MAGIC, The Magazine For Magicians

Corinda. You’ve heard the name. Even magicians with just a passing interest in mentalism recognize it. Ask anyone in magic to tell you about Corinda, and the response you will most likely receive is, “He’s the guy who wrote the Thirteen Steps, right?” Yes, he did indeed write that seminal book on mentalism.

Comprising thirteen booklets collected by Harry Clarke in 1958 into a single tome, Thirteen Steps to Mentalism is the best-selling mentalism book of all time. It has been released by six publishers in seven different languages, the latest being Italian, in 2007. No self-respecting mentalist would be without a copy on his shelf. Strike that. You may have it on your shelf, but if you haven’t studied it, how can you be a mentalist?

Since Tony Corinda has been retired for quite a while and has stayed out of the spotlight, a number of rumors and stories about him have surfaced. Reports of his death abound, as well as erroneous beliefs that he never did anything in magic and mentalism other than the one book, or that he didn’t write the book at all. There is even a fanciful speculation that Corinda never really existed, that the name was a nom de plume for some other mentalist.

I first met Tony through the mail. As a Board member of the Psychic Entertainers Association in 2004, I was picking up the mail at the PEA post office box. I clearly remember the day. After locking the little door to the box, I casually thumbed through the letters. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then I noticed a medium-sized envelope from the United Kingdom. The name in the return address was T. Corinda. I thought, It couldn’t be, could it? I immediately sat down on the floor in front of the mailboxes and carefully opened the envelope. Inside was a letter from Tony Corinda. Enclosed with the letter was an advance copy of his latest publication, Supplement to The Thirteen Steps to Mentalism [2005, International Magic, London]. The man I consider to be a god of mentalism had sent a letter to me. That was the beginning of our regular correspondence. Three years later, the reclusive mentalist, now in his late seventies, graciously agreed to be interviewed for MAGIC Magazine.

By Joseph Atmore



Corinda. You’ve heard the name. Even magicians with just a passing interest in mentalism recognize it. Ask anyone in magic to tell you about Corinda, and the response you will most likely receive is, “He’s the guy who wrote the Thirteen Steps, right?” Yes, he did indeed write that seminal book on mentalism. Comprising thirteen booklets collected by Harry Clarke in 1958 into a single tome, Thirteen Steps to Mentalism is the best-selling mentalism book of all time. It has been released by six publishers in seven different languages, the latest being Italian, in 2007. No self-respecting mentalist would be without a copy on his shelf. Strike that. You may have it on your shelf, but if you haven’t studied it, how can you be a mentalist? Since Tony Corinda has been retired for quite a while and has stayed out of the spotlight, a number of rumors and stories about him have surfaced. Reports of his death abound, as well as erroneous beliefs that he never did anything in magic and mentalism other than the one book, or that he didn’t write the book at all. There is even a fanciful speculation that Corinda never really existed, that the name was a nom de plume for some other mentalist. I first met Tony through the mail. As a Board member of the Psychic Entertainers Association in 2004, I was picking up the mail at the PEA post office box. I clearly remember the day. After locking the little door to the box, I casually thumbed through the letters. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then I noticed a medium-sized envelope from the United Kingdom. The name in the return address was T. Corinda. I thought, It couldn’t be, could it? I immediately sat down on the floor in front of the mailboxes and carefully opened the envelope. Inside was a letter from Tony Corinda. Enclosed with the letter was an advance copy of his latest publication, Supplement to The Thirteen Steps to Mentalism [2005, International Magic, London]. The man I consider to be a god of mentalism had sent a letter to me. That was the beginning of our regular correspondence. Three years later, the reclusive mentalist, now in his late seventies, graciously agreed to be interviewed for MAGIC Magazine. By Joseph Atmore

For six weeks starting in late October, Hollywood’s Magic Castle and its surrounding area became the shooting location, production offices, and overall “home base” for a new VH1 magic-competition reality show called Celebracadabra. Picture Dancing with the Stars, but take away the high heels, dance steps, and flashy costumes and replace them with magic wands, sleight of hand, and — well, flashy costumes. The nine-episode series pairs celebrity contestants with top names from the magic community acting as coaches, and pits them against one another in a variety of real-world magic challenges with the grand prize of $100,000, supplied by Ellusionist, going to the winner. By Shawn McMaster

MAGIC Magazine’s annual catalog of what, where, and when, a copious listing of upcoming gatherings around the world. Plus, an interview with Brad Jacobs and Roger Miller, who together head the committee organizing the IBM-SAM Combined Convention in Louisville this summer.

There is a distinguished domicile located in the Brookside district of Los Angeles near Hancock Park, comfortably cloaked in greenery and spanning a bubbling, fresh-water stream. The characteristic that distinguishes this singular estate from dozens of others in the neighborhood is the unique weathervane high atop the tiled roof. Instead of the more prosaic crowing rooster or fully rigged sailing vessel, this weathervane features a rabbit emerging from a top hat, emblematic of the mysteries secreted within. By Mark Nelson

To throw away one career in show business is unfortunate; to throw away two looks like carelessness. It’s an aphorism that could well apply to Geoffrey Durham. After fifteen years as a highly successful comedy magician under the guise of The Great Soprendo, with numerous television appearances and a constant stream of live work, Geoffrey abandoned his creation. After a further fifteen years of gradually building up and cementing his own persona to the point where he was performing all over the UK with his one-man theater show, he stopped the touring. And yet, if you meet Geoffrey, whatever other adjectival descriptions come to mind, “unfortunate” and “carelessness” are not among them. Indeed, words such as “perspicacious” and “meticulous” seem more appropriate, as would “self-critical,” “passionate” and “enthusiastic.” The word “generous” also springs to mind. Of all the magicians from whom I have asked assistance, Geoffrey has been by far the most giving — in time, encouragement, practical advice, lending of props, not to mention picking up the lunch bill. I thought, therefore, I would impose on him once more to try to find the reasons behind his life-changing decisions. Is there some sort of career self-destruct button in his DNA? Or is it simply a question of quitting while he’s ahead? By Ian Keable

Over three million people call Chicago home, making it the third largest metropolis in the US. The appeal of the city’s thriving cultural scene is matched only by the beauty of the city itself, fanned upon the southern tip of Lake Michigan, with parks, museums, bike trails, and beaches dotted along the shore. The city is clean, accessible, and full of history. Music, comedy, and theater have strong roots in the Second City. So does magic. By Adam Rubin

In this month’s “Update,” be prepared to see Criss Angel in a way you’ve never seen him before, news on the Long Beach Mystics film documentary, experience the continuing “phenomenon” of Uri Geller’s television shows; plus you’ll read about Lance Burton and the fire at the Monte Carlo and Siegfried & Roy’s planned return to the stage. Also, we spend “A Moment With... Jonathan Levit,” the magician host of the highly anticipated VH-1 magic reality show Celebracadabra.

Thirteen products are covered this month by Michael Claxton, Peter Duffie, Jason England, Brad Henderson, John Lovick, and Leo Behnke. • TnR by Mathieu Bich • Sleight of Hand with Coins DVD by Jay Sankey • Trio by Jack Kent Tillar • The Magic Gourmet by Lewis Jones • Hyper-Bent-Elation and Rainbow Ropes, the Remix by Daryl • iVanish by Ben Seidman • Emptied by Paul Kostrach • Ultra Visual NightShades by Mark Allen & Paul Harris • Spookey by Jay Sankey • TEARable Sessions by Ben Williams • Blunt by David Kernsley • Thought of Cards Across Project by Christopher Williams • A Checklist of Conjuring Catalogs by Burton Sperber

This month’s “Talk About Tricks” is jammed with something for everyone. Max Maven offers us a spooky performance piece with Wagers of Sin. This effect requires a special prop, which is included in the issue! You’ll also learn a lengthy, magical card routine by Miles Santoro and Tomas Blomberg, and an unbelievable Card to Box routine in which the entire deck ends up in the box. Doug Brewer contributes a beautiful coin routine and Daniel Chard shares a fabulous utility move raising eyebrows all over the Internet.

David Kaye always gives this advice whenever he is asked. “If you don’t have a rabbit and you have room in your house or apartment to keep one, get yourself a rabbit and put him in your shows. Kids love rabbits! There is no easier way to leap ahead of your competition than by simply adding a rabbit to your show.” This month, David shares a cute routine from Norm Barnhart that tells a story and ends by producing a real bunny.

Anthony Owen is a proud member of a small organization of international magicians known as the Fruit d’Or de Montaneuf. This unique group was started back in the late ’60s by Claude Rix and Fred Kaps, and its members have included many of Europe’s greatest magicians: Richard Ross, Tommy Wonder, Gaetan Bloom, Ali Bongo, Pavel, Norbert Ferre, Marc Paul, and Dominique and Alexandra Duvivier. Membership is by invitation only and those approached to become members must participate in a number of bizarre initiations, which include performing a unique audition. Every potential member must perform the same effect: they must swallow a knife. Anthony describes the knife-swallowing effect he performed when he auditioned — and was accepted — back in 2003. And, not surprisingly, Anthony managed to give the effect a mentalist spin.

Last month, Bob began by showing that, for us, the dark is death. And magic, at its deepest level, is a form of ritual behavior that seeks symbolic control over chaos and disintegration; it plays with mastery over life and death. Thus, magicians can and do confront death. This month, we start to see how, by studying the first of five shadows, that magicians can cast.

Dear Show Doctor: “I am a 23-year-old magician, and I love close-up magic. I would like to make magic my career. I’ve been studying and performing for almost six years. I have a full-time job and am exploring becoming a full-time magician. Currently, I am working for tips at a few local bars and restaurants to gain more experience. I’ve had a lot of trouble with people messing with me — grabbing cards out of my hands, yelling rude stuff, making stupid remarks, and not paying attention. It’s really irritating. What can I do?”

This month, the author deals with the problem of infinite speed. “No sooner do I focus on something than it slips into the past. Even when I feel most centered and satisfied in the present, in a moment it will start to disperse. Life happens fast. It blurs at the edges. Before I know it, the day — or a month or a year — has flown by. This fact of ‘flying time’ means I am always behind, a bit breathless, trying to catch up and catch hold. Deleuze & Guattari stress that philosophers need to cope with the infinite speed of things. This month, I want to extend that idea to performing magicians. Indeed, I would say that infinite speed is also a problem for excellent performance.