To All my Friends and Purchasers of this Book:

Believing sincerely that the success of the majority of all club and vaudeville performers depends largely on their line of talk, or their patter, I take this opportunity to bring this little effort of mine to their attention with only one thought in mind -- and that is to increase their earning power.

And from my own personal experience, I can say that proper patter will positively do it.

There are performers who are absolutely so far ahead of me in manipulation that I could never hope to catch up with them, and there are some that I have in mind that are in this class, that work for far less money than I received for my work years ago. This is not a testimonial of Frank Lane by Frank Lane. I use my own case, as it is an example that you can't get away from.

Booking agents will not book magical acts that are not peppy in vaudeville or for clubs. They want live men, and men that can make their audience laugh. Take Jack Merlin. You all know him. Why does he get his work? He makes his audience laugh. A flashy act can get work, but I'm talking right now to the club performer and the magi who must work on a soap box, or on a banquet table or "in one."

Watch an audience when a magician comes out. They don't want to listen to him. Why? Because he's too dry. They want to see the funny men. The comedians. And they laugh at them. And they are the ones to get the big salaries.

But -- if you can do your tricks, and your magic and do them right, -- and make them laugh too -- you are in a position to get some real money. -- patter is everything -- almost. And then it brings us back to "it isn't what you do -- it's how you do it."

in these pages you will find, I'm saying you WILL find, patter that has been tried and found successful and patter that makes them laugh. All I ask is that you use it once too.

This is my first attempt at anything like this and I hope sincerely that meets with your approval.

Frank Lane.