Cups and Balls loads

[Mark Paulson]

What's the most unusual final load you've produced for the Cups and Balls routine?

[Bob Postelnik]

I think Johnny Ace Palmer's production of baby chicks is great and a very unusual final load for the Cups and Balls.

[Bill Palmer]

It's great, but it's not new at all. Galli Galli and Ross Bertram each produced baby chicks.

I wrote up a routine for jumbo cups that was published in one of the magazines in which the final load was three shrunken heads. I never performed it, though.

[Bob Postelnik]

I don't believe he was actually looking for something new but he did ask for unusual final loads.

I guess as long as the object will fit in the cup and fit in your preload pocket or lap it can be used as a final load, given it is not illegal or immoral, if PC is your cup of tea...

I saw a magician produce a block of ice in the Close-up room at the Magic Castle; I don't remember who it was at this time. I also saw Gazzo produce a large melon as his final load at his lecture at the MagicApple last year.

[Bob Farmer]

I think it was Jay Sankey who produced a table full of additional cups from the cups.

[Joe Pecore]

I like Tommy Wonder's version where he produces the bag that the cups and balls were stored in at the beginning of the routine.

[Brandon Hall]

David Regal has one of the best cup routines today, IMHO. His final loads bring the story full circle. Very nice.

[Pete Biro]

No disprespect to Tommy Wonder, but I, independantly,used the same load (the bag) years ago.

I also, maybe 40 years ago built a gaff to load a full cup with rice, secretly, as a final using a loader from a drum head tube with flash paper holding the rice in. There was a small candle on the table and passing cup over the candle caused a FLASH and the rice put out the flame as it fell to the table. This was created for another performer's act.

[Richard Kaufman]

Of all the routines I've seen recently, Al Schneider's is absolutely one of the best, if not the best. It's a remarkable routine and you can buy it as a download on his website.

[Martin Kaplan]

Thanks for that tip, Richard!

-Marty

[Jonathan Townsend]

What's under the cups in that scene from "The Bride of Frankenstein" was pretty darneed impressive.

[Brandon Hall]

Which routine, Richard, he has a million of 'em?

[Bob Farmer]

Alex Elmsley's routine ends with salt appearing.

[Pete Biro]

Right, Elmsley's was diabolical. Well worth study.

[Jim Riser]

Though baseballs are not a new final load, the baseball I ran across yesterday is rather cool. I like to use unusual baseballs and this is the first I have ever seen with this type of stitching pattern. It is a regulation sized baseball. You may see it at:

http://jamesriser.com/Magic/LgCustomChopCup3685.jpg

For those who like to remain "seasonal" with their routines, this might be a little different for a final load.
Jim

[John M. Dale]

If I remember correctly (never a safe bet), Lance Burton produced a live white mouse as a final load on one of his specials.

I worked out a way to produce a live tarantula but my wife threatened to divorce me if I bought one.

JMD

[Spellbinder]

So, how are you and the tarantula getting along without the wife? You didn't have to make her leave you know, there are radio controlled tarantulas available. My favorite load at one time was three small radio controlled cars that would appear one by one from under each cup and then race in a programmed pattern around the table until I slammed the cups down on top of them again and made them vanish.

[castawaydave]

Mr. Farmer wrote:
"I think it was Jay Sankey who produced a table full of additional cups from the cups."

I found Jay's routine (the only one I know of) in "Sankey Panky" (pg. 110); he does produce a 4th cup, and ends up with 16 balls of 7 different sizes, from 1/2" crocheted balls up to a 5" sponge ball...

Ahh, "cups and balls": one of THE most difficult tricks in all of magic to do WELL. I'm begging: please practice...

99.999% of all cups and balls routines that have been inflicted on me during my magic lifetime have been about about as deceptive as my butt.

[Richard Kaufman]

Yes, Jay only produced one extra cups, but LOTS of balls.
I think Jay's routine is wonderful, interesting, and innovative. But cups and balls guys all turned their nose up at it years ago. One of these days someone will do it at a convention and everybody will wonder where it came from.

[Dustin Stinett]

I like David Regal's routine.

Dustin

[James Nelson]

Does anyone have any information or knowledge of anyone producing a lit candle? I thought this might be interesting, but difficult. The candle needs to lite upon the removal of the cup....

[Mark Collier]

I saw Ed Keener end with firework fountains as a final load. They unfortunately failed to light.

[Pete Biro]

I would produce a box of matches. You say, "What re these for?" Then something like a lemmon, then an unlit candle (big and fat) strike a match,light candle pick it up and say, 'Goodnight' as you start to leave.

[John M. Dale]

Well, Spellbinder, I don't think the spider would have been as good of a conversationalist as my wife and, maybe I'm weird, but hairy eight-legged "amour" doesn't appeal to me. (YMMV) Plus, knowing some of the people I perform for, I was afraid I'd never get the stain out of my close-up pad when the shrieking and pounding stopped.

The RC spider is a good thought but I don't think one would fit in my Riser MiniCups.

JMD

[RogueMD]

This is an interesting topic.
Not to threadjack...has anyone poured water from the cups used the entire performance?
I have a method...just wondering if anyone had seen something like it done before.
I KNOW I'm not the first...
Thanks,
Michael

[Bob Farmer]

I'm going to beat Max Maven to the punch here--

In Ronnie Gann's 1964 booklet, THE WIZARD OF ODDS (published by Max Holden's Boston magic shop) he describes, "Liquid Finish For Cup and Ball Routine" (pp. 24-25).

Basically, he uses Saran Wrap to make little sealed bags of water. He loads these into the cups at the appropriate moment then, with the cups mouth up, breaks each bag with his fingernail and pours the water from cup to cup.

Saran Wrap is invisible in the water.

[Jim Sisti]

Originally posted by James Nelson:
Does anyone have any information or knowledge of anyone producing a lit candle? I thought this might be interesting, but difficult. The candle needs to lite upon the removal of the cup....

Richard Robinson produces lit votive candles as the finale of his cups and balls routine.

[George Olson]

Both Brookstone and Sharper Image have small electronic candles. I bought a couple and finaly I have a use for them!

Also, Once I did a bit for an Dog and Cat rescue Shelter. You guessed it plastic doo-doo :o ; Of course I cleared it with the Chairman, she thought it was hilarious.

GO