Fred Kaps Fism act

[Guest]

Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5GYtuzMNs0

[Guest]

Hail to THE KING!

Thanks :)

[Guest]

I love Kaps. When I saw him perform I literally stood up and said "That is what I want!!!" His style was one that I had been working on creating on my own so seeing him perform was like seeing the assembly of my thoughts.

[Pete Biro]

This clip isn't his FISM act, but one he developed later for use at magician's conventions. I saw him rehearse it in his living room before he debuted it.

Now you want real Kaps? His layman act, in his native language, killed, laughs galore.

The content?

Professor's Nightmare, Spot Card, Chinese Sticks and the Salt Pour.

[Guest]

One of the half hour Ed Sullivan re-runs has Kaps doing his Chinese Sticks routine. It slayed me. Up to then I never knew that this trick that so many belittle could be so magical and funny.
Certainly made me think.

Gord

[Richard Kaufman]

Everyone underestimates the Chinese Sticks because they've been in so many magic sets and magicians think it's a waste of time because they're easy to do.
They KILL when presented properly, particularly when the routine involves a third stick.

[Guest]

I like the added tassle in the pocket - who started doing that variation?

[Pete Biro]

The Kaps Chinese Sticks routine was, in fact, taken from Roy Benson, who created the third stick.

Kaps didn't know it was Benson's until years later and by then had developed his own routine and presentation.

What happened was Henk Vermeyden, Kaps' early teacher, had come to the U.S., seen Benson and stole the material (Sticks, Salt Trick etc.) and taught them to Kaps without telling him of the source.

As far as I know the extra Tassle on an elastic from the pocket was probably something worked up between Ken Brooke and Dany Ray.

I created a bit using a chinese hat with a tassle on top and pulled that in the '50s. Later I created the no-tilt stick routine with a tassle coming out of the top of my trousers with a weight on the end of the cord so the tassle could fly back up when one was pulled down on the stick.

I wouldn't mention it here, but just want to set the record straight. I've been doing that version for more then 20 years.

[Guest]

Mr Biro,
Do you remember which tricks Fred Kaps used to do close-up for a lay audience?

[Pete Biro]

Never saw Fred work close up for laymen.

I do remember one funny sequence. Fred had done Driebeek's Tosheroon (where a face up deck is on the table and a coin is placed on the face card of the deck--hands waved over the deck and the card, under the coin, changes to the chosen card). Anyway, a layman was watching (I think this was at a cafe in Paris) and Kaps, with a card "palmed" suddendly had this gentleman reach forward and exclaim something like, "That was a miracle, let me shake your hand!"

You never saw anyone do the palm exchange from one hand to another faster, or better!

Back to the question, I would assume his staples, being the Floating/Dancing Cork, Gypsy Curse, Pat Page's Easy Money and Pat's great cards to pocket, Cups and Balls and various coin routines, like his marketed one with the Chinese coins and his card to wallet would be the one's he would most use.

Parlour type stuff we've all seen on tv, His counting money ala 11 Card trick. He also did a great version of the linking rings.

[Guest]

Hey Gord, where can I get Ed Sullivan's re-run where Fred Kaps performs Chinese Sticks?

I didn't know that video existed.

Thanks
Antonio

[Guest]

Antonio
I recorded of of the TV. There is a half hour syndicated version of the Sullivan show. Check your local listings, you never know.

Gord

[Guest]

It'll be tough to catch that, as I live in Chile and it's not likely to be aired any time soon, or ever.

Antonio

[Pete Biro]

You can see a version performed by someone else on the Stevens Chinese Sticks teach in video. Hey, I'm even on that one!