ALEXANDER LEWIS
by Katy Grabel
He was a gentlemen and a teacher; an entertainer and a loyal friend.  He could do a shuffle-off-to-buffalo in a friend's kitchen, teach them Cardini's cigarette thumb grip, and then sit down to regale them with funny stories past midnight.  Al was a teacher at Chavez School of Magic in Los Angeles from 1946 -1951 and at one time instructed the following popular magicians: Channing Pollock, Zicarte, Ralph Pierce, Don Alan, Neil Foster, Albert Ching and Nardoni & Nadine.  Under the name, The Great Alexander, he played venues throughout Southern California and toured extensively on the National School Assembly circuit in the 1960s. He died at age 87 on March 13, 2008. (read more)

IN APPRECIATION FOR THEIR LIFE IN MAGIC
by Dennis Schick • Editor, The I.B.M. Broken Wand
June, 2008

When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.  ~Kahlil Gibran (more...)

IN APPRECIATION FOR THEIR LIFE IN MAGIC
by Dennis Schick • Editor, The I.B.M. Broken Wand
May, 2008

As a members of our great fraternity, linked in fellowship with magicians all over the world, we celebrate the interest, activity and skill of performing magic that was enjoyed by those who we were privileged to share in friendship. (more...)

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Herb Zarrow Passes Away • By  Meir Yedid • May 2008
Herb Zarrow was perhaps best known for the shuffle that bears his name. Since the creation of the Zarrow Shuffle, Mr. Zarrow's name has been used in magic books in the strangest ways: as a noun "...after losing the Aces do a Zarrow," as an adjective "...do a Zarrow full-deck false shuffle," even as a verb, "...now Zarrow under two cards." The shuffle however is just the tip of the iceberg as far as describing this very unique gentleman whose love of magic and magicians has spanned a lifetime. ... (read more)

(Paula Hamilton) On Saturday, 23 February 2008 Dorothy Mangel (Dot) widow of Ray O. Mangel (Past I.B.M. International President 1979-1980), 75, passed away. She held I.B.M. number 39654 , she was a member of the Order of Merlin and a member of Ring 10 (the Gene Keeney Ring of Indianapolis, Indiana). Dorothy had lived in Indianapolis for 25 years and along with Ray, they were very active in Ring 10. In 1980, after Dorothy and Ray retired they lived part time in Florida for 20 years, but most of the time they traveled in their motor home visiting their friends, other I.B.M. Rings and attended conventions. At the time of her passing, she was living at the Indiana Masonic Home in Franklin. (more...)