I'm learning the move but I have been wondering about its origins, does an yone know the history behind this move? why do people call it thumb propulsion now and who originally invented it?

I believe the earliest attribution of the Long Distance Spinner is to Audley Walsh. The move is described in the Tarbell Course In Magic, Vol. 4 under Lesson 49: Unique Card Magic. I believe Daryl Martinez popularized the move. Ricky Smith, Jr. has some great tips. Also, check out: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=73.

Andrew

I first saw the Audley Walsh Long Distance Side Spinner performed by Johnny Hart in the 60's on "The Ed Sullivan Show," so I would credit Johnny with popularizing the move rather than Daryl. Johnny would spin a few cards per the Tarbell instructions, but the last card would be spun behind his back and still caught deftly by the other hand. I discovered the behind the back move was actually no more difficult than the front of the body version. A magician friend of mine who did a manip act was sure Johnny was using some gimmick to spin the cards rather than a sleight until I showed him the Walsh spinner from Tarbell.

Nic Niberco was the first person I saw who did the move with a rubber tip on his thumb.

I use the move in my close-up patter act as a way of reproducing the four aces after shuffling them into the deck. The first three aces are reproduced by spinning the cards in front of the body and I name them as I catch them. The last ace is produced behind the back, which means that the catching hand catches it back toward the audience. I glance at the face of the card while it is still back toward the audience and miscall it saying, "Whoops! This card is the four of diamonds." I blow on the face of the card and "change it" to the last ace.

Johnny Hart is another of the great magicians from the Sullivan show whose act I would like to see in a second volume of "Ed Sullivan Presents Amazing Stars of Magic" DVD--especially his appearance that was "in the can" when he performed the dancing cane and then came back to perform Karson's "Zombie."

----- Sonny

I learned the move about 1972 from Jarvis. http://muckingfagic.net/

He said he would only teach me if I would promise to learn it. I did, and so did he. A few months and several bloody thumbnails later, I could do it.

My first convention was Southeastern Magicians in Atlanta the following year. My mentor had a dealer booth, as did Paul Diamond. At that time, Paul was selling the secretary rubber thumb thing. He was pitching it by telling people it was almost impossible to learn to spin cards, but that his gimmick would of course, make them a star. Then he started popping cards off with it. My mentor, who liked to prank Paul whenever he could said, "Let this kid show them it can't be done", and he dragged me to the front of the line.

Well, I was a very naive kid, so I took Paul's deck and shot a card about 20 feet straight up. The look on his face made me fear for my life for a second.

I have a few good stories related to this move. You can read one of them here (third story).
http://themagiccompany.com/Anecdote_page.html

Thank you guys

@Michael Baker: lol yeah I kind of have a story like that too. Here in Mexico I haven't seen anyone perform the move without the rubber thumb thing, and there was a magician from a magic store who was trying to sell some of those to me and said it couldn't possibly be done without it and that he would teach it to me in exchange. Then I just told him "really?" and I did one thumb propulsion and shoot him about 10 cards more with top shot to what he just replied frowning "is there anything else I can help you with?!

Good story!

If you have Instagram, this clip is worthy of this thread being boosted to the top:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C38mSZnuQ......YTJzMjZl

And they gotta get it right, without fail, every single time.