RING 41, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – Dr. Richard Mossey Ring
Meets last Wednesday of month, except July & Aug
Tripoli Shrine Center, 3000 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, 53208.
Mike Miller, Secretary
The topic for the February meeting was “The Love of Magic”.
Robert Guillaume started out by telling several stories concerning his experiences traveling with doves to various magic shows.
Robb Fischer, magician and professional cinematographer, regaled the group detailing how he proposed to his wife by making her wedding ring appear. Everyone laughed when he stated that his performance of the trick lasted longer than his marriage! Robb proceeded to do a card trick routine where “Love” was represented by the hearts. After a spectator chose and signed a card, Robb made it vanish from the deck and reappear in his pocket. The signed card was again lost in the deck. To the amazed audience, the card started to flash like a blinking red light. When the deck was spread in his hands, the audience realized that all the cards turned clear exempt for the signed card. The presentation was professional and well polished.
Dr Richard Mossey was up next; he told the group many stories concerning his life-long love for the art of magic. He told how his mother took him to see the great Howard Thurston’s stage show in Milwaukee when he was a child. That show was the catalyst for his love of magic. He explained that during the show, Thurston cut the stocking of his beautiful assistant with a pair of scissors to show her feet during the illusion “Sawing a Lady in Half.” This was during the time of the great depression and the young Richard remembers thinking how expensive it must be to ruin a woman’s stocking every time he did the trick! During the performance, Mossey was chosen from the audience to participate in the show. After the trick, Thurston gave him a good luck token, which he still has to this day.
John Lewit told the group about how when he was in his late teens he would go to a local magic shop in the Milwaukee area. He met a magician there that set him up with a blind date. Lo and behold, that blind date eventually became his wife. Today, after many years of marriage, they have two grandchildren together. Talk about the love of magic! John went on to perform a card trick where he picked a “lucky card” from a borrowed deck. John dealt the cards one at a time until the spectator said stop creating four piles. When John turned over the top cards of each pile, they matched the “lucky card” previously set aside. The trick seemed like a miracle and fooled very one badly.
New member Tony Barnhart told a story of when, as a young boy, he was seriously injured in a car wreck. There was a small blurb in one of the Magicians magazines telling of the story. He started getting letters of support from the magic community. One of the letters was from Lance Burton, who sent him some magic videos. Those videos helped Tony pass the hours during his long recovery process. Through the kindness of a stranger, Lance Burton cultivated a life long passion in magic for the young Tony. Talk about love in magic! Tony went on to perform a trick by Michael Close where a dollar bill was wrapped around a card that was folded lengthwise. As the card was pushed though the folded bill it turned face up and face down similar to the classic trick Card Warp. Everyone commented on the unique presentation.
Tal Kuhnz told a story of how he became interested in magic. His wife sent him some tricks to pass the time when he was in the military. Those tricks turned into a passion for magic. Tal then proceeded to have a spectator choose a card from a thoroughly shuffled deck. Tal was then able to divine the card by looking into the spectators eyes.
Mike Miller, Ring 41 Secretary, after telling the group about his love for the magic, went on to do a card trick with a jumbo deck. Mike put the deck behind his back and was able to pick the mating card that was previously selected.
Many other members told their stories concerning their love for magic and many tricks were performed as the gathering progressed through the evening. The night became very special to everyone present because we not only shared magic tricks with one another, but we became closer as a group as we learned about each others life experiences.
If you are in the area be sure to attend one of our meetings. Guests are alway welcome! You can contact Scott Edward Lane, President of the Dr Richard Mossey Ring 41 at [email protected] for additional questions or information.
Scott Edward Lane