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SHOWMANSHIP
For
MAGICIANS
CHAPTER SEVEN

The most valuable single product of the show business today is that quality known as personality. That set of characteristics, qualities, and mannerisms, which distinguishes and characterizes a person, as a unique individual constitutes a complex commodity known as his personality.

Whether the attraction is a motion picture, a stage production, the floorshow in a nightclub or a hotel dining room a contest or any of the numerous diversions people seek for entertainment, the big attraction is the star. Hardheaded businessmen have finally found, via the indisputable logic of the box office total, that people are more interested in people than in any other single thing.

In order of importance general appeal responds first to the allure of outstanding personages, second to the reasons why people do things and third to the things people do.

Now how does this star become a personality?

There is more in it than just the manner in which a man tells a story. There is more than the expertness with which a girl may dance. More than the way an actor or actress interprets a line. Or in the facial expression he may contrive to accompany a single situation.

Underlying it all is an almost indefinable thing called personality.

Take a few outstanding stars whose attraction to the public has been proven-Al Jolson, Ed Wynn, Clark Gable, Shirley Temple, Mickey Rooney, Bette Davis, Robert Taylor, Bing Crosby, Greer Garson, Paulette Goddard or any others. This list includes singers, comedians, actors, child stars, dramatic stars. Each of them has various talents, in varying degrees, some surpassing others in certain qualities and in turn being surpassed in other characteristics. At first it would seem that none of them has anything in common except for the fact that they are in the show business.

But that isn't quite true.

First of all, every one of them is a distinct individual. No one else on earth is exactly like any one of them. In addition each has individual personal characteristics. Each has a distinctly individual appearance.

Each has an individual set of tastes, likes and dislikes, preferences, attitudes towards others, method of dress, manner of speaking, physical carriage and many other numerous distinguishing features.

To his work each brings some special quality in a superlative degree. In Jolson's case there are many singers whose voices are far better, in this writer's opinion, as an example, Bing Crosby. But there are many individualizing touches to Jolson's delivery of a song as there are to Crosby's.

Putting all of Jolson's distinguishing qualities together-and I mean ALL-there is possible only one result. That result is distinctly Al Jolson. The same holds true of Crosby, Rooney, Shirley Temple as she was at the height of her career, Miss Goddard, Miss Garson and any of the others. Or, for that matter, any of the other stars who have caught the public fancy from Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth to Ethel Waters.

So the one thing ALL of these people have in common is their distinct individuality.

If every person on earth looked like every other person and did the same things, saying the same words with the same inflections, there would be no way of distinguishing one from the other. The components which make you the individual you are entirely contained in the variations you employ-in mannerisms, thoughts, attitudes, viewpoints, behavior, appearance, grooming, work, ambitions, beliefs, etc. from the normal standard.

To achieve distinct individuality as a magician it is necessary that you be distinguished from the rank and file. The distinguishing marks are entirely due to the combination of features which is exclusively your own. If this combination is pleasing to others, you have a pleasing personality. If this combination is superlatively pleasing, you are on your way to stardom. All that remains is to contrive a way to advertise to the greatest number of people that you have this combination.

Dale Carnegie has written a book that should be an essential in every entertainer's library. You probably know the title of that book is "How To Win Friends and Influence People." In this book he states that the fundamentals of winning friends are four:

  1. Don't criticize others.
  2. Try to understand people.
  3. Look for the good points in others and express them; and
  4. Think in terms of the other fellow's point of view.

He also gives six ways to make people like you. The general rules are:

  1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
  2. Smile.
  3. Remember people's names
  4. Be a good listener and encourage others to talk about themselves
  5. Talk in terms of the other person's interests; and
  6. Sincerely, make the other person feel important.

There is a liberal education in improved personal relations within tile two covers of that work. Get it by all means.

What aspects do any of these entertainers present to his or her audiences? What aspects does any magician present to her audiences?

They must be discernible through the five senses. Three of these are rarely employed by a spectator, those of taste, feel and smell. That leaves the impression created through what is seen and heard.

To the spectator's sight the magician presents several aspects.

  1. A definite personality pleasing, funny, stodgy, ponderous, pompous. The list is limitless.
  2. A definite complexion-light, dark, medium, dirty, clean.
  3. A costume-conventional or unconventional, appropriate or inappropriate.
  4. The properties with which he works-tasteful, gaudy, ordinary, unusual, well cared for or neglected, etc.
  5. A carriage-upright, sloppy, stooped, slender, ponderous, and so on.
  6. Tempo-jerky, smooth, slow, moderate.
  7. An approach-hesitant, confidant, cocky, frightened, nervous.

A more detailed analysis should be made of the external aspects of several of the prominent stars, preferably those much above any magician in prominence. Compare these features with an equally detailed analysis of your own. Try to discover the outstanding advantages this star, or these stars, possess. Then endeavor to acquire for yourself similar advantages for public reception.

If a magician does a talking routine, he has several sound effects at his disposal.

  1. Volume-a loud, medium or soft voice.
  2. Pitch-high, medium or low.
  3. Quality-raspy, vibrant or mellow.
  4. Articulation-precise, clear or mumbled.
  5. Delivery-fast, jerky, smooth, slow, halting, drawling, etc.
  6. Method of delivery-extemporaneous, studied, timed, pointed, careless.

In addition to the qualities of the voice and the method of speaking, the entertainer must consider the material he is uttering. But the material can be no better than the interpretation of the performer delivering it. Thus we have a new quality which, as far as the voice goes, is based on tonal modulation, variety in the delivery tempo and the mind behind the performer.

At this point, interpretation, the senses of sight and hearing, combine to receive the effect. Proper reception is based partly upon the words heard, the facial and bodily expressions seen and the meaning sensed.

Even the silent act appeals to the two principal senses.

There is one more influencing factor that goes to make up the individuality of an entertainer, even a magician. This is the material used. Three essential factors constitute this material-the things seen, the things heard and the meaning conveyed.

The writer has said before that if every performer looked and performed alike, and used the same material, there would be nothing to distinguish one from the other. The way to gain individuality, then, is to MAKE YOUR PERFORMANCE DIFFERENT FROM THE USUAL. But this must be consistent with your abilities, personality, and education.

The way to gain superlative individuality, which will please your audiences, is to make this difference SUPERLATIVE in the direction of favorable audience reception.

Starting with material: It is best to use effects and lines that are exclusively your own. Have the production professionally prepared. You can at least add something of your own in the way of a twist to the effects, delivery, lines, angle of approach, style or any of the other numerous phases. SOMETHING MUST BE DIFFERENT, BE INDIVIDUAL TO YOU, ABOUT THE MATERIAL AND DELIVERY OR YOU FAIL TO ESTABLISH INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY AT THE FUNDAMENTAL.

Give considerable attention to your costume. Regardless of what you wear-conventional business suit, full dress, dinner coat, and character costume, see if there is not some way that you can achieve a distinctive identification. This must mean you and no one else.

Consider the various optical aspects you can present. Search for individuality opportunities, some way of identifying yourself from the rank and file. BUT KEEP THESE IDENTIFICATIONS CONSISTENT AND IN CHARACTER WITH YOU AND YOUR ACT.

The audible aspects include volume, pitch, quality, articulation, delivery, modulation, tempo, and interpretation. Somewhere there is a combination of these factors that will be pleasing to your spectators and consistent with yourself. Add these to your list of distinguishing tags.

Never lose sight of the fact, in adopting these identifying marks, that they must be PLEASING TO THE SPECTATORS. No matter how distinctly you identify yourself, if the net result is not a favorable impression on your audience, you have failed.

PLEASING THE SPECTATOR IS INDISPENSABLE.

Experienced theater men, particularly from the production field, can give you basic assistance in audience appeal. But the sure way of discovering what pleases an audience and what does not is in trying it ON THE AUDIENCE YOURSELF. You will find out unmistakably.

Discover the most effective numbers in your program. Then see if you can find more effective substitutions for those items that make the least impression. By a continuing process, always attacking the weaker numbers, you gradually build up your routine. Perhaps, eventually, even the numbers you find strongest now will be eliminated.

But all the time, regardless of this basic material, TRY TO GIVE EVERYTHING SOMETHING INDIVIDUAL AND EXCLUSIVELY YOUR OWN.

When your style is individual-style is made up of the optical and audible aspects mentioned before-and your material is individual, you as a performer are an easily identified, distinctive performer. This is expressed personality.

If you should take the time to analyze outstanding entertainers such as Bob Hope, Fred Allen, Jack Benny and others, even some of the magicians, although NONE OF THEM begins to approach the big stars of the theater in audience appeal, you will find each is equipped with an exclusive set of distinctive identifying qualities which have strong appeal to the public. And none is like the other IN ANY WAY.

Make no mistake. The material itself, while important, is purely secondary. First is a tremendously magnetic personality. Take the material you have, these tricks you do. Spend every minute you can on it until you can do it in your sleep, as far as the operative part is concerned. Then forget the material as something to do in front of an audience.

You have only one thing to do in front of an audience-and that is TO SELL YOURSELF. Sell yourself every second of every minute you are in front of an audience. Work at it sweat at it. Drive it home. Make them know it You are not a magician. Forget that stuff. You're an entertainer.

Make them like you better than your magic. Make them like you so much they would even pay to hear you sing, or tell stories. Make them want to witness your entertainment REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO.

Hammer at it. Drive at it. Dig at it. Me, Me, ME. Think: "I've got to sell 'em me. I've got to make them know that I am the important thing." Forget what a good trick the linking rings or the cut rope or the egg bag is.

Let them have all of the you that you can give them.

You haven't many minutes to do it in these days. But you must do it. Or the next time they won't ask for you. They won't want you. They'll want the tricks. And if they want the tricks, any magician will do, just any one. What do they care who the guy is? They want to see the tricks.

It's just as easy as pushing a baby carriage. All you have to know is which end to push. Maybe that's why it took longer for Father's Day to click than Mother's Day.

Push the man doing the tricks, not the tricks.

This idea of selling yourself has been used to advantage by all kinds of salesmen-automobiles, battleships, rat traps. If you sell them on you, they won't care what kind of rattrap you sell. It's the man they're doing business with. Not the Hoover vacuum cleaner.

The minute you stop selling yourself in the entertainment field and start selling your goods instead, that very minute you are starting to pick your own pocket. Instead of creating a set-up for yourself, you are creating a set-up for the kind of goods you sell. Then somebody else can get the order. He sells the same thing.

And if they can get what they want from the other fellow a little cheaper or more for their money, they'll buy from him.

That's why you must sell the man, the entertainer as an individual, instead of the kind of entertainment. The only time they can get you, at your price, is to buy from you.

Make your personality what they want. The only thing you should be concerned with is impressing them with yourself.

Here's looking at YOU.

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