So, here’s the scoop: history was made from September 2-6, 1982, in a filming studio in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. That’s right, the life and magic of Dai Vernon got immortalised for all you future magicians out there. All thanks to Bill Larsen’s inspiration and the good folks at Videonics, helmed by Hans Zahn. The crew behind this venture? None other than Michael Ammar, Gary Ouellet, and Steve Freeman—quite the magic dream team, if you ask me!
L & L Publishing has grabbed that original footage, polished it up nicely, and served it to you on a platter of 8 downloads. It’s not just about watching the Professor do his thing; it’s about ensuring that our great-grandkids will also learn from the grandmaster himself (no pressure, but that’s a legacy).
Here’s the lowdown on what to expect:
- The format? Think of it as a jam session where Vernon chats about his tricks, moves, and routines whilst holding court like the king he is.
- All the moves, techniques, routines, tips, and handlings are performed by Vernon or one of his co-hosts, complete with explanations. No smoke and mirrors here!
- About half of what’s covered relates to the published record, but the other half is fresh material—first time out of the box (at the time of filming, of course).
- Vernon often shares nifty new techniques for his classics, including updates and previously hidden handlings, even for the famous Stars of Magic effects.
- Expect some world-renowned routines to pop up, like the Coins in Champagne Glass and the Fred Kaps Coins and Silk (that he taught to Kaps, but shh, don’t tell!).
- And let’s not forget the juicy insights into Erdnase techniques, which Vernon has been dissecting for his entire life. Major stuff, folks.
The whole idea behind these videos? Capturing Vernon live so that future magicians can experience the legend in action.
Honestly, if you’re a magician and you miss these videos, what are you even doing? Dai Vernon is the Dean of modern magic, and he’s got some brilliant gems to share on these tapes. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Volume 5Gary Ouellet Intro
Vernon Talks About Fred Kaps
Vernon Explains Coins & Silk Routine
Vernon Explains Coin Transfer
Ammar Teaches Chanin Classic
Palm Coin Productions
Ammar Introduces the Cups & Balls
Vernon Tells How He Got His Cups
Vernon Demonstrates the Opening to the Cups & Balls
Ammar Demonstrates Jay Marshall's Bit with Cups
Explanation of Depth Illusion
Vernon's Story About the Cups & Balls at the Magic Castle
Vernon and Ammar Walk Through Cups & Balls Routine
Vernon's Advice On What To Do After Palming Something
Explanation of Phase Two & Three
Loading Sequence
Large Ball & Wand Vanish
Wand Spin
Vernon Explains Ball Under Cup Vanish
Vernon Explains Coins & Purse Swindle
Malini's Version
Vernon's Purse Palm Vanish
Leipzig's Coin on Knee
Volume 6Gary Ouellet Intro
Color Change Section Intro (Freeman)
History of Color Change
Erdnase's First Method with the Vernon Improvement
The Erdnase Pivot Color Change
The Malini Handling
Picking Off the Pip
Leipzig's Handling
Leipzig's Side Slip and Vernon’s Variation
Handling the Sucker Gag
Steve Freeman's Tips on the Color Change
"Softy" Color Change
Vernon Passes on Good Advice
The No Palm Color Change
The Time Vernon Cheated the Cheats
The Greek Crimp
The Gambler's Peek
The Back Crimp
The Suit Peek
The Corner Crimp/Cutting to a Crimp
Story About Larry Grey
The Snap Crimp Story
The Snap Crimp
Mexican Joe Crimp
Best Way to Reverse a Card
The Breather Crimp
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