Galli Galli did the bill in lemon so direct... he showed an envelope and when he stuck the rolled up bill into it, he just poked a hole in the envelope with his finger and pushed the bill through the hole into his waiting hand.... had a lemon with a hole in it and stuffed the bill into the hole.

No moves, no nuttin'... just a direct miracle

I have to agree with Mr. Murphy. There are so many to choose one. Make one your own by adding your own style,personality,etc. and then go out there and blow their minds!!

Don't make a decision on this until you've read Barrie Richardson's Bill in Lemon, in his book, "Theatre of the Mind". The emphasis here in on mystery, rather than comedy, and what mystery!

The bill has a corner torn off, the serial number reocrded, and it's initialed. The bill vanishes as cleanly as you please. The performer then asks a woman in the audience to bring up the box she has been holding since before the efect began. She does, AND THE MAGICIAN TAKES HER SEAT IN THE AUDIENCE. From there, the magician directs the woman to open the box, and cut open the lemon, revealing the bill, which she confirms as the missing one. The magician never even gets near the bill all through this.

Think about that one before you decide n the "best" routine.

Curtis,

Thanks for reminding us that one!

Richardson’s version is real theater, real drama, and real magic. You know, I have never actually seen anyone play the effect this way. I think that I will have to give it a go.

Where can you find Richardson’s version?

Thanks Brad

I mean with Moi and Torkova telling y'all how good Galli Galli's was and how easy it is to do, why bother with anything else???

Richardsons version is in his book Theatre of The Mind and it is a killer! It will fool everybody who doesn´t know its secret, even magicians.

Its been a year since I started this thread and now days I use Lemon Game and I have never regret it. I use Lemon Game over Richardson's method because Lemon Game has a reason why the bill ends up in lemon and it has lots of built-in comedy.

Here's a quick question. What reason do you use to introduce the lemon? I don't think it's as magical if you make the bill vanish or whatever and say "Well I have a lemon in my pocket. I wonder if your signed bill is inside of it. Wait a minute, I also happen to have a knife in my pocket that I carried with me in case this ever occured. Wow I can't believe it."

Now I know I'm being WAY sarcastic and exaggerated. I know this presentation will elicit a response and it is magical and entertaining, but I'm looking for a way to maximize that magic experience.

Currently I pull out the loaded lemon with two others and perform some simple juggling feats especially for the spectator who has lost his bill. At the end I let him choose a lemon (magician's choice) and reveal the bill.

I know this isn't the best solution. I was just wondering if you all had any ideas. I would greatly appreciate hearing what you all have to say.

Pete, where can one find the Galli Galli version (other than your description above)? It is not in my references! Dang!!!!

In Lemon Game there is perfect reason to use and introduce a lemon. It is one of the prizes.

In Bill Malone's version he tells that before he came to perform he came thru the kitchen and something got inside his shoe and he then produces the lemon from his shoe.

Those are the only routines that I have found that have some reason for lemon being introduced.

I strongly disagree with the notion that a corner tear cant be as strong as a signed bill to lemon...strongly...

what if the spectator inspects 2 or 3 lemons before tthe lemon is cut...and the spectator picks the lemon that's cut...strong right....impossible.....they don't sit there and say but if it were signed...they don't....serial numbers are just as individual as a signature,,,....presentation of the effect is what seperates them....

I used to do both...signed and corner....and they are just as strong...i actually like the corner tear a little better....

koz

Torn corner is, I have found, as strong as signing and the latter causes delay in performing, is not as smooth. There were postings about this somewhere recently, maybe relatiing to T&R card, and there were conviincing reasons for not using signing. There is also the logistics angle (pun?) as it may not always be practical to shove the bill in the lemon, It iwas great for me when I wore my Dickensian frock coat with its big side pockets but I rarely do now.

I agree that a lemon is much funnier. I used to do Joe Riding's excellent card in orange where the bill does not get wet (because of the construction of an orange) but changed fruit in the basic routine, and then changed principle to torn corner. I would do signed version if I knew there could be currency from different countries in the audience, or from a foreign country when the use of a foreign note, sorry, bill, is strong.

Dear Café Members,

I have been performing bill to lemon for many years and I do not think there is a single "best" version. Instead I think that different versions work better for different performing environments. Here is what I have to add...I hope this helps:

For Strolling Magic: The "Mesikia Bill To Lemon" version is wonderful...granted you don't do this at every table but a few times a night at those "special" tables it is a workable solution for the walk around performer. In fact my jacket for strolling magic is designed with two "Mesikia Bill To Lemon" gimmicks!

For a more 'serious' environment the "Barrie Richardson Version" is great because there are so many convincers such as signature, torn corner, serial number. I can see why this version appeals to magicians...since we "know" about all those methods...magicians tend to to feel that the more we have the better...however I primarily work for laymen and really the signature is enough...and in my opinion...The best! The Richardson version is a real fooler though! It has always works best in a more corporate environment where people are trying to "figure things out" anyway. This version will give them something to think about!

For a totally impromptu version, Hunter's Vitamin C is what I have been using for years. It is a signed bill to lemon with no preparation...quite good. You show up at a venue...borrow a bill...borrow a lemon...and you are good to go.

Finally for stage I can't recommend The Lemon Game highly enough. For a comedy stage routine this thing rocks...play it up kinda like a "game show" and you have a great piece of comedy on your hands...not to mention a "logical" reason for the bill to end up inside the lemon. If you are fortunate enough to work with an assistant on stage even better...he/she can do all the necessary "dirty work" and leave you clean throughout the entire routine...for me this is the way to go. This is currently my favorite version to perform as I have so much fun with it.

Anyway, I hope this information helps...

Cody S. Fisher

Cody,

thanks for your input. where can I get a copy of Hunter's Vitamin C? Anyone know? Thanks

- David Schwartz

Well, I think a kiwi is funnier than a lemon. I asked a couple of people and they agreed -- so that settles that!

Seriously, I assumed when I saw the kiwi version on TV that it was used because it seemed a more impressive feat to get a bill into one -- people are used to peeling and quartering lemons, so they seem more "openable" than the less familiar fruit.

Dave,

I got mine from http://www.martinismagic.com. Their service was great.

I hope this helps,
Cody S. Fisher

A resource to consider is David Charvet's "The Bill in Lemon Book" featuring the Life and Times of Earl Jarrow. It goes over quite a bit of the history of the bill and lemon routine as well as describing several methods.

I definitely agree it is all in the presentation and know sometimes I get too caught up in the "convincers." Nevertheless, the 2 criteria I always use in fashioning my routine are (1) the lemon should be with the specatator BEFORE the bill disappears --and I make no bones about stressing this before the lemon is cut; and (2) the bill should be signed. While I usually get as strong a reaction with a torn corner/serial number, with a corporate crowd, law firms etc with many critical types, nothing beats a signed bill in my opinion

Someone told me Whit Haydn has a really nice Bill in Lemon effect though I've never seen it. If anyone knows of it a description would be nice. I've only seen two other Bill in Lemon effects done live, Bill Malone's and Barrie Richardson's. Out of those two I'd pick Barrie Richardsons.

I have been performing the bill in the lemon using what is basically the method from the Fine Art of Magic for 30 years. It is one of the pieces audiences talk about for years. You don't need a "reason" for the lemon. They forget all about that by the time the show is over. The strongest part about this version is that the spectator has possession of the lemon before they read the serial number off the dollar bill. They cut the lemon open.

And I don't wrap the bill in plastic. Instead, when I return the bill to the spectator who gave it to me, I say, "Not only is your bill fully restored, but in twenty minutes, it will be dry ... and lemon fresh." The line gets me a second round of applause.

JoJo,

Go here: http://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/
and type 'lemon' into the search box and you will see Whit Haydn's Teleportation Device.

It looks great fun - but again, expensive.