My Favorite ATA Case… :-)

  • September 10, 2012
  • 1 minute read

A lot of my friends and staff think I have an obsession with “trying” to be organized, but never really am totally.
(It is no big secret too that I am a big believer in David Allen’s GTD philosophy, which keeps me on track…)

The pics that follow are a “case” in point… (Pun intended!)

This case is the replacement for an ATA case that went missing at a theatre where we where performing. I was so happy when these new one arrived from the case company! It is where all the various items are kept for my dove act (silk scarves, gimmicks, etc.), along with my other overall show emergency/preparation items (rubber bands, paperclips, glues, small tools and so on…). All organized by drawer and section.

A little obsessive YES, but it keeps me with a system backstage and I’m also easier to deal with for my staff. Just thought I would share…

 

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Added New Disqus Commenting System

  • September 10, 2012
  • 1 minute read

Just a quick courtesy note to all our readers out there – we have finally added back in a decent commenting system to the blog! YIPPEE!!!

Ever since I tried some creative programming a couple of years ago with this WordPress theme and lost our blog’s ability to view comments, we have had to do without! (You could leave one, just no one could see it!)

So we found a third-party solution to solve the problem. We joined the bandwagon and are using the external plugin associated with the excellent Disqus Comment System.

So have fun and comment away!  🙂

Hank Lee’s Harry Levy Sentenced

  • September 10, 2012
  • 1 minute read

I know a lot of you have been following this story and we are probably reporting it later than most news & blog outlets.

But because of my previous post about it and my personal lifelong connection to him and his company, I thought it worthy to mention it. (and for my readers and followers, as well)

harry-levy-hank-leesThere was a lot of anticipation and gossip in the magic community on what his sentence would be. In the end, he was given two years of imprisonment, two years additional probation and must make full restitution of the $560,000 he stole from the credit card of the victim Richard Garriott over a period of years.

His attorneys tried to argue for a much lighter sentence, in which effort they were unsuccessful.

Hank Lee (Harry Levy) is only 61 years old and still young enough to move on with his life when all this is over. Hopefully he realizes the mistake he made and the humility he has caused himself and his family. Hank Lee’s magic Factory remains open and I know he still has at least some loyal customers.

I will always try and remember the good side of Hank, and still have found memories as I go through some of his old paper catalogs in my collection. Good wishes and God bless his family too, as they try and deal with all this and put together the pieces of their lives.

This story regarding the sentencing of Harry Levy originally broke in the Medford Patch on September 6, 2012.

Classic Publicity Photo – Joe Conrad

  • September 4, 2012
  • 1 minute read

I am the style of person who likes to look forward and not dwell on the past. My busy life in the magic & entertainment world does not give me much time to be too nostalgic.

But from time-to-time it’s fun to look through all the old scrap books… (and I know from the email’s that my fans send me, as well others who follow this blog, they like to see stuff from my career when I was younger – along with the current going-on’s).

So imagine my smile when I came across this old publicity pic when I was in my prime! hee hee…

This pic served me well for many years and got me a lot of work. It was printed on many different brochures, posters and other marketing materials, as well. In the background are my two female assistants at the time, Val Werner (left side) and Melissa Lisi (right side).

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Illusionist Joe Conrad circa 1989

I will publish more historic “Joe Conrad” items online from time-to-time, as I come across them. In the mean time, there are lots of items in the Gallery Archive over at the main Joe Conrad website.

“AGT” – Michael Finney Get’s It Right!

  • September 2, 2012
  • 2 minute read

 

michael-finneyFinally, Michael Finney offers a sensible viewpoint on this terrible showcase for magic acts – America’s Got Talent.
I will let him describe it in his own words:
(Credited from the most recent newsletter of  Alan Watson’s” Magic New Zealand® – Issue Number: #951.” Not sure where his comments originally appeared.)

 I would like to add my two cents worth on the AGT show, and magicians performing, simply stated the show is a joke. Of all the shows like it “The Voice”, “Idol”, “Dancing with the  Stars” etc, AGT is the worst, How can anyone take that show seriously, other than Terry Fator.

You compete against a potpourri of hit and miss acts, most of which could not do a Las Vegas act, period. Little kids and animals competing against adults should tell you something. I feel for my friends who have gone on and been subjected to judges who are not qualified to judge acts under this format.  Some will say they got some TV time, which most have already had in one way or another. I did Star Search back in the day, at least then you were going up against other acts doing what you did. But even then the best acts hardly ever won! It’s all about rating’s. It’s all about controversy and how rude the judges can be to acts.  Many of the acts should never have gotten on the show in the first place, that’s what makes AGT a joke from the get go!

Right on Michael! I know so many professional magician friends (who where once on the top of their game with top tv spot time) trying to still cling on to stardom for a bit longer by appearing on the show. But they just end up embarrassing themselves.

Fellow local magician from Orlando, Florida (where I grew up) Dan Stapleton was made a total ass of with the taping of his act on AGT (and he voiced his thoughts about this publicly within the industry after the fact, in fairness to him…).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoL2_xSpxL8

Magic is an art and deserves respect to be showcased properly. And AGT isn’t that showcase.

My Friend Kelly…

  • August 26, 2012
  • 1 minute read

The nice thing about this business with traveling all over the world and performing, is renewing and staying in touch with all the old & new friends alike.

Kelly Mac was my magic assistant in the early 1980’s (back when I was working for Robert Earl in Orlando and doing 2 shows a night!). She is now a famous makeup artist in New York, doing all high-level projects and many celebrity shoots. I had such a crush on her then, hee hee…

Great to hear from you Kelly!  🙂

Just look at the dated 80’s hair styles & clothes on both of us below!

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Joe Conrad and Kelly Mac – circa 1980’s
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Kelly Mac today on one of her shoots.

The Untold Tommy Cooper – TV Special

  • August 25, 2012
  • 1 minute read

For those of you that are big Tommy Cooper fans (as I am), below are YouTube links to an excellent documentary about his life (including a lot of never before seen footage) from English television:

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YJuUdXVLQ4

Part2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC-_ixNncj0

Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv1xgDfHI_k

Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANpAbYlYc2s

Part 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZVjPxAhoPQ

 

Illusionist Joe Conrad Show Reel

  • April 14, 2012
  • 1 minute read

It was pointed out to me that we never actually posted our promo showreel here in the blog. So here it is!

 

We have been quite surprised on how many hits it received and how it has moved up in the rankings! Clients can received an actual higher quality version on DVD, along with all of our other hardcopy promotional materials. Just contact us on the Illusionist Joe Conrad bookings page.

Shocking Situation About Hank Lee

  • April 2, 2012
  • 1 minute read

Just as most of the magic community was, I was shocked to read the news over at the ‘Genii Buzz’ forum regarding the federal charges against Hank Lee (real name Harry Levy) of Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. Then of course after that the story went viral over all the other magic forums and blogs.

You can see the entire article here on the FBI investigation into Hank Lee. Also here is the pdf of the Hank Lee/Richard Garriott stipulated facts and settlement agreement  on the case.

This is so sad, at least for me personally. I have looked at Hank Lee with the highest regard for most of my career. I have ordered magic from him for the last 3 decades. As a teenager and beyond I always looked forward to his newest catalog and the ‘Book of Books’ (in the pre-internet days!). He always had all the latest items and supplies I needed and shipped them super fast.

To see him go through this kind of humility (even though self-imposed) breaks my heart. God bless his family too as they go through this ordeal. Hope he can move on after his punishment imposed by the court and put all of this behind him.

What I have been up too…

  • March 25, 2012
  • 1 minute read

I have been getting a lot of inquires of what I have been doing and when our next public performance is. Truth is that after performing two 60+ minutes shows per night for an 8 month run (showtimes 7 days a week!) in Phuket, I am enjoying some down time relaxing this month. Just hanging out with my friends, family and dogs and re-charging my batteries.

We have another high level project launching soon. In the mean time, you can catch up on the latest with our shows, etc. through this blog. Have a good weekend all…  🙂