Close 1:2020 Newsletter

VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 1 | JAN/FEB 2020
MICHAELCLOSE.COM
WHERE MAGIC AND TECHNOLOGY MEET
MEMORIES OF SIMON
PAGE 14
WHAT'S INSIDE
JAN/FEB 2020 / VOLUME 3 / ISSUE 1
4 UP FRONT
6 COOL CLIPS
8 RUSSELL ROULETTE GAME-BOARD CARDS
9 WHO'S WHERE
10 PRODUCT REVIEW
12 CONVERSATIONS WITH CLOSE
14 FAR MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
34 TRIPLE PLAY
42 MAGIC NEWS
8
44 THE MAGIC OF SCIENCE
45 FUN TO FOLLOW
46 THE ART OF CONJURING
10
34
42 14
PAGE 3
JAN/FEB 2020 / VOLUME 3 / ISSUE 1
UP FRONT
by michael close
WELCOME TO 2020 – WHERE’S MY FLYING CAR?
As my friend Mac King would say, “Howdy!” and a belated
Happy New Year to you all. The end-of-the-year holidays and
some family commitments made it impossible to get our January
newsletter out on its normal schedule. So, we’re combining
January and February into one big issue, and by “big,” I mean
really big. You’ll find lots of absorbing reading in the following
pages.
Unfortunately, as you may have guessed by this issue’s cover
photo, I have to lead off with sad news. On December 10, 2019,
one of magic’s most creative and nicest people, Simon Aronson,
died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He was seventy-six.
Simon and I had been friends for almost forty years. I learned of Simon in the early
1970s through Jon Racherbaumer’s publication Kabbala, which had three of Aronson’s
memorized deck effects in the April 1973 issue. Although I did not do any memdeck magic
at the time, I was impressed by the cleverness of the tricks. Consequently, when I got word
that a big book of Aronson’s had been published (The Card Ideas of Simon Aronson, 1978),
I immediately ordered a copy from Simon.
The book was full of great card magic, but one trick really caught my eye – a version of a
thought-of-card-across effect using two different-colored packets of cards. This was Red
See Passover, and it utilized a dozen or so gaffed cards, which back in those days were
not easily obtainable. However, I loved this trick and, with some searching, was able to
find someone to make the required cards. I developed a double-lift handling designed
specifically for this trick, a move that I later dubbed The MC Spread Double Lift. For many
years, Red See Passover was one of my major “magician fryers.” I saved it for the tail-end
of late-night sessions; it never failed to deliver the goods. I never tipped the method, but if
persistently bugged, I would tell magicians that it was available in Simon’s book.
At that time, I attended a lot of conventions; consequently, many magicians saw me
perform Red See Passover, and Simon got a lot of book orders. Because of this, we actually
became friends before we ever met. I don’t recall when that first face-to-face meeting was,
but I do remember we hit it off immediately. From that point on, whenever I was in Chicago
or when we happened to meet up at a convention, I always made it point to spend time
with Simon.
I purchased Simon’s A Stack to Remember when it was released in 1979, but I did not get
around to memorizing the stack until the summer of 1990; I became a visible proponent
for its use. I demonstrated and explained my approach to memdeck at many conventions,
and helped inspire such experts as Eric Mead and Jamy Ian Swiss to incorporate memdeck
(using Aronson) in their professional repertoires.
PAGE 4
up front cont'd
One of my favorite memories is a demonstration of “riffing” I gave at a magic convention;

Simon was in the audience. I asked someone to name a card; he said Ace of Clubs. Without
doing a single move, I spelled “Ace of Clubs” from the top of the deck. On the final letter “S”
I revealed the Ace of Clubs. Simon stood up in the audience and took a bow.
Simon’s legacy of ingeniously constructed magic can be found in his five, big, hardcover
books: Bound to Please, The Aronson Approach, Simply Simon, Try the Impossible, and
Art Decko. If you love card magic, these books should be in your library.
In addition to his interest in card magic, Simon and his wife Ginny performed a remarkable
two-person mental act. If you ever had the opportunity to see them in person, you know
how effortless their act seemed. Fortunately, a performance of the mental act was included
on the Aronson three-DVD set from L&L Publishing.
I interviewed Simon and Ginny for a cover story in the March 2012 issue of M-U-M. Because
of space considerations, almost half of the interview had to be cut. I feel it’s important to
preserve that interview in its entirety, so you’ll find it in this month’s newsletter. As part of
that article, Ginny wrote a short piece about her life with Simon. You’ll find that here as well.
I’m also including the trick Simon contributed to that issue. The combination of principles
involved is guaranteed to puzzle the most astute spectators.
It’s still tough for me to wrap my head around the face that my friend is no longer on the
planet. Simon Aronson was a great thinker and a great friend. I’m going to miss him. The
Close clan sends their heartfelt condolences to Ginny and Simon’s many friends around
the world. Aloha, Simon. Thanks for the memories.
While on the subject of memorized deck, I am actively preparing a new Targeted Training
session on advanced memdeck work as a follow-up to “Demystifying the Memorized
Deck” and “Memdeck – the Next Step.” As part of that preparation, I discovered some
useful information about the Aronson stack, which I will share as part of the training. The
good news is, you can apply the procedure I used to whatever stack you have memorized,
and thus make your own discoveries. I will also spend a portion of the training breaking
down the important points of my ebook The Road to Riffsville. If you were challenged by
the ideas presented there, I think you’ll find this to be extremely useful. We’ll blast out an
announcement when it is available.
I’m also in the preliminary stages of preparing a Targeted Training session on strategies
for handling double cards. I have several ideas that are different, convincing, and easier
than other methods I have studied. Again, we’ll let you know when it is available.
Also in this newsletter you’ll find my review of Paper Empires, a new book about the
history of early American playing card manufacturers, an audio interview with Jason
McKinstry (the author of the book) and his pal Lee Asher (who contributes another “From
the Patent Files” column this month), articles from our regular contributors Mick Ayres and
Bruce Kalver, and lots of magic news from around the world.
I’ll see you again in March, unless I see my shadow on February 2, in which case I’m
staying in bed till June. ♣
PAGE 5
COOL CLIPS
THE ART OF SWITCHING DICE SWITCHING - R. PAUL WILSON
THE INSPIRATION BEHIND PAPER EMPIRES - AUTHOR JASON

MCKINSTRY SPEAKS ABOUT ANTIQUE PLAYING CARDS
Read the review of Jason's book in this issue on page 10.
PAGE 6
THE
PARADIGM
SHIFT EBOOKS
Groundbreaking essays
that will change the way
you think about your
magic, beautiful sleights
that will deceive both
laymen and magicians,
and commercial,
devious routines you
will enjoy performing.
Text, photos, and video
to provide an optimal
learning experience.
Download your copies today at MichaelClose.com

RUSSELL ROULETTE GAME-BOARD CARDS
FROM THE PATENT FILES by Lee Asher
B orn on September 27th, 1861 in New York,

Willis Wilmington Russell embarks in the
playing card industry later in his life. In his 40s,
he incorporates and opens Russell Playing Card
Company in Millwood, New Jersey. From this
factory, he produces high quality branded playing
cards. He also innovates and creates ideas that
are still progressive to this day.
Also the same year as his incorporation, Russell

patents the idea of using playing cards to
represent a roulette game-board layout. Instead
of purchasing an expensive roulette wheel, his
idea allows for game play at home.
Russell’s playing card business only lasts a handful

of years, and he eventually goes bankrupt. And
while he’s no longer with us, Russell’s legacy still
lives on.
ABOVE: Instruction manual that came with
Russell’s Roulette Cards (circa 1906).
APPLICATION ORIGINALLY
FILED ON SEP. 25TH, 1905
PATENT NO. USD827670

NEW YORK, NY. (USA)
WITNESSES: BENJAMIN F. HAMM

& HELEN M. O’CONNELL
PAGE 8
WHO'S WHERE
Click on the links below to check details for tickets and performers.
THE MAGIC CASTLE - HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA
CHRISTNER'S PRIME STEAK & LOBSTER - ORLANDO, FLORIDA
CHICAGO MAGIC LOUNGE - CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
MAGIC | BAR, ENCINO - CALIFORNIA
THE ILLUSIONISTS - TOURING SCHEDULE
THE ARTISAN RESTAURANT - SNOWMASS VILLAGE, COLORADO
MONDAY NIGHT MAGIC - NEW YORK, NEW YORK
WIZARDS MAGIC THEATER - KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA
MIND READING AFTER HOURS - NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS
THE MAC KING SHOW - LAS VEGAS, NV
HOUSE OF CARDS- NASHVILLE, TN
SMOKE AND MIRRORS MAGIC THEATER - PHILADELPHIA, PA
MARVYN'S MAGIC THEATER - LA QUINTA, CA

MAGIC GOES WRONG - LONDON, ENGLAND
Did we miss an ongoing magic show in your neck of the woods? Send Lisa an email with
all the details for the next newsletter. [email protected]
PAGE 9
PRODUCT REVIEW
PAPER EMPIRES
By Jason McKinstry
Available in Paperback ($34.99) and Digital ($17.20)
from: http://paperempiresbook.com/
Review by Michael Close
E
very now and then in mankind’s history, there occurs a convergence of technological
advancement and societal demands that catapults a product from relative obscurity
into massive popularity. Such an event was the development of the playing card
industry in New York City in 1835. In Paper Empires – A Historical Journey of America’s
Early Playing Card Makers, historian and collector Jason McKinstry chronicles the lives of
the major players in the playing card manufacturing revolution – men whose technological
advances, design innovations, and sharp business acumen turned playing cards into an
indispensable part of the fabric of American life.
McKinstry writes, “No matter when or where you look historically, playing cards can be
seen having a deep-rooted relationship with our civilization. While I find the subject of
ancient playing card history fascinating, what really capture my imagination are the early
American manufacturers. I have a particular passion for decks that come from the ‘Golden
Era’ of playing cards, dated 1835 through 1935. This is the area I specialize in and also the
time period my collection is focused on. All my life, I have had a keen interest in history;
I’ve owned many items and collections to satisfy my curiosity. That being said, I feel a very
special connection to American history when I hold a deck of antique cards in my hands.
It’s an experience for the senses. It becomes obvious that playing cards truly have multiple
layers of cultural significance. This is why I dedicated myself to rebuilding these amazing
stories from the past.
“Playing cards were colorful, beautiful to look at, fun to play with, and were enjoyed by all
social classes. You would find men and women gambling with them in elaborate smoking
lounges at upscale hotels, and by contrast you would find them being used in the darkest
alleyways of old New York by some of the world’s most notorious criminals. Along the
frontier at the furthermost reaches of civilization, settlers would depend on playing cards
as a considerable source of their amusement. During the Civil War, next to the rifle, full
decks of cards were one of the most prized possessions of both Union and Confederate
soldiers. Across the gritty, real-life Wild West, playing cards would become one of the most
popular and heavily associated symbols of that era because of their colorful designs and
their popular use in bars and saloons.”
PAGE 10
product review cont'd
Paper Empires focuses on four major figures in the playing card revolution: L.I. Cohen
(whose invention of the four-color printing press transformed the industry), Samuel Hart
(who innovated the incorporation of “indices” on the card faces, established the inclusion
of the now-familiar “Joker,” and designed cards for the popular game of Faro), Andrew
Dougherty (whose Tally-ho Circle and Fan-back decks remain popular today), and John
J. Levy (a nephew of Cohen whose artistry brought playing-card design to new heights).
There is also information on two of the big “conglomerates,” the New York Consolidated
Card Company and The United States Playing Card Company.
McKinstry provides a thorough accounting of the life and times of these people,
accompanied by a wealth of photos, maps, playing card designs, and other illustrations.
The only quibble I have with the book is that it could have used the sharp eyes of an editor
to clean up the writing glitches.
For anyone who collects playing cards, this book is a must-buy. For magicians who
perform with cards, Paper Empires will provide some insights into a prop you’ve probably
taken for granted. It is also likely that, within its pages, you’ll find some great presentation
hooks to dress up your performances. Recommended. 
PAGE 11
CONVERSATIONS WITH CLOSE
A CONVERSATION WITH JASON MCKINSTRY AND LEE ASHER
F
or many magicians, playing cards have an undeniable
fascination; enthusiasts eagerly snatch up every newly
released pack they can get their hands on. (As someone wryly
posted on Facebook, designer decks are the magical equivalent of
Beanie Babies.) For serious playing-card collectors, their interest
transcends the mere aesthetic appeal of new back and face
designs. They study the history of playing card manufacturing: the
mechanical processes involved, the innovations discovered, and the
businessmen who headed the companies that provided settlers,
gamblers, and just-plain-ordinary folk with a convenient way to Lee Asher
pass the time.
When it comes to the history of playing cards, Lee Asher and
Jason McKinstry are two of the most knowledgeable people on
the planet. Readers of this newsletter will recognize Lee from his
“From the Patent Files” column (as well as recognizing him from
his many contributions to card magic). Jason McKinstry is not
a magician; he is a collector and historian, and he has recently
published the first volume of a new series of books: Paper
Empires – A Historical Journey of America’s Early Playing Card
Makers. (For my review of this book, see page 10.)
The three of us had a lively discussion about playing card
history, with a focus on two of the major players – Samuel Hart
Jason McKinstry and Andrew Dougherty. We also discussed how improved card
manufacturing technology influenced the development of
advanced card magic techniques and the fact that we’re currently living in a golden age of
playing card production.
I enjoyed hosting this interview. I think you’ll enjoy listening to it. Listen to the podcast
here! ♣
PAGE 12
FAR MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
MICHAEL CLOSE INTERVIEW: serial number. Their act is a forty-year work-in-
progress, and it is a deep fooler. The depth of
SIMON AND GINNY ARONSON detail that Ginny is able to describe is amazing.
(Complete version of a previously published (You can see an eighteen-minute portion of
interview, 2012) their act on Volume One of the above DVD set.)
Simon and Ginny Aronson are two of the I chatted with both Simon and Ginny via
smartest, nicest people I know. Through his Skype; we talked about their backgrounds,
five books (Bound to Please, The Aronson Simon’s life in magic, and the development of
Approach, Simply Simon, Try the Impossible, the two-person mindreading act.
and Sessions, co-authored with David
Solomon), his marketed effects, and his Michael: Let’s start at the beginning.
three-DVD set Sessions with Simon: The Simon: I was born in Boston in 1943, (because
Impossible Magic of Simon Aronson (L&L both my parents’ families lived in the Boston
Publishing), Simon has established an enviable area). But my parents resided in Chicago, so I
reputation as one of magic’s most thoughtful lived in Chicago until age two-and-a-half, at
and thorough creators. Many of his effects, which point we moved to New York State. I
such as Shuffle-bored, Red See Passover, lived in Forest Hills until I was about nine, and
Side-swiped, and Prior Commitment are in then we moved to Rye, New York, where we
the repertoire of magicians worldwide. He lived until I left for college.
is a pioneer in memorized deck magic, and
his Aronson stack is one of the two most
popular stacks in use (you can download his
free, fifty-three-page introduction, Memories
Are Made of This, from his website, www.
simonaronson.com/memorizedhome.htm.) He
accomplished this while pursuing a full-time,
twenty-six year career as an associate and
then full-partner at the law firm of Lord, Bissell
& Brook. Ginny’s thirty-five year, full-time law
career at Sidley Austin LLP was even busier.
She progressed from associate, to partner, to
managing partner (in 1998), and was the first
woman to reach the management committee
in the 132-year history of the firm. One of her
last accomplishments before retirement was
supervising the development and design of
the firm’s new forty-story office building in
Chicago. M: Your father had a very interesting
career.
The Aronsons share many interests,
including modern art, ballroom dancing, and S: My father, Arnold Aronson, was a
piano playing. But it is their collaboration in a lobbyist and promoter for all kinds of anti-
two-person mindreading act that is particularly discrimination programs – mainly nationally,
astonishing. I experienced this firsthand, in an but also locally. He was trained as a social
impromptu setting, during lunch, when Simon worker; he got his B.A. degree from Harvard
borrowed a dollar bill and Ginny, with her back and his M.S.W. from the University of Chicago,
turned, divined the digits and letters of the and then went into the field of Jewish
PAGE 14
far more than meets the eye cont'd
community relations. Jewish organizations started among them, so my father organized

needed a national organization to help local something called the Leadership Conference
Jewish communities around the country, so on Civil Rights (which still exists) in Washington
they set up a national body in New York. My to try to coordinate all of the various other
dad was one of six or seven who coordinated civil rights groups so they could have one
all kinds of anti-discrimination matters, in civil united legislative arm. That’s why he moved
liberties, free speech, community relations, and to Washington, so he could work for that
employment. Civil rights was his forte. organization full time.
He had accumulated a vast amount of M: What did your mom do, Simon?
knowledge of how communities around
the country handled things, and he started S: My mother was a Radcliffe grad and a
promoting legislation at the national level. social worker, but also an artist. She was a very
While he was in Chicago, he and A. Phillip dedicated painter, working in various media
Randolph worked to get the first Fair – oils, watercolors, collage. I developed an
Employment Practices Act passed. He worked appreciation of art from my mother. Whenever
with Truman, and with every administration I visited home in New York or later Washington
thereafter. He was passionate about civil rights D.C., she took me to the various museums. As
all his life. In fact, not only did he do this for you know, Ginny and I are collectors, and I’m
his entire working career, but when he retired sure that my appreciation of and desire to be
in 1976 he moved to Washington, D.C., so he surrounded by modern and abstract art comes
could do more on his own time. from her.
Ginny: He was a true civil rights leader. For M: Simon, did the gift of a magic set begin
his work on civil rights he was awarded the your interest in magic?
Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest S: Yes. My first magic set was a Mandrake set,
civilian award in the United States) by President followed very quickly by a Gilbert Mysto set. My
Clinton in 1998. father’s cousin was in the toy industry and he
S: What was interesting was that he was not brought me little tricks (like the Adams stuff).
a lawyer, but he worked with laws all his life. He But when we moved to Rye, just before my
was an extremely pragmatic person. He wasn’t ninth birthday, we were just three blocks away
a “cause” person, or an idealist; his goal wasn’t from Playland, the second largest amusement
to cry “rah, rah” to promote the cause. Instead, park in New York, second only to Coney Island.
he always asked the practical questions: Where At that time it was a wonderful amusement
can we go from here? What will we have to park with rides, games, and a very large trick
do? How will we have to compromise? How do and novelty shop. My father, seeing that I was
we influence this jerk? How do I get this guy’s intrigued by the little junky plastic tricks, took
vote? me to the magic store there and we started
buying tricks. I remember getting an egg bag,
G: In the Senate they called him the great a money maker, and a small set of linking rings;
consensus builder. I was just fascinated with everything they had
there. It was the Playland magic shop that
S: He was a behind-the-scenes guy. He brought me beyond the normal simple “magic
and Roy Wilkins really started the NAACP. kit” phase, where many kids start and also stop.
Roy was a lifelong friend of his, and regularly
visited our home for twenty-five, thirty years. Another thing about Playland really intrigued
In the ‘60s, there started to be other black me. Besides its magic shop, Playland also had a
splinter groups, and competitive infighting real boardwalk with carny games; games that,
PAGE 15
in retrospect, might not have been completely all over New York City would come to spend
on the up and up. I was just fascinated by how the day at Playland. There was a big onslaught
those games worked. The magic shop was of a variety of people every year. I thought it
right on the boardwalk, so when I hung around was a great experience for learning to deal with
the magic store I started picking up on what total strangers in all sorts of situations.
the games were into. I was intrigued with the
idea of putting something over on someone. G: I think a lot of Simon’s humor, fast talk,
Not in the sense of a practical joke, but in terms and ability to get along with people came from
of getting an edge. I think that those carny this experience. Especially with the Guess Your
games enhanced my appreciation for the type Weight and Guess Your Age games.
of deception that goes on in magic – almost a S: The magic shop owner also operated
conman thing. those games, so I filled in whenever someone
M: There are two different levels of was on “break.” Running those games was as
deception going on. If you walk into a magic close as I got to being a carny pitchman. It cost
shop you are aware that someone is going a quarter to play; if the participant won, he
to try to put one over on you. But the carnies got a prize – but the prizes actually cost only a
are working on a much deeper level. If they nickel or a dime. They were plastic kewpie dolls
do their job right, you’re not even aware that and Plaster of Paris statues, but everything
the deception exists. cost far less than a quarter. The whole idea was
to get the customers to pay the quarter.
S: I think you’re right. (Laughingly) I
eventually put the two approaches to In the Guess Your Age game, I’d write a
deception together and became a lawyer. number on a piece of paper and hand it to the
mark and say, “All right, tell us your age.” If I was
M: Later you worked at that Playland within two years I won, otherwise he got to
magic shop? pick a prize. And to generate more quarters, we
were encouraged to do a second pitch, like this:
S: Yes, I actually realized my “dream job.” I “I’ll do something harder. I’ve guessed your age,
had been a regular customer for years and now I’ll guess your mother’s age, even though
the owner got to know me; he enjoyed talking she’s not here. I’ll trust you. Give me another
magic with me. When I turned sixteen, he quarter, write down your mother’s age, and I’ll
was looking for cheap labor, and since I was try to size you up and guess her age.” I actually
home for the summers, he gave me the job got pretty good at the Guess Your Weight
managing and operating the shop. I sold all the game. It didn’t make any difference, really, if I
Adams and Royal slum magic tricks – I actually was right or wrong. The instant that they paid
did a Svengali pitch and Nickels to Dimes – their money, the game was the real winner.
but there were also practical jokes. I probably We’d still make at least fifteen or twenty cents
squirted people with disappearing ink a half- profit.
dozen times a day. I had a counter between
me and the customers, so if they got upset M: Did your experiences as a magic
I could back off. There were only two times demonstrator give you any insights as far as
when someone tried to take a swing at me, but what works and what doesn’t when you do
I quickly assured them that it was just a joke. magic for people?
There was a big boat, like a ferry boat, from S: I don’t know that I was that sophisticated
New York City that brought tourists in during at that time. I was sixteen or seventeen, and I
the summer, twice a day. There were easily five can’t remember adding very much originality.
or six hundred people on the boat. People from I’d love to say that I did Mike Skinner’s routine
PAGE 16
with the Ball and Vase, but I didn’t. That came birthday shows were pretty much my sole
later. source of income until I was thirty.
M: So at the beginning, you were I was very fortunate that my father continued
interested in prop magic. to encourage my interest in magic. We lived
near New York City, just a train ride away. My
S: Absolutely. Candidly, there’s one other
thing that drove my interest in magic. I was
an absolutely terrible athlete. I had no sports
ability whatsoever. My father recognized that I
needed an activity that I could practice and be
good at, and he encouraged me. So I took to
showing people tricks and doing little shows
in the backyard. I eventually bought enough
tricks from the Playland shop to do a whole
show. I performed shows on the birthday
circuit; my first paid show was at age eleven.
My mother drove me. I actually charged a full
dollar for that show. My mother, with amazing
foresight, told me that I should frame that
dollar. I still have it. And it’s valuable, because
it’s a Silver Certificate, and they don’t make
those types of bills anymore. It may even be
worth three dollars now.
A few months after my first paid show, the

local newspaper sponsored a promotion that
let kids run free classified ads. I put in an ad
stating that I was available to do magic at
birthday parties. The editors picked me to do
a story and photo spread on because they
thought it would be unusual. That photo of me folks were culture buffs and loved to go into
with the dove pan appeared on the front page the city for theater and musical comedy shows.
of The Daily Item on June 18, 1955. In 1954 they took me to see Milbourne
Christopher do a full evening show at the
M: What about the photo of you in the top Longacre Theatre. This was a famous show.
hat? After the show my father took me backstage
and introduced me to Christopher. He was very
S: That was taken a few years later by a encouraging. He told me about one of the
professional photographer who was one of tricks he did. (I also saw his Christopher’s
my clients. I used that top hat in my Die Box Wonders show at the Maidman Playhouse a
routine. The trick ended with the die going to few years later.) I started to see New York City
the top hat. The hat was not part of my image. as a source of real magic, where the real pros
(All laugh.) I was doing birthday parties from were. I discovered Lou Tannen’s shop. From age
age eleven on, easily four or five a month, twelve to fourteen, every Saturday I’d go to
maybe more. It depended on my mother’s New York. Lou Tannen personally took me
tolerance for taking me around. My birthday under his wing. Lou was a good salesman, but
show performing was something I continued he was also a good mentor – guiding me
all through high school and college. In fact, toward the tricks that I could perform and
PAGE 17
steering me away from things I couldn’t in New York, people like Howie Schwarzman,
handle. He taught me about presentation. He Kenny Krenzel, and Harry Lorayne. Right after
was a very enthusiastic guy. I left New York, Harry came out with Close-up
Card Magic, and it was full of lots of the
There’s one other important thing I should material he had shown us at Tannen’s.
mention. The New York Department of Parks
sponsored a boy’s program (magic was sexist M: And Vernon was living in New York at
in those days) that taught magic. It was called that time.
F.A.M.E., Future American Magical Entertainers;
it was started by Abraham Hurwitz, Shari S: Absolutely. What happened was this:
Lewis’s father. This club met once a month in On Saturday, Tannen’s closed at three p.m.
the Department of Parks building. As soon and everybody went right downstairs to
as I heard about it, I joined. That’s when I got the 42nd Street cafeteria, which was an early
boosted up into more professional-level magic. predecessor to Rubin’s (where everybody
The other club members were dedicated and hangs out today). There was a big long table.
creative – my peers in FAME included Persi Vernon would sit at the end, people like Howie
Diaconis and Johnny Benzais. They were and Ken would sit near him, and Vernon
already doing pretty advanced card magic. would hold court. All of us kids would sit at
tables around them, trying to listen in on the
The FAME clubhouse had a library, so I could conversations. We weren’t part of the group,
check out the books I couldn’t afford; I just but we tried to learn whatever we could see.
read tons of books. FAME sponsored a lecture
once a month: people like Al Stevenson and M: At some point you made the transition
Richard Himber. That club was on the Lower from props to sleight of hand. Did this happen
West Side. Our meetings would break up at around this time?
one o’clock and everybody would walk over to S: It was during my very late high school
Tannen’s, which was the meeting place for New years and college. The big formative shift was
York magicians. On the way I’d stop by Flosso’s my move to Chicago at age eighteen. Certainly
shop. I hung around Flosso’s a lot. I bought my while hanging around the New York guys in
first set of the Tarbell Course piecemeal from 1960 I started playing with cards. But when
Flosso; I could only afford one volume at a time I started at the University of Chicago in 1961,
– all used, of course. within the first weeks of my arrival, I headed
Al Flosso was a real trip. Once in while he over to Ireland’s Magic Store (which later
would say, “Okay kid, you’ve earned it,” and became Magic, Inc.). Everybody was doing card
he’d invite me into the back room to see a trick. tricks there. Once I got to Chicago my interest
The back room was only for the pros. Flosso’s shifted, except that I kept doing the birthday
was the only time I met Joseph Dunninger, shows to earn spending money.
who was leaning against a counter bemoaning M: What was your major at the University
how the world didn’t appreciate him. I was of Chicago?
into mentalism as a kid. I knew that Dunninger
was a hero because he had his own TV show. S: As an undergraduate I was an economics
It featured the Dunninger Brain Busters. major. I loved the life of a university. I’m an
They were just wonderful. I had no concept academic at heart; I love to learn new things. I
of preshow work and I was just amazed. And would always prefer to be a student than a
there he was, standing in front of me. teacher. I took classes with Milton Friedman,
and I was pretty turned on by him. I’ve always
After Flosso’s, I would go over to Tannen’s been interested in finance, money, investing,
and see every magician who was prominent and business, that kind of thing. So I thought
PAGE 18
that economics would be a practical choice. I And that was really my main reason for going
was somewhat wrong, because (as a university) to law school.
the University of Chicago focuses on the
theoretical approach to things, especially G: The faculty used to joke that Simon was
economics. But it did provide a very good the only student at the University of Chicago
background for law. I graduated college in only who had tenure. (Laughter from all.)
three years rather than four, receiving my B.A. S: But Ginny is not far behind me. I ultimately
in 1964, but I wanted to study more. So I moved had a total of twelve years at the University of
to the graduate school in the philosophy Chicago; Ginny had nine years counting her
department, and I stayed there for six more undergraduate work, graduate work, and law
years. school. I steadfastly avoided any decision that
would be remotely described as going toward
a career. I probably had a secret desire to see
if I could stay in school until I was ready for
retirement.
M: And during the period that you’re

a full-time professional student, you’re
keeping yourself afloat by doing magic
shows.
S: It’s even more extreme. Because of all my

years as a student in economics, philosophy,
and law school, I had a lengthy period during
which I had no income whatsoever. But
there was very little outgo, either. I qualified
for scholarships so my tuition was paid for,
and I was a resident head for one of the
undergraduate dorms. In return for keeping
M: You studied philosophy for six years? students under some control, and being a
“dorm daddy,” the University gave me my room
S: Yes, at the graduate level, from 1964 and board at the dorm. My birthday party
to 1970. I received my M.A. in philosophy in shows, and later performing mindreading
1965, and then stayed on to work toward shows, were the only ways I got any money for
my doctorate. During the next five years I my hobbies or for dating.
studied Plato in practically every department
that taught it: Classics (in the original Greek), M: Ginny, where were you born?
Humanities, Political Science, and the
Committee on Social Thought. I studied with G: I was born in Bremerton, Washington, a
such scholars as Hannah Arendt, Leo Strauss, little town across the bay from Seattle. It was a
and George Anastoplo. And I actually taught Navy town. My dad worked in the Puget Sound
humanities in the college for two years during naval shipyards, on the big aircraft carriers. He
that period. But eventually I got tired of died quite young, when I was nine. My mother
philosophy, so I turned part of my thesis into an remarried and I ended up with a large family.
article and published it in The Journal of the I had an older brother and sister and then
History of Philosophy (1972). Since I still didn’t acquired two more sisters when my mother
want to face the real world, I thought that law remarried.
school would be a wonderful way to postpone I left Bremerton when I was eighteen to
any career decisions for another three years.
PAGE 19
go to the University of Chicago. I was greatly was in my third year as Ginny started her first.
benefitted by the university. They had a small-
town talent search, because they didn’t want M: Ginny, you saw Simon do the
their entire student body to be just from New mindreading act before you began dating
York or Chicago. You could consider it a type of him, didn’t you?
“integration” plan. They went to Washington, G: Yes. Simon had invited my boyfriend Bob
Oregon, and Montana and chose kids from and me on a double date. I was totally surprised
small towns who had done well. They gave me when we arrived at a Chicago nightclub, and I
a full scholarship. discovered that the entertainment was none
S: Let me brag about Ginny: She was one of other than Simon himself and his girlfriend,
the few people from her high school to actually performing an amazing mindreading act! (You
travel out-of-state for college. She made it big. have to understand that I was a real small
town innocent and had never seen anything
G: My first few years were quite a struggle remotely like this.) On the drive home, while
because my high school education did not we all chatted, I actually tried to prevent myself
match up to the education that Chicago and from “thinking” private thoughts for fear that
New York students had received. I persevered Simon might “read” them.
and did fine and got my B.A. degree in
sociology. Then I applied for graduate school S: I had two mindreading-partners prior to
and received a National Institute of Health Ginny. Ginny should tell you why she started
full scholarship to NYU to study sociology. being my mental partner. It was extremely
So I went to New York for a year, but I didn’t reluctantly.
particularly like it; I came back to Chicago in G: I really was a shy, quiet, small-town girl;
June of 1970. although I admired the mindreading act when
S: It was a wondrously fortuitous thing I saw Simon do it, the thought of getting up
for me that Ginny didn’t like New York and on stage and deceiving people was fairly
decided to come back to Chicago to continue intimidating to me. My problem was that,
her graduate degree. We had known each even though Simon and I were dating, Simon
other casually during her undergraduate work, was continuing to do the act with his then
because she dated one of my friends, Bob. ex-girlfriend (who was quite pretty). So every
They broke up when she left for New York. Saturday night (and sometimes twice a week),
At the time she returned to Chicago, I had they’d go off to nightclubs to do the act, and
recently been jilted by my girlfriend at that there I was, his actual girlfriend, sitting alone
point. I was available and looking, so I called at home. You can imagine what I was worrying
her up and we had our first date. might be going on.
G: And the rest is history. I then did two more S: I tried to reassure her that my relationship
years of graduate study at U of C, working with my ex-girlfriend was purely business...
part-time at the National Opinion Research G: ...yeah, right...
Center, to help support that education. Then,
after three years of grad work and having S: ...but when you tell that to your girlfriend
finished everything but my PhD dissertation, and you’re out until two in the morning with
Simon convinced me to go to law school. your ex...
M: You were still in law school, Simon? M: ...and it’s not like she could read your
mind...
S: Yes. U of C law is a three-year program; I
PAGE 20
S: ...and I loved doing the act, and I honestly magic and mindreading, took the whole family
needed the money. So I said that the only to it. What was absolutely captivating, in my
solution would be for Ginny to learn the act. So recollection, is that the first five minutes or so
she did, and we started performing together of the Broadway show opened with them
by the fall of 1970. apparently doing their vaudeville mind reading
act – in the theater for the real audience! Alfred
G: But the act was a lot simpler then. Lunt went through the first few rows picking
M: Let me ask you Ginny, when you first out objects, and Lynne Fontanne was on stage
saw Simon do the two-person act, it had blindfolded identifying them. I don’t know if
an effect on you. You weren’t exactly sure: that was all rehearsed and planted, or if they
could someone actually do this? Then Simon were actually cueing something (my guess is
asks you to be part of the act. Was there not), but that was the first time I had ever seen
some disappointment in finding out how it anything like this, and I thought it was just an
worked? amazing act. I have the full script of the play,
and that opening demonstration is not part of
G: There are many magic tricks where, if you it. That was my first introduction to that kind of
discover the secret, it is a letdown, but not so act.
with his mind reading. I’ve always been in awe
of what Simon has created here, even more so
when I see other two-person acts. I’m sure he
will agree that this is the best thing he’s ever
come up with. So, no, learning this particular
secret was not a disappointment.
M: Let’s give everyone some background

on the two-person act. You saw Eddie Fields
and George Martz in Chicago doing their
dime-store mentalism.
S: Yes, but my very first acquaintance with

two-person mindreading goes back way before
Eddie Fields. It goes back to when I was still in
New York, and I remember this vividly. In 1956,
when I was twelve, there was a Broadway show
called The Great Sebastians; it starred Alfred
Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, who were husband Later, in 1965, in Chicago, somebody had
and wife. It was a comedy written for them mentioned that there was this guy reading
about a vaudeville two-person mindreading minds at Woolworth’s, so I trekked from Hyde
team who are travelling around Europe as Park downtown to the Loop and went to
war is about to break out. The Germans see Woolworth’s. There was somebody billed as
them, decide that they are real, and take them the Professor, blindfolded, and he was calling
captive in order to get secret information by out and describing objects that were held
having them read minds. It’s a comedy about up by people in the store aisles. There was
how this vaudeville team tries to escape and another guy, almost completely nondescript
convince the Germans that it’s not real. But the – he looked like a store clerk – who ushered
Germans have been convinced. the people together to form an audience and
My father, knowing that the show was about helped them with their various objects. It was
PAGE 21
Eddie Fields, secretly coding that information as a convincer, but the reason that they were
to the Professor, George Martz, who was a there was not to entertain people. At the end
retired wrestler and boxer whom Eddie had of their act they sold printed horoscopes, for
trained. $ 2.00 each. I knew the magic catalogs, and
recognized that these were horoscopes that
I had very mixed feelings. On the one hand came in bulk directly from Nelson Enterprises.
I was completely in awe at what they could This was one of those areas where mentalism
accomplish and the audience reaction. There stands at the borderline of ethics – using it for
was no doubt that they were being believed some other way of moneymaking because
completely. I was amazed at the depth of you have been convincing. That’s something
information they could convey. On the other that I have never had any interest in doing.
hand, I was stunned by how ungrammatical But Eddie and George did it even more
and awkward Eddie was in terms of speaking surreptitiously: they convinced the audience
– even though it fit him well. His character was that George could tell them their birthdays
someone who would mumble, who would and their innermost thoughts. He could do
speak in half sentences. He’d start something the birthdays because Eddie saw people’s
and then break off and talk to someone else. driver’s licenses. But the real hook came with
There was no good grammatical flow. I decided the pitch, which was, “With each horoscope
then and there that I wanted to do that kind you buy, Professor Martz will tell you your lucky
of act, but I didn’t want to sound like him. And number.” This was always a three-digit number,
that meant I better figure out what goes on in because most of the people in that Woolworth
those acts. audience were playing the “numbers racket.”
For the next four months I basically skipped That was the equivalent to the lottery in those
most of my classes so I could research (mainly days. In “playing the numbers” the actual odds
in Jay Marshall’s library) everything I could I were a thousand to one, but the payoff was
find on two-person codes – Julius Zancig’s six hundred to one. Poor people often bet a
code, all of Ralph Read’s stuff, Mercedes’s few dollars in the hopes of striking it lucky. The
work. Jay had old books, manuscripts and dimestore audience felt that this “Professor”
one-page mimeographs, sometimes with just guy might be able to somehow actually know
a list of code words. I did an accumulation or predict their “lucky number” because he had
of everything I could find – probably fifteen this awesome power. And that was how they
to twenty different codes – and then started sold so many horoscopes.
putting things together, but in the way I would M: That’s a great scam.
speak. I thought an awful lot about what
makes a code act effective but invisible. S: George and Eddie would work
Woolworth’s for about eight weeks at a time
M: Since what Fields and Martz were and then move on to another city. During
doing was not really billed as a “magic their time in Chicago, I would be there every
act,” it seems to relate more to the type day watching them do six or eight shows in
of deception that was used by the carnies a morning. When they took breaks, I would
in Playland. I wonder if this might have sit and chat with Eddie. I asked him all sorts
increased its appeal to you. This places the of questions about mindreading, but the one
deception many layers deeper than the thing we would not discuss was the actual
audience realizes. There’s a big con going code they used, and I never pushed him; after
on. all, this was their livelihood. Eddie never told
S: It certainly was. Eddie would draw the tip anyone the code until after George died.
and George would start reading the objects G: Often, after we have finished performing
PAGE 22
our act, people have come up to me and asked M: I’m sure that from an intellectual
for lottery numbers or stock tips. That’s very standpoint what you both find fascinating
common. about this type of act is discovering how
much you can do with how little you say.
M: So, Simon, you studied all the available But there is also a theatrical aspect; the
information on the subject and then worked danger is that once you establish that Ginny
out a code to your satisfaction. can sense these objects, what do you do
S: I wouldn’t use the word satisfaction. The next? Dramatically, how do you ramp up the
one thing that I can tell you (without going procedure? Can you talk about that?
into detail on the method) is that our system S: I think you’re exactly right; if you want to
is constantly evolving. The basic underlying do it as a theatrical act it has to build. Once
cues we use are somewhat fixed, those don’t you’ve shown what you can do, you want to
change, but how we handle certain situations build suspense. For us, we build suspense
changes. Even in the early years, even the by hoping that the objects will become ever
beginning stuff was very malleable. I don’t more challenging and difficult – at least as
know how someone could do this type of act the audience perceives it. This act in a sense is
without a lot of experience. You don’t realize all ultimate jazzing, because it depends so much
the possibilities you’ll encounter. on the audience. You’d think we would want a
For instance, our forte is trying to code bunch of objects that we’re prepared to do –
objects and describe these articles in detail. combs, watches, wallets, lipstick – but in fact
Not every code does that. Some codes such commonplace things make for a deadly
specialize in questions and answers. The act, because it’s not interesting. The audience
sender is going to find out what the question is can quickly sense that you would be ready for
and then code that to the receiver. You should such objects. You hate it when the audience
doesn’t have anything with them, or they
bring out thirty-eight different pens. You’re
looking for the objects that appear challenging.
We love it when we get objects that to the
audience seem unlikely and challenging, but
we’ve anticipated them and we’re prepared for
them. It’s a question of how many steps ahead
you can plan for.
G: One thing that Simon has done is to build

a sequence of tests within the act, which the
audience perceives to be progressively harder,
so it seems to build in difficulty.
S: We don’t immediately open with objects.

Matt Schulien does a trick for Simon (c. 1966) We start with a playing card test, to get Ginny
warmed up. And I point out that the field was
use different cues and words to do that. One “narrow, just one out of fifty-two.” Then we do
good team specializes in conveying people’s our dice demonstration. I have a big fishbowl
names. That requires completely different filled with a hundred different-colored dice.
coding words and coding timings than you One spectator selects any die, a second person
would use for objects. You really ought to picks another die of a different color; both are
decide what you want your act to focus on, a free choice. Ginny, blindfolded, immediately
before you start to put a system together. calls out the two colors. When they give them a
PAGE 23
roll she not only calls out the total, she also tells specific brand, because I know how she’ll react,
them how it’s made up and which number is I know what she’s aware of,
on which colored die. And, depending on how
long a show it is, we have other tests we can We sometimes hit an object we can’t do, but
add in also. By the time we get to the objects, perhaps she can say what it’s made of, or tell
the audience has seen a certain growth. a little about it. And sometimes, we get lucky
in just winging it. Here’s our favorite example,
Perceived challenges are what make our which happened when we performed at Magic
act interesting. For example, often a person Chicago. A gentleman held up an object, and
takes off his shoe and hands it to you. This is a I saw immediately that it’s nothing we’ve
whole different level than watches and keys. ever done before, not even remotely. Ginny,
The whole audience goes, “wow,” because they blindfolded, says, “I have the impression that
think this is an offbeat item, one they might this object has something to do with music.”
not have thought to do. So, for that audience So far, so good, and people start nodding that
a shoe is a clever, novel thing. What they don’t she’s correct. Then I threw another cue to her,
know is that we see this in virtually every show. but I can see that she is puzzled as hell.
We’re ready for shoes – and boots, sneakers,
sandals, and even socks! G: I have no idea of where Simon’s heading,
but I know what he sent me, a cue for
The interesting part for us is how much we silverware, specifically a fork, so I said, “Does
can do with the things that are so far out that this have something to do with a fork? Like
we’re not ready for them. a musical fork?” I was silently thinking, could
someone play a musical fork the way they play
G: One of the most unusual was at a recent spoons?
magic convention when someone held up a
bill. I identified it as paper money, then further S: And I immediately said, “That’s exactly
as a foreign bill. And then Simon asked what right, it’s a tuning fork!”
country it was from, and I said, “Zimbabwe.”
Over the years we’ve had golf tees, diapers, and G: The audience just died.
someone once had nuts, which I specifically
identified as pistachio nuts. At our last event
someone held up a leaf. And then there was
the one we felt most pleased about...
S: Let me give you this anecdote. For us,

this is jazzing. Even when we’re not set for a
specific object...
G: ...like Zimbabwe...
S: ...but when you do something for so long,

and you’re married to your partner, you know
how she thinks. I know what countries Ginny
knows, so I may be able to give her just enough
of a clue, maybe one or two letters (you can’t
spell out a whole word). Since I know how
Ginny thinks, and what she’s familiar with, I can
wing it, try to think “like she does” and then
give her hints There are times when someone Ginny and Simon close the evening show at
holds up a product, and she’ll name the Juan Tamariz' Escoria
PAGE 24
S: She still didn’t know what it was. But when Simon had already cued me, so when I
she said “musical fork,” I just chimed in, and immediately announced it was from Israel, the
confirmed, “Yes, exactly, a tuning fork.” Those audience roared!
are the challenges we love.
One of the unusual features of our two-
M: And as far the audience is concerned, person act is that we can do it in virtually any
you got it completely right. Simon’s venue, at any time. All we need is each other
comment is an affirmation, not a and an audience (that has stuff with them).
clarification. We can do it in large auditorium, a small living
room – but we’ve also performed it poolside,
S: And when I say the code grows, after every and once, on a traveling tour bus (I stood up
show we add things to our lists, our categories, front, and Simon marched up the aisle). Simon
our experiences. used to joke that for close-up all he needed
M: And you have to constantly revise was a deck of cards; for mind reading, all he
those lists to reflect objects that are needs is a wife (preferably his own).
contemporary. So items will disappear. New M: Let’s talk about keeping the act in trim.
items, especially new technology, will be You have the benefit of living with each
commonplace. other, and now that you’re both retired you
S: That’s right. We still could do a draft also have more free time. How do you drill
card or a telegram, but they don’t really exist this act?
anymore. In the past four or five years we’ve S: First of all, keep in mind that, as far as
had to get very educated in electronics. We two-person acts are concerned, we are a
often get thumb drives. Five or six years ago no major exception. We don’t perform the act
one would have had one of those. professionally, so we don’t do it that often.
G: Let’s go back to Michael’s original Months can go by between shows. Whereas,
question, which was how do you keep it if you’re performing regularly on the circuit,
entertaining, to make it something beyond you’re always staying in practice. For us, not
just a recitation. There are two things going getting rusty is a big thing. There are lots of
on. I don’t consider myself a naturally funny ways to practice. We have lists on computer
person, and since I do most of the talking, spreadsheets of every single thing we’ve ever
I’ve been trying very hard to be amusing or had...
to reveal things in such a way that people G: ...and everything that we’re prepared for,
laugh. I think that’s been working well. So even if it’s never arisen...
that’s one element. We don’t try to do a bizarre
or mysterious kind of act, in which I’m really S: ... and we can randomize those lists and
reading minds in a serious manner. I’m kind of practice with them. Whenever we have a show
funny. coming up we’ll start cramming two or three
weeks ahead of time. Ginny is much more
Second, even with objects that seem normal, worried about losing her memory than I am,
that everyone knows and carries, like a credit so she studies more. I don’t seem to lose it
card, I will reveal level after level of detail, and very much. There’s two parts: accuracy and
this process becomes very interesting. Objects facility. I may know what I have to say, but it
that allow me detailed description provide still might take time to remember it. It’s that
the audience with a lot of fun. We recently did instantaneousness that you want - to speak
a show at the University of Chicago, where without effort. The moment I see an object
someone held up a driver’s license. The guy I have to know what to say. It’s like with a
then called out, “from where?” Fortunately, memorized deck: you want the reaction to be
PAGE 25
immediate, the underlying mnemonics to not Vietnam and asked if we could tell her if he
be there anymore. was alive or dead. Simon promptly replied that
we only dealt with objects. There was another
M: This is a prime example of an effect in incident after a show (and we make it very
which you can’t let your thinking show. clear that what we do is entertainment) when
G: Exactly. I can get the object that Simon a woman came up to me and said that her
is sending immediately, but then I may need mother was at the edge of death; she wanted
a little time to think about how I’m going to me to be with her after she died. The clear
disclose it. implication was that I could somehow talk to
her mother.
S: Keep in mind that the roles of sender and
receiver are very different. As a receiver, if Ginny And then there was an incident after a
is a little hesitant, that’s okay. A real mindreader birthday party. Sometimes, just to make it look
might be hesitant in picking up thoughts, or a little more genuine, I will intentionally miss on
she might pick them up piecemeal, or start an object. And so, when a woman held up her
and stop, probing. So I think that fits with a string of pearls, I said I just couldn’t receive an
hesitant revelation. From the sender’s point of impression.
view, I’m not supposed to be doing anything S: And keep in mind that a pearl necklace
but talking to an audience member or Ginny, is something we can do easily. We can do
so it shouldn’t look like I’m getting a hernia many different kinds of necklaces, but Ginny
trying to figure out what word to choose. I’ll purposely missed the necklace because I had
often just practice seeing how quickly I can get told her t to build in a few mistakes.
the correct words without mumbling or losing
it. G: The next morning we heard from the host
that the woman had flushed her necklace –
and they were real pearls – down the toilet
because she thought they were jinxed, just
because I couldn’t sense them. Fortunately
that type of thing hasn’t happened recently.
But Simon now jokes that any intentional
misses should only be on stuff like pencils, not
valuables.
S: Whether or not to make disclaimers,

so you don’t mislead people, is an issue in
mentalism. But part of the appeal of mentalism
is that people aren’t sure. What the audience
sees seems real, and that captivates and
engages them. We always build in a disclaimer
Simon entertaining at home. at the beginning: “We’re not here to convince
anybody; we’re here to entertain you. But
remember that even a skeptic keeps an open
M: Have there been times when people mind.” That’s one of those suitably ambiguous
come up to you to answer questions about pronouncements that leaves the door open for
their personal lives? anyone to think whatever they want.
G: During the ‘70s a woman came up after G: But remember, we do the act in an
a show and said that her son was missing in amusing way.
PAGE 26
S: I enjoy humor, and I’m constitutionally
unable not to chuckle and make jokes. We
were doing a show in New York recently and
a lady handed me a piece of jewelry. Ginny
identified it saying, “It’s a pin with diamonds
in it.” The lady said, “Oh, but they’re fake.” So I
replied, “Don’t worry, so are we.”
M: I went back and found the first trick

you ever published, Maximus in Genii
magazine (1959). As prolific as you are in
close-up magic, did you come up with
new and original Simon Aronson kid show
magic?
Marlo Plays Spectator (1980)
S: Absolutely not. I did put in my own
presentations. When I was doing birthday there are many methods I might adopt, but not
parties it was solely to get performing simply putting the card into the wallet directly.
experience and to make money. I might have I might start with a fake already in there (like
changed the story of Freddie the Rabbit to with Kaps’s Card in the Box), or openly put
Herman the Rabbit, but that was about as something else into a wallet and switch it,
original as I got. but the method ought to be something other
than what the spectator might be thinking. I
M: Let’s talk for a moment about how you want their own description of the effect and
create your effects. I’ve been performing plot to itself be misleading to them. So, if they
many of your tricks for more than thirty are going to think “Somehow he got that card
years; in fact, I established quite a reputation in the wallet,” being counterintuitive to that
(and sold a few books for you) with Red See description is something I would favor.
Passover. The thing that greatly appeals to
me is that your material is designed to fool I love to combine methods. Sometimes, by
intelligent spectators. accident, people will fall onto the method. But
if you have several things going on – a little bit
S: When Jon Racherbaumer reviewed my of sleight of hand, a little bit of mathematics,
first book, he wrote that “Simon’s material plays a little bit of a stack, a bit of subtlety, some
to the gallery.” I make the assumption that my misdirection – then even if they get one part
spectators are thinking people and that they of it, it’s not enough to discover the whole
know a lot. Not necessarily that they know a lot method.
about magic, but that they are observant and
rational. I don’t have absolutist principles about I don’t mind complex methods as long as
the way I try to create things, but certainly one they don’t result in complex effects. It’s like the
guideline that I’ve always used is that whatever duck that looks so serene gliding across the
the method is, it ought to be counterintuitive. water; but under the surface he’s paddling like
Whatever first thought people might normally crazy. My feeling is that magic should be that
have about a possible method, then the actual way. The effect should be very simple and easy
method ought not follow that same direction. to understand on the surface, but underneath,
with the methodology, I don’t care how much
Take a trick like Card to Wallet. If the work I have to do. I’ve always believed that
spectator is going to conceptualize the effect the more advance preparation you have, and
as “a card magically travels to your wallet,” by that I mean anything that happens before
PAGE 27
the trick begins, then the less there is for the we’ve gone to and the effort we’ve expended
spectators to observe. There’s nothing wrong over forty years.
with doing a trick with a borrowed, shuffled
deck and starting from scratch. But in a G: Simon, you’ve said that the scientists were
situation in which you start totally impromptu easier to fool. They would come up with the
and clean, then any clues to the method are, strangest explanations for what they saw.
by definition, in front of the audience and S: I think that scientists and engineers have a
potentially noticeable. particular weak spot. They are used to starting
If, however, before you begin you secretly their experiments with observable data and
arrange three or four cards – or the full deck work from there. The one thing they are not
– the audience doesn’t see that, and they equipped to do, it’s not in their methodology, is
can’t reconstruct a method from what they’ve to assume that the data itself has a mind and
merely seen, because you did things before the is trying to fool them. If they do an experiment,
trick started. Triple Play, the trick I contributed they expect that what they observe is a correct
to this issue of M-U-M, is a good example. Part starting point and they analyze from there. But
of what makes that trick a little more deceptive if what they observe is wrong, deceptive, false,
is that you’ve prearranged some things. They or fake, their entire science falls apart. They’re
see a shuffled deck, but they’re starting at the not programmed to suspect that the data are
wrong place. Once you get them starting at part of a hidden agenda.
the wrong place, it’s much harder for them to M: I’d like to touch for a moment on
retrace the method. memorized deck magic, an area of card
M: I once wrote that audiences have an magic that has become quite popular in the
unconscious assumption that there is a limit past few years. You mentioned to me one
to how much trouble someone would go to time that the most useful stack anyone will
just to fool them. Certainly memorized deck memorize is the second one, because until
work is a prime example of this. you start working with a stack, you don’t
really know how you’ll utilize it, and you
S: And this certainly applies to our two- won’t know what features you wish were
person act. No one would believe the trouble built in. My question is: Is the Aronson stack
your second stack? Had you learned another
Private Gathering, focusing on

Memorized Deck Magic 1995 (Plants,
Weber, Aronson, Pierce, Gagnon, Krenz,
Tamariz, Rioboo, Kalush)
PAGE 28
one first, like Nicola or Ireland? and that turned me on. I created a really neat
trick with the faro restacking pack. I showed
S: No. When I first got turned on to Ed and he thought it was pretty cool. I got a
memorized deck magic in 1969, it came postcard from him about it. That was the first
through Marlo, who had published a large time I met him. I still have that postcard.
section of great memorized deck tricks in
Ibidem. That turned me on, and I decided M: There’s a photo of you doing a trick for
I’d memorize a stack. It’s the same as with Ed. Was he a good spectator?
the mindreading act; when I decide to do
something that will require a lot of memory, I S: He would play along. He loved to watch
do a lot of research before I settle on what to tricks. I think that he was always thinking way
memorize. Marlo was using the Ireland stack. ahead of you. My favorite trick I ever did for
He had been turned on to memorized deck him was my Bait and Switch (The Aronson
work from Laurie Ireland. I was immediately Approach, page 85). It fooled him completely
faced with Ireland or Nicola. Given that I had because I did it as a way of trying to follow a
the opportunity, I thought I should think card through a control behind my back. He
about what was built into the stack. At the picked a card, shuffled it back into the deck,
time I was doing a lot of gambling and poker and I put the deck behind my back. I made
tricks, because I had recently read Rusduck’s some motions as if I was thumb-counting.
publications, so I put a lot of Rusduck’s and Then I brought the deck forward and I knew
Michael Zen’s material into my stack. the exact position of his card – because behind
my back I switched the pack for a memorized
If I were ever to do it again, there are deck. It fooled him because he was so intent
definitely things I would change in my stack, on looking for the controls.
but I don’t think that those changes are strong
enough to warrant a whole new stack. I’d M: This is an example of understanding
probably change the Aces around a bit to make who you’re working for.
them more accessible for productions. But S: One of the things Ed constantly taught us
candidly, so much of what I’m finding is that was that you have to know your spectator. Ed
the best memorized deck magic is the stuff would constantly fool us by using things that
that is stack independent. It’s based on the he knew we were weak on. Steve Draun is a
performer’s facility with the stack, rather than move guy, so Ed would use things other than
how the stack is constructed. moves to fool him. Dave has a way of thinking
And in that sense it doesn’t make a about naturalism and plots, and Ed would
difference. I’ve had people come up to me throw in a ruse or a feint, and just completely
sheepishly and tell me that they like my throw him off. He knew that my mind went
material but they use Juan’s stack. I don’t care to mathematics, stacks, and pre-figuration,
at all. Memorize a deck and know it cold and go so all he’d have to do is slip in a move that I
from there. The only particular reason to know wouldn’t be aware of and I’d be totally lost. You
a specific stack is if your friends also know it, so determine a person’s weaknesses and exploit
they can ring in decks for you. them.
M: I want to talk a little about the Chicago M: You have had the benefit of a long-
Mafia, and your mentor, Ed Marlo. time, continuous session with some very
talented magicians and creators. Your
S: I first met Ed Marlo casually in 1966 at Saturday afternoon sessions with Dave
a lecture. Dave Solomon and I had recently Solomon and John Bannon have been going
obtained a copy of Faro Controlled Miracles on for more than twenty years.
PAGE 29
S: What is now called the Chicago Session on packet tricks that end clean; but packet
started in the ‘60s when Dave Solomon and I tricks leave me somewhat lukewarm. David
were both in school. It was just the two of us is a problem solver. It isn’t so much that he
meeting each week. And then when we met focuses on getting a great effect from the
Marlo, we just shifted over to the Marlo Table, start, but he’ll see an effect and think, “How
which had already existed. Sessions at the can I improve that? Where can I make it better,
Marlo Table continued until Ed died in 1991. So smoother, cleaner?” He’s a method man.
the current triumvirate then began meeting at Because we each have a different focus, when
my home every Saturday. someone shows something at a session, we
try to offer suggestions based on that person’s
forte or skill, but without much plan or intent
to use the item ourselves. There are very few
Bannon tricks or Solomon tricks that I do,
and vice versa. We just don’t do each other’s
material.
G: It’s great because they each bring those

difference perspectives.
M: And I guess we have to give three

cheers to the unsung hero here: Ginny, who
lets the session invade her kitchen every
Saturday afternoon.
Weekly meeting of the Chicago Session in

G: I enjoy having them visit; we’re all old
Simon's (actually Ginny's) Kitchen. friends. And after so many years there is a
strong social component. All the spouses are
friends with each other. In fact, we performed
There are at least two things that have held our mind reading act as the entertainment for
the three of us together. One is a complete David’s wedding, over twenty-five years ago.
trust in each other that what we show at
the session doesn’t go any further until such M: I think it will be of interest to our
time that we say it can. There’s a real trust. readers to discover some of the other
Sometimes that’s hard, even with a good interests you two share, that you’ve spent
friend. It’s not that he may be dishonest or a lot of time and money on. Some years
untrustworthy, but he may get eager and start ago, I was surprised to learn of your interest
to play with the trick, making variations and in ballroom dancing, and to find out that
showing it around. All of a sudden, something you had renovated part of your condo to
that was supposed to be a secret gets away accommodate a ballroom dancing floor. How
from you. That doesn’t happen with the three did that come about?
of us.
S: One of the many things that Ginny and I
The second thing is that the three of us share is that we are completely disinterested
are totally different on what we focus on in in, and unskilled at, anything physical. If there
magic. Consequently, our work is very rarely is any athletic event in Chicago, you won’t find
competitive. My interest is in stacks, in math, us there. We’re probably the only people in
and in pursuing a hands-off look; that’s not Chicago who never went to see Michael Jordan
something that the other two focus on. For play basketball live.
the past few years John has had a major focus
Ballroom dance was the one exception –
PAGE 30
and it can get pretty athletic. It started in 1984 Ginny said, “Hey, at sixty you should do
when we were on a cruise and we saw this something special; what do you want to do?”
couple gliding across the dance floor. It looked After she ruled out what I first fantasized doing
beautiful; it looked effortless. during a week in Las Vegas, I told her that I
would like to learn to play the piano. And so
G: Little did we realize that their little duck we started small with an electronic piano and
feet were paddling wildly underneath. went from there. We now have a grand piano
S: We went up to them and asked, “How and I practice three or four hours a day; I love it.
do you make it look like that?” They looked at Someday I might be good.
me like I was from another planet and said, M: Other than the need for diligent,
“You take dance lessons.” When we came intelligent practice (a requirement that
back from that cruise, we went to our local piano playing shares with conjuring), it
discovery center, started dance lessons, and certainly requires a different skill set. The
got hooked tremendously. Me more than biggest difference, perhaps, is the need
Ginny, but we both really liked it. We got to make creative decisions and execute
private teachers and signed up with a good actions under the constraint and control of
dance studio. Unfortunately, what we found metronomic time.
out is that our law careers, which involved
long hours, with dinner coming late in the day, S: You don’t get to choose your own erratic
made it impossible to try to trek out to the tempo.
dance studio at 9:30 in the evening to start
our daily practice. So the one really big splurge M: You could, but no one will hire you.
we made in our life was to buy the apartment S: And Ginny is taking lessons too.
next to us, knock down the walls, and convert
part of it into a dance studio. And we practiced G: I’m having a great time and practicing two
dancing there for the next fifteen years. During hours a day. I use the electronic keyboard.
that period we went to competitions, we had
coaches, and for seven years in a row we went M: Has your enthusiasm for magic
to dance camp for one week each summer changed? Will we see a new Simon Aronson
with thirty-five hours of instruction. We were book down the road?
real ballroom dancers. The only thing we ever S: The enthusiasm has absolutely not
failed at in ballroom dance was one time in diminished, not an iota. I love it. I try to absorb
dance camp when I stupidly decided to take it as much as I can. The time component for
the class in Lifts and Drops. I was real good at magic is restricted, and piano practice fights
the second part. for time. This makes you more selective. As I
G: It was very fun and very athletic and as we get older I get more selective because of the
got good we were really moving. time constraint and frustration – so much in
magic that I witness is simply reinvention of
S: Unfortunately, we have not really done what has come before. So little of the magic
ballroom dancing since my feet gave out. We that is currently offered is truly new. I guess
turned the dance floor into an exercise room the reinvention of things that others have
and a piano room. previously created is perfectly acceptable as
part of a normal learning curve. But it’s often
M: I want to touch on the piano next, just not new to me.
because most magicians will not know of
your great interest in learning jazz piano. M: And now, of course, technology allows
anyone to publish anything without the
S: It’s a great hobby. When I turned sixty,
PAGE 31
oversight of an editor. So much of the G: And people say that all the time.
information out there is a rehash.
S: People will look for some kind of a code,
You’re both retired now and the two- but they don’t really know what that means or
person mindreading act is coming to the exactly when the code is being used. They
fore; I assume that you’ll be performing it as comment, “He didn’t say anything,” or “He
often as you are able. didn’t say enough,” or “He said the same thing
over and over again.” After they get stymied
S: We have more shows booked for this year. trying to discern a code, the next thing they
Making money is not the goal; it’s for fun, for think of is electronics – some hidden cameras
friends. We look forward to doing it. When you or earpieces. Ginny has very long, beautiful hair,
asked if there was another book in the offing, but she always wears it up in the mindreading
certainly at some point, I don’t want to say act so people can see that there is nothing in
when, I would love to put all our experience her ears.
and thoughts and methodologies on the
mindreading act into print. It’s kind of written
because we have a highly detailed notebook
that we use to refresh our memories. It needs
to be fleshed out in more of a descriptive form.
I think that forty-five years of experience doing
it has some value. Too many people have put
out material that winds up being bare-bones
lists. That’s not where the details are. The
details are: how do you size up an audience;
what do you do beforehand; how do you do
scanning of a room; how do you avoid objects?
There are millions of things you can do to
enhance your performance, and these are just
some of things we have learned over the years.
M: Well, put me down as someone who

would love to read that book when it comes
out.
G: The problem is that Simon doesn’t want to Trying to Fly

put it out while we’re still performing it.
M: I completely understand, and have no People come up with all sorts of crazy
problem with that at all. explanations and they won’t stop. The one
explanation that I love and Ginny hates
S: When we do the mindreading, and is: “I know how you do it. Simon’s a great
assuming people don’t believe and they’re ventriloquist and she’s the dummy.” I wish that
trying to figure out how we do it, the very was the method; it would save us a lot of
first thing that crosses their mind is that we’re work. ♥
communicating through some kind of code. So
that’s the one method we try to dispel. In my
card magic I want them to say “He didn’t do
anything.” In the mindreading act I want them
to say, “He didn’t say anything.”
PAGE 32
LIVING WITH SIMON (OR, TRY THE IMPOSSIBLE)

BY GINNY ARONSON
(FROM A PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED ARTICLE, 2012)
Simon and I could not be more different. Simon lives in

his imagination, gets totally involved in his passions, and
is addicted to whatever he’s doing at the moment. I’m the
practical one, rooted in the real world; it’s a good thing he has
me to bring him back to earth.
Simon and I share deeply in whatever the other does. I love
to cook, and he loves magic. So Simon gets to eat gourmet
food, and I get to select playing cards. Somehow, I think he
got the better of that deal. I’ve been his loyal partner in all
aspects of his magic, from editing every one of Simon’s books
and articles, to spending our vacations at magic conventions
around the world (where I get to see our magical friends), from
hosting magicians visiting Chicago (Michael Close was one of
our earliest sleepover guests), to sharing my kitchen every Saturday so that the Chicago
Session can brainstorm. For over twenty-five years I put up with Ed Marlo’s cigars (but
after he’d had a session with Ed, I made Simon change his clothes before I’d let him back
into our home).
Don’t get me wrong – it’s been a unique, fascinating, eye-opening life. I have seen
David Roth push coins through my kitchen table, ironed Guy Hollingworth’s shirt so he
could look impeccable for his lecture, and had Boris Wild soulfully perform his romantic
Kiss Act, complete with music, just for me, with red paper kisses fluttering around my
dining room at the climax. One morning, before I left home for work, Lennart Green
stumbled out of our guest room, still in his pajamas, and performed his entire FISM act
for me over breakfast!
Simon can be critical, and he isn’t afraid to offer his opinions. While I was initially shy
and retiring, over the years my law career and my performing persona as a mindreader
have made me pretty discerning and blunt on my own, and I’m not hesitant to tell
Simon when his latest creation isn’t up to snuff, or when a move flashes, or when a plot
is confusing. I enjoy good magic, but don’t have much tolerance for weak performances.
Simon feels the same way, but doesn’t hesitate to help youngsters who are just starting
out in this amazing hobby. At conventions, he’ll be accosted by some kid who wants to
ask a question or show him something; Simon plunks himself down on the floor with
him, and he’ll patiently spend time demonstrating, explaining, or trading ideas. (Simon
says he’s forever grateful to his early mentors, and he just wants to pay it forward. Simon’s
problem is, now, once he’s down on the floor he has a hard time physically getting up!)
All in all, our life in magic has been one more, all-encompassing bond that’s brought us
even closer together. It’s almost as if we can read each other’s mind. ♥
PAGE 33
TRIPLE PLAY
BY SIMON ARONSON
Effect: From a shuffled deck, a spectator freely selects a card, remembers it, and replaces
it into one half of the deck. That half is isolated on the table, under the spectator’s hand.
The performer gives the remaining half an overhand shuffle, stopping this shuffle
wherever the spectator designates, to form three random piles. He explains that these piles
will tell him what the spectator’s selected card is.
The performer turns the first pile face up to reveal, say, a red card on its face. Sure enough,
the spectator confirms her chosen card is red. He next turns that second pile face up to
reveal that its bottom card is, say, a Diamond. Again, the spectator confirms her chosen
card is, in fact, a Diamond. The performer lifts up the third pile, so that only he can see its
face card, and asks, “Does your card happen to be a Six, (or, whatever the value may be)?”
The spectator nods that this value is, indeed correct.
For the climax, the performer turns over this third pile to reveal not just “any” Six, but in
fact the spectator’s identical selected card, which has thus magically transported from
under the spectator’s hand.
Method: I like effects that combine several disparate methods, and Triple Play is a good
illustration. It incorporates a small stack (of just four cards), some sleight of hand, and some
minor multiple outs (all of which look the same). The end result is something that’s close to
impromptu, is relatively easy, and allows a completely free selection from a (nearly) shuffled
deck.
Set-up: Before you begin, preset the bottom four cards of the deck so that there is one
of each suit, in the following order (from the face): Spades, Clubs, Hearts, and Diamonds.
(The values don’t matter, but it looks a bit more random if the two red suits aren’t the
same value; similarly with the two black suits.) You can see that, by using just two of these
four cards, we’ll be able to match both the color and the suit of whatever free selection the
spectator chooses.
Working: With the deck on the table, give it a few casual riffle shuffles. Your only
requirement is to maintain the bottom four-card stack in its place, which is accomplished
by simply first dropping the bottom four cards (or more) as a block as you begin the shuffle.
Since the rest of the shuffle is fair, the deck looks convincingly mixed.
We’re now going to have a card freely selected from somewhere in the center of the
deck.
With your right hand, pick up the entire deck from above, and dribble it back into your
left hand, as you explain to your spectator Ginny, “In a moment, I’m going to dribble the
deck like this, and as I dribble, just call out the word ‘Stop’ wherever you want.” Be sure to
time this initial demonstration so that the entire deck has dribbled into your left hand by
the end of your sentence.
PAGE 34
triple play cont'd
Pick up the deck again and commence another dribble, timing it so that Ginny says
“stop” somewhere around the middle of the deck. When she does, casually place the cards
remaining in your right hand onto the table. With your left thumb, push the top card of the
left-hand packet (the card Ginny stopped at) to the right for about half its width. Holding it
in this sidejogged position, raise your left hand
up to a vertical position, so that Ginny can see
the face of this sidejogged card (let’s assume it’s
the Six of Diamonds, as in Photo 1).
After you’ve displayed the card, lower your
left hand, with the selection still sidejogged, so
the left-hand packet is roughly parallel to the
tabletop. Now, with your right hand, pick up the
tabled packet and hold it about twelve inches
above the table, preparing to dribble these
cards to the table. In a moment you’re going
1 to do just that, and as the right-hand cards fall
it will appear as if the left hand “tosses” the
sidejogged selection into the dribbling stream
of cards. In fact, the selection will secretly be retained on top of the left-hand packet, by
using Steve Bedwell’s Dribble Toss Control. Here are the details.
Comment, “Remember your card. Now let’s bury it somewhere among these cards.” As
you say this, start to release the right-hand cards so that they dribble to the table in a slow,
even flow. Hold the left-hand packet – with its sidejogged top card – to the left of these
dribbling cards, about six inches above the table
top (Photo 2). When about half the right-hand cards
have dribbled off, move your left hand sharply to
the right, toward the dribbling stream of cards, as
if tossing the selected card into the dribble. In fact,
the selection actually is not tossed or released.
During that sharp rightward motion, with your
left thumb, quickly pull the selection back to the
left, square with the top of the left-hand packet.
(Steve Bedwell describes this as somewhat akin to
the action of a rub-away vanish, in midair.) During
this action, your right hand continues its dribbling
action, until all of its cards have dropped to the
2
table. This is a perfect illusion of the sidejogged,
selected card being tossed somewhere among the dribbled cards. (As an extra convincer,
as you pretend to toss the card into the dribble, contrive to hit the stream of dribbling cards,
knocking some of them a little bit to the right.)
While Ginny believes her card is lost somewhere among the tabled cards, her selected
card is actually still on top of the left-hand packet. You’ll now secretly learn its identity
PAGE 35
triple play cont'd
using the Funsky glimpse. Here’s how. When you secretly pull the selection back onto the
left-hand packet, hold a break under it with the left little finger. As a result of the dribbling
action, the pile of dribbled cards on the table will be slightly askew, so it’s natural to square
up those cards a bit. To do this, turn both hands palm down, and simultaneously pinch the
inner corners of this tabled pile. During this momentary square-up, your left little finger
pushes rightward on its “broken” top card. This causes the index of the selected card to
become sidejogged at the inner end of the packet. It’s natural for you to look down at the
cards as you’re squaring them, so you’ll plainly see the index of the selection. From the front,
your hands completely mask this sidejogged index. (The performer’s view of this glimpsing
action is shown in Photo 3, where the “6D” index can be plainly seen. Photo 4 depicts the
front or audience’s view.)
4
As you complete this square-up of the tabled half, comment, “Your card is somewhere
among these cards. Ginny, put your hand on this pile, so we’ll remember where your card
is.” Push that half toward Ginny, making it easier for her and isolating that pile even further.
You’re way ahead of your spectators. Ginny thinks she’s holding onto her card, but in fact,
it’s already secretly on top of your remaining half. And, because of the secret glimpse, you
already know the identity of her card – the Six of Diamonds.
From here on the procedures vary slightly depending upon the suit of the selected card.
Let me pause here to explain that this is actually part of the multiple outs I mentioned.
Whenever someone shows me an effect that includes somewhat different endings or
procedures depending on the spectator’s choices, I hate it when I only get to see the best
or cleanest procedure, because the alternatives are often disappointing. So in this specific
description I will actually present the weaker or more complicated “out” first, so you’ll know
that any other out will in fact look even better. (But, really, in this trick “weak” is a misnomer,
because all of the four procedures are exceptionally straightforward.)
If the Selected Card is Red: Casually spread your remaining half face down between
PAGE 36
triple play cont'd
your hands, saying, “If I were to look through this half, I might learn some clue about your
card. So we won’t look at them.” Use this spreading action to casually take a break above
the bottom two cards of the spread (the two black cards in your stack) with your left little
finger. Close up the spread, retaining that break.
You’re now going to lose those two black cards, with a simple double undercut. With
your right hand from above, cut off approximately the top half of your packet, as your left
little finger pulls down on its break slightly. Insert the right hand portion into this break,
allowing the right hand cards to coalesce with the two “pulled down” black cards, as your
left little finger re-takes a break above the inserted portion. Now simply cut that half again
at the new break and complete the cut, squaring the cards. (The two black cards have now
been lost, and the bottom two cards of your half are now the two red cards of your stack,
with the Heart at the face). It simply appears as if you’ve just given your half a couple of
cuts.
B. If the Selected Card is Black: As you may have noted, the goal here is simply to
position the two stack cards that match the color of the selection to the bottom of your
half. If the selected card is black, then the two black stack cards are already in position, so
nothing additional needs to be done. Thus, if your glimpse tells you the selection is black,
you’ll omit the double undercut entirely, and proceed directly to the next step.
Using an overhand shuffle procedure, you will divide your remaining cards into three
piles – apparently at the spectator’s direction. Continue, “In fact, I’ll mix them up, and as I
shuffle, please call out ‘stop’”. Here you commence a slow, face-down overhand shuffle of
your half, but done in a particular way.
I’m aware that most people overhand shuffle by drawing cards from the right hand into
left hand, but some people (mainly lefties, including me) shuffle the opposite way. In order
to make this next description intelligible and unambiguous, instead of referring to “left-
hand” or “right-hand” packets during the shuffle, I’m going to instead refer to the “upper-
hand” and “lower-hand” packets. The “upper” packet is where the cards start, and they
are drawn off this upper packet (either singly, or in clumps) into the “lower” hand, which
receives them on top of its growing packet of already-shuffled-off cards.
Commence your overhand shuffle by first
“milking” just the top and bottom cards of the
upper packet together. (Photo 5 depicts an
exposed view of this milking action; basically,
the top and bottom cards are simply peeled off
together). Then continue shuffling, immediately
pulling off a sizeable clump of cards from the
upper packet, using your lower-hand thumb
to reach up over the upper edge of the upper
packet to grasp them and pull them off. (We
want this lower packet to contain a significant
number of cards for a subsequent shuffle, and
5
PAGE 37
triple play cont'd
by pulling off a sizable clump we insure that it does). Now continue to shuffle off cards
either singly or in smaller clumps, slowly, as you wait for the spectator to call “stop.” As soon
as she does, separate the hands and place the remaining upper packet onto the table. For
convenience, let’s call this packet A. (In our specific example, the face card of this tabled
packet A will be a Diamond; if the glimpsed selection had been black, it would be a Club).
Please note that this placing of the upper packet onto the table, instead of the lower, just-
shuffled-off cards, is somewhat atypical, and thus can be a bit hard to remember. There’s
nothing difficult about actually doing it, and it goes by completely unnoticed, but I do want
to call your attention to it, as an anomaly, when compared to what you might be used to
doing. (As I start the shuffle, I remind myself of this upcoming action; such thinking about
it beforehand makes it “automatic” as soon as Ginny calls stop.)
For greater ease and naturalness in the following step, when you table this packet A,
right-handed shufflers should place it slightly off-center, just a bit toward the left side of the
table (left-handed shufflers should reverse this). You’ll see why in a moment.
Now you’ll divide your remaining cards into two more piles. Casually transfer the remaining
cards from your lower hand to your upper hand and commence a second overhand shuffle,
again first “milking” the bottom card as you start this shuffle. Then continue shuffling off
cards singly or in very small clumps (since you won’t have many cards left) as you request
Ginny to “call out ‘stop’ once more.” As soon as she does, separate your hands, thus holding
a small packet in each. Let’s call the cards remaining in the upper hand packet B (the face
card of B will be spectator’s chosen card); the cards in the lower hand will constitute packet
C.
You’ll now casually drop these two packets simultaneously onto the table, next to the
already tabled packet A. But here we reach the second “alternative” procedure. It’s a
very small difference in handling, depending on the suit of the glimpsed selection. More
specifically, we’ll place packets B and C onto the table slightly differently, depending on
whether the suit of the spectator’s selection is minor (Diamond or Club) or major (Heart or
Spade):
If the Selection is a Minor Suit: Simultaneously drop upper packet B next to and to the
right of the already-tabled packet A, as you drop lower packet C next to but to the left of A.
(B and C thus surround A). The order of the packets, reading from left to right, will thus be
C, A, B.
If the Selection is a Major Suit: Simultaneously drop lower packet C next to and to the
right of the already-tabled packet A, as you drop upper packet B next to and to the right of
C. (B and C thus are both placed on the same side, i.e., to the right of, A). The order of the
packets, reading from left to right, will thus be A, C, B.
All of this occurs in the blink of an eye, as soon as the spectator calls stop. There are only
two alternatives, either to “surround” the tabled packet, or for both to go on the “same side”
of the tabled packet. Since you’ll already know whether the selected suit is minor or major
PAGE 38
triple play cont'd
early on, you’ll have plenty of time to plan ahead for how to drop these last two packets
onto the table. (As a mnemonic, I simply remember “Minor Surround” and that reminds me
of everything I need.)
Again, a caveat: the above minor/major alternatives are written for right-handed shufflers;
left-handed shufflers should simply reverse the left/right designations. This will make either
alternative feel and look completely natural, because your upper and lower hands won’t
have to cross as they simultaneously table their respective packets next to A.
The spectator thinks you’re just beginning; she’s apparently still holding on to her selected
card, and you’ve just formed three piles. But in fact, all your work is done, and you’re ready
for the climax. And, you’ll be glad to know, the revelations at the climax all look exactly the
same, regardless of the suit of the selection.
Situation check: If you’ve proceeded as described above, you’re now ready to reveal
the card at the face of each of the three tabled packets, moving from left to right, as the
matching color (but opposite suit), matching suit, and finally, the spectator’s selection itself.
(For left-handed shufflers, if you’ve reversed the left/right packet placement onto the table,
you’ll have this desired order, but reading from right to left.)
Here’s how I present the several climaxes. Remind Ginny, “Your card is somewhere in your
half” – here, point to the half deck still under Ginny’s hand – “but these other cards – here,
gesture toward the three piles you’ve just formed on the table – “can tell me something
about your card. For instance, this pile” – here point to the leftmost tabled packet –“is the
color pile.” Openly tilt that packet up a bit, to peek at the face card of that packet, but keep
it low to the table so that only you can see it. After glancing at that face card, look up at
Ginny and ask, inquisitively, “You stopped my shuffle at exactly this point. This indicates
your card is a red one, right?” When Ginny acknowledges that you’re correct, only then flip
that leftmost packet face up, to reveal that its face card is indeed a red one. (This delayed
turnover establishes an action you’ll use for greater effect on the third pile.)
Proceed to the next pile (the middle one), saying, “This is the suit pile. It should tell me
the suit of your card.” Peek at its face card, again so that only you can see it. Then point
at Ginny’s hand (to subtly reinforce where her selection supposedly resides) and say, “You
picked a Diamond, didn’t you?” Once Ginny confirms, then turn your middle pile face up,
showing that you weren’t making anything up, and indeed its face card is a Diamond.
By this point the spectator will get the gist of where the trick is apparently heading. Point
to the final tabled pile, commenting, “This last pile is the hardest, because it’s supposed
to tell us the actual value of your chosen card – and there are thirteen possible values in
the entire deck.” Pause as you let this fact sink in, and once more point to the spectator’s
hand, still holding on to her half of the deck. “And since your chosen card is already out of
play over here, it’s even more difficult.” The performer gingerly tilts up this third pile, so that
only he can see its face card, and asks, “Does your card happen to be a Six (or, whatever the
value of the selection was)?” The spectator nods that this value is, indeed, correct. She may
think the trick is over, since you’ve now fully identified her chosen card; she fully expects
PAGE 39
triple play cont'd
you will turn that pile over to reveal one of the other sixes.
For the surprise climax, announce, “But the real magic is not just that you stopped
exactly at the right indicator cards. Because this indicator isn’t just “any” Six – it’s in fact
your very own card, the Six of Diamonds.” Turn this third pile face up, to reveal the selection
on its face.
Further Comments
Memory Guide: It’s actually pretty easy to remember the alternative procedures, because
they boil down to only two simple rules:
First, if the glimpsed selection is red, lose the bottom two cards with the pull-down and
double undercut; if the selection is black, omit this.
Second, if the selection is minor, drop the two shuffled piles “surrounding” the tabled
pile; if the selection is major, put both shuffled piles on the “same side” of the tabled pile.
That’s it.
Setting it Up: The four-card setup is quite easy, and can easily be done almost impromptu.
If you start with a fully shuffled deck and run through the faces, it’s quite likely that you’ll
spot two red cards in the order you need (a Diamond, with a Heart immediately below it).
Just cut those two cards to the bottom of the deck. All that’s left is to casually move or
cull any Club below the Heart, and then a Spade below the Club. That’s it. In fact, it’s not
unusual to find within a shuffled deck three out of the four needed suit cards already in
order; when this happens, cut all three to the face of the deck, and then cull or place the
remaining fourth suit card into the necessary position.
Credits and History: The Dribble Toss Control can be seen on Steve Bedwell Taped (A-1
Multimedia, 1995, subtitled, The Steve Bedwell Video, Volume 1) in the routine Parked Card.
It also is described in The Trapdoor, issue # 61, p. 1181. The Funsky Glimpse was devised by
my close friend Mergel Funsky to be used with the Dribble Toss Control; it first saw print in
my effect About Face (MAGIC Magazine, September 2007, p. 95).
In experimenting with this effect I originally devised other methods. The entire effect
becomes much easier if you’re willing to have the selection forced, because then you only
need a two-card setup and you don’t need any alternative procedures. My first attempts
were along these lines, but I decided that an obviously free selection added much. I also
developed a free selection version, with no setup at all – but it requires that you turn
your remaining half face up, to cull the needed two cards. I ultimately decided that the
minimal four-card setup described here gave me the best of all worlds, and I hope you like
it as well. ♣
PAGE 40
WWW.MICHAELCLOSE.COM
TARGETED TRAINING
WITH MICHAEL CLOSE
Affordable, accessible training focused on a single
topic, one that are discussed in some
depth. These are not theoretical discussions; you'll
learn tricks and moves and ways to incorporate the
information into real-world performances. You can
watch these training as many times as you like.
TOPICS:
DEMYSTIFYING THE MEMORIZED DECK
MEMDECK THE NEXT STEP
THE TRUTH ABOUT LYING
PALMING WITH CONFIDENCE
HOW TO DESIGN A THREE-TRICK SET
CLICK FOR MORE DETAILS
MAGIC NEWS
DEREK DELGAUDIO’S FRANK OZ-DIRECTED ‘IN AND OF ITSELF’ TO BE
RELEASED AS A MOVIE
In 2016, feature film director Frank Oz directed a show called In & Of Itself, which was
created by acclaimed magician Derek DelGaudio. The show played at the Geffen Theater
in Los Angeles and Off-Broadway in New York City and drew dozens of celebrity guests
curious to experience it; while it was initially supposed to run for just 10 weeks, it ended
up being extended to a staggering 560 performances over 72 weeks before it ultimately
came to an end last summer.
And by “end,” I actually mean “end.” The show is truly completed, with no more
performances scheduled. But if, like me, you never got to see the show in person, there’s
good news: it turns out there’s going to be an In and Of Itself movie.
ANOTHER MAGIC MOVIE...

M FOR MAGIC is the never told story of the
legendary Larsen family - four generations of
magicians who built the international mecca
of magic, the world famous Magic Castle in
Hollywood and saved the art of magic by giving it
a home.
Spearheaded by brothers who started the Castle
to honor their father’s unrequited dream, it is the
perseverance of four generations of Larsen women
at the heart of the unlikely success story of a most unconventional family enterprise.
In addition to featuring the Larsen clan, M FOR MAGIC brings together some of the
Castle’s most well-known members and performers, including Laurence Fishburne,
Neil Patrick Harris, Colin Farrell, Dita Von Teese, Dick Van Dyke.
HOW A MAGICIAN MADE $200,000 IN SALES ON A $100 BUDGET

In 1902 an unknown card cheat published a book called “The Expert At The Card Table.”
The author published the book under the alias S.W. Erdnase, but in the decades since,
historians have tried and failed to uncover this person’s true identity. No one with that
name ever existed.
Today, to a global underground community of magicians, it is considered “the bible” for
learning card magic. A compulsory read for those looking to practice deception using a
standard deck of playing cards.
To undermine Erdnase is considered blasphemy. Click to read the article.
PAGE 42
magic news cont’d
MISCHIEF THEATRE PRESENTS MAGIC GOES WRONG, TICKETS NOW

AVAILABLE!
Mischief Theatre are back in the West End
with a year-long residency at the Vaudeville
Theatre and they've just added another show
to their list of much loved ' ...Goes Wrong' plays.
Magic Goes Wrong tickets are now available
for the second show of the Mischief Theatre
Company's new residency at the Vaudeville
Theatre in London. Magic Goes Wrong is the
latest offering from the company that brought
you the smashing West End hits The Play
That Goes Wrong, The Comedy About a Bank
Robbery, and Peter Pan Goes Wrong, it will
run at the Vaudeville Theatre after the closing
of the first play of their residency, Groan Ups.
Magic Goes Wrong was written in association with famous magic duo Penn &
Teller. Though the two will not be performing alongside the original Mischief Theatre
Company in the show, they contributed ideas to the formation of the show and will be
heavily involved in the rehearsal process. Magic meets mayhem as an unlucky group of
magicians try to raise money at a charity event-- as the accidents mount so does their
fundraising goal. Get your tickets here!
DAVID BLAINE SETS ‘DEATH-DEFYING’ LIVE EVENT AT YOUTUBE

Illusionist David Blaine will do his next live
TV stunt on YouTube, so not really on TV.
The internet-video company announced
Saturday during the Television Critics
Association press tour that Blaine has
partnered with YouTube originals for what
the company is calling “an unprecedented
live event” this fall. But this time, the twist
is that Blaine, known for darker and more
mysterious stunts, will do something “lighter
and brighter” for YouTube.
Getty Images for Liberty Science Center
PAGE 43
THE MAGIC OF SCIENCE
THE WAY YOU DANCE IS UNIQUE, AND COMPUTERS CAN TELL IT'S YOU
Nearly everyone responds to music with movement, whether through subtle toe-tapping
or an all-out boogie. A recent discovery shows that our dance style is almost always the
same, regardless of the type of music,
and a computer can identify the dancer
with astounding accuracy.
Studying how people move to music
is a powerful tool for researchers looking
to understand how and why music
affects us the way it does. Over the last
few years, researchers at the Centre
for Interdisciplinary Music Research at
the University of Jyväskylä in Finland
have used motion capture technology
-- the same kind used in Hollywood --
to learn that your dance moves say a
lot about you, such as how extroverted
or neurotic you are, what mood you
happen to be in, and even how much
you empathize with other people.
Recently, however, they discovered
something that surprised them. "We
actually weren't looking for this result,
as we set out to study something
completely different," explains Dr. Emily
Carlson, the first author of the study.
"Our original idea was to see if we could
use machine learning to identify which
genre of music our participants were
dancing to, based on their movements."
The 73 participants in the study were
motion captured dancing to eight
different genres: Blues, Country, Dance/
Electronica, Jazz, Metal, Pop, Reggae and Rap. The only instruction they received was to
listen to the music and move any way that felt natural. "We think it's important to study
phenomena as they occur in the real world, which is why we employ a naturalistic research
paradigm," says Professor Petri Toiviainen, the senior author of the study. 
Read more about the study here.
PAGE 44
FUN TO FOLLOW
PAGE 45
THE ART OF CONJURING
“Comfort zones are lovely places to be, but nothing grows by Mick Ayres
there.” – Anonymous
There are two questions every conjurer should consider before
making a purchase in a magic shop, dealer’s room, or Internet
website. Do you want that effect because of the reaction it gets
from others? Do you need it because it has a place in your existing
act? The key words in those questions are “want” and “need.”
Unless you have an act, or at least a solid idea of one, it is difficult
to bring home effects that won’t put you in dire straits with your
spouse for the damage done to the family budget. Purchasing
magic tricks without a specific goal in mind is nothing more than fishing and hoping for
the best. Granted, some items may end up as keepers, but a majority should be thrown
back and never brought home.
Without a doubt, every purchasing decision should be made with an eye for quality
and construction. However, professional conjurers are initially attracted to an effect for its
appropriateness and place. Bear in mind that a demonstration of any effect is just that – a
singular event that is not part of a cohesive act. It is the responsibility of the performer, not
the demonstrator, to imagine the purpose of the desired effect within the act.
At first glance, this proposal will be considered elementary by most magicians. Still,
cannot many of us use the reminder? In the world of magic, making purchases based on
a well-considered need rather than impulse is the difference between owning effects that
will feed the family and blowing money on yet another dust collector.
The point is to have a clear purpose for your newly acquired trick, and the best place to
start is with a cohesive act (or at least the idea of one). A cohesive act is one that is bound
by the common thread of some idea, proposal, or concept. Ideally, the audience watches
as each effect logically builds upon the one before until the conjuror’s overall message has
been demonstrated clearly despite its impossibility.
For example, if a church pastor prepares a sermon based on random scriptures but
neglects to connect each reference with a common theme, then Sunday’s message will
be weak for the congregation, even though every word is accurate. Similarly, a professor
giving his college students a lecture full of facts straight from a textbook is going to
lose their interest unless he offers practical examples of how this information may be
important. Information then is absorbed and appreciated far more quickly when people
can understand its importance and relevance.
You would think every respectable conjurer would do whatever was needed to avoid
being the source of an audience’s boredom. Yet our clubs and conventions remain chock-
full of magicians who seem convinced there is such a thing as talent in a box; who follow
the instructions and perform the trick exactly as written; who do not understand why
everyone isn’t in awe of them. If we are not willing to honestly critique our performances
and do the necessary work and rehearsals to improve the weak presentations, then we risk
having audiences view us as magicians who have decided, somewhere along the line, that
PAGE 46
the art and craft of conjuring cont'd
mediocrity is acceptable.
One thing many magicians do not understand about conjuring is that the rules of
performing it are not hard and fast – they are fluid. They change with experience, with
location, and with the goals of the performer. That being said, however, any performance
flexibility embraced on stage is acquired only through the existence of a solid foundation
of study, practice, scripting, and rehearsal of each effect and, of course, the act as a whole.
Once these obligations are met, the conjurer can confidently approach every performance
with the knowledge that he can stray from the script and pick it back up again at any
point. There is something palpable and appealing about a performer’s confidence on that
level. For the audience, the underlying emotion is one of security in the entertainment.
Without even knowing why, each guest now trusts you to do your job and do it well. For
the performer, it is quite possible to see the moment when the guests respond to your
confidence by relaxing and getting comfortable in their seats.
If you have ever watched an entertainer who performed as if he or she “owned the
stage,” then you know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of their confidence. So,
congratulations, you now have the formula to do it, too. It does take commitment to the
obligations and willingness to work, but it will pay off. 
Mick is a conjurer, tunesmith, and tale-swapper who can be reached online at

[email protected] or via Facebook.
MAGIC IN THE REAL WORLD

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PAGE 47
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
by bruce kalver
VOICE CHANGER
A while back, I wrote about the Samson Airline Micro
microphone. I have used it for a few years; it is my microphone
of choice for shows and lectures. Unfortunately, it runs on
a frequency the FCC is now reclaiming, thus making them
obsolete. If you have one of these mics, contact Samson
immediately. If you speak to them, you may be able to either
swap or get a rebate on a new unit with an approved frequency.
Contact them at http://www.samsontech.com/support/
DON’T LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN

If you want a low cost backdrop for your shows,
check out the ePhoto H804B Adjustable Background
Backdrop. Created for photographers, it is perfect for a
backdrop or as a filler backdrop for sides or extensions. It’s
made of lightweight aluminum. The height is adjustable
up to eight feet; the width is adjustable to ten feet. It
comes with a portable carry bag. At only seven and a
half pounds, it is the perfect backdrop to throw into your
trunk. The H804B Adjustable Background Backdrop
is available at www.amazon.com for $32.
EMERGENCY PROP
Fred and Friends is one of my favorite companies for props. They
always come up with clever, props and this is another winner. If
you do illusions such as the Head Chopper or the Electric Sawing
in Half, check out the EMT Insulated Lunch Tote. EMT stands
for Emergency Meal Transport. It looks like a bag from a hospital
used to transport hearts and kidneys. Bring it onstage “just in
case” something goes wrong. It’s a great visual laugh with lots of
comedic possibilities. The EMT Insulated Lunch Tote is available
from www.amazon.com for $20.
EYE CAN SEE IT!

Mikael Montier is no stranger to app development. He has some clever ideas and his
products are usually winners. His latest app maintains this reputation.
Magic Eye Revelation is similar to other apps out there, but his execution of the effect is
different. In some ways it is simpler, in other ways harder.
A photo of a spectator reveals the selected card by zooming in on the eye, where you see
the name of the card.
PAGE 48
technically speaking cont’d
You can either use a photo in your camera roll or take a photo of
the spectator on the spot. No force is employed and any card can
be revealed.
Here’s my routine with it:
I have a card selected from a marked deck and have the spectator
look at it for ten seconds. After she puts the card face down on the
table, I take a close-up photo of her. Then I ask her to show the card
to the rest of the audience but not me. When I hold up the photo
and show her the picture I took, I zoom in to the eye and the card
is revealed. The effect has gotten wild reactions from the groups I
have baffled.
Candidly, this is going to take some practice. The method is not
outrageous, but it took me a few days to be confident and accurate.
The effect is worth the effort.
Magic Eye Revelation is available on the iPhone App Store for $6. It is also available on
Google Play. 
Bruce Kalver is a professional magician and tech guru. Bruce is a past president of
the S.A.M. and a frequent performer at The Magic Castle in Hollywood.
THE PM CARD MARK SYSTEM Instant

Download
BY P ETE M CCA BE $24.95
An easy to learn card marking system and
twenty-eight routines designed to baffle
even those familiar with the concept of a
marked deck The routines include either a
full script or patter suggestions for turning
the routine into a full-blown performance
piece. Includes additional material by
Michael Close
AVAILABLE NOW - CLICK
MAKE YOUR OWN MARKED DECK
HERE FOR DETAILS
PAGE 49

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VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 1 | JAN/FEB 2020

One of my favorite memories is a demonstration of “riffing” I gave at a magic convention;

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND PAPER EMPIRES - AUTHOR JASON

Read the review of Jason's book in this issue on page 10.

Download your copies today at MichaelClose.com

B orn on September 27th, 1861 in New York,

Also the same year as his incorporation, Russell

Russell’s playing card business only lasts a handful

PATENT NO. USD827670

WITNESSES: BENJAMIN F. HAMM

THE MAGIC CASTLE - HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

CHRISTNER'S PRIME STEAK & LOBSTER - ORLANDO, FLORIDA

CHICAGO MAGIC LOUNGE - CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

MAGIC | BAR, ENCINO - CALIFORNIA

THE ILLUSIONISTS - TOURING SCHEDULE

THE ARTISAN RESTAURANT - SNOWMASS VILLAGE, COLORADO

MONDAY NIGHT MAGIC - NEW YORK, NEW YORK

WIZARDS MAGIC THEATER - KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA

MIND READING AFTER HOURS - NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS

THE MAC KING SHOW - LAS VEGAS, NV

HOUSE OF CARDS- NASHVILLE, TN

SMOKE AND MIRRORS MAGIC THEATER - PHILADELPHIA, PA

MARVYN'S MAGIC THEATER - LA QUINTA, CA

community relations. Jewish organizations started among them, so my father organized

A few months after my first paid show, the

M: And during the period that you’re

S: It’s even more extreme. Because of all my

M: Let’s give everyone some background

S: Yes, but my very first acquaintance with

G: One thing that Simon has done is to build

S: We don’t immediately open with objects.

S: Let me give you this anecdote. For us,

S: ...but when you do something for so long,

S: Whether or not to make disclaimers,

M: I went back and found the first trick

Private Gathering, focusing on

G: It’s great because they each bring those

M: And I guess we have to give three

Weekly meeting of the Chicago Session in

M: Well, put me down as someone who

G: The problem is that Simon doesn’t want to Trying to Fly

LIVING WITH SIMON (OR, TRY THE IMPOSSIBLE)

Simon and I could not be more different. Simon lives in

ANOTHER MAGIC MOVIE...

HOW A MAGICIAN MADE $200,000 IN SALES ON A $100 BUDGET

MISCHIEF THEATRE PRESENTS MAGIC GOES WRONG, TICKETS NOW

DAVID BLAINE SETS ‘DEATH-DEFYING’ LIVE EVENT AT YOUTUBE

Mick is a conjurer, tunesmith, and tale-swapper who can be reached online at

MAGIC IN THE REAL WORLD

This may well be the most practical ebook for

DON’T LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN

EYE CAN SEE IT!

THE PM CARD MARK SYSTEM Instant

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