designing, and building magic props. Bill became one of the busiest and most revered illusion builders in the magic world in no time at all. Somewhere along the line, Smith was bitten by the collectors and magic history bug, which leads us to this post’s focus.   

Bill Smith attended the LA magical collectors events for many years and in 2005, in conjunction with Paul Stone and Bob Rossi, he produced his first Magic Collectors Expo in Las Vegas. The Expo was a resounding success and included such standout events as a panel featuring magical giants Channing Pollack, Marvyn Roy, Jay Marshall, and Johnny Thompson. The forum was hosted by Max Maven and even featured a “surprise” finale with Siegfried Fischbacher chiming in on the proceedings. So successful was the event that Smith went on to produce several more standout collectors’ events. Rather than focus solely on Las Vegas, Bill decided to take his event on the road and explore the magical heritage of other American cities, including a 2019 Expo in Minneapolis that he organized with David Sandy and Lance Rich. A solid core of magicians became big fans of Smith’s Expos and they have quietly developed into a “must attend” event for serious magic lovers. 

The Covid pandemic scuttled plans for a 2020 Expo, but Bill came storming back with this year’s Magic Collectors Expo 2021 at the Orleans Hotel back in his hometown of Las Vegas. The Expo was a sold-out event with a hefty waiting list for any last-minute cancellation reservations. One of the 2021 events highlights was a chance to visit David Copperfield’s legendary magic museum in its “secret” Las Vegas location. The Expo was a commercial and critical success and became the talk of the magic world. It included speakers such as David Charvet, Charles Greene, Mike Caveney, David Sandy, Paul Stone, Lance Rich, Richard Hughes, Gabe Fajuri, Les Arnold, Phil Schwartz, and Retonio Breitenmoser. One of the keys to the success of Smith’s events is the quality of speakers that they inevitably attract.

I am excited to say that Bill Smith brings his Magic Collectors Expo 2022 to my beloved hometown of Austin, Texas. Texas has a special place in the history of magic, and without a doubt, the upcoming Expo will be another sold-out event. The Expo will take place from the 13th through 16th of April 2022, and Bill has organized a unique schedule of events that will delight all the magicians in attendance. The Expo’s opening day features a guided visit to the superb Harry Houdini collection housed in the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin. The Ransom Collection is one of the largest and finest collections of Houdini items in the world. The collection encompasses unique props, publicity material, private and professional correspondence, photos, posters, and much more. The Ransom Collection is guaranteed to intrigue and delight any serious student of magic. This is the first time that this unprecedented level of access to the collection has been offered within the magic community.

The opening day’s activities continue on a high note with a visit to a special 90-minute performance by master magician Ray Anderson and the entire cast of Esther’s Follies. Esther’s is an Austin tradition and the longest-running revue in America. For the last 30 years Anderson, a 2018 winner of the Academy of Magical Arts Performing Fellowship, has added some spectacular magic to the show. Once a Texan prized secret, Ray now has a steady stream of discriminating magicians flying into Austin to see what many people describe as the finest magical revue in the world. If you have never caught the Follies, buckle up your seatbelt, you are in for one glorious ride! Later in the week, Anderson will participate in a Q & A session about this iconic show. With a special nod to Texas, these opening events are wrapped around a delicious barbecue dinner, and we take our barbecue very seriously in Austin. Food for the eye, mind, funnybone, and stomach is the order of the opening day’s activities. 

The Magical Collectors Expo will be centered in the beautiful DoubleTree by Hilton just outside the downtown area. The hotel will be the center of activities for the remainder of the event and house the lectures, shows, and dealers’ room. As an Austinite, I hope that attendees will find time to sneak out and enjoy some of the incredible music and food truck cuisine that has made Austin such a popular destination. However, I suspect that most attendees will be enjoying the magic and camaraderie too much to venture too far from the home base. There will be two evening magic shows at the Doubletree with a stellar cast of magicians plus six-a-day lectures to entertain and inform the group. With each lecture limited to 20-30 minutes, a fantastic amount of information is shared without the risk of any topic straining the attendee’s attention span.

The 2022 lecture roster includes several Texas based magicians who will share some magical wisdom from the Lone Star State. Magician and speaker Trixie Bond will be discussing some of the Texan magicians who have risen to the very top of the magic hierarchy. Without wishing to second guess her choices, I think it would be tough not to include Mark Wilson, Willard the Wizard, Tom Palmer, Walter Blaney, Johnny Gaughn, and Bev Bergeron. Pat Hazell is another Expo speaker who calls Austin home. Pat’s roots are as a magician, but he went on to conquer the comedy world, including writing for the Seinfeld television show and creating the hit theatrical show The Wonderbread Years. Hazell has also achieved great success with his podcast Creativity in Captivity. As funny as he is wise, I know Pat will be a major hit with the Expo audience.

As part of the speaker lineup, Mike Caveney will interview Cathy Daniels, who will share stories and insights about her late husband and master illusionist John Daniels. Mark and Sue Holstein will be lecturing about Chicago’s distinguished ambassador of magic, Werner “Dorny” Dornfeld, and discuss his significant contributions to the magic world. The Holsteins will be bringing along some of their fascinating collection of Dorny’s original magic props. Talking about props, I am sure that Chip Romero will be share some items from his extensive collection of props and stage items once owned by the late Doug Henning. Romero will be discussing all the details of Doug’s early years, including the life-changing grant he received from the Canadian government to study and learn the magic that went on to make him world famous.

Another speaker at the Expo will be Lance Rich, who, along with David Sandy, created the Magic Collectors Corner Zoom meetings that have kept magicians entertained and on a learning curve throughout the Covid pandemic. Lance and David were recently announced as recipients of the prestigious Allan Slaight Sharing Secrets Award for their contribution to the magic community.  Another speaker I am eagerly anticipating is Diego Domingo, author of The Magic Detective Blog. Diego has been fascinating the magic community through his blog with his deep dive into fascinating magical mysteries. I am also thrilled and proud to announce I will be lecturing at the Expo about my magical mentor Ken Brooke. Ken was one of the most influential magicians in the last 60 years and highly instrumental in the careers, and success, of Paul Daniels and Wayne Dobson. There will be other speakers and some exciting announcements at the Expo, but as a master magician in his own right, Bill Smith knows how to keep a secret or two up his sleeve. 

The Magic Collectors Expo 2022 is bound to be another sold-out event. The registration is $285 per person, but a $100 deposit will secure your spot, and the balance won’t be due until January 15, 2022. I look forward to some of our readers joining us on this exciting and uniquely magical experience. You can register and find more details at https://magiccollectorexpo.com/register/ 

 

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New Rules for Magicians 2021

•November 17, 2021 • 6 Comments

Back in what Billy McComb used to refer to as “Nineteen hundred and frozen to death,” one of my favorite places to work on new material was ‘The Horn’ in Santa Monica. This club was a gloriously eclectic little Californian nightclub boasting a house band and a widely divergent group of entertainers. If you managed to score one of the highly sought after performing slots, you never knew whether you’d be following an opera singer, a jazz musician, or a comedian. It was a splendid place to hone your craft.

Amongst the comedians who performed regularly at The Horn was David Letterman, who would walk to the club with his large sheepdog. The dog would remain tethered at the club’s door while David dashed in and performed a short set. Another comedian who graced the boards in this cradle of creativity was Bill Maher. The first time I met Bill was on an evening that I was acting as MC. I was in the green room discussing the running order with the club’s booker when I spotted an unfamiliar name. I asked the booker in I hoped a suitably quizzical manner, “What exactly is a Bill Maher?” At that moment, a short and somewhat crumpled chap walked through the door and, with a big smile, said, “I am, you %?@#$.” I have been a big fan of Bill ever since.

One of the features of Maher’s current late-night HBO series Real Time with Bill Maher is his ‘New Rules’ segment, during which he details new rules that should be mandatory for improving our quality of life in these changing times. So with my tongue firmly in my cheek in some cases but in deadly earnest in others, I  would like to present my list of New Rules For Magicians.  

New Rule #1  Realize that not everyone is fascinated by Houdini.

This may be the most controversial of my new rules, but I have to throw it into the mix. It has long been an article of faith that just by invoking the ‘Sainted” name of Harry Houdini, the interest of the non-magical world will be ignited like a Californian forest by an illegal campfire. This assumption has run its course and must now be replaced with a big MAYBE! Trust me, doing the Siberian Chain Escape and attempting to beat Houdini’s fastest time will not automatically result in the press beating a path to your door. 

 

 

New Rule #2.  Don’t treat your audience like idiots.

Your job is to deceive and the spectator’s job is to be deceived. There is no need to assume that an audience is comprised of morons just because they fulfill their half of the mutual bargain. Be grateful they know the rules. Let’s be honest, you might not want them to tell you how deceptive that deceptive base really is after they have seen four or five of them in the course of your show. Sometimes an audience is just being kind, so don’t ever get cocky about how smart you think you are.  Audiences are not idiots, so don’t ever treat them that way just because you have a few tricks up your sleeve. 

New Rule #3.  There is NO such thing as a semi-professional magician. 

I know many people are reading this thinking, “That is ridiculous, I am delighted with my semi-professional doctor,” and “That semi-pro airline pilot did a great job on my last flight.” However, there is no such thing as a semi-pro in magic. I am not saying that there aren’t some performers who only occasionally get paid for a show but are still very good at what they do. However, a professional magician makes his living performing or creating magic, and by doing so, he enters a different world governed by different laws. And no, working the Magic Castle once a year isn’t a real gig. Sorry.

New Rule #4. The amount of money you spent on a prop should not affect its running time in your show.

The audience doesn’t care if the new prop you just purchased cost you a king’s ransom; they are just interested in how much it intrigues and entertains them. Be ruthless in pruning your running time and never let cost be a factor in your consideration. If you spend a grand on a prop that achieves an effect in just 30 seconds, then don’t feel a need to make it play for 35 seconds unless you have added to the impact with those five seconds. The following rule is something of a companion piece to this one.

New Rule #5. Never “See how much time you can get out of a trick.” Instead, see how much you can get out of a routine in the least possible time.

Again and again, I hear performers use expressions such as, “I can get 15 minutes out of the egg bag.” Pardon me while I scream. The true goal of a strong entertainer is to tighten his performance and get every bit of impact from a routine in the least possible time. You can eventually say with pride,  “I’ve finally got my egg bag routine down to ten minutes,” if every one of those minutes is solid and vital entertainment. Look for the padding and then surgically remove it from your show; you will be a much better and more commercial performer.

New Rule #6  Try to remember what century in which you are living.

When you look at the design and nature of magic props, it isn’t difficult to guess when they were designed. The Victorian era is so clearly stamped on some props that they look like they were airlifted from the Egyptian Hall in one of those new-fangled H.G. Welles time machines. If you really must use outdated looking props, at the very least arrive at your gig in a classic model T Ford.

New Rule #7. If you aren’t Jeff McBride, there is no need to dress like Jeff McBride.

McBride is an outstanding performer and teacher of magic. Jeff has a truly unique approach, not only to his magic but also in his singular choices in costume and character. With his Kabuki style make-up, funky top hat, and eccentric sense of style, Jeff looks equal parts magical troubadour, steampunk visionary, exotic magician, and Asian warrior. It is a look that is all his own and is as unique as the man himself. I frequently bump into magicians who have learned much from Jeff’s invaluable lessons at his celebrated “Mystery School,” but quite a few of them seem to have borrowed liberally from his sartorial style as well. Sorry guys, but for the most part, you have to be Jeff to make it work. Learn Jeff’s lessons and then make them your own, beginning with developing your own personalized fashion style.

New Rule #8. Be original in your publicity material, or any seasoned booker will assume your show is just as unoriginal.

There is a tendency for magicians to see photos and publicity material that other performers are using on sites like Facebook. I’m sure there was a first person to stage an 8X10 with a fire wallet, but now it is pure cliché. The current trend is the photo revealing a hidden ace in his sleeve. This picture is another cute idea that has become another instant cliché. These pieces of press material are the first items a buyer usually sees of an act. He is also probably looking at many other performers’ publicity materials, so why not use something more original. Why would he think you are going to be different and unique if your photo isn’t? Even a good picture of the performer himself is unique and unsullied by overexposure.

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