Thu, 29 Dec 2005
It’s confession time. I use to be a magic geek. For just over 2 years I worked at Brad Burt’s Magic Shop in San Diego. I also performed magic at private parties, restaurants, trade shows, as well as WAY too many rotten little kid birthday parties. I’ve been to the Magic Castle several times and performed in the visitor’s lounge downstairs (If I remember correctly I think it was called “The Hounds and Hare”). I was part of a small invitation only magic club called PRIME (People Really Interested in Magical Entertainment). Once I even performed for Mohamed Ali who told me “You blew my mind”.
Dai Vernon, A.K.A. “The Professor” can certainly be counted among the greatest magicians of all time. Just about every close up magic trick you’re ever seen, read about or heard of has been touched by Dai’s creative hand. Do you do an Ambitious Card routine? (The chosen card is placed in the middle of the deck but it keeps appearing on the top of the deck) Dai fooled Houdini with his version. How about any of the Ace Collection effects? (Four Aces are placed on the table and covered with 3 indifferent cards. One by one the aces move to the “home base” pile). Dai had a dozen methods to do that one. Linking Rings? You’re probably doing Dai’s routine. Cups and Balls? You’re almost certainly doing moves invented by Dai Vernon (Especially if you do the wand spin vanish).
Dai was the master magician. He would “hold court” at the Magic Castle in Hollywood at a particular corner bench in the front bar. That particular spot is one of the few well lit places at the castle. I remember sitting there myself looking up at the bar and thinking about how much magical creativity and technical mastery flowed from that very spot. My girlfriend leaned over to me and said : “you know who’s spot you’re sitting in don’t you?”
“Yes”, I answered. “The Professor’s”
I was in my early 30’s and still fairly new at “serious” magic. Although I’d had a fascination for magic since my Grandfather first vanished a small silk with a thumb tip for me when I was 5, I’d only been really studying and practicing the “real work” of close up card and coin magic for a couple of years. But I had a passion for it and I seemed to pick things up pretty quickly.
Some flyers were delivered to the store announcing that Bruce Cervon (One of Dai Vernon’s protégés ) would be lecturing in Hollywood later that month. The book “The Cervon Files” had just come out and I was keen to go. I made my reservations and waited for the big day to come.
The morning of the lecture I got up at 5 am to drive from San Diego to Hollywood. The lecture was about lunch time and I wasn’t going to be late. I brought my copy of “The Cervon Files” and also the first volume of “The Vernon Chronicles” which had also just been published. Notebook in hand I arrived early and found a seat right up front. I was in the 3rd seat from the aisle because the 2 seats next to me had “Reserved” cards on them.
Bruce was in peak form. His lecture was on a variety of effects of his own design as well as ones that Dai had taught him (several of which had been released for the first time in “The Vernon Chronicles”). In one routine he wrapped a half dollar in a borrowed handkerchief and burned a hole in the handkerchief with 3 paper matches. He then pulled the coin through the burned whole. With a rub of his fingers he healed the burnt hole to restore the handkerchief. But the effect wasn’t done. From under the handkerchief he pulled another half dollar. Then another, and another, then a lit cigarette and finally a wine glass full of wine! (Not a fake, it was actual liquid which he could drink).
As he was teaching the production of the cigarette the audience erupted with applause at a moment that was completely inappropriate to what Bruce was doing on stage. I looked up from my notepad (on which I was writing furiously in an attempt to capture every word that Bruce was saying) to see the audience on its feet and facing the back of the theater.
I stood up to see what had happened. The Professor had arrived. Dai Vernon and his driver had entered from the back and tried to sneak in but the audience wouldn’t have it. Their standing ovation was there way of honoring the man that gave so much to the magic community.
Dai waved his hand to the crowd and said “No, No, it’s Bruce’s show. Really, this just takes up quite a bit of time. I appreciate it but this is Bruce’s show.” He didn’t want to steal the thunder from Bruce’s excellent lecture.
Well, I found out why those two seats next to me were reserved. Vernon sat down right next to me, said “Good morning”, rested both his hands on his cane (whose handle was a brass rabbit’s head) and proceeded to listen to Bruce’s lecture just like the rest of us.
Here it was just after lunch time and Dai, always the gentleman, was dressed in formal attire. He wore a black suit with a vest and tie. His tie clasp was a gold rabbit and he wore an ornate silver ring. The man just had an air of dignity about him.
Bruce continued his lecture. After about 10 minutes I noticed that Dai had fallen asleep. I believe he was about 92 years old at that time so he can certainly be forgiven for taking a well deserved nap.
Later in the lecture Bruce was performing a routine of Dai’s where 4 silver dollars were placed in a large silk and vanished. Bruce then made a bag from the silk by gathering all four corners. One by one, Bruce would pluck an invisible coin from the air and toss the invisible coin towards the impromptu silk bag. Although the coins were invisible you could see the silk move as the coin arrived. You could even hear the 2nd, 3rd and 4th coins arriving but you couldn’t see them. When Bruce opened up the silk all four coins had returned.
While teaching the effect Bruce answered a question with a rather detailed answer on the natural handling of the invisible coins. Once he finished his explanation he went back to teaching the next step of the effect. But he stopped for a moment and had to ask the audience “I’ve lost my place. Did I just produce the 3rd or 4th coin?”
A small thin voice from the seat next to me piped up “Go home and practice Bruce.” It was Dai giving his former student a hard time. Everybody laughed including Bruce.
After the lecture Bruce was kind enough to autograph my copy of “The Cervon Files”. It took a couple minutes but I got up the nerve to ask The Professor if he would sign my copy of “The Vernon Chronicles”.
“Mr. Vernon, may I ask you to sign my book please?” I asked.
“Well certainly son. What’s your name?”
“Greg”
“Where are you from Greg?” he asked.
“I’m living in San Diego right now.”
“Lovely place San Diego. My son Teddy lives down there. How long have you been performing magic?”
I couldn’t believe that Vernon was actually interested in my magic.
“About 2 years sir.” I responded nervously.
“Well keep it up. I’m sure you’ll do very well.” He handed my book back to me and on the blank page at the front of the book opposite his portrait he has written:
“To Greg, Best Wishes, Dai Vernon”
I thanked him and let the other autograph seekers have their turn. As I looked back at the man that I so deeply respected I noticed that his driver had a yellow pad of paper with him. And on that paper he had written with a black Sharpy pen the words “Greg, San Diego, 2 years”. I watched as Dai talked to some other people and his driver would write brief descriptions of their answers to Dai’s questions. I realized that at 92 Dai’s hearing was pretty poor. So he would glance over to the yellow pad to make sure he had heard the conversation correctly.
Rather than thinking “That poor old man. He can barely hear.” I thought “Even with his hearing impairment, he wants to interact with his fans. He realizes that these people are the future of magic.
I walked away from that lecture knowing that I had met a rare breed. I had met a true, old world gentleman.
Oh, and here’s a bit of magical trivia. Remember Dai’s son Teddy who lived in San Diego? Guess who Teddy’s god parents are?
Harry and Bess Houdini.
This story is from the
[/ramblings] department
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