For my generation (and yours), these videos serve two functions. Not only do they display classic routines with great presentations and emotional hooks, but they showcase an era of television we missed by forty years. These videos are not instructional, but rather a collection of a television series for children. The premise of the show is a western-style ranch where the host, Don Alan, performs magic for the guests. You get to see classic acts and magicians (and these guest spots are a mixed bag). Each show also highlights a junior magician segment, where a young magician performs a trick; most of these spots should be self-esteem boosters for you or examples of what not to do. But most importantly, you get to see Don Alan, the original close-up magician, spin his effects over and over again. Pay close attention to how he routines interesting props and stories into a magical experience.
Includes:
Rare Don Alan Performances - The thirteen episodes of Magic Ranch from 1961 contain Don Alan close-up gems like the Chop Cup, Stack of Quarters, Flying Eagles, and many other classics of Don’s influential blend of magic and comedy.
Guest Stars - Historic footage of great performers including Jay Marshall, Al Flosso, Jack Gwynne, "Senator" Crandall, Karrell Fox, Richard Himber, Neil Foster, George Johnstone, James Reneaux, Johnny Platt, and more.
Extras - An interview with Eugene Burger (one of Don’s early devotees), Magic Ranch stills and outtakes, long-lost footage for the Alan’s Alley show, and an early Don Alan TV performance.
- Over six hours of footage
- Three DVDs for optimum viewing quality
- Dozens of classic magic routines performed
- Never-before-seen Don Alan footage
- Each episode now fully navigable