Have some laughs!

How to get the big laughs by building your jokes- plus a bunch of related one-liners you can use!

AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' - TAKE TWO
What a difference a little practice makes!

AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'
At least not yet!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
From Peter and Dirk, and Jackie and Lizzie and Molly:
Merry Christmas to you and your family!

CHRISTMAS MUSICAL FUN
Everybody likes to sing these Christmas favorites!
A little bit of "Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Frosty the Snowman" to put you in the Christmas spirit.

THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
Sometimes they want to hire you to do something impossible.
Rather than turn down the show, here's what I did to produce Santa at a crowded Christmas shopping mall event...

MAGICAL PRESENT-ATION
Make a gift so much more fun and special by presenting it in a magic way!

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS
Only a few days away!
Get in the mood listening to my accordion rendition of a holiday favorite.
From a few years ago, playing the song to get George the Chihuahua into the Christmas Spirit!

MAGICALLY PRESENT A GIFT OF MONEY
Ideas for presenting currency or gift card certificates with a magic flair!

VIRTUAL MAGIC
Get creative and get your magic skills ready for virtual celebrations!

JINGLE BELL ROCK
Let's get into the holiday spirit- come on and sing along!!!...

THANKSGIVING FUN
Let me entertain you with some PUNNY jokes for the Thanksgiving holiday...

HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS TRICK?

Ready to give your input again?

SIGNATURE WAND
This is a beautiful wand that actually has function, too.
It's a bit pricey, so it's not for everyone.
Let me show you what it can do...

THANKSGIVING 2019
Remembering last year's Thanksgiving celebration with Dirk and his wife Carine.
Here's how you celebrate Belgian-style...

CHANNING POLLOCK
Known for his charm, his good looks, and his absolutely stunning dove act...

THE CHIPMUNK SONG
Let's get into the holiday spirit- sing along!!!...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM THE AMAZING KRESKIN
The Amazing Kreskin's delightful Happy Birthday message to Peter...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM FRED STOLLER
A funny Happy Birthday message to Peter...

ILLUSION COINS
Practice makes perfect!
Even when I am in the packing room I take time out to do a little practicing...

GEORGE CARL
In honor of Peter Monticup's birthday, here is a film clip of his favorite visual comedian...

SATIN DOLL
Just for fun! This popular standard is also one of my favorites to play...

In honor of my longtime friend Bob Carroll's 200th Trivia Show on his Facebook, I perform an original card effect that will be added to the shop next week...

WHAT'S ON MY DESK
What is on my library desk right now...

ART METRANO
You may not know his name, but you surely remember his comedy magic routine...

Our customer and friend, the very clever Kyle Brueggemann performs a unique magic routine as the Old Chap...

MOONLIGHT SONATA
One of Beethoven's most popular compositions for the piano, it was a popular favorite even in his own day.

CAN YOU GUESS HOW THIS WORKS?

Want to try and figure this one out?
If you can't, the solution is in the COMMENTS section!

SPINNING COIN
Let me show you the effect, and then give me your best guess about how this works...

METAMORPHO SPOTS
A fun effect when you can call children from the audience to assist.

KUDA BUX
Enjoy this performance of "The Man With the X-Ray Eyes"...

MOZART'S SONATA IN C MAJOR
I hope you enjoy listening to this piece as much as I enjoy playing it.

LEVI TATE
Our customer and friend, the very talented Levi Tate performs his own quicker-than-the-eye Color Changing Bicycles!

THE MONTICUP GARGOYLES
Did you know that gargoyles are actually good luck protectors?
Take a look at some of the many guardians of the Monticup house...

SPOOKSHOW

In 1983, I created a full evening theater show loosely based on the old spookshows, with campy "creepy" magic performed by Dr. Bizarre (me!) and my crazy crew of magical assistants.
Here is the full version of my Creepy Thriller Chiller...

TERROR TRAIN
This long-forgotten Canadian slasher film from 1980 features a 24-year-old David Copperfield playing a magician (no surprise!) who actually has a pivotal role in the plot of the movie...

A magician for over sixty years, Kazar creates most of his own effects and also builds props for other magicians.
Watch Kazar's spooky ZOMBIE SKELETON routine!

THE GHOST BIRD
Just in time for Halloween, the story of The Ghost Bird.
This is our own ghost story, a real event from back in the day...

A very appropriate Halloween song!
Hope you enjoy it...

BUILD A NON-MAGIC ESSENTIALS KIT

Your magic props are not the only things you need when you do a show!
Let me give you a checklist for building your own essentials kit...

THE BIG HAND
Yes, you have to HAND it to us!
We have the most unique greeter in the business...

MYSTERY CLOCKS
Have you ever seen a Mystery Clock?
These are clocks whose hands move seemingly without any clockworks moving them.
How do they work?
Let me show you two Mystery Clocks from my collection...

DAVE OSBORN COIN EFFECT #2
Our very good friend, the very talented Dave Osborn, performs another clever coin effect!

MY FAVORITE COMEDY ROUTINE
Johnny Carson and Jack Webb perform a hilarious routine with impeccable timing...

DAVE OSBORN COIN EFFECT #1
Our very good friend, the very talented Dave Osborn, performs a clever coin effect!

MISTY

I enjoy playing this one...

HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS TRICK?

Ready to give your input again?

MAGI-CARD
This is a clever and different effect, and I hope it startles you.
It will be available in the shop next week.
Let me show you the effect...

SIMPLE CARD SPREAD AND FAN

Let me show you my easy technique for making a nice looking card spread and a card fan...

MAGIC SHOP STORIES
Sideshow Steve and I reminisce about visiting the famous New York City magic shops back in the 1970s...

LEVI TATE
Our customer and friend, the very talented Levi Tate performs his own clever one hand card rotating GUTZ CUT!

WISTIA PROMO

An early promotional clip for Wistia, the company that was hosting our online videos at the time...

Señor Wences
Señor Wences was a Spanish ventriloquist and comedian who made many appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in the 1960s with his characters Johnny and Pedro...

GEESE ARE ON THE ROAD AGAIN
One of the many flocks of geese who make a stopover at the Monticup pond every autumn.
They sure make a racket, but they have so much fun splashing around.
Wonder where they are going?...

DESPERADO

One of my wife Jackie's favorite songs, so I had to learn it!
Enjoy and mellow out as you listen...

HOUDINI NOW SHOW OPENER

My favorite way to open my show is to make my entrance from the BACK of the theater.
It's a big surprise, it gets everyone's adrenaline pumping, it lets people know that excitement is about to happen- and it gives me an instant connection with them even before I reach the stage.
Here is the first of several segments from my HOUDINI NOW show...

ZERO TURN RACES
Dirk and Jackie know how to make lawnmowing fun!

KEITH CLARK
Keith Clark was a French magician most known for his cigarette manipulation act.
In this film clip from a 1957 French TV show, Keith Clark not only performs his impeccable cigarette routine, but also puts his own twist on several other popular magic effects...

LEVI TATE
Our customer and friend, the very talented Levi Tate performs a quick and surprising DRAWING STRAWS!

VINTAGE MAGIC BOOKS
A peek into two of the antique magic books in my library...

MICHAEL MEDVIGY
Our customer and friend, the talented Michael Medvigy performs his version of the POT OF GOLD!

HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS TRICK?

Ready to give your input again?

CC CHINESE COINS
This is a clever and different effect, and I hope it startles you.
It will be available in the shop next week.
Let me show you the effect...

AT THE SHALOM HOUSE

My favorite shows are the ones performed for a more intimate audience- the reactions are stronger and more immediate.
Let me share with you some clips of such a performance from a few years back, for a group of about 100 people...

BLOOPER REEL
Sometimes we get silly filming all of those demo videos...

STEVE MARTIN
Long before he was a professional comedian, Steve Martin was a magician.
In his early professional career, he performed as a comedy magician, making numerous appearances on national TV.
Here are two of his TV routines...

HALLOWEEN

Some tips on building a show around Halloween...

OUR CLOWN FAMILY
Our customers, the very unique Our Clown Family, performs a clever KING OF HEARTS reveal with a gospel message!

VINTAGE MAGIC PROPS
A look back at some favorite magic props...

Come on- GET UP AND DANCE!

Enough of the sitting on the sofa, binge watching Netflix!
Take a dance break!
Here, let me play a little something to get you moving...

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THIS TRICK?

Ready to give your input again?

BLANK AND BLUE
This is a card trick I just developed, and I hope it interests you.
Let me show you the effect...

THIS DAY IN DARKNESS
A fascinating daily video series by magician and sideshow celebrity Todd Robbins, "This Day In Darkness" is a daily chat about notorious doings on this date in history.
Sometimes eyeopening, sometimes shocking, sometimes hilarious, each episode grabs your attention and makes you want to learn more.
So take a walk with Todd...

VINTAGE MAGIC CATALOGS
Before the Internet, there were the catalogs!
Here are my recollections of ordering from the giants of the mail order magic world...

My workday is never done!
Here is a clip of a recent project- building a new paddock area for our goats.
Yes, it was hard work, but Dirk and I love to play with the toys!

PYRAMID MADE FROM A $1 BILL

Great eyecatching item to include in any "mystic" routine.
The tutorial done by JEREMY SHAFER ORIGAMI on YouTube is very easy.
Give it a try...

YESTERDAY is one of the most recorded songs in popular music.
It is certainly one of my favorites to play...

Whenever I have an audience, I will perform...

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THIS SERIES?

Ready to give your input again?

CONTROL YOURSELF
This is actually going to be a SERIES of Instant Downloads teaching specific card skills.
Let me show you a sample, and then please give me your ideas for skills that you would like me to teach you.

SHOW ORDER

Some tips on choosing the order of routines for your show, as well as selecting the best time slot for your show during the day's events...

THE MATCHBOX

Playing around with a vintage piece of English magic from my collection, called The Matchbox...

JOHNSON SMITH CATALOGS
The Wish Books of my youth!
Here are my recollections of ordering from Johnson Smith...

ROBERT HARBIN
Watch Robert Harbin perform his most famous magical invention, the ZIG ZAG GIRL...

SKULL MADE FROM A $1 BILL

This skull is crazy- it has eyes made from the "1"s on the dollar!
The tutorial done by KEVIN'S DOLLAR ORIGAMI on YouTube is very easy.
Give it a try...

HAPPY TOGETHER

The best-selling 1967 hit for The Turtles, "Happy Together" was written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon, former members of the Magicians, a NYC garage band.
My friend and musical director Nick occasionally jams with me, piano to piano...

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THIS ONE?

Ready to give your input on another product?

JUMPING JOKER
Let me show you one of my favorite original card effects...

ZIG ZAG GIRL

A VERY brief film clip sent to me by a friend who saw one of my stage shows in 1998...

RESPECTING OTHER MAGICIANS

Please remember to follow the Golden Rule when you watch another magician's show...

RING MADE FROM A $1 BILL
Everyone loves the Money Ring!
This excellent video tutorial by Rob's World teaches you exactly how to make this popular novelty out of an ordinary dollar bill.
Give it a try...

MAGIC 8 BALL
Though we know it as a fun novelty toy, the Magic 8 Ball got its start as an authentic spiritualist tool.
It is a fascinating story...

What shenanigans are we up to at the Monticup house now??

DAVE AND DUSTY VISIT THE MAGIC SHOP
This 1946 film short is from the files of British Pathe.
Dave and his puppy pal Dusty explore the mysteries of a magic shop.
Watch as the little boy's curiosity gets the best of him...

HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE

"How Deep Is Your Love" is a pop ballad written and recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977>
It's most remembered as part of the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever.

In my opinion, Barry Gibb is one of the most talented songwriters who ever lived.
His compositions, like this one, are challenging to play, which makes it all the more enjoyable for me...

CARD DUCK

This one is always a crowd pleaser!
Especially when you choose a terrific volunteer...

POPUP RABBIT IN HAT MADE FROM A $1 BILL
Origami is a lot of fun, especially when you can do it with money!
This excellent video tutorial by Jeremy Shafer teaches you exactly how to make his realistic rabbit design out of an ordinary dollar bill.
Give it a try...

WARMING UP

Giving yourself a mental and physical warmup before your shows is as important as all of your rehearsal and practice.

Here's how I do it...

ORSON WELLES
The most revered actor was also an accomplished magician.
Enjoy this rare film clip of Welles performing his magic on The Merv Griffin Show...

MAGIC FRUIT CRATE LABELS
I get a lot of questions about how I decorate my back library, where I have been filming the demo videos.
A quick, easy to find and inexpensive choice is to use fruit crate labels.
Here are some colorful examples from my collection...

SEVEN SINGALONG FAVORITES
In my younger days, I used to hire myself out as a piano player, mainly to Elks and Moose lodges for their Friday night social gatherings.
I got a lot of work because I knew their favorites, the older songs that would get everyone in the place singing and clinking their glasses.
Whenever I had to audition for a different club, I would play this medley- and I'd get the gig every time...

TRIBUTE TO GEORGE

This week we lost a member of the MagicTricks.com family.

George has crossed the Rainbow Bridge...

ORGANIZING YOUR CLOSEUP CASES

You asked: "How do you organize for your closeup shows?"

Here's how I do it...

STEVE THE MAGIC GUY
"Steve the Magic Guy" is the stage name used by our friend and colleague Steve Pittella (aka Sideshow Steve), when he performs his kids shows.
He is a master children's entertainer...

PHRENOLOGY
Phrenology is a quirky pseudoscientific idea that personality traits can be "read" by feeling the shape of the bumps on the head.
A replica of that head is in my collection...

What are cicadas, and why were we on the news with them??