On 2003-06-17 17:14, rmendez wrote:
Also, I get so sick of people telling me to change their bills to a larger denomination. Those who bill switch out there will know exactly what I mean.

On 2001-10-17 21:11, RandyWakeman wrote:
$100 Bill Switch (the History)

The year was 1976; the event was Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic at the Forks Hotel in Cheektowaga, NY. The dates were May 7th and 8th, as Fechter’s was but a two day event back then. That year, I shared a ride to the Forks in a van with Dick Jarrow, Jim Ryan, Phil Willmarth, and Mike Kozlowski. Mike Kozlowski and I split a room at the Sheraton in Buffalo, down the street from the convention.

After closing up the convention on Friday evening, Mike and I still had enough energy left to shoot a few rounds of pool at the Sheraton, though it was past two o’clock in the morning.

A fellow walked by, asked if we were with
“the convention,” and we began talking magic. This man went by the name of Milton, and ran a juggling and magic shop in Connecticut. Later, I learned his full name was Milton Nichols.

Paper money effects intrigued Milton, and we talked along those lines for a short while. Then Milton performed what has now become known as the “$100 Bill Switch.” To say that both Mike and I were completely baffled was an understatement! We had no explanation, and were thrilled to see it. Jim Ryan, whose back was keeping him from a full night’s rest, walked by shortly after our little session had begun. Milton repeated his performance, and Jim gushed “Fooled the h**l out of me!” Jim visited for a bit, then went off to try to salvage some sleep.

I was in a good position to attempt to swap effects with Milton, as I was working professionally at Mr. C’s Magic Lounge in Berwyn, Illinois, and had my full close-up archives with me. I went through the paper money effects I was using at the time: the
“$2 Bill Trick”, Sam Berland’s “Bill Tear,” and even “Hornswoggled” and Jack Chanin’s
“Rip-It.” None of those effects garnered enough interest from Milton to affect a swap. Finally, I performed Duke Stern’s
“Seven Dollar Trick.” That fooled and interested Milton, to the point where he was willing to teach the $100 Bill Switch in exchange for the “Seven Dollar Trick” instruction.

Milton explained that this was not his effect, that he had learned it from a Cossack circus performer (Vlado), and that he would tip the work only with the clear understanding that we would not disseminate the information to any other magicians. I gave my word, and so did Mike Kozlowski.

Unfortunately, Mike not only “showed it around,” but published it quickly through Magic, Inc., of Chicago as “The $100 Bill Switch.” It was from that manuscript that the effect became widely discovered, and the
“rest is history.”


Randy Wakeman

On 2002-05-10 16:54, Tony Chapparo wrote:
I have been using Kevin King's method, but instead of changing the $1 to a $100, I ask for a $10 or a $20 and go into my routine talking about how I am experimenting w/magic to become a "wealthier" person. I tell the spectator I will attempt to change their bill into a $100 or whatever they ask for. Their bill turns into a $1 dollar bill as I explain I am still working on it, I will give the $1 back and ask "got another twenty?" (this gets a good laugh and or groan) I will then restore the bill. This way the spectator will beg you to change it back.

On 2009-05-08 23:51, MagicbyCarlo wrote:

Quote:

On 2001-10-17 21:11, RandyWakeman wrote:
$100 Bill Switch (the History)

The year was 1976; the event was Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic at the Forks Hotel in Cheektowaga, NY. The dates were May 7th and 8th, as Fechter’s was but a two day event back then. That year, I shared a ride to the Forks in a van with Dick Jarrow, Jim Ryan, Phil Willmarth, and Mike Kozlowski. Mike Kozlowski and I split a room at the Sheraton in Buffalo, down the street from the convention.

After closing up the convention on Friday evening, Mike and I still had enough energy left to shoot a few rounds of pool at the Sheraton, though it was past two o’clock in the morning.

A fellow walked by, asked if we were with
“the convention,” and we began talking magic. This man went by the name of Milton, and ran a juggling and magic shop in Connecticut. Later, I learned his full name was Milton Nichols.

Paper money effects intrigued Milton, and we talked along those lines for a short while. Then Milton performed what has now become known as the “$100 Bill Switch.” To say that both Mike and I were completely baffled was an understatement! We had no explanation, and were thrilled to see it. Jim Ryan, whose back was keeping him from a full night’s rest, walked by shortly after our little session had begun. Milton repeated his performance, and Jim gushed “Fooled the h**l out of me!” Jim visited for a bit, then went off to try to salvage some sleep.

I was in a good position to attempt to swap effects with Milton, as I was working professionally at Mr. C’s Magic Lounge in Berwyn, Illinois, and had my full close-up archives with me. I went through the paper money effects I was using at the time: the
“$2 Bill Trick”, Sam Berland’s “Bill Tear,” and even “Hornswoggled” and Jack Chanin’s
“Rip-It.” None of those effects garnered enough interest from Milton to affect a swap. Finally, I performed Duke Stern’s
“Seven Dollar Trick.” That fooled and interested Milton, to the point where he was willing to teach the $100 Bill Switch in exchange for the “Seven Dollar Trick” instruction.

Milton explained that this was not his effect, that he had learned it from a Cossack circus performer (Vlado), and that he would tip the work only with the clear understanding that we would not disseminate the information to any other magicians. I gave my word, and so did Mike Kozlowski.

Unfortunately, Mike not only “showed it around,” but published it quickly through Magic, Inc., of Chicago as “The $100 Bill Switch.” It was from that manuscript that the effect became widely discovered, and the
“rest is history.”


Randy Wakeman

Wow. So the Kozloski $100 Bill Switch was really the Vlado bill switch. Randy, have you ever written this up for a publication?