348: Gary Darwin's Natural Selections

Gary Darwin has been in Las Vegas for over six decades when he first moved there in his teens. Since then, Gary has kept about every magic item he could put his hands on over the years. Some might call him a hoarder while others might call him a shrewd collector. Gary started his magic club 51 years ago and it's still going strong. He also talks about the evolution of Las Vegas from the days when the Mafia ran the town to when he (as a youngster) was a "manipulation magician" all the way to this day when several magicians rule the Strip. Gary has a mental repository of one-liners that he reels off with ease throughout our chat.

During my visit to record a podcast with Gary Darwin, he showed me around his home which is a magic museum in and of itself. You just need to watch your step so you don't accidentally step on some treasure. You can hear the podcast at: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/gary-darwin

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Order yours now from The Great American Magic Company.. Available March 20, 2017. With MOVE you cause the clip from a pen to detach from the cap and move along the body of the pen. You then magically restore the clip back onto the cap and hand the pen back out to be examined!!

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347: Bob Kohler - The Man Behind The Magic

Bob Kohler was on the forefront of the magic video revolution always looking for creative magicians who were willing to share their innermost secrets. A "late bloomer" in magic (starting into magic at the age of 30), he quickly caught up and became a master in the art of close-up befriending the top guys in the industry. In the early 1980's, he was part of the stable of magicians who worked at the Brook Farm Inn of Magic along with Bob Sheets, Eddie Goldstein,, John Kennedy, Steve Spill, Scotty York, Tim Conover, and other well-known names.

Bob was also on the February 2003 cover of the MAGIC Magazine with a feature article about the California Trade Secret Agreement and how they used the Agreement to keep the Bob Fitch Holdout a trade secret.

You can purchase Aces in Their Faces from the Magic Store here on The Magic Word Podcast or through The Great American Magic Company.

Bob talks about his early projects including some video projects with Daryl and his Ultimate Three Fly, and current projects with Bob Fitch and Scott Alexander. We also talk about ethics in magic, people who rip off creators thus inhibiting them from working on new projects. He also talks about making "short/limited run" effects and his line of Pro Magic.

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Click on the banner above to visit Bob Kohler's line of Pro Magic

During the early 1990s Daryl and Bob Kohler took video equipment to several of the exclusive 4F (Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic) conventions and convinced many of the top close-up magicians in attendance to perform and teach one of their favorite … — During the early 1990s Daryl and Bob Kohler took video equipment to several of the exclusive 4F (Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic) conventions and convinced many of the top close-up magicians in attendance to perform and teach one of their favorite creations. In addition the 4F attendees they also talked some of their friends to do the same. They originally released the magic on three video tapes. All of that footage is included on this extra-long video where you will learn some outstanding impromptu close-up magic. **Available from Meir Yedid Magic.**

Hey, Magic Word Listeners: Save $15 on orders over $100 by entering the Promo Code MW on checkout.

FEBRUARY 28, 2017 from Jerry Ferguson:"I spoke with Alison, Daryl's wife, for a long time on the phone today."She explained that Daryl had been suffering from clinical depression for years. He had been taking medication for his condition for a very … — FEBRUARY 28, 2017 from Jerry Ferguson:
*"I spoke with Alison, Daryl's wife, for a long time on the phone today.*
"She explained that Daryl had been suffering from clinical depression for years. He had been taking medication for his condition for a very long time. She explained that people in show business are often very fragile people. Growing up Daryl had been badly physically abused by his mother. Not sexually, but she would often hit him. His escape was the world of magic, reading books, learning magic, performing and getting love, respect and appreciation from an audience that he loved. He loved to make his audience feel good by entertaining them.

"Alison was an illusionist working on Norwegian cruise lines and theater venues in Japan when she met Daryl in 1996 at one of his lectures. They got together and in 1998 they were married. They had two beautiful daughters and Alison said that Daryl was a very caring generous loving father. They had a wonderful normal loving family being together for 20 years. They both loved each other and with the children were committed to each other forever.
*"Alison said that some of the internet sensational fake news stories and blogs are hurtful and not true. Simply a way to sell ads.*
"She said that because of legal issues the coroners will normally rule suicides as accidents unless there is absolute proof and absolute certainty in order to protect themselves from legal issues involving insurance companies etc.. Daryl loved the Magic Castle where he had spent so much time learning from Dai Vernon and other great master magicians. It was like home for him. A place he loved. A place he felt safe. Those who saw him friday said he was peaceful and serene as he quietly visited every room. Fond memories of the happy years he spent there. He went to the dressing room area in the parlor. He was fully clothed. He had placed a bag over his head so that the people finding his body at the Castle, out of respect for them, would not have to see or remember seeing a gruesome dead face. He had placed certain items, and papers, in his coat pockets that have meaning to Alison. So Daryl had decided to end his long bout with depression on his own terms at a place that he loved. His body was found hanging fully clothed with a bag over his head in the parlor dressing area behind the curtain of the parlor. His body will be sent home to be cremated. There will be a memorial service at the Magic Castle some time in the future.
*"Daryl had no life insurance. Alison and Daryl's relationship was fine. He had planned to spend one day at home after the Phoenix lecture before leaving on a 30 city lecture tour in Spain.*
"Alison and the kids are now faced with funeral expenses. Alison like Daryl works from home. So this is a real good time to stock up on Daryl magic supplies which would help Alison and the kids pay for the funeral expenses. Daryl's web site is fully operational and all orders will be promptly filled. His web site is: " www.Daryl.net

346: Stan Allen Is Not Mr. Nobody

Even though he is retired from editing the magazine, Stan Allen is far from being relegated to a "nobody" status. He really is somebody to reckon with in the magic community. And he has lots of plans for the future.

Editor of the former MAGIC Magazine (or is it, Former Editor of MAGIC Magazine), Stan Allen, has been a guest on The Magic Word many times, but he is undoubtedly the man who has his "finger on the pulse" of the magic community. He knows everyone in the magic community and was the logical first stop in my "Las Vegas Chronicles". With MAGIC Magazine now a part of our history, his focus is now on planning future MAGIC Live! conventions which he talks about in this podcast.

Stan was the first guest I visited on my trip to Las Vegas as we talked not only about the evolution and demise of MAGIC Magazine, but also about digital magic magazines and where that might go, and he wraps up talking about the future of his MAGIC Live! conventions (now that there is no "bringing MAGIC Magazine to life" to model the convention after) and breaking the mold of the traditional event.

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here