I have reprinted his statement on the Genii Forum below.
The ABC Gumball Re-Combobulator is a great kid show effect. I checked the Viking site this morning and it was no longer offered — in fact, it was not even found in a search of the site.
We wish good luck to both Wolf and Viking. It is an unfortunate split of two companies that appear to care deeply about producing high quality material.
Hello,
I, Chance Wolf, the Owner of Wolf’s Magic as well as Creator, Designer & Manufacturer of Whimsical Productions have chosen to part with Viking Magic as the Exclusive distributor of MY Ideas and Products. Viking will maintain the Rights to the NAME “Whimsical Productions” however, the Rights to the EFFECTS remain solely to me as the Creator. Just to keep the Gossip to a Minimum and let the truth be known, I am informing you of what I think is important information for you as a potential buyers of MY creations.
We have chosen to give exclusive LIMITED rights to Hocus-Pocus.com for SOME of our effects including the ABC Gumball Re-Combobulator.
George Robinson Jr. is truly one of the finest Craftsman, Thinker and source of tremendous knowledge in Magic that I have ever met. I have and always will have a great respect for him. Unfortunately, in Business, viewpoints may conflict and lead to a situation such as me deciding to go on my own. This does not make anybody right or wrong. I want to state, for the record,that every prop sold through Viking was personally Designed,Created & Hand-Built by Me and all ABC Gumball Re-Combobulators will continue with the same Quality and Workmanship as before. Given the new situation, it paves the path to offer even MORE features and quality upgrades continuing to bring you the Ultimate Kid’s Magic effects.
Shelley and I are the Owners of Wolf’s Magic as well as the ONLY people creating and building these effects. We are clearly a small company with our HEARTS deeply dedicated to bringing New High Quality effects to you. We have sacrificed more than you can imagine to make this possible and are thankful for all the Incredible Response from those that have bought or seen our products. Keep your eyes open on my website for upcoming, revolutionary effects.
Thank you for your support and Shelley and I wish you all well,
Chance Wolf http://wolfsmagic.com/
By any standard, the Society of World Deaf Magicians is going strong.The Societyincludes amateur, semi-pro and professional magicians around the world and regularly meet at some of the world’s most important magic events.
On the U.S. version of the international society’s website, http://www.usdeafmagicians.com/, they’re promoting attendance at the upcoming FISM, the U.S. Deaf Magicians Festival in Las Vegas in the first week of August, 2003 and the International Festival to be held in Germany in 2004.
The World Deaf Magicians Committee was formed in Leipzig in 1990 to encourage deaf magicians from around the world to join in competition, friendship and the exchange of ideas.
U.S. magicians have been involved since the outset with Simon Carmel bringingthree American deaf magicians to compete in one of the earliest festivals.
The name of the organization was changed in 1992 to ‘The Society of World Deaf Magicians’ and by most recent count, the society boasts about300 deaf amateur and semi-professional magicians around the world.
The last world festival, the ninth, was held in Moscow last year.The contests featured acts from around the world and awarded cash prizes to the top performers.Perhaps more significantly, the group took time to entertain 500 deaf Russian children.Many of the kids expressed their excitement about learning and performing magic after the show.
James Dimmare along with Rich Bloch, Mark Nelson and Dale Hindman are setting up a Special Commemorative Show to be held at theWorld Magic Seminar in Las Vegas at the Rivera Hotel and Casino late TUESDAY NIGHT (Wednesday morning) at 1 am.
Admission is $20.00. All the profits go directly to the Peters Commemorative Fund to help Charles with the astronomical costs of the accident, hospital, and other bills. You can go to their site here and find out more information in the next few days. Tickets can be purchased in advance. The top names in magic many who are not performing at this convention have.
Also if you would like to contribute directly to the fund please send a donation whatever you can to Charles Peters at:
mailing address:
4570 Van Nuys Blvd. Suite #410 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
One of the first things you notice about the Michigan State Historical Society’s exhibit based on Houdini’s A Magician Among the Spirits,is the careful use of the exposure to explain his crusade against spiritualism.
“Secret” of Shoe Rapping
There are a few examples of methods: A hollowed out heel in a woman’s shoe to replicate spirit raps; a complex system of mirrors to allow a spiritualist to read a participant’s slate; or a method of raising tables.
Houdini in Disguise
Each of the methods are similar — none of them were used by actual spiritualists in Houdini’s time. It is a clever method of showing how the effects could be accomplished without disclosing the actual method.
Interestingly, they sell Houdini’s books in the bookshop just outside the doors. The magic clubs around the Lansing, Michigan area contributed to the design and the substance of the exhibits.
“Secret” of table lifting.
If you search the documents available at the exhibit, you will find references to the Fox sisters, Margery and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but you would have to know something about magic or its history to know where or how to look.
One of my favorite exhibits was the straight jacket display. Houdini had ordered a leather straight jacket from a company in Detroit, Michigan. A magician from the Detroit wrote to the company in 1998 and asked that they produce the same jacket for him. Houdini bought it for $25.00. The company said they could produce it but that they regretted the price had increased since 1910 to $325.00.
A Magician Among the Spirits
If you have a chance to visit the exhibit, please do. Maybe your reaction, as a magician, will be different than mine but I think they handled it just right.
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo,
Mississippi celebrates the work of one of their own, Adam Grace. Adam,
a magician and actor, has a part in the upcoming Sylvester Stallone
film “Shade.” Adam described his role:
“My
character’s name is Chip. I am a young magician at the Magic Castle in
Hollywood,” he said. “I walk up to Hal Holbrook who is the ‘Professor,’
and I go to show him a card trick. He basically starts yelling at me
about how bad I am. “It’s a small part in a movie, but hopefully it
leads to bigger things.”
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