Question: Re: The Magic Castle

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erdnasephile
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Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby erdnasephile » June 15th, 2015, 8:49 pm

I just finished, "The Vernon Companion" (What a terrific read!), and am working my way through the rest of "Tales of the Uncanny Scott".

Both books reference the "Haunted Wine Cellar" of the Castle. Did this used to be where the Peller Theater is now? If not, can someone please describe where it is--I just can't picture it for some reason.

Second question: To the left of the main bar is a set of stairs that lead down to a small theater. What is the name of that theater please?

Finally, what's the name of the bar that is up the stairs as you ascend to the dining room from the entrance please?

Many thanks!
Last edited by erdnasephile on June 16th, 2015, 2:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 15th, 2015, 9:30 pm

Small theater equals Museum
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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 15th, 2015, 9:31 pm

Bar up the stairs is the Owl Bar
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Dustin Stinett
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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Dustin Stinett » June 15th, 2015, 10:22 pm

erdnasephile wrote:Both books reference the "Haunted Wine Cellar" of the Castle. Did this used to be where the Pellar Theater is now?

No. The Peller was created when the Inner Circle, the WC Fields/Hello Dolly Bar, and the new library were created (below the Palace and Parlour). All that used to be a parking garage.

erdnasephile wrote:To the left of the main bar is a set of stairs that lead down to a small theater. What is the name of that theater please?

As Richard said, that is now the Museum. But it used to be the "Haunted Wine Cellar": the original main showroom for The Magic Castle, which brings us full circle, back to your first question!

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby MagicbyAlfred » June 16th, 2015, 1:10 am

In "Poems from a Magic Wand," copyright 2001, Don Beach, appears a mystical poem entitled, "Museum in the Haunted Wine Cellar," which i like very much: "Within the Magic Castle's deepest place, a dungeon of enchantment waits for all, For here they gasp and praise the wherewithal, Displayed by sorcerers of skill and grace, And many priceless objects fill each case, These rare antiques of glory that recall, The history of magic and enthrall, All those who know and fervently embrace, The pride of prestidigitation's past, A wand of finely-turned mahogany, And linking rings or billiard balls are shown, Philosophers may speculate at last, Concerning why magicians seem to be, The monarchs of an empire so unknown.

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erdnasephile
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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby erdnasephile » June 16th, 2015, 7:14 am

Thanks, all--it makes sense now.

And the poem is cool!

One last question: is the Hare and Hat Pub the bar that sits in the corridor between the Palace and the Parlour?

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Bill Mullins » June 16th, 2015, 9:42 am

Why is the Peller theater called that? Is it named for someone? Who?

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » June 16th, 2015, 10:22 am

The Palace and the Parlor are next to one another on the second floor of the Castle. The Hat and Hare Pub is below the first floor.

The Peller Theater is named after its benefactor, Trudi Peller (whom I assume is donating in memory of her husband).
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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby supremefiction » June 16th, 2015, 11:19 am

Richard knows where the bar is. ;)

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Jonathan Townsend » June 16th, 2015, 11:35 am

erdnasephile wrote:...

One last question: is the Hare and Hat Pub the bar that sits in the corridor between the Palace and the Parlour?


The chalice from the palace has the brew that is true... okay I kinda remember that movie.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Bill Mullins » June 16th, 2015, 11:37 am

Further research reveals that Triny Peller endowed the Peller theater in memory of her husband, Albert Peller. Both Triny and Albert were magicians.

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby erdnasephile » June 16th, 2015, 12:19 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:The Palace and the Parlor are next to one another on the second floor of the Castle. The Hat and Hare Pub is below the first floor.


I must be completely misremembering. I thought as you exit the Palace, there's a bar area to the left as you head to the Parlour. There was a small close-up table there as well. Does that area have a name?

(If someone could please PM me a floor plan, I'd be very grateful! I can't find one I can read on the web).

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Dustin Stinett » June 16th, 2015, 2:01 pm

Technically, the bar just outside the Palace is simply called "The Upstairs Bar." But I do not know anyone who calls it that; it's "The Palace Bar."

Yes, there is a close-up table in the corner next to the bar. Bill Joslin performed there for years. It has no name beyond "Bill's table."

The closest thing to a floor plan (that I know of) is the "virtual tour" on the Castle site. Click on the building and it expands. Mouse/cursor over the areas and a name and description appears:

http://www.magiccastle.com/about/virtualtour.cfm

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erdnasephile
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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby erdnasephile » June 16th, 2015, 2:12 pm

Dustin to the rescue (again!) Yay! Now it all makes sense--Thanks!

(I assume the old library used to be up that unmarked staircase on the 2nd floor?)

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Dustin Stinett » June 16th, 2015, 2:22 pm

It was on the third floor (where the offices are). The stairs leading to it is narrow and "hidden" just off one of the kitchen entrances (right where the Grand Staircase ends on the second floor). I still miss it and always will. But here's the rub on that: had the library still been there, it is highly unlikely that anyone would have been there to see the smoke from the fire that was started by the roofing company. It's quite possible much more damage--or even the unthinkable--could have happened.

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby erdnasephile » June 16th, 2015, 5:00 pm

Yes--that makes perfect sense. (I should have been more clear: I meant the staircase to the old library starts on the 2nd floor on that map).

One last question please: the old Vernon couch was near where the Close-Up gallery exit is now, right? How did they have room for the card tables that used to be there--were those tables back where the current Vernon couch is?

This whole thread just shows I need to go back and visit the Castle again! :D

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby houdinisghost » June 16th, 2015, 6:09 pm

When I joined, what is now the Museum was called "the Palace of Mystery." As I recall, it was the only performing area for stage acts. It had a ceiling so low, tall performers had to stoop. It had about twenty or so seats and a box at audience left with, I think, four chairs. Goldie Hawn and Ingrid Bergman were sitting in that box one night. Ingrid Bergman was known to do magic tricks.

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Re: Question: Re: The Magic Castle

Postby Dustin Stinett » June 16th, 2015, 6:18 pm

There was only a small, marble-topped, circular table between the loveseats when they were next to the exit to the Close-up Gallery. And that exit door was a pocket door, so it slid open and did not bang into the Professor's loveseat, which was against the wall. If you sat there, directly to the left was a partition with a near floor-to-ceiling window in it. This was actually part of an exterior wall of the original mansion. (It was in the 1990s that the pocket door was replaced with a swinging door that could not open all the way because of the loveseat right there.)

The area known as the Blackstone Room, which is that area between the opposite stairs that head down to the Museum (bar side) and the Hat & Hare Pub (Close-up Gallery side) was actually outside the mansion. The area was enclosed and that space is where the green baize card tables were. I only recall ever seeing one there, and that was a very long time ago. But there was room for two in close quarters I suppose. I believe both were eventually moved to the upstairs library.

After the remodel that happened subsequent to the fire, the Vernon couches (and the small table) were moved over into the Blackstone Room and the windowed partition removed. It is now where the line starts for the Close-up Gallery.

It's worth mentioning that the day The Magic Castle opened, the Close-up Gallery was what is now Irma's room, and the Close-up Gallery was Irma's room. It didn't take too long for Milt to change that around.


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