Ron Bauer - The Complete Don Alan's Chop Cup

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Priv 1. Gadabout Coins Revisited 2. Sudden Death Gypsy Curse 3. Tony Chaudhuri's Feminine Side 4. Butch, Ringo, and the Sheep 5. Hornswoggled Again! 6. Owed to Poker Dan 7. Dixie! 8. The Cursed Ring 9. Fair and Sloppy 10. Charlie Miller's Left-Handed Hank 11.The Mechanical Deck 12. Paul Chosse's Bar Bill Stunt 13. Senator Crandall's Cut-Up Card Trick

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14. Four Squares and a Knot 15. The Siamese Goose Egg Bag 16. Ed Marlo's Time Machine 17. Second Finger Top Deal 18. Xerox Money 19. Milt Kort's All-Outs Think-of-a-Card 20. That's the Spirit! 21. Brother Hamman's Final(ly) Aces 22. Jim Bergstrom's Hat Trick 23. Bob Longe's Worn Out Deck _ 24. Don Alan's Sneaky Nudist Rides Again

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"He's the first man who loaded a cup with NOBODY seeing it!" —Marvin "Mr. Electric" Roy

The Complete Don Alan's Chop Cup

INTRODUCTION In the mid-fifties, THIS was the CHOP CHOP CUP... (FIG. 1) ...an "oriental style" bamboo cup modified by Al "Chop Chop" Wheatley for his singlecup version of the Cups and Balls. It drew immediate interest from magicians, so he put it on the market. Unfortunately, there were some technical problems. He had gimmicked each bamboo cup by adding a layer of Plastic Wood to its bottom in which he embedded a magnet. One of the two cork balls with black crocheted covers that he supplied also contained a magnet to attract it to the bottom of the cup. The main "move" in using the cup ALAN-ysis... Not only do I is to shake it so the audience can agree that Al's idea of hear the ball rattle around inside. shaking the ball in the cup Wheatley's purpose for the rattling to kill the idea that somewas to "prove" that the ball was how the ball can stay inside, I think that the sound loose, and didn't stay in the cup. adds to the believability of Perhaps the noise of the ball banging the whole thing. around inside the cup achieved that preemptive goal. I don't know. But, almost certainly it contributed to the cups and their Plastic Wood covered magnets cracking and chipping even with moderate use. When word got out about the fragility of the cups, sales dried up. But, a year or so later, 1958, Al got together with then Chicago magic dealer Joe Berg, and everything changed, beginning with the material from which the cup was made. Instead of bamboo, the new version was spun from aluminum (a non-magnetic material) giving it the general appearance of a currently popular (in the fifties) style of drinking cup. The base contained a magnet as did one of the two accompany-

Copyright © 2005 by Ron Bauer All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means prohibited.

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Sir PonoSometimes you get what you want -R13

Alan-yzing Magic

A Ron Bauer Private Studies Special Edition

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RonII Bauer Private Studies ing WHITE balls. The result was called the

lip

Cup

Course in Magic, Volume 6, pp. 39-48 under the title "Senator Clarke Crandall's Cup And Balls." Crandall used one cup instead of three to overcome what he considered bar patrons' limited attention spans.

MASTER CUP. (FIG. 2) The Master Cup and the Chop Chop Cup were both about 4" high, but the latter's straight sides limited the size of the final production. The sides of the new cup gently tapered wider from its base to the last inch and half or so, which flowed straight to the rolled edge of the lip. The diameter of the mouth increased a quarter of an inch for a bigger load.

Don Alan didn't give such audiences even that much credit. He preferred the idea of one ball. So, thanks to the gimmicked cup, he cut the series of repetitive moves with three sponge balls that made up most of Crandall's trick. In fact, all that remained of the Senator's original approach was the opening lines and the ending, i.e., the "in the pocket or under the cup" idea and the two large rubber balls payoff.

They got it right, and Berg couldn't keep up with the orders as word spread. One of the most influential advocates of the new Master Cup was Don Lawton, a St. Louis, Missouri magic dealer. He included a full page ad in his #27 Lines from Lawton newsletter, March 1959, describing his favorite of several new handlings that came with the Master Cup instructions. Simply put, the ball vanished from the hands and reappeared in a shot glass covered with the cup! — Below this description, Lawton offered the following: "DON ALAN'S routine... It's an interesting routine to watch... short and to the point... ending with the production of TWO LARGE RUBBER BALLS from one cup! With Don's permission, THIS ROUTINE, WITH PATTER, WILL BE INCLUDED WITH THE MASTER CUP AT NO EXTRA COST! Another 'bonus' for LINES readers."

This session was recorded, and later transcribed into "Don Lawton presents... DON ALAN'S ROUTINE... for Chop Chop's MASTER CUP." This manuscript, by the way, is still reprinted as "Don Alan's Original Chop Cup Routine," "The Professional Presentation of the Don Alan Chop Cup," et cetera, with no reference to Don Lawton! Don Alan's Chop Cup, as it's now known, is much more than the mere adoption of someone's trick and an adaptation of a few jokes and moves. Most significant, as far as I'm concerned, is the loading technique. As much as Don admired Crandall's brainchild of dropping the big production balls into the mouth up cup while picking it up, it didn't fit his angleproof-only objectives. So he came up with something new. And, in the pages that follow, all will be revealed. Meanwhile, though, back to the fifties.

In the summer of 1958, Don Alan and his wife, Jean, and son, Kevin, visited her family in St. Louis, Missouri. Alan was a popular Chicago close-up magic bartender, while every afternoon he starred on Princess Mary's Magic Castle as Sir Dono, wizard and part-time puppeteer. He spent quite a bit of time during that vacation with Don Lawton. During their sessions, they shared their mutual fascination with the Master Cup, and Alan explained how he worked out a way to use it for a very streamlined adaptation of Chicago bartender Clarke Crandall's single cup version of the Cups and Balls, which was published in the Tarbell Page 2

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When Don Alan was booked to appear on the second Playboy's Penthouse television show in October 1959, Hugh Hefner told the agent that he didn't want any card tricks. So, Don did the Coat Hanger from Purse, Dice Stacking, the Darker Shade of Malini, and debuted the Master Cup. Take a look at the somewhat "soft" screen still from that appearance. (FIG. 3) Even in the haziness, you can make out a clearly captivated Hefner. He's the one with the pipe. Don's on the left. And, most of the other spectators are beautiful women! Tough work... After this show, Don was immediately rebooked. What 1-1

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about card tricks? Hef said that Don Alan could do anything he wanted!

Don's experience with the "Playboy Penthouse" television show led him to assume an image to harmonize with this urbane and flirtatious environment. Part of his new style included carrying his props in an attaché case. Incidentally, magic dealer Ken Allen marketed an attaché case openly copying the new Don Alan style. Soon after the Playboy appearances, Don got his first booking on the CBS network's Ed Sullivan Show. And, while planning how to pack his props into his new attaché case for his trip to New York, he found that the Master Cup was too tall. Characteristically, to make things fit his plans, he cut. This time it was a little over an inch from the height of the cup! Look at the insert in this still from the May, 1960 appearance on the CBS network's Ed Sullivan Show. (FIG. 4) That's the Master Cup after Don took his hacksaw to it. Fortuitously, the same rubber balls coming from this little cup looked larger! Practically overnight magicians all across the United States and all over the world wanted a Chop Chop Cup, which left Wheatley and Berg in a mixed emotions situation. The Master Page 4

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Cup version was a hit, but they didn't have any of the "professional size like Don Alan used!" (FIG. 5) In a nutshell, they quickly retooled and sold thousands of cups. And, over the past several 3%4" decades, dozens of dealers and wheelerdealers have marketed MASTER PROFESSIONAL "STUBBY" "Chop Cups," but only one man was authorized by Don Alan. That was Mike Brazill, owner of Rings 'n Things manufacturing company. Years ago, Brazill designed several cups, big and small, according to Don's specifications. He wanted a classy looking piece of work, which Mike was known for, but it had to hold a really big load and still look squatty. Despite the great work, the company ran into some legal difficulties, and had to be closed before getting the ideal cup into mass production. Too bad. NOTE: Rings 'n Things II, Mike's new company, has since achieved that ideal with the new Fiftieth Anniversary Don Alan's Chop Cup.

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Ronliker Private Studies THE COMPLETE DON ALAN'S CHOP CUP This is a comprehensive depiction of Don Alan's theories, handling, and presentation of the Chop Cup. It's his way of doing it, not merely a replication of a ALA N-ysis... They want the single performance. trick and they want the joke and they want them The first criterion that would qualify right now! a trick for his repertoire was: "It knocks them on their ass!" Once met, he'd add various jokes and gags and funny situations for structure and misdirection. The lead-in jokes and gags invariably depended on his performing situation. Sometimes he'd tease (usually flirt with) women in the audience, e.g., "Do you play games?" or take playful jabs at the men by drawing them into straight lines, e.g., "I also have a little ball... which is a handicap, but I do the best I can. You know how it is. Right, sir?" or he might simply use non sequiturs, e.g., "I'm sorry... I'm stuck in the CHEWING GUM" to cover getting his props from beneath the table. Over the years, he varied and substituted lines, always changing material to keep his performances "hip." ALAN-ysis... I don't use all these gags every time. Sometimes I substitute one for another. Sometimes I just get on with the little game.

Don preferred to work seated at a table with several people so he could be close to his audience. He used props big enough, though, to be seen for up to thirty kibitzers who might gather around the table to watch. This kind of group caused him no technical problems because all of his work was designed to be performed surrounded. CHOP_ PROPS: /- CUP TWO • A Close-Up Pad TWO WHITE TENNIS • A Chop Cup CROCHETED BALLS • Two Tennis BALLS 0 0 Balls • Two White CLOSE-UP PAD Crocheted Balls

The Complete Don Alan'sSp Cup NOTES ON PROPS: Don invariably performed the Chop Cup on a close-up pad. He planned to market "The Don ALAN-ysis... I always use a Alan Professional Close-Up close-up pad. It's a FOCAL Magic Pad on Which You Can POINT. Every picture has one. Do No Wrong... because the I learned that from my parents. My father was an archiinstructions are printed right on tect, my mother a professional it!" (Imprinted on each of the two flower arranger. side edges was: "THIS SIDE UP!") This was a felt-covered rectangle of three-quarter inch foam rubber. "The two sizes were 9.5x12 inches for mine, and 11x15 inches for other stuff." NOTE: For television, in which strong lights are used, LIGHT BLUE is the best color. Light reflected from green or red can adversely affect skin color. Black absorbs light, and will sometimes cause high contrast problems. Originally, the final loads were large, brightly colored rubber balls commonly found in toy departments. In the seventies, several magicians began using baseballs as final loads for various cups and balls Now, to me producing a presentations. Don, about ALAN-ysis... BASEBALL is psychologically all wrong. the same time, decided to Women don't recognize BASEBALLS. They DO recognize TENNIS BALLS. use tennis balls. But, it wasn't just to be different. Finally, the white, crocheted balls. ALAN-ysis... The balls should have tightly crocheted, not knitted, covers so they can be heard when shaken in cup. Mike Brazill recommended a slightly larger than standard size cork ball, one and three quarter inches with a crocheted cover. I think this makes sense.

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PREPARATION AND SET-UP: When Don began working tables, he formulated several standard procedures and basic situations. Preparing for surprise loads was always a problem for close-up magicians. Don's solution was to use a container that could be accessed from above when placed between his feet. His first such container 1-1

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The Complete Don Alan t s•p Cup 1. Lay out close-up pad. It's inner edge should be three to five inches from the edge of the table.

was a basket. Specifically, an Abbott's Monkey in Basket in which he also carried Stanley, his monkey puppet.

"Excuse me just a moment... I'm stuck in the

Later, in the seventies, he switched to a doctor's bag. It was more durable than the basket, and also could be easily accessed from the top.

CHEWING GUM..." 2. Reach down between your legs with your right hand, and grasp the mouth of the Chop Cup trapping the tennis balls inside with your right palm. (FIG. 9)

TENNIS BALLS

The Devano Rising Cards (See Don Alan's Devano Card Rise by Ron Bauer) CHOP usually followed the Chop Cup, so the CUP standard set-up was to put its glass GLASS t —SILK and silk in the bottom of the container, CROCHETED, then the two crocheted balls, followed BALLS!----(zE750" by the Chop Cup containing the two DON'S ACTUAL SETUP tennis balls. (FIG. 7) This was the setup for traveling. Before a performance, ALAN-ysis... The he took out the two white balls, and put truth is, both of one into each of his side jacket pockets, the little balls I the ordinary ball in the left, and use are magnetic. That way I don't the magnetic ball in the right.

"Ah...

NOTE: If people are

BASKET

behind you, watch out for exposure. Keeping your chair close to the table helps. Or, you can take an additional precaution by leaning FORWARD so your jacket will open enough to cover you from the sides.

DOCTOR'S BAG

STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE: NOTE: Don didn't open with the Chop Cup. When he arrived at a table, he'd usually put the container on the floor beside his chair, then open with the John N. (Johnny) Giordimaine "Coat Hanger from Purse." Tossing the hanger onto the table, he'd sit down, and place the container on the floor between his feet, and bring the close-up pad into view.

"See this little cup? It belonged to my UNCLE. He was a PROFESSIONAL JOINER. A PROFESSIONAL JOINER is a guy who hangs around at a bar, and when somebody says, 'Let's have a drink,' he goes up and JOINS 'ern!"

"This is where we sell the JEWELRY after the show, folks. [BEAT] I think most of it's HOT, so you can get a GOOD PRICE!"

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That's better..."

3. As you bring up the cup, secretly dump the tennis balls onto your lap. (FIG. 10) Don't try to adjust them yet. Just keep bringing the cup into view, and take it with your left hand. (FIG. 11)

have to worry which one goes into what pocket!

Of course, if you don't use the Devano, simply place the Chop Cup mouth upward in your case with both load balls inside. Once his props were loaded and ready, Don rolled up his close-up pad, and placed it on top of them. (FIG. 8)

ALAN-ysis... Everything starts at the same time. Once I reach for the Chop Cup, I'm set for the entire trick.

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Ranger Private Studies 4. Casually handling the cup with both hands, show its empty interior to the audience. Place it mouth up on the pad as you say: "He was a PROFESSIONAL

The Complete Don Alan's.lop Cup IALAN-ysis... Lock 'em in

I

8. Reach into your right jacket pocket and get the white ball as you retrieve the cup with your left hand. Place the cup aside on the pad as you display the white ball between your right first finger and thumb, palm of hand towards the audience.

JOINER." "Do you like to play games?"

5. Address one of the spectators, preferably a WOMAN to your LEFT. NOTE: Don played to women whenever possible. He interacted in a certain provocative manner when conversing with them, but avoided vulgarisms. Part of his approach was his facade of boundless confidence. And, part of it was about playing sexual games. As a rule, women are willing to play along with such shenanigans and just have fun. This approach, however, can backfire in a number of ways. Most magicians I've seen trying this came off as appealing as an Austin Powers! If you know what I mean, then you probably think you don't need my words of warning, and I agree with you!

"Did you know that I'm the only guy in this country... who's ever been WHITE-BALLED... It's not much, but it's something..." 9. Hold the white ball a few inches above the close-up pad, and then let it fall so it bounces. (FIG. 13)

"Would you like to play, just for fun?" 6. When she agrees; place the cup mouth up onto the

"Incidentally,-this is how I got out of the army... it's also how I got IN! But, that's another story..."

table in front of her.

NOTE: You get maximum cover in the later parts of this trick if you can play a little to your LEFT whenever possible, but it's not essential.

"Okay. Then step inside... look around... and make sure there's no one hanging around inside the cup looking for me... You can even examine it."

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10 Pick up the ball and repeat the dropping and bouncing a few times. Finally, hand it to the spectator as you center the mouth up cup on the pad with your other hand.

7. Point inside with your left first finger to indicate what you want her to do. As she looks at the cup, lean back slightly in a relaxed posture (sort of Slydini style), and use your right hand to casually adjust the tennis balls so they are firmly gripped between your legs. (FIG. 12)

"I'll explain the game so I can understand it... You see, I am going to show you how the game is played first, and then we'll play it. All right? Take the little ball, and put it inside the cup..." 11. Spectator drops the ball into the cup.

"All right? There's nothing in there? It's a cup and it's empty? Good..." Page 10

place.

[BEAT] "STERLING performance! [PAUSE] Now, watch carefully as I do this..." 1.1

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RonSer Private Studies ALAN-ysis... The "pregnant pause" often gets a laugh even when nothing is particularly funny. .

12. Cover the mouth of the cup with your palm down left hand, grasp it with your fingers and thumb, and pick it up. (FIG. 14) Shake the cup a few times so everyone can hear the ball bouncing in the cup. (FIG. 15) "Can you hear it rattling around? Good. Now watch... I take the ball and place it into my left pocket..." 13. Stop shaking the cup with its mouth upwards (allowing the ball to fall and secretly attach itself to the inside base), and then turn your left hand palm up. (FIG. 16) Apparently, this causes the ball to fall onto your palm up left hand. Continuing the action, grasp the base of the cup from above between your right thumb and / second finger tips. DO NOT MOVE YOUR RIGHT HAND. Turn your left hand palm inwards, hinging at the base of your thumb, and wrapping your fingers loosely around the "ball." (FIG. 17) Put your hand into your left pocket, and immediately grab the other ball. Close your fingers around it the same way you pretended to hold the ball from the cup. Place the cup mouth POSITION FINGERS down on your pad without AS IF AROUND THE BALL dislodging the ball. "Now, the idea of the game is for me to SNEAK the little ball out of my pocket..." Page 12

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The Complete Don Alan'seip Cup

14. Remove your closed left hand from your pocket, and openly maneuver the ball to your fingertips. As you do this, raise the cup about eight inches from the pad with your right hand. Place the ball on the pad, and lower the cup to cover it. Don't dislodge the hidden ball. "...and back under the cup WITHOUT YOU SEEING ME DO IT..." 15. Raise the cup. Pick up the ball, and holding it between your left first finger and thumb tips, gesture to emphasize what you're saying, and then put it back into your left pocket. As you do this, put the cup down with enough force to secretly dislodge the hidden ball. "That's all there is to it! Do you understand the game? Are you SURE? You ABSOLUTELY understand how to play... Right?" 16. Lean back slightly to appear sincere, gesturing with both open hands. Address your remarks to the woman spectator making sure she acknowledges them. "Good. Then we'll start from the beginning!" 17.With your right hand, ALAN-ysis... This gag establishes raise the cup about I'm a sneaky guy." six inches, then replace it on the mat about six inches to the right. This reveals the ball, and comes as a complete surprise to the audience. NOTE: This sudden revelation is absolutely the most important part of this trick. Done properly, it's even more important than the payoff. It reveals that the "game" is RIGGED, and that everything that you've patiently explained up to this point has been a FRAUD. For maximum effect, UNDERPLAY by ignoring their surprise. From this point on, they will be keyed up for whatever is to come. This joke is often lost by omitting or underplaying the key line of the SETUP... "Are you SURE?" (Believe it or not, even Don occasionally let this gag slip away from him by not giving enough emphasis to the SETUP.) Page 13

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"Once again I place the little ball into the cup, shake it up and down, then remove it... but I won't place the ball in my pocket this time."

The Complete bon Alan'lkop Cup 22. Place your left hand onto the mouth of the cup as before, and repeat the shake and take. Apparently place the ball into your left pocket.

"Where do you think it is, just guessing? Under the cup or in my pocket?"

18. Drop the ball into the cup. Cover the mouth of the cup with your left hand as before, and repeat the shaking and taking, but don't put your hand into your pocket. Place the cup mouth down on the table, secretly dislodging ball.

ALAN-ysis... Sometimes, when you ask a direct question or make a specific request, a spectator balks because he's not sure how to answer or what's at risk in terms of potential embarrassment by saying the wrong thing. Adding "just guessing" or "just for fun" is almost always enough of a "reason" for people to play along with you.

"Instead, I'll keep it in my hand, and move my left thumb back and forth like this..."

23. Turn back to the woman on your left to ask the question.

19. Hold your closed left hand in front of you, and wiggle your left thumb.

NOTE: These left and right shifts aren't mandatory, but the continuous switching of attention serves to give the presentation momentum. All shifts of attention, by the way, do not distract from the progression of the effect.

"It means nothing but it looks cute. THUMB fun! When I open my hand, the ball is gone and here it is back under the cup!" 20. Slowly open your hand to show that the ball is gone. Lift up the cup with your right hand to show the ball

A. The spectator replies,

"Under the cup!"

NOTE: Now we reach a point at which the audience might

on the pad. "I'll show you how it's done... Put the little ball into the cup..."

believe you're giving them a fair chance. Of course, you are not. The surprise outcome will be the same regardless of their reply. Here's the first option...

"No, it's not under the cup,"

ALAN-ysis... "I'll show you how its done..." is a line that will usually cool a spectator who's getting intrusive because he wants to look at the props so he can figure out the secret. It's a useful line for keeping control.

24. Immediately lift the cup with your right hand to show there's no ball. As you show there's no ball, drop your left hand into your lap and grab a tennis ball. (FIG. 19) Replace the cup hard enough to secretly dislodge the hidden ball.

21. Pick up the ball with your left hand, as you turn the cup mouth up with your right hand. (FiG. 18) Turn to a spectator on your right, and hand him the ball. Hold the mouth up cup in front of him to receive the ball.

"When I do that... then this... did you see me put the ball in my pocket?" Page 14

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"Had you said in my pocket, THEN it would be under the cup!" 1-1

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The Complete Don Alan'sep Cup

25. Lift the cup with your right hand to reveal the ball. At

29. Casually center the cup on the pad with your LEFT hand.

the same time, you secretly ALAN-ysis: Kicking the ball load the tennis ball into the with the lip of the cup so it cup with your left hand as rolls forward in an attempt you reach for and pick up to misdirect from the load is the little ball on the table. chicken shit. (Refer to Don Alan Chop Cup Loading Technique in the ADDENDUM.) Center the cup on the table.

"Or, maybe I DO put it into my pocket... [BEAT] The truth is, I can make it come out either way... You see, I CHEAT. If you say it's HERE..." 30. Bring your right hand out of your pocket, letting it be seen empty as you gesture toward the cup. As you do this, casually drop your left hand into your lap and grab the last tennis ball.

B. The spectator replies "It's in your pocket!"

"I tell you it's HERE... I've got TWO of them..."

"Hmm... That's right!"

31. Gesture toward your right pocket with your right hand, then casually grasp the cup.

26. Immediately lift the cup with your right hand to show there's no ball. As you show there's no ball, drop your left hand into your lap and grab a tennis ball. Replace the cup hard enough to secretly dislodge the hidden ball.

"[BEAT] One's BIGGER than the other!" NOTE: The BEAT is to allow audience to catch up. 32, Lift the cup with your right hand to reveal the tennis

"But HAD you said under the CUP... [PAUSE] we'd have to start from the BEGINNING!"

ball. At the same time, you secretly load the other tennis ball into the cup with your left hand as you reach for and pick up the one on the table. (FIG. 20) (Refer to Don Alan Chop

27. Lift the cup with your right hand to reveal the ball. At the same time, you secretly load the tennis ball into the cup with your left hand as you reach for and pick up the little ball on the table. (Refer to Don Alan Chop Cup Loading Technique in the ADDENDUM.) Center the cup on the table. NOTE: Now everyone realizes that you're even sneakier than they suspected! Somehow you even anticipated the reply to your question.

Cup Loading Technique in the ADDENDUM.) Center the cup on the table, and place the tennis ball on top of it. (FIG. 21)

"You see... When I say I put the little ball into my pocket, maybe I don't put it in there at all...!" 28. Openly take the ball with your RIGHT hand, and put it into your RIGHT jacket pocket.

NOTE: Let this sink in before touching the tennis ball.

"Maybe I leave it under the cup... You KNOW I'm a SNEAK..."

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"Take the ball into your hand. Does it feel solid?"

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33. fake the tennis ball from the top of-the cup with your

Many magicians get uneven results with the Chop Cup. Sometimes it just goes over better than other times. Ironically, this common problem is BECAUSE of the second load. It shouldn't be played like a "kicker," i.e., something even MORE surprising.

left hand hand, and give it to a spectator. With your right hand, casually grasp the cup.

"It does, doesn't it?" 34. Retrieve the tennis ball, and squeeze it a couple of times, then place it beside the cup, which you continue to hold in place with your right hand.

Senator Crandall, who originally used two big balls to pay off the single cup trick, knew that the second ball really had the effect of repeating the ending of the trick, and should be played that way. The appearance of the big ball was such a surprise, the audience invariably wanted to see the trick again. Crandall's approach was to set up the ending again by asking, "You thought you had me behind the eight ball, didn't you?" Whatever they replied, he said, "Well, you did!" The second large load ball he used was painted to look like an eight ball!

"That's why you'd never believe that TWO of those would fit under there, would you?" 35. Raise the cup with your right hand to reveal the second tennis ball.

ALAN-ysis... Knock 'em on their ass or forget it!

"They come out of there, but they don't go back.. something sneaky must have happened... Isn't that ridiculous!?"

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Don's approach was to set up the second surprise by pointing out that the ball is both large and SOLID. This draws attention to the difficulty in sneaking it into the cup unobserved. The last thing in the world the audience now expects is another big ball.

36. Turn the cup mouth upward onto the table and place one of the tennis balls into it. Then — apparently try to jam — the other one into the cup, too. Pound on it a few of times, showing that both can't fit inside at the same time! (FIG. 22)

ALTERNATIVE ENDING... After showing the first tennis ball...-

"I won a Tennis tournament with that ball... If you don't believe me, here's the TROPHY!" Show SOLID BRASS TENNIS BALL (which you loaded while showing the first).

The End? Not necessarily!

"A lot of people think this is RUBBER..."

"I can't understand it... They should BOTH fit in there, but I can't ever get them to fit..."

Drop it on the table from about a six-inch height to let the audience hear its solidity!

In many performances, things will become a little chaotic after the first tennis ball appears. Don't stop the momentum, but keep control by providing more for the spectators to do. As soon as the second tennis ball appears, take back the first as you hold it out for someone to squeeze. As soon as it's clear that the ball is solid, put it into the cup, then "try" to put the other one in, too, as explained. Now, with the audience energy up, move onto your next item to maintain control of the performance. Don usually followed the Chop Cup with the Devano Card Rise.

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NOTE: As far as I know, Don never used this idea. Perhaps because he could never find the right brass tennis ball. Occasionally the little ball doesn't appear on the table as intended. If that happens, pretend you see it there despite the fact that nobody else can.

"...only now it's INVISIBLE!" 1-1

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a. Carefully pick it up between your left thumb and first fingertips, and place the cup down with your right hard enough to dislodge the hidden ball. "Here. Take it very caref ully..." b. Hand the "ball" to a spectator. "...and put it on the top of the cup...' C. Indicate that the spectator is to put the "ball" ont o the Cu P. "That's the BOTTOM... But, you PUSHED it. So, NOW it's at the top..." d. Raise the cup to show the ball. The End

ADDENDUM Don Alan Chop Cup Loading Technique

Don's almost inimitable approach to loading wasn't in the original "Don Lawton presents... DON ALAN'S ROUTINE... for Chop Chop's MASTER CUP" instructions because he hadn't developed it yet. That didn't happen until shortly after his return to Chicago from St. Louis, and was a result of a discussion with Edward Mario. Marlo's analysis of Cups and Balls had revealed to him that immediately after raising a cup to show a ball on the table, the audience's attention shifts to the cup. This is especially true if the cup is moving. And, if they see the cup go out of sight, guess what they think? That's right, you're doing something sneaky with it. And, if on top of those tells, what do you think occurs when they see the hand holding that suspicious cup in a, to put it mildly, awkward grip? Of course! They think they caught you, and they're right! So, although it's pandemic, there is no worse time than this to load the cup.

Facing this reality led Mario to hypothesize that if the cup were put down immediately after revealing the ball, attention on it would be diminished or abandoned. Even the most alert and suspicious in the audience would conclude that nothing could be slipped inside. Their attention would then shift back to the ball on the table. At this point, the performer could safely slide the cup off the edge of the table, and onto the other hand. This hand would take the cup, and secretly load a ball into it. At first, Don was completely overcome with enthusiasm for this new thinking. Soon, though, he realized that the transferring of the cup from right to left hand, even after it had been momentarily put down onto the table, was an overt action. IT DREW ATTENTION BACK TO THE CUP! From this he concluded that the next overt action should be to REACH FOR THE BALL ON THE TABLE WITH HIS LEFT HAND, not transfer the cup. In this way, the technically necessary movement of the cup, which remained in his right hand, could be taken as simply getting it out of the way! Time has proven he was right. This loading technique sim- ALAN-ysis... I'll tell you. A camera can me from any way and you'll never ply can't be seen, and isn't shoot see that ball go into that cup! "sensed" by any audience. So, to disguise the load, all that the audience must perce ive is that the performer is a) lifting the cup to reveal the ball, b) putting the cup down, c) then picking up the ball with his other hand. There must be ONLY these perceptions, and nothing else or the load could be spotted. To learn this valuable technique, first get comfortable putting the tennis ball into the cup with your left hand as you reach for the ball on the table. Do the steps slowly to be sure you get a feeling for the action, Then gradually pick up speed... Ll. Place the little ball on the pad BALL in the center. (FIG. L1) PAD

,,TABLE

Li TOP VIEW

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Ron•er Private Studies

The Complete Don Alan's.) Cup loaded ball by moving your right little finger beneath

L2. Hold the mouth down cup in your right hand below

it. (FIG. L6) L7. Pick up the ball on the table with your left thumb and first finger, AT THE SAME TIME, place the mouth down cup onto the pad, slightly to your right. (FIG. L7)

the table edge in front of you. (FIG. L2) 0

L3. Hold the tennis ball in your palm down left hand between your thighs. (FIG. L3) L4. Now, WITHOUT MOVING THE CUP, reach for the ball on the

L8. Center the cup on the pad. (FIG. L8) NOTE: "Throw" is the word Don used to describe the action of depositing the load ball in the cup. "Throw connotes the speed, all right, .11.1.9Mrt but I believe the word "pop" or the phrase "pop it in," though informal, better describe what happens. Whatever word you choose to use, if any, the load must be propelled into the cup fast enough that there's no perceived hesitation in the movement of your left hand from lap to picking up the ball on the table. In other words, you don't load Ilmtiveir and pick up, you just pick up! Make certain you feel completely comfortable with this coordination of left and right hands before learning the entire presentation.

pad with your left hand

turning it palm up as you do so, and passing it between the cup and the edge of the table. (FIG. L4) L5. As your left hand passes the cup, THROW the tennis ball into the cup. (FIG. L5)

o

I.

ALAN-ysis... I throw 'em. I don't PUT 'em there, I THROW 'ern! Toss is too weak a word to describe the action.

L6. As your left hand moves between the table and the cup, secure the Page 22

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I

Ron

or Private Studies

The Complete Don Alan's•p Cup

Once you can reach for the little ball and pick it up while loading the cup with no hesitation, the next thing to learn is the context. The context is revealing that the ball is under the cup, and proceeding to the next part of the trick.

ALAN-ysis... The important thing is that the left hand must keep moving.

L13. Pick up the ball on the table with your left hand. At the same time, place the mouth down cup onto the pad, as if it were empty, slightly to your right. Of course, slip your little finger out of the way at the appropriate moment. (FIG. L13)

With the cup in the center of the pad covering a ball, grasp it with your right hand. Grasp a load ball that's between your thighs with your palm down left hand. L9. With your right hand, lift the cup to reveal the ball. (FIG. L9)

L14. Move the cup to the center as if adjusting its position for what comes next. (FIG. 14)

L10. Put the cup down hard onto the table near the edge. (NOTE: If you aren't working on a pad, keep the relative positions the same.) (FIG. L10)

NOTE: Don always screened the moment of loading with the edge of the table.

L11. Immediately move the cup toward your body and down beneath the edge of the table. (FIG. L11)

The Big Bang Years of experience performing the Chop Cup under every possible condition, I'm sure, led Don to settle on an extreme

(in my opinion) application of the principle of putting down the cup. He literally banged it on the edge of the table! This not only dented and eventually destroyed the rim of the cup, and

0

sometimes damaged the table, the resulting sharp noise attracted a glance from even the most distracted member of the audience. And that was his purpose! L12. As you move the cup beneath the edge of the table, simultaneously begin the upward movement of your left hand to reach for the ball on the table. As your left hand passes between the cup and the edge of the table, "throw" the load ball into the cup, securing it with your right little finger. (FIG. L12) Page 24

Don observed that some spectators looked at one another when reacting to the appearance of the ball under the cup, and missed the putting down action. Sometimes, one might glance back and see the loading action! To overcome this arbitrary attention migration, he added the element of SOUND. Even the most distracted spectator heard that banging of the cup, and would glance in that direction to see the cup strike the table. Mission accomplished!

0 "TINAZ 1_

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Whether or not this phenomenon actually happened, I'll leave to your judgment. One thing is certain. For it to work, the audience must see it. Study the faces of the spectators watching

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Ror.er Private Studies

* * *ADVERTISEMENT* * *

DONA-IAN'S

Don do the Chop Cup. Nobody even glances at the actual loading action. Finally, I recommend you don't "try out" this loading action on your magic friends or relatives to "see if it looks okay" because it most likely won't! Make them sit through the whole trick! If you followed the instructions in this book, the experience will be a great confidence builder for you. Now you're ready for the full context... TURN TO PAGE 16.

&OLDEN ANNIVERSARY

CHOP CUP Almost FIFTY YEARS have passed since Don Alan chopped off about a half inch of Al Wheatley's Chop Chop Cup, and created the idea of the "professional style" version. Now Mike Brazill announces "The Don Alan Golden Anniversary Chop Cup" and it couldn't be more impressive if it were... SOLID GOLD! Actually, "The Don Alan Golden Anniversary Cup" is machined from a block of copper and lined with bronze, which wraps around the lip, and is beautifully engraved with the words: "RNT II Don Alan Anniversary Cup." It's the same height (three and onequarter inches) as

Wheatley's "stubby" Master Cup, but its —

—3 1/4"

/ WHEATLEY "STUBBY" MASTER CUP

RNT II ANNIVERSARY EDITION

special design allows it to hold a larger load. (Of course, it easily contains a regulation tennis ball.)

Only the legendary crafting skills of Mike Brazil! could achieve such smart styling, durability, and lasting value. But, this is an Extremely Limited Edition—ONLY FIFTY cups are being produced! Includes a special bag, two one and one-eighth inch crocheted balls, and a twenty-eight page copy of Don Alan's Complete Chop Cup written by Ron Bauer.

PRICE: $300°Call NOW to reserve your cup before they're gone. To order call Jake at: 757-414-0354 email: [email protected]

Page 26

For additional information contact Mike Brazil/ at: 870-533-4154 email: [email protected] 1-1

***ADVERTISEMENT***

•

***ADVERTISEMENT***

BON ALAN'S

DESIGNER CHOP CUP Engineered and manufactured by Mike Brazil! to Don's professional requirements!

Chicago, 1989 Two old pals, Don Alan and Ron Bauer, posing in front of one of Don's cherished LeRoy Neiman paintings from the Playboy Club Days.

* Elegant * Rugged * Large Load * That was years ago and only a few were ever made! Now we have retooled to again offer the only authorized, authentic Chop Cup on the market designed by Don Alan and Mike Brazill.

Ron Bauer trying out his new Master Cup on some easily impressed young ladies. (The one on his left still pretends to be even after fortysix years.)

Each cup has a bold bronze lining and lip that wraps around giving the design a Don Alan panache, and reinforces the edge without adding bulk. The cup stands 3 3A" tall and is 3 1/2" wide. The stainless steel version weighs 13% ounces; it's aluminum counterpart weighs 9% ounces. The cup comes complete with plush presentation bag, two 11/4" white crocheted balls (one chopped), and the instruction booklet, Don Alan's Complete Chop Cup written by Ron Bauer. Note: This cup can be used for Don Alan's Bowl Routine. Coming Soon! $200.00 Stainless Steel (Shipping and handling not included)

To order call Jake at: 757-414-0354 email: [email protected] For additional information contact Mike Brazil! at: 870-533-4154 email: [email protected]

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For several years, Ron picked up a dandy extra income by moonlighting on weekends as DETROIT'S DON ALAN. "Never could quite match the maestro, though!" -RB 1-1