This year marks forty (40) years that I've been a member of The Academy of Magical Arts, a society for magicians and aficionados of what they do. Maybe you've heard of our clubhouse — The Magic Castle, a big mansion up in the hills of Hollywood full of magical artifacts and history and when it's open, fine performers and fine dining. It's closed now for obvious reasons.
When I first joined, it had one wonderment that's no longer there…Dai Vernon. "The Professor," as everyone called him was born in 1894 and devoted his life to magic. He performed it, he invented it, he studied it, he lived it. He billed himself as "The Man Who Fooled Houdini" because he did. Almost every major figure in magic in America (and a few other countries), knew Dai, leaned from Dai and craved his approval.
We lost him in 1992. The last thirty years of his life were spent at the Castle, making himself available to anyone who wanted to meet him, hear his stories, get advice on their magic and, if possible, get a little of that approval. He'd usually be found on a certain love seat in the front parlor. The Magic Castle was filled with exhibits and history and shows and acts from all over the world…but there was no better way to spend your time there than sitting with The Professor as he held court. I was occasionally in his audience.
Here he is on a TV show probably from the early eighties, performing a trick that's even older than he was — the cups and balls. If you're familiar with this feat, the way he does it might strike you as the standard way to do it. That's because the way Dai Vernon did a trick became the standard way. Everyone else who has done the cups 'n' balls since — which is like 90% of everyone who ever took up magic — starts with the way he did it and puts their own spin on it. Here's how he did it…