Best card to wallet routine?

[Rick Schulz]

I am curious what other magicians consider to be the best card to wallet routine. I have used the BKM wallet and have switched to the Jerry O"Connel wallet. But I believe the routine and presentation are much more important that the type of wallet used.

Opinions, anyone?

Thanks in advance for your thoughtful replies.

Rick

[Jonathan Townsend]

holy cr** is the cafe down again?

Rick - you need a character, a premise, a setup and some good excuse to reach for your wallet. All that's left is some lead-in where they've taken a card. The rest is all you.

It's not about the props. Really. LePaul and others just used some envelopes in their jacket pocket or a stapled index card or... well they took the time to find out what works for them when they perform for people.

[Harry Lorayne]

Damn it, I wrote an entire book for you! (Out of print now, so not trying to sell you anyghing.) Oh, I will try to sell you something - LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Volume 2 will be ready and available in a very short time. Send your email address to me (harrylorayne@earthlink.net) and I'll send an email (Attachment) copy of the full-page ad for that book. Best - HL.

[Jim Maloney]

It's not about the props. Really.

Jon,
Perhaps it would help to read his post before criticizing him. He's not looking for props.

Roberto Giobbi has a good card to wallet on his lecture DVD and in Card College 5.

-Jim

[Rick Schulz]

Jonathan, thank you for your advice. I agree that character development is perhaps the most important work a magician should undertake. However that is too big a topic to address at this time (perhaps another thread?). That aside, Jim is correct: I am not looking for a prop, although if anyone has opinion on the relative merits of a particular type of wallet, I would be interested in that as well. The "premise, the setup and some good excuse to reach for your wallet" are some of the key components of a well constructed routine. Hence my question regarding the "best" routine.

Harry, I will send you my email address and I'm looking forward to your Volume 2. But what was the other, "out of print" book you alluded to? It is sometimes amazing what one can find on Bookfiner.com. :)

Jim, thanks! I'll check out Card College 5.


Thanks again, everyone!

[Jonathan Townsend]

It's not about the props. Really.

Jon,
Perhaps it would help to read his post before criticizing him. He's not looking for props...

Yes Jim, I can and do read - sometimes well enough to notice when someone's looking for ways to use their props - when instead they might do much better seeking basic structures which might just happen to make use of a prop if such happens to be onhand.

:( - remember when Leipzig tried to pinch a routine he saw someone else do? ( using an envelope btw )

[Harry Lorayne]

THE HIMBER WALLET BOOK, Rick. What else? Have only a couple of the Deluxe collector's edition left for sale. HL

[A1exM]

I don't know if this helps at all? describes some of the many types of wallet.
http://magicref.tripod.com/magref/artwallet.htm

[Leonard Hevia]

Hi Rick--here are a few ideas:

1. Eric DeCamps Card in Wallet from the Stars of Magic DVD.

2. The Card in Wallet book by Jerry Mentzer.

Good Luck!

[Bill Duncan]

I'm partial to the routine in Tubthumping because the card is only thought of and is in the spectators possession before it vanishes and appears in the wallet*.

And, of course, because I wrote it.




* - Well,that's what they perceive anyway.

[cardstuntman]

the only time I really use card to wallet is in a insurance policy routine. I use this as a platform or stand up routine. the policy and all the money in my wallet if I don't find their card is in their lap during the routine. I use my fire wallet for the trick which lends itself to some great lines of patter...cause there ain't no $ in the wallet.
I don't as a rule use special props or such... but the one that I do use over and over is the John Kennedy Mystery Box. I find I get a better reaction from it than the wallet.

[Rick Schulz]

I appreciate everyone's advice and ideas. The list of resources is quite helpful. However, I had hoped some would share what their favorite routine is, and more importantly, why. Jonathon Townsend alluded to this idea (but did not answer directly)of the relationship between one's performing persona and the routines one chooses to perform.

Thanks again.

[flynn]

I use a regular wallet and sneak a bill into the deck and ribbon spread for a transpo effect. That way I can get away with using the bill compartment for the card appearance.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Rick, tell us more about your character - the dynamic with the audience and also why the card being found in that wallet would be more useful to your act than say finding it stapled to the bottom of your shoe.

[Mats Kjellstrom]

Fred Kaps had an outstanding Card to Wallet routine.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Fred Kaps had an outstanding Card to Wallet routine.

Where is this routine in print? Is there a secrets keeper one might ask about this item?

BTW, what specifically about this routine do you like Mats (do you use this routine yourself) and what about it do you imagine the OP might find useful?

[Leonard Hevia]

I've never seen it in print or film, Jonathan. I believe the card repeatedly appears in the wallet, almost as a running gag--but I'm not certain.

Paul Stone writes this about the Kaps wallet on his website:
"When Fred Kaps performed the Card in Wallet, he did it again and again and again, in one continuous routine."

[Pete McCabe]

Steve Valentine, who had the best act I've ever seen in the Magic Castle's close-up gallery, had the signed card go into his wallet several times in a row.

[Silly Walter]

I am a huge fan of Darwin Ortiz's Dream Card. It's an incredible effect.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Okay, what if your character is a pickpocket who's stolen a real magician's wallet and pen that has a charm/curse on it - that anytime someone signs a card it winds up in the wallet after about a minute whatever was signed winds up in the wallet.

What if you got the wallet from your grandfather who used to send letters with odd dates and times written on the corner - and so you carry them around (the letters).

Just examples of setups which may or may not suit your character - but either way they also introduce the odd wallet and your character's relationship to the magic.

Still no idea of what might be a good match for you since really it's gotta be all about you and how you relate to your audience during the rest of your act (IMHO).

[Rick Schulz]

An important question and not easily answered. Another magician once commented, after seeing me perform, that I reminded him of a Will Rogers, after a fashion. I think that comparison is a good starting point (although I don't twirl a lariat or wear a western style hat or boots). But my style is characterized by an easy-going, casual manner.

[A1exM]

Think yourself lucky Rick, a spectator once commented that I reminded him of a young Ginger Rogers. He was much bigger than me so i just smiled and sneaked out the fire exit.

[Justin Teeman]

Jon Armstrong's Routine entitled "Opening Act" is One of the Absolute best CTW routines I've come across. This particular routine flows like no other.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Justin, what specifically about that routine do you like and how do those specific aspects integrate into your performances?

[Danny Archer]

John Bannon has a CTW routine called I think Oz Deposit that was very good... it was in one of his early manuscripts and was not reprinted in his hardbound books...

[Jonathan Townsend]

I am a huge fan of Darwin Ortiz's Dream Card. It's an incredible effect.

After reading Stephenson's Anathem that routine is also starting to look appealing as a setup for suggesting that something else also happened during the performance.

[Frank Yuen]

John Bannon has a CTW routine called I think Oz Deposit that was very good... it was in one of his early manuscripts and was not reprinted in his hardbound books...

It was reprinted in Smoke and Mirrors .