The Advance Man

When he blew into the town on a warm summer breeze, the theaters had already closed for the season. It was too hot to be inside. There was little else to do; those who could play played, everyone else worked. His job was a little of both.

He was the advance man. He arrived with a con man’s smile, pockets full of cash and promises. He prepared the town and every town before and after. The circus was coming and they had to be ready for it.

 The job meant to get as much for as little as possible. He rented the field where the circus could set up. He got the posters and broadsides printed and hung. He greased the right palms with the right grease. He promoted, got tickets sold and when the circus arrived, he moved to the next town and did it all over again.

While the names and times and technologies changed, the essential job of the advance man hasn’t changed. Why am I telling you all of this? Because I want to tell you about a book I’ve enjoyed and you might enjoy also.

The Advance Man by Jamie MacVicar

It is the story of a young marketing guy who falls into the world of the circus as an advance man for Ringling Brothers’ Circus in the 1970s. It is a true personal story with some surprising twists and turns. It is just those surprises, a rare experience for a book to surprise me, that makes it hard for me to say anything else than, “Buy this book!”

There a couple of things; I went into the book because expecting some nuts and bolts type marketing information. There is some of that. Marketing school can teach you everything about the work, but not about your life in marketing. That’s what this book is ultimately about. I feel like I met someone I’d like to know further. I expect Jamie has some more great stories to tell over a couple of beers.

As a performer who has spent nights awake wondering if anyone will buy tickets for my show, I was on the edge of my seat during some passages. If you are at all interested on the behind the scenes of the circus there is much of it to enjoy in this book. At times, I thought I was reading a novel, but it was all real.

My best advice is, don’t just believe me, head over to amazon.com, read all about the book, and pick up a copy for yourself. And after you read it, spread the word. The world needs more good books to read.

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.

Quote Me

Found in Studs Terkel's remarkable new biography, Touch and Go ...

"History does not only refer to the past.

On the contrary, the great force of history comes

from the fact we carry it within us,

are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways,

and history is literally present in all that we do."

--James Baldwin

Exposed!

The Untold Story of Harry Kellar and The Tribune Spook Case

Jamy Ian Swiss, book review, Genii (May 2006):

“This is a terrific story that readers will not find in the recent Kellar biography...”

“All of this background is well designed by Mr. Pack to prepare us for the heart of the matter...”

“...once again, we must offer thanks to intrepid reporters and researchers like William Pack who rescue our own history from the dustbin of the past.”

The book Exposed! is an outgrowth of my Chicago Magic History Project. One of the things that I realized early in my work is that my process of writing the history of Chicago Magic was going to take 10 to 20 years. So, I wanted to find smaller stories to tell. Plus, the income derived from the smaller books could be shoveled into the furnace of research.

This book is a brief look at Spiritualism in Chicago during the 19th century. It touches three spirit medium stories.

First, the Bangs Sisters, of spirit painting fame, starting as children, ran their spirit swindle in Chicago for over thirty yearsand elsewhere for more. Information in the book includes a detailed account of their séances and a spectacular police raid on one of those séances.

Second, Carrie M. Sawyer, now forgotten was a nationally known spirit medium, who also worked her fraud for nearly forty years. Kellar exposed Carrie in New York and testified against in Chicago. I continue to research Carrie, and there is actually more information being discovered all the time.

Third, there is a comical look at medium Harry Archer, who may be one of the worst mediums in history. It is odd because he worked quite successfully with other mediums outside of Chicago, but solo...well, you have to read it.

Now, for the commercial, I have twenty of these books left. They are $40 post paid. Just e-mail for availability.

Many of those who bought the book have sent me nice letters. The most exciting letter arrived by e-mail:

“William, I wanted to thank you for the welcome copy of the Kellar/Tribune book...I’ve enjoyed the book very much, and if it is all right with you, I may publish a few excerpted paragraphs from it on my web page sometime...” –James Randi

And yes, it was okay with me.