Law and Magic Blog

A Documentary About the Amazing Randi

Via Kickstarter, news that FlimFlam Films is developing a project called An Honest Liar: The Amazing Randi Story. The project needs a total of nearly $150,000 before it can begin filming, and has collected about $91,000 so far. Click here for more information, to donate, and to see the perks if you become a backer (they're all great, no matter the donation level). More here at the project's website.

A New Article On the Teller Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

Remember the Teller v. Dogge lawsuit? Magician Teller filed a lawsuit against Gerard Dogge (real name Bakardy) for infringing the copyright of Teller's famous illusion, Shadows. A number of attorneys and magicians have commented on the suit on blogs. Last year, Chris Jones published an discussion of the lawsuit for Esquire. 

Now Jennifer J. Hagan and William Samuels are publishing "Teller v. Dogge": When Two Magicians Duel Over the Secret to an Iconic Illusion, They Conjure a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit," in the Spring 2013 issue of "New Matter Magazine," the magazine of the IP Section of the California State Bar Association. It's an interesting piece. Stay tuned.

Steve Carell Magician Movie Will Open South By Southwest 2013

Steve Carell's new comedy, Burt Wonderstone, which features him as Las Vegas magician Wonderstone will open this year's South by Southwest Film Conference. More here from the Hollywood Reporter. Here's more about the movie, which also stars Steve Buscemi as Mr. Carell's partner, Anton Marvelton, and Jim Carrey as a ambitious up and coming magician, Steve Gray. Wonderstone and Marvelton split up their act after an accident on stage, and Gray becomes a threat to Wonderstone's solo act.

Others in the movie are Alan Arkin, playing Wonderstone's mentor Rance Holloway, and James Galdofini, a billionaire casino owner. David Copperfield appears as himself. Jonathan Levit is the magic consultant. The film is due to be released March 15.

Another Foundation To Assist Magi In Need

iTricks has posted about the Encore Foundation (thanks, iTricks), and a commentator there has noted that the Dai Vernon Fund, administered by the Magic Castle, also assists magicians in need. Send contributions to

The Dai Vernon Fund, c/o The Magic Castle, 7001 Franklin Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028. As with the Encore Foundation, if you want to direct your contribution to assist a particular performer (as with Wayne Houchin, who suffered burns in that very weird attack in the Dominican Republic, but is now recovering, write that person's name on the memo line of your check.

Memo to the iTricks folks--I'm behind the Law and Magic Blog, but hey--I'm a female-type person!...I love your site, anyway.

 

 

A Foundation To Help Magicians In Need

I've added a link in one of my sidebars to a new website, The Encore Foundation, which assists ill or injured magicians. Arbitrator/lawyer/magician Richard Bloch set up the Foundation several years ago. If you want to help this worthy cause, send contributions to

 

The Encore Foundation

c/o

RICHARD I. BLOCH

4335 CATHEDRAL AVE. N.W.

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20016

If you want to assist a particular performer, write that person's name in the memo line of your check.

Here's another link, through which you can donate online, using your credit card. You can help someone in need, which is always great. And courtesy of the IRS, the magic words of the day are "tax deductible."

Johnny Depp's Magician Movie

Johnny Depp has joined the ranks of those Hollywood stars planning a movie about magicians. His venture is based on Myron Levoy's young adult novel The Magical Hat of Mortimer Wintergreen (Mortimer Wintergreen is the conjuror). Apparently the hat, in the possession of a stage magician/con man, does all sorts of wonderful things. Sounds sort of like the Hogwarts hat, except that Mortimer's hat appears in 1987 or 1988 and the first Harry Potter novel came out in 1997. The novel's protagonists are two youngsters who live on a boring farm in South Dakota and want to escape from their mean aunt Vootch. Hmmm. Maybe she's mean because she lives on a boring farm in South Dakota, has two snarky kids to take care of and her name is Vootch. Anybody think of that?

I wonder who will create the special effects. There have to be special effects! More here in an article from The Hollywood Reporter, here from IMDB.com.

The Vanishing Driver

CNN's Jeannie Moos reports on the clever criminal justice student who designed an outfit (out of cardboard, apparently) and now proceeds to freak out fast food personnel when he orders tacos, burgers, etc. He's also a magician. Literally. Check out his work at Magic of Rahat (Youtube). He notes that the get-up limits his field of vision somewhat, so maybe it's not the safest thing to be wearing when one is driving. And border patrol probably isn't enamoured of the idea. Still, pretty good. 

Lindsay Lohan--Your Lawyer Called (and Your Psychic's On Line 2)

Lindsay Lohan's lawyer Mark Heller told the media that a fortune teller says that 2013 would be a lucky one for his client. It's certainly starting out that way. Prosecutors put off her assault case (stemming from an altercation in a New York night club last November) for now, which was really lucky for her. According to Mr. Heller, no charges have yet been filed. As for Ms. Lohan, she's still in London.  More here at tmz.com.