Toronto: Browser's Den anniversary party

From the Browser's Den of Magic:

Sunday, November 16, 2014 

Dear Magic Friends,

All of us here at Browser's Den would like to personally invite you to attend the beginning of our 40th year in business. Many of you have been customers of ours since the beginning back in 1975. We could not have done it without all of our dedicated customers both old and new. And in appreciation of this special relationship we have a full day of fun events planned for you.

This is also the day that we remember our founders Len and Bernice Cooper. Jeff Pinsky purchased Browser's Den from Len and Bernice in 1995. Len passed away in 2003. And since then each Anniversary Party we hand out in Len's memory a full set of eight Tarbell Course in Magic books to someone under 26 years of age who has shown a dedication to the art of magic.

We are so pleased that Bernice Cooper will be at the party to witness this year's worthy recipient. 

PLUS - In appreciation of your devotion to our shop this is the only day of the year where EVERYTHING in the shop is on sale all day long! Everyone who comes to the shop gets to choose a playing card from a deck. On that card will be a number that represents the percentage discount on any non-auction items you buy during the day. You may use the card as many times as you wish. Discount cards range from 10% to 20% off. 

Read about the auction, trivia quiz and more!

Broken wand: Phil Willmarth

This just in from Dennis Schick, the editor of the Broken Wand in the International Brotherhood of Magician's magazine, The Linking Ring.  While I can't conjure up a Canadian connection, I expect many of you knew Phil.  In my brief dealings with Phil, he was always friendly and helpful.  My thoughts are with his family.

BROKEN WAND: PHILIP R. WILLMARTH 

Philip Reed Willmarth, 83, of Durham, North Carolina, died September 16, 2014. He was International President of the I.B.M. 2007-08, and prior to that was Assistant Editor for fourteen years (1978-1992) and Executive Editor for fifteen years (1992-2007), of The Linking Ring. He was a member of the Order of Merlin Shield (thirty-five years a continuous member of the I.B.M.). He also was a member of Ring 199 (Raleigh, North Carolina), Ring 326 (Burbank-Glendale-Eagle Rock-Pasadena, California), Ring 2100 (The Universe), the Society of American Magicians, and the Magic Circle (MIMC with Gold Star). Born in Pennsylvania, his father gave him a magic book by Will Lindhorst and that hooked him on magic for life. He owned a marketing research company and performed as a part-time professional magician since 1959. He also was a popular emcee and lecturer throughout the country. He was author of several books and booklets, including “The Magic of Matt Schulien” (1959), “Fun With a Handershief” (1969), “The Ring and Rope Book” (1975), “Jim Ryan Close-up” ( Four volumes, 1980-81), “Trevor Lewis ESOLC” (1981), “The Knot Collector” (1989), and “The Impostress Princess Expanded” (2011). He also published several books by other authors. Among survivors are his wife, Robbie; his children, Janet and John; and her children, Eldridge and Lelia, and their families.   

Wizard Wars episode 4 (with Billy Kidd) recap

You can watch Episode Four, "Blown Away" at Space.

From Liberty Voice:

After the calculator in the balloon trick, Kidd mentioned that being Canadian meant that she loved maple syrup, a container of which had been sitting on the stage in front of a trashcan since the act’s beginning. Giving the bottle of sealed syrup to wizard Gregory Wilson, who confirmed that it was sealed, she and Leon began their finish.

Taking four leaves, Leon asked Penn & Teller to sign one of them and he then put all four in the leaf blower to be ejected so that Billy could skewer the autographed leaf with a single chopstick. This did not work and the payoff was that the object was in the sealed bottle of syrup. Cue real excitement from not just the audience but the judges and wizards as well.

Read more.

SPOILER ALERT ! ~~ SPOILER ALERT !

Post by Billy Kidd Magician.

Wizard Wars episode 1 (with Chris Funk and Ekatarina) recap

You can watch Episode One, "Spam-Tastic!" at Space.

From Liberty Voice:

In the first episode, the two teams consisted of Kyle Marlett and Dalton Wayne who were team one and team two was made up of Canadian duo Chris Funk and Ekatarina (formerly from Russia). Each team had to make use of the same three items as a major portion of their magic act.

Both team one and team two had a large element of humor in their presentation and Funk made the most of being the “ditzy” member of his act. The Canadians actually impressed the judges with a new trick that none of the four had seen before.

Read more.

Félicitations Luc Langevin!

From the Fonds médias Canada Twitter feed:

Le prix #galagémeaux Meilleure direction photo ou éclairage est remis à @LucLangevin : Aux limites de l’illusion 3
— Fonds médias Canada (@CMF_FMC_FR) September 11, 2014

To view the list of all the winners, visit the page Gagnants aux prix Gémeaux 2014.

Clive Court to introduce Les Beaux Frères

From Clive Court's Facebook page:

Post by Clive Court.

Tony Chris in The Tri-Cities Now

From The Tri-Cities Now:

Tony Chris produced the ultimate in magic competitions last month: he pulled a silver medal out of his hat. And then a gold.

For Chris, a professional magician who lives in Coquitlam, it wasn't an easy feat. The other acts at the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians were good, he says.

So good that he assumed he hadn't even placed.

Besides that, impressing the judges at the annual gathering requires a whole other kind of showmanship than entertaining the public, he adds. The judges, who are all professional magicians and past officers of the association, pretty much all knew how the illusions are accomplished. They're judging how well the illusion is performed, based on several criteria including ranging from the artist's wardrobe to their "magicality" and entertainment value.

Read more.

[via Perfect Magic]