Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

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troublewit
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Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby troublewit » February 18th, 2003, 2:51 pm

Thanks for the Ross Bertram issue. A year or so ago, David Ben and Teller were in Chicago for a lecture..(David lectured, Teller was in the audience), and afterwards, I asked David about where I could find some of the ring on stick moves he taught that night (in print.) He said that Richard was after him for a Ross Bertram issue in Genii, and it would all be in there. This is the issue I waited for every month since. Beautiful cover graphic by the way..it calls to mind the era of the past. I can almost hear the soundtrack to Ross' videos by looking at the cover. Looks like another wonderful Genii. I haven't missed one since Richard's first issue. Kudos!!
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Pete McCabe
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Pete McCabe » February 18th, 2003, 3:26 pm

I am not the most well-read magician on this board, but I do read a lot. And I am trying to remember when so much outstanding work on so many classic tricks has ever appeared in a single issue of a magic magazine.

If anyone has another candidate for Best Magazine Issue of All Time, I'd sure like to hear what it is.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 18th, 2003, 4:46 pm

Aaaaaaaa, nuts ... you guys are makin' us blush.
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Pete Biro
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Pete Biro » February 18th, 2003, 5:34 pm

Blush? :confused: Are you sure you just haven't gotten too close to the snowbank? :o
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Michael Edwards
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Michael Edwards » February 18th, 2003, 6:01 pm

Originally posted by Pete McCabe:
I am not the most well-read magician on this board, but I do read a lot. And I am trying to remember when so much outstanding work on so many classic tricks has ever appeared in a single issue of a magic magazine.

If anyone has another candidate for Best Magazine Issue of All Time, I'd sure like to hear what it is.
Pete: I have not yet received my March Genii (though I'm sure my mail carrier will eventually make it over these cold white mounds that now surround my house), and -- as Richard knows -- I am one of Genii's greatest admirers. (I'm particualrly partial to the July 2000 and April 2001 Genii's. ;) )

However -- at least until my Betram issue arrives -- I would have to nominate the March 1951 issue of The Sphinx as the Best Magazine Issue of All Time. Its 74 pages contained The Magnetic Card by Harry Blackstone, Tarbell's Oranges, the Levante Levitation, Harbin's Flower Growth, Okito's Bewitched Tubes, Birch's Hindu Rope Mystery, a Dunninger divination, LaFollette's Phantom Studio, Scorcar's Diabolical Die, Long Tack Sam's Fountain Pagoda, Al Baker's Bottom's Down, Tan Hock Chuan's Invisible Flap, Virgil's Vanishing Leopard, an Edward Victor card problem, Chris Charlton's Seeing's Deceiving; Letters about Twentieth Cenury Magic by Harry Kellar; other wonderful articles on magic history by Arthur Leroy, David Bamberg, Milbourne Christopher, Walter Gilbson, and JB Findlay; the normal array of Sphinx columnists and reporters including John Mulholland, Frazee, Russ Walsh, Victor Farelli, Wilfrid Jonson, E. Leslie Briant, and Frances Ireland; artwork by Tarbell, Sid Lorraine and Dr. Jaks; and a section of reproductions of posters from Kellar, Herrmann, Thurston, Dante, Chung Ling Soo, Goldin, Carter, Maskelyne & Cooke, Downs, Devant, Goldin, Blackstone, Levante, Thorn, Charlton, Powell, Nicola, Gwynne, Floyd, Raymond, Malini and Houdini. And it only cost $1.00.

Other nominees?

Michael

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 18th, 2003, 6:42 pm

Hey, Michael, that ain't nothin'. :)
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Guest » February 18th, 2003, 6:59 pm

Other nominees?

Yeah, the issue of playboy with sable ;)

Mike

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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Leonard Hevia » February 18th, 2003, 9:04 pm

Yes Troublewit! The Ross Bertram issue is spectacular. David Ben's biography of Ross is beautifully written. I also relished his descriptions of the "Bertram Touch" for the "Cups and Balls" and "Linking Rings."

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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Dave Egleston » February 18th, 2003, 9:15 pm

QUOTE]Yeah, the issue of playboy with sable

[/QUOTE]
Without a doubt, the last three GENII issues have made the "all time great" list

Now I'm going to tell a story that may get me kicked off the board for being the stupidest forum member.

When I was going to school, I worked for an outfit called Foster Farms here in central California. Fosters used to lease and buy old farms and grow corn for their chickens, part of my job was to irrigate the corn - Needless to say, there was a lot of down time - so I'd snoop around the old barns and out buildings, in a tool shed under the work bench - I found an old playboy with Marilyn Monroe as the centerfold, after reading it (for the articles) I put it back in the tool bench drawer and continued my job.

Most of you guys know what I left in that tool shed - I didn't until about 5 years later. Can you imagine the ebay price I'd get for that???

Now I'm depressed again

Dave

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Pete Biro
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Pete Biro » February 18th, 2003, 11:02 pm

Bryon Walker (and others I am sure) have copies of Playboy with Frances Willard within its pages! :cool: :cool:
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Guest » February 18th, 2003, 11:50 pm

If not nominated as best, certainly for unique,
the "James Steranko-Escapes"(1964?) of Genii.
The thinking and vision was/is ahead of it's time.

John Pezzullo
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby John Pezzullo » February 19th, 2003, 3:54 am

If anyone has another candidate for Best Magazine Issue of All Time, I'd sure like to hear what it is.
I'd like to nominate the April 1997 issue of "Genii" in which Max Maven's 'A History of FISM' was published.

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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Bill Mullins » February 19th, 2003, 8:46 am

Originally posted by Pete Biro:
Bryon Walker (and others I am sure) have copies of Playboy with Frances Willard within its pages!
Was Frances Willard a Playboy model? When? Which issue(s)?

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 19th, 2003, 9:11 am

Regarding Playboy:
Dave, you're correct: go to the corner and say "duh!" :)
Frances Willard, by the way, denies having appeared topless in "Playboy." There is a single topless shot in one issue during the mid to late 1960s that many believe to be her.
Now, enough crap about "Playboy."
And who do we have to thank for veering the conversation in that direction? Mr. Gallo!
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Jon Racherbaumer
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Jon Racherbaumer » February 19th, 2003, 9:52 am

Since we have veered off considerably, it occurs to me that someone (probably not GENII) will either have center-folds or a swim-suit issue. Don't laugh! Even NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC just put out a swim-suit issue, along with about a 100 other mags.

So...

(before I delete my own post)

...if GENII was to have a center-fold in full, beautiful color, who would you like to see?

(Sorry, Melinda cannot be listed. Steve Bryant has first-refusal rights for a Melinda Centerfold for the Little Egypt Gazette if she ever accepts...)

Seriously, putting aside the printing expense of added a color center-fold, it would be nice to put POSTER-TYPE photos of magicians in magazines that could be removed and framed or ready to be tacked to walls and dorm rooms.

Onward...

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Pete Biro
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Pete Biro » February 19th, 2003, 10:00 am

Fea Elisa
Stay tooned.

Jeff Eline
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Jeff Eline » February 19th, 2003, 10:15 am

Originally posted by Jon Racherbaumer:
Seriously, putting aside the printing expense of added a color center-fold, it would be nice to put POSTER-TYPE photos of magicians in magazines that could be removed and framed or ready to be tacked to walls and dorm rooms.

Onward...
Don't we have to deal with the 'magic geek' issue enough with some laypeople? Wouldn't putting up center-folds of magicians on dorm walls just fuel the fire and accelerate the a#* kicking? ;)

In the spirit of things, here's my list: :D
1. Lennart Green
2. David Regal
3. Michael Finney
4. Penn
5. Johnny Thompson
6. Mac King
7. Denny Haney
8. Jay Sankey
9. R. Paul Wilson
10 David Acer

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Steve Bryant
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Steve Bryant » February 19th, 2003, 10:21 am

Several years ago, we considered a swimsuit issue of
The Little Egypt Gazette for a Valentine's month edition (still online). Unfortunately, the staff disagreed with the editor, and it became a Paul Harris issue instead. Faithful readers may recall the following exchange (it was a strange magazine, with lots of college kids as readers):

"I second the motion," I said reluctantly. It's not often I endorse one of Golem's editorial suggestions.

Columbine glared.

As February is the traditional month for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, Golem had proposed that we put out a swimsuit edition of The Little Egypt Gazette. Although I vetoed the suggestion that he tour the country, camera in hand on company expense, I agreed that we would send out letters, inviting the various "babes of magic" (Golem's words) to submit photos of themselves modeling the latest in Robin Piccone, Darling Rio, Tyr Sport, Keiko, Speedo, Gottex, and Giorgio di Sant'Angelo swim wear. Accordingly, we drafted letters of solicitation and instructed Columbine to forward them to the likes of Melinda, Connie Boyd, Lilia Ayala, Jinger, Joanie Spina, Charlotte Pendragon, Erika Larsen, and the entire female cast of Bonnie Saxe's Showgirls of Magic.

Miss Farnsworth, our buxom administrative assistant from Year One of the magazine, could have posed for the entire spread herself, but she had left the organization over a salary dispute. She felt she should receive one.

And photos of Columbine? We're lucky the kid even works here. We're not about to queer the deal with indecent proposals.

The days and then weeks went by, and no photos showed up at the corporate loft.

Golem accused Columbine of sabotage. Perhaps she never sent the letters.

"You guys are so lame," she countered. "None of those ladies is going to send you pictures. Talk about Jon and Odie."

As time passed and the mailbox remained empty, we had to consider a fall back position. I suggested we move up the Paul Harris issue. The new books were terrific, after all, and a full review was overdue.

Columbine brightened immediately.

"Would we like, get to work with him?" she asked.

"I don't know him," I said. "I usually contact the publisher for these things. We'll probably just work through Mike Maxwell."

The child besieged me with questions as the issue developed. "Is Paul married? He did that movie -- is he rich? Is he going with anyone?"

Answers: "I don't think so. Rich? I don't know; look at these covers. I don't think he can even afford shoes and socks." And: "I'm sorry -- I know nothing of Paul's social life."

Even Miss Farnsworth took a distant interest in the issue, sending a telegram from Tahiti. "HOW OLD PAUL HARRIS STOP IS HE UP FOR ADOPTION STOP." I gave her the famous Cary Grant reply: "OLD PAUL HARRIS JUST FINE STOP." I further informed her that Paul is older than she, not younger. One of the problems of becoming successful and famous at an early age is that folks continue to think of you as being that age.

As Columbine's interest soared, Golem's plummeted. I realized that a sysop in a funk could be disastrous for the magazine.

"We could run another racy grammar piece," I suggested.

Columbine chortled. "Not more nude Dover clip art!" she cried. "The net is so full of serious porn that I can't even get J.R.'s attention anymore. How can you expect anyone to get excited over antique line drawings?"

"Uh, it's for a good cause," I reasoned, weakly.

Whatever it takes to raise the level of written and spoken English is justified, I felt. But I saw that I also had Golem's attention, and even though the issue would eventually carry Columbine's lipsticked epistles to Paul Harris, I knew that my computer guy now had sufficient interest to keep things tweaked until we aired.

As for me, I'd still rather run an issue with Melinda in a Speedo, but we'll have to save that for another day.

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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Grant McSorley » February 19th, 2003, 10:59 am

Moving even farther off topic, i just wanted to say that Steve, Little Egypt Magic was an amazing e-mag. I only learned of it after you had stopped putting it out, but when I found it, I didn't get up from my computer till I had read every issue.
Any chance it might make a miraculous comeback :) ?

Still waiting for the March Genii in Montreal,
Grant

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Steve Bryant
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Steve Bryant » February 19th, 2003, 11:41 am

Grant,

Thanks but nooooooooo.

I'm happy writing occasional pieces for Genii.

Jon Racherbaumer
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Jon Racherbaumer » February 19th, 2003, 3:00 pm

Steve, your wig-bubble was worth our dramatic veering...

The closest the old HIEROPHANT got to a racy center-fold was the front page of the "Estimations" section of issue #5-6. Thirty years ago, that was considered taboo.

Onward...

Guest

Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Guest » February 19th, 2003, 6:15 pm

And who do we have to thank for veering the conversation in that direction? Mr. Gallo!

Richard....all I did was answer a question ;)

Mike

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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Guest » February 19th, 2003, 6:34 pm

Celeste Evans. But before she produces the doves, not after.

More cleavage that way.

Earnestly,

Geoff

Alain Roy
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Alain Roy » February 19th, 2003, 7:34 pm

Mr. Racherbaumer wrote:

...if GENII was to have a center-fold in full, beautiful color, who would you like to see?

What if there was a reproduction of a classic magician's advertising poster? Blackstone, Thurston, Houdini, Houdin...

That could be very neat. I don't know how hard or expensive it is, so perhaps it's totally impractical.

-alain

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Dustin Stinett » February 19th, 2003, 11:23 pm

Originally posted by Alain Roy:
Mr. Racherbaumer wrote:

...if GENII was to have a center-fold in full, beautiful color, who would you like to see?

What if there was a reproduction of a classic magician's advertising poster? Blackstone, Thurston, Houdini, Houdin...That could be very neat.
Leave it to Alain to interupt a perfectly good fantasy with magic.
:D

Dustin
(Was thinking about Jenny Alexander...)

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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby John Pezzullo » February 20th, 2003, 1:07 am

The closest the old HIEROPHANT got to a racy center-fold was the front page of the "Estimations" section of issue #5-6.
Jon,

I actually preferred the line drawing that appeared on the front page of "The Satiricon" section of issue #3-4. She was a woman who was definitely built when meat was cheap. She still visits me in my dreams every now and then.

:D

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Dustin Stinett
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Dustin Stinett » February 20th, 2003, 9:18 am

So John, I take it that you are a Rubens man?

Frank Yuen
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Frank Yuen » February 20th, 2003, 8:00 pm

The earlier "The Magic Magazine" from the '70's had centerfolds of old magic posters for a few issues. I remember tacking the Houdini King of Cards reproduction to my bedroom wall. Later, "The Magic Manuscript" had a few posters and celebrity centerfolds as well. Among them were a Michael Ammar centerfold and a repro of a Silvan poster.

I'm pretty sure that I once read (probably in an old issue of Genii) that Playboy had done a pictorial on magicians assistants.

Frank Yuen

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 20th, 2003, 9:22 pm

The Magic Circular often has a reproduction of an antique magic poster from the collection of The Magic Circle on the back of its issue each month.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby John Pezzullo » February 21st, 2003, 2:02 am

So John, I take it that you are a Rubens man?
Dustin,

Only during the colder months of the year.

:p

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Glenn Farrington
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Glenn Farrington » March 5th, 2003, 7:09 am

I was just having a lengthy talk about Bertram the night before my Genii came. I cant remember being more excited about reading a magazine. Great job...great read. It felt like I was relaxing with a good book.
Comedy's Easy...Dying Sucks.

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Pete Biro
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Pete Biro » March 5th, 2003, 10:52 am

Now that y'all have read Bertram article, you need the books and the videos to really get excited. :genii:
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Steve V
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Re: Thanks for the Ross Bertram Issue

Postby Steve V » March 5th, 2003, 9:42 pm

I have to say that was a very well written salute to Ross, heartfelt as well. Thanks Genii.
Steve V <---still would rather see a photo of Erika in every issue
Steve V


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