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Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts 
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I was just out in the garage and saw my niece and nephew playing with an old telephone when an epiphemy struck me (and yes, it hurt!)
Take the premise behind the old Talking Tea Kettle or Skull and apply it to an old Telephone... e.g. it rings, you can have conversations with a raspy spirit voice on the other end that tells you things about others such as a Q&A type sequence... but it's personalized... that is, the voice speaks to each person that wrote a question and answers it... catch is, the phone is not connected to anything... you can take it apart and there is NOTHING to be found... no electronics, no celluar technology, etc. Just thought I'd run this idea out to see what your thoughts would be. I'm kind of torn as to if it could be a good piece for a Seance or Haunted House situation or not... any thoughts?
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts
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Love it!
Especially since it makes sense (as opposed to a talking kettle!). Imagine the story line that could go with it: The last tragic phone call about . . . ; The last person to use the phone was running from . . . ; The previous owner refused to let someone use it in an emergency when they . . . . Great stuff. cheers, Peter Marucci showtimecol@aol.com |
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Philemon Vanderbeck Inner circle Seattle, WA 4698 Posts
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For actual performance situations, I would start with the phone already 'taken apart', so that the audience can see there's no way the phone could be gimmicked.
Since it's an "old phone," it would make sense if it was severely damaged and already falling apart. The cover would already be mostly gone, and you could see what little wiring remained. It would also take an amazing presentation (of course) to take the heat off the phone and the possibility of any electronic gadgetry. Another option to explore is to perform this as a publicity stunt where you go into someone's office, unplug their phone, and yet it will still ring and they can talk to a ghostly voice on the other end. 
:evilgrin:
Professor Philemon Vanderbeck
That Creepy Magician "I use my sixth sense to create the illusion of possessing the other five." |
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Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts
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 I love that idea Phil... I could just see some of these "I know everything" corporate jocks dropping to the floor when doing something like this... problem is, I'm not certain how to sneak in that little special item that allows this to work and if or not we could get it to trigger the speakers on the phone itself... in theory it could work though... I'll have to play with it... I'm starting to like this more and more!
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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Philemon Vanderbeck Inner circle Seattle, WA 4698 Posts
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Bribe the Administrative Assistant...
:evilgrin:
Professor Philemon Vanderbeck
That Creepy Magician "I use my sixth sense to create the illusion of possessing the other five." |
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linkinparkfan New user Phoenix, Arizona 14 Posts
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I think that the trick would be best if the trick ended with the phone being taken apart.
First you set the trick up for the phone to ring, have the phone in the corner of the room, then it rings. After the caller tells each spectator the information they hang up. Then you just stand there in shock. When someone finaly asks what is wrong you pick up the phone and the phone falls open, showing the gutless insides. This would make the inside part a second climax. This would leave the room "deathly quiet" and it would be a perfect ending to a show. It would also give people the chills making it a very strong double-climax effect. You should really look into getting that idea developed because i think that it would be an great effect. I would buy it in a heartbeat. GOOD LUCK 
"Magic is like the water after a race, it is both necessary and refreshing" - Anthony (me)lpxtremefan@linkinpark.com
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Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts
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I may hold you to that Anthony...
The more and more I play with it, the more I like it. Catch is, I'm trying to "Improve" on an older and more proven mode of technology so as to allow "the system" to work just about anywhere, in any home, on any phone, etc. Using the older technology simply isn't practical if this is to be a complete mystery and appear to be genuine phenomena... it could work if you had a set facility like a B&B you worked mystery shows in... in such a case the old method is very much practical and probably more cost effective. But, I'm looking at being able to walk into an Execs office, disconnect his/her phone on the desk and make that sucker ring and lend a response to their questions via a spirited voice on the other end. Unfortunately I'm swamped with a bunch of other stuff in the development phase of incarnation, that must go out first... but I am making this a high priority.
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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Andy Leviss Inner circle NYC 1179 Posts
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Well, I think I can tell you how to make a small device that would provide enough power to the phone to make the voices heard, and could theoretically have a dig. chip with the voice recorded on it or something similar (it's actually a technique I learned for hooking up phones together to form a sort of direct line intercom system). The catch of couse being that it'd need to be a box at least big enough to hold a 9 volt battery and the voice chip, and it has to plug into the phone just like the cord from the wall would.
This is also complicated by the fact that a lot of corporate phones use a specialized digital phone network instead of a normal phone setup, so I don't know for sure that it would work as is with one of those phones. Let me know if this might be of interest and I can do some digging; I would still suggest looking at other solutions that use conduction or something to make it sound like it's coming from the phone instead of actually coming from it, that might be easier to hide and make work, or maybe not. Oh, btw, to get a normal phone to ring needs a rather significant AC current, typically done in theatre by a small box that plugs into the wall and has a number of transformers inside to get the right voltage; there is one device that will run off three 9 volt batteries to do it, but it's a healthy size (I mean, it does have to fit three 9 volts and a bunch of converters and transformers :o) --A
Note: I have PMs turned off; if you want to reach me, please e-mail [email]Andy.MagicCafe@DucksEcho.com[/email]!
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Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts
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How ironic... you posting on a thread I started, concerning phone calls from hell...
Some interesting thinking Andy but not in the right direction... we'll have to get the Brain Pool up and running on this... now where did I put Timotheus? 
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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Yaniv Deautsch Special user Israel 529 Posts
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It's an old idea.
Dunninger did a similar thing,talking with Houdini no less. Yaniv Deautsch |
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Margarette Special user Memphis area 956 Posts
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I've got a friend that does something similar in his seances (entertainment purposes only), and is quite successful with it!
Margarette
The only stupid question is the one not asked.
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Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts
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Quote:
On 2002-07-21 14:18, Yaniv Deautsch wrote: Yaniv Do you know where I might find more insight on this routine? It's right along the course I was heading with this thing... I already do a bit where Houdini uses American Express to communicate from beyond the grave (similar to Dream Vision with a neat handling twist... thanks to Kevin James and Sylvester the Jester  )
In that someone's done something similar don't surprise me... that's just how our craft is. I saw an ad in a major publication boasting about a new technology that will allow a Tea Kettle to speak... I found it ironic in that I'd been using Kirkham's Kettle (from the late 50s) for about 3 years at that point. Reinventing the wheel sometimes, is a good thing... allows for improvements. Too, as Henning proved, reaching into the remote past and reviving long forgotten bits, can place you ahead of the game as being "more unique" than all the rest. I've been playing with the phone... know we can make it talk and ring (not as clean as I'd like, but hey... this is the proto-type) now I''m working on making it dial a random number (old rotary)without touching it... Thanks for the discussion guys!
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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Yaniv Deautsch Special user Israel 529 Posts
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Well, you could read a bit about it in Al Mann's Phantom Voices-Miracles By Telephone.
I also use a similler idea in a Think of a Card routine inspired by Dunninger,Brown and Lovel. Yaniv Deautsch |
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Andy Leviss Inner circle NYC 1179 Posts
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Quote:
On 2002-07-22 10:51, Darmoe wrote: Um, do you mean Federal Express? I mean, sometimes I wish I could make my AmEx bill disappear, but... Okay, I'm just kidding. I don't have an AmEx card, but still... --A (who only busts on Craig because he knows he can get away with it :o)
Note: I have PMs turned off; if you want to reach me, please e-mail [email]Andy.MagicCafe@DucksEcho.com[/email]!
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christopher carter Special user 660 Posts
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Craig,
The technologies you command are frighteningly beyond my comprehension. But I think your phone idea is wonderful. If you build it, they (or at least I) will come to purchase it. --Christopher Carter |
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Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts
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Quote:
On 2002-07-23 02:18, Andy Leviss wrote: You think you can get away with it and too, you know how my mind blanks out and gets things twisted around... that's an unfair advantage! 
{That's what I get letting him edit my books...  }
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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tboehnlein Inner circle ohio 1787 Posts
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Craig be very careful if you are considering unplugging an office phone in many cases by disconnecting the phone it would require a resetting of the individuals settings on their phone which may not go over to well,
but I do love the premise. Best of luck to you |
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Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts
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Good point Tom... didn't think of that.
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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dpe666 Inner circle 2895 Posts
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I don't know. I like the idea maybe for a "straight" mental routine. However, in a Bizarre routine, I think that a talking phone may seem a little hokey. The voice would have to be VERY, VERY scratchy and almost a whisper, and there would have to be a TON of static in order to make it really scarry. Listen to the opening of King Diamond's THEM album to get the voices. I could send you a couple of recordings of "real" ghosts (these are COOL and SPOOKY!)just to give you an idea of what I am hearing. I also would not talk to a magic icon like Houdini, etc. Make up a character. But make him/her a character who would have had access to a phone. This is just MHO, though.
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Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts
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Quote:
On 2002-07-24 01:10, dpe666 wrote: The first time Kirkham demonstrated the Tea Kettle version of this effect I threw the dang thing across the room... a raspy voice came out of the empty pot... I swear I could feel and smell its breath. Those not familiar with this kind of auditory effect will certainly be surprised as to how powerful it can be. I used a Tea Kettle in my Seance shows for years and it left people feeling very creeped out. Staging such a bit with an antique phone in flea markets, B&Bs, etc. will undoubtedly bring about some killer (not to be taken literally, but think about B-rated movies as you ponder this effect)end reactions by folks.
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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Posted: Jul 18, 2002 09:24 pm 
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