My wife is an incurable book buyer. Mostly she buys books for herself. But today she bought me this old book, Dunninger's Complete Encyclopedia of Magic. This copy was likely reprinted in the 60's based upon the font used on the book jacket. But inside it looks like it dates from the 1920's or 1930's.
I used to work with a magician back in the day, so it was fun thumbing through the book and recognizing some of the illusions my partner performed. In the back, almost as an afterthought, there's a chapter on building a ventriloquist act. There's even a routine. Here's what the text says about becoming a ventriloquist: "It is a foolish belief that one must be superhuman vocally and have an abnormally developed throat or use some sort of mechanical appliance to entertain with ventriloquism."
What kind of mechanical appliance would that be?
Hi Kenny: I have that very same book, most tricks are impractical in present stage conditions, but it's an interesting lecture. I think the "mechanical appliance" it's mentioned in the book is that reed that Punch and Judy men put in their mouths to make that high pitched voice for their puppets. In many ads in old magazines they sold it by saying "throw your voice! Fool your friends!" etcetera... Obviously, it has nothing to do with vent at all, but... Marcelo.
ReplyDeleteI've got that book, too, Kenny. Yep, it came out in the sixties. I know, 'cuz that's when I bought it! It's fun to read through.
ReplyDeleteI think they are talking about the "Swazzle" used in Punch and Judy shows---remember those ads in comic books that showed a guy carring a trunk on his back...and a voice coming out of it...I think they sold you a swazzle or something that supposed to make that easier to do, I'm not sure.
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