Max Malini

King of Magicians — Magician of Kings

2022
Written by Steve Cohen
Work of Max Malini
536 pages (Hardcover), published by Squash Publishing
Illustrated with photographs and drawings
Language: English
185 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page Categories
Steve Cohen Preface
i
Steve Cohen Introduction
v
Part One: Malini's Life
1
Steve Cohen Chapter One: Yinglish on Max Malini's accent
 		3
Steve Cohen Chapter Two: The Four Hundred on Max Malini and wealthy people in NYC
  • From Acrobat to Aristocrat
  • "Professor" Frank Seiden
  • What's in a Name?
 		7
Steve Cohen Chapter Three: Managing Without Managers on Max Malini's business practices, Eddie McGuire
 		23
Max Malini Self-Printing Business Card white business card prints itself, light-sensitive ink
 		28
Steve Cohen Chapter Four: Chutzpah - Tales of Boldness on Max Malini
  • Tell Them Malini Did It
  • Miser's Dream at Sunday Mass
  • Computation Made Easy
  • No Hook, No Problem
  • Cubans
  • Roast Pig Head
  • "My" National Anthem
  • An Eye for Art
  • Fisher Brothers Gala Show
  • Cancel My Appointments
  • Two Gun Cohen
  • Never Too Late
  • Free Passage to Manila
 		29
Eddie Joseph I Knew Max Malini
Also published here
  • Tops, Sept. & Oct. 1950
 42
Theo "Okito" Bamberg Malini in Siam
Also published here
  • Okito on Magic, 1952
 47
Quotes from Notable Magicians on Max Malini
 		51
Steve Cohen Chapter Five: Early Media Conquests on newspaper articles on Max Malini
 		53
Max Malini You Should "Palm" From the Wrist
63
Steve Cohen Chapter Six: Only Malini Max Malini anecdotes
  • Impressive in Bed (blow-book for reporter)
  • A Droll Trick Played With a Fowl (resurrected chicken)
  • Kimura Malini
  • Suspected Spy
  • 1700 Convicts Mystified
  • Four-Power Treaty Framed in a Hotel Room
  • Six Martinis and a Bowl of Soup
  • An Inventive Mind
  • On the House
  • Cane Sawing
  • Caruso as Conjuror
 		69
Steve Cohen Chapter Seven: Family Man on Max Malini's family
 		83
Charlie Miller A Letter from Charlie Miller to Faucett Ross on Max Malini, November 30, 1935
Also published here 96
Part Two: Malini's Magic
99
Steve Cohen Chapter Eight: Maximum Malini on sourcing Max Malini's magic
  • Something From Nothing
 		101
Steve Cohen Chapter Nine: Impromptu Magic
105
Max Malini Vesting general advice, egg production & body loading, vesting a card
Related to 106
Max Malini Cross-Body Pocket Ditch as a complete coin vanish
Related to 110
Max Malini Handkerchief Pocket Ditch a palmed item is ditched as handkerchief is shown from both sides
 		111
Max Malini Slide Vanish coin slides down from one hand into the other
Also published here 112
Max Malini Lady or Eagle coin vanishes during heads & tails throwing from hand to hand, reappears, purse palm
 		113
Post-Vanish Dodges
116
Max Malini Seated With No Table coin left on knee with forearm covering it, credited to Vernon in Stars of Magic
Also published here 116
Max Malini Standing With No Table coin temporarily left on spectator's shoulder
Also published here 117
Max Malini Using a Hook Coin coin vanishes, reappears on the back of spectator
 		117
Coin Fold Vanish
Related to 118
Max Malini Spittoon Coin Vanish coin vanishes from paper cone which is crumpled up and thrown in the trash, reproduced from spectator (optional), variant with coin reappearing under ash tray and folding coin
Related to
  • Elwin T. Shaw's article in Hugard's Magic Monthly, Nov. 1961
 120
Paul Chosse Spittoon Coin Vanish Anecdote as clean up to get rid of gaffed coin
 		122
Max Malini Spectator Pocket Loads
  • Side Pocket Load
  • Breast Pocket Load
 		122
Max Malini Three From One coin broken in two, then again, with cracking sound
Related toAlso published here 123
Max Malini Cigar Production and Split
127
Max Malini Copper-Silver Transposition extra coin
 		129
Max Malini Malini Subtlety
129
Nate Leipzig Leipzig Follow-Up with extra coin, both hands given to spectator, with anecdote as told by David Roth
Related to 131
Max Malini Banknote-Newspaper Transposition
132
Max Malini Bil/Billet Switch
134
Max Malini Torn and Restored Banknote
135
Max Malini Bill Switch as Practical Joke tip changes into newspaper piece
 		135
Max Malini Bill in Cigarette
Also published here 135
Cigarette Switch with bill
 		137
Max Malini, Steve Cohen Ring on Stick
Inspired by 140
Max Malini False Transfer with Finger Ring slides into other hand
 		141
Max Malini Sugar Cube Assembly
Related to 144
Max Malini Lump Sugar sugar turns into sugar cube in performer's hand
Related to 148
Steve Cohen Cups and Balls introductory comments on Max Malini and the Cups & Balls, historical information, Louis Pop Krieger
 		150
Max Malini Filled Glasses as Final Loads body-loaded without covers
 		152
Max Malini Cups and Balls Opening Sequence
154
Steve Cohen, Max Malini Brick From Hat thorough discussion
  • Spinning Coin Option
  • Card Transposition Option
  • The Block of Ice
Inspired by 158
Max Malini Button Biting discussion and various possible methods
  • Method One - Fabric Feke & Extra Button (Stanyon's)
  • Method Two - Extra Button Only (The Magician Monthly)
  • Method Three - The Unbutton (U. F. Grant)
Related toVariationsAlso published here
  • The Magician Monthly, Aug. 1905
  • Stanyon's Magic, "The Great Button-Biting Trick", Jan. 1904
  • U. F. Grant, "Secrets", 1928
 171
Max Malini The Mesmerizing Watch routine with mechanical sound gimmick and watch winder, making borrowed watch ring on command
Inspired by 178
Alexander Heimbürger Spirit Bell with bird as hidden force in table
 		178
Max Malini Cigarette, Tobacco, and Saucer cigarette broken up, cigarette paper torn and restored, tobacco vanishes and reappears under saucer
Related to 182
Max Malini Torn and Restored Straw Paper
Also published here 184
Max Malini Torn and Restored Paper Straw
Related to
  • Elwin T. Shaw, Hugard's Magic Monthly, July 1961
 187
Max Malini Sucker Torn and Restored Paper paper strip
Related to 188
Max Malini Cut and Restored String with pull
Related to
  • Malini story by S. Leo Horowitz in The Sphinx, Dec. 1939
Also published here 		188
Steve Cohen Cut and Restored Violin String at an Anne-Sophie Mutter dinner
 		192
Max Malini Cut and Restored Hair
192
Max Malini Pants Leg Coin Vanish coin vanishes when folded into folds of trouser, complete vanish with pull
 		193
Max Malini Stretching a Penny Into a Quarter
195
Max Malini Magnetic Cigarette Paper cane balanced on back of chair, animated with apparently charged cigarette paper
 		196
Max Malini Stretching a Handkerchief two methods given
 		197
Max Malini Weeping Coin/Weeping Cane water drops from cane, same method for weeping coin
  • Weeping Cane (or Knife like David Ben)
Related to 199
Max Malini Magnetic Cane clings to hand, two methods
 		202
Max Malini Broken and Restored Mirror method guesses
 		205
Steve Cohen Mentalism Stunts
206
Max Malini Billet Reading on toilet paper
Also published here 206
Max Malini Book Test riffle force with book, without match according to Charlie Miller
Also published here 207
Max Malini Matching Matches spectator and performer remove some amount of matches from matchbox
Also published here 208
Animation Effects
209
Max Malini The Obedient Matchbox animation on hand
 		209
Max Malini The Rising Coin up and down in glass, thread
Related to 211
Max Malini The Dancing Handkerchief thread between knees, method guess for 1895 newspaper article
Related to 212
Table Tricks
215
Max Malini Coin in Bread Roll
Related to
  • Eric de la Mare in The Pentagram, Sep. 1955
 215
Max Malini Cutting the Menu dinner knife through paper menu, extra tip of blade
Related to 216
Max Malini, Stewart Judah Paper Knife pieces of paper put on blade of a knife, vanish and appear
Also published here 217
Max Malini The Dissolving Coin coin dropped into glass with handkerchief cover vanishes, glass coin, optional reproduction
 		220
Whisky Stunts
221
Max Malini Whisky-Water Transposition shot glasses with water and whiskey are opening-to-opening with a playing card in between, liquids transpose
 		221
Max Malini Spectator's Whisky Vanish at a bar, secretly drinking Whisky of friend, gag
Also published here 222
Max Malini Billiard Ball Stunt getting a billiard ball from the floor onto the pool table using just the cue
 		223
Max Malini The Vanishing Glass Under Newspaper as finale to heads/tails game, coin and glass reproduced
Related to 223
Max Malini Improvised Productions nut vanished, instead of nut a cork appears under newspaper-covered glass, repeat with billiard ball appearing under glass, then shot glass, then big glass vanishes
 		225
Max Malini Toss Vanish vanish of random item while tossing it up, glass vanish, ditch in side pocket or behind back
Related to 228
Steve Cohen Chapter Ten: Card Magic introduction on Max Malini's card magic, photo of his copy of Erdnase's Expert at the Card Table
 		233
Max Malini Daub Hide-Out planting daub and wax in advance, even at an earlier visit of a venue
Related to
  • Dabbling with Daub, Irv Weiner
 235
Daub Location
236
Max Malini One-Handed Revelation deck tossed onto table in two parts, selection remains in hand, apparently plugged out
 		236
Max Malini The Missing Link hiding a card in advance at an earlier visit for later discovery of a torn and vanished card with corner proof, card sewn into spectator's jacket, pieces vanish in newspaper square
Related to
  • "The Missing Link" (Sleight of Hand, Sachs)
 237
Steve Cohen Card Sewn in Jacket Lining recreation of Max Malini's effect
 		241
Max Malini Challenge Card Calling up to twenty or so cards selected and lost, during the show any spectator can ask for his card which is then produced
Variations 243
Max Malini Confusion Deck Switch multiple deck openly on table, switch by confusion by tabling one deck and later picking up another
Also published here 244
Steve Cohen Challenge Card Calling Handling up to twenty or so cards selected and lost, during the show any spectator can ask for his card which is then produced
Inspired by 244
Max Malini Hotel Clerk Revelation note sent to hotel clerk which comes back a few minutes later with five selections written on it
 		246
Max Malini Step Delay also jog, get-ready for classic force
 		247
Max Malini The Malini Force
Also published here 248
Max Malini Table Spread Force
249
Max Malini No, Don't Look At It card chosen, looked at apparently by mistake by spectator, then tossed down face down, new card is selected and turns out to be the same one, tabled card has changed
Also published here
  • Hugard's Magic Monthly, June 1956
 251
Max Malini Hypnotic Gaze Divination peeked at card instantly named, glimpse
Also published here 252
Max Malini Gaze Step Glimpse
Also published here 253
Max Malini Malini Side Steal side steal, not palmed, buckle push-out, different covers
Also published here 254
Max Malini Deck Flexing while holding a break
 		254
Side Steal to Palm Tip
256
Max Malini One-Phase Ambitious Card "top or bottom?"
 		257
Max Malini Top, Bottom, or Number
257
Max Malini Side Steal to Small Number to known position near top of deck
Related to 257
Max Malini Malini's Own Color Change Erdnase second method
Related to 259
Max Malini Color Change Subtlety card can be removed singly after change
Also published here 260
Max Malini Rear Palm with extraction from pocket
 		261
Max Malini Card(s) From Shower of Cards brief, from rear palm
 		263
Max Malini Psychological Riffle Force with routining, out, finding apparently forgotten first card as well
Related to 264
Chan Canasta One-Handed Psychological Riffle Force
266
Max Malini Think-a-Card Secret spreading cards with faces towards spectator and following spectator's gaze
Also published here 266
Top and Bottom Glimpse at once
 		267
Max Malini Peek and Glimpse card chosen, spectator hits it, performer announces position from top, another card chosen, performer names it instantly
 		268
Mahatma Control overhand shuffle
 		269
Max Malini Malini's Location spectator peeks at a card in his own hands and it is found, estimation
Inspired by 271
Max Malini Thumb Riffle Open Index spectator looks at a card while performer spread cards with faces towards audience, deck face up during riffling
Related to 274
Max Malini One-Handed Top Change as ambitious card move, done openly
Related to 276
Max Malini Malini's Invitation how to have a card selected
Also published here 278
Max Malini Card to Mouth folded, general discussion and method guesses
 		279
Lee Noble Card in Mouth while smoking a cigarette as a cover for the load
Also published here 279
John Scarne A Card Mouthful folded, while smoking
Also published here 281
One Hand Quarter Fold brief
Also published here 281
Max Malini Siamese Aces two Aces separated in deck come up next to each other when dealt through deck
Also published here 281
Max Malini Nail Nicking Method while displaying cards in each hand
Also published here 282
Max Malini General Card method guess, based on Hoffmann
Related to 284
Bottom Change
288
Max Malini Multiple-Selection Routine introductory comments on the plot
 		289
Max Malini, Dr. James William Elliott Malini-Elliott Multiple Card Location
Also published here 289
Max Malini Card on Chair
290
Max Malini Card in Hat loading a duplicate in a spectator's hat
Also published here
  • Hugard's Magic Monthly
 291
Max Malini Card Under Spectator's Collar
291
Max Malini Card to Mouth
292
Max Malini Standard Sleights various quick locations
 		293
Max Malini Card on Wall/Card on Ceiling also with thumb tack
 		295
Max Malini Card-Scaling Stunt reports of unbelievable card throw skills
 		300
Paul Curry Gutter Magic card is found on the street, destroyed and vanished, then found again at the same spot as in the beginning
Also published here 301
Max Malini Rising Cards write-up of performance
Also published here
  • The Sphinx, Dec. 1913
 303
Max Malini The Deck Vanishes
Related to
  • Gems from the Loyd's Scrapbook, Genii, Feb. 1964
 303
Steve Cohen Chapter Eleven: Platform Magic intro
 		307
Max Malini Sample Malini Programs several descriptions of Malini's stand-up performances in print
 		309
Malini's Methods
317
Max Malini Lamp Chimney Silk Vanish about Max Malini's silk vanish with pull
 		319
Nathan Coe Marsh, Michael Close Silk Vanish in Champagne Flute with pull
 		320
Max Malini Color-Changing Silk with dye tube, also into a flag, vesting for the gimmick
Related to 323
Max Malini Silk into Hat and Glove
325
Steve Cohen Thumb Tip Credit Information
326
Max Malini, Steve Cohen Magnetic Fingertips - Cigars & Knives discussion of Malini's performances and various possible methods, cigar or knife cling to finger tips
  • 1. Adhesive Applied to the Fingertips
  • 2. Standard Lift Grip
  • 3. A Clip-On Attachment
  • The Malini Routine
Related to 327
Max Malini Tumbler Penetration and Vanish glass through glass , then glass vanishes and appears somewhere, Whisky-refill ruse
Also published here 335
Max Malini Card Magic Sequence six spectators select the same card from six decks
Also published here 338
Steve Cohen The Multiple Decks Climax inspired by Max Malini and David Berglas (see The Berglas Effects, Kaufman)
four spectators each shuffle a deck and peek at a card, all divined by performer, fifth deck is shuffled and a card cut to, the top card of each of the other four decks is a duplicate of that card
 		340
Max Malini, Steve Cohen Blindfolded Card Stab discussions with various ideas
  • The Campaign
  • The Blindfold
  • Stab Revelations
Related to 343
Max Malini Peeked Cards to Bottom possible reconstruction of Max Malini control
 		345
Max Malini Selected Card to Bottom cards all inserted in center one by one, then step delay
Related to 349
Max Malini Selected Cards to Top
Related to 349
Bob Sheets Card Stab Commandments
358
Max Malini Stab Trivia Malini anecdotes
 		362
Max Malini Malini Egg Bag construction of bag
 		363
Harry G. Shaw Malini's Egg Bag Trick on the Max Malini egg bag
Also published here
  • Hugard's Magic Monthly, June 1961
 365
David Alexander Malini's Egg Bag Routine on the Max Malini egg bag
  • The Bag
  • The Routine
  • The Vanishes
  • The Malini Vanish
  • The Alexander Complete Vanish
 		367
Max Malini Cut and Restored Rope with extra loop, see p. 381 for different handling of knot
 		374
Bob Stencel Malini's Rope Cut
379
Max Malini The Coin Game coin snatching technique, hand is wrapped with handkerchief except first finger, spectator cannot take the coin
Related to 382
Ken De Courcy Coin Game Climax coin transposition
Also published here
  • The New Pentagram, Nov. 1988
 383
Max Malini Bills in Lemon and Egg longer discussion, bill in lemon and bill in egg, two bills vanish from handkerchief, with knife, gaffed wand discounted by Malini's son ("Vernon was a pest.") who gave the real method in 1989
Related to 385
Max Malini Button Biting about doing it in Malini's platform act
 		393
Steve Cohen Pocket Stitching à la Malini coin travels to spectator's breast pocket, then that pocket is suddenly stitched shut
Inspired by 393
Max Malini Chinese Water Bowl Production body load, Chinese costume
Related to 395
Max Malini Chinese Linking Rings comment on Malini and the Linking Rings
 		402
Max Malini, Steve Cohen Stage Coins Across reconstruction from one newspaper report mention, book as coin tray
 		404
Max Malini The Eggs in Glasses glasses covered with a tray, on the tray are tubes with eggs, tray is knocked away and eggs fall into glass
Also published here 406
Steve Cohen Chapter Twelve: Five Malini Lessons
  • 1. Travel Light, But Always Be Ready
  • 2. Focus on Showmanship
  • 3. Aim High
  • 4. Be Bold
  • 5. Be Patient
  • Conclusion
 		411
Steve Cohen Chapter Thirteen: Malini The Storyteller "What was the story Malini created for others to tell?"
 		417
Steve Cohen Chapter Fourteen: You'll Wonder When I'm Coming, You'll Wonder More When I'm Gone on Max Malini's time in Honolulu, Hawaii, and his passing
 		423
Oziar Malini Appendix I: Oziar Malini Speech Transcript speech given by Max Malini's son at the Conference on Magic History in Los Angeles, 1989
 		429
Steve Cohen Appendix II: Selected Newspaper Articles - 1902-1942 collection of newspaper articles about Max Malini
 		451
Steve Cohen Appendix III: Malini Timeline long list of where Max Malini performed where
 		503
Steve Cohen Acknowledgements
523
Steve Cohen Image Credits
524
Steve Cohen About the Author
525
Data entered by Denis Behr, May 2022.