* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #407 Date: Sunday 30th April 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. Paul Daniels Podcasting On iTunes 3. David Copperfield Robbed At Gunpoint 4. Mike Miller Running For 2 V.P. For S.A.M National Council 5. Meetings With Remarkable Magicians # 8 - Nick Lewin 6. On Stage Magician James Dimmare 7. Magical Nights At The Theatre 8. Lee Asher And Mike Ammar 9. Sensual Illusions Starring John Taylor 10. Magic Broadcast History Is Being Made Tonight 11. 7th Annual Balloons Around The World Scheduled 12. Who Was The Author Of "The Boys' Book Of Magic" 13. The Amazing Orchante Saga 14. e-zine Archives 15. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editors Message -------------------------------------------- Delighted to learn that Mike Miller is running for 2 V.P. for S.A.M National Council. Mike is one of those special people who has worked very hard for the S.A.M. over many years. Check out item 4 for more details. ----------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Paul Daniels Podcasting On iTunes -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Daniels (UK) My website has been given a facelift and is worth a look and I have also started 'experimenting' with podcasting on iTunes. What I say is funny they tell me but so far it is only the story of my early life and will move on to the present day as soon as I find quiet times to sit and chat. http://www.pauldaniels.co.uk/ -------------------------------------------- 3. David Copperfield Robbed At Gunpoint -------------------------------------------- David Copperfield tricks robbers http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/04/26/showbuzz/ CNN - USA The 49-year-old illusionist was walking with two female assistants to their tour bus after his show Sunday at a performing arts center when four teens pulled ... David Copperfield Magically Escapes Getting Robbed http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=entertainment&id=4118408 ABC12.com - Flint,MI,USA Four would be robbers picked the wrong victim when they tried to rob magician David Copperfield. He says he used illusion to trick them. ... David Copperfield Robbed at Gunpoint http://people.aol.com/people/articles/0,19736,1187698,00.html People Magazine - USA By Emily Fromm. Magician David Copperfield and two female assistants were robbed at gunpoint Sunday night after a performance in West Palm Beach, Fla. Magician tricks gun-toting robbers http://www.canada.com/topics/entertainment/story.html?id=a09878ae-c90b-45a2-b484-648383aef6d3&k=32967 Canada.com - Hamilton,Ontario,Canada Magician David Copperfield wasn't able to make four teenagers disappear when they held him up at gunpoint this week but he tricked them into believing he had ... Howard Gensler | Local gum doc stands by wife linked to Povich http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/living/14439122.htm Philadelphia Daily News - Philadelphia,PA,USA ... My money's on Connie to keep him in line.". Using street magic worthy of David Blaine, David Copperfield made his own wallet disappear. ... Gordy to give success tips at MSU http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060427/ENT07/604270568/1046 Detroit Free Press - United States ... Magic or blarney? You be the judge. Magician David Copperfield escaped loss Sunday in a West Palm Beach, Fla., robbery by resorting to legerdemain. David Copperfield empties his pockets for robbers; David Blaine ... http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/darwin_was_right/david_copperfield_empties_his_pockets_for_robbers_david_blaine_empties_his_heart_for_new_yorkers_35995.asp mediabistro.com - New York,NY,USA Honestly, we just live for moments like this: Magician fakes out robbers with sleight-of-hand. Would that Pellicano could have done ... Publicists: David Copperfield Tricked Muggers http://www.nbc6.net/news/9024543/detail.html NBC6.net - Miami,FL,USA WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Magician David Copperfield pulled off a trick that prevented robbers from making off with his possessions in West Palm Beach on Sunday ... See all stories on this topic David Copperfield Foils Robbers http://wfmz.com/cgi-bin/tt.cgi?action=viewstory&storyid=15416 WFMZ-TV Online - Allentown,PA,USA In other news, it was one disappearing act that may have saved magician David Copperfield a bundle of money. Cops say a group of ... People: David Copperfield, Tom Cruise, Keira Knightley http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/27/features/peepfri.php International Herald Tribune - France David Copperfield has magically escaped getting robbed. The 49-year-old illusionist was walking with two assistants to their tour ... Check out this link: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/audio/0425copperfield1.html -------------------------------------------- 4. Mike Miller Running For 2 V.P. For S.A.M National Council -------------------------------------------- Message from Mike Miller (US) I have been nominated by Assembly #4 - Philadelphia for the position of Second Vice President for S.A.M. With the encouragement of some Past National Presidents and National Council Members, I have accepted the nomination for the position. The duties of the Second Vice President is to be a liaison between the Assemblies, RVPs and the National Council. I am enclosing a list of references of people who know first hand what I've done in and for magic and the S.A.M. If you have any questions please feel free (with their permission) to contact any of them. Please help me help you get your voice heard. I am a person who will finish what I have started and will try to get answers to all your questions. Please feel free to contact me at 215-364-8132 or by e-mail at mmille8430@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from you, and hope you will support me in the endeavor. Sincerely, Mike Miller --------------------------------------------- Marc Desouza I was so pleased when Mike Miller told me of his decision to run for the office of 2nd National Vice President of the SAM. I was asked by several members of the board for suggestions as to who would be a great candidate for this office. My first choice was Mike. I have had the good fortune to know and work with Mike closely for at least the last 20 years. He is the type of tenacious individual who puts everything he has into the tasks he undertakes. From his wonderful performances, to the incredible work he has done as technical director and running the backstage crews (often pushing the broom himself after countless Snowstorms) for the SAM Convention shows and at least five other regional conventions, to his work as Regional Vice President for the SAM, he works tirelessly to get the job done right. Ron Geoffries, Mike and I produced the East Coast Magic Spectacular for five years. Mike was always the guy who was there to not only do his job, but pick up the pieces and tie up the loose ends to make the whole event run smoothly. I think he will do a fantastic job for the SAM and will bring a vitality to the organization that will help us grow now and in the future. Place your vote for Mike Miller. Fraternally yours, Marc Desouza --------------------------------------------- Jann Goodsell Past National President I don't usually hit "reply to all," but felt this memo warranted sending my response to everyone on this list. I am an avid supporter of Mike Miller, feeling that he will serve our S.A.M. well as National Second V.P. as he has done in the past through his various offices and services. If any of you would like more details as to why I support Mike, please write me. In the meantime, I encourage you to vote for Mike Miller! Jann Wherry Goodsell (bravesjann@comcast.net) ---------------------------------------------- For additional references: Maria Ibanez-1st Vice President (Merlina17@aol.com) Bruce Kalver-2nd Vice President(reflakmagic@cox.net) Hank Moorehouse- Past National President ( magihank@myrural.com) Joan Caesar- Canadian Association of Magicians (jcaesar@sentex.net) William Andrews - Past National President (weandrews@snet.net) General Grant - Lecture-Dealer-Performer (GGmagic@aol.com) Richard Gustafson-Past National President-(RLGMAGIC@aol.com) Michael Bonacci- National Magic Week Chair assembly #4 (MBona88@aol.com) David Oliver-Boston Mass.-Lecture-Mentor-Performer (Domagic@aol.com) Duane Laflin-Lecture-Dealer-Performer-(laflinmagic@frontiernet.net) -------------------------------------------- 5. Meetings With Remarkable Magicians # 8 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (US) A walk in Soho with Ken Brooke Soho is a lively, seedy, fascinating little urban island in the center of London. Every street is awash in pubs, clubs, coffee houses and striptease joints. In the late 60's you would often see undesirable looking characters 'tossing the lady' on top of upturned orange crates. Tossing the lady is one of the many names for this street gamble. Whatever the name; the game is the same and using just three cards a fool and his money are parted. This particular hustle was probably first played the day after the first deck of cards was invented. The original version was the three-shell game. Last year on the streets of Stockholm, I watched it played with three matchboxes. No matter which variation is used the results are the same; the money passes into the hands of the gamblers, and stays there. When I took the fifteen-minute walk from Piccadilly Circus to 'Ken Brooke's Magic Place', for my next magic lesson, I always enjoyed the intoxicating sights, smells and sounds of this exotic area. While cutting through the Berwick Street market, I would often stop and watch the three card tricksters ply their trade, I was never tempted to gamble because any money I did have was earmarked for that special magic prop that was going to throw my act into overdrive. Forty years later, I am still looking for that prop! One day while I was visiting Ken, we made a trip to the street market to buy the assorted fruit that would later that night find their way under the cups in the 'cups and balls' routine he would be performing. Noticing my fascination with a three-card trickster at work, Ken took the time to teach me the real secrets of the hustle. We bought two cardboard cups of tea and he said; "The first way to spot what's going on is to not be so close to it that you can't see anything." What wisdom lies in that concept! We walked to the back of the crowd and Ken pointed out the two lookouts that were standing at a discreet distance from the action. They were watching for any policemen or other unwelcome additions to the scene. Then he enlightened me about the rest of the 'crew'. There were the phony punters who seemed to be winning wads of money at the game and the friendly passerby who encouraged the mark to make his bet. He often pointed out helpful hints such as, "Look, the corner of the card is bent!" At first glance it looked as though the mark was gambling against just one man however that was about six people short of the truth. This was a whole group of people all working together to separate just one rube from his cash. It was like the Anneman theory of the acceptability of using an entire room full of stooges to astound one genuine spectator. We stayed there a while and watched the Swiss watch precision of the set-up; you wouldn't think it would work but it did, time after time. Never underestimate people's greed and their desire to beat the odds. While walking back to Ken's magic studio I asked him about what magic I was going to learn that day. "You should already have learned it son." Said Ken. "The reason those blokes make money and most magicians don't is because they're well rehearsed, and they know exactly what to do to get the job done." I pretended to understand but didn't really. It didn't really sink in until a few years later when I was, as Ken would say, starting to make a little brass. Please send any Bricks or Bouquet's to nicklewin@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------- 6. On Stage Magician James Dimmare -------------------------------------------- Message from James Dimmare (US) Tiki Oasis - The Magic of Tiki May 4-7 2006, San Diego This magical weekender will feature entertainment by Ape (San Francisco); King Kukulele (Hollywood), The Martini Kings (L.A.), The Maikai Gents (Napa), The Sand Devils (San Diego); Burlesque by Vivienne VaVoom (Denver), Ginger Goldmine (L.A.), Mimi Lemeaux (San Diego); and live DJ sets from Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus (Brooklyn); DJ Lee (L.A.); Patrick Robinson (Denver) & DJ Jack Hughes (L.A.); special guest appearance by cast members of Shag with a Twist performing live and we are proud to present the star of our show James Dimmare from Las Vegas! At the Red Lion Hanalei Hotel & Bali Hai restaurant, San Diego. For more information and tickets go to: www.tikioasis.com -------------------------------------------- 7. Magical Nights At The Theatre -------------------------------------------- Message by Michael Woolf (NZ) Managing Editor, Magicana Magazine In Peter Reveen's review of the Trikosko book on Dante (can't wait to get it!) he refers to Gerald Taylor and Charles Waller's now out-of print book "Magical Nights At The Theatre." I bought my copy a while back from Lee Jacobs - during Lee's lifetime and while he was still running the company. At that time I believe they had more copies. My recommendation to anyone interested is to grab any copy you can - this history is solid gold. -------------------------------------------- 8. Lee Asher And Mike Ammar -------------------------------------------- Message from Lee Asher (US) I have so much to tell you!!! I'll start with the World Magic Seminar and the first ever Las Vegas Magic Film Festival. From there, I'll tell you where you can find the second half of "On Tour: with Michael Ammar." Sixteen films competed for three prizes, judged by Chris Kenner, Rodney Reyes, Paul Harris, and Mike Close. We, the audience, only had to view the best eight. All eight films were worthy, but the winner clearly stood above the rest. It had to be the humor, cinematography, and great acting, which made it popular with the audience. Would you like to know who won? Click the link below to find out, and read more about the Las Vegas Magic Film Festival. http://www.leeasher.com/film.htm I participated in the event by showing the magic film festival cut of "On Tour: with Michael Ammar" - Parts One and Two. Do you want to see the first and second installments of "On Tour: with Michael Ammar" for free? Either click the link below, or cut and paste it into your browser. http://www.leeasher.com/ammar.htm What a thrill it was, to sit with hundreds of my peers and watch one of my projects on three large projector screens. It's really not the same watching something at home verses in the theatre with an audience. I will never forget that event as long as I live! Besides being there to show the Ammar piece, I was given the Inspiration Award for the Five Card Stud. Again, if you want to know more about the film festival, "On Tour: with Michael Ammar", the Inspiration award given to me, or anything else cool which happened on this last trip, please follow the links above. -------------------------------------------- 9. Sensual Illusions Starring John Taylor -------------------------------------------- Message from Cherry Saville (Aust) Sensual Illusions starring John Taylor is on the 5th and 6th of May 2006, at South Sydney Juniors in Sydney Australia. This original, exciting and alluring production is an original show unlike anything ever seen before in Australia. It showcases John Taylor performing both some of his original illusions and stand up comedy magic. He is backed by a star studded cast of exotic performers- this production show offers over an hour and a half of magic and comedy at it's sexiest! Don't miss this show, it is sure to be a hit! -------------------------------------------- 10. Magic Broadcast History Is Being Made Tonight -------------------------------------------- Message from Ryan Pilling Magic Broadcast history is being made tonight. For the first time ever, (but certainly not the last), we'll be broadcasting a live lecture presentation over the...uh... webwaves. Dean Hankey live and in person at Grand Illusions magic shop! If you've never tuned in to Dean's regular Sunday night show here, this is a perfect opportunity to see what he's all about. Basically, he's a sincere guy who wants you to have success doing what you want to be doing (like magic shows!) and wants to arm you with everything you need to know to get there. Unlike alot of self-proclaimed coaches, every idea, tip, and strategy Dean mentions comes from his own wealth of personal experience. (Over 25,000 live *paid* performances in his career) I'm always amazed to hear that Dean has been-there-done-that on even some strange and obscure topics. (Magic at funerals?) In short, if you want to earn a respectable living as an independant professional, you need to tune in! Tonight at 7:30 PM Pacific, 10:30 PM Eastern. Hosted by the smooth-talking golden voice of Steve Johnson. (This will pre-empt his usual Inisde The Thumbtip tonight) More details from Dean at http://www.thedean.net/live More details from Steve at http://www.grandillusions.com (click on Magic Lectures) Be there, or be sitting on the couch watching TV... for the next 5 years! -Ryan Pilling P.S. Magic Broadcast is going to Vegas! Join us! http://www.lvmi.net Listen Online at http://www.magicbroadcast.com -------------------------------------------- 11. 7th Annual Balloons Around The World Scheduled -------------------------------------------- Message from Jeff Brown Once again, balloon artists worldwide will join together, donating time in their individual communities as part of an international event. For six years, sculptors and twisters have donated an hour of fun to libraries, civic groups, schools, hospitals, senior centers and more as part of Balloons Around the World. Organized primarily on-line, participants select a good cause in their community, sign up on line (www.balloonsaroundtheworld.com), and even get a free OFFICIAL ARTIST button. The website features photos from previous years' events, a list of participants and what they're doing for the event, a sample press release, a printable logo, and an on-line form to sign up to take part in the non-profit event, which happens on or about the first Wednesday in October. For more information, please check the website or e-mail the organizer, Jeff Brown, at jbrown@alaska.net. -------------------------------------------- 12. Who Was The Author Of "The Boys' Book Of Magic" -------------------------------------------- Message from Jon Zealando (NZ) Does anyone know the name of the author, and illustrator of THE BOYS' BOOK OF MAGIC. published by The Burke Publishing Co. Ltd. 55 Britton Street, London, E.C.1 Printed in England By The Alcuin Press Welwyn Garden City in 1949. 2nd impression 1951, 3rd Impression 1952 and 4th Impression Oct 1952. This wonderfully practical and inspiring book was given to me, in the fifties when I about 13yrs. It was my first book, so as we say, the rest is history. I find it strange that the author is not mentioned anywhere in the book. As a 50 year full time pro I certainly have a lot to thank him or her for. I would appreciate any answers about this book or of any in mint condition. Got to be dreaming. Email: info@Jonzealando.co.nz ----------------- 13. The Amazing Orchante Saga ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page 97 The impact could be likened to going to the movies to see, say - 'The Lord of the Rings' when, right in the middle of a most dramatic scene, with all the ensuing bangs etc. The sound suddenly goes off! I guarantee that You Too, would be left feeling just a 'little - Irritated, Aggrieved, Upset and, utterly Pissed Off''! During the interval, by which time my fury had increased tenfold, I had Brendan bailed up in a corner - threatening to remove certain parts of his anatomy that would have a dramatic effect on his ability to impregnate - from then on! My Maori blood was on the boil, as was my temper, I was seething. He was so terrified, as well he should have been, that he started crying but what really galled me was when he screamed for Veronica, who came up and put her arms around him - protecting him from me with a "There, There, the 'Bad Man' will go away soon"! I did, in disgust! HE NEVER TOUCHED MY SOUND SYSTEM AGAIN. Looking back now, I may have been a bit rough with him but I do like to think that it was a lesson well learnt that perhaps, may have stood him in good steed in latter years. Veronica and I were only 31 years of age when we did this tour - my God, that's almost 28 years ago, it sounds worse when you say 'over a quarter of a century' - everybody else was in their twenties - except Angela who was 18/19yrs.old. The 'Cheeky Brat' called us 'Mum and Dad'! We have fond memories of 'Tangles' and Angela Ayers sitting on the end of our bed in various hotels after shows - listening to ghost stories that they insisted Veronica relate to them (she probably got them from her Scottish mother), for the life of me I can't remember why, now. Perhaps it was because Tangles told Angela about the strange 'goings-on', in the house in Timaru. One night while she was relating some story to them, she noticed that the bedroom door was swinging slightly in a draft. Veronica asked Tangles if he had closed the door when he and Angela had came in. When he replied, "Yes", Veronica said, "Strange, it's open now", both he and Angela went white - she was almost as skittish as he was. Poor Tangles - in almost every hotel that we stayed, somebody would find some reason to convince him that 'bizarre things' happened there. I remember one hotel that had a trap door right in the middle of the narrow foyer. The trap was full of sand so one of the band members (who were all Tangles mates) stuck a couple of boots into it and then told Tangles that a skeleton was buried underneath them - HE BELIEVED IT. Another time, we made sure that Tangles was kept it in the bar while I, using a bit of magical ingenuity, tied one end of black thread onto a coat hanger in his wardrobe - in such a way that when it was pulled, all the other coat hangers would fall off as well. The thread ran from his wardrobe out the door and along the corridor to the next bedroom. Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, we waited for an hour then pulled the thread. The resultant clanging and clashing as the coat hangers hit the bottom of the wardrobe and Tangles terrified screams was music to our ears! Entertainers and musicians can be such 'Evil Bastards' at times. Haaa, THAT'S SHOWBIZ! There was only in one dreadful 'THING' during the whole tour, apart from the 'Dugan/Sound' episode; it was an appalling newspaper review of the show in Nelson. I will repeat here word-for-word.  It was headed: - UNSPECTACULAR 'SPECTACULAR' Sunday evening's family variety spectacular '74 failed to come up to the standard now expected of professional New Zealand entertainers. With the one exception the standard of presentation was disappointingly amateurish. THE ONLY ACT, WHICH MANAGED TO SALVAGE THE SHOW, WAS THAT OF 'ORCHANTÉ', HYPNOTIST, SWORD SWALLOWER, MAGICIAN, AND A CLEVER MIMIC. He was the sole performer to hold an otherwise restless crowd quiet while he digested swords up to their hilts and swallowed flaming torches only to relight them with regurgitated flame seconds later. In the second half he mimed songs like "My boomerang won't come back" and "Well Goodness Gracious Me!" to the obvious delight of the 600 audience. Others who appeared were Craig Scott, the Reflections, Angela Ayers, Prentice, and Brendan Dugan, who compered the show. Page 98 Craig Scott sang most of his more popular hits but Michael Jackson's "Ben" got him the most applause. He sang that well. Angela Ayers pranced and cavorted her way across a stage. The days of kicking off the shoes and donning a straw hat belonged to the Maria Dallas era of six or seven years ago and it is a pity Miss Ayers is not confident enough in her own ability to entertain without this. Prentice, the backing group really showed how far they have to go before they become professionals in the true sense of the word. No matter how many times they have seen the act or how bored they are with Miss Ayers' back, there is no excuse for bad manners on stage. If they wanted to hold private conversations or if they found the roof of the stage more interesting than the music they were playing, this should not become obvious to the audience. Comparisons are odious, true, but it is difficult not to compare the supposed professionalism of the show with the Val Doonican show, which was here last week. Doonican is an international star with years of experience but if New Zealand entertainers want a good national following, they will have to take a look at the image they are presenting. Angela Ayers said after the show they were tired and the audience last night just didn't want to know. Good audience response evoked a similar response from the stage, she said. But that was not entirely true. Professionals create an empathy with the audience. Last night's show barely got off the ground. -S.C. - POSTSCRIPT - Personally, I think that the critic was who did this review was grossly unfair. Yes, a band should always look interested and are enjoying themselves, whether they are or not, but apart from that, I KNOW that it was a great show, with some very talented New Zealand performers, who were right at the 'Top of the Tree', or were heading that way at the time. Bloody critics! They're all Bastards out there! My mate Martin, who comes and stays with us on a regular basis, told me the other day that when reading the saga's, he has great fun looking at the various posters that are displayed around the walls here in the spare bedroom (see page 64 - last paragraph), picking out the names that he's reading about. He is sure going to have a field day with this one, as all their photographs are on display as well! -------------------------------------------- 14. 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) -------------------------------------------- 15. 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