If it were not for Jimmy Grippo, I would probably have not have been so deeply involved in magic today. I might still be a Sunday afternoon parlor magician, which is not bad, but not as much fun an rewarding as enjoying magic each day. Even though I began

learning magical effects when I was only 8 years old, I probably would still be doing the same tricks that everyone else performed. Nothing great, but adequate.

My father and mother, Geno and Rose Munari, encouraged me. My mother was associated with Louie St. Pierre, the second owner of Hollywood Magic Company. Mr. St. Pierre told my mother that I

could have anything that I saw in an old Douglasland Magic catalog

for one-half the price. He was a nice man. I took advantage of

his generosity.

I frequented Hollywood Magic Company every weekend. Some

weekends I would go to Bruce's Haunted House in Glendale. I would

make it an all day excursion on the bus. Hollywood was especially

neat because their were plenty of odd characters to look at while

riding through Hollywood. And the magic shop was full of tricks!

I never wanted to leave. My mom would give me a few dollars and I

was in seventh heaven. I would stay as long as management would

permit.

Frank Ross was ever so kind to me and always said, "Buy books,

they are better than tricks." That was hard for me to understand,

but I did take his advice. I learned many tricks, but still like

most young boys, I wanted big props.

I'll never forget when I was 12 years old and broke my leg at

the local park on the monkey bars. I was laid up for the whole

summer of 1958. My father was so good to me, knowing that was

laid up for the summer with a broken leg. He went to Hollywood

Magic and bought me a neat coin through glass that Thayer built.

He also bought me Scarne's Book of 200 Magic Tricks. Scarne's

tricks were and are still great. Little did I know then that I

would meet Jimmy Grippo, one of Scarne's best friends. In

Scarne's book on card magic, I probably read over the trick that

Jimmy Grippo submitted many times.

I moved to Las Vegas in 1964 and met Gary Meador, a.k.a. Darwin,

who was a bellman at the Sahara Hotel. My cousin, Frank Schivo,

was one of the owners of the Sahara, coming to Las Vegas from

Butte, Montana with Milton Prell in the late 40's. He arranged

a job for me. I went to U.N.L.V. by day and bused dishes by

night.

In about 1970, I met Jimmy Grippo. Jimmy would come to the

Dunes Hotel and perform tricks on the baccarat table

when nobody was playing. Jimmy knew all of the owners from either

New York or Miami. Jimmy's influence on me changed my entire

thinking about magic. I had never ever seen anybody perform like

Jimmy! He knocked my socks off. He still knocks my socks off.

I would go to Caesars and have dinner in the Bacchanal Room just

to see his magic. And then meet him on Wednesday night at the

magic club that would meet at Pat's Chineese Kitchen, the

Colonial House, or some other late night hangout that Gary Meador

would find.

Jimmy and I hit it off very well. He used to come out to my

casino and do tricks for my dealers. I couldn't wait for him to

show up.

In 1981, Jimmy and I published "The Magic of Jimmy Grippo". In

this book I edited a manuscript that Jimmy had put together more

than forty years before. The tricks and the style that Jimmy

performed in was radically different than the style that I knew,

and most of the vip guests of Caesars Palace knew. Jimmy did not

want to add any of his "Caesars" material for fear that everyone

would be doing it. I took a great financial risk publishing this

book, because I was of the understanding that it would include

some of the "Caesars" material.

The description of Jimmy's performance has been captured in rare

appearance on the Johnny Carson Show and Merv Griffin. Those

fortunate to view these performances will realize the value of the

magic of Jimmy Grippo. His approach, his way in handling

big-shots, his manners were all examples for me to learn from. He

helped me in my presentation of magic. There has been no better

presentation of close-up magic anywhere. I thank you Jimmy.

I probably have been the biggest collector of Grippobilia than

anyone on earth. If I did not write this book, all of my

observations, notes, antidotes, fun, and descriptions of Jimmy's

magic would be lost forever. Hence my motive in writing the

book.

Jimmy did not originate all of the magical effects he performed,

but he did them in a special manner. The stories and effects that

I have described are from my observations and notes, and strictly

from my point of view, with the hope that the legacy of Jimmy

Grippo has not diminished with the immortality that we all face.

Jimmy, wherever you are, please forgive me for wanting your

legacy to continue.