is no one listening?

Discuss the latest feature articles in Genii.
Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 6th, 2006, 11:45 am

Funny you should mention that. Dai spent many hours banging on the piano. He never managed to play very well. He tried boogie woogie and loved Fats Waller but never played well.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 6th, 2006, 10:13 pm

He read music, and knew about the theory of music. He could have taught a course on music. He could not play to save his life. Trust me -- I listened to years of him banging on the piano.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 6th, 2006, 11:05 pm

Well, that makes me laugh and makes me say 'kudos' to him.

Me and my gal teach music; just to have anybody get any joy out of creating and playing music is quite an accomplishment. It's no small gift to do so.

It's fun to hear of the Professer's antics that way. I especially like hearing that he enjoyed boogie-woogie and Fats Waller.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 6th, 2006, 11:15 pm

Originally posted by Vernon's son:
It makes me feel very good that Persi and Ricky both found something ineresting about the professor.
I only know Persi from the "Spirit of Magic" documentary.

He comes across as a most wonderful human being, I love his stories and the laughter in his eyes. A real mensch, like you call Carlyle.

And Ricky Jay... a good fellow of a different quality. But again, someone you immediately respond to with excitement and a smile. A mensch of a different color, always interesting, someone whose presence draws you close.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 12:13 am

Derek,
I am surprised you still have not talked about Faucett Ross or Charlie Miller, I thought they were close friends to your father.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 1:52 am

Ive never forgiven Faucet Ross for suggesting I be named after Nepomuk Hoffinzer. I was stuck with thr moniker "Neepie" for the first 12 years of my life.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 2:05 am

Charlie Miller. A genius at card magic. As a person he was best thought of as a dice man.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 3:17 am

Derek,
Thank you for your reply.
By the way, do you remember at what time your father usually got up?
What was a typical day like for your father when you were living as a family in New York?

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 8:13 am

My dad was very good at magic and he was briliant at cutting sillhouettes. He tried all his life to play the piano. He never made it. What does that say to you guys? If you ask me, I'd say follow your star and don't reach for something God never blessed you with.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 9:58 am

Originally posted by Vernon's son:
What does that say to you guys? If you ask me, I'd say follow your star and don't reach for something God never blessed you with.
Well yes, but if your Father gained some joy at pounding at the piano then it wasn't completetly a waste.

Gord

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 10:03 am

How often did your dad perform formally (or informally, for that matter) for laymen - and to what extent did he need to supplement his "magic income" with other lines of work?

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 11:40 am

I'm curious if you remember your farther speaking of Houdini and what feelings he might have had about him.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 11:41 am

Here's a question: no offence, but why should we believe you are who you say you are?

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 11:52 am

Originally posted by Joe Pike:
Here's a question: no offence, but why should we believe you are who you say you are?
I think it is safe to say that, if he were not who he says he were, Richard or Dustin would have kicked him off by now.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 11:53 am

Good point. Thanks for clearing that up. I am sure they have checked his bona fides.

I look forward to the suggested regular Genii column. So far the posts here have shed some excellent light on the material in the Vernon Touch book, which I am reading at this minute.

Joe

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 12:45 pm

My father tried very hard and spent many hours at the piano keyboard. He never learned to play worth a damn.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 1:32 pm

Dan:

Forget it. Vernon was a terrible piano player. He worked hard at boogie wooogie but never learned to play well.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 1:51 pm

funny you should bring that up. I always came home from school with both my parents stil ln bed. I learned to live with it.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 2:02 pm

8diniDerek,
Thank you for your reply.
By the way, do you remember at what time your father usually got up?
What was a typical day like for your father when you were living as a family in New York?

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 2:07 pm

My parents were always asleep when I got home from school. I learned to live with it.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 2:43 pm

My queston is did you or your brother ever have

any intrest in performing/learning magic.Did your

Dad try to teach or his friends try to teach you

guys any ? If the answer is no, why?Thanks......

Mike

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 7th, 2006, 2:57 pm

Derek,

First, thank you for spending the time to answer what may seem to be trivial questions about your father. They are important to many of us.

I read with great interest your comment about Charlie Miller. It has been contended by some that Charlie stood in your Dad's shadow, that the legend of Vernon overshadowed the truth about Miller. Given your comment on Charlie's prowess, I wonder how you feel about that viewpoint?

Best, Paul Chosse

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 3:09 am

One of the nonsenses was that he p;ayed the piano well.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 3:25 am

Charlie Miller was one of the best magicians I have ever seen. His problem was that he was too shy. To answer another question-- Houdini only became famous because he was not shy. He did anything to get his name in the paper. My dad did not like peoplle like that. He would have liked Scarne better if he had not been that way.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 3:53 am

Mike:

As I have mentioned before I did a vent and magic act when I was about twelve years old. When I was paid seventy five dollors (this was about 1944) my mother put a stop to the act in fear that I would end up as another rotten magician.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 4:05 am

I'd like to clear up something that has always bothered me about Vernon and Houdini. They were not on bad terms with each other as much as the magic press has painted them. Bess (Houdini's wife) was my brothers godmother. My father just found Harry just a little too pushy.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 4:13 am

Hi Derek, a pleasure to get to talk to you.

So, the stories of your dad locking Houdini in a phone booth are exagerated?

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 7:23 am

Originally posted by Gord Gardiner:
Originally posted by Joe Pike:
[b] Here's a question: no offence, but why should we believe you are who you say you are?
I think it is safe to say that, if he were not who he says he were, Richard or Dustin would have kicked him off by now. [/b]
How would you go about verifying that, exactly?

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 7:44 am

How do I know that Joe Pike is really Joe Pike?

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 7:48 am

David Ben believes it's me. He told me to shut up as he wants to use the stuff I am spilling to you guys in volume two.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 8:15 am

Thank you for the response concerning Houdini. It's nice to know they weren't as at odds as I'd previously been led to believe. What was the Professor's opinion of Houdini as a magician?

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 8:36 am

He never considered Houdini as much of a magician. I have only seen his escape work on film. By today's standards the look pretty silly.His work with cards was mostly limited to flourishes, fans and cascades. Harry was brilliant as a self promoter and was serious about spiritualism. He really hoped that he could find someone who could talk to his dead mother. Sadly he never did.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: is no one listening?

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 8th, 2006, 9:20 am

I want to clarify, again, that "Vernon's Son" is defintely Derek, Dai Vernon's son. Let's have no more posts on that issue--just posts where you ask interesting questions, please.
Thanks.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 9:47 am

Thank you once again. And thank you for being here and sharing your recollections.

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 7:39 pm

Question. You dad was a sharp looking fellow and your mother was obviously movie star stunning. Were they active in the NYC social scene of the thirties beyond magic?
Steve V

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 8th, 2006, 8:10 pm

My dad was unaware of a world beyond ganblers and magicians. He knew some movie stars because they were into magic. Orson Welles, Chester Morris, Channing Pollack and Johmy Carson were a few he knew.

Jim Maloney_dup1
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Re: is no one listening?

Postby Jim Maloney_dup1 » October 9th, 2006, 6:22 am

Derek,

Can you comment at all on your father's relationship with Nate Leipzig and his wife, Leila?

-Jim

Tommy Brown
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Re: is no one listening?

Postby Tommy Brown » October 18th, 2006, 12:44 pm

Mr. Verner,

Your father is known for creating and improving many effects. I believe you said somewhere you were at one time involved in magic when you were young. Did you create any magic effects like your father?

Thank you.
Tommy

Jeffrey Cowan
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Re: is no one listening?

Postby Jeffrey Cowan » October 18th, 2006, 9:42 pm

Mr. Verner:
Your profile says that your favorite magician was Slydini. Did you name him based on his personality and how he interacted with you, or are you refrring to his magic? I took a few lessons from Tony as a teenager in the late 1970s and found him to be a generous and lovely man, so I appreciate whatever information or thoughts you can provide about him and your reasons for listing him.

Best,
Jeffrey Cowan
-- Jeffrey Cowan
www.cowan-law.com

Guest

Re: is no one listening?

Postby Guest » October 18th, 2006, 10:33 pm

Slydini was my favorite brcause he always fooled me and entertained me. Many others fooled me but I was not entertained.


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