O'Henry Aces

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Philippe Billot
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O'Henry Aces

Postby Philippe Billot » April 30th, 2005, 1:33 pm

Who can tell me who has created an "O'Henry finish" in an Ace Assembly ?

The only information I have is in Marlo Magazine N1, 1976. He just write (page 71):
"Under such conditions, an O'Henry finish would be a disappointement since instead of 3 Aces vanishing and appearing in the 4th or final packet, they would appear in the 3rd packet..."

Therefore, I can conclude that Marlo didn't invent this finish and it was created before (or at least in)1976.

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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Guest » April 30th, 2005, 2:30 pm

Philippe,

According to Darwin Ortizs The Annotated Erdnase, the O. Henry addition to the hoary Ace Assembly was introduced to the fraternity by Roger Smith in 1971, who published Slow-Motion Ace Switch-a-roo as number one in his Card Compositions series. Only a few months later, in January of the following year, Trevor Lewis published his Topsy-Turvy or Slow Motion Plus in The New Pentagram (Vol. 3, No. 11). The trick had a similar ending.

Cameron

Philippe Billot
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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Philippe Billot » April 30th, 2005, 2:46 pm

Thanks, Cameron.

Micky Hades sells Revolutionary Card Compositions by Roger Smith. I suppose it's the same book ?

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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Guest » March 26th, 2006, 9:16 am

Does someone know why the O'Henry finish is called "O'Henry"?
Does this expression mean something special in english?
By the way, my mother tongue is french.

Jim Maloney_dup1
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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Jim Maloney_dup1 » March 26th, 2006, 9:42 am

O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter, a popular writer 100 years ago who was noted for his suprise/twist endings. The connection should be apparent based on that info. :)

-Jim

Guest

Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Guest » March 26th, 2006, 10:03 am

Thank you Jim.
By the way, was it Frank Garcia who gave this literary name or reference I should say?

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Bill Wells
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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Bill Wells » March 26th, 2006, 4:20 pm

In addition to the above cited reference to Roger Smith by Darwin Ortiz, Frank Garcia also says "It is based on a Roger Smith idea which was published by Astra Magic." in his description of the effect which appears in Super Subtle Card Miracles.

I will have to dig out my notes on this, but I thought Frank Thompson had a hand in the creation of this ending to the "aces" and that he showed it to me in the late '60s. As a matter of fact, I wrote the routine up for Frank sometime in that time period (I don't remember what year) and he published it in the rather obsure "Yogi Magic Club" newsletter. I have a copy someplace if I can find it.
Bill Wells

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Richard Kaufman » March 26th, 2006, 4:22 pm

It's not clear whether the Trevor Lewis item came out before or after the Roger Smith piece. It may have come out earlier.
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Philippe Billot
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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Philippe Billot » March 26th, 2006, 11:52 pm

Originally posted by Richard Kaufman:
It's not clear whether the Trevor Lewis item came out before or after the Roger Smith piece. It may have come out earlier.
If we consider only the date of publication, The copyright for Roger Smith is 1971 while explainations of Trevor Lewis were in january 1972 (Vol. 3, N 11)of the New Pentagram (Thanks again Cameron)

BUT Trevor performed his effect in 1969 at the British Ring Convention at Llandudno (in Conwy North Wales)and, with it, was the winner of the close-up competition.

Still in Marlo Magazine, Vol. 5, Marlo speaks about Wesley's version. Who know where this version was described, please ?

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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Guest » March 27th, 2006, 2:51 am

Philippe,
Wesley's version was published in Epilogue N16 (November 1972)and was named "L.S.D. Aces".
Bien toi,

Philippe

Philippe Billot
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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Philippe Billot » March 27th, 2006, 5:08 am

Philippe,

je te remercie

Philippe.

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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Guest » November 8th, 2006, 2:13 pm

There is now evidence that the earliest version of the O.Henry ending may date to the late 50s and was the creation of Frank Thompson. Unfortunately, the Thompson version was not published until the mid-70s, when Cy Kellar included it in his lecture notes. There is considerable difference between the Thompson version and the Smith version, which as described does not work, and even greater difference between the Thompson version and both the Lewis version and mine--L.S.D. Aces. The Thompson version is most similar to the later- released Ortiz "Hitchcock Aces." For the record, I was not aware of the Smith or Thompson treatments when I developed my version but I did credit Trevor Lewis.

Wesley James

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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Guest » November 11th, 2006, 10:15 am

Jon Racherbaumer probably knows for sure.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: O'Henry Aces

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 11th, 2006, 12:55 pm

Wesley's handling is excellent: I used it for many years. It made a big hit when it first came out in Epilogue.
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