Additional Endnotes & Errata

Page 135

Correcting an error on page 135 of the print edition, Peter DePaula was not the magician that performed Doug's role in the Australian tour of The Magic Show. In fact, that part was played by the very accomplished Larry Anderson. The producer of the Australian tour, Kenn Brodziak, had originally selected Australian magician Ian Buckland to play Doug's part but, as rehearsals wore on, it became clear that Buckland might not be able to fulfill the demanding requirements of the role.

Brodziak had engaged Mark Wilson's company to build the illusions for the show (sub-contracted to Johnny Gaughan). When the props were shipped to Australia, Larry Anderson accompanied them to advise Buckland and the rest of the cast about the idiosyncrasies of the Gaughan-built illusions. Both Larry Anderson and Buckland's understudy, Ross Skiffington (who also played the part of Goldfarb), were considered for taking over the lead role. In the end, after pleading his case to both Australian Actors Equity and the Australian Department of Immigration, Brodziak replaced Buckland with Larry Anderson (Buckland was kept on as magic consultant).

The suggestion that ticket sales for the tour were dismal is correct but does not tell the whole story and does not do justice to Brodziak's reputation as a first-rate producer and promoter. In fact, the show completed it's nearly three-month run at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne with excellent ticket sales. It was the expectation of Brodziak, Lansbury and Beruh that the show would then move to Sydney and spend a total of a year touring Australia.  Unfortunately, labor strikes had stopped all construction on what was supposed to be the show's next stop--the Royal Theatre in Sydney. Brodziak spent the last month of the show's Melbourne run scrambling for another venue, and he nearly closed a deal to move the show to the Orient, but there wasn't enough time to bring that plan to fruition. As a result, the tour came to an end after just three months without recouping the producers' investment. Anderson returned to the US to begin his new career as an actor in Hollywood. Some rare 8mm silent movie footage of the Australian version of The Magic Show survives at this link: http://video.yahoo.com/watch/1041381/3881643 [Thanks to Larry Anderson and Ross Skiffington for the clarification and additional information].

Page 156

When Charlie Reynolds flew to Atlanta to examine Abb Dickson's Water Torture Cell, he did not make the trip alone. Doug, Glen Priest and Denny Loomis accompanied Reynolds. [Thanks to Denny Loomis for the clarification].

Page 256

The Canadian National Exhibition is located in Toronto, not Vancouver. The IMAX theater was located in Ontario Place, across the road from the Canadian National Exhibition, on the shore of Lake Ontario in Toronto.   [Thanks to Tom Baxter for the clarification].

Page 355

While it had been stated in the magic press that David Copperfield bought Doug's Water Fountain Levitation when Doug dissolved his production company, it has come to light that the illusion was actually purchased by Kirby Van Burch, who still features it in his show in Branson, Missouri. Van Burch was initially reluctant when David Copperfield approached him for permission to perform the illusion on one of his television specials, as Van Burch assumed that when he bought the prop he also purchased the exclusive rights to it. Van Burch's assumption, however, was incorrect--there were two other people who had the right to build and perform the illusion. One of those people was Denny Loomis, with whom Doug originally co-conceived the idea. It was Loomis that granted Copperfield permission to build and perform the illusion (Loomis refused payment for the rights, but received a credit on the Copperfield special). The second person who had the right to perform the illusion was South American illusionist, Tihanyi.  As described in the notes to chapter 2 of the book, Doug traded the South American rights to his Water Fountain Levitation for the North American rights to Tihanyi's double Sawing-in-Half. [Thanks to Denny Loomis for the clarification].