759: Magic Collector Expo - Days 1 & 2 Report

Tuesday, May 9

10:00am Registration Opens

1:00pm to 4:00pm Dealers Open

4:00pm to 5:00pm Session #1 “Welcome To Cleveland” with Lance Rich, Dr. Bruce Averbook & Tim LaGanke

5:00pm to 7:00pm Dinner

7:00pm to 8:30pm Session #2 with Jim Hagy “The Instant Illusionist and The Cleveland Bunch: Dreams of a Vaudeville Life”, Sandy Daily “The Adventures & Challenges of a Magic Collectors Wife, Gene Anderson “Not Just a One Trick Pony” with Stan Allen

8:30pm to 11:30pm Dealer Room Open

Wednesday, May 10

10:00am First Buses Load for Tours of Dr. Bruce Averbook & Tim LaGangke Collections

2:00pm to 5:00pm Dealer Room Open

7:00pm to 8:30pm Session #3 with Richard Cohn “Roltaire”, Phil Schwartz “Steals, Lifts & Body Loads-The Funny Business of Magic Collecting, Al Belmont “Memories of the Blackstone Sr. Show”

8:30pm to 11:30pm Dealer Room Open

Time stamps for this episode will be provided after I’ve had some sleep

00:00:18 - Scott Wells prepares to take off to Cleveland, Ohio, along with Charlie Randall and Dick Olson for the Magic Collectors Expo

00:03:13 - Larry Dunbar is behind the registration desk. He is traveling with Lance Burton and Friends and he tells us a little about their upcoming tour and places they will be going.

00:05:35 - Lupe Nielsen is one of the attendees but not a presenter or dealer. She tells us what she’s working on for the magic community including Dean’s Box.

00:09:53 - Charles Greene, III talks about his book, “Ionia” and what he’s been doing and where he’s been traveling to talk about this book.

00:14:52 - Arthur Moses is a dealer who is selling some Houdini memorabilia. He talks about his recent appearance on Collector’s Call on ME-TV as he showed some of his collection on TV and how that all came about.

00:19:07 - Houdini expert, John Cox, is the blogger on WildAboutHoudini.com John will be a presenter at this convention as he talks about Houdini’s appearances in Cleveland. He also talks about some recent projects that are very exciting.

00:22:07 - Adele Friel Rhindress was one of the assistants for Harry Blackstone, Sr. and she talks about what she’s been doing recently

00:28:07 - Bill Kallush is the curator of the Conjurer’s Arts Research Center who also talks about Ask Alexander which is a repository of about 3MM pages of books in the museum.

00:33:36 - we begin day two, the first full day as we chat with Joe Hanosek. We talk about some of the activities from the previous evening’s talks.

00:36:24 - Lance Rich talks a bit about helping to put together this convention. He also explains the logistics of getting around to see two magnificent collections, Bruce Averbook and Tim LaGanke. On the bus, we just finished seeing Bruce’s collection which we discuss.

00:47:16 - Neil Rozum tells us a “twilight zone” type story related to his personal experience while working in a local theme park

00:49:24 - Les Arnold is the grand-son of The Great Leon and he chats a bit about that connection

00:55:12 - we finished the events for the day and now we chat with Richard Cohn who gave a presentation about a relatively unknown magician, Roltaire as well as some magicians who appeared at Coney Island in New York

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 or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here..If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

738: Ray Lum - MARVELous Craftsman

Magicians cannot perform without props. The equipment one uses on stage says a lot about the performer. And the quality and craftsmanship of a good fabricator can make any magician look like a million dollars on stage. Ray Lum is one of those fabricators who resides in Las Vegas and works with all of the greats and the soon-to-be greats. Inspired and mentored by the late Tommy Wonder, Ray Lum carries the tradition of fine quality magic props.

If you are more of a visual person, then you will enjoy this video of our conversation recorded via Zoom.

This week Ray Lum talks about his invention of the Gumball Machine (which he calls the “Lumball Machine”) and the controversy surrounding the dual creators coming out separately but not knowing about the other’s invention. He also talks about his friend and mentor, Tommy Wonder, and how they met and how Ray carries on the tradition of quality craftsmanship using new technology and materials.

Click on the graphic above to visit the convention website and learn more about who, what and where.

706: Abbott's Get Together 2022 - Day Four Report

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6TH 2022

9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant Purchase Registration/Tickets

10:00AM-12:45PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

10:00AM LECTURE - Duane Laflin "Magic For The Gospel Magician" at Laflin's Grand Magic Theater Free

11:00AM LECTURE - John Bundy at High School Requires Abbott's Registration

11:00AM - 5:00PM COLON ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR Craft Show/Vendor Info on Canal street next to the library

12:00PM STREET PERFORMER - John Sturk (Magic Capital Grill, by bridge)

12:00PM GHOST SHOW Q&A/BOOK SIGN - Dr. Morbios, Seebach, & Scream Dealers Room Requires Registration

1:00PM OLD FASHION MAGIC SHOW with Brynn Cummings at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5

2:00 PM JAY BLACKWELL JUGGLING/FIRE EATING & MORE at Sterlini Magic & Theater

2:00PM LECTURE - Lance Burton at High School Requires Abbott's Registration

3:00PM-5PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

3:00PM STREET PERFORMER - Thom Bedlam (Colon Twp Library Lawn, by Craft Show)

3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open (Colon Museum Webpage)

3:00PM-6PM FACE PAINTING with Award Winning Artist Carol Hendrix

4:00PM GRAND MAGIC CLASSIC SHOW - 4 PM at the Laflin's Grand Magic Theater - $14.95 adult, $6.95 child

4:30PM OLD FASHION MAGIC SHOW with John Shango at Abbott's Magic Theatre $5

5:00 PM LIVE AT 5 WITH THE STERLINI'S at Sterlini Magic & Theater $10

5:30PM STREET PERFORMER - Thom Bedlam (Colon Twp Library Lawn, by Craft Show)

6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own

7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk Requires Abbott's Registration or Ticket ($30/$45)

8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW Requires Abbott's Registration or Ticket ($30/$45)
Featuring Reynold Alexander, Artem Shchukin, Hansel Kreutzberger, Michael Goudeau, David Seebach, Handsome Jack, BJ Mallen MC
NOTE: Tickets for the Abbott evening Stage Show must be purchased in advance at the Abbott Plant or online before 5pm that day.
You will be able to pick up tickets at a will call window at the show, but Abbotts will not be able to sell any at the door.

8:00PM GRAND MAGIC CLASSIC SHOW - 8 PM at the Laflin's Grand Magic Theater - $14.95 adult, $6.95 child

10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

10:30PM ABBOTT'S PERFORMER AWARDS at Colon High School Requires Abbott's Registration

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:16 - Brandon Ivy talks about this being his second year attending the Get Together and reviews the morning lecture by John Bundy who talked about customizing tricks for seasonal magic (i.e. Halloween, etc.)

00:06:36 - President Elect of the I.B.M., Chuck Arkin (a Friend of the Magic Word) chats about why he returns to this convention from year to year.

00:12:53 - One of the managing partners of Vanishing, Inc., Andi Gladwin, came to this convention after FISM and filled in because some of the planned talent couldn’t get here.

00:21:37 - 11 year old Brynn Cummings was a previous winner of the Get Together and is an incredible ventriloquist as well as recognized at the National Championship for Juniors at the national vent convention.

00:32:44 - From Las Vegas, Bizzaro, chats about the Escape Rooms that he works with now across the country.

00:43:25 - at the awards ceremony, we chat with Bill Smith who talk about his first time at this convention in 1977 with the Long Beach Mystics that inspired Kevin James to move to California and join their group. Bill also attended because he wanted to work with Harry Blackstone, Jr. as a prop man.. And he was hired then and there.

00:50:44 - Board of Directors of the American Magic Museum, Jeffrey Alan, and his assistant, Angel, talk about doing walk-around using an assistant.

00:54:06 - BJ Mallen presents the names of award winners.

00:59:46 - Jack Gwyn award winner, Carissa “Lucy Darling” Hendrix, talks about filling in as an alternate performer to this convention.