628: 2021 Abbott's Get Together - Day Four

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7TH 2021
9:00AM VENT-O-RAMA at Abbott's Magic with George Schindler
9:30AM REGISTRATION OPENS at the Abbott Plant
10:00AM LECTURE at Colon High School - Franz Harary
11:00AM REMEMBERING THE GREATEST TALENT CONTEST at High School - Lance Burton - Mac King - Jeff Hobson - Kevin James
(Artwork auction benefitting the Kentucky Humane Society.)
12:00PM STREET PERFORMER (John Sturk) at Dawn's Cafe (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
1:00PM LANCE BURTON & FRIENDS Q&A at Colon High School
1:00PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic (with TBA; $5 cash at the door)
2:30PM-6PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS' ROOM at Colon High School
3:00PM DEALER'S SHOW in Dealers' Room
3:00PM STREET PERFORMER (Jon LaChance) at Abbott's Magic (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
3:00PM-5PM COLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM is open
4:30PM MAGIC SHOW at Abbott's Magic (with Joe Bennett; $5 cash at the door)
5:00PM-7:00PM Chuck Wagon BBQ Dinner at Lutheran Church (484 S Burr Oak Road, Colon; $12 cash dinner fee)
5:30PM STREET PERFORMER (Trino) at Curly's (sponsored by IBM Ring 386-Percy Abbott / Monk Watson Magic Club)
6:00PM-7:45PM DINNER on your own
7:45PM PRESHOW LIVE ORGAN MUSIC - by John Sturk
8:00PM ABBOTT'S STAGE SHOW - (view seating chart)
Featuring Lance Burton, Fielding West, Keith West, Michael Goudeau
10:00PM ABBOTT'S DEALERS ROOM OPENS at Colon High School
10:30PM ABBOTT'S PERFORMER AWARDS at Colon High School

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8TH 2021 (Post Get Together Events)
12:00PM MAGICIAN'S TOUR OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF MAGIC
(This tour of the museum and archives is geared towards magicians and will include a special
selection of artifacts never-before-on-display. $10 per person. Reservations not necessary.)

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 - Tim “Skilldini” Wright talks about working in the Abbott’s Magic Company factory and gives us a virtual tour from his memory of the workshop

00:17:31 - Bobbie and Fred Becker talk about this Get Together and how Fred once lived and worked in Colon, Michigan

00:29:40 - Richard Cohn is the ultimate expert on magic in Coney Island, New York. This is Richard’s first time and he gives us his perspective of the event

00:39:39 - Derrick Kennedy, owner of Magic, Etc. in Fort Worth talks about traveling by train to this event each year

00:51:48 - Kevin James was another of the attendees who grew up with the Get Together and was one of the lecturers at this year’s event. He also shared his journey from Michigan to California where he joined the Long Beach Mystics.

01:01:43 - Debbie Bordner, wife of Greg Bordner, wraps up the Get Together with her assessment of this year’s event and encourages people to register for next year’s event on August 3-6, 2022. The sooner you register, the better the rate. Click Here to visit the registration site.

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Memories of Johnny Thompson - The Great Tomsoni

This is an unedited, explicit recording of a few friends of Johnny Thompson who reminisced about their old friend. To watch the video of the Memorial Service, then tune in to the video at http://www.tomsoni.co

112: T.A.O.M. 2013 Day 2

Day Two started early for me withe the Order of Willard breakfast at 7:30. I coordinate this annual breakfast meeting of those who have 25 years or mnore of membership in the T.A.O.M. This year's speaker was Arthur Emerson who spoke about his seeing and meeting with Kalanag, Klingsor and Sorcar. A fascinating history down the historical lane of magic. Following the stage contest (which only had two adults and maybe three junior competitors) was the close-up contest (with six adults and one junior) that were all strong competitors.

Chip Romero is a cruise chip magician and a noted collector of magic and magic memorabilia. Of particular note, he has a collection of Billy McComb and Doug Henning props. Today he brought along many of the props from his collection including a sub trunk, Disembodied, Shadow Box, Sands of Egypt and more. But Gene Anderson shared the stage as he told stories heretofore never heard about his close association with Doug Henning. Few people have heard what a close confidant, mentor and friend that Gene was to Doug. Fascinating stuff.

The President's Surprise after lunch was honoring Marshall Brodien, Wizzo the Wizard from the Bozo Show and maker of TV Magic Cards and over 230 magic sets. Johnny Thompson has been friends with Marshall since he was 16 and he spoke extemporaneously about his association and friendship and paid homage to Marshall getting him involved in magic and working trade shows. John Moehring, author of Marshall's biography, spoke about how he came to write the book. At the end, books were available for being signed by John and Marshall.

The afternoon concluded lectures by David Stone and David Ginn. The evening show was spectacular and billed as a Comedy Showdown featuring Fielding West, Rob Zabrecky and the Great Tomsoni and Company, all emceed by Tom Mullica. After the "competition" the Judge took the stage, Harry Anderson, costumed in his robe as Harold T. Stone from Night Court, and declared them all winners. He also gave one of the most memorable lines of the convention, "Rob Zabrecky looks like Edgar Allen Poe looking for Sudafed." Later, Tom Mullica later said, "it was Rob's dancing that kept him out of the military."

Following the show, there was a charity auction that benefited the Alzheimer's Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House. Several thousands of dollars were raised for many items that were non-magical such as a script from Blazing Saddles signed by Mel Brooks, signed boxing gloves by Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed from Rocky 3) and other movie memorabilia.

The late night lecture was on using social media as a marketing tool in magic.

Time stamps for this podcast:

00:00:08 - I introduce Arthur Emerson who gives an interesting mini-lecture about some of his magic history and his brush with some of the greats in our history including Kalanag, Klingsor and Sorcar.

00:30:25 - T.A.O.M. President, Mark Jensen, talks about some of his challenges in putting together this convention and all the talent, plus his vision of the convention.

00:44:10 - Walter Blaney gives us a story about meeting his idol, Harry Blackstone, Sr. and Russell Bruce, who worked in the prop department with Siegfried and Roy. Russell tells us several anecdotes about the Masters of the Impossible including his perspective from back stage when Roy suffered his tragic accident on October 3, 2003.

01:04:27 - I.B.M. International President, Bill Evans, and his wife, the First Lady, Pam, talks about his convention tour of the world as part of his duties as President.

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628: 2021 Abbott's Get Together - Day Four

Memories of Johnny Thompson - The Great Tomsoni

112: T.A.O.M. 2013 Day 2

The Magic Word