I recently acquired Malini’s advertising booklet at auction (circa 1926) and was delighted for two reasons simultaneously. First, it is an honor to own this historic memorabilia of a prominent magic figure. The booklet is in very good hands.

Second, the text of the booklet has confirmed that Max Malini stayed and performed regularly at the hotel where I’ve presented Chamber Magic for the last decade: the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

In his advertising booklet, he includes four laudatory letters from prominent figures, including President Harding. Here is one of the inside pages, containing personal notes from General Pershing and Vice President Charles Dawes:

Malini’s Washington DC address as listed here is the New Willard Hotel. I presented my show Chamber Magic at the Willard earlier this year. How odd to find evidence that I’ve been following my hero’s trail, eighty-five years later.

And here was another nail in the coffin that surprised me even more still – a separate advertisement that claims Malini would be performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Guess where I’ll be doing my show on January 12, 2012? That’s right: Carnegie Hall. Read info about my upcoming performance HERE.

The advertisement states that Malini is “the conjurer with the smallest hands in the world, but who put magic on the map at the highest price in the world – $3.00 per seat.” In 2011 dollars, that equals $45.00 per seat – a respectable price.

If you scroll back to the image at the top of this blog post, you’ll see that Malini was staying and performing at the Congress Hotel in Chicago. Last week I was in Chicago for a private performance, so I stopped into the Congress Plaza to see what it looks like now.

Despite its wonderful location and attractive facade, the inside of the hotel has unfortunately “gone to pot.” It is the site of the longest hotel strike in the history of America, and considered a disgrace to Chicago.

That’s too bad, too, since I wanted to perform in another hotel where Malini had made his mark.

If you’re interested in reading about some of the hotels Malini performed at while living in Honolulu, Hawaii (just prior to his death), read one of my favorite blog posts HERE. I personally visited Malini’s last home, and stood in the garden where he died.

This article offers a very nice record of the unexpected final resting place of Malini.

For more on Malini, type his name into the search bar of my blog. There are more than ten articles I’ve written that offer additional stories I’ve uncovered in my research. I hope you find them as inspirational as I.

The post Max Malini’s advertising booklet, ca 1926 appeared first on Chamber Magic.

As I performed privately for two of the guests, I noticed that a photographer was furiously snapping pictures over my shoulder.

The photographer later informed me: “Those two men you just entertained were the Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Transportation. The only person who can usually bring them together is the President of the United States. And you just did the same thing with magic!”

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This reminds me of another occasion, when Michael Bloomberg invited me to his Park Avenue office in NYC prior to being elected mayor. After chatting for twenty minutes about golf, memory techniques, and how to master a second language (he was studying Spanish), Bloomberg asked me to show him some magic.

I asked if he had a dollar.

The billionaire chuckled and said, “Have I got a dollar? I’ve got quite a few!” We both laughed as he handed me a single dollar bill from his pocket.

I slowly and deliberately displayed the bill to him and called attention to the Secretary of the Treasury’s signature at the bottom. The name read Laurence Summers. Without a single false move, I waved my hand over that signature and magically transformed it into the signature of Bloomberg himself – Michael R. Bloomberg. The ink changed visibly in front of his eyes.

He rubbed the bill with his thumb and was delighted to see that his signature had been permanently printed on his own bill – real U.S. currency. At first he challenged me to change it back, but I countered, “Are you kidding? That’s a collector’s item. The next time I come to your office, I want to see that in a frame on your wall!”

I like to think that’s where it hangs to this day…

Here’s a photo of Michael Bloomberg and me (the summer before he was elected NYC mayor), at a Bloomberg company picnic.

The post A Magical Cabinet Meeting in Washington DC appeared first on Chamber Magic.

Cherry blossoms? Nope. Rain showers? Nu-uh.

The correct answer? “Chamber Magic.” I’m excited to announce that I’ll be giving four special shows in Washington DC during the first week of April.

I don’t tour the show too often, so this may be the only time for you (or your family) to experience magic in Washington. And lord knows that Washington could use some magic!

Ever since I was a boy magician, I’ve dreamed of performing in Washington at the White House. These upcoming shows will be pretty darn close – one block away from the White House, at the magnificent Willard Intercontinental Hotel.

Dates: April 5 and 6, 2011
Showtimes: 7pm and 9pm each night
Location: The Willard Intercontinental, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington DC

If you live in the Washington region, or have friends, family or loved ones nearby, please share this info with them. Tickets for my four performances at the Willard are available now by clicking here.

Please be sure to introduce yourself when you come visit.

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