Magic New Zealand® E-zine

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* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New Zealand)
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Issue Number: #1682
Date: Sunday 28th August 2022
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
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Hi here is the latest news
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1. Editor's Message
2. Vanish Magic Magazine - Free FISM Special Edition
3. Milbourne Christopher Awards 2022 Award Winners
4. Siegfried And Roy's Fantastical 'Little Bavaria' Compound
5. September Issue Of Genii Magazine
6. 113th Annual Salute To Magic
7. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #74
8. Tales from the Fantastic Magic Center - #7
9. Hummer Funner! - John Carey #169
10. News From The Academy Of Illusions
11. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
12. Haversat & Ewing Galleries Auction
13. E-zine Archives
14. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice

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1. Editor's Message
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If you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in HTML format
go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2022-Jan-to-Dec2022/1682-Aug28-2022.html

If you would like to write a regular column for Magic New Zealand or have some magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com

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2. Vanish Magic Magazine - Free FISM Special Edition
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Message by Paul Romhany - Editor Vanish Magazine

We are pleased to announce the huge free edition of Vanish - and it's all FISM related. If you weren't there you will feel like you were, and if you were then you can relive some of the incredible historic moments.

Four different contributors - four different points of view plus photos galore.

Get your free copy from here - https://joom.ag/Q0Id

If you subscribe to Vanish then your copy will already be in your Vanish library.

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3. Milbourne Christopher Awards 2022 Award Winners
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Message by David Haversat (US)

Illusionist Award - Terry Evanswood
Close - Up Award - Jeki Yoo
Ambassador of Magic Award - Bruce Kalver
Literary Award - David Ginn
Masters Award - Joe Eddie & Betty Fairchild
Lifetime Achievement Award - Greg Bordner

To be held at 6:00 pm on October 1, 2022 at the Garde Arts Center - 325 State Street, New London, Connecticut. The evening begins with a reception featuring fine hors d'oeuvres, complimentary wine, cash bar - followed by the presentation of the 2022 Christopher Foundation Awards. Festivities continue with a performance by The Magic of Lyn Dillies.

If you have not done so, please RSVP with David Haversat - Haversat@gmail.com - Checks made to: The Milbourne Christopher Foundation - Mail to David Haversat - PO Box 487 - Oxford, CT 06478
$20.00 Per Person.

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4. Siegfried And Roy's Fantastical 'Little Bavaria' Compound
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Article Forwarded by David Hartnell MNZM

Daily Mail Australia

Inside Siegfried and Roy's fantastical 'Little Bavaria' compound

The homes were decorated with priceless artifacts such as a clock owned by Napoleon, gold candelabras that were a gift from Liberace and a jewel-encrusted sword that is said to have once belonged to Genghis Khan.

They called it 'Little Bavaria,' but legendary magicians Siegfried and Roy's lavish 100-acre property in the middle of the Las Vegas desert was a far cry from the austere values with which the German-born illusionists were raised.

Other than its name, the opulent and over-the-top residence bore little resemblance to their humble beginnings, instead serving as a temple to their fantastical existence and legendary performances, filled with glittery fripperies, gaudy décor, and extravagant amenities.

It was once described as 'opulent to the point of vulgarity,' yet it brought to life some of the magic and wonder that the duo shared with captivated audiences for decades.

Now, that one-of-a-kind wonderland is set to be destroyed once and for all, as Las Vegas officials prepare to demolish Little Bavaria to make way for a monstrous 334-unit apartment complex that will no doubt be a stark and clinical world away from the fantasy land that Siegfried and Roy built and inhabited for so many years.

The compound is a staggering hideaway of connected mansions and miles of interlocking walkways that contain an aquatic park, a 'translucent' chapel replete with a bell tower, and a ten car garage and gatehouse with a parking space especially for Greta Garbo's cream-colored Rolls Royce.

The luxury estate served as the perfect backdrop for the two princes of Sin City and their dazzling collection of costumes and kimonos and menagerie of exotic animals that included horses, mini-donkeys, black swans, peacocks, royal turkeys, African cranes, dogs and an assortment of cats, big and small.

Siegfried Fischbacher lived there until his death from pancreatic cancer in 2021. His lifelong partner, Roy Horn died in May 2020 of complications from COVID-19, aged 75.

Within the walls of the compound, the magicians created a lush, surreal fantasy land that mimicked their spectacular showmanship - one visitor once described it as 'opulent to the point of vulgarity.'

It was not uncommon, that at any given point you might bump into a Himalayan tiger, or perhaps even more peculiar, a miniature donkey whether indoors or out. Their animal kingdom had virtual run of the place with their own Olympic-sized pool and air-conditioned accommodation.

The replica Sistine Chapel in the dining room barely stands out among the collection of original Dutch Old Master paintings, a 5,000-pound silver tiger from India, priceless Persian rugs, crystal candle holders, baroque carved furnishings, a clock owned by Napoleon, gold candelabras that were a gift from Liberace and a jewel-encrusted sword that is said to have once belonged to Genghis Khan.

An authentic Bavarian cottage served as centerpiece for the two separate-but-matching modern domiciles.

'We have houses on each side, one for Roy and one for me. They are like two arms, wrapped around, and we meet in the middle,' said Siegfried in an interview with Las Vegas Weekly.

It was the ultimate metaphor for the lives of two German born stars that would combine their talents after meeting on a cruise ship in 1957 to become the most successful act Las Vegas history (outperforming the likes of Elvis and Frank Sinatra).

Siegfried did the magic tricks, while Roy, who had a supernatural connection with animals, became his assistant and eventually suggested they upgrade the 'rabbit out a hat' routine with a live cheetah.

They honed their act performing at clubs around Europe before catching their big break in Paris one night when a producer in the audience invited them to perform in Las Vegas. It was there that they captivated audiences as the flashiest, most flamboyant, longest running acts in showbusiness.

Over the course of their storied five-decade-long career, Siegfried and Roy performed an estimated 30,000 shows to over 50 million people worldwide.

Their Las Vegas residency at the Mirage generated more than a billion dollars in ticket sales, before Roy was nearly killed on stage in 2003 during a routine with one of their famed white tigers.

For the balance of article go to:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11123833/Inside-Siegfried-Roys-fantastical-Little-Bavaria-compound-Las-Vegas.html

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5. September Issue Of Genii Magazine
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Message by Richard Kaufman - Editor Genii Magazine

Step inside and get tens of thousands of pages for as little as $35 when you subscribe to Genii at www.geniimagazine.com. All back issues of Genii and MAGIC magazines are yours to read for free.

The September 2022 issue of Genii features the wonderful Mexican magician Fenik. We also have three tricks from Fenik in this month's "Magicana."

We also have more magic from David Regal in his "Material Concessions" column. This month he shares a "Presentation for Belchou's Aces." Jon Racherbaumer's "Exhumations" features a super-easy You-Do-As-I-Do routine. Poker Deal fans will enjoy this month's "Dealing With It" from John Bannon. You'll find that it's "One of the Better Losers." Jim Steinmeyer goes Latin in "Conjuring."

In "Happiness is the Road," Hannibal has in fact returned to the road, so enjoy his last entry in Genii for a while. Shawn McMaster reports from the Hollywood Hills not long after his own road trip in "Knights at The Magic Castle." Krystyn Lambert does more insightful and artistic soul searching in "Stage as Studio."

All the news is covered by Vanessa Armstrong in "The Eye." "Light from the Lamp" this month has Brad Henderson casting light on tricks, Tom Frame on books, and Bill Wells on videos.

It's all on the inside. Join us, won't you?

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6. Salute To Magic
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Message by George Schindler (US)

September 17 2022 at the Florence Gould Theatre
55 East 59 Street N YC at 7 PM.

Eight star magicians will appear honoring owners of the "Houdini Museum" in Scranton, PA, Dick Brookz and Dorothy Dietrich as "Magicians of the Year" in a one night only event . Dietrich is the first woman ever nominated by the Society in its 113th year show history.

COVID prevented "Live" shows and in 2020 and 2021 the shows were streamed to members.

This year it is again open to the public. It is a clean family friendly show.

The "Salute" will star Lucy Darling and features Rachell Wax, TJ Tana, Jeremy Mikaelson, with Emcee Todd Robbins. Three other surprise performers will offer extra magic. Tickets

salutetomagic.com or at Ticketmaster

More details 917 674 9921

1735 East 26 Street ……showbiz10@aol.com…….Brooklyn NY 11229

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7. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #74
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Message by Paul Stone (US)

I write this week's article en route from Las Vegas to UK. Whilst I'm back there, across the pond, I'll be lecturing at the IBM British Ring Convention in Eastbourne on the south coast of England.

Eastbourne is one of my favourite UK resorts, it maintains much of its Victorian splendour, and I always look forward to visiting there.

It will be good to catch up with old friends, many of whom are the lifeblood of the British Ring. They include Past President Richard Cadell, probably best known for being the 'hand in glove' behind SOOTY, the famous bear puppet who has enthralled and excited thousands of children for many years.

Sooty has been a household name since his creation in 1950's, along with his sparring partner SWEEP, by Harry Corbett, and then continued by Harry's son Mathew Corbett. Readers outside of the UK will probably not be familiar with Sooty, but he is something of a National treasure in England.

Also appearing at the British Ring Convention will be the irrepressible Mel Harvey, who never seems to age and continues to entertain in his own inimitable way!

And then there's Wayne Dobson, who also continues to amaze us all! Wayne will be presenting his full show at the Convention with the help of Mike Sullivan. There just aren't enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe Wayne's courage and incredible will power. He is a true magic legend.

Finally, a shout out to the IBM British Ring Executive Producer, Moira Fletcher, from a famous magic family, her father was another stalwart and very popular Past President of the British Ring, Dr Duncan Fletcher. Moira has worked long and hard to keep the British Ring Convention going, and she has done a wonderful job.

For all of us attending the British Ring Convention, we'll be thinking of John Pye, Past International and British Ring President, and Convention organiser for many years, who sadly passed away last week, and of course his lovely wife Caro

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8. Tales from the Fantastic Magic Center - #7
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Message by Kent Cummins, Director

A Magician Among the Spiritualists

You may be familiar with Houdini's 1924 book, "A Magician Among the Spirits." It is about his feud with fake Spiritualist mediums, and another opportunity to get his name before the public.

I am calling this episode "A Magician Among the Spiritualists" because I have had the unique opportunity to perform magic shows at Spiritualist conventions and have accumulated an unusual array of Spiritualist information.

And yet, I am not now nor have I ever been a Spiritualist. I was raised Episcopalian, and migrated to Unitarianism. I don't even believe in "Human Personality and Its Survival After Bodily Death", a book originally published in 1903 that I read as a teen.

But Dad's older brother was Reverend Vernon R Cummins, Founder of the American Spiritualist Alliance. As a boy, I became close to Uncle Vernon, who shared many stories of his approach to life…and death.

In 1958, when I was 15 years old, he hired me to entertain at his Spiritualist convention. He told me not to do any "spooky tricks," and I complied. (I don't think I actually knew any spooky tricks!) My feature trick was pouring milk into the ear of Reverend Billy Hill and pumping it out the other ear.

In addition to paying me to perform, Uncle Vernon gave me a half-page ad in the convention program. Imagine that: a magician performing and advertising at a Spiritualist convention!

Uncle Vernon would take me with him on various outings, and we would spend time in his downtown San Antonio office…where I pored through Spiritualist publications while he opened his mail. I was looking for articles about magicians, especially Houdini, and some of those finds are now on display at my Fantastic Magic Center.

The Fantastic Magic Center is dedicated to preserving and sharing the art of magic. Check out my free weekly podcast at:

www.FantasticMagicCenter.com
kent@magichotline.com

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9. Hummer Funner! - John Carey #169
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Message by John Carey (UK)
http://www.johncareymagic.co.uk/

Hummer Funner is a quick, commercial, strong and funny application of the late Bob Hummer's Mental or Mathematical Monte effect. Here I've applied the Hummer concept to a magician in
trouble scenario. It's an ideal anytime and anywhere piece as all you need is some pocket change.

Reach into your pocket and take out some pocket change. Casually toss three different coins down one at a time onto the table in a row and make a mental note of the middle coin. Put the rest of your change away and say that you will turn away and show them the trick that never fails! This should get a reaction. Ask your participant to think of any coin. Then say to make things harder, switch the positions of the other two coins. Turn back to face your helper.

Make a note of where your target coin is. If it's still in the middle of the row, that's the coin they are thinking of. If it's at the left end of the row, the coin they are thinking of is at the right end. But if you note the target or key coin is at the right end of the row, their thought of coin is the one at the left end. Bob Hummer genius at work here.

"Three different coins, one of which you are thinking of. They often say that the inflections in one's voice can sometimes give your true thoughts away. Please call out each coin. I think I picked up on a vocal tell. Don't say a word as I will now eliminate two of the coins." After the above monologue the right hand goes back and forth over the row of coins and you feign concentration. A moment later pick up their coin and apparently place it away in your right pocket. In reality, you finger palm it and come back out. They will believe you've already screwed up. Next pick up either of the remaining coins at the right fingertips and apparently toss it into your left hand which closes into a fist. Really though you execute a Bobo switch,
secretly switching in their thought of coin. Pick up the remaining coin from the table at the right fingertips and look intently at your participant. "I know it's one of these two, but don't clue me as this is the trick that never fails!"

A moment later the right hand puts its coin away into the pocket, at the same time ditching the other coin. Come back out and ask your helper to reveal the coin they merely thought of? When they do look ruffled and confused and look down at your left fist. "What's the name of this trick?" They answer you and a moment later you open your left hand to reveal their thought of coin and then say: "That my friends is the trick that never fails!"

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10. News From The Academy Of Illusions
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Message by Jay Scott Berry (Australia)

C. S. Lewis said, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." It's one of the basic tenets of my teaching. I'm a firm believer in the necessity of setting goals, and working diligently to achieve them. Currently three of my top students are over 55. Each has a different background and level of experience, but they all share the same dream: To perform at The Magic Castle. It's my responsibility as their Mentor to do everything I can to help make that dream come true. It's no small feat, of course. The standard for Castle performers is set high. And rightfully so. After all, it's "The Carnegie Hall of Magic".

So, with that in mind, we are looking ahead to 2023, focusing on the dream, setting the goal, and carefully planning how each of them is going to achieve it. Three magicians, three different styles, one common denominator: Artistic Excellence. And like the proverbial brass ring on the carousel, you don't get the prize without reaching for it. Having performed over 1000 shows at the Castle, in all the main showrooms, I'm uniquely qualified to assist in the brainstorming, design and directing of each act. The Close-up Gallery, The Parlour of Prestidigitation and The Palace of Mystery all have different criteria and conditions.

So, the first step is deciding which of these rooms to focus on. Then we begin structuring the Act accordingly. It's not enough to just have the skills, you've got to have the showmanship, confidence, costume, character and originality, all in a professional, time sensitive, package. And, as all Castle veterans knows, it's not only about having the endurance to perform up to 30 shows a week, it's having the experience and nerve to step into the proverbial lion's den and not lose your cool. I firmly believe that, within a year, each of them has what it takes to make their Castle debut. But, as with the punch line of the old joke about getting to Carnegie Hall, ultimately, what it will take is "Practice!"

In other news, we are counting down to our one year anniversary. To kick off the celebrations, I'm presenting the ZoomStorming Innovations, this Saturday, August 27th. This two hour Masterclass will focus on three of my newest routines: Ovatio, Wandering and Framed. Tickets and more information can be found at: www.MagicLadder.net

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11. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
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Message by Connie Boyd

Magic Legend Gloria Dea celebrates 100th Birthday in Las Vegas

59 views Aug 25, 2022 Exclusive Magic History documenting Gloria Dea And Her 100 Year Birthday Celebration In Las Vegas At The Westgate Hotel & Casino On August 25, 2022. We are amazed, love and honored to feature this upload about one of our favorite magicians on @Magical Women with Connie Boyd

Gloria Dea holds the honor & credit as the first magician to appear on the Las Vegas Strip and that occurred at the El Rancho in 1941. It was a shocker to the magic community to discover that a young female magician was a vintage Las Vegas Magic first and that discovery is thanks to Lance Rich.

Gloria Dea was a magic child prodigy STAR, who was taught by her father Leo Metzner. Gloria's entertainment career spanned decades and beyond magic. After her appearance in Las Vegas she became a Hollywood Star in diverse roles including magic performances. Her vintage Hollywood actress, acting credits include co-starring with Buster Crabbe in King of the Congo pre-film serial series and appearing in "the Prodical." In 1931 she starred as a magician in a "soundie" called "Concertina Man".

Thanks to the research & discoveries made by Lance Rich and Anna Rose Einarsen, @TheDavidCopperfield1 and I have discovered Gloria Dea. It's a true story of newfound, magical friendship that reads like a fictional romance & fantasy.

Contents
00:00 - 00:13 - Intro about Gloria's 100th Birthday
00:13 - 00:37 - Talk with Gloria about her Celebration
00:37 - 06:40 - Fox 5 Special Interview with Gloria
06:40 - 07:31 - Watch our Gloria talks & CTA

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12. Haversat & Ewing Galleries Auction
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Message by David Haversat <haversat@gmail.com>
Haversat & Ewing Galleries, LLC

Purveyors of Conjuring Collectibles

Our Next Auction Event

Haversat & Ewing Galleries Auction

Auction #39

October 21 & 22, 2022

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13. E-zine Archives
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Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e- zine go to:
www.magicnewzealand.com

Click on the red button centre right "Archives"

When you enter the archive the e- zines are in issue order in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999)

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14. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice
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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.magicnewzealand.com

Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday.

The opinions and statements expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson QSM 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 QSM, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions or statements contained 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.