444: Don Wiberg - Part Two: Chicago Magic Roundtable History

Don Wiberg is a Past International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Hre is the historical information on the Chicago Round able as reported on the website of the Chicago Magic Lounge:

The Chicago Magic Round Table was originally established in 1929 as an informal gathering of professional and amateur magicians, meeting daily for lunch at De Lazon’s restaurant. Luminaries like Jay and Frances Marshall, Dr. Harlan Tarbell, Harry Blackstone Sr., and Werner Dornfield, held court in the spirit of camaraderie and a shared love of the art of magic. Word quickly spread, and the Round Table came to be a headquarters for magicians.

The gatherings continued into the mid-1950s, and endured a few changes of location, eventually settling on a daily lunch at the Drake Restaurant. Eventually though, meetings tapered off, sometime in the 1960s, and the first iteration of the Round Table slowly vanished.

The Chicago Magic Round Table had a brief resurgence in the late 2000s when Dan Mindo, Tracy Atteberry, and David Parr revived the informal gatherings beginning at the Green Door Tavern under the name "Chicago Magic Round Table". However, that too, faded away as schedules and availability had their eternal clash, and schedules won...

In 2018, the Chicago Magic Round Table has been re-established with a new permanent home: the Chicago Magic Lounge. An association of practicing, amateur, and hobbyist magicians, our goal is to create a community for practitioners and lovers of magic. Be a part of the grand history of Chicago magic. Click the link below for more information.

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443: Don Wiberg - Part One: Magic Shops Around Old Chicago

Don Wiberg is a Past International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. and a great historian of Chicago's rich magic history. In this first of two parts, the early part of this podcast includes a nostalgic walk through some of Chicago's magic shops that were tightly distributed within a few blocks of downtown Chicago. The latter half of this podcast is filled with stories of some of the early members of the Chicago Round Table.

330: Bob Schulien on "Schulien's" Bar Magic

Schulien's was one of the legendary magic bars in Chicago that thrived throughout most of the 20th century. At the soul of the restaurant was its owner, Matt Schulien. Chicago-style magic was born here where the magic came fast and furious as drinks were served and the motto was "GTFM" (Get The F'ing Money).

In this podcast, Robert "Bob" Schulien, the grandson of Matt Schulien worked at Schulien's under his father who was heir to the bar and who encouraged Bob to perform magic for the patrons. He was told that people came to the bar not only for food and drink but also for the magic. They expected magic and so Bob became the "designated magician by default". Other magicians later came to work and perform at Schulien's (like Al James and Chuck Morris) until it closed on January 27, 1999. There is an excellent article online that tells its history at The Chicago Bar Project.

Bob carries on the tradition of bar magic each week at The Chicago Magic Lounge along with a bevy of prestidigitators who entertain every Thursday and Saturday night. You can listen to a previous episode with the owners/managers that was broadcast #213: Chicago Magic Bars and Lounges

Chicago Magic Lounge quickly became 2015's speakeasy for many professional traveling magicians. Not only to perfom but also relax by enjoying the camaraderie of fellow Chicago magicians, as well as honing their craft. I've been collecting fun behind the scenes video and photos taken over the first year of shenanigans at the CML.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:04:36 - Bob Schulien talks about the early years of his grandfather Matt Schulien's Bar in Chicago from its earliest days until it finally closed. Bob regales us with many stories about his grandfather and the magic and pranks he used to perform for and on his customers.

00:56:45 - "Brother Paul" West invented a new product called the CellGrasp which makes it easier to hold you mobile phone while taking selfies. This is a product I keep on my cell phone all the time and I find indispensable. He also has a special offer to listeners of The Magic Word Podcast.

01:03:54 - "Flaming Coffee" by SansMinds is a visual stunner that takes the Fire Wallet to a new level. Recommended with reservations. Also, not available to those under 19.

01:07:49 - "The Deceased" by Jamie Daws is a creepy, dark and bizarre bit of magic that could have your audience feeling the goosebumps. This is a :Living or Dead" test that is well made and can be carried around in your wallet to creep out people at a moment's notice. Recommended.

Order a CellGrasp and receive your choice of any one of Brother Paul's five downloads from his website. Order two CellGraps and receive two free downloads. Oder three, and...well, you get the idea.

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

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