BROKEN WAND :: RON WILSON

BY SCOTT WELLS:

Back when the release of magic books were few and far apart and each release was a big deal and the content was practical, commercial and doable, “The Uncanny Scot - Ron Wilson” by Richard Kaufmann (the most prolific of publishers in the 1980’s) stands out in my library as one of the seminal books that shaped my performing style and magic career. There are many routines from that book that made its way into my repertoire in 1987 that I still regularly use in my programs to this very day.

 

I met Ron several times at the Magic Castle and at a few conventions and though I cannot say that we were close friends, I can say that my every encounter with him brought me a smile and confirmed that he had a truly caring and gentle spirit. He always offered advice and assistance to everyone. Ron gave me good suggestions that led to my work on cruise ships. He will be missed by all of us. Until next we meet…aloha, my friend.

WRESTLER MAGICIAN & DENNY HANEY

Denny Haney meets the world of wrestling?



Thanks to Magic Newswire podcast co-host Cameron Ramsay for passing this along!

THIS WEEK IN MAGIC :: MIKE CAVENEY

I've been very fortunate to have Mike Caveney make an occasional appearance here on the Magic Newswire podcast. During those coversations, he has made mention of the Egyptian Hall Museum, but in this episode we get some of the real back story that we hadn't touched on before. In addition, Mike has just released a new book, "Classic Correspondence from Egyptian Hall." Reading this book is like being taken on a guided tour through the historical files of Egyptian Hall Museum.

LISTEN TO MY CHAT WITH MIKE CAVENEY :

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BARACK HOUDINI OBAMA

In an effort to bring you interesting stories related to the art of magic, I spend time every day scouring the internet for stories in the mainstream media. Based on years of experience doing this for the Linking Page and Magic Newswire, it appears to me that the use of the word Houdini as an alliteration seems to be on the uptick. Here's the latest from the Economist which illustrated an article bearing the title "Barack Houdini Obama":

Illustration from the Economist

GEEKS CHAT WITH DYNAMO

Geeks.co.uk chats with UK street magician Dynamo after an appearance at a Panasonic launch party.

I saw remarkable street magician Dynamo perform at the launch of the Panasonic TA1 handheld camcorder and it was a revelation; a welcome relief after withstanding so many formulaic press shows where some shockjock works a crowd; there but for the free booze.

The Bradford magician has been completing his run of DynamoTV – a web series (sponsored by Panasonic hence his appearance at the launch of their TA1) where he takes his brand of gonzo trickery to his celebrity admirers and continues to challenge perceptions. His 720 degree spinning hand trick was enough to put me off my canapé at least.

WITH OR WITHOUT MAGIC WEEK, JAMY IAN SWISS ROCKS IT!

In case you missed Jamy Ian Swiss's appearance on the Craig Ferguson show last night (and NO, it isn't magic week) Here's the clip of him rocking it!

BROKEN WAND :: DAVID ALEXANDER

We just received the sad news that magician David Alexander has tragically passed away According to reports, David and his wife went to their rental property to investigate a leak and david was trying to fix the problem in the attic. His wife penny found his body there some time later. The exact cause of his death has not yet been reported.

David had a long an illustrious career in magic and was a friend and mentor to many. It is for this that we will remember him.

THE BLAINE CHRONICLES

We haven't had a new television special from David Blaine since 2008 when he staged the "Dive of Death." As a part of a David Blaine marathon on the Travel Channel this Sunday, the viewing audience will be treated to two new documentary style shows

9PM: David Blaine: Beautiful Struggle
This show provides a glimpse into the inspiration behind Blaine's own brand of endurance art. Viewers see why he performs his stunts and what drives him. The show also explores the risks Blaine takes in performing these acts. 

10 PM :  David Blaine: Discover Magic
This special presentation comprises a collection of Blaine's magic through the years, including the first tape he shot. It documents Blaine's evolution from his very beginnings performing at children's parties to his teen years. 

Here's a sneek peek:

DIRK ARTHUR :: WILD MAGIC

In his most recent column for the Las Vegas Review Journal. Mike Weathford takes a look at Dirk Arthur's scaled down show at O'Shea's Casino, Wild Magic.

It didn't seem possible that he could fit his sword-skewered cubes or giant death drill onto a stage more suitable to a stand-up comedian.

And yet he does, giving a new point of view to an act that had become all too familiar. Everyone has basically a front-row seat, and the illusions hold up to scrutiny. Think it's done with mirrors? Go ahead and try to spot them.

More impressive than the box tricks is seeing Arthur fold a plastic sheet into a cone, then produce six real birds and a wing-flapping duck, all close enough for stray feathers to drift into the audience.

MNW #200 :: TOM MULLICA

Image Courtesy SteveBest.com
As a native Atlantan, I have very fond meMories of seeing Tom Mullica perform at his magic bar on Peachtree Street, The Tom Foolery. By now, most of our listeners will know that Tom has been battling leukemia over the last year and has been out of touch while he undergoes treatment. The good news is that the cancer is now in remission and Tom is preparing to renew his Red Skelton tribute show in Branson next year. In this interview, we talk about Tom's love of magic, why he left it behind and how he became the living incarnation of Red Skelton. UPDATE: Tome has announced the opening of a new "Tom Foolery" coming to Las Vegas. Stay tuned for more info!

LISTEN TO MY CONVERSATION WITH TOM MULLICA:

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