A New Topps Article





	NICE THINGS ARE HAPPENING DEPARTMENT: Our editor, NEIL FOSTER, flew out to Hollywood to accept a PERFORMING FELLOWSHIP presented to him by The Academy of Magical Arts at their annual awards banquet. WE COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF YOU NEIL! Another "Abbotteer" visited the Castle recently. It was the clever and talented TIM WRIGHT who performed his routine of manipulative comedy in the Palace of Mystery at the Castle, and according to several phone calls and notes I've received, did very well and was a big hit. Congratulations Tim. While on the subject of the Castle and the coast, the third thing that warmed my heart from that area in the last month was the March issue of BILL LARSEN'S "GENU" magazine. It was an issue paying tribute to one of the most deserving men in magic, TOMMY WINDSOR. A sensational issue. It's nice to see credit given where it's due. The last line prompts me to mention a few more credits that I haven't seen recorded, and I personally feel that they should be. IN MY OPINION, the one man who should get credit for being the forerunner of modern close-up magic as it's performed today is MR. BERT ALLERTON. Please don't write saying there were a lot of excellent close-up magicians before Bert, I agree. However, it was Bert who raised it from just a guy doing some tricks, to a polished performer in tuxedo who sat at a table of guests and did a set routine or act, and he was the one who brought close-up into the elite supper clubs of the nation AS AN ACT. Another pioneer in the close-up act field was DR. STANLEY JAKS who played several of New York's nicest clubs with a close-up ACT. There are a couple of hundred (or more) magic lecturers playing the circuits these days and enlightening the magis on what to do and how to do it. All of those who lecture on magic should give credit to the magic pioneer who started it all DR. HARLAN TARBELL.	Shall I ramble on? O.K. Balloon blowers, or as they prefer to be called, balloon sculpture artists (there are as many of them as there are "ZIG-ZAGS"). The credit for popularizing this form of entertainment should go to MR. BILL BONNERT who performed a complete act making balloon animals at the early ABBOTT Get-To-gethers and other conventions long before anyone else. One more before leaving the subject, BAR MAGICIANS. There are many of them today, and as they wipe off their bar and lay down their close-up pads, they should pause for a second and thank a Chicago quartet of magical bartenders who, if not started, at least popularized the whole idea. Their names? JOHNNY PAUL, JOHNNY PLATT, CLARKE CRANDALL, and the world's largest leprechaun, JIM RYAN. There, I've said what's on my mind, and I'm glad. Undoubtedly there will be some who disagree with my last several paragraphs. If so, drop me a line and I'll be happy to give you equal space in this column. WISDOM FOR WIZARDS: Occasionally magicians should check their CREDIT cards. KORN KRIB: Been getting a good laugh recently with a line that I use in my LINKING RINGS routine. At one point I hang one ring over my head (doesn't everyone?), as I remove it I say "It's really nice to get rid of that "RING AROUND THE COLLAR!" Hope you can use it, and hope to see all of you at the summer conventions. THE FOXES DEN, 26666 Rosehill, Farmington, Michigan 48018.____________________________ IF YOU'RE MOVING Two weeks notice is required for change of address. Send this information on or before the 15th of the month. Send OLD address as well as NEW address, include ZIP number.