The Genii Forum

Jon Pendragon

Milt and I met 51 years ago. I wasn't old enough to join the Magic Castle and at the time and there was no juniors program. I just hung out and worked on Milts multitude of projects. I had no idea that "habit" would last decades. They're gone now, the original founders, Bill, Irene, Milt L...

Jon Pendragon

Young magicians may not realize that plethora of decks on the market today is something fairly new. Of the classic decks I miss most the Bicycle Fan Back. Has anyone tried to reproduce this deck?

Jon Pendragon

I blame Doug Henning... LOL after his "Everything is an Illusion" comments on stage it became difficult to avoid the problem of identifying styles which is why, as was recognized by Jim Steinmeyer, I started to use the old term of Grand illusionist to describe the Pendragons in bio materia...

Jon Pendragon

I was just told it was sold at the Owens auction two weeks ago. Owens never should have had it built, unfortunate the man who made it for Owens and me, was very sweet but didn't understand original material. I designed all of it, Bare mid-drift and the how to work the clutch into a harness. It was t...

Jon Pendragon

Charlotte texted me about 2 of my Broom Suspension Harnesses being up for Auction. That's all she sent other than a picture and they are certainly my design. I never even knew they were made. I would like to find out more about this. If you know anything please post.

Jon Pendragon

I am not superstitious, I will even shout "MacBeth" in a crowded theater. The arts often recognize the Rule of Three as a sad reminder of our mortality regardless of the life of our artistic creations. Max, Andre and Earl, this time is seems to have spanned the magic styles: Mentalism, Ill...

Jon Pendragon

I met Max in the late 70s and almost immediately we became friends. The friendship only grew over the years until I considered him one of my closest friends in life. When West and I exchanged vows on the little bridge at Brookledge, Max officiated and joined us in marriage. Max felt, early on, that ...

Jon Pendragon

Edward Of course, I am still working out the routines physical beats, but quantum mechanics, gravitational wave time distortion, Einstein's time dilation as you approach the speed of light, that's all good material to explore in the presentation.

Jon Pendragon

On Broadway, the highly successful British play, Hangmen, has wowed the critics and audiences alike. It closes this week on its limited run. It's interest to magic is this: one of the leading parts is played by Andy Nyman! And one of its producers is Son of Jay - Sandy Marshall. Both are friends of ...

Jon Pendragon

Liberty Larsen and I talked to Max today. He is feeling better. Whatever it is they're doing, it's working. I told him I will immediately initiate him into the Jonathan Pendragon Hard to Kill Club. I can not tell you how happy I am for my friend after so much tragedy from COVID.

Jon Pendragon

My family has asked me not to talk about much that is going on with sale. This is Randy's desire and we wish to honor. it. About my family, however, I must say this: When West went to tell them she was in love with a magician, I sarcastically thought, "OMG, I just split the infinitive and this ...

Jon Pendragon

My congratulations to the new Board and Family members. On the rest of it... there is nothing I can say.

Jon Pendragon

Ivan Reitman passed away at age 75. Famous in Hollywood for films like the Ghostbusters, on Broadway he was the executive producer of the musical The Magic Show starring Doug Henning. He saw Doug in Canada in a show he put on with a grant from the government. Reitman saw great promise and when a sho...

Jon Pendragon

There is also some evidence that it was created to accompany the Tossed Out Deck.

Jon Pendragon

All good ideas. I like the Bag finale that allows the hands free production by a spectator. Quantum Mechanics.... yes Schrodinger's watch in the box, Broken or Working, at the same time.

Jon Pendragon

I have been working with my Phoenix Pocket Watch and have come up with a presentation using an Egg Bag. Show the broken watch and the Egg Bag and talk about the classic smashed and restored watch trick and that this was your first try and failure (indicate broken watch). Now present a classic egg ba...

Jon Pendragon

I was defending the art. My actions would have been the same regardless of the creator of the effect if I knew an ethical injustice was being done. Theft kills the art as it creates stagnation in thought, "Why create when you can steal?"

Jon Pendragon

Aloha Pam. Bill Larsen's final goodbye was always Aloha, hello and goodbye or till we meet again, It was a sweet farewell and I have adopted it for the greater Larsen family of Castle members and magicians. Now we have lost Pam...

Jon Pendragon

Our communities beloved Pam Thompson is in hospice care and... it doesn't look good. Pam, of course, was Johnny Thompson's wife, partner, roommates in mental asylum that was the las Vegas Magic scene from the beginning with Siegfried and Roy to the now with Penn and Teller. I met them over 40 years ...

Jon Pendragon

In 1995 the IBM held their convention in Salt Lake City. In the dealers someone was selling a rip-off Origami. As soon as I entered the room, a group of concerned looking magicians came up to me and told me about the prop. When I got to the booth, others quickly came up to see what would happen. I c...

Jon Pendragon

The now infamous video of Vanilla Ice trying to justify stealing from Queen is a perfect portrayal of magicians trying to explain why they're not ripping off another magician's material. Deeper dive into the story shows examples of ludicrous justifications which I and other magicians known for creat...

Jon Pendragon

The two Volume set arrived today, incredible. The 300 dollar price tag is well worth what you get. If you are interesting in this kind of card work and I certainly am, this is a must for your library.

Jon Pendragon

I should also point out that all of this was before CGI was perfected in order to paint an actor into the action. We shot way more than is normally needed for such a stunt in order to piece it all together in the manner I had laid out storyboard style in order to make the effect work. As recently as...

Jon Pendragon

It was a battle at first. John Belushi and Landis (director, actor and stuntman (me) all had the first name John so it gets confusing) wanted me to throw a big trick like a back flip with a full twist or double back at the end of the four back handsprings. I knew that if I did the audience would imm...

Jon Pendragon

Max is resting in bed and doing fine. We talked this evening and he told me that the brain tumor was removed and the surgeon's believe they have it all. He will need some time to retrain his vision to adapt a more limited scope, but besides that he is hopeful that he will handle recovery well. He me...

Jon Pendragon

Gas lighting was also not a steady beam of light, it flickered a touch. Not as bad as candles, but nowhere near as constant a light as today's instruments. That too would effect the action on stage and the audiences ability to see it.

Jon Pendragon

Cover is part of the method. Doug steps in, S and R step in, during performance. TV isn't as good as the human and when filming an ad that requires high contrast, the low contrast ad helps hide the device.

Jon Pendragon

You are the mastermind Max, you can beat this my friend.

Jon Pendragon

West just told me today she had ordered the book for me, I wasn't even aware of second printing. Remember the math- card magic book by Diaconis, she surprised me with that one too. She is so amazing.

Jon Pendragon

I have placed my presentation in parlor setting. That will change the dynamics of the performance, but yes, too perfect can be boring.

Jon Pendragon

Denis, Asi is a genius. My complete method isn't fake, it follows a different methodological thought process. I would think that anyone needing an explanation of ACAN would simply assume the use of multiple (2) plants. One could also use a single deck of the Destiny Cards to force the card and then ...

Jon Pendragon

Inspired by the recent article on David Berglas, I have devised the ultimate Any Card Any Number for some wealthy and crazy magician. You make a deck shell and buy 52 Destiny decks, one for every card. Shell goes on table and you ask for a card. Stall as the correct deck is feed to you which you loa...

Jon Pendragon

Bill Mullins - Yes, when he was very young he was performing magician.

Jon Pendragon

OK, on subject. Film and magic are forever connected from Melies to Sam Rami (Magicians who helped define film and special effects) Ricky and Mike (who worked their wonders on magic based films and otherwise) and even my work to make the world believe John Belushi could do back handsprings. Dr. Solk...

Jon Pendragon

I agree. The cover makes an historical statement that it is immediately understood. It condemns Kalanag, it doesn't promote him or his infamous party affiliation.

Jon Pendragon

The illusion's rep for being a mechanical nightmare is well founded. Jim Steinmeyer told me one of his jobs on Merlin was keeping the thing working. When Jim and I redesigned the Artist's Dream for Best of Magic, I chose to use Charlotte's athletic ability for what I believe is a particularly beauti...

Jon Pendragon

Jim Steinmeyer once mentioned "Green Art" with green velvet. He told me it worked well and because of the relatively bright color was very deceptive. Tom, I am almost sure you played with this. I haven't and don't know how well known it is.

Jon Pendragon

I was aware of Kalanag's relationship to Goebbels which is why i thought there might have been a connection. Thank you for the info. I saw the film several years ago and was amazed at the magic laced special effects and believed a magician of some note must have been involved.

Jon Pendragon

i heard Mac has contacted the LVPD because of a stalker who has seen his show 300 times.

Jon Pendragon

The 1943 Munchausen, filmed in Nazi Germany, is filled with magic based special effects, even more than the infamous film The Time Travelers. Knowing Kalanag relationship with the Germany film industry at that time, I have always wondered if Kalanag was involved. Neither of his names, real or stage ...

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