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Magicana (Woodfield)
Magicana was a magic newsletter started by Bill Woodfield in 1946 as a "A Trade Paper for Magicians" when he was 18 at the encouragement of Walter Gibson, William Larsen, Sr. and Charlie Miller.
The first two issues of Magicana were published as a newsletter (four pages) of 1,500 each on May and June in 1946. They contained tricks, news and reviews.
The Conjurors' Magazine offered to publish his newsletter, beginning with Vol 3. No. 7 (Sept. 1947) issue, with complete editorial freedom inside to make Magicana "A Magazine Within a Magazine". Woodfield published a condensed version of his first two issue, which turned out to be the only one published inside of The Conjurors' Magazine.
Woodfield then made the same deal with Bill Larsen Sr. for Genii magazine. Bill promised total editorial Freedom and Magicana started running inside of Genii beginning in Vol. 12, No. 5 (January 1948) issue and continued until April, 1949 (for a total of 16 issues).
Charlie Miller resurrected it, also still inside of Genii (as well as the Intermission column), starting on November 1964 calling it the "New Series". Magicana continued virtually uninterrupted until April 1978. This was the last of the "New Series", which was numbered #154 (which listed Elizabeth Wilson as the editor). A number of Charlie's later columns were ghosted by Elizabeth Wilson (wife of Ron Wilson) and Jules Lenier when Charlie was off on cruise ships.
The column had a two year hiatus until the January 1981 issue saw the return of Magician as a regular column (it was no longer numbered or considered a "magazine within a magazine".) From 1981 until September, 1987 Charlie's writings continued on a more or less regular basis, ghosted at various times by others, including James Patton and Johnny Thompson.
Beginning with February, 1989 issue James Patton officially took over the duties of the Magicana section within Genii. Patton ran the column until 1992.
Tony Giorgio was the next and final editor to take over the Magicana column in 1994.
Woodfield requested that Magicana, in a letter to the editor, that it finally be retired after 52 years of publication on August 1997.
When Richard Kaufman became the publisher/editor of Genii in 1998, he revived the Magicana section and began writing it himself. Earle Oakes was brought on as illustrator. David Acer took over writing Magicana starting with the May, 2005 issue.
Contents
Trick Index
Magicana in Genii (1948-1949)
- 1, Jan. 1948 Match This by Joe Tershay
- 2, Feb. 1948 Vaporus Aces - Stanley Collins, Dariel Fitzkee, Bill Woodfield
- 3, Mar. 1948 Think
- 4, Apr. 1948 Frank Shields' Ambitious Card Routine
- 4, Apr. 1948 Your Card? by Steve Shepard
- 5, May 1948 Table Magic as a Business by Jay Bedsworth
- 6, June 1948 The Secrets of Henry Sing; Table Magic as a Business by Jay Bedsworth Part 2
- 7, July 1948 Table Magic as a Business by Jay Bedsworth Part 3
- 7, July 1948 The Card Between by Bill Woodfield
- 8, Aug. 1948 Double Turn by Gerald Kosky
- 8, Aug. 1948 Two For One
- 8, Aug. 1948 Malini's Deck Vanish
- 9, Sep. 1948 Bill Woodfield's No Hole "The Most Widely Discussed Trick of 1948"
- 10, Oct. 1948 Henry Sings' Blindfold Poker Deal
- 11, Nov. 1948 Lyle Carlyle Laughlin Discusses the Mexican Turnover
- 11, Nov, 1948 Twin Location by Lyle Laughlin
- 11, Nov, 1948 Stab Location by Bill Woodfield
- 11, Nov, 1948 Larsen's Aces
- 12, Dec. 1948 The Flippant Five by Bill O'Leary
- 12, Dec, 1948 Cold Decking
- 12, Dec, 1948 Think Jr, by Bill Woodfield
- 12, Dec, 1948 Lazy?
- 13, Jan. 1949 Black Jacked
- 13, Jan, 1949 A Card Is Being Tom
- 13, Jan, 1949 Cut Bridge
- 13, Jan, 1949 Shuffle Bridge
- 13, Jan, 1949 The Rubber Cut
- 13, Jan, 1949 Hole Card Switch
- 14, Feb. 1949 They'll All Say... You're a Genius! Emile Clifton's Experiment With the "15 Puzzle"
- 15, Mar. 1949 The Perfect Card in the Envelope
- 16, Apr. 1949 Match Interlude
Magicana New Series
See Magicana New Series with Charlie Miller for list of effects from 1964 to 1978.
Magicana Kaufman era
See Magicana Kaufman for list of effects from 1998 on.
Magicana 2006
- January 2006
- No Magicana
- February 2006
- An Open and Shut Prediction (Jim Steinmeyer)
- Boldfinger (Duc Nhien)
- Seven Card Stud Stack (Steve Forte)
- Pentathon (Max Maven)
- Kasual Kosky (Alex Elmsley)
- Down Payment (Gunnar Bardsen)
- The Card Expert: Impossible Location Revisited (Jim Swain)
- March 2006
- The Schneider Technique: Osmosis (Al Schneider)
- One-Shuffle Stack (Steve Forte)
- Ambitious Classic Revisited (Bob White)
- Stick It To Me! (Tyler Wilson)
- The Blink Shift (Tom Wolf)
- April 2006
- No Magicana
- May 2006
- One Face South (Bob Farmer)
- Strange Attractors (Reed McClintock)
- The Card Expert: Showdown (Jim Swain)
- Edible Elastic (Matthew Dowden)
- Cardboard Metamorphosis (Rob James)
- Confessions of a Road Warrior: Rematch (David Acer)
- June 2006
- Oddservation (Jack Parker)
- Traveling Without Moving (Jack Parker)
- On, In and Under (Jack Parker)
- Remote Control (Jack Parker)
- No Fuss (Jack Parker)
- All That Jazz (Jack Parker)
- Rabbits (Jack Parker)
- Labelled a Cheat (Jack Parker)
- Altered States (Jack Parker)
- July 2006
- Constant Returns (Brian Nordstrom)
- Simplified Swain, Plus (Harry Lorayne)
- The Other Month: Cache (Max Maven)
- The Schneider Technique: Wedding Ring Thing (Al Schneider)
- The Webbmaster: Close-Up Parasol Act (Gregg Webb)
- Flim-FlamMagic: Bummer (Bob Farmer)
- August 2006
- No Magicana
- September 2006
- The Evolution of Coins Across (Jonathan Townsend)
- Jon's Coins Across (Jonathan Townsend)
- October 2006
- Razor Burn (Eric Leclerc)
- Progressive Wild Coin (Nathan Kranzo)
- Color Sunder (Hiro Sakai)
- How Fortunate! (Jay Sankey)
- Cued (John Hostler)
- The Card Expert: Las Vegas Count/Brothers in Arms (Jim Swain)
- Ultimate Poker Interchange—A Thought (J.K. Hartman)
- November 2006
- Box O' Plenty (Camille Gastine)
- Confessions of a Road Warrior: Cellular Production (David Acer)
- Hew by Hue (J.K. Hartman)
- Burgoon's Balloons (Tom Burgoon)
- The Schneider Technique: Intention of Reality (Al Schneider)
- George of the Jumble (Thom Peterson)
- December 2006
- The Ring (Brian Nordstrom)
- About Face (Richard Hucko)
- Invisible Touch (Patrik Kuffs)
- The Schneider Technique: Squeeze (Al Schneider)
- Changing of the Cards (Dr. Giorgio Tarchini)
Magicana 2007
- January 2007
- Hidden Gems #1—Peek Lap (Harry Lorayne)
- The Almighty Dollar (Nick D’Angelo)
- Word Play (Josh Mandel)
- The Vanishings (Adam Keisner)
- Clones (Gene Maze)
- February 2007
- No Magicana
- March 2007
- Inflation (Guy Hollingworth)
- Mixed Blessings (Shiv Duggal)
- The Other Month: Palmentalism (Max Maven)
- Hidden Gems: The Flip-Over Locator (Harry Lorayne)
- April 2007
- No Magicana
- May 2007
- No Magicana
- June 2007
- Reloaded (Jack Parker)
- Final Palm (Jack Parker)
- The Three Stooges (Jack Parker)
- Detour (Oddservation Redux) (Jack Parker)
- Ouroboros (Jack Parker)
- The Third Time's The Charm (Jack Parker)
- Revolutionary Card (Jack Parker)
- July 2007
- The New Mind #1: Book Test (Luke Jermay)
- Band Together (David Widener)
- Salary Cap (Bill Duncan)
- Hidden Gems: The (N)Eye(N) Popper (Harry Lorayne)
- August 2007
- No Magicana
- September 2007
- The Backhanded Change (Kostya Kimlat)
- The New Mind: So Old It’s New (Luke Jermay)
- Short Change Bar (Bro. John Hamman)
- Confessions of a Road Warrior: Up In Smoke (David Acer)
- Hidden Gems #4—Would it be a Miracle? (Harry Lorayne)
- October 2007
- No Magicana
- November 2007
- An Open Display of Triumph (Jared Kopf)
- The New Mind #3: The Ninth Reality (Luke Jermay)
- The Card on the Back (Peter Pit and Persi Diaconis)
- It Takes Money To Make Money (Donald Orbit)
- Off-Center Tear (Andrew Baroch)
- Hidden Gems #5: Pecking Bird (Harry Lorayne)
- December 2007
- Past, Present & Future (Daniel Garcia)
- Pay Through the Nose (Dr. Jeremy Weiss)
- The Haunted Card (R. Paul Wilson)
- Ghost Writer (Diamond Jim Tyler)
- Hidden Gems #6: HaLo Aces (Harry Lorayne)
- D’Christmas Tree (Michel Huot)
Magicana 2008
- January 2008
- Nexus (Satoshi Toyoda)
- The New Mind (Luke Jermay)
- Radical Hold ‘em (Meir Yedid)
- Reserved (Neil Tobin, Bill Cushman and Josh Zandman)
- Final Flight (Stéphane Bourgoin)
- Hidden Gems: That’s Impossible (Harry Lorayne)
- February 2008
- No Magicana
- March 2008
- The Four Envelope Test (Jim Steinmeyer) *
- Leap of Faith (Daniel Garcia)
- Man in the Mirror (Boris Wild)
- Bank Lite (Patrik Kuffs)
- Hidden Gems: Not Quite Perfect Torn and Restored Card (Harry Lorayne)
- April 2008
- Copper/Silver Light (Giacomo Bertini)
- Time After Time (Tomas Blomberg)
- The Appearing Sharpie (Cameron Francis)
- Hidden Gems: The Riffle Diffle (Harry Lorayne)
- Cellular Divination (Francis McAllister)
- The New Mind: Giant Shoulders (Luke Jermay)
- Hartman on Radical Hold’em (J.K. Hartman)
- May 2008
- Double Down (Shiv Duggal)
- Double Vision (Shiv Duggal)
- Click Pass Pinch Vanish (Shiv Duggal)
- Hidden Gems: Goin' Fishin' (Harry Lorayne)
- Geller Pretzel (Nathan Kranzo)
- June 2008
- No Magicana
- July 2008
- Hot Hands (Nathan Kranzo & Rune Klan)
- The New Mind: Opening A Show (Luke Jermay)
- All in One (Phil Labush)
- Camera Payphone (David Acer)
- Hidden Gems: Gambler's Luck (Harry Lorayne)
- The Numbers Racket (Dai Vernon & Gary Plants)
Magicana 2009
- January 2009
- Unwedding Ring (Joe M. Turner)
- Through the Drinking Glass (R. Paul Wilson)
- Conversion (Donald Orbit)
- Alex Cutting the Christ Aces (Bob Farmer)
- Tossed Out Time (Anthony Lindan)
- The New Mind (Luke Jermay)
- February 2009
- Currency Swap (Hiro Sakai)
- Quiet Revolution (Hiro Sakai)
- The Bill Doctor (Hiro Sakai)
- YKK (Hiro Sakai)
- Balloon Bank Nite (Hiro Sakai)
- The Strange Pass (Hiro Sakai)
- The Uncluttered Mind (Hiro Sakai)
- March 2009
- Interplay (Brother John Hamman)
- Tossed Out Time (Anthony Lindan)
- Detachable Digit (Duc Nhien)
- Hidden Gems: Darn! I Couldn't... (Harry Lorayne)
- The Fulcrum Vanish (Matthew Dowden)
- Fresh Gilbreath (Dr. Giorgio Tarchini)
- April 2009
- No Magicana
- May 2009
- Signed Quarter In Balloon (Michel Huot)
- Totally Under Control (Scott Robinson)
- Money Where Your Mouth Is (Daniel J. Millstein)
- Until You’re Blue in the Face (Jack Parker)
- June 2009
- No Magicana
- July 2009
- Unfair Trade (Shiv Duggal)
- Cash In Hand (Shiv Duggal)
- Reorient Express (Shiv Duggal)
- Exchange of Wealth (Shiv Duggal)
- Vice Versa (Shiv Duggal)
- August 2009
- Double Stuff (Pete McCabe)
- Matchmaker (Per Strandberg)
- Four Gone Conclusion (Jacky Kahan)
- Real-Life Nightshades (Dylan Gelinas)
- Super Collectors (Doc Docherty)
- September 2009
- The Twinkle Change (Richard Sanders)
- Mind Your Ps & Qs (Donovan Deschner)
- Semi-Impromptu Mind Your Ps & Qs (David Acer)
- Hurling Time (David Avadon)
- Twilight Zone (Pete McCabe)
- On The Rise (Joseph K. Schmidt)
- October 2009
- No Magicana
- November 2009
- No Magicana
- December 2009
- Holiday Miracle (David Acer)
- Business Burn (Cameron Francis)
- Up The Farmyard Path (Jack Parker)
- Hypercube (Eric Leclerc)
- The Schneider Classic Force (Al Schneider)
Magicana 2010
- January 2010
- Kentucky Fried Aces (Jack Parker)
- Stigmata (Ian Kendall)
- Scribbles of Destiny (Jeff Prace)
- Silly String of Death (Stephane Bourgoin)
- Three Chances to be Lucky (Pete McCabe)
- February 2010
- The Secret Life of Matches (Christian Engblom)
- Cardopolis 1 (David Britland)
- The Choices We Can’t See (Brian Miller)
- Decrypt Keeper (Jamie Daws)
- March 2010
- No Magicana
- April 2010
- No Magicana
References
- Dariel Fitzkee's review in Genii 1946 June, Vol. 10, No. 10, page 333.
- Intermission by James Patton, Genii 1989 February
- Genii 1997 September, page 12 - Bill Woodfield's letter to the editor.
- New Phoenix, no. 321, feb. 1955, page 93