All of the magician's mentioned thus far are indeed fantastic dove workers.
Correct me if I'm wrong, I believe it was Cantu who inspired Channing Pollack to add doves to his act.
Also, Lance's Gas Light act can be found in Ian Adair's Dove Encyclopedia, "Under the Lamp Post." But, man did Lance bring the text to life. Thank you Ian Adair!

Kregg

I think you're right, there's all sorts of cool stuff in those old books. Any time I need to look into some magic principal or whatever I go back to the beginning in those old texts and more often than not I find even more than I ever wanted...

sperris

Posted: Aug 26, 2004 10:38pm
Quote:
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On 2004-08-24 23:45, lordblasto wrote:
I recently had the privilege of seeing Dan Sperry perform at the Abbotts convention. "WOW" pure magic. Truly a memorable dove act. This is as smooth as it gets. He's a dove master with a whole lot of style. Receiving a standing ovation for his performance speaks for it's self. Try to catch him. He's one you won't want to miss...
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Cool man, rawk on dude! I appreciate the good words, hopefully we'll run into each other again and maybe this time actually talk or something and get to know each other. Rick Thomas is still a smooth dude in my opinion though...

SperriS

Hi Sperry

Yes! I agree with you, Rick Thomas is indeed great. But I noticed his dove toss (to tail) is standing towards the front of the audience instead of the side. This seem a little obvious though. What do you think?

I like yours as well as General Grant, Victor Cephas of tossing with one hand. Hope to see your full end some day..cheers

Warmest regards
doveboy

Well my tail vanish looks like its going straight on towards the audience, but I like actually dump the dove as I turn and like "power walk" towards the audience and throw the silk at them. But it happens so fast they think the dove is being thrown straight at them.

SperriS

The best tail ditches I've never seen were live. On camera they seem glaringly obvious. I once saw a magician do it super slow... body to the side, pitch to the front. I learned then that it wasn't the speed, but, the timing that mattered.

My Rocky the Raccoon seems to be doing very well with his dove act and his card manipulation.
Perhaps he'll be on the list soon.
Matt

James Dimmare has the best bird act. Definitely.
Ben

I got to see the IBM win by Burton in New Orleans.

I can't believe that Joseph Gabriel's Dove Act hasn't even been mentioned in this topic.

His act is amazing with all the Doves, Parakeets, Cockatoo, and Macaws!

It's great from start to finish. With a lot of different ideas and approachs to his act. Some things that come to mind are the Silk in Balloon to Cockatoo, Dove levitation, multiplte parakeet productions, and Macaw Production.

It is one of my favorites because it has a lot of variety to it, changing pace and moods throughout the act. Joseph is also very intense to watch which makes it very exciting.

On top of this I finally got to see his act live this past year and spend quite a bit of time with Joseph. He was a great guy and can't wait to meet up with him again.

So that's my addition to the list,

Michael Berends

It is hard for me to say which is the best Dove worker of all time, as each one that has been mentioned are great in their own rights. I had the pleasure of meeting and having Channing Pollack give me advice since he just lived about 15 miles from me before he moved to Vegas and he is a great teacher. Channing told me how he sold his act to a taxi driver in London and when I had the opportunity to visit the Magic Circle, I menitoned the story and was introduced to the taxi driver. I have to say that I agree with those who put Johnny Thompson because he also got Channing to let him do his Dove act. The Great Thompsoni added a few things to make it his. I could go on and on, but will stick to what I had said about all of the ones mentioned.

All the people evocated are very good doves performers for me.

My 2 favourites are:
- Lance Burton
- Shimada

Update



The great news is that I have talked to Mercer Helms since I wrote this. Mercer lives in Texas, still is doing magic, and sounds like the same great guy I knew in the 60s. He caught me up on his history. For years he was the road manager and opening act for Phyllis Diller. When she retired, he did too. He certainly never left magic. He even attended college at Auburn University in my home state of Alabama and as a young journalist worked at a newspaper, now local to me. I had never known that before.

He is even a new member of The Magic Café.

Thank you Bill Palmer for putting us in touch!

Bob
Magic By Sander

Hi every body !

My two favorites are Marko KARVO and Alpha (I also like James DIMARRE)

Who never had the oportunity to see, here is the act of Channing Pollock in the movie "European Nights"

http://www.contato.inf.br/channing_pollock.WMV

http://www.contato.inf.br/channing_pollock.WMV

The page cannot be found
The page you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.


BUMMER!
(Although I do have the video.)

Hi All

Time for one of the few English dove workers to chip in.

I feel the same as many of you.....

Pollack, Burton, and Dimmare all amazing (and if we are talking about Technical dove workers then they score the highest)

However surely it was Frewin's fresh look and style that sparked off so many of the modern favorites.
Suddenly this guy arrived with a whole new Dynamic and style in some ways aggresive yet likeable that guy produced doves like none of us had seen before. WOW What a guy!!!!!

I have to agree with Dan Sperry That Rick Thomas has one of the most comanding, stage presences during his Dove act.I have seen Ricks act live and idn't notice the tail ditch at all I think that on his video the camera changes to a bad angle at the worst time possible.

Dan, I've never seen you live but your clips on your website are to die for, it's so important that Dove magic continues to be taken to new places and your doing it amazingly.

Anyway enough from me

Thanks

Paul

OOOoo I forgot to mention Jon David Bass is another fav of mine.

James Dimmare
Joseph Gabriel
Tony Clark
Lance Burton

Just my 2 cents


Take care,
Bryan

I have the good fortune and pleasure of producing most of these performers on the World Festival of Magic.

Tony Clark with his great Opera opening. Throwing the mask out toward the audience and it changes to a dove.

Victor and Diamond; loved their style, the production of Diamond and the split rabbits.

Dan Birch, dramatic.

Jason Bryne; would work with him any day. Ladies were at the stage door following every performance.

But this year I have Dimmare on the show. I just returned from Wellington, New Zealand where I watched him yet two more performances. I have done doves and I have never seen a steal of his.

From any row in the theatre and backstage.

And he naturally has an overabundance of style and grace.

But look at his act.
The construction of it.
A beginning. Middle. And End.

Marvyn Roy, who I have had, is a strong proponent of this structure.

James Dimmare opens with glove to dove and ends, before the bird cage finale, with dove to gloves. Cape Blendo. And is ready to exit as he first appeared.

Honestly leaves me in awe at the beauty of it all.

1000% my vote as well goes to Dimmare. Love him or hate him you have to give it up for the act. He has taken Channing, Shimada, and Silvano's material and done it better than they ever could have. Don't get me wrong there is also a lot of original magic in the act as well. His on stage class and ability to ride the line of cockiness, and confidence is perfect. You would think by watching him that he was a trained dancer like his idol Astaire. It was put best in his intro on a WGM special that "although the act lasts only minutes it has taken his whole life to perfect" and perfection it is.

Puck

In my humble opinion, nobody can touch Channing Pollock! Remember, he was doing his act beginning in the late 1940's. His steals were impeccable and his showmanship, elegance and good looks puts him head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. All this without any fast or suspicious movements.

Please don't misunderstand, there are many fine Dove Acts out there today but, Channing was one of a kind.