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Topic: More personal questions

Message: Posted by: Fantasy Knight (Jan 26, 2010 10:36pm) Hi Pete, I was sitting here thinking about how much I enjoy reading your posts and all your stories I find to be so interesting and some very funny, exspecially the floating table one, if only I could have been there to see that I would have died laughing. Anyways not knowing much about you, I've learned that you were a writer, a photographer and a member at the magic castle, among other things. So I was sitting here wondering to myself if you were married and ever had kids, and if so does your wife support your magic career and if you had kids do they perform of have any interest in magic as a career as well or even just as a hobby? If I'm being to personal feel free not to answer, I guess the more I read and talk to members on here the more I feel were like friends, and seeing I feel like that thought it would interesting to hear how you meet your wife, or about your kids etc. Rick Anderson

Message: Posted by: Pete Biro (Jan 26, 2010 11:36pm) OK, I am married to a lovely lady, (LINDA) she and I worked together in a commercial art studio 40 years ago and went our separate ways, both married, then divorced and she found me and I realized it was she I should have married the first time. I proposed to her while we were attending Lance Burton's wedding with Melinda. She loves magic and my magic pals (my first wife didn't). She loves to travel and we have been all over the world together. Her father was a renowned artist/painter, named Donald Teague. She is currently working to put all of his archives together to ship to the Cowboy Hall of Fame, in Oklahoma City. He was well known as a Western Illustrator, but also as a fine artist. I have no children, she has three, two adopted, one is 27 and going for his Master's Degree in Psychology, the other is 31, handicapped mentally, but works for the L.A. county recycling. Her oldest is a Doctor in Berkeley, Calif. None have any interest in magic or any kind of performing. I never went full time pro into magic as I had a great career photographing auto racing, here and abroad. But I did a lot of pro work jumping from trade shows to comedy clubs and corporate dates. My big fun was getting to know comedians Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and David Letterman through my work both in performing and the automotive area. I was called to do the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, but was tied up on a photo job in New York and had to turn it down... SIGH.... but, I was asked! Both of my parents were in Vaudeville, my dad an acrobatic skater, and my mom was a novelty dancer. Both have met their maker. Dad was born in Budapest, Hungary, Mom from Copenhagen, Denmark. Me in Oakland, Calif. Currently slowed down a bit from a STROKE suffered two years ago. My main projects now are creating effects for Joe Porper and Joe Stevens, and writing a series of books. And I spend too much time online :kermit: I'm a fiscal conservative, and hope our government can stop getting in debt. :spinningcoin:

Message: Posted by: jazzy snazzy (Jan 28, 2010 11:18am) Pete, you certainly have created or contributed to many great effects. How does your creative process work as you invent a new item? Also your collaboration with Jor Porper and others. Do you call each other in the middle of the night with new ideas? What are your favorite creations? Thanks for all the fascinating stories.

Message: Posted by: Pete Biro (Jan 28, 2010 12:20pm) I find that I can come up with ideas all the time... like if I'm with someone and we start talking about a subject I throw out ideas. When I had a job working for the Grand Prix Assn., in Long Beach, where we put on major auto race through the streets, my business card read, "Vice President - CREATIVE DIRECTOR". At the World Magic Seminar, I came up with all kinds of events there. Joe Stevens once said, "Biro comes up with so many ideas, we have to edit some out." So, I guess it is just in my genes. I don't call folks in the middle of the night. But I ofen wake early and think of ways to do things. Sometimes I keep a mini recorder on my nightstand and talk things into it because I often fall back asleep and FORGET what I had figured. Favorites? Right now TWEEZERS (new version); linking Finger Ring; Self unlinking linking ring; my Card in Balloon, the Tiger Wand (visible wand through bottom of cup) and The Borrowed Ring on wineglass stem (Fred Kaps featured this on TV in England and Europe).

Message: Posted by: steve spill (Jan 28, 2010 12:28pm) Didn't the original idea for Caveney's Linking Coathangers start with you?

Message: Posted by: Pete Biro (Jan 28, 2010 1:26pm) Yes... I had made up three sets. Gave one each to Fred Kaps and Terry Seabrooke. I found the "right" hangars and made the key in the twisted part, ala Andrus' pins. Caveney came up with a really good routine, I applaud him for that. I just wasn't into marketing at the time. KICK ME HARD?

Message: Posted by: tabman (Jan 28, 2010 2:52pm) Pete, you were around Kalin about that time too. Did you have some influence on his linking billiard racks. Seems like I remember something like that and you mentioned being on a plane with him whilst he was doing his billiard act???

Message: Posted by: Pete Biro (Jan 28, 2010 3:06pm) I told Mark Kalin, after the two of us flew somewhere to do a show, when he asked for advice, (he was nervous about the airline losing his act-luggage) "Don't ever do an act that won't fit in one case and go in the overhead bin." Boy, am I glad he didn't take my advice!!!! :kermit:

Message: Posted by: Fantasy Knight (Jan 28, 2010 9:21pm) Thanks Pete for sharing that, that's really to bad about not making it on Johnny Carsons show, but at least you know you had the chance to hey and that's something to be proud of. Never did ask you if you ever been near Canada here in Toronto or not, and if not do you travel still, or are you pretty much over them days? Would love to be able to get you over for a lecture in the future that is if your still doing that, maybe I should just ask, are you still performing, doing lectures, or are you now just inventing and writting books now? Rick Anderson

Message: Posted by: Pete Biro (Jan 29, 2010 2:31am) For several years I came up to cover auto races at MOSPORT. And recently the Henley Regatta's, nearby.

Message: Posted by: Heres Tony (Jan 29, 2010 9:29am) I'm glad that Steve brought up the Linking Coat hangers. I had also heard they were your idea.

Message: Posted by: Pete Biro (Jan 29, 2010 12:52pm) Actually, the idea of linking hangers, using real, thin standard ungimmicked hangars was Merlin Eifert's. He used a thin wire off your body to make two hangers SEEM to be linked. And Richard Himber had a stainless steel set he marketed a few of my by Connie Haden, with a key much like his locking linking rings. I found the thick, alloy hangers and devised a gimmick along the lines of the Andrus pins... you couldn't see any gaffe. And as I mentioned, I just made up a few sets. Caveney got onto this and developed a great routine and told me he bought out all those hangers from the manufacturer.