The Professional Touch by Billy McComb

My oh my is this a great ebook! If you intend to earn a living doing magic or if you simply want to make your performances more professional then do yourself a favor and read and study this ebook. There are decades of experience bottled up in its wisdom. And on top of this it is fun to read.

The ebook starts with a superb introduction by Kirk Charles reproduced with kind permission of the Linking Ring. The ebook is edited and illustrated by David Britland with extra illustrations by JAT. And Martin Breese is the publisher. It was also Martin who recorded on tape Billy's recollections from which this book was largely created.

Billy McComb was one of the world's top cabaret magicians. He has worked all kinds of venues and performed all kinds of magic and in this ebook he shares some of his many experiences, thoughts and routines and describes how you too can give the professional touch to your act. Being a professional means thinking about your act in a commercial way. Here Billy deals with such points as misdirection, patter, close-up, opening effects, cabaret – in fact a wealth of information gained during his many years as a professional entertainer.

Billy touches on so many varied and interesting subjects connected with show business that it is impossible to list them here. We can promise you that reading about them will be an entertaining and educational experience. In addition to the tricks and routines explained in this ebook, Billy has also included complete descriptions of three cabaret routines used by him for many years. Every nuance of the performance is explained. Not just how you do it but, more importantly, why you do it.

A study of these three routines and their construction should pay dividends when applied to your own act. This is professional magic by one of our most entertaining professionals. Amongst the routines and effects described you will find The Nap Hand routine, the Ring on Stick and Billy's Bill in Lemon.

1st edition 1987; revised in 2003; digital edition 2010; 100 pages.

Table of Contents

1. Contents

2. Foreword

3. Introduction

   William's Words of Wisdom

4. What Are You Going to Wear?

5. A Beginner's Tricks

   McComb on Patter

6. Where the Patter Comes From

7. Tape Recorders

8. Timing and Pointing

9. Keep It Clean

10. Learning Your Patter

11. Repetitive Gags

12. Pinching Patter

    McComb on Misdirection

    McComb and the Professional Touch

13. What Went Wrong?

14. Signs of the Amateur

15. Knowledge is the Key

16. Working Out a Presentation

17. The Rice Bowls

18. William's Torn and Restored Newspaper

19. William's Presentation Wand

20. William's Fantastic Fez

21. William's Hot Book

22. William's Square Dancing

23. William's Fizzling Firework

24. The Eggs and Glasses Inertia Trick

    McComb on Close-Up

25. Introduction

26. Cigarette Through Handkerchief

27. The Shrinking Napkin

28. Challenge Silk Vanish

29. Oliver Mackenzie's Drink Trick

30. George Blake's Recurring Card

31. Thought on the Pea Can

32. The End

    McComb on Cruising

    McComb on Opening Effects

33. The Six Card Repeat

34. Golf Ball Through Handkerchief

35. The Torn and Restored Airmail Letter

36. Pat Page's Easy Money

37. Leopard Silk

38. Just Chance

39. The Professor's Nightmare

40. Invisible Card Trick

41. Red and White Ropes

    McComb on Cabaret

42. Be Bookable

43. Dealing With Your Audience

44. Humour

45. Cleanliness

46. Your Trademark Trick

47. The Role of the Compère

48. Get Organised

49. Learn From Everyone

50. Be Bold

51. Cabaret Defined

52. Contracts

53. Travel Light

54. Nerves

55. Get Them to Relax

56. Be Sneaky

57. Salesmanship

58. Heckler-Stoppers

59. Please the Ladies

60. What Is Right?

61. Comments and Suggestions

    The Professional Nap Hand

62. Requirements

63. Preparation

64. Presentation

65. Playing the Hands

66. Final Comments

67. References for Further Reading

    The Professional Ring on Stick

68. The Effect

69. Introduction

70. What You Need

71. Preparation

72. Presentation

    The Professional Bill in the Lemon

73. The Effect

74. Method

75. Requirements

76. Preparation

77. Forcing the Lemon

78. Switching the Bills

79. Vanishing the Bill

80. Cutting the Lemon

81. Revealing the Bill

82. Where Everything Is Placed

83. Presentation

84. Patter

85. Conclusion