U.F. Grant - Illusion Secrets

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BY U . F .

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g z At t h e s t a r t , compartment i s on i n s i d e of t h e "book a n d p l a t f o r m •2 2 i s w h e e l e d i n on t h e s t a g e a n d shown a l l a r o u n d - An a s s i s t a n t i s c o n c e a l e d i n t h e "book on t h e i n s i d e of t h e s l i d i n g compartment a 2 so f r o n t door i s opened- As s o o n a s i t i s o p e n e d , t h e ^ u a s s i s t a n t s l i d e s t h e compartment out a n d s t e p s i n t o i t - Next t h e | j f i r s t i n s i d e p a g e i s opened a n d f o l l o w i n g t h a t t h e b a c k c o v e r $

¥ i t h t h e d o o r s opened w i d e t h e e n t i r e p l a t f o r m i s swung a r o u n d showing a l l s i d e s . How b a c k c o v e r i s c l o s e d , t h e n i n s i d e p a g e As s o o n a s t h i s i s c l o s e d , a s s i s t a n t s l i d e s compartment b a c k i r r t o t h e "book a n d s t e p s i n . Now f r o n t c o v e r i s c l o s e d Front c o v e r i a i m m e d i a t e l y re-opened and p e r f o r m e r f i r e s a shot a n d a s s i s t a n t comes t e a r i n g t h r o u g h , p a p e r of t h e f i r s t i n s i & e g a g e T h i s c a n b e made i n t g a v e r y n o v e l i l l u s i o n s u c h a s h a v i n g on t h e c o v e r of t h e book " L i t t l e Red R i d i n g Hood M , t h e n p r o d u c e a s s i s t a n t a s M t t l e fied R i d i n g Hood U s i n g t h e a b o v e t i t l e you c a n u s e i l l u s t r a t e d s i l k s t o p r o d u c e f r o m t h e book b e f o r e t h e g i r l s t e p s f o r w a r d . E a c h s i l k one of t h e c h a r a c t e r s of t h e s t o r y i l l u s t r a t e d on i t - As you p u n c h a small hole i n t h e paper, a s s i s t a n t places a s i l k at hole w h i c h you draw out a s you t e l l t h e s t o r y a n d a t t h e f i n i s h out s t e p s L i t t l e Red R i d i n g Hood h e r s l e f . Good t o i n t r o d u c e M a g i c . Magicians*

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T h i s i 3 t h e c l u b p e r f o r m e r s method o f t h e sword C a b i n e t - P e r f o r m e r shows a s m a l l c a b i n e t t h a t h a s a neck s t o c k a t b o t t o m R e a r h a l f of s t o c k i s s l i d out a n d box p l a c e d over a mans h e a d Then neck s t o c k i s s l i d i n h o l d i n g box t i g h t l y a r o u n d mans h e a a Bck h a s s e v e r a l s l i t 3 i n i t a n d i n t h e s e you i n s e r t l o n g k n i f e b l a d e s a s p i c t u r e d b e l o w . Then a po l e i s p u s h e d t h r o u g h a n d down t h e c e n t r e o f t h e box f r o m t h e t o p , a p p a r e n t l y r i g h t through- t h e c e n t r e of t h e mans h e a d - How you s a y you w i l l show them t h e "Man who Lost H i s H e a d " . A f r o n t door of t h e box i s opened down ai;d t h e mans h e a d i s s e e n t o b e m i s s i n g * J u s t a number of swords f i l l i n g t h e . e n t i r e c e n t r e i n t e r i o r of t h e box a n d t h e p o l e down t h r o u g h t h e c e n t r e a r e s e e n Box i s made d e e p enough so t h a t t h e mans h e a d w i l l b e a l i t t l e t o " t h e r e a r of t h e b o x . Two m i r r o r s h i n g e d a t t h e r e a r t o t h e s i d e s of t h e b o x , t h e b a c k s of t h e m i r r o r s a r e c o v e r e d w i t h t h e same m a t e r i a l a s . i n s i d e of t h e b o x . At s t a r t t h e s e a r e f o l d e d up next t o t h e s i d e s p f b o x . A f t e r p l a c i n g t h e box over m a n s s h e a d , you open s m a l l t o p c o v e r t o s e e how h e i s g e t t i n g a l o n g a n d t h e n swing m i r r o r s over t o c e n t r e of box so t h e y come t o g e t h e r a t t h e c e n t r e a t a 4 5 - d e g r e e a n g l e . ETow t h r o u g h t h e s l o t s i n b o x , i n s e r t l o n g k n i f e b l a d e s and when t h e p o l e i s p u s h e d down i n t o t o p of b o x , t h e p o l e comes out i n f r o n t of t h e two f r o n t e d g e s of t h e m i r r o r s hiding- them perfectly» When t h e f r o n t c o v e r i s opened, t h e m i r r o r s h i d e t h e mans head, a n d r e f l e c t t h e s w o r d s , g i v i n g t h e i l l u s i o n t h a t you a r e s e e i n g t h e swords c o n i n g t h r o u g h t h e b a c k of t h e box a n d t h e e n t i r e i n t e r i o r . T h i s i s a m a r v e l l o u s e f f e c t f o r any c l u b p e r f o r m e r . At t h e f i n i s h you c l o s e up t h e f r o n t , remove t h e p o l e a n d s w o r d s , t h e n remove t h e box f r o m t h e mans h e a d

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T h i s w i l l proballjty p r o v e t o b e one of t h e most b a f f l i n g i l l u s i o n s ever t o b e b r o u g h t o u t . The w r i t e r made up a s m a l l one f o r t h e p r o d u c t i o n of l i v e s t o c k j and i t was uncanny how d e c e p t i v e i t was We do not g i v e d i m e n s i o n s on t h i s e i t h e r a s any s i z e may b e u s e d a n d f o r one p e r s o n or a s many a s d e s i r e d * A t e n t (on a p l a t f o r m ) of some l i g h t c a n v a s m a t e r i a l or s h e e t i n g a s p i c t u r e d beloxv w i t h a p o l e down t h r o u g h t h e c e n t r e w i t h a f l a g on t o p of t h e p o l e * Two m i r r o r s r u n from t h e c e n t r e of t h e p o l e t o t h e r e a r of t e n t a t a 45-degree an g l e . The m i r r o r s a r e h i n g e d so t h e y may f o l d over a g a i n s t t h e s i d e s of t h e t e n t a t t h e f i n i s h , t h e b a c k s of t h e m i r r o r s b e i n g c o v e r e d w i t h same m a t e r i a l a s t e n t i s made of* With t h e m i r r o r s i n p o s i t i o n you have a s s i s t a n t h i d d e n i n t e n t b e h i n d m i r r o r . C a b i n e t i s w h e e l e d i n and f l a p s of same opened up and i n t e r i o r a p p e a r s empty t h a n k s t o m i r r o r s * Now w h e e l t e n t and show same on a l l s i d e s * Now t o p r o v e t h e r e a r e no d o u b l e w a l l s , l i g h t s a r e p l a c e d a r o u n d same i n t h e p o s i t i o n s shown i n t h e d r a w i n g and t u r n e d on and t h a n k s t o t h e m i r r o r s and t h e way t h e l i g h t s a r e a r r a n g e d t h e i l l u s i o n w i l l b e t h a t t h e e n t i r e t e n t i s t r a n s p a r e n t and t h a t t h e a u d i e n c e s e e t h e l i g h t i n t h e r e a r a s w e l l a s t h o s e on t h e sides* Now a l l t h a t t h e n pushes open f l a p s tent eating

r e m a i n s i s t o c l o s e t h e f l a p s of t h e t e n t * A s s i s t a n t t h e m i r r o r s over t o s i d e of c a b i n e t and when you of t e n t , t h e r e ' s t h e Queen of Sheba s i t t i n g i n t h e a b a s k e t of g r a p e s or what ha-ve you*

T h i 3 i s a m a r v e l l o u s i l l u s i o n and we h i g h l y recommend i t * N

Good a s t h e "Gypsy F o r t u n e T e n t " w i t h Q u e s t i o n s p l a c e d i n t h e empty ( ? ) t e n t a n d v o i c e a n s w e r s , f i n a l l y Gypsy e m e r g e s .

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A t h r e e - f o l d , s c r e e n about s i x f e e t h i g h , each p a n e l covered w i t h a w h i t e c l o t h or l i g h t c a n v a s i s r e q u i r e d . A l s o a s m a l l t w o f o l d s c r e e n a b o u t f o u r f e e t h i g h w i t h c l o t h p a n e l s a n d two h o l e s c u t out a n d a s h e e t of window g l a s s i n e a c h h o l e as~ pictured. The e n t i r e o u t f i t s h o u l d b e p a i n t e d i n w h i t e s o a s t o a p p e a r a 3 h o s p i t a l equipment. Performer introduces h i s lady a s s i s t a n t s t a t i n g how he w i l l d e m o n s t r a t e h i s l a t e s t Human X-Ray He a l l o w s a c o m m i t t e e t c s t e p f o r w a r d a n d . examine e v e r y t h i n g u s e d . The young l a d y s t e p s i n t o t h e t h r e e f o l d s c r e e n f o l d e d t o form a t h r e e s i d e s c a b i n e t a n d t h e two f o l d s c r e e n i s p l a c e d i n f r o n t of h e r s t i l l h e r h e a d a n d f e e t a r e v i s i b l e at a l l times. New t h r e e ' l i g h t s a r e p l a c e a around t h e o u t s i d e s c r e e n . These should b e on standards and at l e a s t 75 watt lamps. These are a l l hooked t o a 110 c i r c u i t along a few b u z z e r s t o make t h e e f f e c t more s p e c t a c u l a r . It i s a l s o a good i d e a t o have a f o u r t h l i g h t over t o one s i d e , say a r e d one..,/ith a flashar "button.

When t h e p e r f o r m e r s a y s "Watch" he t u r n s on t h e l i g h t s t h e b u z z e r s s t a r t a n d t h e l a d y ' s b o d y becomes invisible b e h i n d t h e g l a s s o p e n i n g s of t h e s m a l l s c r e e n . She h a s on a d a r k d r e s s and s t a n d i n g c l o s e t o t h e g l a s s i n t h e s c r e e n i t c a u s e s t h e g l a s s t o a c t a s a m i r r o r r e f l e c t i n g t h e two l i g h t s a t e a c h s i d e of t h e l a r g e s c r e e n a n d a u d i e n c e b e l i e v e t h e y s e e t h e light behind t h e screenP e r f o r m e r c a n r u n one hand up a n a down t h e s i d e of t h e a t t h e same t i m e t h e o t h e r h a n d up and down t h e b a c k of s c r e e n , t h e r e f l e c t i o n of t h e hand from t h e s i d e g i v e s a u d i e n c e t h e i l l u s i o n t h a t t h e y a r e s e e i n g h i s hand r u n a n d down b e h i n d t h e s c r e e n .

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The t r i p l e e f f e c t of t h e young l a d y ' s b o d y b e i n g i n v i s i b l e , . t h e b u z z e r s and t h e r e d l i g h t a t one s i d e f l a s h i n g on a n d o f f makes t h i s a v e r y s p e c t a t u l a r i l l u s i o n .

T h i s c l e v e r i l l u s i o n i s "by R a l p h White of S p r i n g f i e l d , MassP e r f o r m e r w h e e l s i n a l a r g e c a b i n e t , shows i t a l l a r o u n d opens i t and shows i t empty- How he p l a c e s a b a l l o o n , showing i t f i r s t , on t h e f l o o r of t h e c a b i n e t y a t t a c h e s a b i c y c l e pump t o i t and b l o w s up t h e b a l l o o n u n t i l i t f i l l s t h e e n t i r e i n t e r i o r of t h e c a b i n e t - Then he c l o s e s t h e d o o r s of t h e c a b i n e t and f i r e s a t same s a y i n g he w i l l c a u s e t h e b a l l o o n t o v a n i s h - But on opening t h e f r o n t door of c a b i n e t b a l l o o n i s s t i l l there. I n d i s g u s t he f i r e s p o i n t b l a n k a t b a l l o o n and i t b u r s t s and s t a n d i n g i n t h e c e n t r e of same i s a g i r l . The back door of c a b i n e t h a s a f a k e swinging p a n e l . At s t a r t g i r l i s on t h e i n s i d e of c a b i n e t I t i s w h e e l e d i n on a p l a t f o r m which i s a l i t t l e l a r g e r t h a n t h e c a b i n e t so t h e r e i s a l e d g e a l l a r o u n d . Cabinet i s wheeled and shown on a l l s i d e s t h e n l e f t f r o n t f a c i n g audience, t h e n g i r l goes t h r o u g h f a k e p a n e l t o back of c a b i n e t . Front door i s opened and s h e s t e p s over b e h i n d f r o n t d o o r . Then t h e b a c k door i s opened- Eront and b a c k d o o r s come t o g e t h e r a s shown on next p a g e . G i r l i s h i d d e n i n t h e r e and e n t i r e c a b i n e t i s a g a i n swung a l l a r o u n d showing a l l sides- Back door i s c l o s e d g i r l g o e s t o back of cab i n e t • The l a r g e b a l l o o n s c a n b e made up f o r you by Tony Sarg a t about f i f t y c e n t s each, or any b a l l o o n m a n u f a c t u r e r w i l l s u p p l y you w i t h t h e m . A f t e r b a l l o o n i s blown up g i r l s t e p s i n " t h r o u g h p a n e l b e h i n d t h e b a l l o o n a f t e r f r o n door i s c l o s e d How when t h e p e r f o r m e r , f i r e s a t t h e b a l l o o n t h e g i r l p u s h e s a p i n i n i t a t t h e same t i m e p u s h i n g s l i g h t l y f o r w a r d and a s t h e balloon bursts, the optical effect is that the g i r l is right i n t h e c e n t r e , making t h e i l l u s i o n a v e r y b a f f l i n g a s w e l l a s n o v e l one. For t h e c l u b p e r f o r m e r , a l a r g e c a b i n e t i s not n e c e s s a r y , simply a t h r e e f o l d s c r e e n b e i n g p l a c e d a r o u n d t h e b a l l o o n a s you blow i t up- Behind t h e s c r e e n i s t h e g i r l . She s t e p s t h r o u g h a s l i t i n a p a n e l of t h e s c r e e n . T h i s s l i t does not show a s t h e c l o t h p a n e l s of t h e s c r e e n a r e p l e a t e d . And t h e b a l l o o n does not have t o b e c o v e r e d a t a n t t i m e a s i t i s l a r g e enough t o h i d e g i r l a s s h e comes t h r o u g h t h e s c r e e n b e h i n d same. Make t h i s a d o u b l e p l a t f o r m w i t h g i r l i n , i n p l a c e of c a b i n e t Or have costumes on c h a i r , t h e y s e l e c t one, g i r l i s b e h i n d c h a i r and s k i p s b e h i n d b a l l o o n a s i t i s i n f l a t e d - G i r l a p p e a r s i n s e l e c t e d ( f o r c e d ) costume-

This i s • twof o l d s c r e e n about s i x f e e t h i g h - These a r e on t h e p l a t f o r m "or " on t h e f l o o r a s shown i n t h e f i r s t s k e t c h . Behind "A " i s h i d d e n a g i r l a s s i s t a n t . She i s h o l d i n g a l a r g e g l o b u l a r f i s h bowl f u l l of w a t e r and g o l d f i s h . Hanging from h e r s h o u l d e r s w i t h s t r a p s a r e b a g s xxzxitixstxgxx c o n t a i n i n g s i l k s , l i v e s t o c k , e t c . The e n t i r e s e c r e t of t h i s e f f e c t depends on smooth w e l l - t i m e d moves t h e r e f o r e i t should be r e h e a r s e d well b e f o r e p r e s e n t i n g i t b e f o r e an a u d i e n c e . P e r f o r m e r p i c k s up s c r e e n HB" and f o l d s i t f l a t , t h e n opens i t out so t h e edge of "B" j u s t o v e r l a p s i n f r o n t of..edge of "A* At t h e same t i m e (when "B" i s i n t h i s new p o s i t i o n ) t h e g i r l s k i p s from b e h i n d "A" and i n t o "B" a t t h e same t i m e p e r f o r m e r , moves "B n s l i g h t l y f o r w a r d . I f t h i s i s worked i n a smooth n a t u r a l manner t h e a u d i e n c e w i l l never n o t i c e t h e s c r e e n s come t o g e t h e r . Hew n A" s c r e e n i s p i c k e d up and f o l d e d f l a t and p l a c e d i n b a c k of "B*1 f o r m i n g two i n t o a s q u a r e c a b i n e t . P e r f o r m e r s t e p s up on a s m a l l s t o o l a n a r e a c h e s i n t o p of s c r e e n s and g i r l s e c r e t l y hands him t h e s i l k s e t c , t h a t he p r o d u c e s from t o p of s c r e e n . Then he f i r e s a shot and g i r l r e l e a s e s b i r d s which f l y up out o f s c r e e n s . And f o r t h e b i g f i n i s h ,

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