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I've not waded through this thread (then again, I'm surprised I'd not noticed it before now) but the few posts I did skim by all suggest the same thing "Try this trick instead. . . " WRONG! The effect does not make the "magic", that's on the performer. If you are not able to sell the effect...

Hmmm... show in two weeks and you don't have an act. DON'T DO THE BLOODY SHOW! Would you hitch a horse up behind the wagon it's "puling"? This is the biggest mistake most young aspirants make; they have huge dreams of being "the man" but they have yet to go through the effort of creating an...

Hmmm... "new effect/device"? This same footage can be found on the Paper Crane product by the same name, that I obtained about two years ago. As I said in my Visions column as well as to the team at Paper Crane, more research needs to go into all your "break throughs" in that this and most of...

HISTORY OF MAGIC... late 19th & early 20th Century -- the "Golden Era" Lots of very big, very heavy, pretty boxes. . . I still have splinters in my hands from moving them everywhere and my back aches every time I start fantasizing about doing another illusion show. Moral of the Story. . ...

EXSQUEEZE ME!? Firstly, I must ask that you show me when, where and how (other than a sweat lodge or shamanic ritual). My mentor was Kirk Kirkham, a man that owned most of the equipment featured in the Thurston, Dante, Blackstone and a few other shows of the Golden Era as well as before and...

First Question: Why? Second Question: What's the ladder supposed to do? Third Question: What's your budget? Suggestion One: Do some research about faux neon, it's a plastic used on stage props which, when sat beneath a high-end black-light, glows exactly like a neon light. The nice thing is...

That's hilarious! I'm not saying that to be a jerk, it's just the visual I got when I read this. For reasons explained above, I don't think this a wise or practical thing unless one were doing a parody of some kind.

POINT ONE: Do you want to be seen by the public as a Magician or a Mentalist? Or, are you just going to go with whatever is in current vogue, changing "specialties" as the next big trend comes into view? (which is what 90% of folks tend to do). POINT TWO: What are your claims? If you are part...

I don't know if they've up-dated the medium but check with Stevens Magic about the old Manipulation video series done by Jeff McBride some years back. I'm an old dog with this stuff and I even learned some tips from the tapes. The Carney material, anything from Bill Malone of course. . ...

Hair Spray has been a long standing substance but I'm trying to understand why the heck anyone would use Petroleum Jelly? Then again, I'm trying to understand why no on else has questioned said ignorance before me? But again, I'm dumbfounded as to why such a need exists, I've had Invisible...

Actually, I think magicians treat cards like they do their booze... they can't get enough of it! Cards for magicians are like drugs to a junkie, it's that simple. It's also why I've had a deep aversion to card magic. . . well, that and the fact that finding "good" card magic is even more...

For you maybe... hahahahaha The power behind any effect ISN'T the trick but the manner by which a performer presents it. I loathe card tricks, especially when used in Mentalism BUT, I will lay money on the fact that I can floor people doing exactly that. I'm a showman and that's my job! Rick...

For starters, learning to become a READER of People takes time, the use of Oracles systems is a means by which to speed up that process, nothing more. Secondly, you are approaching this as a Magician which is your first big mistake. . . unless you want to be seen as a fake, if that's the case...

The Finale of your routine also depends on the time constraints you're going to be under; it will be rare that you are given more than 10 minutes in a club until you're more established and too, most club gigs will require you to do more comedy than magic. That being the case, plan on two...

Frist things first.... what kind of show/act are you doing? I didn't notice anyone asking you this question and it needs to be known first in order to give you an educated and appropriate answer. As an Illusionist (think Copperfield, not this new lame idea as to what that means) I'd close...

Can you name a single major named Magician/Illusionist/Mentalist who hasn't done so? Using stooges is very, very common, especially when it comes to publicity stunts or trying to get one over on another mage. I know one guy who's wife stooged for another Mentalist 20 years ago just to baffle...

Wow! Steve and I have worked several gigs together in the past (long, long ago in our youth). He was a fun guy and will be missed.

MIND READING is one of those books I always have close by, it's full of solid material. The Headline Prediction and Name Tag routines are regular bits in my shows.

Ok. . . you asked for it. . . First of all, stop calling yourself a “Charming Cheat” that title belonged to the late Martin Nash, one of the most amazing card-men that ever lived; unless you are phenomenal and able to live up to his standard of couth, you really are being a major insult to a...

Been working in magic for close to 40 years, started learning it at age 4. . . . that was in 1964. Sold my first original effect about a decade after that.