Bunnies

This occurred over thirty years ago. Just trying to keep all things on a timeline these days and not try to confuse anyone more than necessary.

I spent most of my adult life in the navy, serving on submarines. When I entered the service I was already heavily into close-up magic. I carried six silver dollars and a deck of cards everywhere I went, from Australia to the North Pole. The audience at the North Pole was cold, cold.

Before my pals and I were to leave on a deployment to the Mediterranean one of my pals, a Torpedoman by trade had adopted a rabbit. He was single and had no one to take it or look after it. As we discussed fluffy’s impending fate someone said, “Hey Kent oughta pull Fluffy out of the COs hat on half-way night.”

You can see where this is going. Fluffy spent two-and-a-half months, in her cage in the torpedo room bilge. Bags of rabbit food were carefully hidden from the Chief’s inspection eyes. Her wastes were carefully collected and passed off as common waste and taken to the TDU room. (Trash Disposal Unit . . . 700 pound air and a ram . . . nevermind)

Half-way night on long deployments is always celebrated. If you have any talent or think you do, you’re in the half-way night show. Ala Tarbell Fluffy was in a bunny-sack behind a chair. After producing a silk fountain I got her into the pile of silks and produced her pretty damned cleanly, if I do say so myself.

The trick got a good reaction, solid applause. Then it dawned on them that we hadn’t seen land for thirty-seven days and there was a goddamn live bunny-rabbit on the ship. The crew went wild.

It was worth going that extra mile. Fluffy, by the way was in violation of several navy regulations. In a macabre series of events she ended up on the menu a couple of days later. Submariners have no sense of justice.

Magic in Albuquerque

Wow, nice town!

There is a great magic shop in Albuquerque. The proprietors are a very nice married couple. They've let me hang out in their shop entirely too much. The regular assortment of young pierced magicians wander through. I get to hang out and talk card tricks with a small but widening circle.

Magic is a great hobby and social outlet. It's held me in some pretty wacky and entertaining company over the years. When you're on your next business trip you could do far worse than checking out the local magic scene. I even happened to be in town for the local IBM meeting. I saw some magic and got to learn all about magnets! Okay the magnet lecture didn't help me much but the guy was passionate about magnets.

The fine folks at The Magic and Juggling Shop will probably have to endure me, again, today. They probably don't hate me. I've bought a lot of cards in there already.

KG

History and props to some great magicians

I have recently been wasting my time interacting with the Magic Cafe. This on-line denizen of card magicians and pedophiles has some interesting characters on it. It's run by my pal Steve Brooks. Steve has been a huge supporter of the Golden Gate Gathering.

In one of my interactions concerning magic and teachers I typed up this vignette. I think it belongs here.

My first teacher was Marvin Lovestedt. Yeah, you've never heard of him. In Ogden Utah, circa 1970, he was the best magician in town. He ran the Fun Shop at Washington and 25th streets. It was your classic, costume/adult gag/magic shop. The very first time I walked in there we bonded like oxygen and hydrogen. He loaned me his copy of [i]Stars of Magic[/i]. He had performed Cutting the Aces and I shit myself blind.

Marvin, truth be told, was and is not a high-level technician. He was a theater major and performed when he did tricks. He turned me on to the real work of the era. There were no great magic books at the Fun Shop, but Marvin turned me on to Loftus Magic and Novelty in Salt Lake. The guy behind the counter there was Earl Nelson. Earl treated me like crap. He, of course, was the best card man to ever escape from the Beehive State. Earl also fleshed out my collection of magic books. He sold me the Vernon card books (Ultimate, Inner, Further etc.), Close-up Card Magic and Garcia's Super Subtle/Million Dollar books.

My mentors were the guys who wrote those books. After Earl skipped town, (I think he was just ahead of the pogroms of '74), it was Marvin and I, holding down the card-guy fort. I did get to work the counter of the Fun Shop. Marvin allowed me to do one non-sales card trick a month for folks who walked in. Between The Fun Shop and MagicWorld in Denver I got to be a half-assed magician.

After some run-ins with the DEA and knocking up a girlfriend, Uncle Sam came a knockin'. The Navy allowed me to escape Utah. They did make me take the knocked-up girl with me though. Wife Uno, is a damned fine card magician btw. She does half a dozen card tricks pretty well!

Magic clubs across the country comprised most of our social life. Luckily I spent eight years in Orlando Florida where I ran into three magicians who did magic for a living. (Jon Armstrong was among the crew. He was the cute tow-headed kid though!) Hank Miller, James Sherrill and Terry Ward worked the local theme parks.

(Joe Conrad has some tribute footage of James on yt)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UUxcDgRgR4&NR=1

When I saw these guys do tricks at the local magic club, it was like an entirely different kind of magic. These were professional entertainers and I was shamed and dismayed at my own complete lack of ability. I had done Cutting the Aces since the day Marvin loaned me the book. I saw Terry Ward do that exact, same card trick for the magic club. I still can't find those socks.

Sherrill became a great pal. I met him my first day in Orlando. Paramount Magic was walking distance from the base. (This is 1979 btw. James hadn't gotten his Seaworld gig yet) There was a huge black man behind the counter. We swapped lies and card tricks. He offered to drive to the magic meeting that night. (Man I miss that big black son-of-a-bitch)

Hank Miller who worked King Henry's Feast helped me more than anyone. He has an unyielding and uncompromising approach to magic. He's better than you at card magic. He doesn't come across as arrogant or self-involved. He is better than you at magic though. Eight years of two or three shows a night, seven days a week made him better than you or I will ever be.

He would not allow me to do stuff that sucked. He was abusive and relentless. To this day he will not put up with bad magic. I did my cups and balls for him at the last GGG. He told me where I flashed and noted two awkward tells. He told me frankly, he was disappointed. Hank rocks!

This entry started out on Conjure Nation. It has been mightily edited to get to the PG point. In person I tend to be profane.

KG

A Chinese Classic

For the two or three magicians that actually read this drivel; you probably realize the Dai Vernon Book of Magic is one of the greatest books on magic ever written. I have performed "A Chinese Classic", the third trick in the book most of my life. As written up by Ganson, it is performed seated. I can't do magic seated any more. I've reworked the effect with a few new sleights. That is, new to the effect. The sleights are NOT original with me. I think it will smooth out with rehearsals. You can find the trick on my youtube channel. It's uploading now.

I have cryptically called it, "A Chinese Classic".

It is NOT Castle-worthy yet. About one hundred run-throughs will smooth it out.



KG

Writing

After seeing some real magicians I realize I need a script for the whole show. Hmmm . . . how many writers do I know that will work for free . . . Zero.

I'm off for a pad of paper. You kids behave yourselves. I have seventeen minutes to write.

KG

Travelers

Cards to pocket has been added. I've done the routine from Stars of magic for years and years. I toyed with Michael Close's Stupid Travelers. This version is . . . squeekin' clean. Fear the Travelers, fear them.

I have to quit mucking about and decide on a theme. I have two rants. One is claiming all the tricks are inspired by Vernon. It sounds like I'm sucking up to a dead guy. The other is rambling on about doing magic on a submarine. Neither is especially good. Gotta go practice. I wish I'd absorbed more from McCabe's book, Scripting Magic. I'm a ramblin' guy who needs to quit freakin' rambling.

With no deadline for accomplishing this task I may never get it done. I have to find a way to draw a line in the sand.

KG

Lectures

In the past three weeks I've seen three great lectures. I was in business in Phoenix and my buddy Steve Ehlers was lecturing! Happinstance, gotta love it. I got to do the cups routine in front of a live audience without my security-blanket table. I learned that as long as the table's lower than mine, I'm fine. Good to know.

Steve has wonderful presentations matched up to some very difficult sleight-of-hand. It was a joy to see him perform. I was humbled by his expertise and personality.

The next week Daryl was in town, here in the Bay Area. He is so dynamic and engaging I wanted to hug him. He doesn't know me and it would've creeped him out. There's all those restraining orders, so I figured I'd just tell him I he rocked.

Just last night Shoot Ogawa was in Palo Alto. There's a magic club five miles from my door, who knew? I saw a bunch of the magicians from The Magic Garage and the San Jose club I frequent. The titular leader of the San Jose crowd is Dr. Kim Silverman. He has long-flowing white hair and a full beard. He looks every part the wizard. Every time I see Kim perform I know he has presenational abilities, to which, I can only aspire.

Shoot was . . . freakin' Shoot Ogawa. I learned some stuff! I will go to his website and spend some dough. I never carry cash. His work with wands, thimbles and rope was truly magical. The card effects he did fooled and entertained me. I had only seen him on the Kohler-produced DVDs. Those DVDs only hinted at how good he is in person. I am now a huge fan of Shoot Ogawa.

None of these events advanced my seventeen minutes. I cannot do the routines of other performers. I have been inspired to work on: scripting, presentation and above all, by Daryl, to lighten up a bit and have fun.

Daryl, Steve Ehlers and Shoot Ogawa; if you ever have a chance to see these guys perform or lecture, don't miss it.

KG

Work and Zuma, pfui

No progress on the act today. Work and Zuma ate the day. Ok . . . I shouldn't have wasted all that time at work but the ward has to eat don'cha know.

The card stuff is solid. I may clean up the oil and water a bit and try some handlings that bring the presentation up to chest height. Magic is best, for me, done standing. If I'm standing I mustn't rely on seated-based handlings and blockings.

Still think about it all the time. Gotta find four minutes . . . anybody got a good trick?

KG

Putting the Act Together

After speaking with Howard Hamburg I'm getting off my large rear end. The line-up for tricks, so far will be:

Triumph Aces

Illogical Puzzle

A Chinese Classic (not filmed yet, but if you're familiar with the third trick in the Vernon Book of Magic, this version is sneakier)

One more coin trick yet to be chosen and . . .

The Fun Shop Cups and Balls.

I did them all in a row . . . It was not pretty. It was too short. I am contemplating NOT performing at the Castle. But . . . I will trudge on. These four tricks comprise the backbone of the show. Some may stay some may go, but I'm goin' to L.A. someday.

Once I actually have seventeen minutes I'll post the entire sequence. I'll have to comb my hair and put on a clean shirt. I tend to practice to a point where disheveled doesn't even start to describe my appearance.

Howard Hamburg

At the second Golden Gate Gathering, a charming guy, about my age showed up. He fooled the living SNOT out of every magician present. His name is Howard Hamburg. I'm no talent agent, but I can recognize greatness. The staff of the GGG asked Howard to return the next year and lecture for us.

Howard's lecture was a huge smash. He sold out of his lecture notes in about ten minutes. Howard has been a denizen of the Magic Castle for decades. He was a close personal friend of Dai Vernon. Howard shared some incredible stories about the professor with us. He was the highlight of this year's GGG.

The world-renowned Card Experts Dave and Dan Buck were also in attendance. They've just released Howard's revised notes from the third GGG. They're available via all the channels. Magicians - go get you some!

I shared my dream of performing at the castle with Howard. He told me, (perhaps because I'd just handed him his speaking fee in cash!) I was good enough for the castle. The figure of seventeen minutes came from Howard. I called him up, just today, for some help putting an act together. Perhaps with his insight I can make some real progress. I've only got thirteen minutes to go.

Now go spend a few bucks on Howard's notes. You'll be glad you did.

KG

The Fun Shop Cups and Balls

I've done the cups and balls for the vast majority of my life. I did a version of the trick, as published in the Dai Vernon Book of Magic; written by Lewis Ganson. That, as an aside, is a fantastic magic book. It is long out of print. The publishing firm of L & L has recently printed a compendium of Vernon's works. This huge work is about a hundred or so dollars. A quick foray into Google yielded this link:

http://www.trickshopmagic.com/essentialdai.html

If you have any interest in magic and don't already own the individual texts, you ought to pick this up. But, as you'll find, if you follow this blog . . . I digress; back to blaming Brett Sherwood.

I ordered a set of cups from Brett Sherwood. They look a lot like the ones Dai Vernon had pictures of in the Ganson Book. The darned cups cost 1150 dollars U.S. With shipping and insurance it was well over 1200 dollars. Once I picked them up from the post office I realized I'd made a silly mistake. I didn't even do the Vernon routine very well. Certainly not well enough to blow that kind of money on a magic trick. The cups really are beautiful. You can see them on Brett's site here:

http://www.sherwoodmagic.com/

I got the engraved silver ones. I have no earthly idea why I spent all that money on a magic trick I had no great ability with. Aghast at my whimsical expenditure, I resolved to come up with an original routine worth of these great cups.

I spent over a year just experimenting with different routines. I learned and worked up the routines of: Harry Riser; from The Feints and Temps of Harry Riser. I taught myself the routine of Michael Ammar from The Complete Cups and Balls. I could also do the Vernon routine that I had been performing since I was seventeen.

I wasn't happy with any of them. I still think Harry Riser's routine is seminal and greatly under-appreciated. I got to meet Harry at the first iteration of a small magic convention held out here on the West Coast. David Nelson, Theron Schaub, Dorian Rhodell and I run the darned thing. It's call the Golden Gate Gathering. We were honored when Harry assented to come lecture for us. This was in 2007 on August the ninth when he lectured. It was my fiftieth birthday. Seeing Harry actually perform the routine I'd worked up from his book re-invigorated my desire to come up with my own routine.

A huge number of people helped me with the routine. I have to mention the Witkowskis though. I had ordered a table to do the cups and balls on. The proprietor of the business took ill and could not ever send me a table. The Witkowskis bought the business from him. I contacted them and their business acumen was so high they shipped a table out forthwith! I've used their "Tabman" table ever since. I cannot recommend their products highly enough. You can see their stuff at:

http://www.tabmantables.com/

So at this point I had a great set of cups and a wonderful table to perform on. No freakin' idea of how to do the trick, but I had some darned fine props.

I revisited the works of one of the greatest minds in cups and balls magic, Al Schneider. His works are truly seminal. He had recently published some new works on the cups and balls. His great stuff can be found here:

http://www.worldmagiccenter.com/

I'd had the honor of meeting Bob Kohler in my travels. He provided the final link for me. He had an idea to use a very old technique and apply it to the cups and balls. He and one of his cronies provided me immeasurable assistance in the progress of my version of this chunk of magic. Without the two of them my little contribution would never have seen the light of day. Thanks Bob. Thanks to the other Bob who I've never met face-to-face yet who provided me tons of encouragement and great advice. Why don't I mention the last name of the other Bob. Because I've dropped enough names already. Thanks anyway Bob 2.

I then found a group of local magicians who have helped me immeasurably. I mentioned them earlier; David Nelson, Dorian Rhodell and Theron Schaub must have seen this routine when it was just awful. I listened to their advice and without them . . . there'd be nothing. David especially provided assistance and encouragement. He's had to play wingman many times and places as I've drug that damned table to anyone who'd watch an old man do the cups and balls. Without David's encouragement and willingness to hang out at every magic meeting in Northern California I'd have never gotten as far as I have. Thanks guys, without you there'd be no:

The Fun Shop Cups and Balls

Those three-and-a-half minutes took years to develop. This one trick made me realize that I could actually create my own magic tricks. I don't mean to say that my way of doing the trick is better than anyone else's way. It is the best way for me to do the trick.

I performed the trick for the crew at the second iteration of the Golden Gate Gathering. I competed (and did really badly!) at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas. That evolution gave me a drop dead date and really motivated me to quit fiddling with the routine. Even though I did not win, place or show at the competition I got a lot of positive feedback from some excellent magicians. A huge thanks to ????? (no name-dropping dammit!) who both years of WMS worked with me for a bit and gave me some truly solid advice.

The following year Pete Biro and Dr. Wells were kind enough to let me lecture at the WMS about my version of the cups and balls. I got to hang out with a bunch of Cups and Balls enthusiasts and do my routine in the dealer's room for anyone foolish enough to stop and watch. An expert on the trick, Etienne Lorenceau was kind enough to spend some time with me. His insight allowed some more refinements. The folks from the travel channel even video-taped me doing the routine. I'm hoping they might televise it. Dr. Wells tells me the show it could be on it coming up on the 23rd of September. I believe the show will be called Extreme Conventions. I actually doubt they'll use the footage they shot. A guy can hope though.

These three minutes of cups and balls will be the closing routine I do. Max Maven books the acts at the Magic Castle. I like to think, having done this trick thousands of times in practice/rehearsal and dozens of times in performance that I've got a solid anchor to base a Castle Act on. With applause, (I hope), the routine goes a little more than four minutes. Only thirteen minutes to go!

KG

Seventeen Minutes

Greetings web-universe. I'm an amateur magician from the San Francisco Bay Area. This little speck on the web should chronicle my attempt to perform at the Magic Castle. The Castle, for any non-magicians who've wandered in here, is a club in L.A. where some of the greatest magicians in the world have performed. I do not belong in that august group, but, a guy can dream.

On of my magic pals, Howard Hamburg informed me you need a minimum of seventeen minutes to audition for the chance to perform at the Magic Castle. Hence, the name of the blog. I'm going to try to chronicle the development of my "act" and I'll let you know if I ever actually get to perform at the Magic Castle.