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Jeff Inner circle Orlando, FL 1238 Posts |
The biography of magician Jack Kodell is now available.
The first of hopefully many reviews is up. http://www.magicbunny.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtop...hp?f=18&t=51342 Jeff Pierce Posted: Apr 25, 2011 3:18pm Let's try this link. http://www.magicbunny.co.uk/phpBB3/viewt......&t=51342 Jeff
Available for order now:
http://www.thecardwarptour.com See new, used, and collectable magic and books for sale at: http://www.jeffpiercemagic.com |
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Cameron Francis V.I.P. 7025 Posts |
I have literally just started reading this. But it's wonderful thus far. I'll post more once I'm done reading.
MOMENT'S NOTICE LIVE 3 - Six impromptu card tricks! Out now! http://cameronfrancismagic.com/moments-notice-live-3.html
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Jeff Inner circle Orlando, FL 1238 Posts |
Thank you Cameron I look forward to reading what you have to say.
Jeff
Available for order now:
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floridamagic Regular user lakeland Fl 157 Posts |
Jeff I heard Jack Kodell is Going to be in Chicago for collectors week will he have the books there?
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Jeff Inner circle Orlando, FL 1238 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-05-07 08:50, floridamagic wrote: Jack, Mary and I will be guests at the Magic Collectors Weekend in Chicago May 19-22. We will have the book available there for anyone wanting to pick up a copy. Otherwise you may pre-order it today by visiting my website at jeffpiercemagic.com Jeff
Available for order now:
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
So this book tells nothing about the creation of the parakeet act and his methods for production of parakeets? I have the Magic Inc. Parakeet book and it tells nothing of Jack Kodell's methods on production of parakeets. If so they are not credited to him in any way. It only says he did a parakeet act.
If this is the case, I am very disappointed and sad that Jack Kodell will not reveal his methods so that another generation can learn something about this form of the art of magic and one man's unique vision taken to reality. I will not be buying this, if is just a story book. Over priced as well for an autobiography for the general public. -------------------------------------------------------------- It’s sad but true, but to many Magicians today, the Name Jack Kodell is almost unknown. Thankfully, with the arrival of Jeff Peirce’s new book “KODELL, DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT” Written by the great man himself, this is a situation that will change. At first glance, what will strike the reader, is just how many of today’s greats owe so much to Jack Kodell. Indeed, both David Copperfield. And Lance Burton have contributed forewords to the book, along with Mr Electric himself, the great Marvin Roy. This book, tells how Jack, Born in November 1927, turned professional at the age of 13, and quite literally toured the globe amazing all with his wonderful act. During his tours, he played almost every major variety venue in the world, including the London Palladium, and the Hippodrome.. Jack Kodell caused a global sensation, because he was the first person ever to perform an act that exclusively used birds, Specifically Parakeets. Not only that, but these intelligent little creatures would perform the effects, because they wanted too. The Parakeet act, unlike dove acts, included small scale versions of large stage Illusions. They would make their initial appearance perched on Jacks fingers, looking to the entire world like living, breathing, fluttering billiard balls. The Birds then performed substitutions, vanishes, colour changes, etc. using clear plastic apparatus. The handling of the birds has been published By Jack Kodell in Frances Marshal’s book “Parakeet Magic.” This book was a major influence on our own Johnnie Hart, who featured Parakeets in his award winning act. During the book, we discover how at the age of 20, Jack became the first magician ever to work in what is now the magic capital of the world, Las Vegas. And how he forged a lifetime’s friendship, with Comedy magic legend, Don Allan. . In 1949, Kodell was booked to play he bird act in England. It was during this season he met English singer Mary Naylor, who would one day become his wife. Indeed More than 58 years after their first meeting, they are both still happily married. In 1952, Jack discovered that great British theatrical tradition, panto. In doing so he became the first magician ever, to work his act on ice skates. Jack Kodell “ retired” from performing at the age of 33. Why? Read the book and find out. Overall, this book has so much to offer the reader, as it is not just the story of one mans life time, but is also a history of the international variety scene over the second half of the last century, and beyond. It is an inspiring, and entertaining story that offers the reader an insight into the real secrets of magic, without exposing any of the technical aspects that are oh so often given away on television, and in print. This is an absolute must read for anybody interested in the history of our art, and for those who wish to contribute to its future. There are 3 editions of this excellent book… Regular, special edition, and downloadable pdf. 1. The regular hardback edition, with dust jacket. Sells for $59.95 +postage. 2. The Special Edition is the hardback book, signed and numbered by Jack Kodell. This also comes with A signed 14X20 colour poster rolled in a shipping tube, A DVD with 120 minutes of audio and video of Jack Kodell, A 21 page manuscript called "Kodell's Three Card Trick" which is a in-the-hands three card Monte effect. That's right, a card trick!, Seven 5X7 B&W photographs, each only seen for one weekend in 1953 in the British newspapers. This costs $99.95+ postage. and will I’m sure become a collectors item very soon. 3. The online PDF costs $29.95. Post free. For further details or to Pre order this wonderful work contact Jeff at http://jeffpiercemagic.com/store/ |
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Jeff Inner circle Orlando, FL 1238 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-05-08 15:09, wmhegbli wrote: wmhegbli, while I respect your right to your opinion, perhaps you should read the book first, or don't, that's your right. Jack Kodell has always said the secret to his act is the training of the birds. We all know the techniques for producing live birds, what more do you need to know. if you don't have the patience and the love for the birds that Jack had, you will never get them to do what he got them to do. What more do you need to know. Jeff Pierce/Publisher
Available for order now:
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murraymagic New user 4 Posts |
Can't wait to read it and see it! Jack is a very dear friend of mine! Murray
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Jeff Inner circle Orlando, FL 1238 Posts |
Thanks Murray, BTW there's a great story about Murray in the book. Just one of many. We debuted the book last week in Chicago at the Magic Collectors Weekend and it went over fantastic!
Jeff Pierce
Available for order now:
http://www.thecardwarptour.com See new, used, and collectable magic and books for sale at: http://www.jeffpiercemagic.com |
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magicwolverine New user 63 Posts |
I just finished the book and felt that something was lacking. While it was a wonderful story about Jack and Mary's travels around the world, the extent of the description of the method was "we trainded the birds." While none of us likely have the need to be given an explanation as to how the birds were produced, it would have been nice to hear some type of description as to what is involved in training a parakeet. Not so any of us can go out and train a parakeet or do Jack's act, but because it is a human interest story. Without it the book was to me more like a travel diary.
To be clear, I found it an enjoyable read. I am absolutely not looking for any type of exposure. Just a bit of a description on what goes into training a parakeet. |
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Jeff Inner circle Orlando, FL 1238 Posts |
Magicwolverine, thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed the read. As with all animals, the key to training is patience and repartition. There is no magic formula or secret that can be imparted. Besides Jack being a stickler about imparting secrets (he would not even answer my questions) on his Indian Rope Trick Table that was donated to the Copperfield Museum had it's gimmick removed. If you want to learn to train birds, there are plenty of books available on that subject, but not this one.
Jeff Pierce/Publisher
Available for order now:
http://www.thecardwarptour.com See new, used, and collectable magic and books for sale at: http://www.jeffpiercemagic.com |
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murraymagic New user 4 Posts |
"It's a Real Life Fairy Tale of how the business WAS... by the one and only KODELL! A living LEGEND!" Murray SawChuck
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ARNOMAGIE Regular user France 200 Posts |
Fantastic book... Read it in one night !
I have a question, who get no answer in the book : Johnny Hart, the great performer from england, had a parakeet routine very close to Kodell's (multiplying ala billard balls and parakeet from breast pocket). I heard a story saying that Kodell gave his routine to Hart. But I believe this story is not true, otherwise it would probably be in the book. Is it copy, or at least "inspiration" from Hart ? interesting to clarify this because Kodell in the book talk about copy, and the protection of the secrets of his act. |
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Jeff Inner circle Orlando, FL 1238 Posts |
He absolutely did NOT give the act to Johnny Hart and in order for it to be an inspiration Hart would have to give Jack credit, which to my knowledge he never did. With that said, this book is a celebration of Jacks carreer and life and I saw no need to muddy it up.
Jeff Pierce Magic/Publisher
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Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
I haven't read the Kodell book yet, but I would like to address the topic of whether all books about magic--especially those biographical in nature--should by some unwritten law include detailed explanations of the secrets behind the biographee's effects and routines.
I don't think anyone seriously would expect a biography of Thomas Edison to include detailed explanations or blueprints explaining how the phonograph or the incandescent light are made. I think it's enough to know that Edison experimented with over a thousand different filaments before finding one that would work well with his light bulb. To paraphrase Euclid and Hugard (strange juxtaposition, what?) "There is no royal road to the invention of magic effects." A book that's been percolating in my mind is a book documenting how certain magic tricks were invented and by whom. It would include reference to things like Ardo the Frogman inventing the backpalm, and Cardini's serendipitous discovery in the trenches that while wearing gloves to keep his hands warm, that the cards came out in groups rather than singly, which led to split fan productions. Joe Karson's invention of zombie has a similar (and very humorous) serendipital aspect as explained in Mike Rose's excellent book _Joe Karson: Beyond Zombie_. (Fitzkee's _The Trick Brain_ is an approximation of the nature of the book that's been percolating in my mind. However, I feel that _The Trick Brain_ needs to be revised for 21st century readers.) A routine that won me third place in an IBM close-up contest (years before the Gold Cups was instituted) came about because of the serendipitous interaction of my knowledge of origami with my knowledge of magic, tempered by a principle in Adolfo Cerceda's _Folding Paper Money_ booklet. A picture in Dover's _Magic Tricks and Card Tricks_ of Keith Clark doing a rising card effect with a magnet fascinated me when I first got into magic, and only a few months after seeing that picture, I discovered an explanation of a rising card trick in Ottokar Fischer's _Illustrated Magic_ that made a light bulb (thank you, Mr. Edison) go off in my head that led to the development of my own version of a magnet card rise, which probably is close to the method used by Keith Clark. Routines that I have contributed to _GENII_ and _The Linking Rings_ and in my lecture notes have included a section I call "Genesis" that documents the provenance and evolution of the routines--partly because I think it is proper to give credit where credit is due, and partly because I think at least a few discerning readers would find the discussion of the tricks' evolution-=enlightening (pun intended). ----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez
----- Sonny Narvaez
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duanebarry Special user 883 Posts |
Steinmeyer's Hiding the Elephant traces the development of mirror illusions through the hands of many magicians, while maintaining a strong narrative thrust. More books like that one would be most welcome.
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Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
To piggyback on the discussion of why biographies of magicians--even those written and published by magicians for magicians--often don't include details on the workings of their effects... I think one obvious reason for the practice is that if such books _did_ include details of the secrets, the retail cost of the book would likely increase astronomically. The current going price for the Christian Fechner two-volume _Soiree Fantastique_ is $600.00 and above. As I recall, the individual illusion plans published by Paul Osborne's Illusion Systems (Zig-Zag, Asrah, Broom Suspension, et al) sold for $25.00 each when they first came out and probably now command an even higher price. There is a listing on amazon.com for a used copy of Byron Wels's _The Great Illusions of Magic_ going for $150.00, and those blueprints are considerably outdated/primitive compared to what Paul Osborne was offering.
I would guess that _any_ book that goes into depth and detail about the inner secrets of a legendary magician's act would be very expensive. In 1932, Vernon published his _Ten Card Problems_ with Faucett Ross at the cost of $20.00 that included what was then revolutionary card secrets. At that time his "Five Card Mental Force" was a jealously guarded secret. Can you imagine what that $20.00 book would cost in today's dollars? Yes, you can buy it now for much less as _Select Secrets_, but in the 1930's many magicians were thrilled to buy it at all at the $20.00 price. I think Richard Himber's original routine with the Himber wallet was very expensive until other companies began to mass produce it at "affordable prices." Can you imagine the effect on close-up card magic and magic shop sales if every magician had to pay the price that "McDonald's Aces" was originally sold for? Likewise, if some of today's superstars of close-up magic released their pet routines the way Vernon, Slydini and others did when the "Stars of Magic" pamphlets first came out, they would probably be very expensive. And then there's the legendary Harbin book... ----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez
----- Sonny Narvaez
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duanebarry Special user 883 Posts |
Is this an apt comparison?
Should we equate the value of current superstars' pet routines with the workings of an act whose performer retired 50 years ago? |
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Jeff Inner circle Orlando, FL 1238 Posts |
Read Steve Bryant's review of "KODELL Do Something Different" on his website at http://littleegyptmagic.com/magic.html
Thanks Steve, Jeff Pierce Magic
Available for order now:
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RiffRaff Special user 671 Posts |
Hey, Jeff, your appearance on TV today means that your mug has been seen by more people than Houdini, Copperfield & Blaine COMBINED.
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