Irv Weiner

Irv Weiner
Born	October 4, 1923 Boston, Massachusetts
Died	December 14, 1999 (age 76) Needham, Massachusetts

Irv Weiner (1923-1999), also known as John Avery, performed as "Mr. Fingers" and was the owner of Irv Weiner's Studio of Magic.

Weiner did performances of magic and mentalism in the mid and late 20th century. In the 1980's he was listed as one of the most wanted performers on college campuses. Born and raised in the Boston area, his parents were deaf mutes which taught him miming skills. He was also a protege of Silent Mora and was a founder of the Boston "Silent Mora Ring" #122 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

He was a graduate and teacher at Chavez College and editor for over four years of the Silent Messenger. Weiner was also a columnist for many national publications including Hugard's Magic Monthly and The New Jinx.

Biography

Irving (Irv) Weiner's parents were both deaf and used American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. When Irv used ASL on the play ground other children would pick on him calling him Mr. Fingers. He later adopted this name as his stage persona.

Irv met his wife, Ruth, while playing cards with Sarah, Ruth's mother. According to Ruth, Irv always said, "I always thought Sarah's daughter was beautiful but she was too tall for me. Then one day she took her heels off." The parents of three children: Carol, Alan, and Cheryl the couple made their home in Needham, MA where they both eventually passed away. When Carol, the oldest, passed away from in Irv's arms when she was five. This drove Irv toward alcohol. He struggled for years but eventually achieved sobriety. Knowing he had the ability to reach many through the use of his performances Mr. Fingers primarily performed at colleges and focused his shows on the 'illusions' of alcohol and drug addiction. Irv W. died with 32 years of sobriety.

He was nominated for sleight of hand magician of the year (year unknown). His last performance was at his daughter, Cheryl's, wedding in front of all of his grand children, Sarah, Charlie, Katie, and Daniel. Irv, born with juvenile diabetes suffered from dementia in his later life. Irv passed away from complications of Type I diabetes in 1999.

Awards

• "The Man of the Year Award" by the S.A.M. Assembly #9 for his performances at the local V.A. hospitals (1972)
• Nominated by the Academy of Magical Arts as "LECTURER OF THE YEAR" 1978

Manuscripts & Marketed Tricks

• BLOCK BUSTERS (1987)
• BLOCKS OF BLUE (1967)
• CRAZY, HUH
• CUT CONTROL (1952)
• DABBLING WITH DAUB (1951)
• DIABOLICAL DIGITS (1980)
• THE ELUSIVE THREE (1952)
• EVER-READY RISING CARDS (1952)
• FACE-UP ACES
• FLABBERGASTING (1952)
• FOUR LETTER WORDS (1974)
• FRANK LANE'S GRANDFATHER TRICK [STAGE SIZE]
• FRANK LANE'S GRANDFATHER TRICK [POCKET SIZE]
• IMPROMPTU IMPRESSION (1948)
• INVISIBLE TRANSPOSITION
• JUST IMAGINATION (1954)
• LAST WORD BOOK TEST (1980)
• MIRACLE MOVE (1951)
• MIRACLE MOVE MENTALISM (1981)
• MIRACLE PRINCESS CARD TRICK (1986)
• NEW BALLS TO HAT (1952)
• ORIGINAL IMPROMPTU 'NO-NESTING' CUPS & BALLS (1952)
• PATRIOTIC CUPS & BALLS (1951)
• PERFECTED NESTED BOXES (1952)
• RED TAPE THUMB TIE (1955)
• SOFT DICE (1953)
• SPONGE BALL ROUTINE (1963)
• STRING A RING (1952)
• TRIPLE TRANSPOSITION (1952)

References

• The New Jinx, Vol. 1, No. 6, October 1962, Food For thought, Irv Weiner, page 21 "Pro"fil, page 23
• MUM Vol. 62, No. 5, October 1972, Irving Weiner Honored, page 22
• Cover, M-U-M, Vol. 67, No. 12, May 1978, Irv Weiner is Mr. Fingers, magician-of-the-month, by David R. Goodsell, page 12
• An Evening with Irv Weiner By B. Falkner in Linking Ring, Vol. 56, No. 2, February 1976.
• Cover, The Linking Ring, No. 63, No. 9, September 1983, Our Cover, Irv Weiner, page 40
• Cover, M-U-M, Vol. 81, No. 9, February 1992, Irv "Mr. Fingers" Weiner, Wo is this Irv Weiner, page 12
• The Linking Ring, Vol. 80, No. 2, February 2000, Broken Wand, Irving "Irv" Weiner, page 129
• M-U-M, Vol. 89, No. 9, February 2000, Broken Wands, Irving Weiner, by David Goodsell, page 44
• http://forums.geniimagazine.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43119&p=290820