Women in Hypnosis?

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Hellion
Posts: 9
Joined: August 14th, 2010, 12:03 pm

Women in Hypnosis?

Postby Hellion » August 14th, 2010, 12:16 pm

Hi everyone, a first time poster.:)

I'm intrigued. My main work is a kind of hypnosis/mentalism thing. I do a little bar work, small venues, some street work if I can get a nice day and a good feeling crowd. Recently I was discussing the hypnosis side of things with a mentalism friend,and we began to discuss whether me being a woman doing hypnosis was an asset or a problem? If anyone's read anything on hypnosis they'll know that much of what we do is based on a kind of perceived authority of the hypnotist. He says: You're at a disadvantage. People are less likely to feel authority from a slim, 30+ woman, you're too nice. It works, but I'll bet you get more failures than a man would."

Well, few failures at all so far, but that apart, for me, being a woman is an asset. Male subjects seem to relax with me easily, they're always very compliant and I get no macho flak. There's none of the mental battle that I imagine must take place between two males before the hypnosist asserts his alleged dominance:) I think it must be far easier for me.

This started off just as an interesting conversatoin, now I'm wondering which of us the rest of you think may be right?

Hellion

BSinclair
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Joined: July 24th, 2010, 7:50 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: Women in Hypnosis?

Postby BSinclair » August 14th, 2010, 5:42 pm

Hi,

I studied stage hypnosis years ago and had the pleasure to see Pat Collins in LA when I was very young. She killed. She knew how to handle people well and certainly new how to find the right people to bring on stage. My feeling is that it is more how you carry yourself than any other factor. While it may be true that some males may be less willing to be comfortable with a female hypnotist and some of that may be cultural, depending on where they are from, in the end, it is probably more an issue of personality and character than gender. Just a thought!

Gregory Edmonds
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Re: Women in Hypnosis?

Postby Gregory Edmonds » August 14th, 2010, 6:16 pm

As a professional mentalist and hypnotist for over 30 years, I've known several women who worked the latter field. A very nice young (well younger than I am, anyway) woman in Canada and I even traded show dates at a time, when it fit our schedules better.

There have been few full-time female professionals in the mentalism field, however, since the time of Anna Eva Fay. I tried to talk my daughter into learning the basics of my act, and take on the college tour, as she'd have almost no competition from other women. She declined, which is of course, her prerogative.

If you want to send a private message my way (either here or through one of our Web sites), I'll be happy to discuss the topic in more detail. I'm former editor of The Psychic Entertainers Association's monthly journal (though very briefly), and published a book of contributions exclusively by and for the group. It might make a nice fit for you, too. We do have several female members, and you might garner more practical information from them, than from me.

Greg Edmonds
(by the way, during my performance career, I was first "Desmond Acardi," and later "Gregory Bishop" (it's a long story). I've let all the old Web connections expire, however, as I'm no longer physically able to perform.

www.ArsPraestigium.com
www.MagicYardSale.com (under construction, the first site has yet to be heavily edited, either - but if you desire, you can learn a little more about me by visiting the Ars site's "SERVICES" page.)
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Diego
Posts: 517
Joined: June 16th, 2008, 11:29 am

Re: Women in Hypnosis?

Postby Diego » August 16th, 2010, 2:37 am

There have been few full-time female professionals in the mentalism field, however, since the time of Anna Eva Fay.


Not true. Look especially in issues of THE BILLBOARD and older magic magazines, up to the present, and you will see many women performing as a single,,of as part of a two-person mental act.

Fay Asia, Princess Yvonne, Baby Yvonne, Princess Pat, Baby Pat, Shireen-the X-Ray girl, Raynell-the Miracle Girl, leona Lamar, Ada Zancig, Lucile Roberts, Willa Levolo, Sisuepahn and Brian, The Evasons, Frances Usher, and many more. This is a short list...I'm leaving out many more that don't come to mind at this moment.

Hellion
Posts: 9
Joined: August 14th, 2010, 12:03 pm

Re: Women in Hypnosis?

Postby Hellion » August 24th, 2010, 8:27 am

Hi everyone, thanks for getting back to me. Sorry about the late response,I'm never sure on Forums whether I'm meant to post and step back until all have put in their comments or just keep talking. Very interesting replies, I think the answe is simply that it depends who you are and who you're hypnotising. But the responses above have brought up another conversation that I personally would like to hear more about;

It seems that in the 30's through to the 50's there were a tremendous amount of 'mentalist' (mind-reading, hypnosis, etc.) acts doing the rounds here and in the US on the then cabaret circuit, people who at the time were almost household names. As TV arrived and clubs closed, many of these people disappeared, but did anyone film their acts or record their actual material for other performers, or has it all been lost?? I would love to watch clips and read stories online about things that happened to them and how they felt about what they were doing, it seems a shame that these people should now only be known by a handful of knowledgable folk like those above. What can we learn from them? Is it to late to get the bulk of this information, their skills and effects, back?

Hellion

Gregory Edmonds
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Re: Women in Hypnosis?

Postby Gregory Edmonds » August 28th, 2010, 1:05 pm

Some of these performers can be seen on tape (but I suspect most of the few that exist are in private collections). Several publications over the years provided basic outlines of a few of these acts, too.

Diego wrote:
There have been few full-time female professionals in the mentalism field, however, since the time of Anna Eva Fay.


Not true. Look especially in issues of THE BILLBOARD and older magic magazines, up to the present, and you will see many women performing as a single,,of as part of a two-person mental act.

Fay Asia, Princess Yvonne, Baby Yvonne, Princess Pat, Baby Pat, Shireen-the X-Ray girl, Raynell-the Miracle Girl, leona Lamar, Ada Zancig, Lucile Roberts, Willa Levolo, Sisuepahn and Brian, The Evasons, Frances Usher, and many more. This is a short list...I'm leaving out many more that don't come to mind at this moment.


Diego, I take your point. The Evasons are long-time friends (of mine, as well, we can agree, with one another :) ), and Tessa is as talented as she is beautiful. She, however, like many of those you name, are in fact (as you note) part of mentalism "teams," most of them noted for performing a Q&A act (the Piddingtons, of course, would also be in this category). As I give the matter more thought, Tessa really is the attraction, but somebody has to walk into the audience with a microphone -- Jeff, if this gets back to you, I kid (sort of).

By referring to Fay, I meant to imply that (from the perception of the general public), few other females have achieved singular notoriety as mentalists, working as solo artists, since her time.

I completely agree that all of those named were likely sensational in their day, and of course admit I misspoke (miswrote?) in that regard; though the Zancigs, the Fays, and the Piddingtons aside, none achieved anything near the level of "fame" Jeff and Tessa deservedly realize today. None of the others, I should have stipulated, achieved the name recognition of a Dunninger, a Kreskin (or today, perhaps a Marc Salem and a Derren Brown).

So, I admittedly stand (well, lie down) corrected, and I sincerely thank you for pointing out the error in failing to be more clear. I've written a small note somewhere on this topic in print some time back, but can' recall where. A woman "mindreader" to me, seems a natural fit. I honestly wonder that more talented females don't enter the field--women, statistically, and in the perception of most--being the smarter sex, and mentalism (according to Theo A., anyway) being the "intellectual" branch of magic.

Greg
Celebrate the Art of Magic

Frank Dudgeon
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Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Ricky Jay
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon

Re: Women in Hypnosis?

Postby Frank Dudgeon » August 28th, 2010, 8:28 pm

There's an excellent DVD from Todd Karr's Miracle Factory, in collaboration with William H. McIlhany, who has archived so many wonderful video images of magicians. It's an old 1955 TV show called "It's Magic," and it includes a marvelous performance by Tommy and Betty Tucker, apparently doing a code act. The DVD also includes Kuda Bux, The Man with X-Ray Eyes, Roy Benson doing his salt pour and Chinese Sticks, Fred Keating and Al Flosso's classic act, plus A. Robins, the Banana Man. It's a fun DVD and I highly recommend it for those interested in these classic performers. You can find it at www.miraclefactory.net

Diego
Posts: 517
Joined: June 16th, 2008, 11:29 am

Re: Women in Hypnosis?

Postby Diego » August 29th, 2010, 12:59 am

Many mentalist acts were presented/perceived as working a single, (Like Princess Yvonne, Leona LeMarr) but were actually 2 person acts, the second person downplayed, so the attention was on the performer on stage. (When Eddie Fields worked his 2 person act, those who noticed him, thought him to be a theater manager or store floorwalker.)

Likewise other mentalists, like Mel-roy and Rajah Raboid, supposedly worked a single, but their wives had done the pre-show work for them, covertly in the theater lobby ahead of time.

Read William Rauscher's informative book, "The Mindreaders" to learn about many mentalists, men and women, who acheived fame/success in their day, mostly forgotten now.

Remember Gene Dennis and Rose Dawn, were stars, who had their own radio shows and magazines as well.

Hellion
Posts: 9
Joined: August 14th, 2010, 12:03 pm

Re: Women in Hypnosis?

Postby Hellion » August 31st, 2010, 6:13 am

Frank and Diego, thanks a lot, tremendous and exactly what I'm looking for.:) Anyone else? It would be a shame if we were all so forward looking that we lost the roots of our art.

Hellion


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