Film Archive

I been digging into the online archive of British Pathe. Most films date from the 20s through the 40s. Some wonderful, although slightly wooden magic performances, dastardly magic exposures, all sorts of jugglers and vaudeville performers, and some great Chicago footage can all be seen here.

http://www.britishpathe.com/results.php?search=chicago&o=20

Para Abnormal - The comic blog

Just a cartoon from one of my favorite blogs, http://www.paraabnormalthecomic.com/

Go check this talented artist out for yourself.

No explanation needed

I think I'll add this to my next feather flower routine. You can find more videos of these talented artists on YouTube.

Mess-terpiece Theater Quote Me

Edwin Booth, son of the previously mentioned Junius Brutus and brother to the reviled John Wilkes, is considered by some historians to be American’s greater theater actor. Edwin help usher in a new era of naturalistic acting as a reaction to his father’s more histrionic style. Mostly he performed in the works of Shakespeare, as the most literate works of the time.

The writer George Plimpton, in an interview, told a story in which he believed Edwin uttered the greatest ad-lib in theater history.

It seems that the play required Edwin to be shot from behind. Except, his costar could not get the prop gun to fire. After an agonizing minute or two, the anonymous actor strode forward and kicked Edwin in the ass. To which Edwin replied, “My God, the shoe is poisoned!” and he fell dead.

Christmas 2007

For those of you who don't get my Christmas Cards, I publish a version a year later on this blog.

Here is last year's card. If you can't figure out the code, go to the December archives from 2007 where I put the solution. Except I did fix the typo from the card I sent out.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

in the headlines

Saw this headline on Yahoo this morning:

Web site: Spears' youngest son out of the hospital

NEW YORK – Britney Spears' youngest son has been released from the hospital after being treated for some kind of reaction.

I'm thinking it was something like this, "Holy shit, these are my parents?"

Book Quote Me

This may be my new favorite theater story.
From Low Life, Lures and Snares of Old New York, by Luc Sante.

The subject of the story is Junius Brutus Booth. He was a renowned English actor. Father to John Wilkes Booth, Edwin Booth, and Junius Brutus Booth Jr., all celebrated actor in their own right. Walt Whitman described him as "the grandest historian of modern times."

"Booth, increasingly a drunk, was noted with hilarious approval for his insistence on really fighting the staged duels, on at least one occasion refusing to die even though his part clearly called for it."

Luc Sante’s wonderful book is a terrific view into 19th and early 20th century New York and Victorian society. I recommend it highly to any historian looking to write about that era.

Grave Art

"Cursed be he that moves my bones."

-William Shakespeare (Epitaph on his gravestone)

A while ago I went exploring some older cemeteries around the St. Charles area. Many of the stones go back to before the civil war. I wanted to use up the last of my B&W film. I sure do miss real film. Maybe I am a bit old fashioned, digital just doesn't "work" the same for me. I like the tactile feel of real film, the fun of seeing if you got the shot, and the surprise of getting something unexpected. And having to use photoshop to adjust and fix things feels like cheating. Hopefully, as they continue to improve the digital cameras I can find my way. Until then, enjoy these photos.

Go Google Yourself

Sure googling yourself can be the ultimate act of narcissism, but you might just find some thing very odd, or cool, or scary. That is if you are patient enough.

(I don't know if he is a relation or not.)

Second Hand Jokes

It’s been a while since my last Second Hand Jokes post. Most of the good jokes I’ve heard, I would not post here. I’d rather tell them. Those who know me know I am fond of the silliest, dumbest, puniest jokes. I also love the dirtiest, sickest, and meanest jokes. This one is neither.

This joke could be Second Hand Jokes meets Selling Magic. It is a specialized joke, one that salesmen tell other salesmen. It was told to me by a customer before he left my store empty handed because he didn’t want to carry that heavy Svengali deck around the pier with him. Hey, he had to pass my store on the way out anyhow he could pick it up then. (This is one of the common, “I don’t want to buy, but I’d rather lie than say so.” Excuses I hear at the store.)

He told it a more of a generic joke. I rewrote it with a more specific bent.

A Svengali pitchman dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter is showing him around, cloud to cloud, when he says, “You know, I’ve been a pitchman all my life and eternity is a long time. What am I going to do?”

St. Peter replies “Don’t worry. We have an area for pitchmen. You can set up there.”

So the pitchman was happily pitching, when after a few hours he has to go to the bathroom. He asks one of the other pitchmen where he can go.

The guy says, “We just go over to the edge and pee over the side.”

The pitchman looks of the edge and says, “But there are a whole bunch of people down there.”

And the guy says, “That’s okay, those are just the be-backs.”

Just about any salesman will laugh at this joke. But then I got to think of the absurdity of the joke and started to break it down. Here is an annotated version of the same joke:

A Svengali pitchman dies and goes to heaven.
Right here everything falls apart. Everyone knows the pitchmen (myself included) are lying, cheating, thieving whores who are all going to hell.

St. Peter is showing him around,
What is it with St. Peter? Gatekeeper/Tour guide? First, Jesus changes his name from Simon to Peter on a whim. Then he sticks him in this dead (no pun intended) end job. Man, Jesus just walks all over this guy. (I almost wrote: Jesus, Jesus walks all over that guy.)

cloud to cloud,
Great, ethereal insubstantial beings walking around on ethereal insubstantial things. The laws of time and space are but a mockery. (Thanks, Jeff Korst. Where ever you are.)

when he says, “You know, I’ve been a pitchman all my life and eternity is a long time. What am I going to do?”
Gee, I don’t know. Maybe, lounge?

St. Peter replies “Don’t worry. We have an area for pitchmen.
See my first note about pitchmen in heaven.

You can set up there.”
And just who is buying Svengali decks up there.

So the pitchman was happily pitching,
Pitchmen are not happily pitching, they are happily selling.

a few hours he has to go to the bathroom. He asks one of the other pitchmen where he can go.
You are a spirit, unbound to the mortal coil. Why do you gotta pee? What are you drinking in the first place?

The guy says, “We just go over to the edge and pee over the side.”
This is exactly the kind of advice you would get from a competing pitchman.

The pitchman looks of the edge and says, “But there are a whole bunch of people down there.”
Who are these people who can feel your pee, but not see you selling Svengali decks in the clouds?

And the guy says, “That’s okay, those are just the be-backs.”
Wait, perhaps this is pitchman heaven.


Hope you had fun. Be back soon.
Bill

Sideshow banner

I can't draw. Not a bit. So the idea of me doing a sideshow banner seems just plain silly. Since being silly is become a life long habit, I wanted to find a way to indulge myself. It is also a fun, creative exercise to find ways to get around my lack of talent. I wonder sometimes that if I had talent at anything else if I would still do magic.

Well, I did a little research on the web and after experimenting on my own. I created my first banner. I may not be able to draw. I know layout and I can letter. And I like the mystery aspects as originally created by master gaffmeister Doug Highley. Although, he would not like my color scheme.

This is a 4 foot by 5 foot banner. Hemmed. Gesso. Painted with Acrylic Paint. The hemmed seam was folded over and sealed with Gorilla Glue to add strength. Grommets all around. Finally, 5 coats of a flexible matte varnish to make it waterproof.

What will I do with it now? Maybe I'll keep it. Maybe eBay. If you want, make me a offer.

Blog Watch -- Garfield minus Garfield

This Blog was brought my attention by my employee Markus. I don't know how he found it, but I am thankful he sent it along. It certainly makes the comic better and is quite thought provoking. But you should really explore it for yourself.

Garfield without Garfield. Genius!

http://garfieldminusgarfield.tumblr.com/

Street art

Check out this great video, Frozen Grand Central. Then you visit their website and see all the other "pranks" they've pulled. And, if you can, support their important fun...


http://www.improveverywhere.com/

Math Magic

I found this after my last post.

See Arthur Benjamin work

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/199


I also recommend looking around. There are many wonderful and interesting talks here.

LA Conference finale

And, finally, Saturday night begins with a roundtable discussion of the conference organizers. Hosted by Richard Kaufman, the panel sheds some light on what goes into producing such a marvelous event. Some old video clip highlights are shown and discussed. Mostly it is the audiences’ way to thank those who inspire us so.

Arthur Benjamin was one of the highlight acts of the week. Arthur is a math genius. He does a lighting math act. He obviously loves what he does. I wasn’t expecting much. I’m not a big math guy. His exuberance carried his set and swept away the audience. With Mac King and others on the stage being perfect foils. The expression of complete amazement on their faces made this non-magical act magical.

Michael McGiveney closes the weekend. I remember seeing years ago on, I think, a Ricky Jay special. He does his father’s quick change act. This is not like the changes now so popular. He does a scene from Oliver Twist, changing from one character to another when passing offstage. An interesting look at a popular turn-of-the-last-century entertainment.

The convention night finishes like most of the night by closing down the hotel bar with some new and some old friends. Again, I think about how lucky I am to have tripped into this magic life. You meet the most interesting people.

I would not trade it for anything.

LA part 5

So now where was I...Ah, yes, Saturday morning. Early, I spend some time stalking Ricky Jay. Just kidding. Before going to LA, I arranged with Ricky to bring out copies of his books to be signed. I fully understand that he doesn’t like to do that sort of thing but he graciously agreed to do this for me. I think, or hope, he sees in me a kindred spirit and lover of lost performers. He really is part of why I love the history of the art of magic and the personalities involved.

Now I get to see the Hooker Card Rise.

Yes, it fools the hell out of me.

No, I don’t care. I am thankful.

After all these years in and around magic, it is such a rare occurrence when I am fooled. It is a good thing. How can we begin to clearly understand our audiences when we can’t experience what they do?

After the show, Jamy Ian Swiss and I talk. He feels that it is his job to figure out how it works. I do not. I want to enjoy the beauty of it. The challenge is to figure out how to give my spectators a similar experience.

Saturday afternoon Jim Steinmeyer does his usual good job telling the story of Hooker. Roxy gives a talk about the history of “lightning calculators”. It doesn’t interest me and his accent is impenetrable. So I leave. Hook up with Mark Kaschube for a couple of pints. We have a good talk, something we hadn’t done since before his divorce, new marriage, and baby. There was a lot to catch up on.

Being with people, hanging, talking, joking, that is the best part of this week.

LA Conference Part 3

Friday, I wake up. Early. Too early. I am going to the early opening of Ricky Jay’s exhibit of broadsides at the Hammer Museum. He has been kind enough to open early for the convention and be on hand to discuss the pieces. But first, breakfast...

In my traveling group are Tim Felix, Mark Kaschube, and Bob Higa. Tim and Mark insist we go to Jack-in-the-Box for our meal. This will be the first time for Bob and me, but Tim and Mark would eat at Jack’s for every meal while they are in California. The deep-fried tacos and only the deep fried tacos to be specific. I do not have a delicate system, but it is a mistake I will not make again.

After my trip to the bathroom, the broadsides amaze. If you have seen the book, Extraordinary Exhibitions, you’ve seen the pictures. They do not do the pieces justice. The depth and vibrancy of the colors, the textures of the papers, they can only be appreciated in person. One former Davenport, now Kellar and Fay bill, one I’ve only seen in black and white, was in full color. The blue shading had such a depth it looked like it was a separate transparency laid over the print.

After the museum, we head back to the hotel. Mostly I hang out talk to friends, make one of my many visits to the exhibit room and dealer rooms. The afternoon program begins at 2:00.

Diego Domingo talks about Ronald Coyne and the religious revivals of the 1950s. Coyne was able to see with his artificial eye as clearly as his real eye. Diego gave a lively talk on this nutball’s life including one smart Chicago doctor who examined and Coyne’s power were found lacking. This same doctor is also a magic enthusiast and now visits Tim Felix’s Midwest Magic often. I surprise to Tim and I, who never know this chapter of his life.

Bill Liles added to an earlier presentation he gave on Houdini and the Mirror cuffs. To be honest he had nothing particularly new or relevant to say and spent a lot of time saying it.

Peter Reveen finishes up with an informal talk about his life and career. I would have preferred a more structured approach to this presentation with, perhaps, a question and answer session or interview format. I do see how Peter commanded the stage. He is full of charisma.

Now it is off to dinner with some great old friends and the Friday night program.

Blog watch

Here is yet another great blog. I'll let it speak for itself.

"Raffaele De Ritis' Novelties and Wonders
Journal, Cabinet, Multilingual Parlour, Untranslated Conference Room, Repository of Erudite Pastimes, even a Gymnasium for the Polemist and the Humorist; Consacrated to Oddities and Facts Concerning Peculiarities of Theatrical Amusements related to the Circus, Conjuring, Comedy etc.; their Connections with Fine Arts; the Uncovering the Curiosities of their Past, and the Critical and Hopefully Provocative Account of what of Interest is Remaining of their Uncertain Present. Profusely Illustrated."

http://raffaelederitis.blogspot.com/

Just in Time for Halloween

This is one of the coolest, most addictive blogs ever. I must go there daily to be inspired. You should also. Don't forget to go through all his past posts.

www.skulladay.blogspot.com

Random Acts of Sideshow

How to go from Ordinary Human to Blockhead.

It started in the pain and torture acts, sideshow performances in which the performers endured or seemed to endure intense pain.

Some survived crucifixion on a nightly basis. Others just pushed needles through their skin. Not like in this age when gratuitous piercing has rendered shoving a spike through your tongue meaningless. Nope, these guys and even a few girls shoved needles through parts rarely pierced today, like arms and legs. One nutty bastard even thrust a sword through his chest. And when I say through his chest, I mean it. From the front and out the back, not just through a bitsy piece of skin, impalement is the correct terminology. If you want to see the pictures visit the link to The Human Marvels, check his archives.

One of the common torture tests was for the performer to pound a large nail or spike into his nasal passage. It horrified. The audience believed the nail pierced skin, bone, and, perhaps, even brain to make its way into the head. Of course, the performer hammed it up.

Then came a man by the name of Melvin Burkhart, he changed everything. He took a minor torture piece, turned it into a showstopper, and gave birth to a generation of blockheads. The big change was that he played it for laughs. This made it accessible to audiences. Sure, it was still shocking, especially because he used a HUGE spike.

I have performed the Human Blockhead act for at least a decade. What makes a man pound a spike in his face? I think for Melvin, it was work; it was show business. For me, it was another challenge.

So many years ago when I decided being a magician was preferable to working for a living, I also decided that I wanted to learn everything about magic and its allied arts. I learned to juggle, ventriloquism, and eat fire. Right now, I am working on whip cracking.

I digress. Ten years ago, a friend, Scott Wagmeister, introduced me to the act. After some experimentation with Q-tips, I moved to nails. First, just sliding them in and then figuring how to “pound” them into my nose. I tried larger nails until I settled on a size and length that was comfortable. I believe my sinus passage would stretch, but I don’t want to go through the pain of enlarging it.

Now, you can find performers who have backslid into making the act a torture act again. They shove ice picks, screwdrivers, and drills into their heads. Whatever works. (Whatever sells!)

I prefer the middle road, a little shock, a little fun.
Make ‘em squirm, then make ‘em laugh; pull them and let them know everything is safe.

The other day a new addition for the act came in the mail. Glass Nails!

I’ll get to the maker in a moment. The nails are made from Pyrex. They look great and slide in smooth. One of their amazing properties is that they conduct light, much like fiber optics. When the nail is deep in my nose, I can put a flashlight in my mouth and light up the nails.

Cool. I’m the Human Lite-Brite.
(Lite-Brite is a registered trademark of blah, blah blah.)

The maker of these wonderful new tools is Brett Loudermilk, The Freak Prodigy. I found out that he made these in the sideshow section on the Magic Café. No, never fear, I am not a member. I lurk, mostly shaking my head in disbelief, except in the sideshow section, which seems pretty decent.

Back to the commercial, Brett has made an incredible product. I urge anyone reading this that does the blockhead act already to purchase some nails from him. Don't waver. For a few bucks, it will make your act better. Even if you just perform it for fun, these nails add a lot to the show. Here is his e-mail: bretteloudermilk@gmail.com

Hey, get your freak on.