The Real Deal – A Magician Prepares By Dennis Loomis

Introduction and Interview by Michael Close

Foreword by Gene Anderson

In The Real Deal – A Magician Prepares you’ll find sage advice, handy tips, time-saving suggestions, full-blown routines for stage and stand-up, routines for children (for both school assembly and party venues), memorized deck information, and great stories and reminiscences. The final chapter includes several of Dennis’s articles about his long-time friend Doug Henning. Don’t skip that chapter; in it, Dennis explains the evolution of one of the iconic illusions of the twentieth century – an illusion he helped popularize.

Even if you never perform any of the routines in this ebook, you’ll find ideas you can apply to your own routines – ideas that will save you time and money. This, of course, is the great gift an experienced professional can bequeath to the magic community. Dennis did the work; he identified the problems, solved them, and shared the solutions. I wish he was still around to continue that process, but I’m grateful for what he left behind. As you work your way through this ebook, I know you’ll feel that way, too.

Four chapters devoted to hints, tips, and practical suggestions, twenty chapters with complete stand-up routines, great stories from the road, a chapter with stories about Doug Henning, a chapter on memorized deck magic, and an interview with Michael Close. Truly something for everyone in this special book.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction by Michael Close
Foreword by Gene Anderson
Interview: Dennis Loomis: Well Prepared
Preparing for the Show
Sound Advice
•A Few More Thoughts on Microphones
Mark Your Way
The Twentieth Century Scarves
•An Alternative Vanish
Full-Light Spirit Séance Breakthrough
The Simplex Salt Pour
•Simplex Salt Pour – Version 1
•Simplex Salt Pour – Version 2
•Catching the Salt
Making All Of The Alcohol In The World Disappear!
•The Props
•The Set-up
•The Routine
Cutting up Jackpots
•The Bentley Chronicles
•Touring with Magic-Capades
Neil Foster’s Miniature Indian Rope Trick
My Friend the Straitjacket
•The National School Assemblies Agency
Improved, Improved Jumbo Jest
•Improved, Improved Jumbo Jest (The Dennis Loomis Version)
The Balloon Show: Balloons for Kid’s Birthday Parties
Wellington Enterprises Magic Switchboard
•The History
•The Patter
•Introduction
•Phase One
•Phase Two
•Phase Three
•Phase Four
•Phase Five
The Double Penetration
A Visit with Richard Himber
•Himber Ring Routine
The Ron Leonard-Doug Henning Livestock Production
Tri-Color Rope and Knots
Jumbo Three Card Monte
•Phase One: Introducing the Concept of Find the Lady
•Phase Two: The Swing Move
•Phase Three: The Mark
•Phase Four: Two Card Monte and Slow Motion
Seven Keys to Baldpate
The Engagement Ring Production
The Tip-over Box
The Assistant’s Revenge
Perfect Time Watch Controller
Loomis on the memorized deck
•Memorized Deck Mastery
•The Scallop Short
•Loomis on Histed Heisted
Bits and Pieces
•Table Talk
•In the Cards
•Monte Stand
•Leather Deck Case
•Color-changing Knife Routine Finale
•Power Cords
•Playing “Happy Birthday” on the Bells
•The ABC Blocks
•Turning One Sock into a Pair
•The Trident
•On Improving
•On Getting Paid
•The Day They Turned the Power Out
•The Missing School
•The “Natural Amphitheater” Show
•The Strangest Show I’ve ever Done
THE SKINNY KID WITH THE OVERBITE
•A Card Trick for Doug
•The Blaney Stepladder Suspension
•Doug, Dennis, and the Zig Zag Girl Illusion
•How I Learned to Stop Saying “No” to Doug Henning
•Another Story