 Karrell does “Center Tear”, but that’s NOT the way it’s supposed to end! |
EFFECT:
A piece of white show-card is shown. The card is covered with scribblings and markings on it that make no sense. Suddenly the marks slowly and VISIBLY begin to MOVE. Creeping and crawling, they form themselves into the now DISCERNIBLE name of a previously selected card or for that matter, anything your fancy dictates. |
When the big card is first displayed, it can be introduced as:
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A piece of papyrus, found in KING TUT’S tomb (the markings could be referred to as ‘hieroglyphics’).
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A sign from an art museum that was painted by PICASSO.
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A piece of original art done by your son in kindergarten school.
- A sign made by a drunken printer, or whatever.
As you can see, there is much room for YOUR IMAGINATION to take over. The same goes for the printing on the card. It could be (as suggested earlier) the name of a selected card, a selected word for a comedy mental effect, a funny sign, a funny drawing, or picture.
It could be a ‘cue’ card for applause, or could say, “THAT’S ALL FOLKS” or “GOODNIGHT”. It works fine with most fraternal insignias or logos, and is the perfect bit for TRADE SHOWS, using the name, slogan, sales points or trade marks of the company that’s sponsoring your show. There, I’ve given you MORE than enough reasons for you to take the trouble to make the prop.
HERE’S HOW:
Use white show-card, available at your local artist’s supply store. Any size may be used but let’s assume you are using two pieces that are eleven inches by fourteen inches.
Cut one of these pieces, horizontally into three equal strips. Cut a piece of thin acetate (plastic, also available at your art store) one inch wider than the center strip and rubber cement the card strip to the center of the acetate so that there’s half an inch of acetate strip above and below this center strip of card.
Next, glue the top and bottom strips of show-card to the eleven by fourteen inch piece. Be sure NOT to apply any glue to the bottom three-quarters of an inch of the top strip and the top three-quarters of an inch of the bottom strip. You’ll now be able to slip this center strip between the other two. When it’s ‘lined up’, the whole works looks like ONE CARD.
Using black paint (or a THICK magic marker), print your message, drawing or whatever, on the full card. Make sure your copy covers all three sections of the card, as in illustration.
WORKING:
Push the center slide about two inches to the left or right, whichever makes the copy on the card look the most jumbled. When the card is picked up from the table, your hands cover the protruding center strip at one end and the empty space at the other end. After they have seen the jumble, s-l-o-w-l-y push the center slide in until it lines up with the rest of the card, and your copy becomes clear. IS THAT CLEAR?
 Karrell accepting an award at the Chicago autoshow, marking his 20th year to appear there and declaring him an honorary autodealer!
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 Karrell and his pal, Roy Kissell at the I.B.M. Convention at Boston. Performing the “Card in Onion”, It’s funny to watch grown men cry!
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