When I saw it on the library shelf, I knew I had to borrow it. Wow. That is one crappy show. His linking rings display was about the worst performance of the trick I've ever seen (to be fair, I haven't exactly seen it a lot of times). His "lady and the tiger" effect was so weak I actually laughed out loud.

The danger of that show isn't the exposure, it's the poor quality of the performance. Check it out if you get the chance--I guarantee you'll get a laugh out of it.

-Travis

P.S. It wasn't ALL that bad, but it was never great.

Yikes! I believe this is the very show Mr. Seebach was referring to in my post below under "Do you like seeing magic on T.V." It may have been bad but it is a classic. What library did you find that one in?

Just read that post--could very well be the oone he was talking about. I'm in Vancouver (Canada), and the library was just the local public library.

I suppose if I think about it, I could come up with some good points. He teaches (as opposed to presents and reveals the secret to) a "cards and coins" routine, which is pleasant enough. There are a couple of decent bits up front (that he doesn't expose), and he doesn't reveal his closing levitation. The show, I thought, actually tried pretty hard not give away anything too good. Maybe that's why it's so bad, though--he was only willing to expose mediocre tricks...

I don't know if libraries do inter-library loans on videos, but if your local library doesn't have it, you could always go that route.

-Travis

Thanks Travis,

And if I remember the controversy corrrectly, Hanz tried his best not to expose anything that may have been too damaging to the profession. He did some awful vanish of a submarine. I will try and obtain it. Even if it isn't the same one it still sounds like an interesting part of magic history.

Frank Tougas

Hmm... this one didn't have a submarine vanish ("My god! Where did it go? And where are those bubbles coming from?"). Now I'm curious to see the one you're talking about.

-Travis

Remember to grab some popcorn!

I have this video.

Used to love it as a kid. Now, I just watch it for pure cheese entertainment value. Nothing more.

I have another bad 80's magic video (one that actually came with a few neat props) called "Be a Magician!".

I don't recall the guy's name who hosted it, but he had a mustache and was teaching tricks that mostly only kids or kids show entertainers would find of use.

Anyone hear of this one?