ore often than not the very simplest kind

M of method applied to a very direct and un-

complicated effect makes the best table trick
is any one that happens to be on the bottom of
the deck. Its position number is the total of
the four date figures, i.e., 1914 — 16. The
in a performer's repertoire. There have been a prophecy reads, "The 15th card will be ."
lot of reputations made with cute,close-up mas- A half-dollar is borrowed and switched for the
terpieces passed by and over one you have which is put
with undiscerning eyes. While onto the table. It is
that which follows will not easily done by having the
win eternal fame or renown, known coin in left hand.
i t well may serve as a Take borrowed coin with
reliable talk-maker for right, pretend to place
others as i t has me. in left, and then reach
into pocket with right
The magician writes a hand and take out the
short prophecy on a slip deck, leaving coin behind.
of paper which is folded
and held by a spectator. Dovetail shuffle deck
A half-dollar is bor- several times keeping the
rowed and placed on the bottom card and top four
table, date side up. A in place. Have spectator
deck of cards is shuf- cut deck in two. Ask him,
fled, cut into two pack- "Which shall we use?" If
e t s , and one of them is he picks the top pile he
then dealt into four 1
gets it. If he points to
face down heaps.The date the bottom half you pick
on the coin is checked it up. Ask him to deal
and the heaps turned ov- his pile into four face
er. The values of the down heaps a card at a
cards thus revealed cor- time. Idly shuffle your
rectly state the date of heap during this and set
the half-dollar. Next the the bottom card at 15th
values of these four cards are ii\ from the top. When his
added together and the spectator \\ piles are turned face up
counts to that t o t a l in the second \ the arranged cards show and
half of the deck. The card lying at that p give the date correctly. He
sition is put face down on the table while the adds the figures and counts
prediction paper is read. I t not alone has in the packet you have laid
foretold the name of the card thus picked, but down by now. The prophecy is read. A non-sleight
i t s actual location in the deck.' variation is to say, after the deck is cut and
spectator has his packet, "We'd better remove
The f i r s t part of the stunt was shown me by the Joker. Do you have it?" 3ach of you run ov-
a miner in the North country of Canada. I t was er your packets face up and this allows you to
the only trick he knew, and to i t I added the simply count and cut the bottom card to its de-
second part. At any opportune moment get four sired position. Then immediately place your
cards on top of the pack to correspond in fig- packet face down over the coin and don't touch
ure values with the four figures it again. Even if you've known and
of the date on a half-dollar of
your own. The card you predict DEICARTIER Page 757
done the date and card idea, see
how effective is this new setup.
NAME YOUR POISON
suit"** THE GREAT MERLINI
"J f a real black magic magician was doing a your double backer and the chosen card going to
* card trick, he would have the card selected, the bottom. This is most naturally done by drop-
returned to the deck, and then, without further ping the left hand to the side for just a sec-
monkeyshines, let the audience tell him how they ond this puts the cards at right angles to
would like to have it located. That's what you the floor, edges up. Bring the arm up again im-
do in this oneJ Briefly, the effect Is this. mediately, but with the bottom side of the deck
You allow a spectator to cut a shuffled deck at now uppermost. It's a cinch.
any place, remove the card to which he cut,
note and replace it, and put the cut-off cards Now, he replaces his shuffled card on what
back on it. Then, without (apparently) doing he thinks is the chosen card. And you are all
anything at all, you finish the trick in any set to finish the trick BEFORE they think you
one of three ways as directed by the spectators. have gotten well started and BEFORE they have
The chosen card either (1) turns face up in the begun to watch you closely. They do that now,
deck, or (2) is found by spelling down to it in and it is too late. Ask which of the three ways
the usual manner, or (3) it leaves the deck en- they want you to use in locating the card, and,
tirely and is removed from your breast pocket1 in talking, tiring your right hand over to square
"Gentlemen," you say, "Name your poieon.'" They the deck. Forefinger goes on front edge, thumb
do and you give ti to them. Here's how. (Note on back edge, and the left little finger beneath
that what we have here actually is three tricks, the deck pushes that bottom, face-up, chosen
any one of which can also be worked separately card to the right just lar enough so that you
and alone.) can glance down and catch a glimpse of the low-
er,right-hand index that is staring up at you.
A borrowed deck can be used, provided only Your right hand covers this peek from every ang-
that, during the course of a previous trick, you le except your own. You now know what the card
steal out any one card, slap a small dab of wax is.
or diachylon onto its face at diagonally oppo-
site corners, and place it back out in your FINISH It If they want to have the chosen
breast pocket. That's the full extent of the card turn face up in the deck — well, what
preparation. Merlini always carries one card to could be simpler? You merely cut the deck once,
match his own deck in that pocket so prepared, "a magic cut", and fan through to find it face
but uses a borrowed deck whenever the chance up in the center! There isn't any fairer look-
arises. ing, cleaner, reversed card method.

Now let's go. Take the deck after the spec- FINISH 2: If they want you to spell down to
tator has shuffled it, and rub your saliva- the card, tell those who have se.en the card to
coated thumb over the face of the bottom card. spelj. MENTALLY one letter of the card's name
Then go into an overhand shuffle. The top card for each card you deal. And warn them to keep
off makes a half turn as it goes into the left their poker faces on and NOT to let you know
hand so that it is face up. Then, as the other when they finish spelling. Start dealing. And,
cards are shuffled onto it, it is picked up on since you know the card yourself, you naturally
the bottom of the deck, face to face with the do a little mental spelling on your ownj Now
saliva card. The cards are shuffled alternately watch this misdirection. When you reach the last
in front of and behind the stack in the left letter, drop that card, look up at your audience
hand, so that at the shuffle's finish the im- and say, "I have a feeling that you finished
promptu double backed card you have just made spelling on THAT card. Am I right?" Invariably,
remains on the bottom of the deck. If you like, when this surpise hits them, they look at your
this preliminary cheating can be gotten out of face blankly and answer, "yes." That's when you
the way before you announce that you'll do a tip the deck over againj You immediately say,
trick. "Then the next card should be the chosen one."
Pick it off the deck, look at it yourself, and
Now for the cut. Hold the deck squared on the ask someone to name it. When they do, turn it
left palm, out at the end of the hand on the slowly and show itJ (Use this speller once and
fingers. The victim cuts anywhere, places the you'll never use any other. Advt.)
cut-off portion on your right palm and looks
at the 'next card down. As he starts to replace FINISH 3: But what if they want the card to
it, tell him he'd better show it to one or two leave the deck entirely? This is a barefaced
other people in case he should forget it. As he swindle. Al Baker, seeing it, cracked, "But
turns to do this, and as your right hand ges- that's cheating. It's not fair to audiences I
tures toward the audience, your left fingers You're a crookj" You see, the card never does
tilt up and tip the half deck they hold over on leave the deck, but it looks an awful lot as if
to the palm of the hand so that the double back- it did. What you do is this. Tap the deck mys-
er is now on top. The timing and misdirection teriously once or twice, pretend to point out
here is perfect, and the gesture you make wi-th the invisible card as it leaves the deck and
your left hand and arm can even help to cover goes up the sleeve,'into the outer breast pock-
the tip over. et. All eyes naturally follow the pointing fin-
ger and are fixed immovably on the card you
Then, let him return his card on top of the then remove from your pocket, the one that was
left hand pile. And immediately hand him the there from way back before you ever started!
right hand pile, asking him to shuffle it so That is when you make the check turnover, this
that you can't possibly know what the bottom time.
card is. As he takes the cards and begins to
shuffle, the attention is again all on him, and The pocket card is back to the audience. You
you reverse your previous move. You tip the look at It, and scowl disgustedly, and you say,
half deck you hold back again on to the fingers, (continued on page 760)
Page 758
 MARTIN GARDNER'S PEN KINK
5610 Dorchester St., pen horizontally across the right side of your
Chicago, Illinois chest and tip it down the right coat sleeve.
Dear Ted;
I've been having fun with this cute The right arm hangs naturally and
dodge lately. It's probably original. You no- the right hand fingers, naturally curled, catch
tice someone's fountain pen, or automatic pen- the pen as it drops through the sleeve. You
cil. Ask to see it. Take it — saying, "Nice swing bacK, and this bit of moving is practi-
looking," and nonchalantly appear to clip it cally imperceptable, and catch the owner as his
inside your coat's inner pocket. He, the owner, indignation begins. Your right hand comes up to
naturally is going to protest. And you suddenly his left shoulder and the pen is produced just
produce the pen or pencil from behind his neck as his demand for a return of the object starts.
with your right hand, remarking, "What are you
getting worried about?" This principle has been used before
with coins, but I've never seen it with pens or
A man's inside coat pocket is on his pencils, which, after all, are natural objects
right side and approached with his left hand. to be put in the inner pocket. TRY IT THE NEXT
You have the pen in left hand as you look at TIME SOMEONE ASKS YOU TO AUTOGRAPH SOMETHING.
it, and turn your body a bit to the right as
you apparently put the pen into your inside Cordially yours
pocket. Your left side being quite a bit to-
wards the spectator he cannot see any possible
motion of your coat as you actually put the

4 performed capably, but it was just nice. It,

R>hiladelphia's (Pa.) Greater the act, lacked punch. A typical example of ma-
* Magic Show. S.A.M. #4. The gic overlapping occured. V/ith as many tricks
Plays and Players Theatre, Sat. as they had, it would have been in the audience
March 29th, 1941. Reviewed by interest not to repeat the linking rings right
FIFTH Robert Houoin, Jr. — on top of Mr. Mulholland's routine. Their's
ROW, The show, amazingly enough
suffered by comparison. Incidentally, it was
interesting to see how much more effective it
CENTE for a magic show, started on was to see girls handling silks, trouble-wit,
AISLE time.
It got off to a bad start
rag pictures, etc. Somehow it affects my ri-
sibilities to see a hulking bruiser of a man,
with ELMER ECKAM who presented delicately doodling with fragile, diaphanous
Blendo, production of boquets, silks. Time: 25 minutes.
mis-made flag, etc., finishing with the rice
bowls. Stock magic, presented in a stock way.
Guilty of all the faults of the average magician, AL FLOSSO followed with one of the funniest
slowly paced, repetitious patter, constant use twenty-five minutes I've ever enjoyed. Brash,
of the word 'now1. Aimed at a juvenile intel- brusque, talkative fast moving magic presented
ligence, probably a good children's magician. in carnival style. A swell performer. Standard
Time: 25 minutes. effects done in a you-be-damned manner that
brought continual belly laughs. No criticisms.
Time: 25 minutes.
"BALLOONS" BONTTERT presented a novelty act,
which, if it had run five minutes might have MIACO brought the show to an enjoyable close
been amusing. He tied ballons into various with a sweet, sleight-of-hand act. A clean per-
shapes to represent a man, a scooter, a see-saw former, ne did a gloved card fan production, a
with a boy and girl on it. After five minutes silk trick or two, billiard balls, lit cigar-
he had "shot his bolt" (or balloon? Ed.), the ei/i^e productions and finished with a salt trans-
fifteen minutes following were the longest this position from hand to hand. Extremely well done.
reviewer ever spent. Time: 20 minutes. The only criticism is that his manner of pre-
sentation is a sort of combination of Cardini
JOHN KULHOLLAND followed, fortunately, and and Albenice. Time: 15 minutes.
took the bad taste out of our mouths. A gentle-
man, presenting magic for ladies and gentlemen.
Takes his time without stalling. He did the one- AL BAKER m.c'd capably, did a nice vent rou-
to-eight thimble routine. Vanished thimbles at tine, but seemed a little tired.
finish. Next, a card trick in which a selected
card is returned to the deck, deck torn in half, The high spots of a better than average ma-
then one-half in quarters. He dealt through one gical evening, were MulhoHand's linking rings,
of the segments of a deck until stopped by the Al Flosso's patter, and Wiaco's manipulations.
audience, same with other segments. Finally, the
three pieces turn out to be the selected init-
ialled card. Finished with a beautiful clean-
cut performance of the linking rings. Admirable
in every respect. He was called back for an en-
core and did an impromptu coin routine. The only
criticisms, and they are carping, are, the thim-
bles talked when he sleeved them, and in the en-
core he missed a coin in trying to sleeve it.
In regards to the -presentation, it is unfortun-
ate that !.&•• Mulholland's stage smile is so un-
convincing. It is a mechanical grimace which
does not convey conviction. Time: 25 minutes.

ROBERTA and MARION (Byron) opened the second

half of the performance with a stage full of
apparatus. Nice, is a complete description. They
Page 759
 present. After several journies from the room
he was given permission to have his secretary
attend the proceedings and supply necessary in-
formation. She proceeded to take notes, etc.,
T he Parent Assembly No.l of the
Society of American Magicians
held a special meeting on March 35
of the doings, and, we'll dare to say, they were
the only "minutes" of the evening. The editor
at N.Y.'s Barbizon-Plaza Hotel. In said that the "Sphinx" still could take M.U.M.
accordance with Article I, Section as a separately bound insert to be included with
3, M. 111. President Trepel ar- the magazine for members only. (A year back we
ranged the party to discuss and re- pointed out here that that could be done, but,
view the action of the National in such a case, the price of $1.80 per member
Council in reference to the "Sphinx". Readers of to the S.A.M. should be lowered commensurately
the last Jinx (No.131) will know about the act- with the editor's assertion that the S.A.M. mem-
ions of the Council in awarding the M.U.M. con- bership list is only a small part of the general
tract to "Genii". In fact there were plenty of "Sphinx" circulation)
Jinx issues present at the meeting, for it was
only through this honestly "independent" journal Then came another Aesop fable, re-enacted
for magicians that certain letters, "state" pa- some 2000 years after its writing. With 3 hours
pers, and views might be circulated immediately of exhaustive damnations and curiously inept
and.verbatim. That such things were published queries and conclusions behind, and there seem-
caused no little annoyance in some circles with- ingly being no hope for a "Sphinx-M.U.M." love
in the great circle of the society. And while fest at the cost of overthrowing the Council's
we cannot give the sources of our information, decision, the editor of "Sphinx" gave hie di-
we will say that no one within the jurisdiction rectly asked for views on the matter. And this
of the Parent Assembly furnished us with or let paragon of peregrinations not given to most
us peek at any "state" papers. We would not (thank goodnessJ) prestidigitateurs gave the
jeopardize the standing of any local member with members to believe that "Sphinx" was quite well
whom we might occasionally be seen. That's plain rid of M.U.M., that in the March issue of that
decency, if not common sense. publication he had written that after May 1st,
it (M.U.M.) would not be carried, and that
nothing he ever had written since taking over
The meeting evidently was "forced" by ten the magazine had resulted in so many letters
or more members (constitution rights) who were and voices of commendation.'
of the opinion, and hope, that matters could be
remedied in favor of "Sphinx". It lasted three
hours. Like the Aesop fable about "The Mountain Even the "Sphinx" supporters who had '•made'*
in Labour", (it rumbled, in days of yore, and the meeting said "Aye" at a motion to adjourn.
was said to be in labour. Multitudes flocked
together from far and near and made wise con-
jectures as to what it would produce, when, out
popped a mouse!) it ended in a paltry perform- There are some things nice to remember about
ance. people who truly appreciate magic for its own
sake. Pulton Oursler, editor-in-chief of Liberty
Officially, the free-for-all picnic was "to magazine, saw fit to mention the art two Weeks
clarify the 'Sphinx-M.U.M.-Genii' matter". Act- in succession on his editorial page. Once it
ually, to us, it must have been like a wake and was a thank-you to the Society of Osiris for
funeral cortege for some members,of 1 out of 28 his election to honorary life membership - and
assemblies.who wouldn't accept the perfectly next it was plaudits for Keith Clark, and Syd-
legal findings and actions of their National ney ROBB, both of whom he saw in one night at
Council. That this was a given right is not to N,Y.'s Rainbow Room. V/ould that more nationally
be denied, but, after a tiresome discussion re- recognised writers and editors could see fit to
plete with arguments, no one would make a motion mention magic and magicians in so gracious and
compelling a manner. Two such lines are of more
to reopen the contractual award case before the worth to all of us than six pages of "How Hum-
National body. drum the Ifystic Escapes From a Cream-Puff."
We doubt that such a move would have changed — Maybe you've heard it before, somewhere, but
the status quo. Not enough votes nationally it was a chuckle to us. Mrs. Houdini told it at
could have been mustered to kick the accredited a West Coast convention of magi. Florenz Zieg-
and hard working representatives in the pants feld and Charles Dillingham, great B'way pro-
as did the Parent Assembly alone when a vote of ducers, were pallbearers at Houdini's funeral.
confidence for the Council was requested, and As they carried the coffin of the famed handcuff
promptly moved "to be tabled". Imagine tabling and escape wizard out of the church, Dillingham
a vote of confidence.' Later, when asked for a- leaned over and said, "Ziggie, I bet you $100
gain, the vote was much less than unanimous. he ain't in there.'" Gabbathai

The Mahomet-like editor of the "Sphinx" was

NAME YOOR POISON right card after all!" And you turn it up.1
(continued from page 758)
The effect of this on an audience is distinc-
"I muffed this one. I'm afraid it's the wrong tly upsetting, and it is a simple matter to
card.'" Look at your victim. (We'll say that his turn the deck now for the last time and get
card was the eight of hearts.) And you ask, rid of your impromptu double backer by rever-
"Your card was the nine of hearts, wasn't it?" sing the face-up bottom card. The misdirection
in all three finishes on this trick has been
He promptly looks sorry for you and says, very carefully worked out, so please, before
"No, it was the eight." But,by that time, your you go out in public with it, put in some prac-
hand has dropped the pocket card on top of the tice time on your timing. The principle of the
deck, squared it, and squeezed it slightly. The turned-over deck is one of the subtlest and
waxed face makes it adhere to the chosen card. most useful principles in card magic and should
(Personally, I use wax for magicians, a simple not be kicked around in such a way that the lay-
double lift for laymen) Your face lights up. man gets wise. It's such a simple device that
"Oh, I'm sorry," you apologise, "I did get the they can't forget it.
Page 760