2007-11 Famulus newsletter of IBM Ring 170

Newsletter of IBM Ring #170
The Bev Bergeron Ring

Next general meeting Wednesday, 11/21/2007 at 7:30 PM SHARP

Board meeting at 6:30 pm

Meeting theme: Holiday magic (what else?)

Marks Street Center, 99 Mark Street, downtown Orlando

If you visit with us and do not know the room we meet in , please be aware that some of the people in the office at the Senior Center may not be aware we are meeting there! At the last meeting one visitor asked where the "IBM" was meeting and the management apparently thought they were asking for the International Business Machines group! They said that there was no "IBM" on the schedule. So, if you have never been to our ring meeting , please say "magicians" or "FAME" and if that doesn't get the room location , just walk around looking for us. The Senior Center is a public building.

Lunch meetings every Tuesday at noon at Goodings (next to the food court)

Website: http://www.ring170.com/

F. A. M. E. is the Florida Association of Magical Entertainers
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Directory
Craig J. Fennessy – President – CraigFennessy@gmail.com
Chris Dunn- Vice President – Youngdunns@yahoo.com
Art Thomas – Treasurer – Art.Thomas@Disney.com
Dennis Philips- Secretary – Dennis@alliedcostumes.com
James Songster- Director at Large, - JjTjMagic@aol.com
Joe Vecciarelli- Sgt at Arms - talkingmute@tampabay.rr.com
Stefan Bartelski – Editor of “Famulus”- Famulus@illusioneer.com
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2007-11 From the editor

This goes out after the convention at Daytona Beach, but I guess that no-one from our ring attended as I did not receive any reviews. Or if some-one did attend would they please send a summary for next month's newsletter.

This month the magical art of mentalism has been spotlighted on TV, with the (in)famous Uri Geller and Criss Angel acting as judges while 10 contestants attempt to win the big bucks. I would love to hear from the members what they think of the show, again, more meat for our end of year issue.

Finally, Christmas is almost upon us, so hopefully your diaries are filling up with plenty of holiday party gigs. And speaking of Christmas, are we going to have our traditional gift exchange again this year?

2007-11 Ring Report - Ring #170 - The Bev Bergeron Ring

President Craig Fennessy called the October meeting to order and introduced one of our famous past members who has been doing very well out West. Jon Armstrong began the meeting with some material from his award winning Magic Castle act. He performed a 3 Card Monte with blank cards, one of which was signed by a club member. The signed card was ultimately found in Jon's wallet which was being held by another club member.
(Photos of this meeting can be found lower down in this blog - Editor)
Next was the introduction of Magic Ian, a legend in the magic arts. This was his 30th Anniversary lecture and he shared many effects that he has created and refined over the years. Ian has an informal lecture style and is very entertaining. He began with his own Rope Routine - an original version of Carver's Professor's Nightmare that doesn't use three different lengths of rope. He then presented a spectator-assisted Cut & Restored Rope. There was a Silk Vanish, utilizing a thumb tip, while the wrists were held by a spectator . He had a suggestion on how to use the thumb tip better: Place it on the non-dominant hand and it will be easier to conceal.

Everyone was given a Ring & Spring and then taught a one handed way of performing the "move" and then a magician fooler version . Ian moved to some classic props and his unique routines. He had a silk to appearing cane and a few ideas on keeping the cane hidden before the production, candle to glass of liquid, candle to silk to cane.

Coin Balloonacy, his famous Quarter thru Balloon was fun to learn. It was given five stars in Genii Magazine. Magic Ian showed how to use a Haunted Pack as a hold out device! The Stripper Deck used his Utility Move-Mechanic's Grip to deliver cards rather than the normal usage. Pip Squeak , The $500 Card Trick, was presented. Ian was given three cards from a borrowed deck. He displayed them and had then remembered by a spectator. Still holding three cards he showed that two were still there and the third was now a different card. The original third card was back in the deck still held by its owner.

Pepsilkola was a "Silk to miniature soda bottle". He showed us how he developed the idea. Red, white and blue scarves to American flag utilizing an appearing cane with an interesting set-up. Ian concluded with a Coin Matrix with flashback ending. Many items, especially the coin effects, can be seen on his website --- www.magicians.tv

We gave our thanks to Magic Ian for an informative and enjoyable lecture. Good things are always happening in Ring 170.

Joe Vecciarelli and Dennis Phillips

2007-11 Possible Tim Sonefelt lecture

Thought I would pass this by you... Tim Sonefelt is possibly going to be passing through the area and may be able to stop by and do a lecture for us. Unfortunately, since there are some other lectures going on near this date we are not able to have it as a Ring lecture. If you would be interested I would need to get an RSVP from you as soon as possible. The cost would be $15 a person, yes of course I will have the normal snacks and drinks there for your convenience. I would suggest that you check out Tim's website to see some of the things he does, also Tim is the owner of Wonder Imagery which can also be checked out on the web. The date would be around November 13Th 2007 at say 7 to 10pm.

Please pass this on to anyone that you may think would be interested in seeing this lecture.

If by chance the lecture gets canceled I will contact you by email, you can also call me at 407 599-9603, leave a message if no-one answers...

www.TimSonefelt.com

Thanks

Chris Dunn

2007-11 Disney introduces "Wizards"

Disney Channel Hopes ‘Wizards’ Will Bring It More Ratings Magic

(Orlando Sentinel) - Looking to expand on its Hannah Montana success, Disney Channel is dabbling in magic with its newest sitcom tonight. “Wizards of Waverly Place” mixes spells, special effects, child actors and a fondness for vintage sitcoms such as Bewitched. Wizards, which debuts at 9:30 tonight, is Disney Channel's most important project since High School Musical 2. The series focuses on a father who trains his daughter and two sons in magic. If Hannah Montana floats the fantasy of being a pop star, Wizards counters with another potent idea. "What kid wouldn't want to have magical powers to navigate the difficult times of being a teen?" said Adam Bonnett, senior vice president of original programming at Disney Channel.

The crucial cast member in Wizards is Selena Gomez, who plays Alex. Disney discovered Gomez when she was 12 during a national casting search in Austin, Texas. She has appeared on Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. She made three pilots for the channel. At 15, she understands the channel's appeal as a viewer and as a friend of Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus.

Bonnett said he is not expecting another Hannah Montana with Wizards. "Hannah Montana is more than a show right now. It's a phenomenon," Bonnett said. "We're not in the business of launching phenomena. Our goal is to launch a hit show."

2007-11 Photos from last month's meeting/lecture

2007-11 Dennis' Deliberations

1966 ..... I remember that year and many young guys should also!

Recently a young guy -a wanna be illusionist-, with stars in his eyes, told me that he was going to take out a 'Big Illusion Show'. He intended to tour in major theaters with a large cast ,huge props and elaborate costumes not seen since the days of Thurston, Fu Manchu and Blackstone Sr. . He figured that 2 semis and 2 customized buses should handle the road tasks. He expected that a few ads on TV and some newspaper space would provide a guaranteed sell-out crowd because "everybody loves magic". I hate to pop some one's balloon but the days for those type of shows are over.

In 1966 when I graduated high school and started college, the one time glory of the magic field - American full evening illusion shows - were finally gone from the entertainment scene. Arthur Leroy's history confirms my comments.

In 1966 lack of public demand, changing tastes, urban demographics,economic pressures, union demands, bookers' apathy all combined to make it virtually impossible in the United States to sell a full evening illusion show based on pure box office sales.

By 1966, the Chang show had vanished like its own Asrah assistant.

By 1966, the Fu Manchu show had reduced its size to virtually a suitcase show, but even this heroic effort had not solved the problem.

By 1966, the deceased Kalanag's show had changed hands in storage. Richardi Jr. had closed his own big full evening show and had made a try with the Kalanag show under Mrs. Kalanag's management. It wouldn't work - it wouldn't work at all. So the wondrous, the graceful, the "Dynamo of Deception", Aldo Richardi went back to a short twelve minute act for Night Clubs, revues and all points West and East with an occasional staging of his big show. His major date was the Korakuen Ice Palace in Tokyo.

By 1966, Blackstone Sr.had left us and not a living soul in the whole world was interested in buying any part of the Blackstone titles. There was no show to buy. Warehouse charges had long since consumed almost all of it.

By 1966, the Virgil show, one of the most beautiful in the world, had reduced its load and was operating on its spot dates with the emphasis on the "Mental and Hypnotic". Virgil and Julie had become mostly a "talking show".

In 1966 The Dante show - rotting, chopped, ruined. Dante had been dead for over 10 years. His ashes in a pile of boxes in a basement unclaimed by his family.

In 1966 Servais Le Roy's metal props had been rusting for 25 years in a New Jersey landfill.

In 1966 Lee Grabel's illusions were in storage a half a decade and he was making big money from San Francisco area real estate.

In 1966, one of the finest illusion shows in the United States, the McDonald Birch show, was sold intact to a wealthy buyer and pretty much vanished. The man who was the logical and planned successor to Howard Thurston had called it quits to retire on the banks of the Muskingum River in eastern Ohio. He wanted no more of a big show.

In 1966 Charles Carter's illusions in bright red crates had been bricked up behind a wall in a San Francisco basement garage for 30 years.

In 1966 Thurston's remaining collection of miracles were being slowly eaten by rodents in a farm barn in Wisconsin. 20 years later, parts would be salvaged by collectors.

In 1966 John Daniel was sawing and sanding wood at Owens. He was building "Shazzam', mostly a big nightclub show. After a few gigs he sold it to Lee Edwards where it was mostly stored for 30 years until Blair Marshall, a French Canadian magician added it to his dusty warehouse.

In 1966 Peter Reveen was on a series of creating failed Big Shows in Canada and always reverting to his Hypnosis suitcase show. The props from one whole Reveen show ended up at Carowinds theme park in Charlotte, N.C. where I used parts of it in the TV show I produced for the 1973 opening day ceremonies.

In 1966 Mark Wilson was mostly doing trade shows,working on TV specials.

In 1966 John Calvert had gone abroad on his yacht.

In 1966 Ken Griffin and Roberta , were playing sponsored dates in rural towns using telephone sales and circus promotion techniques.

In 1966 The Big Show as a viable box office draw ( by itself without television help) was dead forever...

The box office full-evening theater show that emerged in 1979 with Doug Henning and with David Copperfield in the early 1980s was a different beast. Promoted like a rock concert, the show was sold by using network television exposure. Basically, the stage show was a television star in your local auditorium. Henning was promoted as a fun guru whereas Copperfield's hook was being the young presenter of large unbelievable miracles outside the theater and in National parks.. For a brief time Harry Blackstone Jr. recreated the old style big show that made his Dad famous but other than a short Broadway run and a limited national tour, Harry resorted to corporate shows and hawking Oreo Cookies.

The touring full-evening illusion shows ,made so popular in the first half of the 20th Century , the one that ran on a pure box office and 2 sheet posters was gone... Today it is buried under a mound of TV sets, DVDs, You Tube , an easy jet trip to Las Vegas or a ticket to a cruise port , and the jaded suburban American mindset.

"Sorry kid, you are going to need something other than dreams to put diesel fuel in your truck and pay for your insurance bills. You need a solid business plan and a market. History is not on your side. "

I am never going to say "never" but let me repeat what George Santayana once said, " Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it ".

Dennis Phillips