* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * New Zealand's MagicNZ e-zine * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #71 Date: Sunday 29th April 2001 Editor: Alan Watson www.magician.co.nz www.alan-watson.com e-mail alan@watson.co.nz ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Rip-offs - $50,000 reward 3. The Academy of Magical Arts Awards 2001 4. Greetings from sunny Vanuatu! 5. What a surprise! 6. Rip-offs - Bev Bergeron 7. Performed for astronaut Buzz Aldrin 8. New Magic Site! 9. Illegal reproduction of videotapes 10. Magic items 4 Sale 11. Making Rough & Smooth Cards 12. The South Eastern Alliance of Magicians' convention 13. Performing in Dubai, United Arab Emirates 14. 'Mystery Unveiled' 15. YourName@themagician.tv 16. I.B.M. Ring 41 Annual Spring Magic Auction 17. Marketing Yourself on the Internet 18. The Orchante Saga #27 19. Diarise these events 20. MagicNZ e-zine archives 21. Subscription Management ------------------------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One This coming week Guy Cater and I will be involved in the 10 day promotion of the opening of Botany Downs Shopping Mall which is reputed to be the largest mall in the Southern Hemisphere. Guy will be performing Hypnotism shows and I will be performing on stage with my family magic show and also strolling magic between shows. I have been appointed as the New Zealand representative for the Magic Circle in London so if any New Zealanders would like more information on how to join the Magic Circle or plan to visit the Magic Circle please e-mail me. ------------------------------ Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: alan@watson.co.nz ------------------------------------- 2. Rip-offs - $50,000 reward ------------------------------------- Message from Ricardo Fantasio Since the obituary of Mr.Werner Geissler-Werry, which was published in the September 2000 issue of Magic Magazine, I have had the displeasure of reading several other articles "falsely" stating that Mr.Werry of Germany had made Canes and Candles using coiled plastic long before I (Ricardo Fantasio) did. After an intensive investigation by magic historians in Germany, I can state and assure that I, Ricardo Fantasio manufactured and performed the plastic Canes and Candles two years prior to Mr.Werry. As proof, I state that I had a full page ad in the "Linking Ring", the official magazine of the IBM, Volume 47-No.9 of September 1967. Mr.Werry's earliest ad was in his own magazine published in October 1969 offering as "New" his Candle Sensation. It was made of an off white plastic only. He did not offer plastic canes until 1971. I also own copyrights of my products. Furthermore, in July 1968, I won "four" first place prizes at the IBM and SAM Conventions for the "Triple Color Changing Cane" and "Candelabra". To put an end to these false stories, I'm offering a $50,000 reward to anyone who can prove the contrary. ---------------------------------- 3. The Academy of Magical Arts Awards 2001 ---------------------------------- Lecturer Of The Year Aldo Colombini Close-Up Magician Of The Year Lennart Green Stage Magician Of The Year Ed Alonzo Parlor Magician Of The Year Martin Lewis ---------------------------------- 4. Greetings from sunny Vanuatu! ---------------------------------- Message from Don MacQuoid (Vanuatu) waterfnt@vanuatu.com.vu The Waterfront Magic Bar & Grill is ready for a new season of magic. The past seasons were lot's of fun with many International Magicians performing including Daryl, Jon Allen, Paul Johnston from the Northern Hemisphere, and Sean Taylor, Mike Easterbrook, and Ken & Shirley Bates from this part of the globe. Already scheduled for this season are Ken & Shirley Bates, Jon Zealando, Joshua Jay, Michael Colonna (Walnut), and David O'Connor from South Africa. Vanuatu is a great place to try out new material as Magic is such a big part of the local superstition and culture. The setting is very informal and the majority of the tourists that come here have never seen a "live" magician before. If any of your members are heading this way, PLEASE stop in, enjoy the show and have a beer on me! If any of the gang wishes to perform drop me a line and I will give them the details of our program. Looking forward to seeing you at the NZ convention in December. ------------------------------------- 5. What a surprise! ------------------------------------- Message from George Robinson Jr - Viking Mfg. Co. / Collectors' Workshop I would like to thank all those that took the time to write regarding my note on Rip-Offs. I received over a dozen e-mails thanking me for my stand and throwing in their support. Guys, this is great! For all those that are putting their money where their mouth is, if and when you order from us mention that you support our stand on rip-offs, you'll get a 10% discount on your next purchase. Just a little 'thank you' for your moral stand. ------------------------------------- 6. Rip-offs - Bev Bergeron ------------------------------------- Message from Bev Bergeron (US) In George Robinson, Jr. (Viking Mfg. Co./Collector'sWorkshop) comments last week about "rip-offs" in the magic business, I would like to add that there is not much we can do. I'm not a magic dealer. Have sold a few items off and on and published some books, but I'm still a basic professional magician and have been for over 55 years. Though rip-offs have been around since day one, it seems to me that in the past thirty years it has increased with frightening speed. As more so called magic dealers come into the market, they soon run out of their "original" ideas and start to use others. Some dealers that I know boast of the fact that they are manufacturing most of the items they sell. Right or Wrong? The sad truth of the matter is that the professionals, who are out there trying to make a living, create most of the magic. Most of the time, someone else, who did not create the effect, sells the idea to a dealer or the dealer just takes it as his. I know, because it has happened to me hundreds of times. The reason the creation does not stop is because the creative person does not just turn it off and on. I know from experience the anger that I get when I seen other stake credit for work that I had done. When my Multiplying Wands (some call them the "Nesting Wands") were ripped-off by a dealer, I cried to both the I.B.M. and the S.A.M. to stop the man's ads. Only the S.A.M. did anything to help. Soon there were several dealers around the world selling my product as theirs. What hurt was to have them put their names on the Wands that I was still using in my act at Disney as their inventions. The Wands was my idea 100%--- the routine of putting a wand in each of the kid's hands then under his armpits and the final wand going under his chin was worked out over years of performing shows. Now there are several dealers using my routine with no credits. By the way - the routine was copyrighted in 1966. Other ideas of mind that have been ripped off have not been 100% my idea like the Hot Book. I took a fire book idea from Billy McComb that worked by chemicals and put a cigarette lighter into the operations and there it was --- ready for a dealer I was selling them to put his name on it as the inventor. Now my method of starting a fire in a book or wallet is being using by scores of magic dealers around this world. The Fishing Pole Wand was another one by McDuff and myself what was taken before we could get it on the market. McDuff raised hell with the dealer to fallen promises. We were to be paid a percentage that we never saw. That same dealer also told me when he ripped off my Multiplying Wands, that his were different: My set were black --- his were red. George Robinson was not exaggerating when he mentioned a similar story. Mark Wilson just recently advertised in magic magazines and over the Internet several illusions for sell plus a video telling of simple illusions magicians can make at home. Several of those illusions were from my brain. Others who were not on the "Allakazam" creative staff, in which I was the head writer, got the credit. Why? We don't know. The Fish Pole Illusion was Bobby Towner and my idea. The carrying a person on one's shoulders into and out of an illusion box was brought to the table by me after reading a suggestion in Louis Histed's book. In five years, our little creative team contributed hundreds of ideas that were borrowed by every major magic act in this world. One of my ideas, where a person or object floats in front of a movie screen was worked out by me. Mark had it patented. Yet, it was used in a Vegas show without a thank you. In 1953, I took an idea of George Boston's and build an act of bottles --- the effect became known as the Multiplying Bottles. For several years, I was doing OK with the act then by the 1960s dealers around the world were selling sets without a mention of George or me. Now thousands of balloon workers around the world make good livings on what I reworked in1958 and introduced on network TV in 1959 - the one balloon animal - no credit. Add illusions like: The Mis-Made-Lady (which I drew on a paper napkin and gave to Chuck Jones to build), the Platform Levitation, Stove and Big Cake, Staking Boxes (See M.U.M. of the "Lifesaver Illusion" in 1965), the Train Sawing, Big Shoe, Golf Act and the list goes on and on. As I stated at the beginning of this posting, there is little of anything the magic community can do to stop the rip-offs. However, the creative people will continue to create and the others will just follow, sad. But it would be nice to hear a thank you once in a while and if the rip-off artist can't put the creator's names on the item then just leave it blank ------------------------------------- 7. Performed for astronaut Buzz Aldrin ------------------------------------- Message from Leo Ward The last 2 jobs were among the best I have ever had. On the Crystal Symphony where the prices start at a thousand dollars American a day, I did a private show for a group of VIP's and performed "" Out of this world."" for astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Then on to the "" Infinity."" Which is the latest mega ship. The theatre seats 1000 & cost a staggering $20 Million American, and is equipped with everything you could want including trapdoors & revolves, quite possibly the best room I have ever worked. We were cruising between Mexico across to Hawaii and while in Honolulu got a chance to see "" Magic of Polynesia."" Starring John Hirokawa. What a great show !!!!!!! ------------------------------------- 8. New Magic Site! ------------------------------------- New magic site with marketing tools for magicians: http://www.TheMagician.tv ------------------------------------- 9. Illegal reproduction of videotapes ------------------------------------- Message from Malaki Here we go again... Time and again I hear the manufacturer complain (very loudly) about their items being ripped off, as if it were something new. Harbin was ripped off repeatedly, as was Houdini, Blackstone, etc. In fact, one of Blackstone's Metamorphosis trunks was found in Houdini's estate with Blackstone's mark still inside. Is this right? Absolutely not. On the other hand, is it right for the creator or manufacturer to charge an arm and leg for, say, a thumbtip with a watch battery and LED in it? Absolutely not! I once wrote an article about the problem that producers were having with the illegal reproduction of videotapes. During a debate on the subject at a magic convention a few years ago, the producers of video were up in arms about how much revenue they were losing over these reproductions. Yet, not once did they ever consider lowering their prices. Looking through a popular video producer's catalogue, I discovered that the mean average price of the videos were about $150 per tape with an average run time of only 30-45 minutes. I don't condone illegal rip offs (I am an inventor, myself) but I have a hard time seeing the justification of the manufacturer's ripping off the rest of the magical community. The concept of 'Magical Brotherhood" is supposed to go both ways. Perhaps if the producers would lower their prices to a reasonable level, they would see far fewer knockoffs. This is why I create most of my own equipment; I usually can't afford the originator's exorbitant price, yet I do not have the time to research the origin of every piece of equipment out there to see if, indeed, it is the original piece. What is the reason for such high prices? We are told that it is to keep the non-magician from buying it. Yet most of these items are sold in trade magazines, not available to the general public, so that excuse doesn't hold any water any more. I would say that until the magical producers stop ripping off the magical 'Brotherhood', they don't have much of a chance of stopping their stuff from being ripped off. Another solution? You bet! Get off your duffs and stop relying on someone else to provide you with your effects - create your own. You will get your equipment for far less money and your show will stop looking like everyone else's. The real plus to this solution is the fact that magic will begin to see a Renaissance of new effects, and far fewer Copperfield or Burton imitators. Be creative - be yourself. ---------------------------------- 10. Magic items 4 Sale ---------------------------------- Message from Sefton Pryce (NZ) A majority of these items are brand new and not second hand why I am selling these item, a mishap in my order, so instead of sending them back I thought I would pass them onto the magic community. If there is anything of interest please don't hesitate to call or e-mail SPryce@xtra.co.nz Ph O6 7587841 ask for Sefton Effects Gymnastic Deck $ 30.00 D' Ring by Rocco $ 30.00 X2 D' Lite 's Red / Green $ 80.00 Having a Ball by Steve Brooks $ 10.00 Camera Bug $ 12.00 Finger Flame $ 45.00 Self Floating, Folding Bill $ 25.00 Secret marked cards $ 10.00 Diminishing Cards $ 10.00 ---------------------------------- 11. Making Rough & Smooth Cards ---------------------------------- Message Jit It's Jit here from India. I'm facing some problem at the time of making Rough & Smooth Cards. I'm using our local solution. Please advice me how I can make it easily. Or about the available solution. In Encyclopaedia of Card Tricks by Jen Heaguard the Diachylon solution was there. But it is clearly not understand that what is the Diachylon. No Chemical Shop is has the idea about the same. Please help me. ---------------------------------- 12. The South Eastern Alliance of Magicians' convention ---------------------------------- Message from Peter Marucci (Canada) The South Eastern Alliance of Magicians' convention, in Greensboro, North Carolina July 26-28, will feature performances by Peter Marucci, Bev Bergeron, Rich Bloch, Paul Cummins, Woody Landers, Chris Capehart, Dan Alan, Lanny Miller and the "Oriental Magician". The convention, brought to you by Chris Ball and Tony Econ, is at the Greensboro, North Carolina, Holiday Inn, where you can gets rates of $69 (U.S.) per room for one to four people. Call 1-800-HOLIDAY and ask for the magic rates. The convention registration is $85 per magician and $25 for family members and assistants. Checks payable to Tony Econ at 2015 Stonewood Drive, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A. 27103. ---------------------------------- 13. Performing in Dubai, United Arab Emirates ---------------------------------- Hello, I will be performing in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I will be there on June 7 thru July 5. Have any other magicians any experience performing over there? If so please email me and give me some ideas about how much the food cost any customs I should know about. Also, are there any magic clubs around there that might be interested in a lecture? Thanks. Theefoot@aol.com ---------------------------------- 14. 'Mystery Unveiled' ---------------------------------- Message from Peter Zenner (UK) I have a book which was published in 1898, called 'Mystery Unveiled' by Dr Ormonde ("Knight of the Rosy Cross"!). He did a travelling show with his family, featuring hypnotism, spirit effects, two-person telepathy, muscle reading and lightning calculations, and he revealed all in this book. Has anybody ever seen another copy? Eddie Dawes didn't know it and a search of the British Library Public Catalogue proved fruitless. Have I got a unique book? ---------------------------------- 15. YourName@themagician.tv ---------------------------------- We have an idea for you! How about kick starting your magic's marketing and promotions. Try something memorable like: YourName@themagician.tv (this address will forward all mail to your existing e-mail service) -- and there is more! Your personal magician profile web page is waiting for you now, complete with a booking form! Start accepting bookings over the web, immediately! Get your own personal MAGIC web space at: http://YourName.themagician.tv This amazing set of marketing tools will boost your reputation. Visit us online: http://www.TheMagician.tv Marketing For Magicians ---------------------------------- 16. I.B.M. Ring 41 Annual Spring Magic Auction ---------------------------------- Message from Rex Sikes May 6 Sunday noon until 6 pm at the Tripoli Shrine Temple 3000 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you have items to auction or you want further information on how you can attend contact Bob Rath by email immediately!!! email address is rrath@aero.net $2.00 bid paddle, food and beverages for sale. Come on out for some great magic tricks, books, magazines, props and memorabilia, mentalism and more!!!! There may be a complete set of Magick, much of Innvocation, some Syzygy abd much more! This is rumored to be the biggest auction yet!!! Make some money and get some great magic!!!!! Certainly you have some unused magic, unread books, stuff you'll never get around to, or items you are finished with, books and magazines you've read and even re-read and you'd like to get some cash instead - AUCTION! Perhaps you'd like to pick up some items for your collection - AUCTION! Please advise Bob Rath rrath@aero.net if you intend to bring items to sell ASAP. It may be possible that items may be handled through the mail or UPS if you are not able to attend or are from out of the area - but you need to make those arrangements ASAP with Bob ASAP to be certain this can be accomplished. If you do plan to have material auctioned: - please tag each item with condition and whether instructions are included and whether there is a minimum bid. Bundle magazines and list whether series is complete or if any issues are missing. Each collection will be allotted 1/2 hr. if there are items left over and time permits they will be auctioned off after all collections had their turn. Please bring magic items only!!! Private sale are prohibited. Handling of items on tables will also be prohibited. A bid card number is needed to purchase or bid. The cost of these is $2.00. Contact Bob Rath rrath@aero.net ---------------------------------- 17. Marketing Yourself on the Internet ---------------------------------- Message from Chad Currin My name is Chad Currin and I am a professional entertainer from New York. I have just published a new marketing course for entertainers, "Marketing Yourself on the Internet: The Complete Guide for Entertainers." For a limited time I am offering this course for FREE! All I ask in return is that you write a small testimonial letter that I can use in further marketing efforts. There is a lot of very valuable information contained in this course whether your are a beginner on the net - or even very advanced! The full course is available at: http://www.inettalent.com/internetmarketing/ Please enjoy the course, put my techniques to work and let me know what you think. Thanks in advance! ---------------------------------- 18. The Orchante Saga #27 ---------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Memories - Friends and Acquaintances - past and present Although I knew much of what follows, - the details come from my dear friend, and buddy of, 35 years, Sally Metzger (nee Phillips), who now lives with her husband Derek (well-known New Zealand singer), in Sydney, Australia (which was also our 'home town', for 10 years). More of Sally and Derek, later. When I first met Peter Taylor December 31st, 1964, there was another Peter whom I knew - Peter Newberry. He, with his partner, David Baylis had been on the entertainment scene for around 8 years, performing since about 1957. They had two different acts - the first, as 'The Demonos', was a trick-cyclist act, which featured the 'smallest bike in the world'; the other was, 'The Movados, The Laziest Acrobats in the World' - with their faces painted flat white, and holding dead-pan expressions it was hilarious. Every lift, pose, and movement, was performed in extreme slow motion. The amount of strength and control necessary was enormous! David Baylis started working with Peter, when he was only 13. According to Peter Newberry's wife, Pat, they had to get special permission for David to work, because of his age, especially when they were booked into the world famous Chequer's Night Club which was situated in the equally (in) famous King's Cross, of Sydney Australia. When they arrived there, they discovered that two 'spots' were required - they only had one, which was the trick-cycling and acrobatics, combined, so they split the two, created the idea of using white faces, etc., and from an advertising sign they spotted for watches, the stage name 'Movados' was born. Sometime during the early part of 1965, the two Peters met up - probably at some show they were both booked for. It was a happy coincidence, as David has wanted to leave the act for some time (he and Peter Newberry had at that time been together for 8 years), to buy a restaurant, and to pursue his own career as a Cordon Bleu chef. Peter Taylor fitted the 'Demonos/Movados' acts perfectly, being an acrobat in his own right and juggler. David and Peter Newberry (nicknamed 'Newbs') taught the act to Peter Taylor, and everyone was happy - David bought his restaurant, Newbs had his new partner in Peter Taylor, who was elated as he could still work in his own act as 'Delmere', and potentially double his income. With the volume of work he/they were getting (and myself, for that matter), our 'bird watching' on Friday nights, gradually became a thing of the past. The next time I worked with the now two Peters, was in Fiji, touring with Alan Horobin and his chimps, for two months - from the 6th October to the 10th December 1965. We had to leave by then, as the two Peters and myself had Christmas Company bookings to fulfil in Auckland, starting Saturday the 11th December. According to my Diary, I did 8 shows that day - the first started at 10.15am, the last finished 11pm that night - no rest for the wicked! I'll come back later to Fiji and Al Horobin. Christmas and New Year's Eve 1965 - show at the Rotorua Sound Shell, with myself, performing the Magic, Mime and Yoga acts, the two Peters doing the Demonos and Movados routines - the Compere was Lew Pryme - another well known New Zealander - singer, T.V. personality, and Rugby- Sports writer. After the show, Lew introduced us to his friend, Sally Phillips, who was on holiday with her friend Jenny Harwood - that was the first time Sally had met any of us - apart from Lew Pryme. Talking to Sally on the phone the other day, as I often do, (England to Australia - to hell with the expense), probing her seemingly inexhaustible memory and confirming details. She says 'you remember Jenny, don't you?' 'No!' 'Well, you should' says Sally 'you and she ...........' 'I didn't' 'You did,' says Sally 'You randy bugger!' 'Hey, Sally, my love - it takes two!!' Perhaps, Mary Throll (retired Auckland Agent) was right - I was a 'little terror' with the ladies, in those days. Continues next week - also, Fiji and Alan Horobin. ------------------------------------- 19. Diarise these events ------------------------------------- Palmerton North Magician's Mini Convention Sunday 3rd June 2001 Joshua Jay (US) NZ Lectures: Auckland Friday 10th August 2001 Christchurch Monday 13th August 2001 The 26th NZ Magician's Convention Thursday 27th to Monday 31st December 2001 (The registration form and information is now available on the web go to: www.magician.co.nz/convention1.html) ------------------------------------- 20. MagicNZ e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the MagicNZ e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: ezine Password: newzealand When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001nov0699.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (nov06) and the last next two numbers the year (99) If you want to print copies of MagicNZ e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine-archive ------------------------------------- 21. Subscription Management ------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the MagicNZ e-zine: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html MagicNZ e-zine is published weekly, on Sunday. The opinions expressed in this e-zine are those of the individual contributors. Neither MagicNZ or Alan Watson can vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via MagicNZ e-zine. We reserve the right to correct any errors or omissions as we see fit. >> This publication may be freely redistributed to other magicians if copied in its ENTIRETY << (c) Copyright 2001 Alan Watson