Archive for January, 2004

Doc Dougherty Dies After Surgery

Doc and Harry Anderson

Harold “Doc” Dougherty, one of the best known professional magicians in the Washington area, died Monday night. He was 59. Doc was a long time member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and a former president of the IBM Ring 50 in Washington.

After having battled serious complications of severe diabetes for many years, Doc was admitted to Washington Hospital Center before Christmas, where he underwent a double leg amputation for circulatory problems.

(This is not the same person as the “Doc Dougherty” known in the
Pittsburgh area.)

Doc also was a demonstrator at Al’s Magic Shop in downtown Washington for many years. Al Cohen, who operated the magic store for more than five decades, praised Doc’s skills as a performer and inventor.

“He was just a neat guy,” Al recalled. “He was completely dedicated to
magic. He loved performing and he loved people. He was just a real
showman. He really was.”

Steve Brown, the current proprietor of Al’s Magic, said, “It’s a sad day
in DC. I’ve missed him a lot over the past months and now even more.”

Many remember him as an auctioneer at annual Ring 50 magic sales along with another well-known area magician, Dick Christian. During a guest appearance at a Ring 50 meeting in the…
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Latest Magic News – January 27, 2004

Every morning when I read the news of the world to find the latest magic news, I look for themes. There must be some reason why these news outlets around the world have written about the magicians or aspects of magic they?ve chosen.

Right?

The best I can figure from today?s voyage into the wonderful world of Magic in the News is that it is a slow news day. We have articles floating around with nothing more than rumors on rumors. Very strange.

If you have news you?d like to see covered in the Inside Magic Daily News, drop a line to tim@insidemagic.com. It can be real news, a profile, a press release or even a rumor based on a rumor about a rumor.

If you would like to have the Inside Magic Live News Feed set up on your site for free and thereby bring your readers the very latest in Magic News and Reviews, click on the Live News Feed banner in the right hand column of the Inside Magic home page or here.

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I’m Back in the States — Bloated but Back

I just got back from England.

As many of you know, I am not just the owner of a fabulous website dedicated to making self-centered claims about itself. I have a second job, the one that pays the bills in my non-magic world. I am a claims adjuster for a Swiss insurance company that specializes in insuring ?non-traditional and non-stationary entertainment? events and on-going concerns.

Basically, The Basil Insurance Group underwrites carnivals, circuses, side-shows, trade-shows, and stuff. We had a fire in a small town outside of London when a trade-show performer was presenting a new idea for copy paper and demonstrating how it couldn?t catch fire even when the copying machine is over-heating.

It burned down the presentation booth and allegedly destroyed his collection of diamonds that he just happened to have with him. So the booth was going to set back B.I.G. just over $1,200 (₤850.00). No biggie. Heck, we had the booth as evidence. We knew it really existed. The diamonds, however, were gone ? they allegedly burned up, like coal.

Anyway, who cares what I do in my non-magic world?

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