Lance Burton show experience

[Chance Wolf]

Just a quick story with no real point but was so memorable. I was on my Honeymoon in Vegas about 6 years ago. We chose to see Lance's act when he was at the smaller forum. I tipped the "seater" 20 buks and got FRONT ROW CENTER STAGE seats! Needless to say, the show was going great, Lance began the next routine by walking into the audience, down the stage steps, right past me and continued a few paces into the audience. He stopped turned around and walked right up to me. At 34 years old, I felt like a schoolboy looking at Superman. He calmly asked if I would assist him in the next trick. Wow! What a treat as I nervously walked up the steps and onto a Vegas Stage! (The closest I would ever get to performing in Vegas in my carreer as a magician :) ) I assisted in the selection of a card for his Card Stab effect. Funny thing is, I was so damn nervous, I almost FORGOT what card I chose. Here is Lance with a card on his sword and I had no idea which one i picked. Fortunatley for Lance, I remembered. After the show, I stood in line to chat and get his autograph. He was the consumate gentleman. To this day I wonder what was running through his head when he chose me on such a monumental evening such as my honeymoon. Maybe he noticed the Glazed look of Wonderment during his act. Just for the record, my memories of this show lasted far longer than the marriage :D
Chance Wolf

[Pete McCabe]

I had the exact same experience being pulled from the audience to assist with the card stab. However there were a few differences. First, it was a lecture at Tannen's jubilee, and second, it was Pete Biro.

The rest was the same, particularly the part about meeting Pete after the show and him being a great guy.

[Pete Biro]

Boy have I changed! :o :D ;) :p

[Pete Biro]

Seriously... if you go to www.petebiro.com you see a picture of me taken over 50 years ago... OK, just about that time I was in New York on the way to Germany (in the US Army defending us against the Russian threat)... anyway, since I had a couple of layover days until the rusty, one-stack, vomit filled troop ship was to take us over the ocean, I decided to see some shows.

Aha, the Palace Theater... gotta see that show, my dad played there in the '20s.

And there is a magic act on the bill. Mardoni and Louise.

I get a FRONT ROW seat (army uniforms were worth something)!!!

Mardoni says, "Anyone like to come up and..."

Like a ROCKET ... I was onstage... Curtain in back opens and out comes... a Guillotine.

Here I am, on my knees, I know how they work, and I am scared out of my wits! ARgh... And I am to defend our country? Hah...

I did live through both experiences.

:eek: :p :eek:

[Pete Biro]

When Blackstone (Sr.) played the Orpheum Theater in Vodvil... he came to town and scheduld 12 shows.

Sure I went to all 12.

After about the third show of volunteering for the "committee" he would say, "You agian?"

He never did get a chance to do the watch steel with me... didn't have to I would slip it to him on the way to the stage!

One show a pal of mine, Bob MacKenzie (TV News Man now in Oakland, Calif.) was with me. I slipped a mouse trap into his jacket pocket (NOT SET) knowing H. B. would "pick it."

It was really a riot, Bob swore he didn't own a mouse trap and Blackstone said, "I just picked it out of YOUR pocket!"

Them wuz the daze... :rolleyes:

Hey, I used to go into Woolworths looking at scarves and while the clerk was watching me I would produce a Merv Taylor birdcage! :cool: :p

[Chance Wolf]

Hey Pete, Those are some GREAT stories! I love the Birdcage bit. Very enjoyable, thanks for sharing the fun.
Chance