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Ring 76 Chartered by the International Brotherhood of Magicians
in 1948
MagiCurrentsSon Diego, California
Recipient of the IBM's Quality Ring Award Honest Sid GerharRing
76
Honest Sid Gerhart Ring 76Website
www.ring76.com Volume XVIII 2 February 2004
Ring 76 President on cover ofLinking Ring Magazine
In case you have not had achance to read your "LinkingRing"
magazine the officialjournal of the InternationalBrotherhood of
Magicians,our own Diane Lane is onthe cover of the Januaryissue.
Diane attended theWorld Magic Seminar in LasVegas, January 11* to
the14*. where she was given apreview look at themagazine. But that
previewpresentation did not happenwithout some delays inDiane's
arrival.
Diane was told to contactBob Ingalls as soon as shearrived in
Vegas. A largegroup of Ring 76 memberswas standing by along withIBM
President David Sandyand the Linking RingExecutive Editor
PhilWillmarth with copy numberone hot off the press.Willmarth would
presentcopy number one to Diane upon her arrival at theRiviera
Hotel & Casino, site of the magic seminar.
Diane's plane was late in taking off from San Diego,so the
original arrival time of 5 pm was pushed backto 6 pm. When the
plane finally did arrive at the LasVegas Airport, there was a delay
in finding Diane'sluggage. Then the bus that transported Diane
andSherry Luft to the hotel had to stop at several other
hotels before finally arrivingat the Riviera. By then itwas a
few minutes before 7when it was reported thatDiane and Sherry were
ontheir way into the hotel.
Diane was quickly pulledaside and ushered over toan area near
the seminarregistration desk where PhilWillmarth was standing
bywith a big smile on his faceand two copies of theLinking Ring
magazine.With Diane in an almoststate of shock, Willmarthflashed
the cover of themagazine in her direction,and she let out a
gasp!There was Diane on thecover of Linking Ring withtwo large fans
of cards in herhands.
IBM PresidentDavid Sandy thenstepped forwardand
congratulatedDiane. Then 10members from Ring76, who were all inLas
Vegas to attendCent on page 4
ExecutPhil Willmarth presentingmagazine to a shocked
DianeLane
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Page 2 MagiCurrents
January meeting attracts many guests andinstalls new
international member to Ring 76
Our January meeting was held a week later thannormal to allow
many of our members to attend the"World Magic Seminar" in Las
Vegas. Elsewhere inthis issue of MagiCurrents Jack White reports on
theseminar itself. Many members arrived at Jack'sMagic Place early
and performed close up magic foreach other.
Ismael Sanchez,brought in another ofhis wonderful paintingsand
let the membershiphave a look at it. Thelatest is of Houdini andwas
finished just theday before the Ringmeeting. We arehoping that
Ismael willdo a series of famousmagicians of the past.His work as
an artist is
Ismael Sanchez andHarry Houdini
being revived in his retirement. If you would like tohave an oil
painting of yourself, contact IsmaelSanchez at 619-440-4823. His
work is excellent ,asyou can see from the photo we have included of
hislatest efforts.
One of the guests attending this month included| Jennifer Adams
who moved toI San Diego about two years! ago. She had been active
as' a writer and performer for manyyears but put magic on the
backburner a few years ago. Now,interest has been rekindled and
i she heard about our meetingsI and decided to attend. You are|
always welcome at Ring 76,I Jennifer
Anotheri guest at| ourJanuarymeeting
was 12-year-old Erika Goodall,who was bitten by the magicbug
after seeing a magic showput on by Jeff Marcus for her12th
Birthday. Erika was a
Jennifer Adams
MarkKilmer
Erika Goodail
guest of Diane Lane, who has been working atteaching this young
lady some sleight of handmoves. Erika was called upon to help out a
numberof magicians doing tricks at our meeting.
Another yung guest, Jonathan Kilmer, is interestedin magic and
broughthis father along to ourmeeting. He was alsoasked to help out
indoing a number ofmagic routines byvarious performers.We want all
of ourvisitors to know theyare welcome at ourfuture meetings.
Diane Lane called the meeting to order at 7 pm andmade several
announcements about the comingclose-up contest to be held in
February. Eachcontestant will circulate around the room,
presentinghis or her act either-seated or standing-to a group
ofpeople gathered around various tables. Membersof Ring 76 will
vote for each performer at the end ofthe evening. First prize will
be a check for $50;second prize $25; and third place will receive a
$15cash prize. It was announced that Bob Ingalls wasaccepting names
for the contest. If you would like totake part in the close-up
contest and have notsigned up yet, Bob Ingalls phone number is
619-990-6822 ;let him know you want to take part.
Loch David Cranemade an appeal inthe January issue
ofMagiCurrents for anybooks or used magictricks for a teenagerwho
had lost all of hermagic in the fires oflast October.Michael E.
Johnsonshowed up with a huge magic set from LanceBurton, and Diane
Lane donated a magic book. Theywere presented to Loch who is seeing
that theyoungster in question gets the magic.
It was time to install our new members. Raul RiveraMelo Madera
better known as Mago Ruly fromTijuana, Mexico, set up his table and
speaker
inson,Crane & Diane Lane
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MagiCurrents Page 3
New member Mago Rulyand Ring Pres. Diane Lane
system and presented a very professional 8-minutemagic act to
music.During his presentation,Ruly never missed asingle music cue.
His actwas very visual, clean,and filled with clevermagic.Following
the act Rulywas accompanied by hiswife Liye, who acted astranslator
for the oath hewas taking to become a member of Ring 76. Wefeel
very honored to have both Raul Rivera MeloMadera and Armando Torres
both residents ofMexico, as members of our Ring, making us a
trulyinternational magic club. A big welcome to RaulRivera Melo
Madera.
Bob Ingalls, our entertainmentchairman, took over themeeting and
presented a veryfunny lesson in tearing andrestoring a paper with a
guestfrom the audience. JackWhite gave a quickdemonstration of one
of thepopular tricks on sale at theWorld Magic Seminar. A
colorful feather was balanced on a playing card andcaused to
rise and fall on command. Jeff Marcuspresented a card effect,
followed by Kenny G fromthe North County, who did a very nice Frank
Garciacard routine. Then Kenny Shelton did a card trickwhere the
selected card wound up on his underwear.Michael E. Johnson closed
our little impromptuprogram with a selected card from a shoe.
Then, a new video, produced by Jack White, BobIngalls, and Joe
Bertuzzi of the stage competition atlast summers IBM Convention in
Kansas City,Missouri, was presented. The video was projectedon a
large screen and ran an hour and 15 minutes.A number of different
magic acts was presented inthe program giving localmagicians a look
at thequality and style of magicbeing presented elsewherearound the
country.
Following the video, manytook advantage of time todo a little
more close-upmagic for friends and learna new move or two.Meeting
was adjourned at9:15.
Bob Ingalls &assistant
Siegfried & Roy receivespecial I. B. M. honor
During the final show at the Splash Theater at theRivera Hotel
in Las Vegas at the World MagicSeminar, January 14th David Sandy,
InternationalPresident of the International Brotherhood
ofMagicians, presented a first-time-ever I.B.M. LifetimeAchievement
Award to the Super Stars of Magic,Siegfried & Roy.
Siegfried & Roy have entertained millions of peopleduring
their 40-year career. They have presented5,750 shows in Las Vegas
alone. Their show wasclosed at the Mirage Hotel & Casino on the
famousLas Vegas strip following an accident during aperformance
October 3, 2003, when Roy suffered astroke and was dragged off
stage by a 700-poundwhite tiger. Roy Horn was not present for
thepresentation. He is recovering from the effects ofmultiple
strokes and being caught in the jaws of thehuge white tiger.
The magic-duo pioneered integrating wild animalsinto their
spectacular magic act. They turned afeatured 12-minute act into a
full evening productionfeaturing music, dance, illusion and the
beauty of thegraceful white tigers, white lions, and other
animals,which included cheetahs, panthers, a snake, and
anelephant.
For their performingefforts, David Sandy andthe IBM presented
themagic-team with a one-of-a-kind crystal art workdesigned by
mastercraftsman and IBM
fR M vof Buffalo, New York.
Ted Dunning showingan effect of Erika Goodall
Siegfried Fischbacher
& J^ Sandy , B MIn making the Presidentpresentation to
Siegfried& Roy, President Sandy noted: "Their contributionsto
our art and inspiration to magicians worldwide areunmatched.
Throughout every single performance,these two gentlemen truly loved
creating anunparallel sense of wonder in the hearts and mindsof
countless visitors to Las Vegas. Even though theshow is over,
Siegfried & Roy continue to inspire,motivate and share the
magic with magicians andfans all over the world. Known as the
Masters of theImpossible, they teach us that seemingly
impossiblethings CAN be possible in a way that is much moremagical
than anything we will ever witness on a LasVegas stage."
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Page 4 MagiCurrentsRing 76 President Cover Story Continued
The
the World Magic Seminar, gathered around Diane forpictures and
warm wishes.
(left to right) Sherry Luft, TomLaChance, Gary Schwartzwald,
BobIngells, behind Bob, Ralph Mauzy,Diane Lane, David Sandy,
PhilWillmarth, Dick Dale, (back row)Jack White, Joe Mystic, Julie
Dale,Jim Spellman.
The article in the Linking Ring tells Diane's story andher
interest in magic. It also notes that she willaccept a second term
as President of Ring 76,extending her office leading our Ring
throughsummer 2005. She explains there are still manythings she
wants to help put in place for the future ofRing 76.
Diane Lane is a lady who has overcome many oflife's challenges
to take her place as a leader in SanDiego's magic community.
Diane's comment after being presented the copy ofLinking Ring
magazine, was simply; "What a way tostart a magic convention."
This event was a high-water mark for this magicevent that was
just getting underway. It will be hardto ever top this type of
honor and beginning to aweek of magic. We thank Phil Willmarth and
DavidSandy, who himself in an honorary member of Ring76, for taking
part in this presentation.
Life SkillsYouth enrichment and after-schoolprograms, teaching
the skills of lifethrough the art of magic, always witha positive
message.
Michael E. Johnson, Founder1657 Paiomar Dr.
San Marcos, CA 92069
(760) 747-4627 Strategic partnerships welcome!
of a workingMagician
By Michael E. Johnson
(Editor's note) Michael E. Johnson is joining thepages of
MagiCurrents with what I believe is aunique and funny monthly
column. He will betalking about the misadventures of
performing.While the first few columns will be devoted to
thingsthat have happened to Michael, he would like to hearfrom you
about some of the misadventures you haveencountered with your magic
shows. I think you willyou will probably be able to identify with
some of thethings he will be writing about.
Magic might be the art of surprise, but sometimes,no one is more
surprised than the magician. Thingshappen during a live performance
that can't beexplained by Einstein or Tarbell. Accidents
occur.Mistakes are made. Miracles even manifestthemselves. Here is
an example.
One evening at the Del Mar Hilton, I performedclose-up magic for
a company party. After warmingup a table of four adults, I asked
everyone toimagine a single playing card. This was my way
ofdistracting the audience from attempting to examinea trick deck
of cards.
Choosing one volunteer, I set the unopened pack ofcards in her
hand. I asked her to focus on one card,mentally, and I asked the
others to think of theircards as well. "Wouldn't it be amazing if
everyonewas thinking of the same card?" I joked.
When the volunteer finally named her card, twopeople at the
table gasped in shock. They, too,thought of the same card,
randomly. The result was
Magician
Terry Luncefordsupports
The IBM & Ring 76
-
MagiCurrents Page 5Miss-Adventures continued:
too overwhelming for coincidence. It had to bemagic!
Sensing the miracle, I took back the unopened deckof cards from
the woman's hand. There was noneed to perform the Invisible Deck at
that point.
"Forgetting my pants"
When it comes to magic shows, I usually remembereverything I
need. There are times I forget a propor two, like a thumb tip, a
Sharpie or fresh piece ofrope. But only once did I forget my
pants.
It happened when I worked for a radio station basedin San Diego.
Two or three times a month, theyhired me to perform around the
county at listenerappreciation events. One day, I arrived at
mydestination in National City ready to rock and roll. Ihad my
magic suitcase, my tuxedo coat, and even afresh-pressed shirt.
Unfortunately, I had forgotten my tuxedo pants andshoes. All I
had were beat-up jeans and tennisshoes. With no time to spare, I
dressed up half-and-half, and walked into the medical office ready
toperform.
Nobody seemed to notice the contrast. Theperformance went great.
Everyone just assumed Iwas "California Casual."
Ringling Circus addsmagic act to 2004 show
The new 134th Edition of Ringling Bros. Barnum &Bailey
Circus opened in January in Tampa, Florida,and is now headed up the
eastern seaboard to NewYork City for a month's run at Madison
SquareGarden during the Easter break. The show will thenmake its
way across the United States, arriving inSan Diego at the Sports
Arena the second week inAugust.
This year's show is special for lovers of magicbecause the
Prince of Laughter David Larible unveilsthree rings of illusions,
including a disappearing act,a swing-in-half routine and an
escape-from-shackles. Larible says he has always wanted to doa
magic act, and this year the producers havegranted him his wish.
The world-famous clown hashad magic as a hobby for many years and
hasalways enjoyed the work of the great illusionists.
David Larible explains: "My idea is to do real magicand find the
comedy in it before and after. But I stillwant the audience to say,
"how did he do that? Howdid he make that disappear? How did he
escape?"Working in a huge arena with 20,000 people allaround him
looking on makes doing magic a difficulttask. But according to
early reviews, Larible's magicact is a showstopper of mystery and
comedy.
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Page 6 MagiCurrents
View from the Cheap Seats
^mBy Jon A. Hand
M/'cro Cups & Balls
In the December 2003 column I mentioned MicroCups & Balls
that I had placed into the Tiny MagicBag. I have had great fun with
these props, and Ihope that you will, too. Recently I was
lookingaround in one of those stores in which every itemcosts $1.
In the cooking section, I discoveredindividual Stainless Steel
Sauce Dipping Tubs, inpackages of four for $1! I greedily grabbed
apackage and went home to experiment with them asminiature cups
& balls. These cups areapproximately 2" across the mouth and
1.5" interiordepth, with a flat base of 1.5". They have no
recess,but they are otherwise very usable, and I havedubbed them
Micro Cups & Balls. Because theyhave no recess, some one-ahead
prior set up isimpossible, but this minor drawback is offset by
thetight nesting and light weight of the cups. A set ofthe three
cups and all of the props shown in the listbelow will easily fit
into one's jacket or pantspockets.
The first thing that you will need to do is make orsecure some
basic balls for the effect. Since thecups have no recess, you will
need to make surethat your balls will not roll away during parts of
theroutine. I present two options below for the basicballs.
Option #1: Hand-cut Sponge BallsBuy a set of regular (not
supersoft) 1.5" sponge ballsat your favorite dealer. Keep three of
them as finalloads for the micro cups. Take the fourth one andcut
it into quarters with a sharp pair of scissors.Then keep trimming
off comers until the four piecesare very roughly round, making no
attemptwhatsoever to make them smooth. The resultantmultiple
flat-ish sides will keep the balls from rollingaway. Your four
finished balls should beapproximately .5" each, and should look as
muchalike as possible.
Option #2 — Small Sponge Balls (round)
As I was writing this article, I discovered that AlGoshman
Sponge Magic makes .5" sponge balls inpolybags of 10 for
approximately $2.50 per bag. Theballs look neat, and are certainly
worth a try if youlike your gear to look crisp and professional.
Thedownside is that they will tend to roll off the cupswith the
slightest breeze.
For the record, I chose to make the rough-cutsponge balls, and
the handling of them is a snap.However, I did purchase the round
Goshman balls,and they do work fine with a bit of care, so you
mighthave a different point-of-view. Vive la difference!
The routine as I have devised it requires spongeballs. If you
omit some of the moves to come inparts 2 and 3, then you can use
cork balls, cottonpom-pons, or other small balls of your
choice.
The small size of this trick definitely makes it a"close-up and
personal" effect for one to fourspectators. However, it will have
the same strongimpact as one of the pocket chop cups that are
sopopular now, or perhaps even more impact due tothe added
possibilities of three cups.
Routine: Version 1.0 for Micro Cups & BallsProps: Four basic
balls, as above
Three 1.5" sponge balls for final loads, perhaps indiffering
colors
5' length of rope rolled into a tight ball, ends tuckedin
Option #1: dollar bill with memorized serial number,rolled into
ball
Option #2: shorten rope to 4' and wrap aroundballed dollar
Routine Phase One:Lay out the three cups in a line in front of
you. Cup1 is on your left, and cup 3 is on your right as
theperformer. Place a basic ball in front of each cup,keeping the
4th one in the right hand 3/4 fingerpalm.
Lift each cup with the left hand and slide/rake a ballunder each
as you patter, moving from cup one tothree in sequence. Using a
Ramsay subtlety to callattention, hold up the right hand pointing
upward andsay, "Watch." Pick up cup 1 with your left hand,
andtransfer to the right hand, inserting the fingerpalmed ball.
Keeping your eyes on the newly
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PageS MagiCurrents
Magic Notes from Jack WhiteHappenings at the World Magic Seminar
2004
For the past 27 years magic dealer Joe Stevensand, in the last
five years, Rich Block along withGlenn Farrington have been holding
a big magic gettogether in Las Vegas. Over the years Siegfried
&Roy and then Lance Burton have added their namesto this event,
which now attracts just over 800people to its dealers room, magic
shows, andlecturers each year.
In the beginning it was called the "Desert MagicSeminar," but,
in the last five yearshas become known as the "WorldMagic Seminar."
In its more than aquarter of a century this first magicgathering of
the New Year has beenheld in a variety of Las Vegas hotels.This was
its third year at the RivieraHotel on the Vegas Strip.
Many prominent names were brought in to lecturethis year, Tommy
Wonder talked about parlor magic.Nathan Kranzo and Chris Korn gave
us a look atcommercial close-up magic. Losander, the king
offloating tables, playing cards and just about anythingelse that
can hover in midair, gave a lecture oneffective stage work. Quentin
Reynolds, fromIreland, gave his listeners a lesson in how to be
asuccessful kids show performer, while EugeneBurger did 60 minutes
on Eugene Burger and wasone of the best lecturers of the seminar.
As anadded attraction at an added fee, Bill Malone hosteda close-up
session.
This magic seminar has always been a big drawingcard for
Southern California magicians. Many Ring
76 members were visibleespecially in the dealer'sroom that this
year featureda large area with tables
I where people could sitdown and show off theirlatest purchase.
Len
1 Cardoza would check inwith Bob Ingalls often and compare notes
on thevarious things they liked. This year's dealer's roomhad more
independent manufacturers anddistributors of magic than ever
before.
Ice McDonald, who was on one of the afternoonshows, helped out
at Denny & Lee's table. GarySchwartzwald and Tom LaChance made
the rounds
of the various dealers tables as did BelindaKaesler and her
husband. Everyone seemedto have a good time. This is a fun
conventionto attend. Here are some pictures.
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MagiCurrents Page 9
Magic Book Review
By Dr. Joel Moskowitz
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mys-terious.
It is the fundamental emotion, which stands atthe cradle of true
art and true science. Whoever doesnot know it and can no longer
wonder, no longermarvel is as good as dead and his eyes are
dimmed."
Thus begins the Overture to a well-orchestrated fic-tional
concert of Carter the Great. Illuminated inter-nally by collector
copies of posters depicting mastersof magic: Keller, Nelson Downs,
and Chung Ling Soo,this novel is encased in the dust jacket, an
embossedhigh color poster entitled "Carter Beats the Devil"
whichalso happens to be the title of his seductive
literature.(Hyperion Books, pp 496)
Glen David Gold, not himself a con-jurer, casts a spell of
words; in this,his first novel, Maestro Gold wel-comes us to his
stage with a repro-duction of a poster inviting the publicto the
Curran Theater in San Fran-cisco, where on August 2, 1923, ActIII
is only described as "Carter Beatsthe Devil." Because of its
intense na-ture, the management asks that nopatron reveal the
nature of what occurs!
Aficionados of trickery, magicians in training,prestidigitating
hobbyists will be misdirected by this textwhich is without diagrams
of moves, gadgets, gimmicks,and devices. Many likely will not
perceive its worth.For the layperson, this book is
entertainment:fantastical, pseudohistorical , and voyeuristic.
Audi-ences who see magicians perform want to peak underthe curtain.
The layperson will receive less than he/
she seeks. The magic devotee will be offered more.Neither will
be short changed.
Gold does not reveal the secrets. He is an illusionistwith
words. The story of the evolution of a magicianencountering an evil
competitor is salted with themesof high murder (President Harding
dies mysteriously),detection (Keystone Kops reminiscent of present
dayCIA blunderers). Carter is himself more like Watson,than
Sherlock Holmes. The hybrid theme calls to mind"Nevermore," another
novel, where real persons arestaged to interact on the page with
fictional identities,e.g., Sherlock Holmes and Houdini. In the
movies wecan think of Woody Allen's "Zelig." Mike Caveney,himself a
pro's pro magician and intellect of magicalhistory and the author
of a real biography of Carter theGreat, acknowledges the research
of writer Gold.
"Beat the Devil" is an adventure in three acts similar
toCarter's performance. The time is the Roaring 20s andbefore the
Great Depression. The scandal in the back-ground is the Teapot Dome
fiasco. PresidentWarren G. Harding's apparent guilt is eclipsed
whenshortly after participating in one of Carter's stunts, hedies.
The Chief Executive had presumably confided inand trusted Carter.
Carter, therefore, becomes aperson of interest. The plot has the
vector of a marblein a pinball machine. The casual reader, as
contrastedwith those of us who are obsessed with prestidigita-tion,
will enjoy the ride and the connections. You willforce a mental
smile. The members of the magicalfraternity who tread through the
500 pages will havethe opportunity to extract valuable insights
about theevolution of a master of magic. Reading this
story,magicians can experience the satisfaction of living,through
what was once the Golden Age of VaudevillianMagic, and they can
take silent pleasure at knowinghow it is done.
Gold's scholarship enlightens, educates, and entertains.Oh yes,
the quotation, which began this review, is al-leged to be the words
of Albert Einstein. Surprised?
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Information
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Page 10 MagiCurrents
MessageFrom thePresident
Hello Ring 76'ers,
I hope everyone has settled into ahappy and productive 2004.
Some of us started off the yearwith a great convention in
LasVegas. The 'World MagicSeminar" was a lot of fun. Itstarted off
with a bang for me bybeing presented the 'Linking Ring'magazine
with me on the cover byPhil Willmarth, the ExecutiveEditor of that
publication and theInternational President of the IBMDavid Sandy
and many membersof Ring 76 that were in Las Vegasto attend the
magic seminar.Thank you all for your kindsupport!
This year's close-up competitionFebruary 9th, should be a
greatevening of magic so please planto attend that meeting. We
havea number of top contenderspracticing for the big night. Wewill
be trying out the new formatthis year. Splitting the room intofour
close-up stages and havingthe performers rotate to theaudiences. It
should be a realshow! Don't miss it!
We need to set up a'housekeeping system' for theclubhouse. Jack
does everythingfor us to be able to meet in hisbuilding. It would
be great for usto help with the cleanup after eachmeeting. Not only
cleaning upafter meetings but someone thatcould come in and clean
thebathroom and vacuum from timeto time. We need volunteers
forthis. Please let me know if youcan help out for a couple of
months. We will rotate the "duty"between various volunteers.
We send a big congratulations toPhil Tuttle on becoming the
newPresident of Ring 292 in the NorthCounty. They have a great
club,and we urge everyone in theNorth County to support that
Ring.They meet the first Thursday ofeach month at the Baker's
Squarerestaurant, San Marcos.
See you at the next meeting,
-
Magic For SaleProfessional magicians travelcase 60 inches long,
30 incheswide by 12 inches deep. Paddedwith wheels, in
excellentcondition. Cost $425 new. Willsell for $200. Contact Josh
Hall,619-441-2888.
Contact the Editor ofMagiCurrents if you have pre-owned magic
for sale. We willpost your items in the newsletter.
Resident Magician &Gccdwil! Ambssssdor ethe Corvetie
Diner1587-20024-Membe' of Hollywood'sPrestigious "MagicCastle"Sinse
19S1
¥Member ofInternational Srothemcxxof MagiciansSince 19764Member
ofSociety of ArnencenMagiciansSi-eel £-74
"Magic"Mike Stiiwell{619)660-9662
P.O. Box 1166Rancho San Diego, CA 919T9email:
magicmikeofsd@aoLcom
Board of DirectorsDiane
[email protected]
Bob Ingalls1st Vice [email protected]
Joel Moskowitz2nd Vice President858-587-8951Jamoskowitzmd @
pot.net
Jack [email protected]
Richard [email protected]
Sherry LuftSgt. at Arms619-543-0354
J.P. JacksonMember at Large858-569-0096
Don Soulimmediate Past [email protected]
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MagiCurrents Page 11
News
The Loads of Fun Magic andJoke Shop in Palm Springs,owned by
longtime San Diegomagician and businessman GaryVess, has been sold.
Gary soldthe shop last June; however, hecontinues to book magic
showsfor private parties and tradeshows in the desert area. Theshop
is being operated under newmanagement and the new ownershave cut
down on the magicinventory. Vess is the fellow whostarted the first
magic shop inSeaport Village when thatshopping attraction opened
forbusiness in the 1970s.
Magic Mike Stilwell was a big hitat an Escondido private
partyJanuary 3rd. For six yearsStilwell has been doing
strollingmagic at Nick and KathyMonroe's "Delighting Party,"
anevent that officially ends theholiday frenzy by turning off
the27-thousand-plus holiday lightsthat surround their home.
Nearly200 people attend the party eachyear and help the Monroe's
turnoff the lights. You can alwaysfind Mike in this crowd; all
youhave to do is listen for the gaspsof disbelief from his
audiencewatching him work. Nick Monroesays this was his last
"DelightingParty," but he has plans forsomething new that will be
heldduring the summer when it iswarmer outdoors and of
courseStilwell will be part of the newparty event. What do
theMonroes do for a living, you ask?They are professional
partyplanners, of course.
The folks who run theInternational Clown Hall ofFame announced
in late Januarythat Earl Chaney is one of four
artists to be added to the roster ofinductees into their hall of
fame.Chaney is a 1972 graduate ofRingling Bros. Barnum &
BaileyClown College, who settled inLas Vegas some years ago
andopened a magic, costume, clownshop, and school in an
industrialpark behind the Luxor Hotel &Casino. Over the years
Chaneyhelped many San Diegomagicians acquire large propsand
illusions. Earl Chaney hasover two decades of performingas
full-time circus clown. Othersbeing inducted this year
includeFrench/Italian clown GiovanniZoppe; Pinto Colvig; the
firstBozo the Clown, and W.D."Curly" Robbins', an AmericanCircus
Clown an veteran of theClyde Beatty Cole Bros. Show.
At 92 years of age, MagicianJohn Calvert is still going
strong.He flys to London in February toreceive an award from
England'sfamed Magic Circle. He isplanning a new lecture tour in
thespring in the United States andwill appear for a week doing
hisact at the Magic Castle inHollywood in late May. Anotherveteran
of magic, Carl Ballentine,has signed on to play a"magicians ghost"
in a newtelevision sitcom titled; "MagicPearls." At this writing
it's notclear which network will pick upthe new show set for a
September2004 start date.
Briefs
On January 26*, James Swogercelebrated his 86* Birthday.
Hereceived a giant birthday greetingcard from Ring 76
membersthrough the courtesy of NealReed. Though he has sloweddown a
little in his daily activities.Jim says he is still creating
magicprops, tricks, and routines. He islike the "Eveready
Bunny"—hekeeps on going.
Ring 76 member Ed Green isdesigning another new illusion heplans
to present at a futuremeeting. He is also makingsome alterations to
his miniaturehaunted house that stands wellover 6-feet tall. Ed
makes all ofhis illusions out of cardboardboxes and light plywood,
paintedor covered with various materials.If you are interested in
building anillusion for your show ,talk to Ed;he has a wealth of
knowledge.
Magic Castle member BobIngalls has been keeping hisfingers on
the pulse of the alleged"hostile take over of the Castle" bya group
of unhappy members.Bob has been spending a lot oftime in Hollywood
and canaddress the situation. For moreinformation on what is
happeningwith the Magic Castle and itsfuture, talk with Bob.
North County magician Joel Wardis getting ready to take his
stageact to the Columbus-Magi-Fest inOhio in February. Locally he
canbe seen doing some sensationalclose-up magic at Big Jim's
OldSouth Barbecue Restaurant, 190North Coast Highway 101
inEncinitas, on Saturday nights.Joel is a super entertainer andputs
a lot of original spin on hismagic.
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Page 12 MagiCurrents
Coming Attractions
February 9th meeting is the annual Ring 76 close-up
contest.First place is $50 cash. Bob Ingalls is accepting
applicationsfor the Close-up contest now! The format has changed
forthis year's close-up competition. Four tables will be set upwith
the audience broken into groups at each table. Contes-
tants will move from table to table, presenting their act four
times.This gives the audience a better chance to see each performer
close-up, and the performer a better chance to present his or her
ablity as atrue close-up worker. This should be a very exciting
meeting. Plan toattend!
March 8th meeting annual Magic Teach-in. Come and learn a new
trick,routine, or sleight.
April 12th meeting is the annual Ring 76 swap meet. Please note
thisswap meet will not include an auction this year. Tables are $10
each.Sign up early so you are not disappointed. See Richard Ustick
to reservea table.
Return Address:IBM Ring 764275 University Ave.San Diego, CA
92105
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