Pages from sleights, secrets, and suggestions a lecture

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"SLEIGHTS, SECRETS, AND SUGGESTIONS" A lecture VYNN

Presented by: BOYAR

Sponsored by The Magicians Guild of America, Inc. Hotel Prince George, New York City.. Dec. 7th, 1953

Gentlemen: I am extreemly proud to be here this evening to present this lecture before the members of The Magicians Guild of America.

I consider it an honor to have been chosen as one asked to contribute to the famous series of "Guild" lectures. Knowing how high a value is being placed on these lectures by those fortunate enough to have them, I have carefully chosen the effects to follow and sincerely hope that they will meet with your approval.

As implied by the title of this lecture, the effects I should like to perform and describe for you are a collection of secrets, sleights, and suggestions that are quite varied in scope. There are effects suitable for the platform magician, the night club performers, and the close-up worker. I hope that each of you who perform within any of these specialized fields will find at least one or two effects that you will want to use.

My interest in magic dates back to my early school days, when I was taken to see a performance given by "Davis" the Man of a Thousand Mysteries. I was so impressed by his performance that I knew then, that I would learn and love magic for the rest of my life. Daily trips to the public library, where a few assorted books on magic commanded my attention, continued until every book and trick was memorized. About high school time I began to perform publically and have been doing so every since. Local shows given by members of the S.A.M. at which I was a faithfull spectator provided the springboard to associations with professional magicians and finally, membership in the Society.

Prom 1934 to 1939 I enjoyed working as a professional magician playing clubs, hotels, and 3ome theatres in the New England area.

During the years of World War 11, my wife and I worked a great deal doing some USO work in the East. We appeared at many service clubs for all branches of the armedf orces • This continued until we decided to raise a family at which time I worked alone still doing night club dates locally. By this time I was certain that close up magic was the field I wished to concentrate on and until the past two years, I enjoyed a busy time doing table work at many of the finer night clubs in the New England area. My work as a professional magician has changed to that of a semi professional now but I will always love, enjoy, and perform magic.

page 2 SLOW MOTION CARD VANISH This beautiful bit of manipulation, In which a card apparently vanishes completely from the hands is rarely seen to day. In all the times I have watches men do card effects, I have only seen it performed but a few times. Methods for performing the effects, ranging from a way of holding the card between your teeth while masking the mouth with hand manipulations, to engaging the edge of the card with the thumbGnail have appeared in several books. Certain disadvantages in trying to do the effect by any of these methods, prompted me to use a small gimmick in a new way that would make the effect easier and safer to do and also allow for more freedom in regard to movements and angles.

The following discription of the moves involved and the illustrations to follow should make it easy for any one to do the effect with only a little practice. The gimmick, a small band type affair is placed on right thumb just in back of the joint of the thumb. Being made of brass, it may be fitted easily to any thumb. The small clip on top of the gimmick will hold one playing card securely and safely through out the manipulations that follow.

To begin, borrow a playing card and hold it in the left hand as shown in illustration No. 1, the right hand, with the gimmick on the back of the thumb, and safely out of sight, approaches the left hand and the two hands are interlocked as shown in illustration No. 2. While in this position, the left thumb and first finger engage the card in the gimmick. The right thumb is now slowly lowered and the hands turned slightly outward.

The card will seem to sink slowly out of sight. The fingers of both hands are now disengaged with out spreading them apart to far. The right hand is turned outward with the palm towards the audience, as shown in illustration No. 5. The card is novr face out and parallel to the floor, being held out from the back of the thumb by the gimmick. The right hand ar>parent ly hides the card from view. Now the right hand turns palm outwards to the audience and the card has apparently vanished completely from the hands. This is shown in illustration No. 4. A reversal of the above moves will bring the card back into view. Strictly an angle effect, you must choose the proper time and place to do it. By tipping the thumb either upwards or downwards you may control the angle of vision asf ar as the audience is concerned. The small sketch of the gimmick should enable anyone to make one up that wishes to do the effect.

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THE VANISHING AND APPEARING CANE The continual flow of new na gic books appearing on the market from time to time af.ten contain new effects and some of the time, effects created by using standard pieces of equipment in a new way. This effect, a good one for almost any kind of a show makes use of the two Walsh canes now on the market, I have used this maj^r times in shows T have given and can vouch for its effectiveness.

You will have to construct several long, narrow, paper envelopes. Strong wrapping paper should be used because the pressure of the appearing cane in one of them would tear less sturdy paper. These paper envelopes should be about 56 inches long and three inches wide. The bottom flap is closed and the top one is left open. Remove the metal piece used to hold the appearing cane in a closed position. Now close the cane between your hands and insert it in the top of one of the long envelopes. It should be placed there at a slight angle towards the bottom of the envelope so that a slight push with your finger will cause it to open by it self.

The pressure of the cane itself will hold it in position in the envelope.

Now roll up the envelope from the bottom up and either place it in your pocket or on your table.

To perfoinn, roll the other envelope up in a similar manner and place it either in your pocket or on the table. The vanishing cane is held under your arm . Take the vanishing cane, spin it in your hand and show