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Michael Griffin Risks Life Saturday

First, let me point out the obvious: Paw Paw Lawton’s column is no where to be found. He was supposed to have it to me by this morning but I figured maybe he was a little delayed — plus I think he is on the west coast somewhere. I waited until 12:08 am on the east coast. But no column. I’ll let you know if I do hear from him. I know now, why my pop would utter a curse in between “Paw” and “Paw”!

Anyway, there was some nice press in the Palm Beach Post – a paper near and dear to my heart (I used to deliver it and my Dad wrote for it at one time) – about escape artist Michael Griffin. “At 5 p.m. (on October 26th) on a barge in the Intracoastal Waterway by Veterans Park, city officials will bind and handcuff Griffin and seal him in a trunk. A crane will lower him into the water.” But it is no normal trunk. According to the paper, it is the very same trunk Houdini used in a similar escape in 1912. We wish Michael good luck! Check out his web site at www.escapeguy.com. I’ll put his link on the now world famous Link List.

One of the things that impresses me the most about Mr. Griffin is that he will accept formal escape challenges in much the same way as Houdini. On his site, you can read of the challenges he has accepted.

Houdini: A Magician Among the Spirits

Close to the home of magic (Colon, Michigan) and the site of Houdini’s death (Detroit, Michigan), there is a celebration of Houdini’s life planned in Lansing, Michigan this weekend. Houdini is featured in an exhibit at the Michigan Historical Museum, 717 W. Allegan St. for free. The museum is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. On this weekend, three local magicians will perform at 2 p.m., Saturday, at the museum and tickets can be bought for $5.00 at the door. Finally, the museum will have a workshop for kids between the age of 8 to 12. The magicians will teach the young magi in training how to perform effects. I’m planning on attending at least the shows and I’ll give you a full report on Saturday night.

Malta Magic Contest Winners

Congratulations to Brian Role’, Bernard Schembri, and Geoffrey Buhagiar (first place and runners up, respectively) at the Malta Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians’ contest. A special trophy for originality was awarded to Mop Krayz. The show and contest was held on Wednesday, October 23rd and the story was reported in the Malta Independent. I never delivered papers for the newspaper but they seem to care about magic enough to give a fine write-up of the event and that’s good…

Michael Griffin Risks Life Saturday

Houdini: A Magician Among the Spirits

Malta Magic Contest Winners

Mr. Pule’ Levitates his Wife

Malta is home to the award-winning magic performer and inventor Vanni Pule’. Mr. Pule’ was awarded the Linking Ring Award for the best effect published in the official magazine of the IBM. Mr. Pule’ is an Order of Merlin member of the IBM and past President and Secretary of I.B.M. Ring 202. He is currently President and Territorial Vice-President. If you want to see a nice webpage with some very nice touches, check out his site. It is nice to read how he and his wife, and beautiful assistant, Mary Anne have worked together through the years. I have never met him, have no financial interest in his work but am impressed and though you might be as well.

And finally, there was a very nice write up for Christian Illusionist Rick Allen from Fostoria, Ohio. He will perform as part of a Christian alternative to Halloween in Bucyrus County, Ohio. As part of his illusion show, Rick offers an evangelistic message for the preschool audience. The show is scheduled for 6 to 8 pm on Saturday, October 26, 2002. Check out our calendar for more information. And if you have news or information, don’t hold back. Share. No show is too small, no news is unimportant. Drop a note to tim@insidemagic.com and we’ll get it going.