I'm interested in learning about, and watching if possible, "The Committee" routine by Blackstone. I've heard it was a fantastic routine that involved multiple members of his audience.

Does anyone know about this and can you point me in a direction where I might be able to see it? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Mark.

I don't know where you could see it. I was on stage for it once. He did the necktie and shirt pull with me.

Harry did committee a lot of different ways. Never the same twice because of the audience participation.

Often he used the Kellar Rope tie in it. Other times he just did the Karson fastest card trick in the world.

Bill, I also have played the mark for the shirt pull when an assistant fooled around and did not get some else in time. I really did not like doing it though.
Richard

When Blackstone played the vaudeville circuit and came to Oakland to the Orpheum, I went to all 12 shows. I went onstage for the committee every time. I would just hand him my watch as I passed by so he didn't have to do the watch steal. He loved it. He did the Kellar tie on those shows.

Wow! You all sure are lucky. Sounds like a great routine and one everyone had a blast watching. Maybe a copy of the performance will show up somewhere.

Mark.

I saw Blackstone several times in the U.K.

I remember a running gag that he used; he would pick on one guy, usually standing at the end of the line and talk to him as though he was either deaf or a bit slow - each time he passed him, in a loud voice he would say, "We're gonna do a card trick!" or, "I just stole his watch!" - treating the man as if he was unable to follow what was going on! - Very funny.

LOL! That does sound like it was very funny.
Those are great memories to have and to share, thanks all!

Pete was talking about Senior not Junior. I, too, envy him as I only worked with Junior.

Richard

When I was learning the top change, I was also occasionally working at Magic Island. This was back in the late 1980's, when they were still hiring fairly big name acts like Tomsoni and Blackstone. I had gotten reservations to take my wife and my parents to see Harry perform. Before the show, I went over to his table and told him that I had been having some problems with the change, and he said, "It's not the technique as much as it is the moment. I was going to leave out the committee tonight, but I'll put it back in. You will see what I mean."

Of course, I realized that Harry did a bottom change, but the principle is basically the same.

So, he goes through the whole show, and does the committee. When he did the change, he looked at me and asked, "Did you get it, Bill?"

My dad, who had been an amateur magician, and I laughed. I said, "Yes, thanks Harry!"

He was a prince.

Yes, he was.

Richard