Vernon on Mentalism

8/13/2019 Vernon on Mentalism

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/vernon-on-mentalism 1/6

(Close Window) Topic: Vernon's Opinion of Mentalism?

Message: Posted by: Gumar Oz DuBar (Jan 2, 2014 9:28am)

I don't own Revelations and admittedly, my knowledge of The Professor is limited. I'm awareof his mastery with cards and some traditional magic, maybe cups & balls or some silks orbasic m******e o***.

But did Vernon ever show an interest in mentalism? I've heard a supposed quote from him,essentially saying that no one could fool him - except Slydini (who obviously wasn't amentalism, as far as I know).

However was it not true that Vernon was on good terms or at least knew Dunninger? Surelyhe knew other mentalists as well, and none of the most legendary and pioneering names inmentalism could fool him? Not saying that I find it untrue, just not that much literature onVernon and mentalism, as far as I've been able to find.

So basically, the main question(s) would be:

Did Vernon ever show an interest in mentalism, or only "traditional magic"?

What was Vernon's view on mentalism, if it was ever publicly given?What did he think of Gellar and of Randi?

If the answers to these questions can be found on Revelations, please let me know.It should be noted that I'm only interested in Vernon's view/opinion of mentalism (orcontributions if he ever gave any, which I don't believe he did. Could I be wrong about that?)not about card or traditional magic.

Thanks!

Message: Posted by: sjrw (Jan 2, 2014 1:10pm)

Look at Vernon's work on the Brainwave deck, also see Vernon's "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"for a great thought of card effect.

From reading Vernon's biography by David Ben I got the impression that Vernon favoured athought of card over a chosen card. I'm not aware of any Vernon mentalism/mental magicwhich does not use playing cards though.

Message: Posted by: mastermindreader (Jan 2, 2014 1:15pm)

Don't forget his "Five Card Mental Force."

He also wrote up an early handling of the Center Tear which, I believe, can be found in

Tarbell.

I first met Vernon back in the early eighties when I first worked the Magic Castle. We hadmany long discussions while sitting at the bar or at his little table in the corner.

Yes, he knew Dunninger and, as far as I could tell, liked him. He also knew and likedAnnemann. (It seemed like he knew EVERYBODY.)

He didn't, however, like most mentalism acts. But, then again, he didn't like most magic actseither and could be scathingly ruthless in his opinions. His loud comments to less thancompetent performers like, "Why don't you take up stamp collecting?" are legendary. It didn'thelp that in his later years his hearing wasn't always that good and he tended to talk loudly

when "whispering" to a friend sitting next to him in a Castle audience. Many performersdreaded hearing him say something like, "This guy stinks!" during their first appearance. (Iimagine more than a few actually did consider stamp collecting.)

Vernon appreciated good entertainers who could mystify an audience with clear cut and

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/printtopic.php?topic=538033&fo...

6 04/01/2014 17.37



easily describable effects. He often remarked that if an effect could not be clearly describedin one sentence, it was no good.

What he didn't tolerate was mediocrity.

I considered myself lucky that he liked my act. (In the middle of my first performance he"whispered," "He's another Dunninger!")

The stuff about no one being able to fool him, though, is mostly hype. ANYONE can befooled. One night, after hours, I sat with Vernon, Larry Jennings and a few others around atable taking turns doing card tricks for each other. I knew I had no business at that tablewith guys of that caliber. But when the deck came to me, I decided to do my own version of the first effect I ever say Vernon do on the old Steve Allen show- his classic "Follow theLeader." My routine was exactly like Vernon's original, but I had adapted a move I learnedfrom Howie Schwartzmann to change the ending. I really believe it fooled him, or at leastcaught him by surprise. Later, when I was getting up to leave we shook hands and he gaveme the greatest compliment I ever received. It was kind of like the last scene in "TheHustler" when Minnesota Fats finally compliments Fast Eddie.

Vernon smiled at me and said, simply, "You do good card tricks, kid." I was on top of the

world.

The next night he presented me with a limerick that he'd written after seeing mypresentation of Russian Roulette in the Parlour of Prestidigitation. It wasn't great poetry butit meant a lot to me. I included it in my 1982 book, "The Art of Mentalism." Here it is:

A famous mentalist named Cassidymost decidedly has the capacity.He lacks any fearwhen they fire a gun in his ear.It certainly takes great audacity.

And audacity was one of the qualities he seemed to admire most.

Message: Posted by: Scott Soloff (Jan 2, 2014 1:43pm)

Bob,

Great stuff!!!

Thank you.

Best wishes,

Scott

Message: Posted by: Jerskin (Jan 2, 2014 1:58pm)

I believe Vernon had a version of the CT with tape on a pad.

Message: Posted by: sjrw (Jan 2, 2014 2:08pm)

Good point Bob, and great story!

Message: Posted by: Gumar Oz DuBar (Jan 2, 2014 2:15pm)

Quote:

On 2014-01-02 13:15, mastermindreader wrote:Don't forget his "Five Card Mental Force."


6 04/01/2014 17.37



He also wrote up an early handling of the Center Tear which, Ibelieve, can be found in Tarbell.

I first met Vernon back in the early eighties when I first workedthe Magic Castle. We had many long discussions while sitting atthe bar or at his little table in the corner.

Yes, he knew Dunninger and, as far as I could tell, liked him. Healso knew and liked Annemann. (It seemed like he knewEVERYBODY.)

He didn't, however, like most mentalism acts. But, then again, hedidn't like most magic acts either and could be scathingly ruthlessin his opinions. His loud comments to less than competentperformers like, "Why don't you take up stamp collecting?" arelegendary. It didn't help that in his later years his hearing wasn'talways that good and he tended to talk loudly when "whispering"to a friend sitting next to him in a Castle audience. Manyperformers dreaded hearing him say something like, "This guy

stinks!" during their first appearance. (I imagine more than a fewactually did consider stamp collecting.)

Vernon appreciated good entertainers who could mystify anaudience with clear cut and easily describable effects. He oftenremarked that if an effect could not be clearly described in onesentence, it was no good.

What he didn't tolerate was mediocrity.

I considered myself lucky that he liked my act. (In the middle of my first performance he "whispered," "He's another Dunninger!")

The stuff about no one being able to fool him, though, is mostlyhype. ANYONE can be fooled. One night, after hours, I sat withVernon, Larry Jennings and a few others around a table takingturns doing card tricks for each other. I knew I had no business atthat table with guys of that caliber. But when the deck came tome, I decided to do my own version of the first effect I ever sayVernon do on the old Steve Allen show- his classic "Follow theLeader." My routine was exactly like Vernon's original, but I hadadapted a move I learned from Howie Schwartzmann to changethe ending. I really believe it fooled him, or at least caught him bysurprise. Later, when I was getting up to leave we shook handsand he gave me the greatest compliment I ever received. It waskind of like the last scene in "The Hustler" when Minnesota Fatsfinally compliments Fast Eddie.

Vernon smiled at me and said, simply, "You do good card tricks,kid." I was on top of the world.

The next night he presented me with a limerick that he'd writtenafter seeing my presentation of Russian Roulette in the Parlour of Prestidigitation. It wasn't great poetry but it meant a lot to me. Iincluded it in my 1982 book, "The Art of Mentalism." Here it is:

A famous mentalist named Cassidymost decidedly has the capacity.He lacks any fearwhen they fire a gun in his ear.


6 04/01/2014 17.37



It certainly takes great audacity.

And audacity was one of the qualities he seemed to admire most.

Wow! What an enjoyable read, thank you Bob. Also insightful as always andanswered/covered my questions. Thanks for the response and info. Others as well.


Quote:

On 2014-01-02 13:58, Jerskin wrote:I believe Vernon had a version of the CT with tape on a pad.

Yes. That's the one I was referring to in Tarbell. He originally cut a small hole in the topsheet of the pad and applied a piece of tape from the other side. That's where he'd stick thestolen center, which was opened out with the tip of the pencil or pen while "doodlingimpressions" on the pad.

The method really became obsolete with the introduction of double sided tape.


Gumar-

You're welcome. The only question I didn't answer was about his feelings toward the wholeGeller/Randi thing.

I have no idea. We never talked about it. My guess is that he probably didn't care one way orthe other.


Quote:

On 2014-01-02 14:50, mastermindreader wrote:Gumar-

You're welcome. The only question I didn't answer was about hisfeelings toward the whole Geller/Randi thing.

I have no idea. We never talked about it. My guess is that heprobably didn't care one way or the other.

Indeed. For the first point, I figured as much from your lack of a response. As for the secondpoint, I assumed as much based on your wonderful stories about him on a personal level. Ithank you for your detail though, very much appreciated.


6 04/01/2014 17.37




Oh and for the record, one of the few things that I did/do know about Vernon and mentalismwas his CT. I thank you all for your responses though.

Message: Posted by: RCP (Jan 2, 2014 3:37pm)

Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed it.

Message: Posted by: bofx (Jan 3, 2014 5:36am)

Great story !

Message: Posted by: Medifro (Jan 3, 2014 5:50am)

I'm wondering if he made any distintion between Mentalism and Mental Magic?

I realize the distintion was never there till later in his life, wondering if he ever had anythoughts on that.

- Feras

Message: Posted by: VernonOnCoins (Jan 3, 2014 6:13am)

There's also, Five Card Mental Miracle, from Stars of Magic, or, The Trick That Cannot BeExplained, which in essence has a mentalism feel. I always got the impression he was apioneer in the think a card plot. There's also an entire section on the Revelation dvd's whereVernon discusses his code.

Message: Posted by: VernonOnCoins (Jan 3, 2014 2:00pm)

And let's not forget, Out of Sight Out of Mind.

Message: Posted by: Joe Atmore (Jan 3, 2014 2:26pm)

In early years, Vernon's agent was Dunninger's as well.

Message: Posted by: BAGWIZ (Jan 3, 2014 3:58pm)

I spent a number of years at the Castle, where Dai Vernon held court almost nightly. Veryfrequently I saw him spending time with Max Maven, Glen Falkenstein and other performingmentalists. In the Castle library Vernon regularly played cards with Kuda Bux, who perhapscould be classified as a mentalist. My impression of Mr. Vernon was that he appreciated allforms of the art, so long as it was performed extremely well. He obviously took magic veryseriously and his expectation of others was that they would do likewise.

Only a few times did I muster the courage to speak with him and on the one occasion heasked me to show him whatever I was working on, I was nervous as hell. Funny how aseemingly harmless (and pretty frail back then) old man could make a kid shake in his boots.... But Vernon was the master and we all knew it. He was kind to me, and I appreciated thatbecause I'd seen him rip more than a few people to shreds. I just didn't feel skilled enough totry and hang with him like others did, but I'm sure he appreciated great mentalism; probablynot as much as a great card effect, but still ...

Message: Posted by: landmark (Jan 3, 2014 11:13pm)

Café member Bill Palmer once told, in a Café thread, one of my favorite Vernon stories.Unfortunately, I can't find the post, so I hope he'll forgive me if I re-tell it here. I'll try not tomangle it too much.

Bill was an eager young magician, and enjoying himself at a magic convention when, there,in the hotel lobby, he saw Vernon sitting in a corner, away from the madding crowd.Bill thought this was his chance to talk to the great man, so he pulled out a business card,and surreptitiously clipped on a nail writer."Mr. Vernon, it's a pleasure to meet you, you're one of my heroes. Mr. Vernon would you


6 04/01/2014 17.37



mind please naming a three-digit number?"The Professor paused for a moment and then said, "458.""I see, 458," repeated Bill," as he furiously did the dirty deed, "Is there any reason youchose that number?"The Professor looked at him straight in the eye and said, "As a matter of fact there is. Four,five, and eight are the three most difficult numbers to nail write."

Message: Posted by: BAGWIZ (Jan 4, 2014 1:02am)

Quote:

On 2014-01-03 23:13, landmark wrote:Café member Bill Palmer once told, in a Café thread, one of myfavorite Vernon stories. Unfortunately, I can't find the post, so Ihope he'll forgive me if I re-tell it here. I'll try not to mangle it toomuch.

Bill was an eager young magician, and enjoying himself at a magic

convention when, there, in the hotel lobby, he saw Vernon sittingin a corner, away from the madding crowd.Bill thought this was his chance to talk to the great man, so hepulled out a business card, and surreptitiously clipped on a nailwriter."Mr. Vernon, it's a pleasure to meet you, you're one of my heroes.Mr. Vernon would you mind please naming a three-digit number?"The Professor paused for a moment and then said, "458.""I see, 458," repeated Bill," as he furiously did the dirty deed, "Isthere any reason you chose that number?"The Professor looked at him straight in the eye and said, "As amatter of fact there is. Four, five, and eight are the three most

difficult numbers to nail write."

Now THAT is a great story!


Documents

Vernon on Mentalism