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things, THE MAGIC MAGAZINE. A slick paper publication that, by now, is probably on your newsstands and in your magazine stores. Published by Joseph Kardwell, the magazine is issued by Magic Industries Inc., 20 East 46th St., New York, N.Y.10017, and costs $1.00 a copy. Distributed in New York, on November 14, by the Dell Company. The 125,000 copies will attract the eye of many who will probably get their first insight into magic and may be forever hooked. From the very attractive full color cover, showing Mark Wilson levitating a fair damsel, through the 64 pages packed with information about magic and magicians; how tricks are done; how gamblers use marked cards; to the riffling of the pages to give an action photo of a coin roll, the reader will certainly get his money's worth.
To knowledgeable magicians, it will be old stuff and they will recognize from whence it has been compiled. But to a newcomer, it will be the unfolding of a wealth of secret information. The presence of advertising, designed to lure dollars, will be certain to initiate many into the habit we have all acquired: Sending away for miracles. The expensive Tarbell volumes may be a bit too high for.the beginner but I am sure the Mark Wilson Course of Magic will cause many to feel that this is the "Open Sesame". . .After all, didn't he teach Bill Bixby to become The Magician?
Magicians will probably scream that this is outright exposure and most will rush out and buy a copy and continue to scream as they purchase it each month. . .Personally, I don't think it will do any harm, other than bringing new blood to a field that many of magic's critics feel is already overpopulated. But a magazine that has the guiding hand of Walter Gibson behind it, can't be all bad.
The name Jules Lenier is well known, especially on the West Coast, for his magical activities and contributions to magazines. He has recently pub-
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lished THE COMPLETE HYPNOTIC ACT, a 30 page production printed on coated stock and available from your favorite dealer for $4.95 post paid. The book contains two acts. One is in the comedy vein and the other is that which the writer presents professionally. While hypnotism is something I have not been involved with for many years, I always read available literature on the subject and believe I can detect the sort of advice that is practical and useful as commercial entertainment.
To me, this is a book that provides the reader with the right information coupled with much that is sound advice on how the material should be presented. The ten tests are described explicitly without padding and one eager to present this type of entertainment, should be able to follow the step by step instructions toward final success with little difficulty. The Comedy Act, outlined and described with six tests, may appeal to some but my preference would be for the act as used by the author. While I have never been put to sleep by a hypnotist, many books on the subject have induced drowsiness. This one had me wide-awake throughout the 30 pages and is a book that should be welcomed by those who are seeking information about this specialized field.
There was a time when a magician with an urge to write would gradually assemble his clever ideas and original thoughts throughout the years and finally put them all in a book for fellow foolers to use. That trend seems to have changed. Now it is becoming the custom to rush into print with a trick and print it as a complete book. . . So, if you have a dozen tricks, it means a dozen books and, I am sure, must mean more money.
This trick-a-book must be popular for David Ginn has succeeded in publishing several of these in the past year. His "Snake Can" was the first. . .and a very good one too. Now he has published three more. COMEDY CUT & RESTORED NECK-
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