The Magic Memories (22)

Hi everyone!

Here we are with the 22nd installation of The Magic Memories, gone online on SUN, 30th May 2021, at 0:07 o’clock.

Today, let’s talk about Fred Kaps, just briefly, I’m afraid, as the man and his magic warrant a huge project. If you search Internet, you’ll find quite a bit of information, photos and videos. In particular I would like to focus on Kaps’ personal version of an old chestnut, the Chinese Sticks. In the PDF, which is today’s gift to you, I’ll give you a bit of info on the context. Before you read the text in the PDF, may I suggest that you watch Kaps himself do the routine. To see a young Fred Kaps, at the age of 37, perform his interpretation of the Chinese Sticks on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1963, CLICK HERE. (If, for whatever reason, the link shouldn’t work, simply search “Kaps Chinese Sticks” on YouTube.)

Kaps kept performing this trick long into his professional career. So, several years later, in The Fred Kaps Show, you could see a mature Fred Kaps doing the same routine, with the same text, but it has aged beautifully, like a great port. I couldn’t find the clip on Internet, and am reluctant to upload it from my private file for reasons of TV-copyright, which can be quite a hassle. To read and/or download the PDF with my script of Kaps’ Chinese Sticks, CLICK HERE.

Below is a photo of Fred Kaps performing in an informal close-up situation – he was a master at this. The photo was kindly given to me by Flip Hallema – if you know the photo credit, please advise.

Of course, we could go on a tour exploring the cultural history of the Chinese Sticks, and what an interesting and enlightening exploration it would be, I’m convinced it would even make the subject of a fascinating book, but since I just finished writing one, and know of its implications (!), we won’t do it here 🙂 BUT, if you give yourself 3 minutes, have a look at the British magician Sutherland Felce, who performed the Chinese Sticks in quite a different way, CLICK HERE to watch.

(Maybe…) Final News About Sharing Secrets 

Finally, it’s done! By the time you are reading this, the books have all arrived here at our home in Muttenz, Switzerland, near Basel, have been carried, stocked, unpacked, signed, repacked, taken to the post office, and are now in the hands of the shippers. Those who live in Switzerland and Germany can expect it Monday or Tuesday, or have it already received. Those living in Europe should get it the coming week, so keep an eye on the postman. For all others outside of Europe I’ll have to beg for a little patience. Due to Corona the post office announced that the planes are overbooked and do not exclude the possibility of sending via ship, which will take several weeks. We’re still living in an exceptional time, and need to put up with exceptional measures.

I wish you a pleasant and successful week!

Roberto Giobbi