INSIDE THE LINKING RING
January, 2010
By Devon Elliott

Cover Story:
PRESIDENT OF THE BRITISH RING: SHIRLEY RAY
Third Generation Entertainer
By Elizabeth Warlock

There is no doubt that Shirley Ray is an extraordinary person. Not just because she is only the second woman in the eighty-two-year history of the British Ring to be elected president, but also the fact that she is the third generation of a magical family, performing her first trick when she was just three years old.

With such a magical background it was natural that Shirley would follow in her family’s footsteps. Her first real show was at her eighth birthday party at which she performed the Evaporated Milk, using rhyming patter. But a bad case of stage fright put her magic career off and it was not until her late teens that she started really performing. . . (Read More)

IN MEMORIAM:
Irene Johnson, 1911-2009

Irene Johnson, 98, died October 31, 2009. Known as “Rene,” she was the wife of the late Sid Lorraine, the first staff artist for The Linking Ring, who held I.B.M. number 164.

A CONVERSATION WITH SHIRLEY RAY
By C. Dennis Schick

A questions-and-answers interview with Shirley Ray, president of the largest I.B.M. Ring in the world -- the British Ring. . .

RING EVENTS

Ring 59 Hosts Third Annual Magic Week for New Haven, Connecticut
By C. J. May

The third time was indeed the charm for “Magic Week New Haven,” with more magicians, performances, venues, and attendees than years one and two. Here are some details of the magic floating around Connecticut’s Elm City during the last week of October. . .

Mini-Auction on Club Days for Ring 78, the Netherlands
By Gerrit Vormer

The Fred Kaps Ring in the Netherlands, Ring 78, has invented a new tradition: every club day conjuring material is offered at a small auction. Old or seldom-used tricks are being demonstrated by their own members and sold to the highest bidder to support the Ring. When the tricks are being demonstrated, the spectators are very interested. Now, after some six times, this mini-auction has proven to be successful. . .

Ring 153 (Billings, Montana) Hosts Paul Draper for a Lecture/Performance
By Brent Cromley

Paul Draper appeared in Billings, Montana on November 2 for the state Innkeepers Association and went out of his way to present a show at Kent Messmer’s magic shop, along with a lecture for the Billings Magic Society. Paul is a popular performer at trade shows and also appears regularly in Las Vegas. . .

2009 Installation Banquet of Ring 205 in Lima, Ohio
By Gene Craft

Ring 205, NOMA, Findlay/Lima held its installation banquet on November 7. The evening began with members of Ring 68, Toledo, performing close-up. Three performers, Jake Dickey, Pattrick Przysiecki, and Martin Jarret, moved from table to table astounding both magicians and guests. We then took time for a catered meal and the installation of officers: President Chris Topel, Vice President Gary Friedrich, Secretary Gene Craft, and Treasurer Dick Haas. TVP Ron Frank from Columbus performed the installation of officers. The outgoing officers were also recognized, and Gary Friedrich was presented with a President’s Picture for his services in 2009. Dick Haas was selected by Ring 205 as Magician of the Year and presented with the 2009 trophy. . .

Ring 211 Hosts Keith Fields in Grand Rapids, Michigan
By Randy Vander Wal

On June 8, Keith Fields presented a lecture to Ring 211. Keith is from London, England, but now resides in the Detroit area of Michigan. In 1984 he gave up a promising career in computers to become a street entertainer in England. He became well known for his performances in comedy clubs, at corporate functions, and on cruise ships. He enjoys working exclusive private events around the world. . .

Ring 216 of San Jose, California, Holds Annual Close-up Competition
By Cal Tong

During the October 14 meeting, Ring 216 held its Annual Close-up Competition. Fred Rasmussen, Michael Feldman, Stan Sieler, Doug Eakin, and Alan Leeds were among the competitors. . .

Ring 280 (Santa Clarita, California) Performs Magic at the Fourth Annual Day for Kids
By Brian Hoffman

On September 12, Ring 280 provided some magical entertainment at the fourth annual Day for Kids. The event drew five thousand to Newhall Park and was sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley and the City of Santa Clarita. . .

Ring 349 (Hilton Head, South Carolina) Honors Dr. Keith Bogart
By Fred Reisz

In September, Ring 349, the Society of Lowcountry Magicians, announced that the membership had voted unanimously to name the Ring the Dr. Keith Bogart Ring. A framed copy of the resolution was present to Dr. Bogart by President Edward Hay. The resolution was passed at the August meeting when Dr. Bogart was out of state visiting family. . .

MAGIC IN SHANGHAI
By Dale Salwak

No one can fully appreciate the great good fortune we have to be associated with the art of magic without understanding the events that brought us to where we are today. To grasp the breadth of our traditions, we need only to look to many of the techniques, styles, and routines some of us take for granted, aspects of our art that originated hundreds if not thousands of years ago and in parts of the world different from our own. Traveling to another land encourages us to set aside some of our preconceptions, to relax, to open our minds, and to learn. . .

A SPOOKTACULAR EVENT
Showcases Spectacular Illusions in Malta

The prestigious Manoel Theatre in the island of Malta, built by the Knights of St John in the sixteenth century, was the venue for a joint illusion show by I.B.M. Ring 202 members Vanni Pulé and Brian Rolé together with their respective partners, Mary Anne and Lola, plus four dancers from the Alison White troupe. This was on Halloween, and it was followed by a guided ghost walk and a gothic rock concert at another venue. The audience was welcomed to the theater by bandaged mummies in the foyer and flashing pumpkins in the balconies. An actor, as Grand Master of the Order, Manoel De Vilhena, addressed the audience and expressed his desire to frighten and thrill them out of their wits with the performance they were going to witness. . .

GENE GORDON'S MAGICAL LEGACY
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
By Gene Gordon

Can it be completely true that the chicken crossed the road just to get to the other side? Perhaps an invisible force directed the chicken to cross just at that time and place. Could it be that there was a rooster she met for the first time just because she crossed the road? But let us not waste time talking about a chicken. . .

MAGIC IN THE ROCKIES 2009
I.B.M. Ring 250, The Presto-Digitators Fort Collins, Colorado
Review by David Goodsell
Photos by Byron Ferguson

I’ve been to a ton of conventions, but I’ve never had a more enjoyable three days than I had at the Sixteenth Annual Magic in the Rockies. It was held in Fort Collins, Colorado, about sixty miles north of Denver, at the Fort Collins Marriott, September 10-13, 2009. . .

LETTERS FROM THE PAST
Silent Mora (Louis Jerome McCord), 1884-1972
Part Two
By Samuel Patrick Smith

Silent Mora began mastering the art and skill of showmanship at an early age, learning to project his personality from stage and connect with the audience. At twenty-one, he was playing Tony Pastor’s prestigious theater on Fourteenth Street in New York City. In addition to presenting superb sleight of hand with billiard balls, silks, cards, and candles – plus a vanishing lamp and vanishing bowl of water – he incorporated juggling stunts into his vaudeville act. He tossed a billiard ball twenty feet into the air from behind his back and caught it on the back of his right hand. Another twenty-foot toss, without looking, and he caught the ball behind his back. This kind of showmanship, combined with his dexterity and ability to pantomime, won audiences over without a word during his perfectly timed twelve-minute act. . .

SILENT MORA'S FOUR-BALL AND NET ROUTINE
By Silent Mora
Illustrated by Tony Dunn

This routine by Silent Mora was published in 1949 by Mora’s good friend, Jim Swoger of Regow’s House of Enchantment. It carried the subtitle, “The Greatest Sleight-of-Hand Trick in the Last Thirty Years.” . . .

"WHO KNOWS WHAT MAGIC LURKS IN THE HEARTS OF MEN?"
Walter B. Gibson & Magic's Golden Years
By Thomas J. Shimeld

When magicians get together, it is a feast for the senses: chatting, laughing, performing. They speak as if friends from childhood, though they have just met. It is that love of magic that courses through their veins, a love that unites and cherishes its devout followers – a love that Walter B. Gibson knew well. . .

MILLENNIALS RISING MAGIC STARS OF TOMORROW
Manipulative Elegance: The Magic of Liang-Shun "Shin" Lim
By Cliff Bumgardner

Close your eyes a moment and listen to your surroundings. Do you hear birds singing or the sweet sound of the wind? Even your own life-giving breath has its own magical sound. Now open your eyes and look out the nearest window. Can you see nature blooming? Can you see a bird flying through the sky? Each of these sights and sounds represent the elegance that is found in nature. Perfectly orchestrated movements and sounds, each changing and reacting in flawless unison with their surroundings and individual parts. While each of these entities are miracles in their own right, for the magician there is nothing more amazing than the elegance that your own two hands can create. For eighteen-year-old Liang-Shun (or “Shin” as he is known) Lim, a simple card trick performed by his brother began a magical journey in manipulative elegance and grace. . .

CLASSICS REVISITED
Traffic Lights
Written and Illustrated by Vanni Pulé

This is a dressing-up of another classic trick, the ABC Blocks, attributed to Wienewski in the Owen’s catalogue. In the Tarbell Course in Magic, volume 4, page 65, a trick called Koko the Jumping Block by Robert Lotz bears some similarity. In this presentation, one of three lettered blocks was vanished and made to reappear outside the tube. I have transformed this into a safety trick suitable for children. . .

CUTTING UP JACKPOTS
Blackstone, Sr. Master Magician
By Bev Bergeron

I was just starting to perform magic about 1943 when one of my uncles showed me how to produce a playing card from the back-palm position. I had seen (Harry) Willard the Wizard for two weeks in a row every night about two years before, so I had a love for magic. After teaching me the card production, my uncle went on to tell me about seeing Blackstone the Magician in a theater. His description of Blackstone vanishing a birdcage lit up my desire to someday perform this feat. It would be a few more years before that dream came true. . .

THE BUSINESS OF MAGIC
Discipline
By Julian Franklin

I was at a party recently and bumped into Daniel Garcia, a long-time friend of mine. He was demonstrating something quite impressive to a group of fans and they asked him, “How do get to be that good?” In his usual modest way he said, “You just do it. You just do it over and over.” . . .

OUR SIDE OF THE POND
By Elizabeth Warlock

(This column marks Elizabeth Warlock’s twenty-fifth year of writing the “Our Side of the Pond” column. Thank you, Elizabeth, for keeping us informed about the magic that happens in your most interesting part of the world.)

Welcome to another New Year, which completes the first decade of the twenty-first century. May it be a happy, healthy, prosperous, and above all peaceful one. Until recent years January was always a quiet month, with people recovering from the celebrations of the Festive Season, and magicians in particular from the many shows that December spawns. But since 2006 there has been Session, a convention organised by Andi Gladwin and Rob James, that takes place in the West Country town of Gloucester, where one can see some top names in close-up magic. This year is no exception with David Acer, Joshua Jay, and Daniel Garcia among those booked to spin their wizardry to the amazement of those just starting out in magic and eager to learn, and to the delight of those of us who are now beyond the age of attaining such technical skills. . .

HOCUS POCUS PARADE
Annual British Ring 25 Parade, Part 1
Compiled by Ian Adair
Illustrated by Tony Dunn

Dedicated to the memory of ALI BONGO -- Past President of British Ring 25, Past President of The Magic Circle, performer, lecturer, inventor, author, magical advisor, illustrator, and a globe-trotting magician liked by all.

THIS ONE DOESN'T
By Alan Shaxon
Effect: The magician joins the group, idly fanning and shuffling a pack of blue-backed cards. They are spread out, and two people freely choose cards, one on the left and one on the right. The one on the left replaces his card, and the magician instantly and freely shuffles the pack. He explains that while he is shuffling, he is counting in order to keep track of the spectator’s card. Then he remembers the second card. “Put yours back, or I will never find it!” The pack is again energetically shuffled.

The magician then announces that the second card is twenty-fourth from the top, so all he has to do is cut just above the centre, which he does at the chosen card! Turning to the person on his left, he spreads through the cards face down before him, explaining that to find his card, he must look at the backs, “They are not marked, but I usually get a clue!” Sure enough, a card shows up with a contrasting red back, and turned face up, it is the chosen card. But there is more...

Left holding the chosen card face up, after a pause, he says, “But your card did not have a red back did it?” The magician flips the card over, and it has a blue back like the rest, with the tagline, “No, this one doesn’t.”

J.D. PREDICTION CHEST
By Jack Devlin
Effect: A wooden chest, securely fastened with a hasp and padlock, hangs from the flies or a suitable stand (i.e., a birdcage stand). He hands a key to a spectator. The mentalist asks members of the audience to name a number (say, twenty-five) and a colour (purple). The mentalist writes these on a large whiteboard. Next, a card is selected, and the name is added to the other two items on the board (Queen of Hearts).

Emphasising that he will not touch the chest, the mentalist uses the whiteboard as a tray and unhooks the chest. He takes the tray, chest onboard, to the member of the audience with the key. He unlocks the padlock, opens the chest, and takes out a large card containing a prediction. The card is read out: “I, Charlie Brown, predict that the chosen number will be twenty-five. The chosen colour will be purple, and the chosen card will be the Queen of Hearts.”

CREDIT TRANSFER
By Mark Leveridge
Effect: A credit card is borrowed from a spectator and sealed in an envelope. Two paperback novels are shown, and one has its pages riffled through. A spectator calls stop, and the envelope containing the credit card is dropped into the book to mark the selected page. The spectator is then handed the book to hold.

The second book is now shown to have an envelope inside it, marking a page. The book is held open for the spectator to note that the envelope is slotted between pages 94 and 95, for example. He is now asked to open his book at the pages marked by his envelope, and when he does, he discovers that he also selected pages 94 and 95.

Now he is asked to close his book for the second part of the trick. The magician snaps his fingers and asks the spectator to open his book again and remove his envelope. When he does so, he finds that his credit card is no longer inside it.

Opening the second book again, the magician asks the spectator to confirm that the envelope inside still marks pages 94 and 95. This envelope is then removed and inside is found the missing credit card!

JACK'S BACK
By Peter Duffie
While this started from a simple play on words, the final result is almost a minimalist version of Dave Campbell’s Fred trick. It uses only six cards, though you can use more if you wish, and there is a twist in the tale. The original version of this was called “Jack of All Trade-Offs” and appeared in my e-book called 7. As published, it required the repositioning of the target card at a bad moment, prior to a rather slow elimination deal that the spectator would carry out. I have since simplified and streamlined the whole routine, making it far more direct and also a fun trick to perform.

THE NOTEBOOK
By Alexander Allen
I am going to describe a utility item that I use to predict any card in the deck. . .

THE BUSINESS CARD PREDICTION
By Chris Wardle
This is a surprising patter presentation based on a very old swindle. Over the years, there have been versions of this effect using poker chips, coins, and banknotes, but my version uses invisible playing cards and business cards. I first came across this principle in an effect by the late Ken de Courcy entitled Imagine using pound coins (from Coffee Break Chronicle, vol. 4, no. 3, June 1991). It is an ideal effect – the spectator does all of the work, and all you need is an envelope containing a small number of cards, which you ask a spectator to look after. Here’s how it runs. . .

HORSIN' AROUND
By Trevor Lewis
Steen Pegani from Denmark very kindly gave me a set of four silks (black and white horses and two zebra silks), and I came up with the following routine. . .

CHOP CUP IN THE HANDS
By Ian Lowe
Tips on using the Chop Cup in your hand to overcome some of the disadvantages of this device.

SPIKA-BALLOON
By Ian Adair
Effect: A slender wooden box is shown around. The performer peeks through the central area as both doors, top and bottom, are opened. It’s empty. Along 2'' x 45'' modeling balloon is pushed through one end so it protrudes at the other. Aspike is then pushed down through the uppermost hole, through the balloon, and out through the second hole. The box containing the balloon is shown at all angles. The balloon is dramatically burst using the spike prior to the box being shown empty again.

LOOK FOR MORE ROUTINES FROM BRITISH RING 25 IN THE FEBRUARY ISSUE!

THE CARD CORNER
By Mike Powers

Terry showed me this very nice effect at the FFFF convention over a year ago. He was kind enough to allow me to shoot video of him performing the effect. This can be viewed at www.mallofmagic.com from the “Card Corner” section. Terry provided me with two methods, the first of which is the more difficult. His patter is also provided.

Split Decision
By Terry Hedges
Effect: A spectator selects a card (e.g., the Three of Hearts). It is replaced and lost. The magician, in his attempt to locate the chosen card, finds the Nine of Hearts. He then splits the card in two. The spectator turns over one of the cards to reveal a Six of Hearts. The other card from the split is the chosen three.

HAVENLY CLOSE-UP
By Tom Craven

Here’s another item from the mind of Dan Alessini. Dan always tries his magic on his club in Southern California to get their reaction, and this item received a favorable vote from his fellow compeers. It’s easy, straightforward, and plays well with the public. I hope you’ll try and enjoy Dan’s, Take Me to Vegas. . .

SHOWTIME
By Peter Marucci

The handling in the following is based on Larry Becker’s “Will The Cards
Match?” I always thought that the magic phrase, “Will The Cards Match?” tended to tip the trick, and so I avoided it in that form. However, it’s a brilliant trick that mathemagician Becker came up with, so much so that I’ve done a dozen other routines with it. This is yet another, titled: Fear The Eye Of Horus. . .

STORYTELLING MAGIC
Music in Mind
By Ed Solomon

At a special New Year’s dinner party, DeNomolos took the opportunity to experiment with the guests. One of his abiding interests is music and music therapy. This presentation was one of his serious explorations into the working of the human mind. . .

HOCUS IN FOCUS

Reviewed this month:

BOOKS
The London Palladium: The Story of the Theatre and Its Stars, Christopher Woodward | Magic with a Message: Gospel in a Box, Richard Landry | Modern Miracles of Suggestion, Kenton Knepper

VIDEOS
Shudder, Dee Christopher

TRICKS
SLR (Souvenir Linking Rubber Bands), Todd Plaster | Metamorphosis, Wayne Dobson

FAST FOCUS
ImpossiBill Braid Plus, Robert Neale | Kranzo's Extreme Magic Seminar, Nathan Kranzo | The Magic Act, S. Roy Stevenson | Outflushed, Derek Dingle | Sigullum Diaboli, Alan Rorrison | Snap, Jesse Feinberg

THE LINKING RING

All members receiving our journal are also able to read it on line the day it is published and mailed. This gives you a heads-up on ads, tricks to perform for others before they see them, plus access to any area of special interest. This is especially important for non-US members who receive their journals later due to the distances involved (Read More)