Dorian Rhodell - Avenue History & Credits

THINKING AND DIRECTION IN CARD MAGIC

DORIAN RHODELL

History & Credits by Dorian Rhodell

George Pughe’s Pass

TOOLS

George Pughe’s Pass can be found on pg. 1053 of the 1994 edition of Greater Magic (Kaufmann & Greenberg). It is explained in a letter to John Northern Hilliard dated January 21, 1933, where it is described as being a one card version of the Houdini-Elliot Shift. It was originally used to control a selection to the top of the deck. In the same year (1933), a very similar move appeared in print in a book entitled, ricks for the Few pgs. 8-9 under the title, “Passing up the Pass”. Steranko was the first to publish the move as more than just a control. His applications and ideas  were published under the title of, “Shadow Steal” in his book, Steranko on Cards (1960). Te mechanics of this sleight are also found in “Te Rooklyn op Palm” which can be found on pg. 161 of Dai Vernon’s Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic. Ray Kosby also independently invented the move along with others such as Oliver Macia and Daniel Garcia. Ray Kosby published “Te Coffin Change” on pg. 45 of Spectacle by Stephen Minch in 1990. Oliver Macia’s independent invention is called the “Wow Control” and can be found on his DVD, Control Freak. Daniel Garcia’s handling is called the “Ego Change”, and can by found on his DVD, Te Daniel Garcia Project, vol. 1.

The Shift Tis shift is an independent invention of both Paul David and Carlo Ramirez. It appears to be a hybrid of the Lennart Green and Guy Hollingworth shifts. A detailed description can be found in Guy’s book Drawing Room Deceptions on pgs. 122-128.

Mexican Monte Move As far as I know, Te Mexican Monte Move belongs to Karl Fulves and was originally published in a pamphlet entitled Mexican Monte in 1972 pg. 32.

Grease Lightning

EFFECTS

 Version One:

Tis effect first saw print in om Cutts’ now defunct A.M. / P.M. magazine, vol. 1 issue 1. Te addition and subsequent switch basically belong to Ernest Earick. A detailed description can be found on pgs. 31-34 of his book, By Forces Unseen by Stephen Minch. Charles . Jordan appears to be the innovator of the concept of adding cards in this manner. Te “Vernon Strip-Out Addition” first saw print in en Card Problems (1932). Arguably the best description and refined handling of the move can be found in Te Vernon Chronicles, vol. 1, pgs. 79-85.  Version Two:

The idea of using a duplicate card in a transposition goes back at least to 1740 where GillesEdme Guyot published it in Nouvelles Recreations, Physiques et Mathematiques. The Novrec Turnover belongs to Bruce Cervon and can be found in The Black & White Trick and Other Assorted Mysteries on pgs. 47-53.

Snap Exchange Snap Exchange is based on Bill Goodwin’s effect, “Slap Exchange” which can be found in his notes,  At the Expense of Grey Matter. See Grease Lightning, version two, for additional credits.

Joyride Te method of controlling a card to the bottom in this effect belongs to Enrest Earick and can be found in By Forces Unseen Te Innovative Card Magic of Ernest Earick pgs. 83-85. Tis move is a one handed version of the Hofzinser Spread Pass. See works by Edward Victor, Allan Ackerman, Larry Jennings, Ed Marlo and Frank Simon for more explorations with this move. Te Secret Subtraction Move is an idea by J.K. Hartman and can be found in Card Craft on pg. 53. Te pip mis-show sequence can be found in Te Classic Magic of Larry Jennings on pg. 208. It originally saw print in Alton Sharpe’s book, Expert Card Mysteries.

Recon

EFFECTS

Te side steal was possibly invented by Nate Leipzig. Ed Marlo has some amazing work with the side steal in his pamphlet named Te Side Steal. Te add-on used in this effect belongs to Larry Jennings and is called “Te Optical Add-On”. A detailed description can be found in Te Classic Magic of Larry Jennings on pgs. 4-5. Te diminishing lift sequence is Ed Marlo’s and can be found in Ibidem, no. 21. Te Flushstration count belongs to Bro. John Hamman was originally marketed as an effect under the same name by DeVoe’s Magic Den in the mid-sixties. An in depth description of the count can be found on pgs. 43-44 of Te Secrets of Brother John Hamman.

Sidetracked Te idea of setting up the 4 of a kind to transpose with the three selections in this fashion can be found in Bill Goodwin’s lecture notes entitled, Notes From the Bat Cave on pg. 1. Te displacing of the four cards belongs to P. Howard Lyons. See “Slipduc” in Ibidem, No. 9 (March 1957). Te idea of taking a copped card, turning the hand palm down and adding it to a packet was shown to me by Larry Jennings, however, I believe it is an idea of Dai Varnon’s.

A.F.I. Te Le Paul Spread Pass can be found in Te Card Magic of Le Paul under the title of “A Flourish and a Pass” on pgs. 35-37. Te Invisible urnover Pass can be found on pg. 37 of Expert Card echnique (1st ed.). Te Novrec urnover (see Grease Lightning, version two) Te idea of using George Pughe’s Pass in context of an Inversion type of effect, I believe belongs to Bill Goodwin. Bill first used this handling in an effect called, “Pack Flip” and can be found in his notes Te  Ancient Empty Street pg. 5.

Finders Keepers

EFFECTS

Te spin cut belongs to Nate Leipzig. Te opening production sequence belongs to Jack Avis and originally appeared in an effect of his entitled, “Spin Cut Aces”. Te effect first saw print in the Pentagram. A detailed description can be found in Dai Vernon’s Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic on pgs. 135-136 under the effect, “Slippery Aces”. Te method of forcing the card belongs to Henry Christ. It first saw print as, “Te 203rd Force” from Annemann’s SH-H-H--! It’s a Secret in 1934. For the record, Lin Searles and Ed Balducci had similar ideas. Te inspiration for making the first Ace vanish came from Larry Jennings’s “Optical oss”. Tis move saw print in Te Classic Magic of Larry Jennings on pgs. 12-13. Te idea of shooting a card out off the bottom of the deck can not be new. Anyone who has ever played with the first method of Erdnase’s bottom palm has potentially had something similar happen. Unfortunately, I don’t know who to attribute this production to. Te method I use for obtaining a break under one card is very similar, if not identical to “Back Breaker” from Te Vernon Chronicles, vol. 3 on pg. 37. Te idea of pushing over the top card to get a break goes back at least to Te Secrets of Conjuring and Magic by Robert-Houdin, where it is mentioned in “Te Ladies Looking Glass”. Te Collector’s plot belongs to Roy Walton and can be found in Te Complete Walton, vol. 2 on pgs. 31-34.