Does anyone know of a book or article explaining how Gali Gali loaded live chicks in the famous cup and balls routine?

I don't work with livestock but I can only assume that chicks aren't as docile or quiet as doves.

:bikes:

He was very crude and open. He wore what looked OK for his style, but was more like a bathrobe. He had a belt around it tied and kept the chicks between the robe and his body, not in pockets.

He just reached in and got them. Nothing subtle.

He loaded them into a spectator and even stuck them in from the top of the spectators trousers, having him shake his leg and the chick dropped out of the pants leg to the floor.

There is a DVD kicking around with his performance from the Ed Sullivan show.

I saw a film of him working while at Bob Kohler's place.

As Pete said, the man was less than subtle. Which added to his working in French made this work quite interesting to watch.

I've seen video of his routine and I love it. My favorite part is...."here's a chick, there's a chick, here's a....that's a swan (actually produces a baby swan), here's a chick".
I couldn't stop laughing. The chicks were running all over the table. I believe the clip was on A&E's Story of Magic videos.
Seth

I have A&E's "Mysteries Of Magic" DVD which I watch quite often. Gali Gali just puts the chicks under the cups and hides nothing from the audience. The mystery to me is, why does the audience love this performance and how did Gali Gali get famous for this routine? Is it that no one has the guts to say "hey, I just saw you pull that chick out from under your coat and put it under that cup"? I just don't get it.
Iven

I think he's famous for it because of the amount of chicks he produces.

His character is the whole thing. Have you seen his bill in envelope?

Gali Gali appeared at a convention in Houston, Texas, back in the 1950's. He was ejected from the hotel because he stopped up the plumbing with the chicks after the act was over.

Check out John Booth's Classics Book. In the Marvels of Mystery section he describes his Cups & Balls with baby chicks routine.

Please tell me this is a joke, Bill.

Hi Bill Palmer...

Jack Kodell once told me he did the same thing to the Palmer house in Chicago.

There was also another magician like this that worked out of Chicago and his name was Gulli Gulli...

My Dad said that he saw Galli Galli do his show in New York when he was there. He remembered he did the card in the balloon as an encore trick and also did the papers on the butter knife with the paddle move as a walk around bit between shows.

My Dad said (Billy Bishop) Galli Galli had class but Gulli Gulli was sloppy, rough and a little crude in his methods.

I would like to get video of Galli Galli if anyone knows where it could be tracked down.

Glenn Bishop
www,mrhypnotist.org

Where can A&E's DVD of "Mysteries of Magic" be had? Couldn't find it on the A&E web page.

That is awful flushing the chicks!!!

Jim

On the DVD of Galli Galli I have seen, he makes a comment about "I don't kill the chicks" but he really wasn't very convincing.

I have heard from several of the performers that are from my fathers generation that Galli Galli had problems with the SPCA...

But that did not stop him from flushing the chicks. I do not think that they ever caught him in the act.

I also heard that Blackstone Sr. Had problems when he was using a live birds in the vanishing bird cage.

Many show business birds did not have a long performing life back in those days.

This sounds crude today but back in the 30's - when the ducks would get too big for "Where do the ducks go"... Where the ducks went in some magicians acts was the dinner table.

This is noted once in the Les Levant book...

Best ahead,

Glenn Bishop
http://www.mrhypnotist.org