* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #421 Date: Sunday 18th June 2006 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.Alan-Watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Swann Auction 3. The British Ring Convention At Eastbourne 4. History Of Magic In Australia 5. Meetings With Remarkable Magicians #15 - Nick Lewin 6. The Inside Scoop To Cruise Ship Entertainment #4 7. The Midwest Magic Jubilee 8. Selling Off My Magic 9. TAOM 2006 Convention Update 10. Patti Sinclair Has Died 11. 28th New Zealand International Magicians Convention 12. The Amazing Orchante Saga 13. e-zine Archives 14. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Magic New Zealand e-zine will not be published next week as it going to be upgraded and this will help improve our services to our subscribers. ----------------------- The complete list of all competitors for FISM 2006 can be found by going to: http://www.fism.com/newsletter/fism-news12.html The list is in alphabetical order by stage name of each of the contestants and also shows their county and category they are competing in. ----------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Swann Auction -------------------------------------------- Message from Frank Furkey (US) The second Fechtner auction will be held, again, in New York City at Swann Galleries on Thursday 26 October. The second catalogue matching the first should be a collectors' item, by itself!! -------------------------------------------- 3. The British Ring Convention At Eastbourne -------------------------------------------- Message from Peter Scarlett (UK) The following is a list of the sensational talent line up for The British Ring Convention at Eastbourne, September 19th - 24th 2006. Registrations are now being accepted on the web site: http://www.britishring.org.uk/About_us/Membership/On_Line_Payment/on_line_payment.html John Calvert Mac King James Dimmare John Carney Jeff Hobson The Great Tomsoni & Co Mikael Szanyiel Noel Britten Tim Conover Wally Eastwood Seth Kramer John Lenahan Mark Mason Shep Hyken Graham P Jolley Silly Billy Roy Davenport Vanni Bossi Gingernutt Bharat Patel Magic Rose Reuben Jimbo Terry Seabrooke Paolo Giua Paul Zerdin Craig Christian Soul Mystique Les Black Fingers Can you really afford to miss all this talent lined up at one Convention! Hoping to see YOU there. Peter Scarlett -------------------------------------------- 4. History Of Magic In Australia -------------------------------------------- Message by Brian McCullagh (Aust) Charles Gauci (President Melbourne Assembly ASM) has asked me to write a history of Australian Magic for the centenary celebrations of the ASM next year. He plans to give a copy to each of the attendees of the convention in honour of the event. I would be grateful if you could contact me with any item you think should be in such a history. The item could be a significant event, a personality - anything you think should receive a mention. There is no need to "write" it - just mention it if you wish. If you wish to send a photograph of anything for consideration, please do so. I will return it immediately, once an electronic image has been made. I am trying to let as many people as possible know as I don't want anyone to be able to say "if only you had put this in" after the book is published. My postal address is Brian McCullagh 17 Foraker Drive Eagle Heights Queensland 4271 Australia I can be reached on the following email address: bmc5002003@yahoo.com.au -------------------------------------------- 5. Meetings With Remarkable Magicians # 15 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (US) Walking through Walls. Every magician remembers his first 'meeting' with Harry Houdini. My introduction to the greatest icon in the magic world was at age thirteen when my mother bought a book about him from a local library that was selling it's excess reading matter. The book was called 'Houdini: the Man who Walked Thru Walls' and she left it out for me to find on my return from school. Mum was away on her weekly trip to her doctor in London. She visited a psychiatrist for my entire childhood and teenage years with no noticeable improvement to her condition, which was referred to in those days as manic depression. It wasn't until after her psychiatrist's death that she seemed to improve at all. Coincidence? I will be charitable and say maybe. She always tried to leave a little surprise or gift for me when she took the bus to his afternoon appointments at the busy Middlesex hospital in London. This time she had really picked a winner in the Lindsey Gresham biography of this fascinating man. In fact to a young man already infatuated by the art of magic it was like pouring gasoline on a lit match! As soon as I found the book on the kitchen table I made a triple-decker peanut butter sandwich and began to devour them both. Houdini was certainly an amazing man and like so many other young magicians I fell under his spell and decided that this was the life for me. As synchronicity would have it, that very week BBC television played the classic "Houdini" movie starring Tony Curtis. As you can imagine this brought the book to life for me in a very special manner. I was right up there in the screen with the tall, dark, handsome and debonair movie version of the great man. I was to later discover that as usual Hollywood got it all wrong and if you had to compare Houdini with anyone in a movie it wouldn't be the roguishly loveable Tony Curtis, it would be closer to Joe Pesci in 'Goodfellas'. I was later to discover that Houdini was a short, rough, tough little fella' with equal parts paranoia, delusions of grandeur and sheer guts! I was later to discover that Tony Curtis also wasn't quite the charming figure I remembered. In the late '70's I performed a private, show for him and his guests at the Magic Castle. What started as a dreamlike experience, getting to sit with my childhood hero and perform an hours worth of my very best close-up for him and his guests, wound up as a major disillusionment when he stiffed me for my very modest fee! I should really have forgiven him by now but I haven't. However, the theory in Hollywood that if you're going to be stiffed it is better to be stiffed by a movie star than an average Joe! My identification with Houdini was the final thing that sealed my fate as a professional magician. Houdini had been born in Budapest, was short, in great physical condition and dead. I on the other hand was a tall, overweight Londoner who was very much alive. You need imagination to make it in magic though and the very fact that I identified with him at all was probably what I needed to follow in his footsteps. I was also fascinated with the curious Houdini characteristic of continually rewriting his past. I certainly didn't object to this at all, in fact I really liked it. In future years my two major heroes shared this same character trait. I have since come to think that people who are consistent or tell too much of the truth about themselves are at the very best lazy. It seems to me that what we believe or create about our past is every bit as accurate as what actually happened. It is often more revealing and honest to the 'I' we currently are. If you can't change your past then you don't have much chance of shaping your future. Truth and time is like salt water taffy, it can be pulled and stretched into any shape without affecting its substance. Please send any bricks or bouquets concerning this piece to nicklewin@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------- 6. The Inside Scoop To Cruise Ship Entertainment #4 -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) Dress Code One of the advantages of being a guest entertainer is that we have passenger status while on the ship, allowing us in to public areas where other crew members are not allowed. We get to mix and mingle with passengers and over the years you will keep meeting the repeat passengers and you can develop some very nice relationships. On ships they usually have dress codes such as semi-formal and formal nights. You are still employed by the cruise line, and like being employed in any job you are an ambassador for the company, therefore you are expected to adhere to the dress code for the evening and also dress in a smart and appropriate manner during daytime hours. Formal nights most men will wear tuxedos and the ladies are dressed in evening gowns, on other nights I always wear a dress shirt and smart pants. Gratuities You are expected to pay gratuities to your cabin steward at passenger rates at the end of the cruise. On some ships where we are in staff areas then the gratuities are slightly less because they only come in once a day and you won't get the full service as if you would if you were in a passenger area. If you eat in the dining room then you must tip your waiter and busboy. As a rule if I chose to eat in the dining room I always tip after my meal, but that isn't very often as I usually eat in the Buffet or Bistro. On the ships now they often have an automatic charge of $10 per person per day gratuity added to your bill, however you do not have to pay this unless you chose to. This is what the passengers pay and it covers all gratuities including the dining room. As I said, I never eat in the dining room and so only my cabin steward gets a gratuity. If we chose to eat in another restaurant on the ship, rather than the buffet, then of course we leave a tip. They usually recommend $3.50 per day for the cabin steward in passenger areas. Dining You are allowed to dine in the passenger dining room and buffets. Priority to passengers must always be observed. Usually the maitre d' will have a special table put aside for guest entertainers, although on many ships they have placed us with passengers. There are usually two main sittings, one at 6pm and the other at 8.15pm. On the modern ships now they promote open dining so you no longer have to have a seating assignment. Also with the larger ships there is much more choice of dining from 24 hour Lido, Pizzeria, Italian Restaurants, Chinese Restaurants and a Steak House. Of course each ship differs with various restaurants. On the larger ships there will be a cover charge in some restaurants such as the steak house charges $15.00 for the meal, the Italian restaurant charges $25.00 per meal. All crew and passengers pay the same amount to go to these specialty restaurants. On vessels with alternate dining facilities, a cover charge will be made to all staff, guest entertainers, and officers who are usually no more than $2.00. When you join ask if there is such a list with the various charges, or ask another guest entertainer who can tell you. Dining in the officers' mess is by invitation only. Gambling Ships are now like travelling resorts with all types of activities; one of the most popular is the casino. You will need to check out what the rules are pertaining to gambling on the ship you are to be working, but I know that the rules for the company I work for state that guest entertainers and their guests are NOT permitted to gamble onboard. This includes the casino, bingo, horse racing, and any other gambling activities. Note: Update, as of re-reading this article Guest Entertainers are NOW allowed to gamble in the casino for the cruise line I work for. Laundry and Dry Cleaning Again, this varies from company to company, something you will need to check. Ships are equipped with passenger laundries where you can do your own washing. However be warned . they can be dangerous. Many comedians joke about going to the laundry room and seeing fights and arguments as passengers try to get hold of a washing machine or dryer. Depending on the ship you might be allowed to use the officers or crew laundry room which will not be so bad, but always check to make sure it is okay. If you wish you send your laundry out for cleaning, then Guest Entertainers are charged at the crew rate for their laundry and dry cleaning, again check the regulations for the cruise line you are to be working for. Medical In most cases the company does not provide medical coverage and I strongly recommend for you to arrange your own medical and health insurance plan. In my contract it states that in the event of illness or injury during the term of the contract, guest entertainers agree to look exclusively to their medical and health insurers for payment of medical benefits and not to, in any way, hold the company liable for such payments. Visits to the ships doctor can be very expensive which is why medical insurance is important, especially when travelling overseas. If on the crew list then more often that not a visit to the doctor will not cost anything and if they want you to get an injection such as Yellow Fever or the Flu Injection then they will not charge. It all depends on the doctor and ships policy. To see Paul Romhany on stage is to witness a magical transformation. While his skills and artistry as an illusionist are unsurpassed, Paul takes his performance to another dimension when he applies makeup as the audience watches, suddenly leaving behind Paul Romhany and becoming Charlie Chaplin. It is a mesmerizing spectacle as "The Little Tramp", Chaplin's most famous character, emerges to complete the illusion. Paul Romhany got his start in his native New Zealand, earning his degree in music from Auckland University. A piano certificate from London's Royal College of Music followed, but Paul's passion remained in theatre. Soon he was travelling the globe performing to universal acclaim and he was the PCAM Gold Medal Magic Champion in 2003. He has performed in over 50 countries and 17 national television appearances including two years on New Zealand Television with a double magic act. Visit: http://www.paulromhany.com or www.magicmasterclass.com -------------------------------------------- 7. The Midwest Magic Jubilee -------------------------------------------- Message from Steve Zuehlke (US) The Midwest Magic Jubilee The Convention Where The Stars Meet! August 17-19, 2006 St. Louis, MO It has just been announced. As a special event, Ed Norton's upcoming movie "The Illusionist" will be premiered at the Midwest Magic Jubilee. This is a special private screening for Midwest Magic Jubilee registrants only. Be the first to see this block buster. This is the 50th Anniversary of the Midwest Magic Jubilee and we want to make it extra special! If you didn't get in on the Free Registration offer, all is not lost. It is not free but it is almost free. For a limited time, there is a special registration offer. Spouses will receive a special registration offer of only $40 for full access to the convention and all evening shows! Don't miss out on this outstanding offer. It might just disappear before your very eyes at any minute. This Jubilee is shaping up to be one of the best conventions in the nation! More lectures than 2 conventions combined! Check out you will be there: Jay Sankey, Oscar Munoz, Whit Haydn, Aldo Colombini, Jimmy "Cards" Molinari, Howie Schwarzman, Mike Powers, Mandre, Bill Pryor, Jania Taylor, Julie Sobanski, Terry Elton, Chris Rayman, Larry Taylor, Tony Miller, Jason Dean, Troy Roark, The Great Reynaldo and the Amazing Alexa, Terry Richison, Seth Kramer and Tome Frame. There is no telling who you might run into or possibly sitting next to in the shows! If you haven't experienced the Midwest Magic Jubilee, this is one year you definitely don't want to miss! See all the details at www.mmjubilee.com. Register online! Stay tune for more important announcements. Hope to see you there. -------------------------------------------- 8. Selling Off My Magic -------------------------------------------- Message from Dave Boyd (Aust) With the loss of my wife earlier in the year I have decided to hang up my wand after over thirty years in the business. 25 years as Magic Mountain's Mr. Magic. (Possibly some kind of record for a booking) I am now selling off all my accumulated magic, including books etc. I wonder if you would be good enough to let your readers know by running this in the newsletter. Should they require a list all they have to do is email me on boyddp@hotmail.com with Magic Sale in the subject line and I will email the lists back to them. It has been great knowing you and all the guys from New Zealand and Australia over the years. I have made some wonderful friends during that time. I have sold my house and plan to do a lot of caravan touring around Oz and hopefully New Zealand if I can screw Jon Zealando's arm up his back when I do get there. He has always promised to show me around one day. I saw a little of the country when at one of your conventions a few years back. I want to see more of the wonderful country I was born in over seventy years ago, but left it at only 18 months of age when my parents moved to England. I always say I'm a kiwi by birth, Pom by nature and an Aussie by choice. Three Pass Ports to travel on can't be all bad. Regards Dave Boyd Magic Mountain's Mr. Magic. I can also be contacted by phone on 02 64922940 -------------------------------------------- 9. TAOM 2006 Convention Update -------------------------------------------- Message from Mark Jensen (US) With several great conventions going on through the summer here is one you may want to consider for Labor Day Weekend. If you want something fun and exciting to do over Labor Day Weekend, then you should attend TAOM 2006 (Texas Association of Magicians). It will be held in Dallas, Texas and could very well be the best value in magic this year. The Intercontential is a fine 4 star hotel and we have a low convention rate of only $85 + tax per night and there is plenty of free parking available. Registration is a low $135 if you register before August 1, 2006. There is reduced registration amounts for spouses and kids. You can get complete details and register online at www.taom2006.com Here is just some of the Talent that will be performing: Johnny and Pam Thompson Rene Lavand - Exclusive Appearance for TAOM 2006 John Carney Bob White Roger Klause Eric DeCamps Trevor Lewis Avner the Eccentric Levent Scott Cervine Jon Armstrong Mike Caveney PLUS Several More Great Acts!!! We will also be having a special display of Houdini Memorbilia from the collection of nationally recognized Houdini collector, author, and historian Arthur Moses. Here are just some of the lectures that are planned: An Evening with Fred Kaps - Special Expanded Version presented by Dick Koornwinder The Classics of Magic - presented by Johnny Thompson The Magical Artistry of Rene Lavand Roy Benson by Starlight - presented by Levent The Super Hero Magician - presented by Jon Armstrong The Secret to Getting Publicity - presented by Jeff Crilley (Emmy winning TV reporter) Plus Several The Magic of ... Lectures by Vito Lupo, John Carney, Rafael Benatar, Mike Caveney, etc... The convention starts at 1 pm on Friday, Sept 1st and ends at noon on Monday, Sept 4th and I would not plan on missing any of it. We also have other great events planned throughout the weekend. Once again, for a complete listing of talent and to register online please go to www.taom2006.com I look forward to seeing you all there. Best, Mark Jensen Talent Chairman www.taom2006.com -------------------------------------------- 10. Patti Sinclair Has Died -------------------------------------------- Message from Terry Seabrooke (UK) Sad news that Patti Sinclair the wife of Myles the owner of Magical Wonders died on Friday afternoon in Hospital in Hammersmith, London. No detail as yet re funeral. A very popular lady who Myles met in Burbank, California one year on July 4th. Great magic dealer and had very good lecturer on publicity. We shall all miss Patti. -------------------------------------------- 11. 28th New Zealand International Magicians Convention -------------------------------------------- Hosted by Palmerston North Magic Circle (Inc) Palmerston North, New Zealand. 20th to 23rd of October 2006 For the registration html form to print off Go to: http://www.joel.co.nz/convention/reg_form.htm For more information on the convention Go to: http://www.watson.co.nz/convention.html Convention headliners: David Williamson (USA) Lisa Menna (USA) Duane and Mary Laflin (USA) Joel Howlett (Aus) Alan Martell (UK) If you are planning to attend and have not booked - BOOK NOW - as seats are now limited. ----------------- 12. The Amazing Orchante Saga ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Hi everyone, Here's the conclusion to last weeks episode - a short one; I should have included it in last weeks. Oh well... Page - 106 I cannot be absolutely positive about this, but we are sure she said that their surname was 'ROSS', and that he had invented some sort of aid for the vehicles of handicapped car drivers. As I mentioned, he was also a prolific poet and she showed us several examples that he had written; apparently he would scribble poetry on any bit of paper he could find - she was still discovering stuff that he had written inside book covers, serviettes, scrap paper, practically anything where there was space to write a few poetic lines. We can't recall whether she told us when he had died, but if she did, we have forgotten. Some of his magical equipment was still lying around, I couldn't tell you now what it was - but I vaguely seem to remember that she was reluctant, for some reason, to part with any of it. What did catch my eye was a set of, 'Linking Rings' - I think they were 8 inch and, were obviously home made, as the welding on the joins was very rough and had never been smoothed off. Nonetheless, they were better than the ones I had, which were all warped and twisted out of shape. Somehow, I managed to convince her to part with them, probably because she knew that I would put them to good use and, perhaps, it was why her late husband had put in an 'appearance' to me. Who knows! It was with this set that I learnt the late DAI VERNON'S routine, with a few added moves of my own! They did the job until I bought a nice set - 10 inch 'TRUE TONE', from Alf Hayes shop, in Sydney Australia. - POSTSCRIPT - I sure would like to know if any of the 'MAGIC BOYS' IN PALMERSTON NORTH have any knowledge and or history of Mr Ross, and could pass on what ever knowledge they may possess. He appears to have been quite a colourful character. It would make most interesting reading, not only magically, but also from a historical point of view as well, and it would be a shame if his story is to be allowed to simply 'vanish' into the whirlwind of time, as has happened far too often, with so many others in the past! Regards the 'Postscript', I originally wrote this episode 4/5 years ago, and in all that time not one magician from Palmerston North has bothered come forward with any information! I'm astonished that such an illustrious man could not have inspired a wealth of interesting comments and some sort of magical history - most disappointing. Guess that everyone there are far too busy performing magic, and ringing cowbells... it's all very pastoral in that neck of the woods, or it was in my days of touring around there. -------------------------------------------- 13. 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) -------------------------------------------- 14. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html. Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer. © Copyright 2006 Alan Watson