Living Magic History

One of the most influential people in my life magic wise is Denny Haney of Denny's Magic Studio in Baltimore. I'll be the first to tell you, I used to spend hours and hours there, but that was years ago. In fact, it's been several years since I've been there (the problem with being a full time magician, you're always on the go). Anyway, I received the following email from Denny as part of his email/newsletters that he sent out. Pretty much every word out of his mouth is gold and this letter really says it all. There is so much wisdom layered throughout this letter its amazing. I didn't ask his permission to post this, but I have a feeling he won't mind. Below is ALL DENNY.

DID I EVER SAY “THANK YOU?”

Actually, I do it all the time.

If may have noticed that every invoice sent along with your orders has a personal “Thank You” written across the bottom and signed by myself. Yes, I do it almost automatically BUT, I do mean it.
When I decided to leave the road twenty years ago and open a REAL magic shop, many of you have been supporters of this magic studio right from the beginning. I know who you are.

A few months ago, I was awarded the “Milbourne Christopher Foundation MASTERS Award” at the S.A.M. Convention in Pittsburgh. This was quite a thrill for me as it is NOT a competition award. When your peers make a decision that you have made a significant contribution to the art of magic and to fellow magicians and you have become a “master” of your craft, then this award is presented.

The photo shows my good friend William Rauscher presenting the award to me at the S.A.M. Banquet.
It was truly and honor and my acceptance speech was cut a bit short by my emotion that swelled up in me and caused me to break up a bit.

I love this art of magic and just go through my life entertaining and trying to help those who want to entertain. It was nice to have someone notice. You MUST love your art first. Any rewards that come your way, either financially or spiritually, come from the love of the art. The art is ALWAYS first.

It just reminded me that the true art of magic has taken a bit of a downward spiral during the past years. It's not that there is less interest in magic. I really believe that there are more people interested in magic today than ever before in history. I should rephrase that….there are more people interested in DOING TRICKS than ever before. There is a lack of interest in things like the history of magic or the theory of presenting it correctly and yet I find these two subjects the most fascinating of the art. I continue to study these even today.

With the invention of the internet, there are literally thousands of on line sites where you can order magic tricks. Most of these sites exist ONLY on the internet. They are not real shops, nor are they owned or operated by a professional performer. They are just a place to buy things. They are warehouses, drop shippers or, even worse, the bedroom or basement of someone who owns a computer. Of course, this is true in almost any business today. I can only say this…”Get to know your dealer.”

Personally, long before I opened a magic shop, I always went to the most “experienced” to buy the things I needed or wanted. I went to old hardware stores, real clothiers, sound and lights companies, etc. To me, the most important thing was to buy from the guy who KNEW his trade. I would never buy tools or hardware from a man who cannot build. I would never buy a camera from someone who was not a photographer. I would never buy a suit from someone who does not know how to make them. The list goes on and on.

Today we go to the internet and buy from people we don't even know. We know nothing about them. We only know that they sell cheap. In most cases, they know very little about the things they sell. There is no “guidance” given, no “experience” in their past, and no love of the art in their hearts. It is only a way to make extra money.

If money were the only driving force, I would be selling tires or some other thing besides magic. I chose to sell magic because of my love of the art and my lifetime of performing. It is what I KNOW.

There are so few real magic shops left. The magic shop used to be the place everyone went to hang out, talk magic, and show others what they are working on. It was where you met more experienced performers and learned just by listening. Today it is difficult to get anyone away from their computer screen so they never leave their house. Even lecture attendance has fallen off drastically. It is an interent world and although the internet is full of information, it is not full of knowledge. They are two different things. Knowledge comes from personal interaction and experience. It really is a “social” thing.

Let's get out and socialize a bit more. Stop by a REAL magic shop for a day of fun and interaction. If you have one of these shops in your area, you are very fortunate. I repeat, KNOW YOUR DEALER. Read a bit more about the history of magic. It is very colorful and exciting. There is a “way” to learn to be a good magician. Let someone guide you along that “way.”

Just some thoughts. Just a way of saying thank you.

Remember, this is a REAL magic studio.  We are open 7 days a week from 10:00AM til 9:00PM.  Human beings answer the phone and it is usually me...personally.  There are no menu buttons to push and no recorded messages to listen to.  We actually answer the phone and can help you make GOOD decisions.
Denny & Lee Magic Studio
9004 Yellow Brick Road, Suite H
Rosedale, MD 21237
PHONE 410-686-3914

Young Houdini Photo and Family Photo

I am constantly amazed at just how many new photos of Houdini show up. You'd think by now we would have seen them all. Not even close. I guess they'll keep turning up for years to come, at least I sure hope so. Now I finally get to add to the mix. The photos below are being used with permission. They come from Ms. Sharon K, who is from the Steiner side of the family.

 

First we have this amazing photo of a very young Houdini with his brother Theo/Dash. It may be the youngest magic related photo of Houdini and Dash. Certainly there are family photos of them together that show them at younger ages. But this photo is definitely MAGIC. I would assume it's the sack used in the Substitution Trunk/Metamorphosis.

Next is another absolutely amazing photo. This time the photo is of the Steiner Family. In this photo, on the far left is Hannah Steiner (mother), Rose Steiner (sister) and Cecilia Steiner, Houdini's mother. This has got to be the earliest photo of Cecilia I have ever seen.

Fellow Houdini fans, enjoy!

Houdini's Grave & More

If you've been following my blog, you know about the October 8th Heller Project to clean up the grave of Robert Heller. Thankfully, there are others in the magic community with this same passion. The very first to do this was Harry Houdini and now his grave is in need of some work. The Houdini Museum in Scranton has been working to make repairs and has restored the bust of Houdini. John Cox does a nice job of covering their efforts and in the link below.

WILD ABOUT HARRY: Houdini Bust Magically Reappears at his Grave Site...

In addition to this, the October 8th date for Hellers grave is right around the corner. It's going to be extremely difficult and will take more than one outing. It probably won't get finished this year. But we need to start it. Below is copy of the email I sent out to those folks who have volunteered to help with the clean up. If you are in the Philidelphia area and would like to help out, please contact me.
AND also, keep in mind, in the case of RAIN or inclement weather the event will be postponed.

 October 8th Clean-up of Robert Heller's grave

Time: from 8am - 1 pm
Date: Saturday Oct 8, 2011
Where: Mt. Moriah Cemetery,  6201 Kingsessing Ave Philadelphia, PA, 19142

What we need: Lots of garden, lawn tools. lawn and hedge clippers and trimmers, saws, shovels, racks, and pretty much anything you think might help get the job done. PLEASE be sure to bring gloves with you and come dressed for this kind of work. IF someone has a first aid kit, that might be a good idea to have handy for cuts and scraps.

Attached is a map of the cemetery and  the location of the Heller gravesite*. Hellers grave is in Section 135 plot 189. We will be working in an area away from most of the other volunteers. The Heller site is greatly overgrown so it's going to be a huge task to get it cleared. How much we can do in a single day is unknown, but at least we will be knocking a dent into it.

Inclement Weather: The last two clean-up days at Mt. Moriah were called on account of weather. So IF it is raining on October 8th, this event will be cancelled. And in the event of cancellation, I'll let you know when it is rescheduled and hope you are able to make it.

Thanks for your help with this project.

Dean
*email me at carnegiemagic@me.com for a copy of the map of the Cemetery or if you have any other questions.

The Discoverie of Witchcraft

In 1584, Reginald Scot wrote and published a book exposing the world of witchcraft and along with it, some of the feats of jugglers. I've not read this book, nor do I own a copy. I do know that it's considered one of the earliest conjuring books in the English language, even though only about 20 pages are actually devoted to legerdemain or conjuring. Back in the 1500s, magicians were known as jugglers as their feats were attributed to skill, not the works of the devil. Over the years, the term juggler changed for those of us that do theatrical magic and we became; magicians, conjurers, illusionists and so on.

Original copies of The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot are rare. This book came out during the time of King James 1. An interesting historical note, King James wrote a book called 'Daemonologie' in 1597 in which he expressed his concerns over witchcraft and his opposition to it's practice. However, in just a few short years he came to the realization that the events attributed to witches were more illusion than reality. For example, the idea that witches fly around on brooms, well they never did and never will because it's just not possible. It's hogwash, nonsense and superstitious crap.  I can't help but wonder if he came across a copy of Scot's book which opened his eyes. So King James 1, the same man who commissioned the edition of the Bible known as the King James version, came to his senses about witchery, astrology and similar things.

The section of the book by Reginald Scot exposing the feats of jugglers was included to show people that these things were NOT, I repeat NOT real magic. NOT in the league with the devil and so on. Funny that in the 21st Century I would find myself in the position to have to emphasize this point. But alas, a client in my area cancelled a show because a member of their group insinuated that magic was evil. The only magic today that I know of that is evil is bad magic, or magic performed badly. Any other kind of magic, or magik, has nothing to do with what I do, theatrical magic.

Picture from 'Discoverie' showing a gimmicked device

I can firmly confess that I do not know any witches. I don't know any real wizards either. I do not cast spells, nor does anyone I know. In fact, I've spent hundreds of hours and years of my life learning a skill set that has not been anywhere near as easy as snapping my fingers and casting some spell. If it were only so simple. It takes hard work and dedication to make something look effortless and frankly, magical. No, instead, like a musician who goes from learning how to make sounds out of an instrument to then moving to making actual music, or a painter who throws colors on a canvas to eventually learning how to create beautiful pictures, it's the same for those of us in my profession. As Robert Houdin, the 19th Century French magician said, "We are actors playing the part of a magician". This then is the most stripped away definition I can think of. And like actors we entertain and hopefully make people laugh, create moments of wonder, and at times even move them emotionally with the things we do. Oh and we can even use magic as a teaching tool as in the case of my reading show or those of many of my friends who use magic to help educate people about; bullying, drugs, science, math, diversity and so on.

What does it say about our society today in the 21st century that there are people who think David Blaine and Cris Angel do REAL MAGIC or that magicians as a whole consort with demons and devils to create their wonders?  Rather than pointing the finger at the magicians who use the art for entertainment, why not open your eyes to the REAL deceptions around you brought about by politicians, advertising agencies, diet & weight loss pills and on and on it goes. The society during Reginald Scot's day had an excuse as they weren't well educated. Today, what excuse is there? Maybe, in the end, we just like to be deceived.

October 8 Heller Project Update

I just received some photos from the grave area where Robert Heller's tombstone sits. These pictures clearly show the neglect and lack of care this cemetery has received. I'm not even sure where the grave itself IS in these photos. One thing is for sure, it's going to be a daunting task. And not a one weekend task either, but it would be nice to at least get started on it.

 To give you an idea of what it once looked like, below is a photo of Houdini standing next to the grave. Apparently, the metal pole/fencing is gone from this area.

If you're unfamiliar with the October 8 Heller Project, basically, we are looking for volunteers to help clean up the grave site on October 8 in Philadelphia. The grave is at the Mt. Moriah Cemetery. We need able bodied individuals and also we need folks with yard/lawn equipment: rakes, mowers, garden sheers, and much more. Frankly, we probably need a tractor and bushhog, but it's too early to tell.

If you can volunteer your time, please contact me at carnegiemagic@aol.com