The Newest Tops

After a hugely successful run of Ben Whiting’s show, “American Gypsy” in Chicago, Ben and I headed south to Atlanta where the National SAM Convention was taking place.  The plan was for Ben and I to work the Magic Inc. booth during the week, and then for me to do my lecture on my book, “BEATING A DEAD HORSE: The Life and Times of Jay Marshall” on the final day.  Things don’t always work out the way you planned.  This turned out to be the best convention I never saw.  After Ben and I set up the booth on Tuesday night, I spent the next day at Emory Hospital where I had evidently hit the Trifecta.  I wound up being treated for Bacterial Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye), Bronchitis, and Laryngitis.  As a result, I spent the entire week in bed (and not in a good way).  I didn’t see any of the shows or lectures at the SAM convention.  My entire focus was to get well enough to do my lecture.  My good friend, John Calvert—a fine actor/magician—who will be ninety-nine years old as of August 5th, once told me that he gets up every day and acts the role of a young man.  Taking his lead, I got up on the day of my lecture and although I was still pretty sick, acted the role of a well man, and managed to pull it off.

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Well, you have seen many looks of mine over the years, and now here is the last Pro Photo, taken by Kreigsman in New York.   It was used on the cover of Genii, it was a great article written my Pal John Mac Connell. I look the same they tell me, but don’t forget they all drink to excess!

I told you last time that I would list my  favorite books that I think are the greatest. Number one would always be the great Paul Osborne’s books, all of them!  This man is clearly a genius, just look at all the original illusions he has created. Yes, he revises old ones too. Look at the Big Black Book over a hundred illusions, and he still creates for Genii.    He has been ripped off and copied yet he remains classy and a gentleman.  I have seen so many versions of his illusions that someone else says it’s their invention. I really get pissed at these smucks. (You all know who you are!) Just remember Karma!  His new book  is great, and not that it is dedicated to me.  He has published some of his best that you can buy separate, but he has listed them and has comments, by some well known names offering advice on using these illusions.  And I agree with most of them.   So if you are smart run to get The Great Illusions #3, it is also available at Abbott’s. (continue reading…)

Thank you all in that great magic organization, the SAM, for all the work and for the wonderful convention you produced in a great facility. There are naysayers and such but anyone who went has to report a fun time. The dealer room was spacious with tables for play. Richard Turner absolutely blew me away and we reminisced about Vernon, who was his best man and a great mentor of mine. If you ever have a chance to see him, up close as we did, get all you can from this one of a kind, never to be seen again master.

Losander with his magical art was dealing and demonstrating real magic and Whit Hayden had the cool cool stuff and many others who I have read about were there and the old stand bys too, namely Bob Little who made the dealer room especially enjoyable. The break out rooms were on the same floor, The Main Showroom had professional risers and all the stagecraft by Bruce Chadwick to make the shows a success. Hats off to his tech helpers. I especially love to see the eager young magicians and their cards and sleights. I enjoyed the Thursday evening contest show with great flash magic. Visual magic is where it’s at for me. I too am working on a new 7 minute act, no Skilldini, more flash and show off. So once again thank you all who made this a great time.

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I remember. . .

my first Abbott’s Magic Get-Together when I was 12 years old. The sites, sounds and smells of the town are still with me today.

I remember . . .

seeing Bob Lewis and Ginny perform.  A real treat as I laughed at all of the jokes, even if I only understood half of them.  You see, Bob was a real professional.  His timing was impeccable. When he told a joke, you had to laugh.

I remember . . .

hanging around the outside of the showroom during the day when the pros talked about old-times.  Jay Marshall, Howard Flint, Roy Kissell, Karrell Fox.  They were all there.  They even took time to talk to the little guys.  One of them was me.

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I was admonished by Tim Deremer regarding last months article. Tim, a carny, has very high literary standards. It’s surprising for a man who has a 6 legged cow and a girl in the fishbowl to critique form and style. This month more Strunk and less rambling. Before we leave last month, let me reiterate. Skill is great but gags pay the bills. Yucks are bucks Kevin James told me first.

I just spent 24 hours in my old stomping ground of Batlle Creek and Colon. It looks different bad. When I arrived back in my little hamlet in Ohio I felt comfortable. Getting old.

I attended the church of gambling, the new casino in Battle Creek and dropped some cash. I could smell the place before the door opened. Casinos. The bane of states. Ohio will have these halls of pain soon.

As some of you may know, we are in the process of a three phase promotion leading up to the August Get Together. The first phase was the complete renovation of the Abbott Catalog. The second phase is the Abbott Compendium. It is the ultimate reference for Abbott’s and especially the Get Together. It will combine the history of Abbotts with the upcoming Abbott Get Together. If you need a schedule for 2010, its in the Compendium, if you need to know who performed in 1944, its in the Compendium, if you need an application for the 2010 Talent Contest its in the Compendium, and if you read David Seebach’s last article and didn’t know who Bill Smetak is, again, its in the Compendium.  The release date for the Compendium is July 4th and it will be available free as a download.

A couple weeks ago we posted a sample of the Compendium which is the list of Get Together performers. This was my webmasters idea because it is his favorite part of the compendium. Today, I wanted to post my favorite part, an article started by my Dad, and continued by myself today.  Its a story about change currently called “Birth of the Modern Get Together”. Its not very long (the Compendium is around 300 pages so this is a very small sample), however  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed following in my fathers footsteps.

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“Speech!  Speech!”

Several weeks ago I attended a public performance at a local elementary school that featured volunteer entertainers from one of the two major magical organizations in the world.  They were all members of the local chapter.  The audience was neither small nor large; it was a family crowd and they seemed enthusiastic about the show.

I was there only to observe and lend support by being in attendance.  It quickly became apparent that even observing would be difficult as the lights in the combination gymnasium/auditorium were extinguished leaving only nominal overhead stage lighting.  Since these instruments were set somewhat back from the front of the stage, any performer early on was more a silhouette than a real stage presence.  This snafu was corrected during act one.

My experience has been that dousing lights in venues other than traditional, legitimate theaters is often not a good idea.  Most places just do not have enough illumination and so to turn any lighting out seems like a bad idea to me.

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Summer is finally here and I can’t believe how fast time is flying by. The annual Abbott’s Magic Get-Together will be here in a matter of weeks .. and I’ve got to tell you, I still look forward to every minute of it. It’s truly my home away from home. It’s more than a convention .. it’s like a family reunion of sorts. I’ve made so many friends there over the years .. and memories that will last a life time.
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