Wayne Kawamoto: Please describe “Building a Magic Radio.”
Ron Frank: The magician explains that there have been stories of people picking up radio stations in the fillings of their teeth. The magician asks a volunteer to help him make a magic radio to see if the theory works.
After attaching an antenna with flashing lights and waving a generator around, the spectator opens his mouth and music comes out. The spectator closes his mouth and the music stops. Every time the spectator’s mouth opens, music is heard. Finally, after many times, the music stops, and as the spectator's hand is shaken, sparks fly, before he is sent back to his seat.
WK: How did you come up with this routine?
RF: I came up with this routine back in 1984. I have a particular knack for taking basic effects and building routines for them. I purchased from Al Cohen (the ultimate dealer in my opinion) his AM Ink radio back in 1984.
The effect was basically that any object appeared to have music coming from it. I really liked the effect but felt at the time that it was more or less a throw away effect. I felt that as a gag it was great, but it had more potential.
My mind started to wander and the end result was "Building a Magic Radio.” I sent the idea to Linking Ring Magazine and it was published in November 1984. Several month's later, much to my surprise, I received a certificate "Award of Special Merit" from the Linking Ring for this routine.
I have used the routine off and on since 1984 and it is always a hit.
WK: What else are you doing these days?
RF: Recently I have started to market many of my effects like "Child's Play", "Devious Dan" and the "Electronic Wacky Table."
