School for Scoundrels

School for Scoundrels Class will be in session at the Magic Castle in November on Sunday nights at 7:30 pm. Tuition is $160, and includes the entire eight hour class and all props and supplies for the class are supplied.

The class will be taught by Whit Haydn and Chef Anton, with guest appearances from Doc Eason and Bob Sheets.

If there is enough interest, a second class will begin on Monday, Nov 7 at 7:30 pm.

For registration, please call Nani Darnell at Mark Wilson Productions at (661) 257-6070.

This month School for Scoundrels began a brand new service for our students, customers and fellow travelers called the Scoundrels Forum. Here you join our e-mail list, and at the same time get to partake in discussions about the methods, psychology, history, and application to magic of the three major street scams--the Shell Game, Three-Card Monte and Fast & Loose.

There are also sections on magic, bar and restaurant magic, escapes, street magic, carnival, circus, pitches and medicine shows. There are places to discuss the soft rackets--the con games big and short, pickpockets, fraud, swindles, fortune-telling and faith healing and psychic surgery.

There are secret sections only available to members who have shown they are practicing magicians or exhibitors of the street scams.

There are places to ask questions and review School for Scoundrels products, and this can be a big help in making your buying decisions.

We also offer a online Calendar, a Wiki Site, live chat in the "Joe Hep Saloon," an online Scoundrels Magazine, and a Classified Ads section.

Jeff Smith runs the Soapy's Gang on the Forum, a special group devoted to the memory and history of Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith--Jeff's great-grandfather and the foremost short con artist of the Nineteenth century.

The Scoundrels Wiki Site provides a huge public domain repository of information on the short con. Glossaries, Bibliographies, Filmographies, Patter Collection and other invaluable resources are presented in a wiki format where anyone from anywhere on the planet can add to, correct, and expand this collection of information and reference material on these games. The end result promises to be an invaluable reference source for historians and researchers, but also for writers, performers, actors and directors.

All of these features are available free on our Scoundrels Forum. You can reach the Scoundrels Forum by clicking on the button Scoundrels Forum on the menu at the right. It is just below the Scoundrels Gallery button.

School for Scoundrels held its second annual "Soapy Smith Night" at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, and it was a smash success with beautiful women and handsome men decked out in their finest 1890's costumes.

This year, the party was also a fund-raiser for the Dai Vernon Fund, a charitable fund for magicians in financial distress. Dai Vernon (known to magicians as "The Professor") was a big fan of Soapy's, having heard stories about him since he was a kid--Vernon was young when Soapy was shot--and had even arranged a meeting with the Smith family many years ago.

So it is an appropriate venue for raising money for the fund. Over $2000 was raised for the Vernon Fund.

Entertainment included Chef Anton at the pool table (table provided by Billiards and Barstools of Glendale , and Rich Cowley at the WC Fields Bar. Whit Haydn performed in 19th century costume and character in the Palace of Mystery.

Dave Bourne from the television series "Deadwood" played authentic saloon piano, and also accompanied our lovely "Western Songbird," Brandy LaPlante, as she sang and danced for the enthusiastic crowd.

Dave Bourne is an authority on nineteenth century music, and performed all the music on the School for Scoundrels DVDs. He has several terrific CDs of his music available on his site. Brandy was a huge hit, and we hope we can get this lovely and talented performer back next year.

Jeff Smith gave a talk and answered questions about Soapy, and there was an auction of Soapy memorabilia and School for Scoundrels products, as well as a number of great door prizes--including a "lucky chip" from Soapy's original grave marker. For more info on Soapy Smith, check out Jeff's site at SoapySmith.net and also the Scoundrels Gallery on this site.

Larry Bitterman of Old Frontier Clothing, Jeff Smith and Peter Menyhart judged the costume contest. Prizes were awarded for most authentic( ), sexiest (Linda Flinn), and funniest costumes (Aye Jaye). Larry Bitterman is "the source" for authentic, hand-tailored Victorian clothes, and he also donated a beautiful nineteenth century replica shirt to the winner of the "Most Authentic."

Jeff Smith and Pete Menyhart are both experienced Old West re-enactors. The Magic Castle's Magic Food and Beverage donated a number of great prizes for the auction and door prizes as well.

Milt and Arlene Larsen donated a huge basket of goodies from the Magic Castle souvenir shop. The Magic Hotel donated 100 bars of soap for Steve Mitchell to wrap.

The School for Scoundrels donated a set of sterling silver Colorado Silver Shells, a membership in next November's School for Scoundrels course, a gold Fast and Loose Chain, and a number of books and DVDs. Jeff Smith donated some wonderful Soapy memorabilia, including the two framed "Lucky Chips" from Soapy's original grave marker--one was sold at auction and one given as a door prize.

Thanks to Kym Hainley who manned the door without a break all evening. No one got past her without paying the $5.00 cover charge or buying a bar of soap--she was packing her sidearm in the holster at her side.

Rob Zabrecky was our wonderful professional auctioneer in full nineteenth century costume and moustache.

Thanks to Mark Nelson for his invaluable work in organizing the event, and Steve Mitchell for his beautiful graphic design on the posters and Sapolion soap bars (which sold for $5 each). Bob Busch took the photos shown below.

An article on "Soapy Smith Night" at the Magic Castle including a photo was published in the July 18th edition of the Juneau Empire and is available on line at the Juneau Empire under the headline "Soapy Smith gets a little posthumous credit" or here. The Magic Castle Newsletter story is available here.

School for Scoundrels instructors Bob Sheets, Whit Haydn, and Doc Eason all won awards this year at the 37th Annual Awards Banquet of the Academy of Magical Arts (Magic Castle). Bob won "Lecturer of the Year," Whit won "Close Up Magician of the Year," and Doc won "WC Fields Bar Magician of the Year."

Among the presenters at this year's awards banquet were Terry Hatcher and Tony Shaloub.

Bob Sheets helped teach the November 2004 class and appears on our upcoming DVD "Introduction to the Shell Game." Doc Eason appears on our "School for Scoundrels DVD on the Shell Game."

Chef Anton and Whit Haydn were also nominated for "WC Fields Bar Magician of the Year," giving the School for Scoundrels three out of the five nominees in that category.

The School for Scoundrels course was taught again at the Magic Castle Magic University. Whit Haydn and Chef Anton, along with Bob Sheets as "visiting professor" taught this college level course on street scams.

We covered Fast and Loose, Three-Card Monte, and the Shell Game, teaching the mechanics, technique, psychology, philosophy, and application to magic of these ancient swindles. Open to magician members of the Magic Castle, no prior experience in this area required.

The School for Scoundrels sponsored our first annual "Soapy Smith Night" at the Magic Castle, and it was a huge success. Joining us was Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith's great-grandson, Jeff Smith, in full nineteenth century costume.

Each year, on this same date, and at this same time, the citizens of Skagway, Alaska hold a big party in remembrance of the fatal shootout in which its most famous bad guy was killed. We joined them for the first time this year at the Magic Castle in the spirit of fun, to celebrate this unusual part of American history.

The Magic Castle mansion was built just ten years after the death of Soapy, at the time when many of his cohorts and friends were settling back into the Los Angeles area after the end of the Gold Rush. In its Victorian surroundings, Soapy would have felt right at home. Alexander Pantages (opened Pantages Theater), Wilson Mizner (founded the Brown Derby Restaurant), Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Alexander Conlin and many other of Soapy's friends, associates, and henchmen found their way to our sunny climes after the turbulent 90's.

Dai Vernon "The Professor" was a big fan of Soapy Smith, and often spoke and wrote about him.

At our first annual event, Jeff Smith gave a talk about his infamous forbearer, Chef Anton did his trick-shot pool show, Dave Bourne played saloon piano, and Whit Haydn did magic at the WC Fields Bar. At 9:30 pm, everyone raised a glass in the traditional toast to "Soapy's Ghost," bringing the fun evening to it's conclusion.

For more information on the notorious Soapy Smith, check out our Scoundrels Gallery.

Soapy's Original Grave Marker

Dave Bourne, Saloon Piano

Soapy Fans

Whit Haydn introductin Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith and Peter Menyhart

Soapy Fans

Soapy fan Mickey Jones, from TV's Home Improvement

Pete Biro, Mike Caveney, Billy McComb at the WC Fields Bar

Chef Anton at the Pool Table

Whit Haydn entertains at the WC Fields Bar

Chef Anton and Milt Larsen

Whit with our Trade Show Shells

Dave Bourne and Patty

Jules Lenier

Mike Cavney and Lina Lenart

All "Soapy Night" Photos by Bob Busch

The School for Scoundrels course will be taught again at the Magic Castle Magic University. Whit Haydn and Chef Anton will teach the class.. Classes will be at 7:30 pm on Sundays beginning November 2. Contact Yvonne Smith at the Magic Castle 323-344-8793 for more details. This is a four-week course--two hours a night--each Sunday in November. We will cover Fast and Loose, Three-Card Monte, and the Shell Game.

The School for Scoundrels course will be taught again at the Magic Castle Magic University. Whit Haydn and Chef Anton will teach with an appearance by Gazzo. Classes will be at 7:00 pm on Sundays beginning November 3. Contact Yvonne Smith at the Magic Castle 323-344-8793 for more details. This is a four-week course--two hours a night--each Sunday in November. We will cover Fast and Loose, Three-Card Monte, and the Shell Game.

Chef Anton will perform in the Close-Up Gallery at the Magic Castle in Hollywood August 26-September 1. He will be using the Street Shells in his performance of the Golden Shells Routine.

Whit Haydn lectured and performed at Bristol Day of Magic in Weston Sur La Mer, England. Upcoming Whit Haydn lectures will be in San Francisco, CA in August and Tucson, AZ in September.

We added the Scoundrels Gallery to our website. Still under construction, this will be a page with information and stories concerning the historical and present day scoundrels who have plied the trade of the sure-thing gambler--from Doc Bennett, Umbrella Jim and Lucky Bill Thornton (1800-1850's) to George Devol and Canada Bill Jones (1840-1880's), and including London's Cracker Parker (1950-70's). Click Here.

Whit Haydn in his famous Four Ring Routine, and Chef Anton setting up a trick shot.

Whit Haydn, Chef Anton, and Gazzo appeared at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas. We presented a two hour School for Scoundrels Workshop--a super-condensed version of our famous eight-hour course from the Magic Castle's Magic University, and all three three of us appeared in the cabaret show with Fielding West as the emcee on Monday and Tuesday nights.

Chef Anton's combination of trick-shots and magic received the first standing ovation of the entire convention, and Gazzo brought the house down with his cups and balls routine, and got a huge standing ovation as well.

The Gazzo Street Cups and The Gazzo Poacher's Pouch were shown for the first time. Gary Animal (Gary Knights) and his wife Debbie Robinson were on hand to answer questions about the cups. Gary designed the cups with Gazzo's specifications and input (Gary is a street-performer and cups worker as well as a sculptor and painter), and then Gary had them hand-turned from 2 mm copper by a craftsman in England. They are meant to stand up to the conditions of the street, and to handle the way an experienced performer would want. The Poacher's Pouch (essential to a street cups performer), is designed and hand-crafted by Gazzo. The magicians at the convention were very excited about both products, "The best cups I've ever seen," especially after seeing Gazzo's masterful performance with the cups at the cabaret show.

The Scoundrels met with Ron Wohl while at the convention, and photos from his collection were studied and chosen for our forthcoming book, The School for Scoundrels Notes on the Shell Game.

In other news, Chef Anton's eagerly awaited book The Pool Hustler's Handbook will be shipping in December, as will Whit Haydn's latest Street Magic. We have lots of new products coming in each month, so keep checking the web site. Be sure and get on our e-mail list so that we can keep you informed of all the new stuff.

A glowing review of our Notes on Three-Card Monte appeared in this month's MAGIC Magazine, written by Michael Close. You can read it in the reviews of the book on this site: Click Here.

Whit Haydn and Chef Anton teaching the School for Scoundrels at the Magic Castle

The School for Scoundrels course was taught on each Thursday night (except Thanksgiving) in November at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. Fourteen registrants attended, and everyone seemed to enjoy the performances and lectures of Whit Haydn and Chef Anton, and especially the guest appearance by Gazzo, who described his experiences working with the notorious Cracker Parker mob in London, and demonstrated some of his own very clever ideas for the three-card monte.

The Tetley's are (left to right) Billy McComb, Chef Anton, Whit Haydn, Jeff Thomas,
Gazzo, Paul Wilson, Zack Dubnoff and Adam Siefke

Work has begun on the School for Scoundrels Video on Three-Card Monte. In November, we began filming on the video that will be a companion to our Notes on Three-Card Monte. The taping so far has been a re-creation of the entire three-card monte scam, shot from the viewpoint of the sucker. Whit Haydn played the sucker, Gazzo the dealer, Billy McComb the smoother, and the various shills were played brilliantly by Chef Anton, Paul Wilson, Zack Dubnoff, Adam Siefke and Jeff Thomas.

The scene was professionally shot with three three-chip digital cameras, and directed and edited by Kevin Celi. The scene was shot on the sidewalk of a busy street in Glendale, CA. The base of operations was Dean's Shoppe, the unique and wonderful combination hair salon and magic shop run by the incredible Dean Dill. Dean let us use his sidewalk, and we had the salon to relax in. Dean provided soft drinks and snacks for everyone, and we had a great time.

Dean's Shoppe is located on the corner of Lexington Avenue and Verdugo Road in Glendale, and is well worth a visit. It is the place for magicians to hang out in the afternoon in the Los Angeles area.

The players are shown in the photo above, and we all had so much fun that we are thinking of keeping the team together and hitting the road. The Tetley's may be appearing soon on a street corner in your town...

We still have a lot of shooting to go, but from the looks of the footage so far, we are going to have an incredible tape when it is finished.

Jamy Ian Swiss reviewed the School for Scoundrels Notes on Three-Card Monte in the November Genii Magazine, and you can read it in the reviews of the book on this site.