| VOLUME: 50 / ISSUE: 1,519 / Monday – February 25, 2002 |
 Jack Miller (Jul. 15, 1922-Feb. 24, 2002) died on Sunday at the age of 79. Miller was a well-known and well-liked magician from the Syracuse, NY area who was very active with the local magic organizations where he was a frequent organizer and officer. He was the inventor of the very popular “Gem Busters” routine and owner of Jack Miller Enterprises which manufactured most of the standard paddle effects and some unique items such as “Aqua Pips.” You may still be able to visit his website by clicking: HERE.(2/25)Tommy Cooper gets some press in a Washington Times article about European taxation. The Belgian UPI article reported, “Cooper’s triumphal grin always ignored the fact that when the audience was supposed to see ‘it,’ the object wasn’t there. Conversely, when it was not supposed to be seen, there it was. That the stage figure appeared oblivious of this had the people rolling in the aisles, but, always sure that his final trick would be mystifyingly successful, proving that the man was indeed a master of his craft.” To read the Feb. 23 article by Chris White titled “The show goes on but will soon end” click: HERE.(2/25) George Schindler can be seen at the Art Expo on Feb. 28-Mar. 1 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. He will be at the Harvey Fabrics booth.(2/25) |
| VOLUME: 50 / ISSUE: 1,520 / Tuesday – February 26, 2002 |
| Gay Blackstone, wife and main assistant to the late Harry Blackstone, Jr., will be the master of ceremonies at the 94th annual “Salute To Magic” on Saturday Apr. 27. She will also present a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Society of American Magicians. Also appearing on the show are George Schindler & Nina, Chuck Jones & Jan, and Ted Lee. Bill Andrews will be presented the SAM Parent Assembly #1 “2002 Magician of the Year” honors. All will take place at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center (199 Chambers Street) in New York City. Admission is $25-$35 per person and tickets are available by phoning: 718-651-7335.(2/26) WASHINGTON: Tom Stone lectures on Friday Mar. 1 at 7pm for IBM Ring #52 at the Seattle VA hospital in Seattle.(2/26) |
| VOLUME: 50 / ISSUE: 1,521 / Wednesday – February 27, 2002 |
 Marc Salem’s Mind Games opens at the New Yorker Theatre (651 Yonge St) in Toronto on Wednesday Feb. 27 and will run through Apr. 21. In promoting the show he will be all over Canadian TV and radio in the next week or so. You can catch him on: Breakfast TV, City TV, CP 24, Mix 99.9 (w/Carla Collins), Canada AM, John Oakly, Mike Bullard and more. Following the Canadian run he will open at the Ambassadors Theatre in London on Apr. 30. Tickets for the Canadian run range from $29-$44 per person and are available by clicking: HERE.(2/27)“Four Plays by Steve Martin” which runs in New York through Mar. 3 is reviewed in Theater Mania where they describe the magic themed plays titled “Guillotine,” “Patter for the Floating Lady,” “The Zig-Zag Woman,” and “WASP.” To read the Feb. 25 review by Meredith Lee titled “Four Short Plays by Steve Martin” click: HERE.(2/27) –For ticket information click: HERE. Irwin Royes featured in the February issue of the New Orleans Magazine where he explains, “Ninety percent of all magic is in the presentation… Anybody can do tricks. What I like to see myself as is an actor playing the part of a magician. I never come out thinking I’m here to fool these people. I come out thinking I’m here to entertain them. If they’re fooled, then so much the better. But I never forget that first and foremost I am there to entertain.” To read the February article by George Gurtner titled “Making Magic” click: HERE.(2/27) Ricky Jay is paraphrased in a Guardian gallery review, “The illusionist Ricky Jay once suggested that a magician is the most trustworthy of artists: ‘He tells you he is going to deceive you, then lives up to his word.'” To read the Feb. 27 article by Alfred Hickling titled “Con Art” click: HERE.(2/27) NEW YORK: Sol Stone will be giving one of his very rare lectures on Friday Mar. 1 for SAM Parent Assembly #1. This is part of their long running annual Willie Schneider Memorial Lecture series produced by Meir Yedid. It will be held at the Soldiers, Sailors & Airmen’s Club in New York City. The lecture is free to members of SAM #1 — no one else will be admitted.(2/27) |
| VOLUME: 50 / ISSUE: 1,522 / Thursday – February 28, 2002 |
 David Williamson, John Carney & Mac King star in “OperaCadabra! A Night of Music, Magic & Mirth” on Saturday March 2. The show is produced by Williamson and is a benefit for the Historic Cedarville Opera House in Ohio. The one-night only show promises “hilarious magical antics as well as foot-stompin’ music with the Corn Daddies,” or as Williamson put it, “[a] chance to see the kind of weird, wacky people who populate the rest of the country without actually having to go there.” Although the show has sold-out, it might be worth trying to get tickets if you are in the area. It is sure to be outstanding, as everyone involved is. For more information click: HERE.(2/28)Harry Belcastro who died on Feb. 23 at the age of 73 is remembered by his wife in a Detroit Free Press obituary as, “He always carried tricks in his pocket, magic tricks, cards, stuff like that.” To read the Feb. 27 obituary titled “Salesman, amateur magician” click: HERE.(2/28) |
| VOLUME: 51 / ISSUE: 1,523 / Friday – March 1, 2002 |
 Frank Brents, Chris Capehart, Hiawatha, Puck, and Gabriel & Randy Shine star in “The Heart and Soul of Magic” on Sunday Mar. 3 at 2pm and 7pm at the Freedom Theater (1346 North Broad Street) in Philadelphia, PA. Produced by the “Philadelphia-Five” the show promises a celebration of the diverse styles of magic throughout history. Tickets for the 90-minute show cost $15 per person and are available by phoning: 215-765-2793 or 215-276-2260.(3/1)Steve Cuiffo appears in “Donald Byrd/The Group” at the New Victory (209 W. 42nd St.) in New York City on Mar. 1-17. The show is a mini-retrospective of past dance pieces from the group’s many shows with some new works all “woven together by a magician’s progressively astounding illusions, the show catapults from spectacle to spectacular.” Tickets are $10-$30 per person and are available by clicking: HERE.(3/1) Marc Salem featured in the Overture section of the current issue of Maclean’s where he reads the mind of the interviewer over the phone. Salem advises, “All of us could pick up far more from people if we only knew certain ways to see things.” To read the Mar. 4 article titled “If you could read my mind” click: HERE.(3/1) Ron Popple who won “British Champion Children’s Entertainer 2002″ award in Blackpool last weekend is in an Evening Mail — Birmingham article where he told them that “he has worked hard over the years to perfect his skills.” To read the Feb. 27 article titled “Ron’s clown crown” supplied by Infoseek and YellowBrix click: HERE.(3/1) Joe Carnahan to direct new movie “Smokin’ Aces,” about the “disappearance of a semi-famous Las Vegas magician.” A Variety article reported that the movie is described as “an ensemble action comedy.” To read the Feb. 28 article by Michael Fleming titled “‘Evil’ lurks at Universal” click: HERE.(3/1) ISRAEL: The Israeli Society for Promoting the Art of Magic (I.S.P.A.M) sponsors its annual magic convention on Mar. 4-5 at Merkaz Barbur (135 Hahagana Road) in Tel Aviv. Headliners include Tommy Wonder, Yossy Allon, Elimelech Bar-On, Pelli the Tiger, Amir Lustig, and Haiim Goldberg. For more information click: HERE.(3/1) |
 Tony Hassini presents Peter Marvey the 2002 “Magician Of The Year” trophy on behalf of the International Magicians Society at the Blackpool Magicians Club convention which attracted more than 3000 attendees at the end of February. (Photo: IMS). (3/1) |
| VOLUME: 51 / ISSUE: 1,524 / Saturday – March 2, 2002 |
 Fielding West’s new Vegas show “Comedy, Tricks & Naked Chicks” and Murray’s new show are the subject of a Las Vegas Review-Journal article which looks at both of their careers and current ventures. West who has been a longtime Vegas star is described by his producer David Saxe as, “I don’t know if `cult’ is the right description, but we’re trying to make (West’s show) an experience you could only have at a place like this.” Saxe continued about West’s magic, “[he is] actually doing some amazing things that I’ve never seen before. Great magic.” The article also reported that, “Murray hopes his afternoon show puts him on track for his long-term goal of delivering a big show featuring illusions ‘that nobody has seen yet.'” To read the Mar. 1 article by Mike Weatherford titled “Fielding West, Murray try to break into the magic establishment with new shows” click: HERE.(3/2)David Copperfield is described as, “He is tall, dark and handsome – with a quick smile and mesmerizing eyes. He literally oozes charm and charisma. Oh, and he does a little magic too.” The Cincinnati Post article also quotes Copperfield, “Right now in the show, just to break the mold a little bit, I’m doing magic with a black African scorpion… All the poison’s still there – the sharp little stinger is still there and there he is, crawling around on my hand, just to keep things interesting.” To read the Feb. 28 article titled “David Copperfield’s Dream Portal” supplied by Infoseek and YellowBrix click: HERE.(3/2) Andre Kole in an Independent Review article which reported that, his show, “according to advance publicity, is ‘an exciting, mind-boggling, magical extravaganza involving tons of elaborate equipment, lighting, music, costumes and special theatrical effects.'” To read the Feb. 28 article titled “Magic will be in the air March 12 in Litchfield” click: HERE.(3/2) Bob Marchini who uses magic techniques to teach physics is featured in a Commercial Appeal article. To read the Mar. 1 article by Ruma Banerji titled “Physics lesson debunks magic behind some of life’s mysteries” click: HERE.(3/2) Eli Kerr explains in a Nevada Appeal article that “”Basically, my whole life is a lie… I don’t want to ruin this for anyone, but it’s all a trick.” To read the Feb. 27 article by Teri Vance titled “Magician comes home to share success” click: HERE.(3/2) Doug Ammann is described as a “self-taught magician” in a Daily Southtown article which describes the routines he uses in his show and quotes him, “Magic is like a window into other people’s lives… When I’m doing magic and a child is waiting, you see them laughing and having a good time. That’s what it’s all about. I try to put smiles on children. …It’s my calling.” To read the Mar. 1 article by Michelle Mullins titled “Magic man is a self-taught wiz” click: HERE.(3/2) David Copperfield’s March tour dates include appearances at the Arnoff Center in Cincinnati, OH (Mar. 1-2), The Rosemont in Chicago, IL (7-10), The Fox Theatre in Detroit, MI (15-17), and then a stint in Las Vegas at the Hollywood Theatre in the MGM Grand on Mar. 21-Apr. 3.(3/2) Friedhoffer headlines at the Science Vaudeville Show on Monday Mar. 4 at 6pm at the Elebash Auditorium at the City University Graduate Center (365 5th Avenue – 34th St.) in New York City.(3/2) NEW ENGLAND: George Schindler lectures for SAM Assembly #26 in Warwick, R.I. on Tuesday Mar. 5 at 7pm (Phone: 401-467-8749). You can also catch him on Mar. 6 at SAM Assembly #104 in Salem, MA (Phone: 800-330-2713).(3/2) |
| VOLUME: 51 / ISSUE: 1,525 / Sunday – March 3, 2002 |
 Lance Burton hosts a new TV special, “The Secrets of Animal Magic,” on Tuesday Mar. 5 about the relationship between magicians and their animals. According to a press release the show “is the first comprehensive TV special on the enduring relationships between magicians and their animal assistants. ‘The Secrets of Animal Magic’ immerses viewers in a new look at an old art, by looking behind the curtain, to see just how they do what they do.” Scheduled to appear on the show are Johnny Thompson, Rick Thomas, and Jim Steinmeyer. To read the Mar. 1 press release titled “Lance Burton Hosts ‘Secrets of Animal Magic’ on Animal Planet” click: HERE.–To see some clips from the show click: HERE.(3/3) ‘The Shell Collector” by Anthony Doerr is reviewed in The New York Times where some of the stories have magical themes. One is about “an outdoorsman from Montana [who] falls in love with a magician’s assistant who has the power to read dreams and see the souls of dying animals.” While another story features “a spirited Idaho high-school girl [which] visits a carnival at the state fair and runs away with a man billed as a metal eater, who amazes his audience by eating half a dozen razors.” To read the Mar. 3 article by Nancy Willard titled “‘The Shell Collector’: Stories About Hunting and Being Hunted” click: HERE.(3/3) –To Buy the book for $16.10 click: HERE. Dimmare, Gregory Wilson, Ray Pierce, Mark Matsumoto, Matt Marcy, and Brandon Scott appear at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles on Mar. 4-10. Mark Cannon lectures on Sunday Mar. 10.(3/3) |
Amazon Recommends
