“Magic is all around, you just have to believe.” -Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Faith And Belief Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Magic is believing in yourself. If you can do that, you can make anything happen.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
“The art of a magician is to create wonder. If we all live with a sense of wonder, our lives will become filled with joy.” -The Great Doug Henning (Douglas James Henning (1947 - 2000))
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Happiness Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“It’s still magic even if you know how it’s done.” -Terry Pratchett (Terrence David John ‘Terry’ Pratchett (1948 - 2015))
The word ‘abracadra’ may have originated from the Aramaic phrase ‘avra kehdabra’ meaning ‘I will create as I speak.’
In 1799, Count de Grisley became the first magician to perform the trick of sawing a woman in half, and ever since then, women everywhere have been eagerly lining up to be sawed in half - or perhaps not!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of this article, or click or tap on these words to visit the History Page.
Magic
It cost so little, I wonder why
We give it so little thought;
A smile, kind words, a glance, a touch -
What magic by them is wrought.
By Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Poetic Epigrams Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Doing magic, you not only have to be able to do a trick, you have to have a little story line to go with it.” -Ken Kesey (Kenneth Elton Kesey (1935 - 2001)): as quoted in “The Sun Times” (29 August 1999) interview
Magic Words
- Abracadabra!
- Hocus-pocus!
- Hot potato, jump-rope, kick-the-can!
- Parsley, peas, potatoes!
- Presto, change-o!
Many magicians create their own magic words, and so can you.
First Magician: What happened to the saw-a-woman-in-half act you used to do?
Second Magician: My assistant left me - she moved to New York and Los Angeles.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Geography Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Howie: How many magicians does it take to change a light bulb?
Howard: That is one trick they do not know - and besides, that is why they have assistants!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Light Bulbs And Artificial Lighting Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“I had loved magic tricks from the time I was six or seven. I bought books on magic. I did magic acts for my parents and their friends. I was aiming for show business from early days, and magic was the poor man’s way of getting in: you buy a trick for $2, and you’ve got an act.” -Steve Martin (Stephen Glenn ‘Steve’ Martin (born 1945)): as quoted in “Time Magazine” (24 August 1987)
One technique for creating funny magic words is to ask for audience participation. Would someone please name a color? Would someone please name an animal? Would someone please name a food? Then you combine their answers, which might make something silly, such as, “Purple elephant ice cream!” which you use as the ‘magic words’ during your show.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Creativity And Innovation Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Faith And Belief Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Magic is believing in yourself. If you can do that, you can make anything happen.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
“The art of a magician is to create wonder. If we all live with a sense of wonder, our lives will become filled with joy.” -The Great Doug Henning (Douglas James Henning (1947 - 2000))
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Happiness Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“It’s still magic even if you know how it’s done.” -Terry Pratchett (Terrence David John ‘Terry’ Pratchett (1948 - 2015))
The word ‘abracadra’ may have originated from the Aramaic phrase ‘avra kehdabra’ meaning ‘I will create as I speak.’
In 1799, Count de Grisley became the first magician to perform the trick of sawing a woman in half, and ever since then, women everywhere have been eagerly lining up to be sawed in half - or perhaps not!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of this article, or click or tap on these words to visit the History Page.
Magic
It cost so little, I wonder why
We give it so little thought;
A smile, kind words, a glance, a touch -
What magic by them is wrought.
By Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Poetic Epigrams Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Doing magic, you not only have to be able to do a trick, you have to have a little story line to go with it.” -Ken Kesey (Kenneth Elton Kesey (1935 - 2001)): as quoted in “The Sun Times” (29 August 1999) interview
Magic Words
- Abracadabra!
- Hocus-pocus!
- Hot potato, jump-rope, kick-the-can!
- Parsley, peas, potatoes!
- Presto, change-o!
Many magicians create their own magic words, and so can you.
First Magician: What happened to the saw-a-woman-in-half act you used to do?
Second Magician: My assistant left me - she moved to New York and Los Angeles.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Geography Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Howie: How many magicians does it take to change a light bulb?
Howard: That is one trick they do not know - and besides, that is why they have assistants!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Light Bulbs And Artificial Lighting Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“I had loved magic tricks from the time I was six or seven. I bought books on magic. I did magic acts for my parents and their friends. I was aiming for show business from early days, and magic was the poor man’s way of getting in: you buy a trick for $2, and you’ve got an act.” -Steve Martin (Stephen Glenn ‘Steve’ Martin (born 1945)): as quoted in “Time Magazine” (24 August 1987)
One technique for creating funny magic words is to ask for audience participation. Would someone please name a color? Would someone please name an animal? Would someone please name a food? Then you combine their answers, which might make something silly, such as, “Purple elephant ice cream!” which you use as the ‘magic words’ during your show.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Creativity And Innovation Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
In 1814, Louis Comte of France became the first magician to pull a rabbit out of a top hat.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Hats And Headwear Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Boris: Why did the magician have to cancel his show?
Doris: He had just washed his hare and could not do anything with it.
“Abracadabbler: An amateur magician.” -Author Unknown
Examples Of Magic Tricks
- Pulling a coin out from behind someone’s ear.
- Making a person or an object disappear and then reappear.
- Cutting something in half or destroying it and then making it reappear whole and undamaged, as for example, money or a handkerchief.
- Levitating (floating) someone or something.
Can you think of other magic tricks?
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Questions And Queries Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Just as there are silent movies with musical accompaniment, there are magicians who perform without speaking, sometimes with dramatic music played during their shows or even a person who stands offstage or a short distance from the magician’s side and narrates, or describes what is happening, during the show, by reading from a memorized or prepared printed script or cue cards.
A magician was driving down a road when, Poof! - he turned into a parking lot.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Vehicles And Driving Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
People who learn to do magic in front of an audience also learn showmanship: timing, quick comebacks, appropriateness and inappropriateness of certain language, and the skill of continuing on even when things go wrong.
Camilla: You know, I have half a mind to become a professional magician.
Pamela: That should do.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Minds And Thinking Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Genius is another word for magic, and the whole point of magic is that it is inexplicable.” -Margot Fonteyn (stage name of Margaret Evelyn de Arias (born Margaret Evelyn Hookham (1919 - 1991))): as quoted in James Randall Miller: “Thoughts from Earth” (2004)
One way to make yourself and your magic show memorable is to do something that is unusual, different, or unique. For example, maybe you could use fruit such as apples, oranges, and bananas in your act. Make a piece of fruit disappear and reappear, and then toss it to a member of the audience. Make a piece of fruit levitate, and then throw it to someone in your audience. You could have someone dressed in a gorilla costume as your assistant. Instead of pulling a live rabbit or a toy rabbit out of a hat, you could pull balloon animals out of your hat and then hand them to children in the audience. Put your imagination to work!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Differences And Individuality Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
The most accomplished female magician in the world is Dorothy Dietrich (born 1969). She performs regularly at the Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States of America. She is also a ‘debunker,’ or someone who exposes lies, deceptions, and false ideas.
“We do not need magic to change the world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” -J. K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen ‘Jo’ Rowling (born 1965)): in a speech (2008) to Harvard Alumni Association
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Changing And Adjusting Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Spring animals are fake animals that are often used by magicians, clowns, comedians, and other entertainers. They can be made to appear very realistic with practice. The basic construction of the animal is of a spring wrapped in either real or artificial animal fur. Different colored fur is used for different spring animals.” -Greg McMahan (born 1960) at http://www.MisterGreggy.com/
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Hats And Headwear Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Boris: Why did the magician have to cancel his show?
Doris: He had just washed his hare and could not do anything with it.
“Abracadabbler: An amateur magician.” -Author Unknown
Examples Of Magic Tricks
- Pulling a coin out from behind someone’s ear.
- Making a person or an object disappear and then reappear.
- Cutting something in half or destroying it and then making it reappear whole and undamaged, as for example, money or a handkerchief.
- Levitating (floating) someone or something.
Can you think of other magic tricks?
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Questions And Queries Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Just as there are silent movies with musical accompaniment, there are magicians who perform without speaking, sometimes with dramatic music played during their shows or even a person who stands offstage or a short distance from the magician’s side and narrates, or describes what is happening, during the show, by reading from a memorized or prepared printed script or cue cards.
A magician was driving down a road when, Poof! - he turned into a parking lot.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Vehicles And Driving Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
People who learn to do magic in front of an audience also learn showmanship: timing, quick comebacks, appropriateness and inappropriateness of certain language, and the skill of continuing on even when things go wrong.
Camilla: You know, I have half a mind to become a professional magician.
Pamela: That should do.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Minds And Thinking Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Genius is another word for magic, and the whole point of magic is that it is inexplicable.” -Margot Fonteyn (stage name of Margaret Evelyn de Arias (born Margaret Evelyn Hookham (1919 - 1991))): as quoted in James Randall Miller: “Thoughts from Earth” (2004)
One way to make yourself and your magic show memorable is to do something that is unusual, different, or unique. For example, maybe you could use fruit such as apples, oranges, and bananas in your act. Make a piece of fruit disappear and reappear, and then toss it to a member of the audience. Make a piece of fruit levitate, and then throw it to someone in your audience. You could have someone dressed in a gorilla costume as your assistant. Instead of pulling a live rabbit or a toy rabbit out of a hat, you could pull balloon animals out of your hat and then hand them to children in the audience. Put your imagination to work!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Differences And Individuality Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
The most accomplished female magician in the world is Dorothy Dietrich (born 1969). She performs regularly at the Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States of America. She is also a ‘debunker,’ or someone who exposes lies, deceptions, and false ideas.
“We do not need magic to change the world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” -J. K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen ‘Jo’ Rowling (born 1965)): in a speech (2008) to Harvard Alumni Association
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Changing And Adjusting Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Spring animals are fake animals that are often used by magicians, clowns, comedians, and other entertainers. They can be made to appear very realistic with practice. The basic construction of the animal is of a spring wrapped in either real or artificial animal fur. Different colored fur is used for different spring animals.” -Greg McMahan (born 1960) at http://www.MisterGreggy.com/
“Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars? Anyone who has loved has been touched by magic. It is such a simple and such an extraordinary part of the lives we live.” -Nora Roberts (born 1950 as Eleanor Marie Robertson): “Charmed” (1992)
“Indeed, what is magic but impossible science?” -Michael Swanwick (born 1950): “Stations of the Tide” (1991), Chapter 8
If you were going to pull a rabbit out of a hat, would you wave a magic wand . . . or would you entice the rabbit by waving a bright orange carrot?
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Carrots Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
A magician seeking to have his act booked at Radio City Music Hall asserted, “I’ve got a trick that will panic them.” “What is it?” asked the manager. “I saw a woman in half,” announced the magician proudly. “You call that a new trick?” scoffed the manager. “Why, they’ve been doing that around here for years.” “Oh, yeah,” snapped the magician. “How about lengthwise?”
Whether you are an amateur or a professional magician, you must consider safety before doing any magic. You might develop a safety checklist to go over before each show. You would probably want to avoid using fire and flames and heat to avoid injuries to yourself, your assistant, any living creatures used in your act, and your audience members, and to avoid costly damage to your equipment or the building in which you are doing your show. If you use live animals, you will want to have the telephone number of more than one veterinarian in case an animal becomes sick or injured. You will likely want to either exercise caution or even completely avoid using anything with a sharp edge that could injure someone, including breakable glass and knives. Once you are certain everything is safe, get the show started and have fun!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Accidents And Safety Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Ask for a volunteer from the audience. Tell the person to take a coin from his or her pocket and hold it up in a closed fist so that you cannot see the date on the coin, and announce that you are going to tell everyone the date. Then, you say today’s date, which might be, for example, something like, “It’s Saturday, April 30, 2021,” even though the actual date on the coin might be something like just the year 1983. This is usually good for a laugh from the audience.
A teacher was discussing different jobs held by the parents of the students. When she called on Little Johnny, she asked, “And what does your father do?” “Oh, he’s a magician,” replied Johnny. “Really - and what’s his best trick?” “His best trick is sawing people in half.” “Wonderful!” exclaimed the teacher. “Tell me, are there any more children in your family?” “Yes ma’am, I have a half-brother and two half-sisters.”
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Homes And Families Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Marlene: Why did illusionist Harry Houdini spend hours at the gym?
Arlene: He wanted to be fit to be tied.
Magicians and their magic acts are the center of their shows; however, magicians may have assistants. A magician’s assistant often does not speak during the magic acts, but stands by quietly and helps with the props or becomes a prop in the act, as when he or she is made to disappear, is sawed in half, or is levitated. Sometimes magicians encourage audience participation by asking people to be part of a magic act or to provide simple props such as coins or bills. While these audience members may seem to be randomly chosen people who are like everyone else in the audience, they actually may be friends or people the magician met with before the show and practiced the act with to be sure everything goes as planned.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Employment And Work Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Perform as many times as you can in front of people you don’t know.” -Lance Burton (William Lance ‘Lance’ Burton (born 1960)), advice to those who would be magicians
“Well, I believe in magic, too, but it’s the magic that can turn a caterpillar into a butterfly, the natural wonder and beauty of the world that’s all around me.” -Charles de Lint (born 1951)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Nature And Wildlife Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Indeed, what is magic but impossible science?” -Michael Swanwick (born 1950): “Stations of the Tide” (1991), Chapter 8
If you were going to pull a rabbit out of a hat, would you wave a magic wand . . . or would you entice the rabbit by waving a bright orange carrot?
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Carrots Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
A magician seeking to have his act booked at Radio City Music Hall asserted, “I’ve got a trick that will panic them.” “What is it?” asked the manager. “I saw a woman in half,” announced the magician proudly. “You call that a new trick?” scoffed the manager. “Why, they’ve been doing that around here for years.” “Oh, yeah,” snapped the magician. “How about lengthwise?”
Whether you are an amateur or a professional magician, you must consider safety before doing any magic. You might develop a safety checklist to go over before each show. You would probably want to avoid using fire and flames and heat to avoid injuries to yourself, your assistant, any living creatures used in your act, and your audience members, and to avoid costly damage to your equipment or the building in which you are doing your show. If you use live animals, you will want to have the telephone number of more than one veterinarian in case an animal becomes sick or injured. You will likely want to either exercise caution or even completely avoid using anything with a sharp edge that could injure someone, including breakable glass and knives. Once you are certain everything is safe, get the show started and have fun!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Accidents And Safety Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Ask for a volunteer from the audience. Tell the person to take a coin from his or her pocket and hold it up in a closed fist so that you cannot see the date on the coin, and announce that you are going to tell everyone the date. Then, you say today’s date, which might be, for example, something like, “It’s Saturday, April 30, 2021,” even though the actual date on the coin might be something like just the year 1983. This is usually good for a laugh from the audience.
A teacher was discussing different jobs held by the parents of the students. When she called on Little Johnny, she asked, “And what does your father do?” “Oh, he’s a magician,” replied Johnny. “Really - and what’s his best trick?” “His best trick is sawing people in half.” “Wonderful!” exclaimed the teacher. “Tell me, are there any more children in your family?” “Yes ma’am, I have a half-brother and two half-sisters.”
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Homes And Families Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Marlene: Why did illusionist Harry Houdini spend hours at the gym?
Arlene: He wanted to be fit to be tied.
Magicians and their magic acts are the center of their shows; however, magicians may have assistants. A magician’s assistant often does not speak during the magic acts, but stands by quietly and helps with the props or becomes a prop in the act, as when he or she is made to disappear, is sawed in half, or is levitated. Sometimes magicians encourage audience participation by asking people to be part of a magic act or to provide simple props such as coins or bills. While these audience members may seem to be randomly chosen people who are like everyone else in the audience, they actually may be friends or people the magician met with before the show and practiced the act with to be sure everything goes as planned.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Employment And Work Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Perform as many times as you can in front of people you don’t know.” -Lance Burton (William Lance ‘Lance’ Burton (born 1960)), advice to those who would be magicians
“Well, I believe in magic, too, but it’s the magic that can turn a caterpillar into a butterfly, the natural wonder and beauty of the world that’s all around me.” -Charles de Lint (born 1951)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Nature And Wildlife Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
In addition to their costumes, magicians have ‘props’ that they use in their magic acts. Typical props might be a deck of playing cards, a small lightweight table with a tablecloth, several colored handkerchiefs, rabbits, birds, large coins, and specially made items for tricks. Once magic props have been acquired, the emphasis of the magician turns to rehearsing and practicing each trick and the key to magic, which is showmanship.
If you did the old magic trick of sawing a lady in half, and you put the top half together with another lady, what you’d have is a ‘gallon a half’ . . . quite possibly that joke needs a little more work . . .
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read The Macabre Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Magicians We Have Yet to See
- Cheery Houdini . . . the happy, smiling clown magician.
- Dairy Moodini . . . the cow magician.
- Fairy Houdini . . . does sprightly winged magic.
- Hairy Houdini . . . the monkey magician with a human assistant.
- Harry Linguini . . . the pasta chef magician.
- Hippie Houdini . . . does groovy magic with peace and love, man.
- Santa Houdini . . . arrives in a magic flying sleigh and pulls Christmas presents from a magic sack.
- Scary Houdini . . . shows up at your door on Halloween and makes your candy magically disappear.
Can you add to this list?
“Magic is a secret, and without the secret there is no magic.” -Author Unknown
Marvin: What bird does magic tricks?
Margaret: Hoo-hoo-hoooooo-dini!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Owls Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Martin: Have you heard about the magician who fell through the floorboards in the middle of his performance?
Marvin: Yes, but it is all right - he was just ‘going through a stage.’
“You know, I do believe in magic. I was born and raised in a magic time, in a magic town, among magicians. Oh, most everybody else didn’t realize we lived in that web of chance and circumstance. But I knew it all along. When I was twelve years old, the world was my magic lantern, and by its glow I saw the past, the present, and into the future. You probably did too; you just don’t recall it. See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, lightning bugs, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in dewdrops. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it disciplined out, washed out, and combed out. We are told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up for goodness’ sake. And you know why we were told that? Because the people doing the telling were afraid of our wildness and youth, and because the magic we knew made them ashamed and sad of what they had allowed to wither in themselves. After you go so far away from it, though, you can never really get it all back. You can get seconds of it. Just seconds of knowing and remembering. When people get weepy at movies, it is because in that dark theater the golden pool of magic is touched, just briefly. Then they come out into the harsh sunlight of logic and reason again and it dries up, and they are left feeling a little heart-sad and not knowing why. When a song stirs a memory, when motes of dust twirling in a shaft of light takes your attention from the world, when you listen to a coyote howling in the distance and wonder what it might be saying, you step beyond who you are and where you are. For the briefest of instants, you have stepped into the magic realm.” -Robert R. McCammon (Robert Rick McCammon (born 1952)): “Boy’s Life” (1991) novel, ‘Introduction’ at https://www.robertmccammon.com/.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of this article, or click or tap on these words to visit the Essays Page.
Famous People Who Started Out As Magicians
- Bob Barker (Robert William ‘Bob’ Barker (born 1923))
- Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger (1908 - 2002))
- Bill Bixby (Wilfred Bailey Everett ‘Bill’ Bixby III (1934 - 1993))
- Johnny Carson (John William ‘Johnny’ Carson (1925 - 2005))
- Dick Cavett (Richard Alva ‘Dick’ Cavett (born 1936))
- Charles Dickens (Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812 - 1870))
- Cary Grant (pseudonym of Archibald Alexander Leach (1904 - 1986))
- Steve Martin (Stephen Glenn ‘Steve’ Martin (born 1945))
- Jimmy Stewart (James Maitland ‘Jimmy’ Stewart (1908 - 1997))
- Dick van Dyke (Richard Wayne ‘Dick’ Van Dyke (born 1925))
Will you get your start to fame with a magic act?
“A little magic can take you a long way.” -Roald Dahl (1916 - 1990): “James and the Giant Peach” (1961)
If you did the old magic trick of sawing a lady in half, and you put the top half together with another lady, what you’d have is a ‘gallon a half’ . . . quite possibly that joke needs a little more work . . .
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read The Macabre Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Magicians We Have Yet to See
- Cheery Houdini . . . the happy, smiling clown magician.
- Dairy Moodini . . . the cow magician.
- Fairy Houdini . . . does sprightly winged magic.
- Hairy Houdini . . . the monkey magician with a human assistant.
- Harry Linguini . . . the pasta chef magician.
- Hippie Houdini . . . does groovy magic with peace and love, man.
- Santa Houdini . . . arrives in a magic flying sleigh and pulls Christmas presents from a magic sack.
- Scary Houdini . . . shows up at your door on Halloween and makes your candy magically disappear.
Can you add to this list?
“Magic is a secret, and without the secret there is no magic.” -Author Unknown
Marvin: What bird does magic tricks?
Margaret: Hoo-hoo-hoooooo-dini!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Owls Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Martin: Have you heard about the magician who fell through the floorboards in the middle of his performance?
Marvin: Yes, but it is all right - he was just ‘going through a stage.’
“You know, I do believe in magic. I was born and raised in a magic time, in a magic town, among magicians. Oh, most everybody else didn’t realize we lived in that web of chance and circumstance. But I knew it all along. When I was twelve years old, the world was my magic lantern, and by its glow I saw the past, the present, and into the future. You probably did too; you just don’t recall it. See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, lightning bugs, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in dewdrops. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it disciplined out, washed out, and combed out. We are told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up for goodness’ sake. And you know why we were told that? Because the people doing the telling were afraid of our wildness and youth, and because the magic we knew made them ashamed and sad of what they had allowed to wither in themselves. After you go so far away from it, though, you can never really get it all back. You can get seconds of it. Just seconds of knowing and remembering. When people get weepy at movies, it is because in that dark theater the golden pool of magic is touched, just briefly. Then they come out into the harsh sunlight of logic and reason again and it dries up, and they are left feeling a little heart-sad and not knowing why. When a song stirs a memory, when motes of dust twirling in a shaft of light takes your attention from the world, when you listen to a coyote howling in the distance and wonder what it might be saying, you step beyond who you are and where you are. For the briefest of instants, you have stepped into the magic realm.” -Robert R. McCammon (Robert Rick McCammon (born 1952)): “Boy’s Life” (1991) novel, ‘Introduction’ at https://www.robertmccammon.com/.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of this article, or click or tap on these words to visit the Essays Page.
Famous People Who Started Out As Magicians
- Bob Barker (Robert William ‘Bob’ Barker (born 1923))
- Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger (1908 - 2002))
- Bill Bixby (Wilfred Bailey Everett ‘Bill’ Bixby III (1934 - 1993))
- Johnny Carson (John William ‘Johnny’ Carson (1925 - 2005))
- Dick Cavett (Richard Alva ‘Dick’ Cavett (born 1936))
- Charles Dickens (Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812 - 1870))
- Cary Grant (pseudonym of Archibald Alexander Leach (1904 - 1986))
- Steve Martin (Stephen Glenn ‘Steve’ Martin (born 1945))
- Jimmy Stewart (James Maitland ‘Jimmy’ Stewart (1908 - 1997))
- Dick van Dyke (Richard Wayne ‘Dick’ Van Dyke (born 1925))
Will you get your start to fame with a magic act?
“A little magic can take you a long way.” -Roald Dahl (1916 - 1990): “James and the Giant Peach” (1961)
A magician’s costume is commonly a top hat, a magic wand, and a set of clothes meant to help hold the audience’s attention through the use of eye-catching colors, quaint old-fashionedness, or an exotic appearance. A magician’s clothes may have many hidden pockets sewn into them. Some magicians also wear capes, false mustaches, false eyebrows, false beards, face paint, and other theatrical effects.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Attire And Accessories Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“As a magician I promise never to reveal the secret of any illusion to a non-magician, unless that one swears to uphold the Magician’s Oath in turn. I promise never to perform any illusion for any non-magician without first practicing the effect until I can perform it well enough to maintain the illusion of magic.” -Author Unknown: Magician’s Oath
“That’s the thing with magic. You’ve got to know it’s still here, all around us, or it just stays invisible for you.” -Charles de Lint (born 1951): “Dreams Underfoot: The Newford Collection” (2003), ‘Ghosts of Wind and Shadow,’ page 183
Whenever something goes wrong in your magic show, just tell your audience, “That is just how I planned it!” Then pause momentarily and continue on to your next trick.
Rufus: What do you call a dog that does magic tricks?
Freddy: A Labracadabrador!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Domestic Dogs Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Attempts have been made to link performance magic, or magic tricks, to occultism, but this is a misuse of magic by occultists to try to make their occult beliefs appealing to people, and thereby draw people into occultism. Performance magic stands on its own and is not to be confused with occultism.
Allison: What does a martial arts magician say?
Allie: Jitsu-judo-karate . . . chop!
“Cats are magical . . . the more you pet them, the longer you both live.” -attributed to Stephen King (Stephen Edwin King (born 1947)) (We suspect some sneaky cat slipped that line in here, because it is not exactly relevant to this topic.)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Domestic Cats Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Nothing I do can’t be done by a 10-year-old with 15 years of practice.” -Harry Blackstone, Junior (Harry Bouton Blackstone, Junior (1934 - 1997))
Double or Nothing Magic Trick. Tell a friend or an adult that you will be able to double their money without buying anything, going on the Stock Exchange, or using a computer. Then ask them for a dollar bill. Simply fold the bill in half and say, “There! I doubled your money!”
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Money Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“My hobby is magic. I learned the rudiments with Murry Dickson from a fellow who was at our training camp in St. Petersbug in 1942 and liked it. I help entertain at parties and sometimes on trains.” -Stan Musial (Stanley Frank Musial (born Stanislaw Franciszek Musial (1920 - 2013))): as quoted in Les Biederman: ‘The Scoreboard: Private Life of Stan Musial’ published in “The Pittsburgh Press” (15 May 1955), Section 4, page 3
“Shazam!” is a magic acronymic word created from Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, and it is said to invoke their powers. An acronym is a word created typically by combining the first letter in each word in a phrase or list.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Abbreviations And Acronyms Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“The world is its own magic.” -Shunryu Suzuki (1904 - 1971)
Some magic wands are hollow inside to conceal handkerchiefs, powders that produce puffs like smoke but without fire or flames, or shiny colorful glitter. Magic wands can be made from rolled-up sheets of paper or wood or plastic sticks. Magicians typically wave their magic wands or tap other props such as their magic hats atop their heads, while saying magic words such as, “Abrakadabra alakazam, let’s hope this goes as planned!”
“Everything is made out of magic: leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes, and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden - in all the places.” -Frances Hodgson Burnett (Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (1849 - 1924)): “The Secret Garden” (1911)
What do magicians have in common with clowns, actors, musicians, and authors? Like the aforementioned folks, most professional, part-time, and amateur magicians have stage names, or names that they use in association with their magic acts, often in conjunction with somewhat exaggerated descriptive words about their acts and personas. Their stage names include words such ‘the Great’ or ‘the Amazing.’ So, if you are Jimmy O’Reilly in your private life, you might take up your hat, wand, and cape to become ‘Jacob the Fantastical Wizard of Illusion and Master of Magical Mayhem’ or if you are Sarah Sumner in your personal life, you might grab your rabbits, doves, baby chicks, and artificial flowers to become ‘the Astounding Animal Acts and Flying Floral Arrangements of Mrs. Priscilla Piccadilly’ (any resemblance to persons living or otherwise is purely coincidental). Even the magical Harry Houdini had a real name: Erich Weiss (born Erik Weisz and also known as Harry Weiss and possibly by other names (1874 - 1926)).
Henry: There ain’t no such thing as magic, is there?
Bollie: I guess not, Henry. Or maybe . . . maybe there is magic. And maybe there’s wishes, too. I guess the trouble is . . . there’s not enough people around to believe . . .
-Rod Serling (Rodman Edward Serling (1924 - 1975)): “The Twilight Zone,” episode 27: ‘The Big Tall Wish’ (8 April 1960)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Wishes And Wishing Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” -Roald Dahl (1916 - 1990): “The Minpins” (1991)
We are MFOL! . . . all it takes is a little magic . . . our next act is coming right up . . .
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Attire And Accessories Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“As a magician I promise never to reveal the secret of any illusion to a non-magician, unless that one swears to uphold the Magician’s Oath in turn. I promise never to perform any illusion for any non-magician without first practicing the effect until I can perform it well enough to maintain the illusion of magic.” -Author Unknown: Magician’s Oath
“That’s the thing with magic. You’ve got to know it’s still here, all around us, or it just stays invisible for you.” -Charles de Lint (born 1951): “Dreams Underfoot: The Newford Collection” (2003), ‘Ghosts of Wind and Shadow,’ page 183
Whenever something goes wrong in your magic show, just tell your audience, “That is just how I planned it!” Then pause momentarily and continue on to your next trick.
Rufus: What do you call a dog that does magic tricks?
Freddy: A Labracadabrador!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Domestic Dogs Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
Attempts have been made to link performance magic, or magic tricks, to occultism, but this is a misuse of magic by occultists to try to make their occult beliefs appealing to people, and thereby draw people into occultism. Performance magic stands on its own and is not to be confused with occultism.
Allison: What does a martial arts magician say?
Allie: Jitsu-judo-karate . . . chop!
“Cats are magical . . . the more you pet them, the longer you both live.” -attributed to Stephen King (Stephen Edwin King (born 1947)) (We suspect some sneaky cat slipped that line in here, because it is not exactly relevant to this topic.)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Domestic Cats Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“Nothing I do can’t be done by a 10-year-old with 15 years of practice.” -Harry Blackstone, Junior (Harry Bouton Blackstone, Junior (1934 - 1997))
Double or Nothing Magic Trick. Tell a friend or an adult that you will be able to double their money without buying anything, going on the Stock Exchange, or using a computer. Then ask them for a dollar bill. Simply fold the bill in half and say, “There! I doubled your money!”
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Money Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“My hobby is magic. I learned the rudiments with Murry Dickson from a fellow who was at our training camp in St. Petersbug in 1942 and liked it. I help entertain at parties and sometimes on trains.” -Stan Musial (Stanley Frank Musial (born Stanislaw Franciszek Musial (1920 - 2013))): as quoted in Les Biederman: ‘The Scoreboard: Private Life of Stan Musial’ published in “The Pittsburgh Press” (15 May 1955), Section 4, page 3
“Shazam!” is a magic acronymic word created from Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, and it is said to invoke their powers. An acronym is a word created typically by combining the first letter in each word in a phrase or list.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Abbreviations And Acronyms Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“The world is its own magic.” -Shunryu Suzuki (1904 - 1971)
Some magic wands are hollow inside to conceal handkerchiefs, powders that produce puffs like smoke but without fire or flames, or shiny colorful glitter. Magic wands can be made from rolled-up sheets of paper or wood or plastic sticks. Magicians typically wave their magic wands or tap other props such as their magic hats atop their heads, while saying magic words such as, “Abrakadabra alakazam, let’s hope this goes as planned!”
“Everything is made out of magic: leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes, and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden - in all the places.” -Frances Hodgson Burnett (Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (1849 - 1924)): “The Secret Garden” (1911)
What do magicians have in common with clowns, actors, musicians, and authors? Like the aforementioned folks, most professional, part-time, and amateur magicians have stage names, or names that they use in association with their magic acts, often in conjunction with somewhat exaggerated descriptive words about their acts and personas. Their stage names include words such ‘the Great’ or ‘the Amazing.’ So, if you are Jimmy O’Reilly in your private life, you might take up your hat, wand, and cape to become ‘Jacob the Fantastical Wizard of Illusion and Master of Magical Mayhem’ or if you are Sarah Sumner in your personal life, you might grab your rabbits, doves, baby chicks, and artificial flowers to become ‘the Astounding Animal Acts and Flying Floral Arrangements of Mrs. Priscilla Piccadilly’ (any resemblance to persons living or otherwise is purely coincidental). Even the magical Harry Houdini had a real name: Erich Weiss (born Erik Weisz and also known as Harry Weiss and possibly by other names (1874 - 1926)).
Henry: There ain’t no such thing as magic, is there?
Bollie: I guess not, Henry. Or maybe . . . maybe there is magic. And maybe there’s wishes, too. I guess the trouble is . . . there’s not enough people around to believe . . .
-Rod Serling (Rodman Edward Serling (1924 - 1975)): “The Twilight Zone,” episode 27: ‘The Big Tall Wish’ (8 April 1960)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read Wishes And Wishing Gathered By David Hugh Beaumont.
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” -Roald Dahl (1916 - 1990): “The Minpins” (1991)
We are MFOL! . . . all it takes is a little magic . . . our next act is coming right up . . .
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