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Whit Haydn
V.I.P.
5442 Posts
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Posted: Jul 4, 2009 2:59pm
Here is video of our Pop Haydn Medicine Show at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood two weeks ago.
There are a number of magic acts based mostly on character in this show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7pz4AYf1Vo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnexKZz-3QE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCT0cwtS9ok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r10oHjDaBdc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViSCvBqOINY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdG85U-BAk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chBdIh_pBsQ
--Pop Haydn
Pop Haydn's 21at Century Website
Pop's Soapbox
Pop's YouTube Channel
Sphere of Destiny
Los Angeles magician
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solrak29
Special user
NY Metro
927 Posts
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Posted: Aug 12, 2009 1:08pm
Hi,
Thanks for the links, I loved every minute of it.
Any thoughts on how one would put together a one man act?
To Find Me On The Pitch, Follow me :On Twitter
Checkout my pseudo blog : The Sidewalk Performers Forum
"I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx
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Whit Haydn
V.I.P.
5442 Posts
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Posted: Aug 12, 2009 1:43pm
What kind of act? Are you asking about putting together a one-man medicine show?
--Pop Haydn
Pop Haydn's 21at Century Website
Pop's Soapbox
Pop's YouTube Channel
Sphere of Destiny
Los Angeles magician
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solrak29
Special user
NY Metro
927 Posts
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Posted: Aug 18, 2009 12:26pm
Yes, a one-man medicine show. Does that make sense?
I know later in the years it was similiar to the links you have provided. I saw a documentary on the interenet on the last medicine show put on. I had the wrong impression as to what a medicine show was, until I saw your show and this documentary. Historically though, I thought I read that it used to be a one man show?
So I was thinking in putting together such an act.
What do you think?
To Find Me On The Pitch, Follow me :On Twitter
Checkout my pseudo blog : The Sidewalk Performers Forum
"I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx
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Flamel
New user
42 Posts
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Posted: Oct 29, 2009 4:44pm
"A Joint?!" -Part 6 Bill in Lemon. Genuinely made me laugh. cheers Pop Haydn.
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Whit Haydn
V.I.P.
5442 Posts
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Posted: Jul 22, 2010 2:36pm
There were many one-man medicine pitches. These were often just set up with a Tripe and Kiester on a sidewalk. There was usually little entertainment, just the pitch. Magic could be incorporated in the pitch as in Tommy Windsor, Sid Lorraine and other "Medicine Pitch" acts.
The Medicine "Show" usually included variety entertainment--music, dance, short skits, comedy, magic, juggling, wild west and Indian acts, etc.
--Pop Haydn
Pop Haydn's 21at Century Website
Pop's Soapbox
Pop's YouTube Channel
Sphere of Destiny
Los Angeles magician
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solrak29
Special user
NY Metro
927 Posts
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Posted: Aug 3, 2010 9:24am
I did a quick search on a tripe and Kiester and run up a bunch information on Soapy Smith. It shows he got his name for the soap pitch he did where he used shills and slieght of hand to generate sales. Anyone doing such an act?
Also, where can I find more info on Tommy Windsor, Sid Lorraine's "Medicine Pitch" acts?
Thanks again....
To Find Me On The Pitch, Follow me :On Twitter
Checkout my pseudo blog : The Sidewalk Performers Forum
"I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx
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Mr. Pitts
Special user
David Pitts
874 Posts
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Posted: Aug 7, 2010 1:04am
I found some stuff on Tommy Windsor's pitch act. Inexpensive too, I'm going to order some of these.
https://midwestmagic.net/shop/category.asp?catid=349
Tom Jorgenson's book is good too
http://www.elmwoodmagic.com/full/books-medicine-show-manual-tom-jorgenson__1908.htm
I've done some research on medicine shows, including some interviews with older folks who actually remember seeing them. They were an important kind of entertainment not that long ago, as late as the 1930's and 40's, in the rural south especially. Most of the time when we think of a medicine show nowdays though, we picture a kind of caricatured version of teh real thing. The documentary I think you refer to.. "Medicine Show Tonight" gives you a more accurate picture of what they were really like, especially in the later era shows.
Strict adherance to the original isn't necessary of course, but I think being informed by the actual history can give you a better foundation for building an interesting and entertaining take on the medicine show. Plus it's just interesting.
My medicine show is mostly a ventriloquist act. I call it "The Laughter is the Best Medicine Show" I chose a 1930's era look to the costuming and I work it like a suitcase pitch act. I'm developing some pitchbooks and other items to actually sell in the show. I've booked it a few times now, once as a strolling act at a folk festival, and it went over well. It's still in development but it's coming along and I'm enjoying the process.
David Pitts
The Astonishing Mr. Pitts
Comedy Magician and Ventriloquist
http://www.mrpitts.com
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Pop Haydn
Inner circle
Los Angeles
1030 Posts
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Posted: Nov 24, 2011 3:11pm
The Tommy Windsor and Sid Lorraine pitches don't work quite so well anymore, in my opinion.
There is little point in doing a burlesque of Medicine Pitch, is there, if no one has seen the real thing?
The performer would be doing a parody of a medicine pitch to people who have never seen anything EXCEPT parodies of a medicine pitch.
This was done by Will Rogers and W.C. Fields, and probably before them. Their audiences had actually seen medicine pitchmen, and found the skewering of their high-falutin' talk very funny.
But to a modern crowd it is just something they have seen in cartoons or in old movies on television as a parody already, and never saw the real thing, and have no idea what the real pitchmen were like.
I wanted to reinvent the medicine pitch for a modern audience, by making fun of modern print and television ads, rather than of the Old Time medicine show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf2a9W8WAgM
--Pop Haydn
The Sphere of Destiny
Pop's Soapbox
Pop Haydn in the 21st Century
Los Angeles magician
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Pokie-Poke
Special user
Bensalem, PA
869 Posts
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Posted: Dec 10, 2011 1:23am
Windy city wizard is, or has done the Soapy Smith bit.
www.pokie-poke.com
The Adventure cont...
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Man Ray
New user
16 Posts
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Posted: Mar 30, 2012 11:34am
If presented as a period character the medicine show could still work for a good actor. Just refrain from too much alliteration and yakity yak. Go for the effects, and the jokes. Too much hot air and no meat makes an audience walk.
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Pop Haydn
Inner circle
Los Angeles
1030 Posts
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Posted: Jul 3, 2012 2:47pm
We have set up a Fundraising Campaign for the Pop Haydn Post-Modern Medicine Show here: http://www.indiegogo.com/MedicineShow
Please check it out, and if you can't give, LIKE us or SHARE--that is a huge help.
Thanks!
--Pop Haydn
The Sphere of Destiny
Pop's Soapbox
Pop Haydn in the 21st Century
Los Angeles magician
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Jon Blakeney
Special user
561 Posts
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Posted: Jul 4, 2012 4:51am
Pop you have just been liked!
'What the eye's see the heart must believe"
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Pop Haydn
Inner circle
Los Angeles
1030 Posts
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Posted: Jul 4, 2012 4:18pm
Thank you, Jon! That is a bigger help than you realize.
--Pop Haydn
The Sphere of Destiny
Pop's Soapbox
Pop Haydn in the 21st Century
Los Angeles magician
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Pop Haydn
Inner circle
Los Angeles
1030 Posts
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Posted: Jul 10, 2012 10:21pm
Here is my Medicine Pitch, videotaped in May, 2012 at the 3 Clubs in Hollywood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxUspKd3WK4
--Pop Haydn
The Sphere of Destiny
Pop's Soapbox
Pop Haydn in the 21st Century
Los Angeles magician
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Pop Haydn
Inner circle
Los Angeles
1030 Posts
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Posted: Jul 14, 2012 3:15am
We have raised $1370 in just ten days on indiegogo! Crowd funding actually works!
Check out our campaign, videos and photos here:
http://www.indiegogo.com/MedicineShow
This may be something worth trying if you have a show you think others will want to support, just to see it happen.
--Pop Haydn
The Sphere of Destiny
Pop's Soapbox
Pop Haydn in the 21st Century
Los Angeles magician
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Dick Oslund
Special user
601 Posts
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Posted: Dec 29, 2012 7:10am
"Never follow a banjo act!"
I just "joined this show" a couple weeks ago. I snuck in the kitchen door of the magic Café,and have been sampling the coffee at the various fora. This AM, I found your corner of the Café, and enjoyed a couple acts of the med. show. I'll come back tomorrow, as soon as I stop laughing at the first two acts.
Pop's comments re: "...today, people have no idea of what a real med. show was. They've only seen parodies, etc."
reminded me of the late George "King" Lyon. I met George in 1951 in Norfolk, VA. I was in the Navy and hung around the old EdMar Magic Shop. The IBM ring had a public show, and George did the Tommy Windsor Pitch Act. It was the first time that I had seen it performed. I had only seen the ads in TOPS,etc.
George did a great job! I was jealous, as he could walk in, walk on, and work! I carried my club act in a cigar box size leather shaving case, but I had to stuff silks in gimmicks, etc. We got acquainted and were friends for 50 + years, although we lived far apart. In 2001 or 2, I was setting up the tent for the Ventorama at Abbotts GTG and George walked up. Surprise! we had a reunion. In our jackpot session, we discussed the pitch act. Although long retired, he had booked it occasionally. He said almost exactly what you said about folks these days not having the slightest idea of what a pitchman or med. show "doc" did.
He told me that when he had done it for a few club dates, he had to do a five minute introduction, so that the folks in "the tip" would be able to enjoy the act.
Whit Haydn will remember Hersy Basham (Lynchburg, VA). Whenever I was working anywhere in his area, I made it a point to stop for a few days. On my last visit, before Hersy went into a nursing home, he gave me Whit's handwritten copy of his four ring routine. I'm too old to change! Karrell gave me his 3 ring routine about 37 years ago. I did see "Brother John" do Whit's routine at a Rennaissance Fair near Minneapolis about 12 years ago, and he killed with it.
Have you seen a book "Six White Horses and a Brass Band"? I picked up a copy in a thrift shop somewhere on the road.I sold it--and shouldn't have! BOB LUND showed me a copy in his library. If you're interested, perhaps someone at the Museum could give you information on it. It was a great story about med. shows.
I've rambled on too much......I wonder if that there elixir would help my rheumatiz........maybe I'll try a bottle
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Dr. Solar
Elite user
Citrus Heights, Ca.
500 Posts
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Posted: Dec 30, 2012 12:49am
Try a bottle of my own 21st Century Wizard Oil. That ought to fix up an cricks in the joints.
"look for me in all things forgotten"
www.drsolar.com
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Dick Oslund
Special user
601 Posts
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Posted: Dec 30, 2012 11:30pm
Hey...thanks Doc Solar! I wonder if MEDICARE will pay for 80% of it! I've seen a few wizards who were a trifle "oiled up", Maybe it was the result of imbibing a few snorts of 21st Century Wizard Oil, or it may have been a shot or two of "Old Frog Whiskey" (Take two shots, you'll hop twice and croak)!
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Rainboguy
Inner circle
1051 Posts
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Posted: Jan 3, 2013 4:54pm
I think "Old Frog Whiskey" is what WC Fields found while stumbling around in the attic....
"I found a case of rare, old whiskey while stumbling around in the attic........(PAUSE).......and kept on stumbling for several days thereafter."
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