Magical Conversation with Whit Haydn.

Whit Haydn, known affectionately as “Pop”, is one of the finest magicians you’ll ever see.

Born in Clarkesville, Tn. (Whit's family is from the western part of Virginia--near Martinsville), Whit lived in Tennessee until he was nine, then moved to Greenville, NC where he went to high school.

Whit finished college at Lynchburg College in Virginia, and went to graduate school at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va, where he studied for the Episcopal ministry.

His charm is instantaneous. He feels like family and friend all rolled into one from the moment you first meet him. And yet, his wry smile and twinkle in his eye give you the feeling that if you were a betting man, your money would soon be parted from your wallet--forever. His mechanics are perfection personified. His showmanship in a class all by itself.

It is my great pleasure and honor to bring you this Magical Conversation with Whit “Pop” Hayden.

MK: What first drew you into the magical arts?

WH: I saw a performance when I was eight or nine by a Methodist minister at a summer camp. It turned me on to magic in a big way. There was an old man in his eighties that lived close to me in Clarkesville, and he claimed to have been a professional gambler. He taught me the basics of the Three-Card Monte and the Shell Game--at least the basics of the moves. I didn't understand the shills and all the psychology until many years later.

MK: Who were your inspirations when you first started, and if they have now changed, who are they, and why have they changed?

WH: My first mentors were Bill Tadlock and Dick Snavely of North Carolina. They taught me and introduced me to other great magicians like Bill Spooner and Rick Johnson. I was only ten or twelve when I first met Dick Snavely. He was a great magician and a college friend of my parents. He introduced me to Bill Tadlock, who lived much closer to me, and the two of them gave me a great grounding in magic. Later, my friend Brian Gillis introduced me to Eddie Fecthter and his magic. Eddie became a huge influence on my work. Eventually, after moving to Los Angeles, Billy McComb became my mentor and best friend. Besides these men, many others have had a big influence, including Duke Stern, Johnny Thompson, Don Alan, Frank Garcia, and Tony Slydini.

MK: Did you join any magic clubs when you first started?

WH: No.

MK: Did you have a mentor? As we are always constantly learning, do you still have mentors or trusted eyes when trying out new material?

WH: When Billy McComb died, I lost my last mentor. It is a terrible loss, more than just emotional. Billy was like a part of my brain--I could always call him and ask "Where is this from?" or some such question and he always, always knew.

MK: Do you remember your first act? What was the lineup of illusions you presented in that act?

WH: I did many shows as a high school kid, always featuring the rings and ropes. I did some puppetry, and all the usual magic shop magic--Zombie, Hippity Hop Rabbits, etc. My first real "original" magic act was what I created for the street in the late sixties--cups and balls, linking rings, cut and restored rope, billiard balls.

MK: There are two acts that I love to see at The Magic Castle over and over again, and I can never tire of seeing them—Dana Daniels and you. The two of you share a unique ability to get genuine laughs from the audience even if they know the punchline to the joke. I attribute it to a great sense of comic timing, but what do you feel is the reason for the success of your act especially in light of the fact that you have many repeat audience members seeing your act?

WH: Thanks. That is the best compliment you could give me, and I am sure my dear friend Dana would agree as well. I believe that art is judged by just that standard. Most magic acts you can see two or three times and truly enjoy, but never care to see them again. "You get it." That means the acts are disposable art, and not great art. Great acts you can watch over and over and never seem to tire of them. Billy McComb was one of the greatest magicians of the Twentieth Century, I always felt, because you could watch him a thousand times and still find him thoroughly charming, entertaining and interesting--he had many layers and levels of theatrical and magical interest. The Mona Lisa is great because you never tire of looking at it. It is always "fascinating." That is what I look for in art and try to achieve in my performances.

MK: You’ve created a definitive character, but what I’d like to know is how much of the character and the look of your character is you, and how much is the stage persona, and how did you first go about creating your character?

WH: Well, the accent is real. I have worked without a Southern accent for most of my career, having learned to speak general American dialect when I was an actor in my early twenties. The accent is thickened up a bit--I am sort of doing an impression of my grandfather's accent. The character is based on Nineteenth century sure-thing gamblers like Soapy Smith and Doc Baggs, combined with a bit of Medicine Show pitchman, and vaudevillian.

MK: Was the character you now perform as the first character you chose? Of not, what were some of the other characters you tried first?

WH: My original stage character, which I have worked with for more than thirty years, is a sort of clueless substitute teacher dealing with a subject he doesn't understand and "put-upon" by the unruly and rowdy class he is trying to teach.

MK: How important is it to you for magicians to perform original material as opposed to performing proven material with their own presentation? Or is it important at all?

WH: I have written an essay on just that question. Here is a part of a recent post I made on The Magic Cafe on the subject: How does one learn to routine? What is a great routine? What makes a great routine different from one that isn't "great?" How do you construct a great routine? Where do you go to learn routining?Most of the bad magic around today is very clever and original. It just isn't well-constructed because the originators never had actually learned their craft. They had never really done well-constructeed routines and therefore didn't know what they were supposed to look like and feel like.Originality is a stupid goal. It should never be a goal. It is the result of having to change things in order to make them work in your venues, or needing to change things in order to solve a problem or fix a weakness, or in order to give a better expression of your personality or character or the meaning you want to communicate.Originality is not very important to audiences or bookers. Being "different" from others in your performing venues is important for any pro, but that is very different than being "original."Understanding how to actually hit all the notes, and learning how to make a song interesting and full of impact--learning how to sell it--these are all much more important to a musician than having an original approach. Only after "mastery" of the craft should the performer begin working on original presentations.I believe most magicians are encouraged from the youngest age to be "original" and it is both a disservice and an impediment to growth.A complicated art form like magic can only be learned by imitation, and "originality" without craft leads to the worst possible art. Most of the great magicians learned by copying and imitating until they understand the craft. Then their artistic needs compel them to change the work of their teachers and masters.It is hubris to think you can do this before you truly understand the work of the masters.I had performed both the Jack Miller "Five-Ring Routine" and the Vernon "Symphony of the Rings" for years before creating my own "Comedy Four Ring Routine." My routine "borrows" heavily from both of these masterworks. And I could never have created it without having first studied and performed those great routines. I needed to perform both routines in front of audiences many times before I felt I understood how and why certain things worked the way they did. I did not start changing my routine because I wanted to create something original, I was basically adjusting to the new requirements of working on the street, and changing my ring routine to make it work in those special venue requirements. I would not feel the least guilty presenting Jack Miller's or Dai Vernon's routine exactly as written, word for word and move for move in the same sorts of venues they were created for.Magic is not about originality.Besides which, most good magicians are on the level of cover bands in music.They do decent presentations of other people's work, and make a good living doing it. There is nothing wrong with this. Not every great singer is a singer/songwriter. Not every good singer is unique and original. We can't always afford a David Copperfield or a David Blaine for our weddings and Odd Fellows meetings. We hire a cheap imitation and are often very happy with it.My essay was about not getting the cart before the horse. Please learn the craft first by studying the greatest routines by our best performers. Do them the way they were created first, and learn to make them work well in front of audiences before you start creating your own.One should study Hamlet and the work of the actors who have played him in the past before setting about changing all the words, entrances, and presentations. An original Hamlet doesn't necessarily have to have a single change of a line or stage direction. Originality comes from having studied and discovered something new for yourself within the play, not from rewriting the play.

MK: How do you go about creating an original effect?

WH: I don't. Most, if not all, my effects are classic effects. The routines are my own, but I almost always start with a classic effect.

MK: Can you tell us about some of the pitfalls you faced early on as a street magician, and how you overcame them?

WH: I discuss a lot of this in my book Street Magic. I had a lot that I needed to learn, but there weren't any other street magicians around. This was in 1968-69, and the only other magic performer I knew of on the streets was Jeff Sheridan. He and I spoke on the phone, but never met. I worked downtown, he worked in Central Park. Great magicians came to my aid, however. I got great advice from Presto (Earl Johnson), an incredible black magician who had spent years in the Dime Museums and really knew his stuff. He helped me to understand how to work with angles. The Captain was a legless hustler who taught me a lot about nerve and boldness in performance. Ed Mishell taught me the basic rope routine that I used to create the Mongolian Pop Knot. Ken Brookes in London helped me find a way to work on the streets unmolested by the cops.

MK: How was the idea for your SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS born?

WH: I was consulting with Chef Anton in 1995 for his pool trick shot show. I helped him create some magic for his routines. In the process, he and I discovered that we both had interest and experience in hustling short cons, and started sharing notes. About that time, Mark Wilson asked me if I would teach a course at the Magic Castle's new Magic University, so Chef and I agreed to teach a course on street scams. We named it after an old Terry Thomas/Alistair Sims movie from 1960. We wanted to offer the street con man up as a better model for close-up magic than the "card mechanic" model that we have used so prominently during most of the last century. Our students couldn't find the props they needed, so we began making them for the students, and thus our magic manufacturing company got started. The company is just a sideline for both of us. We both make most of our income from our performances.

MK: What are some of the things you and Chef Anton teach there?

WH: We teach hustling and con games like the shell game and three-card monte.

MK: You have an affinity for the great con men of the “Old West” and The Alaskan Gold Rush of the 1890’s. What is it about them and that era that fascinates you?

WH: I feel like a lot of what created modern America and its values was born then, and a lot of the political and social questions that were prominent then are being echoed today in our society--the robber barons replaced by the multi-national corporations, the magnetic belts and ultra-violet rays by crystal healing and psychic surgery, etc. The medicine show is just television--free entertainment used to sell a product. The people and the issues of the period are fascinating to me, and the impact of the Gold Rush on the American identity is profound. I find that the period is a rich source for creating an interesting and very "modern" character.

MK: Do you have a favorite magic book?

WH: Maskelyne and Devant, Our Magic.

MK: Do you feel with the direction both magicians and magic dealers are taking with the fry your audience with one trick at a time, the art of building a routine is dying? And how do you think this will impact magic in the future?

WH: I don't know about any of that. The future of magic is of very little interest to me. I am simply exploring an art form that I find interesting and fulfilling. Very little of what goes in in the "magic world" is of much concern to me. I focus on my own work. I will be very happy when magic's popularity dies, and the magic shops and clubs begin closing down. What is popular now in the kid's toy market is of little interest or concern to me. I am not being elitist, I just don't feel it has any impact on my work and career at all.

MK: How has performing at The Magic Castle changed or helped your career?

WH: It has been a huge help in too many ways to count. I have met and watched and become friends with hundreds of magicians because of the Magic Castle. I have had the privilege of learning from masters like Vernon, Larry Jennings, Bruce Cervon, Billy McComb, Ron Wilson, and so many others. I have had exposure and experience that I couldn't have obtained any other way, and the six performing awards I have won from the Academy have been huge door openers for me during my career.

MK: Are you performing magic full time? If so, what was your last non-magical gig? If not, what is your daytime gig?

WH: Never had any other job than performing magic--I studied for the Episcopal ministry, but never worked in the field. I had jobs as a fry cook and waiter while in college. I worked as an actor/magician/juggler for a traveling theater troupe in the early seventies. Other than that, I have made my entire living from performing since 1974.

MK: What’s the one piece of advice you have for a person starting out in magic?

WH: I have stolen so much that by now it is called research. Steal everything you can. Steal the stuff no one will recognize. Copy. Imitate. Learn to hide your sources. Study. Try to understand what your craft is about and what it is for. Enjoy your work. It is a gift to be able to do something for a living that you really enjoy. The best way to live life is on your own terms. Show business--especially magic--is a very hard way to make a living. If you can do anything else at all besides magic and still be happy, I recommend you do that instead. If nothing else can make you happy but spending your entire life involved in the art and business of magic, I feel sorry for you, and welcome you to the club, my friend.

MK: Check out these clips of Whit performing!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5135678836890976103

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1077211263047765630

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1911000595627054535

MK: And check out Whit's links: www.whithaydn.com and www.myspace.com/whithaydn

Magical Conversation with Peter Samelson

There are few magicians today who take your breath away. Not just because of their chops, but because of their sense of style and finesse. Peter Samelson is the epitome of that magician. I'm sure some of you have ad the pleasure of seeing Peter perform on video. Let me say, video simply does not do justice. You have to see him perform in person, and I urge you to see him at Monday Night Magic here in NYC, or if you are really lucky, see him at one of the conventions in a town near you. But for now, enjoy our Magical Conversation!

MK: Where were you born? Is that where you grew up?

PS: Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and raised between Princeton, NJ and Ann Arbor, finishing Jr. High and High School in Ann Arbor. Mid youth 4-8 was spent in Princeton, where my father was at the Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) for part of that time and while my parents were getting a divorce. My mother moved us back to Ann Arbor after my father moved back to teach at the University of Michigan, Department of Mathematics.

MK: What first drew you into the magical arts?

PS: At the age of six my Great Aunt Gertrude Sergievsky gave me a Magic Kit for Xmas. Initially thrilled, my disappointment that there was no real magic in the kit lead me to abandon magic, until, at the age of 11, I saw a magician perform at an elementary school assembly. I unfortunately do not remember the name of the performer, but the two effects that stick in my mind are the Lota Bowl and the Serpent Silk. I bugged my mother to help me find books on Magic and she, in turn, asked her friends in the academic community, which yielded a copy of Professor Hoffman’s Modern Magic, a volume I still have in my library. I did my shopping for effects first at the local store, the Blue Front, where boxed magic tricks were on a spinning spindle situated right next to the adult magazine section. There was also the Johnson Smith catalog, where I could learn to “Throw Your Voice” and buy X-Ray Specs, which would allow me to see through people’s clothing. And eventually, of course, Abbott’s.

MK: Who were your inspirations when you first started, and if they have now changed, who are they, and why have they changed?

PS: My only exposure to Magic, other than that school assembly I mentioned above, was Don Alan on Magic Ranch and probably a performer at a birthday party or two. There was a very short period where the Magic Club I founded had some training from a guy who was temporarily in Ann Arbor, who did magic and Yo-Yo tricks.

MK: Did you join any magic clubs when you first started?

PS: Nope. I started Magic Clubs, founding one in Junior High School and then carrying on and establishing one at Pioneer High School. To the best of my knowledge, that club is still in existence. I have never been a joiner, perhaps a deep seated suspicion of organizations that comes from my family experiences in Europe during WWII and my time in the Boy Scouts and Summer Camp. I have always hated being told what to do and having others decide right and wrong for me. That said, I was a member of the Marching Band, Orchestra and the Junior Theater. In High School, my girlfriend’s father was a member of the local IBM so I had access to his library and met magicians through him, but never was moved to join either the IBM or SAM.

MK: Did you have a mentor? As we are always constantly learning, do you still have mentors or trusted eyes when trying out new material?

PS: Never had a mentor, but found inspiration in watching other performers, including magicians. I had given up magic, for all intents and purposes, during the late 60’s. I felt the government was doing a good enough job fooling people that I did not have to contribute to the confusion of fact and fiction. Up at the Magic Cellar in San Francisco I had the great good fortune to see Tony Slydini perform and he had the same effect on me that the magician at my elementary school assembly had had. I was inspired and energized. I had experienced the shock of real magic. No moves, no sleight of hand. Magic.

MK: Do you remember your first act? What was the lineup of illusions you presented in that act?

PS: The very earliest memories I have of effects include building a tip-over production box, straight out of Modern Magic, and some Adams pocket tricks including Coin in Cash-Register (coin slide) and a plastic sword that penetrated a round block of wood when it was inserted in a tube. Later was the Card Penetration Frame, the Hanson Rice Bowls, Temple Screens, and Zombie.

MK: It was great to see you perform at Monday Night Magic. How did MNM begin?

PS: Monday Night Magic began 10 years ago, when Michael Chaut decided that there should be a place in NY and called me up to see if I would help make it a reality. I said “yes.” I proposed that Michael bring Jamy aboard and he did. That lead to Todd coming along. And Michael had known Frank Brents for a long time, so Frank became part of the board. We started with a single night a month at the Sullivan Street Playhouse and four months later went to weekly. And that was ten years ago.

MK: Your performance showcased some of the classics of magic, proving that they still have the power to entertain, however, I feel that the reason they still worked so well, was due to your elegant style. How did you go about choosing your style and character, and can you elaborate on the choice of material in your act?

PS: Pack small and play big. Find effects you like, dig into them to see what they are about, and write a script that is magical, theatrical and gets your point of view across.

MK: How important is it to you for magicians to perform original material as opposed to performing proven material with their own presentation? Or is it important at all?

PS: Lead or follow. As you point out, I believe that there is value in the classics, but push against the boundaries by trying to create effects that reflect my vision even when it exceeds or strays from existing effects. Often it turns out that someone has already thought of it, but learning it for yourself is important... Then find out what others have done. In college, I produced a version of Macbeth in the style of the Japanese Noh Theater. Only after I had begun this journey did I discover that Kurosawa had already created Throne of Blood. As soon as I had finished our production, I tracked down a way to watch it, to see what I could have added to the version I had created, not through imitation, but through inspiration. Ultimately, it is about what it is about.

MK: How do you go about creating an original effect?

PS: Find an effect I like, dig into it to see what it is about, and write a script that is magical, theatrical and gets my point of view across. Getting to an idea takes different paths. Sometimes it appears out of an image generated by a story or a piece of music, and sometimes the effect comes first, followed by the exploration of why it speaks to me. Both routes can lead to an original effect or an original presentation. Or both.

MK: If you could have a conversation with any magician who has now passed away, who would you choose, and what would you ask them?

PS: Don’t think about it. Would rather have a conversation with my parents who have passed away.

MK: Do you have a favorite magic book?

PS: For beginners, Bill Tarr’s Now You See It, Now You Don’t is a great way to get going. The Magic for Dummies book is great and for more advanced workers, Tamariz’s Five Points of Magic, which was recently republished by the Hermetic Press.

MK: Do you feel with the direction both magicians and magic dealers are taking with the fry your audience with one trick at a time, the art of building a routine is dying? And how do you think this will impact magic in the future?

PS: Fry once, rinse and repeat is only useful for some types of street performers, but those who make serious money build routines, whether they be street performers, close up workers or stage magicians or mentalists. One trick can get a quick video reaction but a performance needs to be built. That takes structure and understanding or incredible instinct.

MK: How has performing at The Magic Castle changed or helped your career?

PS: Yes and no. One might argue that performing there helped put me on the cover of Genii, but working out there only reinforced friendships I had already established. Some work came my way from the West Coast, but almost everything that was significant grew out of my friendships in the Magic World established on the East Coast. That said, I was thrilled to be able to work for the Professor and meet some of the legends out at the Castle, and the Close Up Gallery is one of the best performing venues for Formal Close Up in the world.

MK: You performed before Princess Stephanie, how did that come about?

PS: Performing for the Rich and Famous leads to performing for the Rich and Famous. I was working the World Cruise of the QEII and met a family from Paris that was traveling in the Queen’s Suites. They had four. Each was listed as $340,000 for the whole cruise, and they were doing most of it. I was invited up for dinner and did a private performance for them after coffee and drinks. It would have been my pleasure to do the show for them, as they were generous in other ways, but they insisted on tipping. And tipping very well. Later in the year I got a call asking if I would fly to Paris to work a surprise birthday party for the younger brother who was turning some year in his 20’s. I flew in a couple of days early and checked in to the Hotel de L’Opera, where they had me staying. The party was held at a private club, and was filled with celebrities such as Alain Proust and Nikki Lauda (Grand Prix drivers,) Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top,) Princess Stephanie, astronauts and others. They wanted 20 minutes of Close Up and I worked it hard.. Many parties followed, and they included me in them all. Truly an iceberg of experience of which this is just the tip.

MK: Are you performing magic full time? If so, what was your last non-magical gig? If not, what is your daytime gig?

PS: Although I am performing professionally, in close-up and stage for both the private and corporate markets, I am not making my entire livelihood from Magic,. I run a company, The Afterglow Group, that does consulting for corporate clients and production of multi-media content for on-line and interactive use. This material uses video, Flash, Director, and various graphic sources to deliver advertising, identity and training solutions.

MK: What’s the one piece of advice you have for a person starting out in magic?

PS: Get absorbed by all elements of culture. Spend as much time learning about theater, dance and social interactions as you do about Magic. Find Magic you like and try to learn as much as possible about it as you can. Find all the variations, learn one or two and then find a professional worker who can help flesh out your understanding of the moves, timing and thinking.

MK: Any closing thoughts?

PS: Monday Night Magic has been a wonderful opportunity. It has kept me in touch with the Magic World, even when I was pulled out of the limelight. I urge everyone to come down and see what we have going on.

Magical Conversation with Murray SawChuk

I recently had the opportunity to see MURRAY SAWCHUK perform live at Monday Night Magic here in NYC. Murray’s command of the stage is unique. From the moment he steps into view he’s got every audience member’s attention focused on him and him alone. Some would say it’s because of his signature look—the shocking blonde hair, thick framed glasses and his height. But it goes way beyond that—Murray has a charisma that instantly engages you. His sense of humor disarms you, while his magic leaves you breathless.

Born in Vancouver, Canada, Murray spent his early childhood in his birthplace as well as Burnaby, British Columbia before he began touring the U.S. and around the world at the tender age of 18!

Murray was very gracious to compliment me on my questions, and the manner in which I asked them, but I have to say, it’s Murray’s answers that make this interview a true learning experience and a joy to read!

MK: What first drew you into the magical arts?

MS: I loved entertainment as a kid... my parents had me when they were older so I watched a lot of programs they enjoyed watching... Lucille Ball, Dean Martin show (re-runs), Johnny Carson... REAL TALENT! I danced professionally for 11 years as well as played musical instruments for about the same time. Then when I was about 7 years old I got a magic kit for a birthday present and after that the rest is history! I already love performing in front of people now this was just a different element.

MK: Who were your inspirations when you first started, and if they have now changed, who are they, and why have they changed?

MS: My first inspirations as ENTERTAINERS would be Dean Martin, Fred Astaire, Danny Kaye, Johnny Carson... as magicians I would have to say watching David Copperfield vanish the Statue of Liberty... I thought it was just amazing and how he fooled my eyes to NOT TO SEE IT anymore... Have they changed... YES... my inspirations now are Jim Carrey, Conan O'Brien, Oprah... I am still a HUGE fan of the legends from the past... but these are the new ones that I have added to the list! I have added to my LIST because I not ONLY want to be a magician but I want to be an ENTERTAINER and a PERSONALITY. I am making a move to being a personality and host of various shows so people like Conan and Oprah really appeal to me along with the old school people like the late Dean Martin who was such a strong personality.

MK: Did you join any magic clubs when you first started?

MS: Yes, I joined the Vancouver Magic Circle, then became a member of the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians... It was great because it got me involved with old magicians that would show me new ideas and sleights that I could work on at home and it wouldn't cost me much as a young kid.

MK: Did you have a mentor? As we are always constantly learning, do you still have mentors or trusted eyes when trying out new material?

MS: Of course my LIFE mentors are my parents Arlene and John Sawchuk who have been married now for 47 years! When I first started a gentleman named Shawn Farquhar helped me out and I would consider him my first magical mentor... then Marvyn and Carol Roy came a long and I have considered them my mentors... without them I would not have seen the success I have seen in this business. Jack and Mary Kodell have helped me out considerably as well.

When I try out new material I always show EVERYONE... and EVERY AGE and EXPERIENCE... cause that is your audience and by doing that, you understand how well your tricks work for the different types of people from magicians, to kids, laymen and young adults.

MK: Do you remember your first act? What was the lineup of illusions you presented in that act?

MS: Yes my first act... it was all store bought with original routining... I tried to be different when I was younger but I was more worried about doing the tricks correctly than being original... If you can't do the tricks right, it's pretty hard to take it to the next level! My first act consisted of cards, 2 parakeets (and I thought I was different using parakeets instead of DOVES because eveyone was using Doves and I didn't want to be like them... I thought I was the first... HA... then I met Jack Kodell years later... FUNNY)... I did some mulitiplying candles, appearing candles and cans with a top hat and nice table... I was all dressed in a fitted black tuxedo. My dirty blonde hair at the time was nice at trimmed and combed over looking nice and neat... HA.... how things have changed!

MK: It was great to see you perform at Monday Night Magic. To say you have a unique style is an understatement. You’ve created a definitive character, but what I’d like to know is how much of the character and the look of your character is you, and how much is the stage persona, and how did you first go about creating your character?

MS: Wow... where do I start! First off thank you for coming to see me perform at Monday Night Magic - My first time performing in New York City! I have performed in all the states around New York but never IN New York! It makes me feel so great that you can see my unique style along with my look... because creating a Uniqueness isn't just about LOOK... it's about LOOK and equaling your look with your performance so it becomes a marriage! How much of the character and look are me??? Ha... more than I'd like to admit... ha... You know indirectly I am a very shy person... most people would NEVER believe that or understand that... but I HIDE behind my wild blonde hair, thick black framed glasses (and my blue suit - when I used to wear it as my signature)... It was my mask and it's kinda like the superman or spiderman theory... once my hair is done, glasses are on and I am in my outfit I can conquer the world! It's funny, that when I arrive somewhere alot of the time I am very casual... wearing a baseball cap, jeans etc... then I go to my dressing room and change and get ready for my show, and its funny to see the people that have booked you and working with you, when you walk out and their eyes light up and you can see then thinking.... YES... that is the GUY we are paying for!!! Now I match the POSTER!

If you catch me at home... I am in my robe, unshaved face, baseball cap on sideways, with a cup of coffee on my desk before ha... just like right now as I type these answers to the questions! If you could see me now! But if I were to meet you outside... then you'd see the MURRAY you're writing about... I think my real character inside me... is the same on stage... just a little more eccentric when I am on stage along with MY LOOK... I never take myself seriously and really love having a great time onstage and I want to be the performer on stage at the same time the audience member... I think that is why I adapt to an audience so quickly and have them accept me faster than most because some of the things I say in my comedy monologues, are EXACTLY what they are thinking!

How did I go about creating my stage persona... It's has developed over many years... little by little... ummmmm.... Back in the day ... I wanted to look different and NOTHING like your typical magician.... so the Black Suit was out for me... I realized that Electric Blue would look great with my blonde hair... so I went for it and it became my signature look... then I needed a HOOK... so I developed my act with the CD's - another thing that distanced me from a normal magician! Then I went to Japan for 6 months and I had just been developing my CD act and one of my dancers had this gorgeous goldilock blonde hair... she colored every 3 weeks... so one day I said "do you mind if I use the rest of your coloring solution for my hair... I want to make it really blonde..." (it was already dirty blonde... and I was in Japan so if it didn't look that great... I was away from my peers in Canada and the USA) So, the electric blonde look was IN... I loved it and the Japanese thought I was an alien from Canada!!! Ha... At that time I had long hair parted that just hung down the side... very Brad Pitt style at that time... then...the Caesar hair cut came into style, so I changed my hair style to that and just kept going with that.... and what really did it... Is that I saw Rod Stewart on an MTV awards show and realized that his hairstyle is timeless and HIM... I realized that NO ONE in magic had that kind of hairstyle and that is when I COMMITTED and messed up my hair and colored it platinium blonde as a LOOK! With the blonde messy hair, blue suit, and CD's... I had my look and hook!!! Now that I have moved to television I have wanted to keep my look but the Blue Suit is great for live shows but on TV can get a little cheesy looking... and I'd like to dress trendy... I have stopped wearing the Blue Suit... I ONLY wear that when I do my CD ACT - as a package.... and when I do TV or other shows... I style my hair and wear the thick black framed glasses! You always have to be HONEST with yourself and CHANGE... I see so many magicians LOCK in with their LOOK but don't want to budge.... to become more trendy or HIP... and You have to do it!!! Now I see a lot of magicians copying the messed up hair style look... on some of them.... it looks pretty funny! People always ask me... how do you describe yourself NOW??? I tell them... I am the Dennis the Menace of Magic and Comedy!

MK: Was the character you now perform as the first character you chose? If not, what were some of the other characters you tried first?

MS: Great question... My 'character' evolved... Its not something that I chose... it kinda chose me... As I performed I 'listened' to the audience and THEY told me what they wanted to see from me and would except... Audiences are VERY honest and as a perform we should listen to them... I see so many magicians that want to be the SLICK SEXY magician but the way they look and act... the AUDIENCE won't allow them to be that and accept them for that... I think I made a very strong decision at a young age with my BLUE SUIT, HAIR and stuck with it as well as with my CD's and I am a firm believer that to be a 'star' you have to be LOVED or HATED... an example is Howard Stern, Dr. Phil, Rosie O'Donnell... You either LOVE them or HATE THEM! So I have tried to be myself in that category... either you LOVE ME or HATE me... no one wants to be hated but I think you get the idea. Example I get is... Why would he EVER do something like that with his hair... it's so messy and UNCLASSY... then on the other side... I get people that want a picture of me not always for what I have done but because they LOVE my look... and want to capture it... almost like what Andy Warhol had...


MK: To see you perform your CD FX act is a mind-blowing experience. What inspired you to come up with the idea of CD manipulation?

MS: Thank you for the compliment on the act... I was always an entrepreneur when I was young making flyers for raking leaves for people or shoveling snow and I would deliver them along with the papers on my paper route when I was 11 or 12 years of age... I have worked about 21 other jobs before I did magic full time at 18... I was a lifeguard, bus boy, telemarketer, pumped gas, fixed bikes, sold stuff, etc... but one of my jobs was working in the Department Store of the Hudson's Bay Company (similar to a Dillards)... and I worked in the Electronics and Toy section... This is where they sold tapes and CD's which were just coming in... they had maybe 1 row of CD's at 30.00 each... and the rest were cassette tapes! It was a slow Wednesday night on a 4 hour shift and I was playing with one of the returned CD's doing classic jumbo coin moves and vanishes and I showed one of the moves where I vanished the CD in a Tenki palm and he was blown away wondering where it went...And that was the beginning! The rest of my shift at work I wrote down all the classic effects of magic that I could do with CD's... 2 years later I entered it in my first international 'adult' competition and took 2nd place out of 15 acts from around the world... I knew I had something! I had a long ways to go... but I had something!

MK: The choice of music plays such an integral part of your CD act, how did you choose the music, and was it always that lineup of songs/music?

MS: The music is constantly evolving…I was looking for a six minute piece and then I saw Michael Jackson performing Smooth Criminal at Radio City Music Hall and thought it was amazing how he used sound effects to convey the meaning of his act. So that’s when I started to experiment with adding the sound effects. But there are times I will hear a piece of music or sound effect and think…wow…that would be great to drop right in here…so it’s always evolving.

But it’s important to understand this is a very carefully choreographed piece. People often think it’s sound effects I create on my body with a button but its' not... it's all on the CD and I do my act like a dancer does a dance... so if I stop the music continues to play... But everything is timed to an eight count…even where the music “skips” it’s two counts of four!

MK: How important is it to you for magicians to perform original material as opposed to performing proven material with their own presentation? Or is it important at all?

MS: Wow... you have some GREAT questions... I have never been asked these questions in such a way... Don Wayne said something to me as we sat at an IHOP restaurant on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood years ago... he said, 'Murray just remember when you are creating magic and ideas... DIFFERENT doesn't mean BETTER... it just means DIFFERENT!' I have lived by those words... I think being 'original' is the difference between being a 'star' and just another magician... it separates you from the PACK! It gives reason for more press, people talk about you, and you get more work cause you aren't competing against ANYONE because you're the ONLY one doing 'your thing!' I also think doing something completely PROVEN with an ORIGINAL persentation makes a PROVEN trick ORIGINAL... A perfect example is my friend Jeff Hobson... he does the Egg Bag but in my opinion is the BEST presentation of it because of his character... HE SELLS IT... so it has NOTHING to do with the EGG BAG... it's about JEFF! Also Johnny Thompson's Egg Bag is great too with his character... It's about Johnny not the Egg Bag!

MK: How do you go about creating an original effect?

MS: You think of the unthinkable and try to attain it! When I created my CD act... so many people told me it would never work because I am producing mirrors! So... I HAD to do it... cause I know, not many people would do it!


MK: Can you please tell us about your new TV project, and how did your involvement with it begin?

MS: My new TV series is called 'Celebracadabra' on VH1 premiering early March 2008. I was contacted by VH1 directly and on my way back from a performance in Cyprus in the Mediterranean I stopped over in New York and met with the three Executive producers of the then IDEA of the show... then 2 months later got a call to film the 'pilot' early this year 2007... then 3 months after the pilot I heard it got picked up and we just rapped shooting the 8th episode in Las Vegas last month... So I am very excited to see it air early next year! It's basically like Dancing with the Stars but with magic! Every episode is sure to be exciting and dramatic in every way! Makes you realize how hard magic is to do! (Unfortunately I can't release any of the stars names yet that are on the series).

MK: If you could have a conversation with any magician who has now passed away, who would you choose, and what would you ask them?

MS: Cardini... and the question would be...'Where do you put yourself mentally when you do your act every night... to be surprised when the 'cards' reappear... out of know where... you are just as surprised as US and we believe you EVERYTIME!?

MK: Do you have a favorite magic book?

MS: Mark Wilson Complete Book of Magic (It's great.. if you can't understand the wording you can look at the GREAT drawings and understand how the effect works).

MK: Do you feel with the direction both magicians and magic dealers are taking with the fry your audience with one trick at a time, the art of building a routine is dying? And how do you think this will impact magic in the future?

MS: Yes... I think the ART of building an act will be strictly EUROPEAN... There aren't many places for an act in the USA today anymore... Magic Castle? Monday Night Magic? Houston - Comedy and Magic Club? Yet in Germany there are many great venues to perform as well as in France and other great European countries! Well.. I think it's EASY to fry people with ONE trick on TV... cause you can cut and edit it... Look at Criss Angel half the tricks he's doing on TV he's never done until 1 hour before he tapes... Copperfield would tour for one year at least peforming his new effect every night before he'd put it on TV... that is why he is still one of the greats! So if we are doing this one trick to fry your brain... then you better have an amazing personality because in LIVE performing that is what will hold the audience...

MK: How has performing at The Magic Castle changed or helped your career?

MS: Performing at the Magic Castle is a Mile Stone... I can be 80 now and go 'Back in the Day!' I performed in Hollywood at one of the greatest venues for 'magic' in the world... so personally it give you great confidence and acceptance. It helped my career because now I can put Hollywood on my resume which looks great... when bookers see it, they realize if you have played the Magic Castle you must be at a certain level and will look at your DVD... Also I love it becasue now that I am making my move to Television... every time I perform at the Magic Castle I invite casting directors and producers to watch me perform for any possibilities they might have for me on Television.


MK: You’ve won many, many awards very early on in your career. How did winning those awards impact your career?

MS: I have won 24 national and international awards that titled me a 'World Champion'.... They impacted my career because when I was young... the big question was... from any booker...'Why should we pay you $5000.00 for a show when you're only 19 years old?' And my answer was... we sir/madame... I just finished winning my 12th award for my performance and I am the ONLY one that does this type of magic because I invented it. I'd be happy to refer you another magician much cheaper but you'll be seeing standard tricks... but I don't mind doing that if your budget doesn't allow it.... Next line would be... 'So are you available on.....?' This doesn't happen always... but if you have the fire power and to answer with an intelligent answer and back it up... you'll get the gig if they have the money.


MK: How much ribbing did you take from your appearance on BLIND DATE, and did that have any impact on your bookings, or more importantly on your dating life?

MS: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Blind Date the TV show... It's amazing... I have done over 100 TV shows and this is the one that most people talk about... Honestly... the ONLY reason I did this show because it is so ridiculous is for the PRESS and GOSSIP factor and it worked more than I ever planned... At the end of the day... after a live show... some people will come up to me and want a picture with me because I was on THAT SHOW... 'Weren't you on Blind Date!?' They are taking the photo with me... because I made the decision to 'make an ass out of myself really!' HA!!! but honestly... because I was on TV... and thats' the reason I did it... they don't remember how much fun was made of me... all they realize is that WOW the guy we just saw LIVE... we saw him sitting at home in Oklahoma in our living room... and now I want a photo to prove that I met this guy... and that's the ONLY reason I did the show... My dating life... I got more dates because I was on TV... bookings... it gave me more credit being on TV.


MK: Are you performing magic full time? If so, what was your last non-magical gig? If not, what is your daytime gig?

MS: Yes I have been performing magic full time for 11 years since I was 18... doing magic for 22 years in total! My last non-magical gig was being a lifeguard in Burnaby, British Columbia where I taught swimming lesson and watched over the pools and beaches.


MK: What’s the one piece of advice you have for a person starting out in magic?

MS: Go to SCHOOL! Get a degree! If you want to do magic and be successful... Do it like it is your ONLY source for survival... that you need it to pay ALL your bills and WORK, WORK, WORK... now this is advice for someone wanting to do it professional... if you are really starting out... join a magic club, get some great books from the library, find a mentor in your local club and learn from them and cherish them... and bottom line... Do magic because you LOVE IT... not because you want to be famous!!!

MK: Any closing thoughts?

MS: 'Dream like you will live forever... and Live like you will die tomorrow!' That is my favorite quote from James Dean!

Check out this video of Murray on YOUTUBE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXZZSA3xACU

Magical Conversation with Jason Latimer

There are few magicians in recent years who have made as huge a splash in both the magical community and the lay audience as JASON LATIMER. His style is smooth, suave, engaging, impish, and both comical and thought-provoking in just the right places and the right amounts.

To see Jason perform his clear cups and balls routine (the routine that garnered him the top prize at F.I.S.M.) in person is to truly see magic. Magic in every sense of the word. You walk away with a story to tell your great grandchildren one day. You walk away with a sense of amazement and wonder. You walk away feeling honored just to have viewed a master at his craft. You walk away believing magic exists. And thanks to Jason Latimer—it does.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy the following MagicalConversation with Jason as much as I have. If you have any questions for Jason, please post them in the comments section, and he will answer them as his schedule will alow. Enjoy!

MK: Where were you born?

JL: Roseburg, OR

MK: Is that where you grew up?

JL: No, I actually grew up in Agoura Hills, CA

MK: What first drew you into the magical arts?

JL: I loved magic as far back as I can remember. I loved the challenge of it. I love the entertainment of it. But mainly creating moments that goes against our senses... That’s what sparks my interest.

MK: Who were your inspirations when you first started, and if they have now changed, who are they, and why have they changed?

JL: Hard one to answer because I try to appreciate all types of performances. Copperfield, Lance, Siegfried and Roy, Penn and Teller, Billy McComb, James Dimmare...there is a lot to learn from that list alone. And there is a ton of more names...I am still learning...the list has not changed but my understanding of what it takes to be magic has evolved by studying great shows.

MK: Did you join any magic clubs when you first started?

JL: The only club I joined in the beginning was the Magic Castle Junior Program and that was one of the best decisions I ever made...they really push you to be different.

MK: Did you have a mentor? As we are always constantly learning, do you still have mentors or trusted eyes when trying out new material?

JL: Oh yeah. Big time...even with a chain of command. Billy McComb would usually be the first to hear the idea along with my agent Dennis Gilbert…Followed that up with stage mentors like James Dimmare or close up like Jim Patton. Now after that I would work with my group of builders to pursue the project...but I would need to create what we are building in model form and routine it out in my head. Then comes in Dustin Gould my stage manager and right hand man, first I have to sell him on the idea...we have to work if it fits into the show. Everything from shipping it (space wise) to where in the show it goes and does it fit. These are huge ongoing projects by the way. So I am always learning. Some of the illusions can be built and performed in a year...some 5 years plus...but they are all overlapped so there is always something to work on. Our shop is constantly developing new gear for me and other projects...its Willy Wonka for Magic. =)

MK: Do you remember your first act? What was the lineup of illusions you presented in that act?

JL: First Act? Well I would say it was a close up routine...not long...but to music. I was planning on using it for my audition to get into the Junior program...but I remember thinking that it might not go over well...so after all this practice I changed it to just a bunch of "tricks" pushed together. Later I revisited the routine to music and that later became a segment in my close up show. Almost all of my routines are to music now. I talk between stage routines sometimes over them but for the most part I have learned to be more of a visual artist then comical.

MK: How has your act evolved to where it is today?

JL: Well, I have a bunch more gear. =) And it’s harder to pick up and just move to the next stop. =) A lot has changed from the close up card routines. My full show runs about 1 1/2 hours long. Its extremely high tech. It’s extremely heavy too, weighs in as roughly 4 tons of equipment. I had the choice whether to spend money on making it small and lightweight or go for the effect and not care about the weight...well I wanted the coolest looking illusion no matter the size or weight. So here I am. I went for the idea of what I think the future of magic can be...and I built it based on real visual concepts and principles, less about boxes, more about breaking what WE establish as fact. The illusions I work with now are much more technologically advanced then when I got started, that’s a given. My education allowed that to happen...but a more interesting note is that I would say that psychologically my magic has evolved to...format of routines or illusions especially. Its not about trick, applause, trick, applause, trick, applause...it’s about getting the audience WITH you on concept. Leading them down a path ...and then taking it to the level of complete disbelief. It took a while and I am still learning more about it. But then I am trying to use my style in the entire format of the show...meaning each routine has its path...but in overall the show was doing it too.

MK: If you could have a conversation with any magician who has now passed away, who would you choose, and what would you ask them?

JL: Billy McComb. Not to ask him anything, but to say thank you.

MK: Do you have a favorite magic book?

JL: You are going to laugh but I am serious about this and the most helpful magic books on my desk RIGHT NOW.

My old university text book of Physics

McMaster-Carr Catalogue

Home Depot Catalogue

Rosebrand Theatrical Supply

MK: How do you go about creating an original effect?

JL: That’s really hard to answer. Its everything and anything...First you start with an idea. Or direction…but basically I work backwards to reverse engineer the effect. Takes story boards, models, blueprints and countless hours of thought and conversations to create or engineer something that has never been built before. For clients wanting to make their new product appear we change the format and start with the rules. Lets say it’s a car…ok does it have to be a real car? Can we lighten is up a bit? Can I alter the car? How heavy is it now? What size is it? Dimensions? These are just a few of the “rules” The elements that cannot be changed. Once we have the rules the process becomes more and more direct. A blank page of paper is hard to build but if there are limitations such as a real car then we have to decide simple solutions first…where was it and where does it end up? Then given those answers you work on the next question of how to present it in a different fashion than a man with a top hat and curly mustache. That’s just as a builder. As a designer especially of a stage effect for the show…Again it starts as an idea like let’s take my illusion Water Misfit. I wanted to shape water. If someone shaped water into a sphere the size of a baseball and handed it to you, and you squeezed it or bit it, and it popped into water you would really want to redefine your definition of water. =) It took years of research and development of that concept because I didn’t know what it would look like at first. It was just a trick at first. Not a routine. Not a story. It was that blank page. Then after researching surface tensions and all of my possibilities I found out what would need to happen for me to manipulate water into objects. The idea was great but we didn’t have a method. You have to research, interview, and seriously work on it day and night. It’s like a science for me, there is homework and it takes a lot of effort. But new ideas that work are totally worth it because now Water Misfit is one of my most popular routines. And I am currently building a smaller one to perform it in more locations.

MK: Do you feel with the direction both magicians and magic dealers are taking with the fry your audience with one trick at a time, the art of building a routine is dying? And how do you think this will impact magic in the future?

JL: There will always be a market for both. But that’s just my opinion. I tend to ask dealers for very specific items for my routines…but that’s my approach. I can’t speak for someone that buys more from them.

MK: How has performing at The Magic Castle changed or helped your career?

JL: I still perform there. I don't get to stop by as much as I would like to...and the stage is limiting only by size because I only have one prop that fits on that stage. But aside from that, if given the option there is no better place in the world to break in something new than the Magic Castle. The audience is there to see magic. They want to see it. Its so much fun! And you do it so many times in a week that if you had any questions about it, and you are willing to listen to your audience and other performers, there is no better learning curve in my mind than the Castle. I love it there. There is no better way to learn than by experience and the Magic Castle provides opportunities like that every night of the week, year round. I owe them a lot for all the support and encouragement over the years. I will always be a big supporter of the Castle .

MK: How has your win at F.I.S.M. changed or helped your career?

JL: That did it. It’s not the title amongst magicians but seriously its a title amongst professionals that helps the most. It’s like a credential for non-magicians and for directions such as business or lectures at a university. With multiple degrees it allows new clients to understand that I have the ability to build and design as a businessmen and engineer. As a World Champion of Magic, to a client, it helps them understand that I will create something on the highest level of magic I can offer and gives them the confidence that these projects are in good hands.

MK: How important is it to you for magicians to perform original material as opposed to performing proven material with their own presentation? Or is it important at all?

JL: To each their own. I have seen great performers in both categories. So I don’t think I have an opinion on that subject.

MK: Tell me about your special effects studio?

JL: Four years ago I teamed up with Tech-Works Studios as just a consultant for special effects designs. Since then they have grown to become a leader in Robotical Applications for live theater and for movies around the globe. With over 4,000 square feet to build anything...we pretty much try see how far we can go. Now Val Sykes, founder of Tech-Works, and I partnered up to create the newest style of live special effects. As a designer I tend to be our best client...just joking. I travel and maintain my performance schedule but I only have my gear built in the studio and I have multiple projects always moving forward. Aside from my own gear artists such as magicians, musicians, rock stars, companies that simply want to debut the their newest product, or any type of special events approach us with the concept...or questions and we build it. Aside from Tech Works I am consultant at Go West Events & Multimedia as the designer for their special effects in their live company events which are manufactured behind the closed doors of Tech-Works. As a designer, a client such as the Wynn Corporation does not have a simple aisle 27 at Home Depot to pick up their custom props and gear for their shows. I can offer a solution to the design questions of manufacturing and cost because we can keep the project completely in house. This makes for a very unique market but the watching these drawings come to life is very rewarding for me.

MK: Since you create effects for other magicians, do you worry about creating an effect that will garner more praise for another magician from an effect you created? Is that a bit of a double edged sword?

JL: No... It’s mainly because I don't build any of my effects for sale. I take on their projects to build their ideas. I am always willing to work for magicians on new concepts. But rarely have I built something for myself and then sell it ...you are right, I wouldn't want to compete against my own style. Of course, no one has ever just come up and said I want you to build me an effect…new, original, from scratch in construction and said that I can build them anything I want. I don’t know what I would do in that spot. As for building large scale productions those effects are created for a company that will most likely use the effect only a handful of times. I wouldn’t expect that to be a problem nor conflict of interest.

MK: What’s the one piece of advice you have for a person starting out in magic?

JL: If you are the only one in the world that can do it...then you are simply the best at it. Be original and don't give up. What you are trying to do...BY DEFINITION...is or will look impossible. So it won't be easy but it can always be done. So don't give up on any idea. “Two ingredients for any secret. Time and Effort.” -Billy McComb

MK: Any closing thoughts?

JL: Thank you so much for this opportunity and I hope that if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Check out these YOUTUBE videos of Jason!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ie6Tfa_zI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-XoN1Ts6Wg

Magical Conversation with Fitzgerald.

I am very pleased and honored to post the first Magical Conversation with Magic Castle mainstay, FITZGERALD! One third of The Unholy Three, Fitzgerald’s style of magic and comedy has to be seen in person to be truly appreciated, and I urge everyone to make it a point to catch one of his live performances. As a special treat, I’m posting two Fitzgerald videos from YOUTUBE at the end of this Magical Conversation. Enjoy!

And please post comments and any questions for Fitzgerald and any of our other magicians, as they will check back when time allows, and post answers to your questions.

MK: What first drew you into the magical arts?

FITZ: I grew up in a suburb of Chicago called “Palos Heights”. I had a couple of local neighborhood friends who were interested in magic; they initially sparked my interest. I recently returned home from a visit with my parents; I stayed in the same room where I grew up. I started practicing my card manipulations in front of the mirror again. I recall how absolutely thrilling magic was for me as a boy growing up in the moody, cloudy, often bitter cold environment of suburban Chicago. I think magic lifted my spirits!

MK: Who were your inspirations when you first started, and if they have now changed, who are they, and why have they changed?

FITZ: How could you grow up in the 70’s and not be influenced by Doug Henning? His NBC specials were always great events for me. I remember being really excited about seeing Copperfield (when he was just 18) in the musical The Magic Man in Chicago. And I also used to get magically “psyched” watching Bill Bixby in the TV series The Magician. A magician solving crimes with magic and living on the top floor of the Magic Castle? Does it get any better?

I really loved Ricky Jay when I first saw him on a Doug Henning special. I used to always watch for his talk show appearances. I found him amusing and an excellent magician. Jay’s Cards as Weapons was a significant book; it was literary and humorous.

I used to enjoy watching the Amazing Kreskin. Here was a guy doing simple card tricks and passing it off as mind-reading. Fantastic! And I found him funny: those Coke-bottle yellow-tinted glasses and a ridiculous laugh on top of a serious demeanor.

The first time I ever read a Paul Harris book, I was knocked out. It was absolutely refreshing. Prior to that, I remember burying my head for hours in Expert Card Technique by Hugard/Braue. I had also been studying a lot of Marlo stuff. But Harris really opened my eyes to how a deck of cards could be turned inside out. His whole presentation, point of view and writing style were revolutionary for magic books.

I put together a close-up act based on his routines (along with Daryl Martinez’s & Don Alan’s) and worked in two restaurants in the Chicago area during college.

I think Johnny Carson was a big influence, too. I knew that he was into magic and I found that inspiring – that a guy who did card tricks as a boy could grow up to be the premiere television entertainer.

When I started really working on my present act/persona (at about the age of 30), a lot of influences came into play. I was no longer just influenced primarily by magicians, but by writers, artists, and comediens. Here are a few: W.C. Fields, Woody Allen, Dave Letterman, Steve Martin, Jack Benny, Penn & Teller, Quentin Crisp, Andy Warhol, Ernie Kovacs, F. Scott Fitzgerald, etc. And the list goes on and continues to grow. (Now I’m interested in silent film comediens.) There are bits and pieces of the above individuals in my act.

MK: Did you join any magic clubs when you first started?

FITZ: There was a local club in suburban Chicago – I’ve forgotten it’s name. I recall going to a few meetings and meeting some peculiar characters. There was a guy who always was wearing a neck brace –and he’d do magic while wearing it. That image still makes me laugh.

In high school, I worked at “Riley’s Trick Shop” on 111th Street in Oak Lawn. It’s still in business today but they don’t sell magic anymore – just gags and costumes. I used to demonstrate tricks; it also gave me the chance to see the latest magic books on the market. That’s where I encountered Paul Harris’ first book.

MK: Did you have a mentor?

I took a magic class at a local school; the instructor was named Bill Dunbaugh. On his business card, he billed himself as “The Wizard of Ahs”. He was a good guy, took an interest in me, and taught me some practical magic moves.

My mentors were primarily books – particularly, the Tarbell Course. So, I’d say the deceased Harlan Tarbell was my mentor! And in an odd way, he still is to this day. I recently bought from Mike Caveney the original Tarbell poster that he used to include with his course; it shows Tarbell demonstrating lessons in the course. I had the poster fixed up and framed; it now is displayed prominently in my house.

Bill Malone performed at an ice cream shop near my house. I used to go and see him now and then. He had a reputation back then as a card guy. He had the same style as he does today. A regret is that I never got to meet Ed Marlo. For whatever reason, it never worked out.

MK: As we are always constantly learning, do you still have mentors or trusted eyes when trying out new material?

FITZ: For the most part, I lean on my “Unholy Three” pals, Rob Zabrecky and Dave Lovering. I can depend on them for honest critiques.

MK: Do you remember your first act? What was the lineup of illusions you presented in that act?

FITZ: I did my first act when I was about 12. I did a lot of standards like the linking rings and the cut & restored rope; I also did a lot of stuff from the Tarbell Course – ribbons through the body, a six card repeat with jumbo cards. I used to finish my kid’s act with the “EZ Hat Loader”. Classic.

MK: How has your act evolved to where it is today?

FITZ: When I first moved to Los Angeles, I didn’t have a stand-up act or persona. I had a close-up act that combined Paul Harris & Daryl Martinez routines – but with original patter. After one week in L.A., I auditioned to be a member of the Magic Castle and passed with flying colors! It was my second year out of college and I was teaching high school in Burbank at the time and going to the Castle occasionally. However, I found that I couldn’t connect with other magicians at the Castle (either I was too shy or intimidated – or perhaps they were arrogant). So, unfortunately, I dropped out of the scene for about seven years. And that’s too bad because the Castle was probably the main reason I moved to L.A. in the first place. I only went there when I had a date (which was infrequently). I started experimenting with stand-up comedy, improvisational acting and character development. I also started writing and hosting a public access cable show called, “O’Brien’s People.” (My real name is Gary O’Brien). It featured friends of mine playing peculiar characters. Lots of the interviews are on You Tube.

Eventually, the hankering to do card tricks and to get back to my performing roots returned. I also grew tired of the comedy scene in L.A. Half the battle in putting together an act (apart from writing and performing it) is that you have to hang around depressing environments, like coffee house open mikes and comedy clubs. And stage time was difficult because there were so many people trying to break into comedy in the late 80’s, early 90’s. So, I figured, if I’m going to work on an act, why not do it in a nice environment like the Castle and where I know that I can get an audience in the basement on a Friday or Saturday night. But, again, I encountered the same attitude from other performers/members as seven years before. And I was still shy/intimidated by other magician members. It seemed like the only people I could connect with were the parking guys and the bartenders; they were friendly to me. I probably would have dropped out again if it wasn’t for one person: Tony Picasso. Tony spoke to me and introduced me to other people. So, I may not have ever had an act if it wasn’t for him – and, for that, I’m forever grateful. And so I started hanging out in the basement of the Castle working on an act and performing for “overflow” crowds whenever I could. I also recall magicians Dylan Sardo and John Lovick hanging out in the bowels of the Castle, working on their acts.

I auditioned for the Parlour in 1996 and passed; I did my first Parlour shows that year. My act is pretty much a summation of my life – things I did as a kid (like card productions), things I thought about in college (biology and the workings of the human body), bits I developed during my stand-up years, and stuff that reflects me now. I place a heavy emphasis on writing; since I was 18, I’ve always wanted to bring a literary quality to magic routines. It was not until I met Rob Zabrecky and Dave Lovering that I started considering doing routines to music.

MK: If you could have a conversation with any magician who has now passed away, who would you choose, and what would you ask them?

FITZ: Tarbell. From what I’ve read, he was such an odd, eccentric bird. And he crossed paths with a lot of the great magicians who performed in Chicago.

Also Hofzinser. I’ve always had an obsession with playing cards – and he may have been the first guy to ever really “nail” it, i.e. creating remarkable, never been seen before, literate routines. He brought a pack of cards to life.

MK: Do you have a favorite magic book?

FITZ: Hands down it’s the Tarbell Course. Everything you need to know about the craft is there. And it’s written with great warmth and sincerity.

MK: Do you feel with the direction both magicians and magic dealers are taking with the “fry your audience with one trick at a time approach”, the art of building a routine is dying? And how do you think this will impact magic in the future?

FITZ: Audiences do talk about amazing tricks. But the problem comes when audiences separate the trick from the performer. They remember that some guy did a trick where he pushed a needle through his arm - but don’t remember the name of the performer. You’ll be successful with people who have short attention spans or who want to use you: “Show me a trick!” or for TV producers who want to take advantage of you (“Can you do something in 30 seconds? I’ll give you a hundred dollars.”)

If the audience is remembering the trick but not the performer, something’s wrong. So the “fry your audience with one trick at a time approach” may be successful in the short term for some magicians. But to be truly memorable, tricks and routines need to be built from character.

MK: At The Magic Castle, you perform as part of the Unholy Three. Can you please tell us a little about the history of The Unholy Three, and how you came to be a part of it, and how substitute performers are chosen to fill in when they are needed?

FITZ: John Carney used to organize his “Wonder Workshop” once a month. It was an opportunity for performers to try out material and get feedback from other performers. Rob, Dave and I met there. They were performing in some shows at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood – and I asked if I could perform in their shows. And then we started performing on Friday nights for “overflow” crowds in the bowels of the Castle. (Back to the basement!)

With the exception of John Carney and a few select others, we rarely have substitute performers. We’ve developed our own “schtick” and rhythm and it’s not as easy to insert another performer into the show.

MK: I love your playing card productions. During this routine you recite a very interesting poem/rant. How long did it take you to write the poem, and how long did it take you to memorize it?

FITZ: I think it’s a completely original routine. It took years to write and went through endless revisions. I tried to make it rhyme, have a rhythm, and be funny. It’s a really difficult routine for the audience to grasp because there’s so much going on: I’m producing cards rhythmically, talking about my life, and trying to get laughs. The pacing and the pausing have to be just right or it’ll go over their heads. I used to finish my solo act with it. I have a terrible memory so it took brute force to get it locked in my head. (When performing, I still keep the words posted nearby in case I “go blank”). The routine became even more complicated when Rob and Dave added music to it. It’s becomes a real performance art piece. I’ve begun writing a second version of it.

MK: How has performing at The Magic Castle changed or helped your career?

FITZ: In a very practical sense, The Magic Castle taught me how to dress! The dress code forces you to wear a coat and tie; it made me think about men’s fashion and what looks right. It influenced my character in a big way. Fitzgerald sees himself as a bit of a fashion-hound and that was discovered through the discipline of a dress code.

MK: Are you performing magic full time?

FITZ: I do not perform magic full-time. I work as a “contestant executive” for Wheel of Fortune. I try to keep both lives completely separate. Lately, the Unholy Three have been getting a lot of outside gigs. Who knows what the future may bring?

MK: How do you go about creating an original effect?

FITZ: I don’t know if I’ve created any original effects. Original presentations, yes. It all comes from character. How would Fitzgerald do a cut and restored rope routine? Why would Fitzgerald do a cut and restored rope routine? You’ve got to ask yourself those questions before you invest the time.

MK: How important is it to you for magicians to perform original material as opposed to performing proven material with their own presentation? Or is it important at all?

FITZ: To me, it makes no difference whether they perform original material or proven material. The important thing is that they put themselves (their character) into it. That’s what the audience will ultimately remember – you. In show business, that’s what the audience should remember: you, your name, your essence. If they’re just remembering that some magician guy made the Statue of Liberty vanish, you’re probably on the wrong track.

MK: What’s the one piece of advice you have for a person starting out in magic?

FITZ: Figure out who you want to be on stage; what persona you want to present to audiences (whether just “yourself” or a character.) Then read and study the Tarbell Course. Learn to do a couple of tricks; don’t try to learn too many tricks. Be patient – you don’t learn sleight of hand or presentation overnight. And don’t be intimidated by other magicians. Lots of them take themselves way too seriously – even the ones who do comedy.

MK: Any closing thoughts?

FITZ: Magic & comedy require a lot of hard work. And time. And discipline. Never think that you’re done with your act. You have to keep on working on it. I get mad at myself when I’m slacking on certain routines or feel like I’m not progressing. You can’t rest on your laurels, on your past routines. You have to try to move forward.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2YkGaBWE2c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOsszlm3JvA

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